Discover below the ranking of the most beautiful countries in Americas based on travellers' reviews. Find everything you need to plan your trips: guides, reviews, photos, maps…
Maya pyramids rising out of dense jungle, cenotes with water so blue it looks fake, colonial cities painted in every color imaginable, Caribbean beaches, and indigenous villages that have barely changed in centuries. Few countries pack this much history and geography into one place. Mexico rewards every visit differently, and it tends to stick with you long after you're home.
Brazil demands your attention, from the iconic beaches of Rio and the dense Amazon jungle to the thundering Iguazu Falls and the turquoise lagoons tucked between the dunes of Lençóis Maranhenses. This massive country requires time and careful planning to navigate. Between the rhythm of samba, a hearty bowl of feijoada, and a sharp caipirinha, the local energy is constant.
From the Grand Canyon's sheer drop to the Manhattan skyline, the US spans a scale that's genuinely hard to wrap your head around until you're in it. Every region is its own world: California beaches, Louisiana bayous, blazing New England foliage, Southwest desert. This is the country where the road trip isn't just a vacation style, it's the whole point.
Canada is the second-largest country on Earth, and the sheer scale of it catches most Americans off guard. You've got turquoise glacier lakes in the Rockies, genuinely cosmopolitan cities like Montreal and Vancouver, and vast Arctic territories where the road simply ends. This is a country where you can spot grizzlies and moose on a casual drive, and the wilderness isn't a backdrop, it's the whole point.
Uruguay doesn't make a lot of noise, and that's exactly the point. This compact country stretches 660 miles of Atlantic coastline across golden beaches, off-grid hippie villages, and working estancias where gauchos still run cattle the old way. Slow-smoked asados, shared rounds of maté, and sunsets over the Río de la Plata set the pace here: South America at its most unhurried.
Argentina delivers on scale: the Iguazú Falls dwarf Niagara, the Perito Moreno glacier is one of the few in the world still actively advancing, and Buenos Aires neighborhoods like La Boca, San Telmo, and Recoleta each feel like a different city. Then there's the food. Argentine asado (wood-fire grilled beef) and Mendoza wines are the real deal, not tourist versions of themselves.
Peru packs an extraordinary range into one country: Inca ruins, Amazon jungle, high-altitude lakes, and some of the best food in South America. Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley live up to the hype, but Lima's restaurant scene and Cusco's colonial streets are reasons enough to make the trip on their own. If you're after serious outdoor adventure, the Andes, the Amazon basin, and Lake Titicaca each deliver something completely different.
Chile runs 4,300 kilometers (2,670 miles) along South America's western edge, from the driest desert on Earth in the north to the glaciers of Patagonia in the south. In between, you get Santiago's cosmopolitan neighborhoods, the bohemian port city of Valparaíso, some of the continent's most respected wine country, and Easter Island sitting alone in the Pacific. Few countries pack this much geographic and cultural range into a single trip.
Bolivia hits harder than most travelers expect. The Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat, delivers one of those genuinely disorienting experiences where the horizon disappears entirely. La Paz sits above 11,000 feet, higher than any major US city, with open-air markets and a street energy that takes a day or two to adjust to. Add Lake Titicaca and the Andean highlands, and you've got a country that rewards curiosity at every turn.
Costa Rica packs an extraordinary amount of wild nature into a country smaller than West Virginia: active volcanoes, untouched Pacific and Caribbean beaches, and rainforests thick with howler monkeys and scarlet macaws. The biodiversity here is genuinely hard to overstate, over 5% of the world's species in less than 0.03% of its landmass. Layered on top of that is the local "pura vida" philosophy, a laid-back, warm approach to life that shapes everything from how locals greet strangers to how they handle a flat tire on a dirt road.
From Alaska to Patagonia, the American continent changes drastically from one end to the other. An agency specializing in road trips through the American West is not necessarily the right choice for planning a trip to Peru. Our ranking is based on feedback from travelers who have used these agencies to help you identify the ones that truly know your specific slice of America.
A trip to Bolivia often means navigating drastically different environments: the Andean peaks surrounding La Paz that climb past 6,000 meters (about 19,685 feet), the vast Salar de Uyuni, the Amazon basin near Rurrenabaque, and the high-altitude plateaus of Lake Titicaca.
Few travelers attempt to piece this diversity together on their own. This is where a specialized agency adds value, acting less as a booking middleman and more as a logistical architect capable of connecting these varied regions without interruption.
The Cordillera Real, just a few hours from La Paz, is the main draw for multi-day treks like Huayna Potosí, Illimani, or the traverse toward Sorata. These are not simple guided walks. They involve high altitude, gear portage, nights in refuges or tents, and occasionally technical glacier climbing that requires roping up.
Any agency worth its salt in this sector should be able to provide specific details on the experience of their mountain guides, the condition of their gear (crampons, ropes, high-altitude tents), and their established emergency protocols for altitude sickness. In hiking forums, the gap in professionalism between various Bolivian trekking agencies is a frequent topic, especially regarding safety standards on glacier ascents.
For a 1 to 3-day excursion to the salt flats, many travelers book directly on the ground in Uyuni or Tupiza. This is a standard practice and is typically cheaper than booking in advance.
This approach has risks. It is difficult to verify the condition of the vehicle or the driver's experience before paying. Travelers frequently report accidents or mechanical breakdowns on desert tracks, often linked to aging 4x4s used by budget-focused operators.
An international agency or one specialized in South America will pre-screen their local partners and can integrate the Sucre region, the Andes, or the Amazon into a single, cohesive itinerary rather than selling the salt flats as an isolated add-on.
Keep in mind: Always ask for the name of the local agency that will actually be operating your tour, whether it is for the salt flats or an Andean trek. Many circuits in Bolivia are subcontracted to local operators, and their reputation matters more than that of the company selling you the trip.
La Paz sits above 3,600 meters (about 11,800 feet), and routes toward the Cordillera or the southwestern lagoons often exceed 4,500 meters (about 14,760 feet). An agency experienced in Bolivia must address this before you depart, ensuring acclimatization days are built into the schedule rather than left as an afterthought.
For technical treks, check if the agency offers an acclimatization test or an intermediate night at a moderate altitude before attempting the main climb.
The dry season, between May and October, is the prime window for trips to the salt flats and mountain treks. Trails are more accessible, roads are easier to navigate, and climbing conditions are more stable.
The rainy season (December to March) turns the salt flats into a massive water mirror, a major draw for photographers, but it limits access to certain areas and makes Andean treks more difficult due to snow and poor visibility. A seasoned agency should be able to explain these trade-offs based on the time of year and the activities you have in mind.
While US citizens currently do not need a visa for short tourist stays in Bolivia, always check the latest requirements with the nearest embassy or consulate before departure, as travel regulations can shift. Ensure your passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond your planned return date.
While the final responsibility for these requirements rests with you, an agency well-versed in Bolivian travel should be able to answer these questions immediately, whether you are booking a simple excursion or a complex mountain expedition.
Between the Amazon, the Pantanal, the beaches of the Nordeste, and distances that span thousands of miles, a poorly planned itinerary in Brazil wastes precious time. Avygeo members share their recommendations for agencies that actually know the terrain. Rely on their reviews to build your trip without any unpleasant surprises.
In Ecuador, you can find yourself on an Andean volcano at over 13,000 feet, on a Pacific beach, and then flying out to the Galápagos, all within a few days. Whether this itinerary succeeds or falls apart depends entirely on your travel agency. Internal travel and island logistics are rarely planned solo without hitting a few snags. Reviews from Avygeo travelers who have navigated the terrain help you identify agencies that genuinely master the Andes, Amazon, and islands circuit.
Peru is more than just checking Machu Picchu off a list. Between managing the altitude, booking treks months ahead of time, and navigating regions where a local guide is essential, a poorly chosen agency can turn your trip into an obstacle course. Our rankings rely on traveler recommendations to help you find the right agency for your specific itinerary.
I am so happy to have stumbled across this amazing theatre. While researching what to do for my birthday, Facebook showed me this production of "Harry Potter," and of course I'm sceptical, but I saw i…
I am so happy to have stumbled across this amazing theatre. While researching what to do for my birthday, Facebook showed me this production of "Harry Potter," and of course I'm sceptical, but I saw it has good reviews, so I looked further, and what sold me is that they actually serve good food. More than just popcorn and candy, but loaded fries, chicken sandwiches, salads, and pizzas (regular and gluten-free). So many desserts to choose from, and if you partake, a good list of wine and beers. My only gripe is that it is a bit small, but hopefully they can expand in the future. We only got to see the one shoe but they were phenomenal! Absolutely amazing actors and great singers. Really inspired me to get back in the industry myself.
Watching TV all your life would have you think the mountains are dangerous and it's only steep curves and pointed rocks, but the beauty is way beyond that. Growing up on the east side by the beach mak…
Watching TV all your life would have you think the mountains are dangerous and it's only steep curves and pointed rocks, but the beauty is way beyond that. Growing up on the east side by the beach makes you forget all the world isn't flat lands. After our stay in Arizona, I can officially call myself a mountain girl. This specific one being my favorite. It's a huge mountain with many stops and smaller beginner trails along the way that are still marked and very safe. Once you make your drive to the top is where you'll find all the amazing restaurants with beautiful views. Then my favorite part is the ski ride. During non-ski season, you can take the gondola all the way to the top and have a…
I think Death Valley is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in my life. Desert expanses as far as the eye can see, absolutely majestic viewpoints, and plenty of completely different plac…
I think Death Valley is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in my life. Desert expanses as far as the eye can see, absolutely majestic viewpoints, and plenty of completely different places to see: hikes in the canyons, sand dunes, incredible rock formations, a dry lake bed. My favorite will always be Dante's View, I think, which overlooks the Badwater Basin. Even in late October it was really hot for hiking, I do not even want to imagine it in the summer! Stop by the visitor center at Furnace Creek to get all the information you need for your visit!
Amargosa Valley is on the route between Beatty and Las Vegas and one of the junctions to get to Death Valley. You are in the middle of the Nevada desert, not many inhabitants around, but a few fun poi…
Amargosa Valley is on the route between Beatty and Las Vegas and one of the junctions to get to Death Valley. You are in the middle of the Nevada desert, not many inhabitants around, but a few fun points of interest! A casino lost in the middle of nowhere, a pretty Ash Meadows national park, and the famous Devil's Hole, whose history is quite incredible and is sincerely worth looking into, with its unique ecosystem. But as for the place itself, it is completely fenced off and in the end, you do not see much. If it is on your route while coming down from Death Valley and you have the opportunity to stop there, go ahead, but do not make a detour of hundreds of miles to go there specifically...
You can't visit Los Angeles without checking out the giant letters, the symbol of Hollywood. There are some really pretty viewpoints where you can kill two birds with one stone, getting both the sign…
You can't visit Los Angeles without checking out the giant letters, the symbol of Hollywood. There are some really pretty viewpoints where you can kill two birds with one stone, getting both the sign AND a nice panorama of the city. Lake Hollywood Park is cool, and so is the Griffith Observatory! Great photos in the making! If you are passing through Hollywood, don't miss a tour of one of the studios (Warner Bros, Universal, or Paramount, for example). That was seriously my favorite activity!
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