Latin America Travel - How To Choose Your Perfect Vacation

We all book Latin America vacations for...what, exactly?  

One thing is certain, we’re hoping for a perfect break. We want to be able to come back from the vacation buzzing with the benefits of our time away. If you’re planning to travel with a Latin America tours operator, prepare to be overwhelmed by choice. The best thing you can do to pick the perfect operator for the perfect vacation is a bit of self analysis.

Try asking yourself the questions below when planning to get in contact with a Latin America tour operator for an itinerary. After thinking about your answers, you should have a much clearer idea about your perfect Latin America vacation (with a reality check included).

What is your travelling style?

• How does the idea of ‘roughing it’ sound? Adventurous travel, camping, going off the beaten track, that sort of thing. Trekking the Inca Trail or five star luxury hotels?
• Do you prefer to have tours and excursions in a group, or go solo? Both have their advantages. Maybe you like something in between - someone to share the experience with, but no crowds.
• Do you prefer to follow a set itinerary with everything planned out and customized for you, or do you prefer to have free time to decide on the spur of the moment?
• Do you enjoy spontaneous travelling with unforeseen challenges, or prefer to know what to expect?

What’s your situation?

• How much vacation time do you have? Or is this a longer break? If you are short on time having a Latin America tour operator plan your trip to maximize the use of your time is surely the way to go.
• What’s your budget? Does this fit with your travelling style?

...this is a great time to check if your time, money and holiday aspirations match up...

Can you handle it?

• What’s your fitness like? You may want to go charging up glaciers in Patagonia, but will you be able to make it to base camp?
• What is your tolerance to climate? Jungle conditions like those in Ecuador are hot and humid, high altitude places like the Cordillera Blanca in Peru are cold with thin air.
• You might need to take medication during your trip - does your body have a favorable reaction? Anti-malarial medication is a classic example, required for tropical regions such as the Amazon.
• What are your language skills like? Can you look after yourself with Spanish or Portuguese?

Are there any other things to consider when thinking about perfect Latin America vacations? What kind of Latin America tours do you prefer?

Author: Gary Sargent - Escaped to Peru / Escaped to Latin America