Let’s explore how to effectively get around the continent as you learn Spanish abroad with ECELA. There are many ways to travel between our locations.
Not surprisingly, if you have enough free time, you will have the most interesting and fulfilling trip when you choose a multi-country program. This option gives you the benefit of experiencing multiple accents and cultures. Essentially a multicountry program will keep you from getting into a rut. Each time you switch locations, your mind will be reinvigorated.
When you travel through South America, bus travel can be a fine economical choice. In fact, long distance buses in Argentina and Chile are very comfortable and safe. Often you can even take an overnight bus with a seat that almost fully reclines so that you can sleep.
The side benefit of these buses is that you save the costs for a night’s hotel accommodations. Also bus terminals will deliver you closer to cities and this equates to less taxi fares.
One particularly good bus route is the one from Santiago to Mendoza. This trip takes about 8 hours and a fascinating winding ride into the Andes Mountains. Do not overlook the fact that this bus route is closed during winter if heavy snow occurs.
The trip from Mendoza to Buenos Aires is also recommended. This journey take about 14 hours, but it is a comfortable and easy through the pampas (plains). Additionally, this particular bus ride is a good opportunity to take advantage of a sleeper bus.
Of course, flights are also a recommended means for traveling once you are in South America. The flight from Buenos Aires to Santiago is particularly popular. If you studied in Argentina and then proceeded to learn Spanish in Chile, this would be an ideal flight.
Because many companies cover this route, there is lots of competition. As a result, you should be able to get roundtrip ticket for only around $250. Other typical flight travel prices are as follows: a plane from Santiago to Lima costs about $450, and a plane from Buenos Aires to Lima tends to run $500 Lima and Cusco are two Peruvian cities that are often combined in people’s travel plans. Lima, of course, offers cosmopolitan attractions, surfing, and world-renown seafood. Of course, travelers visit Cusco from all over the world to see Macchu Pichu and other Incan sites. Additionally, Cusco offers a fresh, mountain climate. One guideline to take note of is not to buy your ticket until you are in Peru. We make this suggestion for two reasons. First of all, flexibility is always important. Secondly, prices are lower when you book from within Peru, particularly with Star Airlines.
Another idea, which many travelers don’t initially think of, is to buy an “open jaw” ticket using Buenos Aires as a hub. Both LAN and Aerolineas Argentinas have a hub in Buenos Aires, so the prices are competitive. For example, a ticket with the route Lima– Buenos Aires – Santiago (or the reverse) can often be bought for under $400.
You could also choose an “open jaw” with Limaas a hub. This travel schedule would take advantage of the competition between LAN and Taca for the Santiago–Lima-Buenos Aires route and, as a result, can often be found for under $400. Be aware, however, that with LAN the lowest prices stipulate that NO changes can be made, not even with a fee. For both “open jaw” options, playing around on Expedia or Travelocity is a good way to find a low fare combination. After all, an hour of research might save you $200 or more.
In conclusion, there are many affordable options once you get to South America to study Spanish abroad. There is no need to preplan everything, as many alternatives are not even available outside of the country. The trick is to relax and be flexible. Once you arrive to learn Spanish in Chile, Argentina or Peru, you can get a feel for how you would like your trip to proceed. South America offers a wide variety of excellent travel options that will effectively transport you between its cities for a very reasonable fee.