South America · WALKING TOURS
The old towns here were laid out for feet and are hostile to everything else. These 15 walks cover Cartagena, Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Cusco and Rio, priced by length, with a note on the ones with real hills.
Spend about two hours walking through Rocinha with a local guide such as Ray, Bruno, or Carlos. The educational tour covers daily life, local challenges, and Rio from a different angle. Air-conditioned minivan transport connects meeting points in Copacabana, Ipanema, or São Conrado with this small-group experience.
“Learnt about the Favela and save how people live very safe”
Walk for 150 minutes from Plaza Cervantes through Cartagena’s Walled City and Getsemaní with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide. Expect colonial landmarks, slavery-era history, San Pedro Claver, bastions, street art, local advice, dancing, salsa, champeta, and a look at Cartagena’s changing social order. Guides include Dani, Legacy, Robert, Álvaro David, Ingrid, and Rebeca.
“Our guide was great! What an experience! Book this tour and be ready to learn and explore the beauty of Cartagena! 🥳”
Walk through Rocinha with an English, Spanish, or Portuguese-speaking local guide. You’ll learn how the community developed, hear personal stories, visit a capoeira school, and stop at a rooftop viewpoint. Guides such as Wellington, Alberto, Daniel, and Martin have been praised for making the visit thoughtful, clear, and reassuring.
“The tour was absolutely fantastic, the favela was so different then expected. This is a must-do tour when you are in Rio if you ask me. I learned a lot today about the culture also. Our tour guide was absolutely fantastic! you can really feel he loves to do his work and explained everything very well, he is also a very funny guy! I will never forget the experience of today!”
Use Gray Line Argentina’s open-top, air-conditioned bus to see Buenos Aires at your own pace. The route links Congress, San Telmo, La Boca, Puerto Madero, Recoleta, Palermo, River Plate Stadium, and more. Choose a 1, 2, or 3-day pass, add optional walking tours, and use the discount booklet to shape your visit.
“Do not use this hop on hop off. The pickup spots are impossible to locate. There are no signs indicating where the bus stops. We spent the day searching one after another pickup spot.”
Walk La Boca with an English-speaking guide from Buenos Aires Free Walks. You’ll see colorful conventillos, street tango, fileteado art, Puente Transbordador, and finish outside La Bombonera. Guides such as Santiago, Vito, Victoria, Maria, and Juan bring extra context, humor, and local recommendations. Stadium entry is optional and costs extra.
“Great! There wasn’t a heap of walking. The guide was really good!”
Walk La Candelaria with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide, visiting La Concordia market, Carrera Séptima, Bolívar Square, historic alleys, and the area near the Gold Museum. You’ll sample local fruit and may also taste coffee or coca tea. Guides such as Leslie, Luis, Juana, and José bring history, art, and practical city advice to life.
“Bernardo was an amazing guide. He introduced us to the colombian culture and history, and provided us with lots of useful tips on what to do in Bogota and answered our questions. The tour covers some nice spots around the center, fruits and coffee tasting, including explanations. Highly recommend this tour, especially towards the beginning of your stay.”
Begin at San Francisco Church with a guide such as Carolina, Luis, or Fernando, then visit La Paz’s Witches’ Market, San Pedro Square, El Alto, Jaen Street, and Plaza Murillo. Several cable car rides link the route, giving you a quick, memorable view of both cities for $10.
“Great city walking tour. I saw places and leant the history that I may not have found alone plus we got to ride 4 cable car lines with incredible views.”
From Punta Arenas, ride to Laredo Bay and cross to Magdalena Island for an hour-long guided walk among wild Magellanic penguins. Continue to Marta Island, weather permitting, to watch Patagonian sea lions from the boat. English and Spanish guides, coffee, and the penguin-island entry fee are included.
“It was such a dream seeing those penguins! Guides were great! I am very grateful that they were able to accommodate me last minute when I asked to switch days for my tour. Everything went super smoothly and I had such a great time! Thank you so much!”
Spend 2 to 2.5 hours walking central La Paz with an English-speaking Red Cap guide such as Denise, Max, Daniel, or Rem. You’ll visit Plaza Murillo and the Witches’ Market while learning about cholitas, masked shoe shiners, street zebras, Andean beliefs, and Bolivia’s political past. The pace is adjusted for high altitude, though steep streets and limited accessibility remain concerns.
“I loved seeing the key areas of La Paz in a safer way before I was confident enough to explore by myself. Denise was knowledgeable, personable and funny and I’d recommend this tour to others”
Walk from La Moneda to Patio Bellavista in three hours with a guide speaking English, Spanish, or Portuguese. See Santiago’s cathedral, Plaza de Armas, Bellas Artes, Lastarria, Santa Lucia Hill, and more. Guide Eugenio is often praised for clear history, local tips, and a friendly pace. Water is included; lunch and major attraction entries are not.
“We thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Our guide Eugenio was really friendly, very knowledgeable and made the tour very interesting. I highly recommend this tour.”
Meet beneath a black umbrella in Plaza de Santo Domingo for a two-hour walk through Cartagena’s Walled City and Getsemani. Guides such as Arthur, Rafael, Nelson, Jorge, and Isaac mix colonial history with local life, street art, food tips, and photo stops. Expect heat, cobblestones, and a shared English or Spanish group.
“Arthur was fantastic, very informative and entertaining. He took time to answer any questions and provided great tips along the way. Recommended without reservations!”
Walk through Moravia with bilingual guide Toto and community ambassador Gladys. Hear how an illegal neighborhood grew on a former garbage dump, discuss health care, education, football, and housing, and visit the cultural center. The small group, local stories, and snack of tiny street empanadas make this a thoughtful alternative to a standard Medellín city tour.
“Toto and Gladys were fantastic guides. The history of Moravia being built on the garbage was shocking and very interesting. We also saw how the area is improving for the community such as the garden ran by women and La Casa de Todos. The community does still face challenges with overpopulation but it is good to get a true picture of this.”
Join Max, a University of Buenos Aires history teacher, for an English-language walk through Recoleta, Retiro, and Microcentro. You will connect Nazi migration, Adolf Eichmann’s capture, Perón-era politics, Jewish life, and later attacks to real city sites, with archival photos and careful discussion.
“really strong insight on everything related to the Nazi's in Buenos Aires, but also the deeper Argentinian history”
Meet local guide Rodrigo, Milena, Leo, Jessie, or another accredited guide at Vidigal before sunrise. Ride a community motor taxi or van to the trail, then hike 1.5 km through Atlantic Forest to Morro Dois Irmãos. Lanterns, photos, safety support, and local stories are included. Expect steep sections, darkness, and a spectacular Rio panorama.
“Our tour guide Rodrigo was absolutely amazing and we had an amazing time. I would highly recommend doing it”
Spend 1 to 1.5 hours walking Colonia’s historic quarter with a live guide in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. Meet at Matriz Church or the field gate, then see the Portón de Campo, old wall, San Miguel Bastion, Calle de los Suspiros, Plaza Mayor, and Rio de la Plata viewpoints. Guides such as Selena and Adrian add local stories and practical tips.
“Alan's tour through Colonia was great! One could really feel his passion for his town!”
Pick a coastline, an altitude or a kitchen.
