trip to South America for June 2011

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we're in the process of planning our trip to South America for June 2011. the countries we want to visit are Peru, Chile and Argentina. So far we r planning:

- 5 days in Peru to see Machu Picchu

- Fly from Cusco to Chile and rent a car and drive around for a few days and then down to Punta Arenas in Argentina.

In Punta Arenas, we want to fly from there to Buenos Aires and take a trip to Iguazu Falls. From there back home

Any recommendation on how many days we should spend at these locations?

Any help would be great!

[Danny]

Wow! The itinerary sounds good but it seems like a lot of destinations for one trip, which will make it a bit of a rushed trip.

I'd recommend picking fewer places and concentrating in those places to really experience them!. There's a lot more to Peru, for example, than Machu Picchu. You have the Inca Trail which is just amazing; a great market in nearby Pisac; mountain biking in the Sacred Valley along the Ollaytaytambo River; and spending a few days exploring Cusco.

[Santiagoan]

Okay. June is the coldest time of year in Chile and Argentina temps under 50F(10C). Expect snowstorm 2-days delay if you plan crossing Andes. I recommend spend time in cosmopolitan Santiago its a city that never sleeps!

Central Chile offers 3 international roads, I'd recommend to drive south to Pucon (500miles) before to cross the border and go further south thru Patagonia:

1- Santiago-Mendoza route.(scenic high mountains ski resorts)
2- Pucon -San Martin de los Andes route (scenic lakes! Pucon is like the Aspen, great hotsprings)
3- Osorno - Bariloche (Bariloche is great, it's like a swiss town!)

Pucon and San Martin De Los Andes are the northernmost towns of Patagonia, then you can drive up to the southernmost town in Punta Arenas. Yes you may cross the border twice.

Request Winter Accessories to your Car Rental

Attention: If you plan to rent a car in Chile, be aware that driving is restricted to Chile. You may purchase a permit in order to drive into Argentina that must be requested 10 days in advance. If you plan to drive to Peru or Bolivia , most car rental companies will not authorize their vehicles to cross to Bolivia or Peru due to the high probability of car theft in those countries, as well as the complicated relationship between Chile and these countries.