South America calls to those who travel with intention, not the travelers chasing Instagram itineraries or generic tour packages, but those seeking journeys that feel personal and immersive.
In recent years, Access Travel has received a lot of solo travel requests. One time, it even came from one of Angely's vlogs.
One of our favorite destinations for solo travel is South America. You might be asking why and this is a deep dive into one of our favorite destinations (But, really, we don't like to play favorites!)
Why South America Rewards the Solo Traveler
Traveling alone through South America isn't about proving independence or ticking destinations off a list. It's about moving at your own pace through landscapes vast enough to make you feel small and cultures rich enough to make you feel connected.
The rhythms here are different. Mornings begin with mountain air so crisp. Evenings stretch into dinners, sharing wine and lots of conversations.
One week, you're surrounded by glaciers. Next, you're standing in deserts so dry and surreal. South America doesn't ask you to choose between comfort and adventure. Here, you can have both especially when you book with Access Travel
Patagonia
At the southern tip of the continent, Patagonia stretches across Chile and Argentina. This is where solo travel feels most profound. The vastness here has a way of quieting everything unnecessary.
Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia delivers the kind of scenery that stops you mid-step. Jagged granite peaks pierce through clouds, their bases reflected in glacier-fed lakes that shift from turquoise to deep cobalt depending on the light.
The famous W Trek can be done independently or with organized groups that provide just enough structure while preserving your sense of discovery. You'll walk for hours seeing nothing but guanacos grazing in the distance and condors circling overhead, then arrive at refugios where fellow trekkers gather around wood stoves, sharing trail mix and camaraderie.
On the Argentine side, El Calafate serves as your gateway to the Perito Moreno Glacier. Long known for its unusual stability compared with other glaciers, it remains famous for its dramatic calving events - enormous chunks of ice breaking off and crashing into the water below with thunderous cracks. You can walk the elevated platforms that face the glacier, feeling the cold radiating off its surface, or take a boat that brings you close enough to understand the scale of what you're witnessing.
For those who seek even deeper solitude, El Chaltén offers trails that wind through Andean forests toward Mount Fitz Roy. The town itself is small enough to feel intimate but equipped with everything a solo traveler needs: well-marked trails, comfortable lodges, and enough other independent wanderers that you're never truly isolated unless you choose to be.
The Atacama Desert
Northern Chile's Atacama Desert presents a different kind of adventure. The driest place on Earth, it offers an otherworldly landscape where salt flats extend to the horizon, volcanic peaks rise from rust-colored valleys, and the night sky reveals more stars than you knew existed.
San Pedro de Atacama anchors your exploration. The town has evolved from a dusty outpost into a thoughtfully developed base for desert adventures, with boutique hotels carved from adobe and restaurants serving fresh local cuisine. But venture beyond the town center and you'll find the real magic.
The Valley of the Moon, just minutes away, transforms at sunset when the terrain shifts from beige to gold to deep purple. The salt flats of Salar de Atacama draw flamingos in improbable pink clusters against the white crust. And the geysers of El Tatio, best visited at dawn when the steam rises most dramatically, offer a reminder that this landscape is still very much alive.
Solo travelers here benefit from the infrastructure developed over years. Tours operate daily to the region's highlights, creating natural opportunities to connect with others while maintaining independence. Private guides can be arranged for those who prefer a more tailored approach, crafting itineraries around your pace and interests rather than a preset schedule.
Peru's Sacred Valley
The approach to Machu Picchu matters as much as the destination itself. Flying into Cusco, you land at 11,000 feet in a city where Inca walls form the foundations of colonial buildings. Take time to acclimate. Walk the cobblestone streets of San Blas, where artisan workshops spill onto sidewalks. Sip coca tea in Plaza de Armas while watching the light shift across the cathedral's towers.
The Sacred Valley spreads out below Cusco, terraced hillsides giving way to river valleys where local communities still farm as their ancestors did centuries ago. Pisac's Sunday market draws locals from surrounding villages, selling everything from produce to textiles woven with natural dyes. Ollantaytambo's fortress sits at the valley's far end, its massive stone blocks fitted with precision that still puzzles engineers.
Then comes Machu Picchu itself. Arrive early, before the day crowds, and watch the sun burn away morning mist to reveal the citadel perched between peaks. The site's preservation and regulated access mean you won't feel alone, but the setting remains powerful enough to eclipse any distraction.
For solo travelers seeking something beyond the classic visit, the lesser-known trails around the site offer quieter perspectives and unexpected encounters with local guides who know stories the tour books don't tell.
The Galápagos
Some destinations reward advance planning, and the Galápagos Islands are among them. The archipelago's unique ecosystem and protected status mean independent exploration is limited, but organized cruises and island-hopping itineraries provide structure that actually enhances the solo experience.
On these trips, you're surrounded by others drawn to the same pursuit: witnessing evolution in action. Sea lions sun themselves on benches in port towns, unbothered by human presence. Blue-footed boobies perform courtship dances meters from where you stand. Giant tortoises lumbering through volcanic highlands seem to exist outside time entirely.
The organized nature of Galápagos travel creates an unexpected benefit for solo adventurers. Shared experiences - snorkeling with sea turtles, hiking across lava fields, watching frigate birds inflate their crimson throat pouches - naturally foster connections among travelers. By evening, those shared moments become shared meals and conversations that extend beyond simple travel talk.
Planning Your South American Journey
The best time to visit these destinations varies by region. Patagonia's summer months from November through March offer the most stable weather and longest days for hiking. The Atacama, with its consistently dry climate, welcomes visitors year-round, though June through August brings cooler evenings. Peru's dry season from May through September provides the clearest skies for Machu Picchu, while the Galápagos maintains relatively stable temperatures throughout the year, with December through May bringing warmer waters for swimming and snorkeling.
Solo travel through South America benefits from thoughtful preparation. While the continent has become increasingly accessible for independent travelers, local expertise transforms a good trip into one that feels seamless. The difference shows in details: knowing which trails require advance permits, which hotels offer both solitude and safety, which local guides bring depth beyond basic facts.
The Access Difference
At Access Travel, we design South American journeys for travelers who value their time as much as their experiences. Our itineraries reflect firsthand knowledge of these destinations, from the quieter trails in Patagonia to the boutique properties in the Atacama that most travelers never find. We handle the logistics that can complicate solo travel - coordinating flights across multiple countries, arranging private transfers at high altitudes, securing permits for protected sites - so you arrive prepared to experience simply.
Your journey to South America should feel effortless from the first planning conversation to your final departure. No decision fatigue or wasted time comparing options. It will be carefully curated experiences that match how you want to feel throughout the journey: challenged but never overwhelmed, connected but never crowded, free to explore while knowing every detail has been anticipated.
Whether you're standing before glaciers in Patagonia, watching stars above the Atacama, or tracing ancient paths to Machu Picchu, solo travel through South America offers something increasingly rare: space to move at your own rhythm through landscapes grand enough to shift your perspective entirely.
If you are ready to design your South American adventure, talk to an Access Travel expert.
