Best rural retreat destinations in South America
Best rural retreat destinations in South America
High-altitude ranch stays and secluded mountain villages in South America
South America's rural retreat offer is shaped by the continent's extraordinary landscape diversity, with Andean valley farmsteads, Patagonian estancias, cloud forest lodges and coastal agricultural hinterlands providing genuinely distinct retreat settings across a wide geographic range. The working rural landscapes of the continent retain a character largely independent of tourism, giving extended stays an authenticity that more developed retreat markets can struggle to maintain.
The estancia tradition of the southern cone provides the most structured rural accommodation offer, with working cattle and sheep farms offering stays that combine landscape immersion with direct engagement with agricultural life. Cloud forest and highland agricultural regions further north offer a different experience built around indigenous farming traditions, local food culture and exceptional biodiversity in settings of considerable natural drama.
Transport access to the most genuinely rural destinations requires a hire car or organised transfers as public connections are limited across most of the continent's retreat regions. Your money goes a long way across most destinations making higher-end rural lodge accommodation accessible at price points that represent strong value. Quality properties in the most sought-after regions book out well in advance during peak season.
Lists by region
Worldwide (283)
Africa (24)
Asia (59)
Europe (83)
North America (50)
Oceania (25)
South America (25)
City in Peru
Iquitos
Amazon’s gateway to jungle adventures
No road reaches Iquitos, so travellers arrive by plane or by river boat. Jungle lodges sit along the Amazon and its tributaries outside the city. Guides lead canoe trips through flooded forest in the Pacaya Samiria reserve. The Belen market sells river fish and fruit. Pink dolphins surface near boats.
National Park in Brazil
Chapada Diamantina National Park
Waterfalls, Caves and Diamond History
Vale do Capao is a village in the hills of Chapada Diamantina. Pousadas there serve rice, beans and fish from the river. Hikers walk to Pai Inacio hill at sunset. Waterfalls and natural pools line the trails nearby. Old diamond mining towns sit a short drive away.
Town in Argentina
El Calafate
Gateway to Patagonia’s Glaciers
Boats cross Lago Argentino from Calafate to Estancia Cristina, a sheep farm near the Upsala Glacier. Guests ride in 4x4 vehicles to viewpoints. Lunch includes roast lamb cooked on an open fire. The Perito Moreno Glacier lies to the west. Calafate itself has restaurants and a small bird reserve.
Outer Territory in United Kingdom
Falkland Islands
Untouched wilderness with abundant wildlife
Sheep farms called Camp settlements spread across the Falkland Islands. Guests stay in lodges on remote islands such as Carcass Island and Sea Lion Island. At Volunteer Point, king penguins nest on a grass slope near the beach. Stanley, the capital, has pubs serving fish and chips.
National Park in Brazil
Pantanal Matogrossense National Park
World's largest tropical wetland paradise
Fazendas, cattle ranches, host guests in the Pantanal. Horseback rides follow pantaneiros, local cowboys, across flooded plains. Guests fish for piranha from small boats and eat it fried. Lodges serve rice, beans and beef. Hyacinth macaws screech at dawn. Caimans line the creeks. Dinner is served on a long table.
National Park in Argentina
Los Glaciares National Park
Where glaciers meet towering peaks
The Perito Moreno Glacier has a face five kilometres wide. Walkways give close views. Ice falls into the lake with a loud crack. The park also has Monte Fitz Roy and Lago Viedma. Estancia lodges offer horseback rides across the steppe. UNESCO listed the park in 1981.
Nature Reserve in Ecuador
Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve
Amazon wilderness teeming with life
Wooden cabins on stilts face the black water of Laguna Grande in Cuyabeno. Guides paddle canoes along flooded forest at dawn. Pink river dolphins surface in the lagoon. Black caimans watch from the banks. Night walks reveal tree frogs and tarantulas. Trips start from Lago Agrio.
Town in Chile
San Pedro de Atacama
Mars-like Landscapes and Starry Nights
Adobe houses line the dusty streets of San Pedro de Atacama. Iglesia San Pedro, a white church, dates to the 1700s. Tours go to Altiplanic lagoons such as Miscanti and to the El Tatio geysers before dawn. Nights bring some of the darkest skies in Chile. Hostels have courtyards and fire pits.
Town in Colombia
Guatape
Colorful Streets and Lakeside Views
Guatape sits on a reservoir two hours from Medellin. Houses in town have painted panels called zocalos on their lower walls, with scenes of local life. The Piedra del Penol, a granite monolith, has 740 steps to a view over the lake. Boats and kayaks cruise between small islands.
National Park in Chile
Torres del Paine National Park
Epic Landscapes and Untamed Wilderness
Three granite towers give Torres del Paine its name. Hikers walk the W Trek or the full circuit, sleeping in refugios or camps. Lago Grey has icebergs floating near the shore. Guanacos graze on the steppe. Pumas leave tracks in the mud. Estancia lodges offer horseback rides.
National Park in Guyana
Kaieteur National Park
World's Most Powerful Single-Drop Waterfall
Kaieteur Falls drops 226 metres in a single plunge, several times the height of Niagara. Small planes fly from Georgetown over the rainforest to a gravel strip near the rim. A guided path leads to the viewpoints. Tiny golden frogs live in the tank bromeliad plants near the falls.
City in Argentina
San Martin de los Andes
Patagonian Paradise by Lake Lácar
Lake Lacar lies beside this village in the Andes, with wooden houses along the shore. The Ruta de los Siete Lagos, the Seven Lakes Road, leads north to Villa La Angostura. Lanin volcano rises to 3,776 metres in the national park. Mapuche communities sell crafts. Trout streams run clear.
National Park in Venezuela
Canaima National Park
Tepui Peaks and Angel Falls Wonder
Angel Falls drops 979 metres from a flat topped mountain called a tepui. Pemon guides paddle long boats up the Carrao River to the base. Lodges on Canaima Lagoon face Sapo Falls. A path leads behind the water. Boat trips run in the rainy season from June to November.
Country
Guyana
South America's pristine rainforest gem
Savannah ranches in the Rupununi region host guests in lodges and farmhouses. At Karanambu Lodge, staff once rescued orphaned giant otters. Surama village runs a community lodge with Makushi guides. The Iwokrama rainforest has a canopy walkway above the trees. Roads here are dirt, so trips are slow.
City in Argentina
San Carlos de Bariloche
Argentina’s Alpine Wonderland
The Llao Llao Hotel stands on a green peninsula above Lake Nahuel Huapi. The Circuito Chico loop passes small beaches, a chapel and viewpoints. A hiking trail climbs to Refugio Frey, a mountain hut beside a granite lake. Lodges outside town serve trout and venison.
National Park in Peru
Manú National Park
Pristine Amazon biodiversity wonderland
A road from Cusco drops through cloud forest into the Manu region. Andean cock of the rock birds gather at dawn at a lek with bright orange feathers. Lodges along the Madre de Dios River stand on stilts in rainforest. Giant otters swim in oxbow lakes. Macaws feed at clay licks.
Town in Argentina
El Chalten
Hiking Capital of Argentina
Monte Fitz Roy fills the skyline above El Chalten, a small village founded in 1985. Trails leave straight from town to Laguna de los Tres and Laguna Torre. Each is about 20 kilometres round trip. Guesthouses serve stew and craft beer after the hike. Condors circle overhead.
Town in Argentina
Ushuaia
End of the World Adventures
Estancia Harberton, a sheep farm founded in 1886, lies on the Beagle Channel east of Ushuaia. It has a marine museum and a penguin colony nearby. Boats run from town to the Les Eclaireurs lighthouse. Tierra del Fuego National Park has forest trails and a train station at the end of the world.
Island in Brazil
Fernando de Noronha
World's Best Beaches and Dolphins
Guesthouses called pousadas are spread through the village of Remedios on Fernando de Noronha. Morro do Pico rises above the island. Beaches such as Baia do Sancho have clear water and turtles. Daily visitor numbers are controlled, which keeps the island calm. Dive boats leave the harbour each morning.
National Park in Brazil
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park
Otherworldly dunes with turquoise lagoons
Atins is a small village on the Preguicas River at the edge of the dunes. Boats cross to Cabure, a sandbar with beach huts and kitesurfing. Pousadas serve shrimp and fish. Dune walks start from town in the morning when the sand is cool. Santo Amaro is another village with lagoon hikes.
Town in Argentina
Trevelin
A Welsh haven in Patagonia
Welsh settlers founded Trevelin in the 1880s. The town keeps Welsh tea houses. Casa de Te Nain Maggie serves tea with cakes and cream. Molino Andes, an old flour mill, now holds a museum. Farm fields and Andes peaks surround the valley. Los Alerces National Park is a short drive.
Town in Chile
Pucon
Volcano Views and Adventure Bliss
Villarrica volcano smokes above Pucon. Guided climbs reach the crater rim in a day. Huerquehue National Park has trails to three lakes. Hot springs such as Termas Geometricas lie in a forested canyon about an hour away. Cabins around Lake Villarrica come with wood stoves.
National Park in Colombia
Tayrona National Park
Where Jungle Meets Turquoise Caribbean
Hammocks hang in thatched huts at Cabo San Juan in Tayrona National Park. A trail from the El Zaino entrance runs through forest to the sea. Beaches face a Caribbean that is wild and rocky. Howler monkeys call at dawn. No cars enter the park.
Town in Argentina
Villa la Angostura
Patagonia's Hidden Gem
The Quetrihue peninsula has a forest of arrayanes, trees with cinnamon coloured bark. A path leads from town to the tip, where a small boat dock sits on Lake Nahuel Huapi. Chalets and cabins stand among pines. Chocolate shops and bakeries fill the main street.
Region
Patagonia
Untamed Beauty at the End of the World
Estancias, working sheep and cattle ranches, host guests across Patagonia. Gauchos ride out at dawn to move the flocks. Guests eat lamb roasted over a fire in the open. Ruta 40 crosses the steppe with few towns. Guanacos and rheas run beside the road. Nights are cold and quiet.
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