South America (Shoestring) (Paperback)

by Danny Palmerlee (Author), Jens Porup (Collaborator)
Key Phrases: Buenos Aires, San Martin, Santa Cruz (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Best for curious and independent-minded travelers' --Wall Street Journal


Product Description
Challenging? Check. Rewarding? Beyond your wildest dreams. South America is made for travel-the gripping, spine-tingling, adrenaline-charged type of travel you live for. Tred the Cordillera Blanca, glide along the Amazon, explore lost cities and samba up a storm. For backpackers, by backpackers, this best-selling, unbeatable guide gives you the tools you need to create your own adventure.

GET OFF THE TRAIL-emerging hot-spots, overlooked attractions, alternatives to the Inca Trail-our authors go beyond the obvious, and show you how to do the same.

LIVE ON THE EDGE-the best spots for hiking, skiing, diving, surfing, rafting, paragliding, and other thrills.

STRAIGHT TALK-opinionated reviews ensure you won't waste a precious peso.

TREAD LIGHTLY-make a positive impact with sustainable-travel tips and volunteering opportunities.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 1148 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet; 10 edition (March 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 174104443X
• ISBN-13: 978-1741044430
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #61,029 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #13 in	Books > Travel > Specialty Travel > Budget Travel
  #43 in	Books > Travel > Guidebook Series > Lonely Planet
  #45 in	Books > Travel > Latin America > South America

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Must have companion ..., January 9, 2006

By	Sharad Yadav "shayad" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Lonely Planet South America on a Shoestring (Lonely Planet Shoestring Guides) (Paperback)

A travelers life support system. The consistency of the LP series across various continets is amazing. Some information in the SA edition is a little dated, but the locals indicated that small hostels and food places go in and out of business faster than the book can keep up. I particularly liked Argentina section (I just came back from a wonderful trip), the information was very correct and some of the prices accurate to the decimal. Needless to say, the maps and orientation information was extremly helpful.

Some readers have indicated that it is for gringos and doesn't cover small cities at all. I think a 700 odd page book devoted to a massive diverse continet can only cover so much. Books dedicated to a specific country are very very detailed and should be be able to satiate anybody's wanderlust. This book is supposed to help you with a basic map, transport information and budget accomodations. Once you've arrived and have sorted out the bearings, the book should rest in the backpack.

Eat with the crowd, follow the young locals for the best watering holes after dark and catch the morning bus back to the hostel.

Must have for people with itchy feet ...

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fine, but there are better, December 5, 2006

By	Traveler Man - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet South America on a Shoestring (Lonely Planet Shoestring Guides) (Paperback)

Used this book for a three month trip through Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. A friend who travelled with me had Footprint's guide to South America. While Lonely Planet had far and away the better maps, everything else about the Footprint book was better -- more information, more current information, and most importantly, broader coverage! There were many small towns that were not even included in the LP book. Even in the major cities, Footprint covered more sights and did so with more detail. If you are picking up a second book for a trip, by all means get the LP. But if you are only buying one, go with Footprint until LP seriously expands this edition.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Practical but imperfect travel guide, April 21, 2007

By	K.A.Goldberg (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet South America on a Shoestring (Lonely Planet Shoestring Guides) (Paperback)

This is a useful if flawed guide for backpackers and other budget travelers. This thick book (1,150 Pages) covers lodging, conditions, airports, regulations, and other vital information for 13 countries. The information is practical, useful, and substantial, and one can travel South America with this guide. But in trying to cover 13 countries the book is unavoidably limited on information for any one nation, city, or place, and the maps are at times less than adequate. There is also some out-of-date information (Argentina's Peso is NOT equal to one U.S. dollar) so travelers are advised to check other sources.

If you will be traveling to only a couple nations in South America you would be better advised to buy a travel guide for each country. However, if you will traverse through many countries in this fascinating continent, this book is still a valuable reference tool.