Why South America
South America is the region where the gay traveler arriving from North America gets the cultural distance of a long-haul trip without the legal anxiety of some other long-haul destinations. Same-sex relationships have been decriminalized across most of the continent for decades, and several countries have moved further than parts of Western Europe: Argentina legalized same-sex marriage in 2010 (the first Latin American country to do so), Brazil in 2013, Colombia in 2016, Ecuador in 2019, Chile in 2022. The cultural welcome in the major cities is comparable to what you’d find in a Mediterranean European capital.
The thing that sets our South American network apart is the people on the ground. Our DMC partners across the continent are queer-led and IGLTA member — local operators who have spent their careers planning trips for gay travelers in their own countries, who know the right hotels, the right guides, and the right rhythm for a journey designed around two men traveling together. This is the difference between a generic luxury tour booked through a New York agency and a trip designed by people who actually live there.
Where we travel in South America
Today we work in seven countries — one with a full itinerary available now, the rest with bespoke custom design on request.
Peru — From Lima to Machu Picchu
Our flagship South American itinerary. Ten to twelve days that fold three Perus together: Lima‘s gastronomic capital, the Tambopata Amazon for three nights at a jungle lodge with macaw clay licks, and the Andes — Cusco, the Sacred Valley, the Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, and the closing days with the high Andean communities outside the main valley.
Ecuador and the Galapagos
Two trips that pair beautifully. Ecuador itself: Quito’s colonial old town (UNESCO since 1978), the cloud forests of Mindo, the equatorial line at Mitad del Mundo, and the highland markets at Otavalo. Then the Galapagos — a small expedition-grade ship through the islands that gave Darwin his evolutionary insight, with snorkeling among sea lions and walks among the giant tortoises.
Chile — From Atacama to Patagonia
The longest country in the world, walked from north to south. The Atacama Desert for its volcanic landscapes, salt flats, and the clearest night skies on the continent. Then Santiago and the Casablanca Valley wine country. Then south into Patagonia for the trekking circuit around Torres del Paine and the glacier country. Chile legalized same-sex marriage in 2022.
Colombia — Bogota, Cartagena, the coffee triangle
The South American country that has changed most in the last fifteen years. Bogota‘s contemporary art scene, the colonial port of Cartagena on the Caribbean (one of the most architecturally intact Spanish colonial cities in the Americas), and the coffee triangle for the farming culture and the landscapes. Colombia legalized same-sex marriage in 2016, and the gay scene in Bogota and Medellin is integrated into the broader creative culture rather than separated from it.
Bolivia — The Andes, Lake Titicaca, the salt flats
The least-visited of the Andean countries, and one of the most rewarding. La Paz at over 3,500 meters — the highest capital city in the world — paired with the floating reed islands of Lake Titicaca, the colonial silver-mining city of Potosi, and the staggering Salar de Uyuni — the world’s largest salt flat. Bolivia is more conservative socially than its neighbors, but the tourist-facing infrastructure is welcoming and our local partners know exactly where to go.
Argentina — Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Patagonia
Argentina is the most gay-friendly country in Latin America — the first in the region to legalize same-sex marriage (2010), with Buenos Aires consistently ranked among the most gay-friendly capitals in the world. The trip we design pairs Buenos Aires (tango, the steak culture, San Telmo and Palermo neighborhoods) with the Mendoza wine country at the foot of the Andes, and Patagonia for the glaciers and the trekking. Add Iguazu Falls on the Brazilian border for the unforgettable finale.
How we travel in South America
Three things define the way we work here.
Queer-led DMC partners, IGLTA member. This is the single most important thing. Our local operators across the continent are queer-owned and IGLTA-affiliated — people who have spent their careers planning gay-friendly trips in their own countries. They know the right hotels, the right guides, and the right places to eat, and they treat every detail with the kind of care that comes from doing this work for years for travelers like you. We work with one partner per country, vetted personally.
The altitude calibration. Most of the great sites in the Andes sit between 2,500 and 4,500 meters above sea level — high enough to matter, and high enough that an unprepared traveler can lose two or three days to altitude sickness. We design every Andean itinerary around acclimatization: start low, come up gradually, sleep at the right elevation each night. The trip feels comfortable rather than punishing.
The multi-region format. South America is the continent where multi-region trips are most rewarding — high Andes paired with Amazon jungle, glaciers paired with vineyards, colonial cities paired with archaeological sites. Most of our itineraries here are calibrated for two or three distinct regions in a single journey, with proper time in each rather than the quick-stop circuit that tour operators run.
Coming next
The South American network is expanding. Brazil (Rio paired with the colonial gold-mining towns of Minas Gerais, and the Amazon at Manaus) and Uruguay (Montevideo and the coastal art towns) are both in active planning for late 2026. If a destination you’re interested in isn’t yet listed, write to us — the bespoke design work is the same whether the destination is on our standard list or not.
Make South America yours
Tell us where in South America you’d like to start — and within 48 hours we’ll come back with a proposal tailored to your dates, fitness level, and the kind of multi-region journey you’d like to design.
Gay Up Travel
Travel as you are.
Travel as you are.
Tailor-made journeys for gay men. Founder-led, authentically Italian, IGLTA Member.
