Laura Pattara | 18 November 2019
Ways you can travel with a purpose in South America!
Planning a South America trip with a specific purpose in mind won’t just give you that added enticement to turn your travel dream into reality. It’ll also open up a whole world of newness. Be it to see as many archaeological sites as you can, learn more about the ancient civilizations of the continent or, perhaps, learn to speak Spanish – and you’ll first be inclined to carry out much deeper research before travelling.
You will undoubtedly learn more about South America than if you were to simply book a vacation to soak up the sun and drink the cerveza. Nothing wrong with enjoying a few days of R&R on some glorious South American beach but given the time, finances and efforts needed to plan such a trip, we bet you’ll want to get a lot more out of your journey than a suntan.
Ciudad Perdida (The Lost City), Colombia
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That’s where meaningful travel comes in: hone in on a specific passion and plan your whole trip around it and the experience is guaranteed to be more immersive and rewarding than it would otherwise be.
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Cordillera de Los Andes, Peru
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There’s a myriad of different ways to take a purposeful trip, be it to learn a new language, acquire a new skill, soak up new knowledge and even to volunteer, the latter being perhaps the most lauded purpose of all, although voluntourism really does sit in a league all its own. Every method may have its own purpose but what they all have in common is that they create a much deeper connection between the traveller (ie. you) and the chosen destination.
Travelling with a purpose is basically a way to engage in self-improvement and, nowadays, that goes hand in hand with cultural, social and environmental awareness, which makes it a superb win all-round. A more engaged, focused and connected traveller becomes a more responsible traveller. And what’s not to like about that?
Rachel with a group of local children
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There’s something quite special about being able to say that you learn to speak Spanish, surf, snorkel, SCUBA dive or cook empanadas in some remote corner of South America. Add a new skill to your existing set of achievements when travelling and your journey will certainly retain its meaning, possibly for the rest of your life. If you’d like your learning to be a planned and structured affair, it’s a great idea to plan for this at the beginning of your trip so you can spend the remainder of your time perfecting your newly-found skill. This works exceptionally well when it comes to taking Spanish language or cooking classes (which are readily available in all major cities) and activities like mountain biking and horseback riding, in particular, because both are immensely popular and can be enjoyed in just about every South American country.
Traditional baked Argentine empanadas
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There’s no denying that one of travel’s most beautiful rewards is the new friendships one makes along the way. Not only with fellow foreign travellers but also locals, easier accomplished when you include things like home-stays and farm experiences. Connecting and engaging with locals in South America is easy and very rewarding and goes beyond the mere ‘selfie with Peruvian woman and llama’ photo so many travellers take at Machu Picchu. Dig a little deeper and you’ll undoubtedly gain a new perspective on what life is really like in this eclectic and varied continent. Make a point of including cultural experiences where you come in direct contact with locals in South America and we bet they will become your most treasured experiences of all.
Locals working on a farm in South America
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The first multi-day hike I ever tackled was the W-Walk in Torres del Paine. I had serious doubts I would ever accomplish the feat, to be honest, because it appeared far too arduous for someone active but not necessarily athletic. After my stint in Patagonia, I headed to the Central Andes and tackled the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu (easy-going, after Torres!) and just about signed up for every multi-day hike that came my way, both in Peru and Ecuador. I may have been an avid walker my entire life but I learnt to hike in South America, all the while perfecting my Spanish and eating indecent amounts of empanadas (I’m not sure the latter classifies as a skill but I tell you, it took some bloody big effort to achieve). The point is that the moment I focused my travel purpose on hiking, I researched the best trails in the continent and literally used that to shape my itinerary for the next three months. I had a focus for the first time (rather than simply fly to the cheapest destination) and it turned a mere ‘long holiday’ into a bonafide journey of physical and emotional discovery. Hiking was for me what perhaps horseback riding, kayaking or tango-dancing is for you. Whatever it is, that one thing that you’ve never really tried before but kinda want to in South America…do THAT!
Travel to do and learn something new – either about yourself or the place you’re visiting. I guarantee you it’ll be the one trip you will never, ever, forget.
Hiking group in Torres del Paine, Patagonia
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It is often said that travel is the most subtle form of escapism yet from where we sit, it needn’t be all that subtle. We’ve all had those trips, the kind you take after a relationship breakup, a retrenchment or simply when life either got too much or too little. Travel has a way of resetting the energy and optimism button, to take you out of your own life for long enough to be able to see it, with clear eyes. Although travel for escapism can appear to be mostly about the traveller rather than the destination, it is undeniable that any trip taken to ‘get away from it all’ can broaden your perspective whilst still teaching you something new. South America is a wonderful escape-destination in this regard, especially less-developed countries like Peru and Bolivia. There’s nothing like a slap in the face by subsistent survival to put our 1st world problems into a bit of perspective.
Use your South America tour as a way to gain new insights and for personal growth, rather than just as an ‘escape’, and it’ll repay its dues tenfold. Mindful travel can also be escape travel and vice-versa, as long as you grab the chance with both arms open and give it a deeper meaning.
Bike tourists riding on the "road of death" downhill track, Bolivia
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The primary aims of responsible tourism are to keep things local, help preserve the culture and the environment and to leave a minimal footprint behind. By its very essence, purpose-driven travel taps into this realm by default. Mostly, because it demands a deeper connection and interaction with both people and places. Head to South America to learn or to do something new and you’ll undoubtedly be benefitting a local community. You’ll favour a stay in a smaller guesthouse, you’ll eat the local food and you’ll spend your money in small communities, something that will directly benefit them. When you head off on a wildlife watching tour, you may pay an entry fee to access a stunning reserve and hopefully engage a local guide who’ll take your experience to a whole other level. If taking structured classes (be they language or skill) you’ll pay locals to provide these much-needed services and you will, whilst deepening your own experience, help them too. In many ways, this kind of responsible travel can be infinitely more beneficial than volunteerism or donations because rather than straight-out charity-giving (which can be colossally detrimental) you’ll be helping locals boost their income and that is what will improve their lives.
For some, a purpose-driven travel dream is to simply enjoy the journey they dream about whilst engaging as much as possible with the local culture, wildlife and wilderness. And that’s a good enough reason to travel as any other.
Colorful tucan in the wild
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The rise in popularity of travel with a purpose in South America is what enticed us to offer specialised tours that really do hone in on specific passions, the most popular being wildlife-watching, food and wine, trekking and farming, the latter being exceptionally rewarding here, a continent where ancient framing tradition goes back hundreds of years. Heading off on a week-long stint in an authentic estancia and riding with gauchos is about as South American as any trip could ever get.
Resting horses, Patagonia
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Meaningful, experiential travel is more than just a trend: it is the core belief that a journey, when taken with meaning, has the potential to change your life. Purpose-driven travel is what turns a mere holiday into a journey worth taking.
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