Why visit? Wedged between the major tourist magnets of Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay might not be the most obvious destination springing to mind when planning a trip to South America, however, if you want to explore the road less travelled, you should not miss out on exploring this fascinating offbeat gem as part of your South America tour. Paraguay too is often passed by, despite its location right in the heart of South America, bordered by Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia. If you’re looking to take the road less travelled and discover a hidden gem, then Paraguay should feature in your South America travels.

Uruguay lies only a one hour fast ferry ride from Buenos Aires making the latter the perfect starting point for any Uruguay or multi-country tour.

Once off the ferry, start your Uruguay tour in the UNESCO World Heritage listed seaside town of Colonia, one of Uruguay’s oldest and most picturesque towns famed for its cobble-stoned streets lined with beautiful colonial buildings.

Montevideo, the capital city of Uruguay, offers the perfect combination of charm, culture and style while a short trip to Punta del Este, the “Monaco of South America” will impress with its glamour, lively nightlife and its miles of beautiful beaches and natural attractions.

From cosmopolitan city life to coastal surf towns or traditional agricultural centres, a Uruguay tour holds everything you need and more for the perfect South American getaway.

With flights to Asuncion from many major South American cities including Buenos Aires, Lima, Sao Paulo and Montevideo, Paraguay can easily be built into a multi-country itinerary.

Paraguay was once the wealthiest nation in South America and Asuncion, the capital, is full of architectural delights that highlight the former glory of this fascinating and historic city. Within easy reach of Asuncion is Ybycuí National Park, a sub-tropical rainforest with waterfalls, wildlife and the ruins of ‘La Rosada’ iron foundry.

Another of Paraguay’s highlights are the Jesuit ruins that date back to the early 1600’s when Jesuit missionaries came to Paraguay to evangelize the locals. Now UNESCO listed, the Jesús and Trinidad ruins are a fascinating insight into the country’s history.

How to get there? Access has never been easier for Australians with three top-ranked airlines (LATAM, Air New Zealand and Qantas) providing regularly scheduled services to Buenos Aires. QANTAS and Air New Zealand provide the quickest and easiest route to Argentina with only one stop along the way – Auckland for Air New Zealand and Santiago for QANTAS. With LATAM, travellers stop in two cities, Auckland and Santiago.

More information: Below we have shown you just a fraction of the options available for Uruguay, Paraguay and multi-country travel. Browse to get an idea of where you want to travel.

Still wondering? Contact us:  You are definitely better off giving us a call or dropping us a line and letting us do the hard work for you.

#Livefortoday and book your Uruguay or Paraguay tour with us today. Chimu Adventures is Australia’s leading Latin America and Polar specialist and can put together an itinerary to suit you.