Considering taking a career break to travel around South America- AIBU to ask for tips/advice?

[ComingUpTrumps]

I’ve been thinking for a while about taking a career break to go travelling around South America- probably for about 3 or 4 months. I’m not sure exactly when I’d do it, but most likely in the next couple of years - probably 2026.

I think my workplace would allow this, as I know colleagues who have done this, although I haven’t yet asked my manager if they’d let me do it.

I’m thinking of travelling around Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile, but those are just my initial thoughts. I speak fairly good Spanish, so would probably be okay on the language front, but I should probably try and brush up on South American Spanish - as far as that’s possible.

I’m not planning to visit Brazil, partly due to safety worries and also because I don’t speak any Portuguese, and I think it would be helpful to know at least some before going. Re my worries about personal safety, I fully realise the other countries I’ve mentioned here are not necessarily more or less safe than Brazil, and that travel in general of course always carries some level of risk - just in case anyone thinks I’ve been unfair to Brazil! That’s not at all my intention 🥰

I’ll of course ask my colleagues about their experiences, but I just thought I’d post here to see if anyone on here has taken a sabbatical to travel or travelled around South America, and what your experience was like?

Do it!
I did Peru (incl the inca trail) Bolivia and Chile and had the time of my life in my late 20s. Best friend just did Guatamala, Columbia, Peru , Bolivia and a few others in her late 30s....also loved it!
Don't plan too much you might love somewhere and want to stay longer 😊

My husband is Argentine, so we go as much as we can with DD2. I love it there, I find it easy to get around, the coaches are amazing and affordable. Car hire is easy from the airport and roads and nice and easy.

The only negative is I can be a bit dull in comparison to the other places you would like to visit. But Argentines are lovely and I've never felt unsafe.

*it can be dull, though I am also dull tbh.

I did exactly this, left in February one year and had 3 months. Did Argentina and Brazil mainly with bits of Chile and Bolivia. Absolutely loved Argentina. Are you going solo? I've never travelled solo but would be a little nervous doing hikes on my own and there is a lot of great hiking in Argentina (although some routes are pretty busy so you'd be fine on those). Just something to think about. Brazil was also great, I generally didn't feel worried about safety but we took precautions.

Colombia was amazing!!! It’s such a wonderful country and we felt so safe - we were terrified to go and it wasn’t at all how we’d imagined.
Cartagena is the most magical city I’ve ever been too 😍

Add Ecuador to your list, it's apparently beautiful 😍 DS is friends with someone who is from there. Absolutely stunning scenery.

I’ve travelled Brasil, Argentina, chile, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela. My favourite was Bolivia. Least favourite chile. I traveled alone. Spoke no Portuguese but you don’t really need to. You can get away with English and Spanish in Brazil. Do it. It’s amazing you’ll love it

I did a 4 month sabbatical in my early thirties. Started in Argentina and stayed in Buenos Aires and went to a language school with Apple languages and also learned tango. Was really good and the school provided accommodation too. Then travelled the rest via a Gap adventure tour through the rest of Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru. So went to.central America and did a similar tour but with another company. I liked feeling in company with others rather than figuring it out myself. Definitely do it.

This sounds like a wonderful idea- I loved Macchu Piccu and Igazu falls, as well as a surprisingly relaxed visit to Uruguay. I think my favourite part though was a trip to the Amazon jungle from Rurrenabaque.

Are you planning to travel alone or as part of a tour?

Yes I've done a number of trips to Latin America, most recently Brazil in 2014 for 3 months, I do speak Portuguese as well as Spanish though. In 2009 I travelled for 9 months in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico and the US. Mostly overland, though I flew from Colombia to Mexico.

Absolutely do it, we have been to a few of the countries and DS spent a year travelling the whole of central and south America with no problems. If you have a big budget theres a company called rainbow travel that specialise in organising trips there for individual travellers

Fab, thanks so much for your tips and encouragement, all 😊

I’m just having a look at when is the best time to visit South America and it looks like September to November makes the most sense, as it’ll be spring there. I’m going to try and aim for next Sept-Nov. I guess I’ve got to start planning now 😂 If that doesn’t work out, I could always aim for the year after (2026), but I don’t see why next year isn’t doable. I’ll think about buying my flights there and back in the January/February sales (once I get permission from work, of course haha).

I’d like to travel in a group as I’d feel safer and more confident in a group and would also enjoy it more! I’m going to ask my work if I can get the time off, and then once that’s done, I’ll start sounding out friends and family to see if they’d be keen to join me for any parts of the trip. I’ll also look into organised tours and group holidays that I can join whilst I’m out there. I’ve never done backpacking/solo travelling so far and for this length of time, so grateful for any tips!

I think the new series of celebrity Race Across the World is based in South America so might be worth a watch. It starts week. Your plan sounds great, hope you can do it next year and report back!

Thanks Taps!! Does anyone have any travel tips or suggestions for Argentina/Bolivia/Chile/Peru please?

I'm in the exact same position now and planning a trip to South America, mainly the northern central countries! What did you end up doing OP?

Has anyone been since you guys were commenting on this thread? I'm in a super research mode at the moment so just listing out a bunch of ideas at the moment🤓

@Gymmum82 A tango school in Argentina sounds amazing! For how long were you there and with what school,. please?

@MrsCoyote that wasn’t me. I think it was @Normandy144 though I did go and watch the tango in Argentina

Do any of you have much experience in Bolivia? Not sure why but it's really taking my eye, between the salt flats, death road (hard no but still cool), and Sucre/ La Paz :)

I went about 8 years ago, not for super long however as we went mainly to see Lake Titicaca. I remember at the time just using an online guide was good for me and my partner, one's like trip advisor cater to most travellers doing the main things, depends how long you have there. Let me send a link for instance: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g294071-Activities-Bolivia.html 🤗

@MrsCoyote I was at a language school run by Apple languages and I did a 6 week Spanish course with the option to add on some dance lessons. I think I got 1 private lessons a week and 2 group lessons or something like that. It was about 15 years ago but definitely worth it.

Definitely do it OP

Yees thanks! I do use trip advisor and lonely planet from time to time, then mix that up with a blogger. I found a Bolivia travel guide that covers a load of the trip advisor stuff, and some other things like food which I wouldn't even have thought of. Do you have any reccomendations around Lake Titicaca? :)

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