LATIN AMERICA leg: itinerary

everything i did in South+Central America from November 18th, 2024-January 11, 2025

final rankings

best for food: Cusco, Peru; Santiago, Chile; Panama City, Panama

best for culture: Cusco, Peru; Santiago, Chile

best for nature: Puerto Maldonado (Amazon Rainforest), Peru; Cusco Region + Sacred Valley, Peru

best for relaxing: Puerto Maldonado (Amazon Rainforest), Panama City, Panama

best for nightlife: Santiago + Valparaiso, Chile; Lima, Peru

best for budget: Cusco, Peru; Sacred Valley, Peru

and check out my overview of my time in Europe here!

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chronology of my time in Latin America

after eight days in the USA, i jetted down to Peru to start my Workaway at a dog shelter in the Cusco region of Peru. it was definitely hard to adjust for a number of reasons: the altitude difference (i’m 11,000 feet above sea level), the language barrier (my Spanish is a lot shittier than what it used to be) and homesickness (being around all my friends for a week was a harsh reminder of what i was missing out on by traveling). anyways, here’s what i got up to while in Latin America—and remember, a lot is to be determined, but i’ll be sure to update and hyperlink posts for each place as i visit.

1. Cusco region, Peru: November 25th-December 26th

   1. doing a Workaway at a dog shelter in Ttio, Peru

   2. what i did

      1. worked 3 days a week, taking care of the dogs and horses, chopping wood, cooking family-style meals for the 20+ volunteers

      2. weekend trips to Pisac, Cusco, Ollantaytambo

      3. 3-day hike on the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

2. Amazon rainforest in Puerto Maldonado: December 20th-22nd

   1. stayed at Monte Amazonico Lodge for a 3 day, 2 night tour

   2. what i did

      1. went on lots of hikes and boat rides through the Amazon rainforest and river to explore the diverse flora and fauna the Tambopata reserve has to offer!

3. Lima, Peru: December 26th-29th

   1. stayed at Kokopelli hostel in the beautiful and hipster Barranco neighborhood

   2. what i did

      1. walked around a bunch in Barranco and Miraflores, two super cute neighborhoods with great thrifting, vintage stores, coffee shops and ice cream

      2. went to a “language exchange” event at my hostel, which was surprisingly well-attended by actual locals

      3. went out in the Barranco neighborhood, and woke up hungover one morning with a chili pepper tatted on my hand and an alpaca on my ankle

4. Santiago and Valparaiso, Chile: December 29th-January 3rd

   1. celebrating New Year’s Eve with Grace Kelman

   2. stayed at La Chimba hostel in the Barrio Bellavista neighborhood, known for its nightlife

   3. what we did

      1. did a trip to Valparaiso for New Year’s Eve, famous for it’s insane fireworks show. didn’t book any accomodation, just planned to pull an all nighter.

      2. visited Concha y Toro vineyard, getting a tasting of 7 wines and a variety of cheeses

      3. visited the Metropolitan Park: took a ride up the gondolas and walked around the zoo

5. Panama City and San Blas Islands, Panama: January 4th-11th

   1. stayed and volunteered through Worldpackers at El Machico Hostel as a social host

   2. what i did

      1. planned a movie night and beer pong night for the hostel

      2. visited the Panama Canal

      3. walked around the Casco Viejo neighborhood, visited the Mola museum teaching about indigenous textile art

      4. biked along the Cinta Costera, a beautiful boardwalk overlooking the Pacific

      5. ate at delicious “fondas”: humble, counter-top restaurants serving home-style meals for cheap prices

      6. visited the beautiful San Blas islands for one day in the Caribbean. unreal views. i finally can grasp what “sea level” means now.

and that was my time in LATAM! i will greatly miss speaking Spanish daily. check out each individual place for a more in-depth overview of what i got up to <3