Breaking news: there’s more to South America than Argentina and Brazil! This spring or summer, we recommend you head off the beaten trail and check out the continent’s lesser-visited gems. There’s spectacular Chile, with its sophisticated capital and stunning backcountry; the splendid Ecuador with its Amazon jungles; and the small and charming Uruguay. We found off-season discounts on packages to this threesome of countries, starting at $229 for a five-day land-only Uruguay trip.

Chile holiday from only $729
If you want to check out gorgeous Chile, Latin Escapes has a stellar package. Their five-day Chile holiday is priced at $729, inclusive of accommodation for four nights, air from Miami (just $60 extra from NY), daily breakfast, and tours. Your base will be Los Nogales hotel in the charming capital city of Santiago, a modern property with convenient access to city attractions. Also covered in the price is a half-day guided tour of Santiago, plus two excursions outside the city limits: an outing to the picturesque port town of Valparaiso and a foray to Chile’s wine country, with a visit to Concha y Toro winery and the magnificent Maipo Canyon in the Andes.

Ecuador adventure for $879
One of South America’s least visited countries, stunning Ecuador offers a unique glimpse into the continent’s indigenous cultures. Good news: Latin Escapes makes this destination available for $879! The five-day adventure to Quito and the Amazon includes air from Miami (just $10 more from NY), lodging, transfers, and tours. Covered in the cost are: one night at Four Points Sheraton in the enthralling capital of Quito and three nights’ lodging in the Amazon, at cozy Jardin Aleman Lodge. The jungle portion of the trip includes activities such as a butterfly tour; a guided walk with a local shaman; tour with the Alto Pununo indigenous community; and a canoe trip.

Uruguay land-only deal for $229
To take in the delights of the small and charming country of Uruguay, we recommend the deal we spotted on Latin Escapes. This five-day package takes you to the European-styled capital of Montevideo, for a four-night sojourn at midrange Balamoral Plaza. This land-only package is priced at $229 with lodging, daily breakfast and guided tours (a half-day city tour of Montevideo; a full-day excursion to the glamorous beach resort of Punta del Este; and a foray to the historic town of Colonia del Sacramento). Judging by the prices of Latin America’s air-inclusive packages quoted above, the Uruguay package should be more than affordable even with the flight included.

The rates above are listed per person, based on double occupancy. See details above for the exact inclusions. Note that all three packages are priced for South America’s off-peak season that lasts through August – the southern hemisphere’s winter. That is exactly why the prices are so low. In fact, during the rest of the year, especially in our winter months, the prices triple.

If you’ve never been to South America, you may be better off starting with Rio and Buenos Aires instead.

For the Chile package, check out www.latinescapes.com or call 1-800-878-9986 and mention ShermansTravel.

For the Ecuador adventure, go to www.latinescapes.com or call 1-800-878-9986 and mention ShermansTravel.

For the Uruguay deal, visit www.latinescapes.com or call 1-800-878-9986 and mention ShermansTravel.