Hands down, the best places to travel with kids are in South America. If you’re planning your next family holiday, and are looking for relaxation and adventure for all your family members, I recommend South America as your next family trip destination. The countries of South America have so much to offer that will entertain big and small ones in your family. Plus, South American culture is famous for being very family oriented so all children are more than welcome in each country.
Additionally, if you opt for a customized travel package, you don’t have to worry about rushing with a group and can focus on your family’s needs and preferences. It can be a nice, enjoyable vacation you have always imagined, where your kids will not get bored throughout the tour. Get started and read below for our expert-rated list of the best places to travel with kids in South America.
There are plenty of things to do with kids in Peru. After you dedicate some time exploring the ancient ruins and history of Peru, it might be a good idea to choose something a bit more kid-friendly. Lucky for you, the options are endless. Your kids might be bored in a traditional museum but will they be bored in a chocolate museum? Both Lima and Cuzco have ChocoMuseo that organizes chocolate workshops where your kids can create their own piece of this coca delicacy. And, really, who doesn’t love chocolate?
Peru also has vast areas of nature and wildlife perfect for active children and teenagers. The landscapes in Peru are one big green playground for kids. For example, Machu Picchu is a memorable family vacation as it might feel like an Indiana Jones adventure, and visiting one of the Amazon lodges can be like a story from “The Jungle Book” movie. Also, Peru Amazon Cruises, such as the Delfin, are very child friendly and prepare special activities for little ones like night safaris to spot caimans, zip-lining, kayaking, and visiting a parrot clay lick.
Lastly, kids will definitely enjoy their time in Sacred Valley. They can opt for horseback riding or soft adventure biking which can be organized for a whole family as well. Smaller kids will be excited to see and even touch or feed numerous animals like llamas and alpacas raised on local farms.
Perfect for relaxing on the beach, horseback riding, and butterfly spotting
Why visit Colombia?
A family vacation to Colombia might be a perfect choice for those families from the US or Canada that are looking for shorter flight connections and avoid long hours on planes. In just some hours you can enjoy your family vacation on one of the most beautiful Caribbean beaches relaxing your toes in turquoise waters watching your kids playing in the sand. Sounds like a dream and Colombian hospitality can make it come true.
What to do in Colombia?
The first thing I would do in Colombia is visit a coffee region. The coffee region is just a short flight from the capital city of Bogota. This area of Colombia offers numerous farm type accommodations called fincas where you can enjoy the peace and quiet with outdoor activities that often include swimming, hiking, horseback riding, visiting coffee plantations, or even zip-lining among the coffee trees!
While you’re in the region, there are two locations that are definitely worth visiting. One is the National Coffee Park in the Quindio department which is not only a huge area of exotic vegetation but also offers many attractions like coffee boat rides, coffee trains, carousels, and aquatic mountains. The whole family can enjoy ecological walks and picnic areas here. The second is the Botanical Garden and Butterfly Farm. Your kids can wander around this place for hours running around gardens of flowers, exotic trees, and over 50 species of butterflies.
Also, if your type of holiday is a beach holiday you can take your kids to enjoy the Colombian coast of Tayrona National Park or one of the Rosario Islands close to Cartagena. Some hotels offer special facilities for children like little playgrounds, toddler pools, kid-friendly dining, or in-room childcare.
Perfect for countryside adventures and meeting the cowboys
Why visit Argentina?
Argentina is one of the most fascinating places in the world and many people visit Argentina first when choosing to go to South America. The country oozes romantic cities, incredible landscapes, and delicious food and culture. While it’s true that Argentine wine or Tango shows might not be the best option for kids, there are plenty of other options completely family-friendly. As a matter of fact, if you venture outside of the city to the countryside they will be more than grateful.
What to do in Argentina?
There are plenty of things to do in Argentina with the family. You can opt for a day trip from Buenos Aires to see the gaucho ranch (typical Argentine cowboy farm) or even stay at one of the farm hotels so your kids can enjoy horseback riding, carriage rides, cattle farm visits.
For another adventure close to Buenos Aires, you can take the kids to the Temaiken Biopark. It’s a unique place where your kids can learn about the relationship between humans, animals, and plants. This big green space covering over 179 acres offers not only bird watching but also such fun activities like participating in milking cows, feeding calves, petting goats.
For those of you who want to visit Iguazu Falls, you’re in for a treat as it’s a perfect place to take kids. They will love the boat ride under the falls and seeing various exotic birds and cute coati animals walking around. If your children are a bit older, stay at the Yacutinga Lodge. The idea of the lodge is to show its visitors some unique examples of fauna and flora but also just to relax in a natural environment by the pool, taking small hikes, canoeing.
Lastly, if you wish to visit Patagonia (as many of us do), choose to explore the Puerto Madryn area. Puerto Madryn is ideal for kids. You can see penguins, sea lions and spot whales!
Many of you might wonder if Galapagos Islands is a good place to visit with kids? The answer is yes! It’s a great place to travel with kids in South America. If you are concerned about taking your children on a boat you can simply stay in one of the land hotels and spend sufficient time there to see some animals and also enjoy your time by a pool or on a beach.
What to do in the Galapagos?
Typically, the best things to do in the Galapagos consist of wildlife spotting and water-based activities. With kids, we recommend visiting Santa Cruz Island – it’s quite easy to get to and it offers various accommodations with good access to white sandy beaches and daily excursions to see famous giant tortoises.
Though, no matter which island you visit, the whole family can enjoy the Galapagos as it’s like a big open zoo for children and for parents a great opportunity to visit unique places and get some professional knowledge about endangered species living there. You can opt for kayaking or snorkeling to see some marine iguanas or the Galapagos penguins. Also, if you have brave children you can ask them if they wish to swim with the sea lions.
If you need to spend some time exploring Quito before heading to the Galapagos Islands don’t rush. The capital of Ecuador is a great place to visit as well. There are some nice amusement parks for children including the museum of water. Or you can take your family for a full day tour to Mindo Cloud Forest including a chocolate factory visit. Mindo is great for spotting hummingbirds, butterflies, zip-lining, hiking.
Rebecca Deering is the Director of Sales at SouthAmerica.travel and a veteran explorer who has traversed nearly every corner of the continent since 2008. From the Amazon Rainforest to back-to-back Antarctic expeditions, Rebecca blends her deep personal ties to South America with over a decade of travel expertise to lead our global sales team and craft life-changing itineraries.
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