Self-Launched Chile, Argentina & Brazil: Andes, Wine, Tango & the Pantanal
16 days · Chile, Argentina & Brazil
G Adventures charges £3,800
No-markup version: ~£1,445 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 16-day DIY version of G Adventures' "Discover Brazil, Argentina & Chile" (National Geographic Journeys, trip code SCRNG), running from Santiago to Rio de Janeiro. You'll cover the same ground — Valparaíso's street art, a high-Andes border crossing past Aconcagua, Malbec tasting in Mendoza, tango in Buenos Aires, samba and Sugarloaf in Rio, a working-estancia day, and the wildlife of the Pantanal — using scheduled local buses, a few cheap domestic flights, public cable cars and independently bookable wine, tango and wildlife tours. Prices are rough backpacker/budget-flashpacker estimates in GBP; the original tour includes hotels, a group leader and private transport, so expect a more hands-on, self-organised trip with more time on night buses.
Day-by-day
Arrive Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Fly into Santiago (SCL). Skip the private transfer — take the Turbus/Centropuerto airport bus to Universidad de Santiago metro (~£3.50) or the official taxi for ~£22. Base yourself in Barrio Bellavista or Lastarria, walk the Cerro San Cristóbal viewpoint if time allows, and sort your bus ticket for Valparaíso and your Mendoza crossing. Grab an empanada and a Completo for dinner.
🚌Airport bus ~£3.50
🛏Hostel private twin or budget guesthouse, Bellavista/Lastarria (£20-28)
- →Arrival and neighbourhood wander
- →Cerro San Cristóbal viewpoint (optional, ~£3 cable car)
- →Sort onward bus tickets
Valparaíso street art and Neruda's house
Valparaíso / Santiago, Chile
Take a Turbus or Pullman bus from Santiago's Terminal Alameda to Valparaíso (~1h45, £5-7 each way). Ride the historic funicular up Cerro Alegre/Cerro Concepción and walk the murals of Cerro Bellavista. Book a 'La Sebastiana' entry ticket online (Neruda's Valparaíso house, ~£7) and consider a free-tip street-art walking tour (tips £5-10) instead of the operator's private expert. Ride the metro/bus to Viña del Mar if you want a beach hour, then return to Santiago in the evening.
🚌Return bus Santiago-Valparaíso ~£12; local metro/funicular ~£3
🛏Same Santiago hostel
- →Self-guided street-art walk in Cerro Alegre/Bellavista
- →La Sebastiana (Pablo Neruda house) entry ~£7
- →Funicular ride ~£1
- →Free-tip walking tour (tip £5-10)
Andes crossing to Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
This is the itinerary's big travel day. Book a seat on the daily international bus Santiago-Mendoza (Cata Internacional or Turbus, ~8-9h, £25-35). The route climbs past Portillo and the snowcapped Aconcagua (6,961m) before the Las Cuevas border post. Have your passport and any reciprocity/entry paperwork ready. Arrive Mendoza evening; hostels cluster around Avenida San Martín and Sarmiento. Dine on bife de chorizo with a bottle of Malbec.
🚌International bus Santiago-Mendoza ~£30
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Mendoza centro (£18-25)
- →Andes/Portillo/Aconcagua views from the bus
- →Evening stroll along Sarmiento pedestrian street
Maipú and Luján de Cuyo wine day
Mendoza, Argentina
Replace the operator's guided wine tour with a self-booked day in the vineyards. Take city bus 10 or 172 to Maipú (~£1) where you can hire a bike (~£10-15/day) and hop between Mr. Hugo, Trapiche and family bodegas, or join a small-group Luján de Cuyo/Valle de Uco tasting tour via GetYourGuide (~£45-70 including tastings and a paired lunch). Book ahead in high season. Reserve a tasting slot at a high-altitude Malbec specialist (e.g. Catena Zapata or Bodega Norton) if you want the serious version.
🚌Local bus ~£1; return taxi/remis from vineyards ~£8 shared
🛏Same Mendoza hostel
- →Bike-and-wine in Maipú or Luján de Cuyo
- →Malbec tasting flights with paired lunch
- →Optional Valle de Uco guided tasting tour ~£55
Free day in Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
Use the free day as the tour does: a half-day hike in the Cordón del Plata foothills (book a shared transfer ~£20), an Argentine cooking class (empanadas + asado, ~£35-45 via Klook/GetYourGuide), or simply café-hop in Parque General San Martín with a Torrontés. Reserve your onward flight or overnight bus to Buenos Aires tonight.
🚌Local / shared transfer for hike ~£20 (optional)
🛏Same Mendoza hostel
- →Optional Cordón del Plata hike
- →Optional cooking class ~£40
- →Parque San Martín and café time
Estancia day and night bus to Buenos Aires
Mendoza / Buenos Aires, Argentina
Book a day-visit to a working estancia outside Mendoza directly (several offer day passes with asado lunch, gaucho demos, pool and optional horseback riding, £45-70 pp including transport). If you'd rather fly, a Mendoza-Buenos Aires (AEP) flight is often £40-70 booked ahead; otherwise take the premium overnight cama bus (~14h, £25-35) to save a hotel night. Hostels in Buenos Aires: San Telmo, Palermo or Recoleta.
🚌Estancia transfer included; overnight bus ~£30 or flight ~£55
🛏Overnight bus or Palermo/San Telmo hostel (£15-22)
- →Estancia day visit with asado lunch
- →Optional horseback ride ~£20
- →Gaucho and polo demonstration
Buenos Aires city tour and tango milonga
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Do the city on your own schedule: free-tip walking tour of Plaza de Mayo and the Casa Rosada (tip £8), metro to La Boca for El Caminito's colourful facades, then Recoleta Cemetery (free entry, ~£2 optional guided). In the evening book a beginner tango class at a local milonga such as La Viruta or Salón Canning (~£8-12 including class), stay for the milonga, and eat at a neighbourhood parrilla rather than a tourist tango-dinner show.
🚌SUBE card metro/bus day ~£3
🛏Same Buenos Aires hostel
- →Free-tip Plaza de Mayo / city walking tour
- →El Caminito, La Boca
- →Recoleta Cemetery
- →Tango class + milonga entry ~£10
Fly to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Book a direct Buenos Aires (EZE/AEP) to Rio (GIG) flight on Aerolíneas Argentinas, JetSMART or GOL — usually £90-160 if booked a few weeks out; budget airlines charge extra for bags, so pack light. Take the BRT/Fresca bus or metro from GIG into Botafogo, Ipanema or Santa Teresa (~£2-4). Evening: caipirinhas and street food in Lapa, or join a hostel dinner.
🚌One-way flight ~£120; airport bus ~£3
🛏Hostel in Botafogo/Ipanema or Santa Teresa (£20-30)
- →Lapa Arches at night
- →Hostel social evening
Sugarloaf, samba and Rio views
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Buy your Pão de Açúcar cable car ticket online (~£20) and go early or near sunset. Swap the operator's private city tour for a free-tip walking tour of Centro and Lapa (tip £8) or a favela cultural tour run by a community organisation (~£20). In the evening, book a samba school rehearsal visit in Mangueira or Salgueiro through GetYourGuide (~£25-35) — the real Carnival world rather than a staged show.
🚌Metro/Uber across town ~£5
🛏Same Rio hostel
- →Sugarloaf cable car ~£20
- →Free-tip Centro/Lapa walking tour
- →Samba school rehearsal visit ~£30
Fly to Campo Grande and into the Pantanal
Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Fly Rio-Campo Grande (via Brasília or São Paulo, £90-160). From Campo Grande airport or rodoviária, take the shared Pantanal transfer/ônibus to your lodge on the Transpantaneira (~£25-40, 2-4h) — most lodges bundle pickup. Choose a mid-range fazenda/pousada with full board and guide (roughly £70-110 pp per night all-in, which is how almost all Pantanal lodges price). Book directly with the lodge or via a Campo Grande agency rather than a tour company.
🚌Flight ~£120; shared lodge transfer ~£30
🛏Pantanal pousada/lodge, full board (included in ~£90/night rate)
- →Transpantaneira road wildlife spotting
- →Evening night drive or cayman spotting
Full wildlife day in the Pantanal
Pantanal, Brazil
Your lodge guides handle this — a morning hike or boat trip on the Paraguay River tributaries looking for hyacinth macaws, howler monkeys, giant anteaters, capybaras and marsh deer, then a late-afternoon/night safari for caiman and nocturnal species. Bring binoculars, long sleeves, DEET repellent and cash for tips (£8-10/day for guides).
🚌Lodge 4x4/boat included in rate
🛏Same Pantanal lodge, full board (~£90/night)
- →Guided nature hike
- →Boat trip on Pantanal tributaries
- →Night wildlife safari
Jaguar country and river trip
Pantanal, Brazil
Many lodges offer a Porto Jofre jaguar-extension boat trip (best Jun-Oct, ~£120-180 for a shared day including boat and guide — book when reserving your lodge). Alternatively do another guided river/horseback morning and learn about jaguar conservation from your guide. Return to Campo Grande in the afternoon or stay a final night in the wetlands.
🚌Shared transfer back to Campo Grande ~£30
🛏Pantanal lodge or Campo Grande hostel (£15-20)
- →Optional Porto Jofre jaguar boat trip
- →Horseback ride or canoe
- →Conservation talk with lodge guide
Travel to Foz do Iguaçu
Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
Bus or fly Campo Grande to Foz do Iguaçu (overnight bus ~14h £30-40; flight ~£80-130). Check into a hostel on the Brazilian side near the park entrance or in the town centre. Evening: sunset at the Marco das Três Fronteiras where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet (~£6 entry).
🚌Overnight bus ~£35 or flight ~£100
🛏Foz do Iguaçu hostel (£15-22)
- →Marco das Três Fronteiras sunset
- →Sort park tickets online in advance
Argentine side of Iguaçu Falls
Puerto Iguazú, Argentina
Cross to the Argentine park early (local bus 120 from Foz terminal to the border, then park bus, ~£4 total; bring passports). Buy the Argentine park entry online (~£28) and walk the Upper and Lower Circuits plus the Garganta del Diablo catwalk train. Add the Nautical Adventure speedboat if you want to get soaked (~£30). Optional helicopter flight over the falls is ~£100 — book at the park heliport. Return to Brazil in the evening.
🚌Local buses both sides ~£5
🛏Same Foz hostel
- →Argentine-side trails and Devil's Throat catwalk
- →Optional speedboat ~£30
- →Optional helicopter flight ~£100
Brazilian side of Iguaçu and fly to Rio
Foz do Iguaçu / Rio de Janeiro
Do the Brazilian side in the morning for the panoramic view (park entry ~£18, park bus included; a guided naturalist tour can be booked via GetYourGuide for ~£30 if you want the flora/fauna lecture the operator includes). Afternoon flight Foz do Iguaçu (IGU) to Rio (GIG/SDU), usually £70-120. Check back into your Rio hostel and have a farewell dinner in Botafogo.
🚌Local bus ~£2; flight ~£95
🛏Rio hostel, Botafogo/Ipanema (£20-30)
- →Brazilian-side panoramic falls walkway
- →Optional guided nature tour ~£30
- →Farewell dinner in Botafogo
Depart Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Last morning for Ipanema beach, the Selarón Steps or a quick açai before heading to the airport via BRT/metro (~£3) or Uber (~£15). Book your international flight home separately — it's not included in the operator's price either.
🚌Airport bus/metro ~£3
🛏N/A
- →Selarón Steps or Ipanema morning
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,445 | £3,800 |
| Duration | 16 days | 16 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,355 per person (62%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,445
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Chile, Argentina & Brazil: Andes, Wine, Tango & the Pantanal cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,445 per person for 16 days in Chile, Argentina & Brazil. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £3,800 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,445 — a saving of roughly £2,355 (62%) per person.
How long is the Chile, Argentina & Brazil trip?+
This itinerary runs 16 days, covering 16 day-by-day stops through Chile, Argentina & Brazil.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, foodie trip through Chile, Argentina & Brazil, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.