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Best Trips 2005 The High Road South America
Rafting the Lower Apurímac Price: $2,500 Difficulty: Strenuous To reach some hard-won whitewater, this ten-day trekking-and-rafting expedition starts with a six-hour hike down the western slope of Peru's lush Cordillera Vilcabamba. Follow this the next day with a 5,900-foot ascent to Choquequirau, ruins of one of the most remarkable Incan cities discovered to date. Then make history of your own, on the rarely run, Class IV–V Lower Apurímac River, home to parrots, monkeys, cormorants, and countless waterfalls. High Point: Peering into what guides call the Acobamba Abyss and realizing you're headed for expert-kayaker territory. Low Point: If water levels are low, portaging a particularly narrow section of the Abyss. Travel Advisory: This is an exploratory trip, so be prepared for changes and delays. Outfitter: Bio Bio Expeditions, 800-246-7238, www.bbxrafting.com When to Go: October Guyana Wildlife Watching Price: $2,835 (airfare from U.S. included) Difficulty: Easy Picture Costa Rica pre–tourism boom—gorgeous, wild, and practically empty—and you've got Guyana, a new frontier in South American travel. For ten days you'll head from lodge to lodge (some run by local Amerindian communities), exploring savannas and jungles and possibly adding jaguar and exotic-bird sightings to your life list. You can kayak lazy rivers to watch giant otters, venture out with flashlights to see black caimans hunting at night, and stand at the rim of Kaieteur Falls, which drops more than 740 feet, almost five times the height of Niagara. Outfitter: Journeys International, 800-255-8735, www.journeys-intl.com When to Go: April, August, November
Galloping the Deserted Coastline of Rocha Price: $1,850 Difficulty: Easy It's hard to find a beach so deserted you can take a solitary stroll, let alone a weeklong horseback ride like this one, through eastern Uruguay's Rocha region. On this 140-mile journey, you'll visit fishing villages atop South American criollo horses, fuel up on lamb and steak, and gaze at capybaras (the world's largest rodents). Worthy detours include a sea lion conservation area and a botanical garden filled with dozens of orchids. Outfitter: Boojum Expeditions, 800-287-0125, www.boojum.com When to Go: March to April, October to December Argentina and Chile Backcountry-Skiing the Andean Cordillera Price: $2,000 Difficulty: Challenging On this ten-day trip, combine volcano climbs with lift-served skiing and snowboarding. In Chile, you'll ascend the back side of 9,318-foot Volcán Villarrica, where you might see lava boiling below the caldera rim. In Argentina, you'll ascend the flanks of Volcán Lanín (12,388 feet) and Volcán Domuyo (15,446 feet), recuperating in the area's hosterías and abundant hot springs. Outfitter: ATAC (Adventure Tours Argentina Chile), 866-270-5186, www.adventure-tours-south.com When to Go: July to October
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