Brazil, Argentina & Peru 🇧🇷🇦🇷🇵🇪 Ultimate South America Dream Trip

Before this trip, I had never been to South America, and if you haven't either, this video will show you the best and safest places you can visit in Brazil, Argentina, and Peru. Before this trip, I knew nothing about Brazil, Argentina, and Peru, but experiencing these countries with my family was an experience that I'm so excited to share with this video. You will experience Brazil, Argentina, and Peru just as we did, kicking things off in Brazil, and the big highlight is visiting Christ the Redeemer, standing high above Rio de Janeiro. Our next highlight destination is Iguazu Falls, which is shared between the borders of Brazil and Argentina. I want you to tell me in the comments which side and views you like better, Argentina's or Brazil's. From the Brazil side, you can immerse yourself within the waterfall's mist, but on the Argentina side, you can feel just how powerful Iguazu Falls is and how wide it stretches across the jungle. Then, we make our way into the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, the tango city, the Paris of South America. We explored the colorful streets, watched local and professional tango performances, and then exited the city to visit a traditional Argentinian ranch, where the skilled horsemen played a wild game that gets the whole crowd watching involved. Our final country is Peru. We'll start our visit at nearly 12,000 feet above sea level in Cusco, a beautiful city in the Andes and the gateway to the Sacred Valley. If you've never been at this elevation, I will tell you that every breath feels like half a breath. At sea level, the oxygen percentage is 21 percent, but up here in Cusco, it's only 13. From there, we took a train to Machu Picchu, what Peru is most famous for. It's not just the ruins, it's the mist, it's history, it's within the mountains, and it feels like you could touch heaven, which is why the ancient Incans built Machu Picchu at this elevation. We also explored the ancient Incan structures tucked into the mountainsides surrounding Cusco and throughout Peru. These ancient Incan structures are quiet and powerful reminders of a civilization long gone but not forgotten. And finally, at an even higher elevation, over 12,000 feet above sea level, outside the Peruvian city of Puno is Lake Titicaca. The people of Lake Titicaca live on man-made floating islands made entirely of reeds. We met the people who actually live there and learned exactly how they made these islands that they live on. Spending time with them was a humbling reminder of how many different ways there are to live and how beautiful it can be when people stay connected to their culture and land. Since January of this year, I've been dieting down from 211 pounds, but the diet took a pause for a few weeks during this trip. Peruvian guinea pig, Argentinian empanadas, Peruvian ceviche, alpaca steak, and more were well worth the diet break. I'm sure when you come to South America yourself, you'll find even more delicious food than we did, but be assured that the food in South America is incredible. After not being able to fly the drone over Brazil and Argentina, flying over Peru and enjoying the raw beauty of the country from the air reminded me of why I love sharing these videos with all of you. But beyond the landscapes, beyond the food, and the culture, what made this trip so special was sharing it with my family. We laughed a lot, we explored, and we learned so much. And most importantly of all, we made memories that I'll carry with me forever and that I'm going to share with you starting now. Rio de Janeiro is a maze of golden beaches that are elongated and surrounded by dramatic mountains that cut through the city, giving Rio de Janeiro a unique shape that I've never seen before in a major city. From nearly anywhere in Rio, you will be able to see the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Take a bus to the railcar station, ride the railcar up, and you will be able to access the top of Corcovado Mountain. Here, you'll be able to see some of the best views in Rio while being at the foot of the 98 foot tall statue. My favorite part of being at the top was enjoying the view. From this vantage point, you can really appreciate the complexity of how the streets, beaches, buildings, and favelas of Rio are arranged within the environment. You can see the other mountains in the distance and appreciate the curves of Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. Christ the Redeemer was built in 1931 and was declared one of the new seven wonders of the world. Standing at the base of the statue with its arms stretched wide open, you can really feel why so many people consider this a spiritual experience. We got really lucky with the weather and it's not cloudy, it's not raining. We got some good pictures and enjoying the view up here in Rio de Janeiro. To be honest, I was most exposed to Christ the Redeemer when the UFC would visit Rio de Janeiro and future fighters would be visiting the statue before the fights. Standing here myself and always looking for the statue, no matter where I was in Rio, was surreal. Rio de Janeiro is nicknamed the marvelous city and it truly is with Christ the Redeemer watching over it all. Alright guys, we have just arrived here in Iguaçu Falls on the Brazil side. There is a Brazil side and an Argentina side of this waterfall, so we are on the Brazilian side. Iguaçu Falls stretches across the border of Brazil and Argentina. Iguaçu Falls isn't a singular waterfall. What makes it special is that it is a collection of nearly 300 waterfalls that pour into the Iguaçu River. Its footprint is so massive that visitors from both Brazil and Argentina are able to enjoy Iguaçu from countless different perspectives and heights. On the Argentina side, you get up close with the trails that take you to the edge of the top of the waterfalls, but here in Brazil, the view and experience is completely different. From this side, you have a panoramic view of the water thundering down through the rainforest, but the best part of Brazil's side of Iguaçu is something you can't do in Argentina. We're at a point in the falls where we're gonna go down to a little platform where you can walk in front of the falls, and it's going to be a little misty, but we're going to be right at the foot of the huge falls here, so it's going to be pretty cool to walk amongst the waterfall. There is a platform at the end of the trail that extends into the base of the waterfall. The locals say that the mist in this area is their version of the fountain of youth. All right guys, so we're here at the platform of Iguaçu Falls. You can see it starts here, you can walk all the way to inside of the falls where you can take a really good picture. Iguaçu Falls is one of the most incredible natural wonders on earth. I couldn't wrap my head around how big it was until I saw it in person. The waterfalls kick up so much mist that rainbows can form at any moment. Of course, now we have to go to the Argentina side. The Argentina side is more extensive and has multiple different trails that you can take to see Iguaçu from different perspectives. It's also the home of the South American coati that has formed an addiction to human food and will steal it out of your backpack if given the chance. By far, visiting the Devil's Throat, a section of Iguaçu Falls on the Argentina side, puts into perspective the raw power of the waterfall. You can't see the bottom from this perspective, but you can feel the power of water dropping 260 feet into the thundering abyss. Argentina also lets you experience Iguaçu from lower and upper perspectives. Every turn reveals a new cascade, a new formation of waterfall, and of course the coatis lurking for a chance to steal from you. When I was walking through Iguaçu Falls, I imagined what it must have been like for the first people to discover Iguaçu Falls. These people must have been in utter shock seeing this enormous collection of waterfalls hidden deep in the jungle. They didn't have the ready-made trails that just let you leisurely walk through and enjoy Iguaçu Falls. This was untamed jungle at one point. Standing in the middle of one of the most powerful forces of nature on the planet really makes you feel tiny. Together, Brazil and Argentina both create an experience of Iguaçu Falls that have unique characteristics on either side you decide to visit. If you want to experience Iguaçu Falls at its mightiest peak flow, plan your trip to the falls between the months of December and March and you'll be able to take home even more spectacular videos than the ones I was able to capture. Hello everyone, we are leaving Iguaçu Falls now, but during our time here it was super amazing to see all of the different angles that the falls had to offer. This was definitely one of the coolest waterfalls that I've ever seen in my entire life. I think I do like it better than Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, but that's just because of the amount of different characters and personalities that this waterfall has from every single different angle that I just showed you guys in the clips that you saw here. Now we are leaving Iguaçu Falls and we are gonna go to Buenos Aires, so I will see you guys there. What's up you guys, we are in Buenos Aires and at the hotel here we have an insane 360 view of the entire city. So I just wrapped up a workout. The view is just incredible. Last night I got some shots of around sunset time and today we're going to be touring the entire city. So I'm going to show you guys all of the cool sights that we see here in Buenos Aires today during our city tour. It's going to be a fun day so I'm excited to take you guys with me. When I stepped into Buenos Aires, I really didn't anticipate the city to be as beautiful as it was. You can expect to see grand boulevards, ornate facades, and statues that feel like they belong in Paris. Outside the church where Pope Benedict was originally stationed, I saw a group of soldiers walk in formation. Two stayed behind inside the church to watch over the tomb inside the church. There's a European elegance to the city. I've only felt this way visiting places in Europe and I was pleasantly surprised feeling this way in South America in Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires felt warm and grounded despite its size. We didn't spend much time in Buenos Aires, but in the time that we did, I noticed that every other person was drinking from a cup and straw. Argentinians love yerba mate tea and that's what nearly everyone is drinking here. I remember that even at the airport, a family was passing around a yerba mate. The kids and parents were all drinking together. It's a deep-rooted Argentinian tradition that you'll see for yourself when you come to Argentina. In local shops, you will see yerba mate cups everywhere. Drinking mate is like a ritual in Argentina. It's a symbol of friendship, tradition, and simple enjoyment. One of the highlights of enjoying Buenos Aires is the tradition of tango, which originates in Argentina and Uruguay. Our first exposure was on the street with two dancers surrounded by a crowd. Their movements are slow and deliberate and always passionate. When we went to a professional tango performance, that's when I truly started to appreciate the art of tango. The professional tango performance was unique with each individual performance. From costumes, the colors used, the synchronization of all the performers on the stage, it was incredible to witness. Buenos Aires is full of surprises. The city made me feel something I didn't know I was looking for in South America. If you're thinking about visiting South America, but are on the fence about it, I would highly recommend going to Brazil if you love the beach and outdoor activities, or going to Argentina if you love cooler weather, a beautiful city to explore, and a good companion to your coffee addiction in yerba mate tea. Then in the countryside outside of Buenos Aires, we visited a traditional Argentinian ranch. For lunch, we had an incredible variety of freshly cooked meat. Sausage, chicken, beef, pork, it was all there cooking over an open flame grill. On the ranch, we were able to take a walk back in time. The main house on the ranch dates back to the 1800s. Inside, it was like a living museum with preserved bedrooms, antique furniture, and even an old chapel. Every room was set up to look how it would normally be used decades ago, which was fascinating to see and explore. Each room made my imagination go to a slower and more elegant past. Then came the traditional boleadora show. Boleadoras are a heavy ball attached to the end of a rope. They were originally a hunting tool made to capture animals by throwing them at their legs and tying them up for capture. But on this day, we enjoyed the boleadora in a fast-paced performance. It was insane to see how fast and precise this performer was at controlling the boleadoras. Then, we watched how the ranchers herded the horses. The ranchers guided them effortlessly. No loud commands, just subtle movements and the control of each of their mini herds around the other mini herds. It was cool to watch their mastery. The final event was the running at the ring. In this running at the ring game, the horse riders gallop at full speed towards a tiny suspended ring. Each rider is holding a tiny stick with them and the objective is to spear the ring with the tiny stick going at full speed. This game requires a skilled rider and perfect timing. What made this game feel special was the tradition behind it. Men who captured rings would present them to women in the crowd and when a woman captures a ring, she gives her ring to one of the men in the crowd. This was an incredible last experience in Argentina before we moved on to our final country, Peru. I thought it would be important to show you Lima, Peru and why it's a great place to visit in its right before heading to the historic capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco. If you love food, I would recommend stopping in Lima. All of the restaurants we visited in Lima had strikingly good food. The cuisine here is a mix of Peruvian, Spanish, African, Chinese and Japanese influences. You'll find world-class restaurants here, several ranked among the top 50 in the world. What's interesting is that Lima's coastal desert climate means they can't rely on local farmers for everything. Instead, ingredients come from other regions in the Andes and the Amazon. Our favorite restaurants were Peruvian Chinese and Peruvian Japanese cuisine. I had heard about the Peruvian guinea pig being a delicacy in Peru, but I didn't get a chance to eat one until we arrived in Cusco, which is where we're going right now. Cusco, Peru is at 11,152 feet above sea level, high in the Andes. It was once the capital of the Inca Empire and was considered the very center of the Incan world. The city was even laid out in the shape of a sacred puma. Cusco is a gateway to Machu Picchu, and of course, you can order and eat Peruvian guinea pig here. We have a guinea pig here for the first time. Here, get closer, get closer. The skin looks like lechon skin. Okay, we're gonna try it. Whoa, it's like buttery. The fat is like buttery. The crunch from the skin is really good, and then the sauce just makes it even better. One of the first things that travelers notice in Cusco and in high elevation in Peru is how much it takes their breath away. There's nearly half the amount of usable oxygen at 11,000 feet above sea level than at sea level. It's a difference from 21% at sea level to 13% at this elevation. I noticed this difference when walking at a normal pace felt like speed walking. My resting heart rate at night jumped from an average of 51 to the high 60s, and simple tasks like showering and applying lotion had me breathing heavier than normal. When you come to Cusco for Machu Picchu, take everything slow, make sure you hydrate, and if you're really struggling, many hotels in Cusco offer portable oxygen, sometimes free of charge. With all that in mind, you can prepare yourself for the elevation and enjoy Cusco and Machu Picchu without the altitude slowing you down. All right you guys, we have just gotten into the train station here. We are going to take a two-hour train up to where we can see Machu Picchu. The train ride to Machu Picchu Pueblo cuts through the mountain range. The entire time, you're surrounded by endless giant peaks, and the trains are designed for that with windows on the ceiling to allow you to look up at the mountains. At the end of the track, you'll arrive at Machu Picchu Pueblo. This jumping-off point is where you will ride a bus to the entrance of Machu Picchu itself. There is an alternative route to get to Machu Picchu by hiking from the train station. These hikes to Machu Picchu usually take four to five days, and people from all over the world come here to do exactly that. The most famous trail is the Inca Trail, about 26 miles long. These ancient trails pass through high mountains and cloud forests. Each step you take on the trail traces the footsteps of Incan messengers and pilgrims who walked these paths centuries ago. When you decide to hike to Machu Picchu, you really earn it in the same way the ancient Incans did. All right guys, we have made it to Machu Picchu. It is right behind me, and we're going up these zigzagging trails that will give you different angles and spots to see Machu Picchu from different perspectives, which is really cool. So the elevation here is about 7,700 feet, and I can still kind of feel it, but we're going to be walking through the city next, so I'm going to show you what that looks like. You might be wondering why Machu Picchu is at a lower 7,700 elevation compared to the higher 11,000 elevation of the capital city of Cusco. In the ancient Incan worldview, the cosmos was divided into three realms. Hanan Pacha, which is similar to heaven, Kai Pacha, the world of the humans, and Uku Pacha, the underworld of the dead. By building Machu Picchu at this specific elevation, the mountain peaks pierce the sky, and it's almost as if you could jump up and touch the clouds. The Incans believed they were creating more than just a city. They believed they were building a bridge between the human world and the world of the gods. To the ancient Incans, Machu Picchu wasn't just a place to live. It was a place you could touch the heavens, which is insane to think about when you're walking through Machu Picchu. Something that I greatly appreciated when visiting Peru is how well the Peruvian people have integrated their ancient Incan ancestors into modern day. Think about Cusco. The structures and buildings you see there are, for the most part, all original. Peru makes the past feel alive, where civilizations and countless people of the past left structures that stood the test of time. Outside of Cusco is the Sacsayhuaman, a massive fortress that is a masterpiece of Incan engineering. And what does this massive fortress overlook? The capital city of Cusco, tucked within the Andes mountains. From the air, you can really appreciate how well the Incans planned arranging these gigantic stone blocks, some weighing over 100 tons. This site served primarily as a military outpost and resting place for travelers and soldiers. As you head further into the Andes, you'll find the Wiracocha, a huge Adobean stone structure that dominates the site. And nearby, the circular stone storage buildings where the Incas stored food and supplies for entire communities. Look how massive this is. It's a reminder of ancient Incan ingenuity, which blended practical survival with spiritual devotion. There's also little details in the structures, just like these buildings that greet the sunrise perfectly in between them. Being within and around these buildings zooms out the focus of just the day, this month, and this year, and puts into perspective how brief this life that we experienced really is. We've climbed above 12,000 feet above sea level to the city of Puno. Nearby, you can visit Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. Here, the legacy of the Andes continues, blending the natural beauty of this unique place with centuries of human history. The islands you see here are man-made, and they are floating on top of the deceivingly deep lake. The depth of Lake Titicaca can reach 280 meters, or 920 feet. The Uros people built these islands using Totora reeds, which grow in the shallow parts of the lake. Nearly everything you see on these islands, including their boats, are made from these reeds. Layer upon layer, the reeds are stacked together, and as the bottom layer rots away, the new reeds are constantly added to the top. This constant layering of reeds is how the Uros people ensure that their homes, families, and belongings all stay afloat. This is the cross section of a mini floating island with a home on top. The islands feel springy under your feet, and you can see here the old reeds versus the newly laid down reeds. The islands are anchored in place with ropes tied to stakes that are driven into the lake bed. Our guide jokingly said that if these islands aren't tied down, you could fall asleep and wake up in Bolivia, a neighboring country. While the lifestyle here remains traditional, there are modern conveniences that the Uros people have adopted to make life more comfortable. Many islands now use solar panels to charge portable power sources, power small lights, radios, and even televisions. Fishing and reed harvesting are central to the income of the people who live here, but tourism is also a big source of income that allows visitors to experience their incredibly interesting culture firsthand. This journey through Brazil, Argentina, and Peru has been unforgettable. Each country offered its own beauty, culture, and rhythm, but together they created a journey and a video that I'll never forget. Thank you for coming along this journey with me. Don't forget to like, comment your favorite part of the video, and subscribe. I'll see you all in the next journey.