You probably picture a sizzling parrilla and a glass of Malbec when someone mentions South American food. That’s fair, and it’s delicious, but it’s just the opening course. Across Peru, Chile, Argentina and Patagonia, chefs, farmers and market vendors are turning food into the reason you book the flight, not just a stop along the way.
This kind of trip is taking shape across three parts of the continent. Peru has turned ceviche and Pisco Sours into a full afternoon of hands-on cooking, not just a restaurant order. Chile and Argentina have opened their wine valleys to travelers who want to taste where the grapes grow, not just what’s in the glass at dinner.
Patagonia, land of glaciers and gauchos, now pairs lamb dinners with hikes instead of hotel buffets. None of this is brand new. What’s changed is how easy it’s become to build a whole trip around it.
A Travel Company With 25 Years Behind It
The trips come from Say Hueque, a South American travel company founded in 1999. That’s 25-plus years building routes region by region, not off a template. The company also holds B Corp certification, a credential that requires outside verification of its environmental and community practices.
Peru: More Than Ceviche and Machu Picchu
In Peru, you can skip Lima’s tourist restaurants and head into the market instead. Say Hueque’s Taste, Trek & Discover Peru trip puts you in hands-on workshops making ceviche and Pisco Sours.
From there, you’ll explore Arequipa’s historic picanterias. Then it’s on to the Sacred Valley and Cusco, where cooking classes and artisan markets sit alongside Machu Picchu.
Chile and Argentina: Wine Country Without the Wait
Wine lovers get their own version of this trip. Start in Santiago’s Maipo Valley for a Cabernet Sauvignon tasting, then head to the coast near Valparaíso for more wineries.
From there, cross the Andes into Mendoza, where boutique vineyards and farm-to-table dinners take over. Say Hueque’s Chile and Argentina wine tour connects all three stops into one route. You won’t double back across the mountains twice.
Patagonia: Where Farm-To-Table Meets Glaciers
Patagonia flips the format entirely. Instead of tasting menus, you get local lamb, Patagonian wine and produce from nearby organic farms.
Meals happen outdoors, often with a glacier or mountain peak as the backdrop. Say Hueque’s women’s wellness and wine trip pairs those meals with hiking and horseback riding. Food becomes part of the adventure, not a break from it.
None of this requires you to become a wine expert or a serious hiker first. Pick the region that matches your appetite: a market stall in Lima, a vineyard in Mendoza, a lamb dinner under a Patagonian sky.
Then build the rest of the trip around it. The steak and Malbec will still be there when you land. Just don’t stop there.