The safest South American countries to visit change depending on which measure you read, so this guide puts two official ones side by side and then shows where inside each country the risk actually sits. The first is the travel advisory level that the US Department of State publishes for each country. The second is the 2026 Global Peace Index from the Institute for Economics and Peace, which ranks 163 countries.

Is South America safe? That is really twelve questions, one per country, and the answers run from Level 1 to Level 3. Both sources were read in October 2026, and advisories are reissued without notice, so check the date on any country you are planning around.

Price is the other filter most people apply first, and we cover it in our guide to the cheapest South American country to visit. We run trips in Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Peru at Argentina Pura, so those four get the most detail here. For the other countries we can only report what the sources say.

What is the safest country in South America?

No country comes first on both measures, and that is the useful finding. Argentina, Paraguay and Suriname are the only three countries at Level 1, the State Department’s “exercise normal precautions”. Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay and Argentina hold the top four places on the Global Peace Index among the South American countries. Paraguay and Argentina are the only two that appear in both groups.

CountryState Department levelIssuedGlobal Peace Index rank (of 163)
UruguayLevel 2, exercise increased cautionJuly 28, 202643
ChileLevel 2, exercise increased cautionAugust 19, 202652
ParaguayLevel 1, exercise normal precautionsAugust 19, 202664
ArgentinaLevel 1, exercise normal precautionsJuly 10, 202672
BoliviaLevel 2, exercise increased cautionAugust 18, 202692
GuyanaLevel 3, reconsider travelAugust 26, 2026103
PeruLevel 2, exercise increased cautionSeptember 4, 2026107
BrazilLevel 2, exercise increased cautionAugust 31, 2026124
VenezuelaLevel 3, reconsider travelJune 27, 2026133
EcuadorLevel 2, with Level 3 and Level 4 areasAugust 18, 2026135
ColombiaLevel 3, reconsider travelMarch 31, 2026141
SurinameLevel 1, exercise normal precautionsSeptember 8, 2026No rank found

The State Department scale has four levels: Level 1, exercise normal precautions; Level 2, exercise increased caution; Level 3, reconsider travel; Level 4, do not travel. A country can carry one level for the whole territory and a higher one for named areas inside it, and that second layer is where most of the information sits. French Guiana is an overseas department of France and is not in the table. The rest of this guide reads the second layer.

Why the two measures disagree

They answer different questions. The advisory is written by one government for its own citizens and asks what could go wrong for a visitor: theft, violent crime, unrest, kidnapping, natural hazards. The Global Peace Index asks how peaceful a whole society is, and it weighs conflict and militarisation alongside crime. A country can score well on one and not on the other.

Uruguay shows it. It ranks 43rd of 163, the highest placed South American country in the table, and it is still Level 2. The advisory, issued July 28, 2026, says violent crime including armed robbery and carjacking occurs across the country, that criminals often work in pairs on motorcycles, and that Montevideo, Canelones, Maldonado and Rivera are the departments where crime is most common. Maldonado is where Punta del Este is. Argentina is the reverse: 72nd on the index, and Level 1 for visitors.

Neither number is a verdict. Read them as two readings of different things, and then read the areas the advisory carves out.

The same split shows up at the other end of the table. Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia are the three lowest ranked South American countries on the index, which matches their advisory levels. Guyana moves the most: 103rd on the index, yet Level 3 for crime.

South America & Antarctica: The Safety and Entry Checklist

Several countries in one trip? Check the official travel advisory levels and entry requirements for Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Peru, what to expect at each border crossing and the extra requirements for an Antarctic expedition, all on one checklist.

South America & Antarctica: The Safety and Entry Checklist

Country by country: what each advisory says and where it applies

Level 1: Argentina, Paraguay and Suriname

Argentina (Level 1, July 10, 2026). The advisory names petty crime in popular tourist areas and throughout Buenos Aires, and criminal and drug trafficking groups in Rosario, in Santa Fe province. It lists no area at a higher level, and the July 10 update removed an area of increased risk that had been listed before. The CDC has a Level 1 notice for Andes virus (hantavirus) in the region and describes the risk to most travellers as extremely low. We go through the street level detail in is Argentina safe to visit.

Paraguay (Level 1, August 19, 2026). Five departments sit at Level 2 for crime: Alto Paraná, Amambay, Canindeyú, Concepción and San Pedro. The advisory links the risk to smuggling of weapons, drugs and other goods along the northeastern border with Brazil.

Suriname (Level 1, September 8, 2026) has no higher level area listed. We do not run trips in Paraguay or Suriname, so for both this is the advisory’s account, not ours.

Level 2: Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil and Ecuador

Uruguay is covered above: one national level, with crime concentrated in four departments.

Chile (Level 2, August 19, 2026). Petty crime is common, with the most incidents in Santiago, Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Antofagasta, Calama and Iquique. The advisory lists Santiago tourist spots where pickpocketing and muggings happen most often, including Cerro Santa Lucía, Bellavista and Barrio Lastarria, and it records that anarchist groups have placed bombs and incendiary devices in public spaces in Santiago. Demonstrations can start with little notice and disrupt buses and the metro. A State of Emergency applies in several southern regions, including La Araucanía and parts of Arauco and Biobío. The advisory does not mention Magallanes or Torres del Paine. It also warns of minefields on Chile’s borders with Peru and Bolivia, and with Argentina in Patagonia, which is a reason to stay on marked trails and official crossings.

Peru (Level 2, September 4, 2026). The advisory lists three Level 4 areas: the Colombian border area in the Loreto Region; the valleys of the Apurímac, Ene and Mantaro rivers (VRAEM), which include areas within the departments of Ayacucho, Cusco, Huancavelica and Junín; and Abancay, Ayacucho, Huancavelica and Huancayo. Because the VRAEM touches the Cusco department, the department name alone tells you little. The advisory states that the city of Cusco and nearby tourist sites such as the Sacred Valley, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu are not in the affected area. Elsewhere it names petty theft, muggings, occasional express kidnappings, more risk at night, and demonstrations that block roads, trains and highways without warning. It also calls altitude sickness a serious concern in Cusco and around Lake Titicaca.

Brazil (Level 2, August 31, 2026). Level 4 applies to two things: international land borders, where US government employees need special authorization within 100 miles (160 kilometres) of the borders with Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela, and informal housing developments such as favelas. The advisory notes that US government employees are allowed to travel to Iguaçu National Park and Pantanal National Park. Beyond those areas, it describes violent crime in most urban areas and widespread gang activity. It names drugging of victims in bars and through dating apps, with Rio de Janeiro specifically mentioned, and express kidnappings that force ATM withdrawals or Pix transfers. Demonstrations are frequent and can turn violent, and flooding and landslides affect Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

Bolivia (Level 2, August 18, 2026). Chapare Province is Level 4 because of crime linked to narcotrafficking. Large demonstrations can occur with little warning and bring roadblocks that disrupt transport. Many roads lack shoulders and barriers, and rainy season flooding and landslides can close them. La Paz, El Alto and Potosí sit between 10,000 and 13,000 feet, about 3,000 to 4,000 metres, so altitude sickness is a concern, and emergency medical care is limited outside the major cities.

Ecuador (Level 2 nationally, August 18, 2026). The national label understates the map. Level 4 covers parts of Guayaquil (the Nueva Prosperina and Pascuales districts, and everything south of Portete de Tarqui Avenue), Huaquillas and Arenillas, Quevedo, Quinsaloma and Pueblo Viejo, Durán, and Esmeraldas city and the area north of it to the Colombian border. Level 3 covers Guayaquil north of Portete de Tarqui Avenue, the rest of El Oro and Los Ríos provinces, the area south of Esmeraldas city, and the provinces of Sucumbíos, Manabí, Santa Elena and Santo Domingo. The advisory cites violent crime linked to drug trafficking, kidnapping and extortion of US citizens, and bombings in Guayaquil and coastal regions.

Level 3: Colombia, Venezuela and Guyana

Colombia (Level 3, March 31, 2026, the oldest of the advisories we read). Level 4 covers the departments of Arauca and Norte de Santander, Cauca excluding Popayán, Valle del Cauca excluding Cali, and the area within 10 kilometres of the Venezuelan border. The advisory cites crime, terrorism, civil unrest and kidnapping, and notes armed break ins and drugging, including at hotels.

Venezuela is Level 3 (June 27, 2026). Guyana is Level 3 (August 26, 2026) for crime across the country, with no higher level area listed.

Where the usual first trip routes sit against those areas

Levels apply to countries, carve outs apply to places, and a trip is a route. This table is our reading of the advisories against the routes travellers book most often. It is not an official statement, and it only covers what the advisories name.

RouteCountryWhat the advisory says about it
Buenos Aires, Iguazú and El CalafateArgentinaNo higher level area listed. Petty crime in tourist areas and across Buenos Aires. Rosario, the named concern, is not on these routes.
Santiago and Torres del PaineChilePickpocketing at named Santiago tourist spots and demonstrations that disrupt transport. The State of Emergency names La Araucanía, Arauco and Biobío. Torres del Paine is not mentioned.
Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu PicchuPeruThe advisory says Cusco city, the Sacred Valley, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu are not in the affected area. Altitude sickness is a serious concern in Cusco. Rail is the main way to reach Machu Picchu, and demonstrations can block it.
Rio de Janeiro and São PauloBrazilViolent crime in most urban areas. Rio is named for drugging in bars and on dating apps. Favelas are Level 4.
La PazBoliviaChapare Province is Level 4, and La Paz is not named. Roadblocks from demonstrations and altitude between 10,000 and 13,000 feet are the practical issues.
Montevideo and Punta del EsteUruguayMontevideo and Maldonado are among the four departments named for the most crime.
Cartagena, Bogotá and MedellínColombiaThe four Level 4 departments do not include these cities, and the country is still Level 3.

How to use a level when you plan a trip

  1. Read the date first. Colombia’s advisory is from March 31 and Suriname’s from September 8. Check again when you book and again before you leave.
  2. Read the carve outs before the level. The level is the average and the named areas are where it changes. Ecuador is Level 2 on paper and Level 3 or 4 across several named provinces.
  3. Lay your route on it. Write down every overnight stop and check each one against the named areas. Anything off the standard circuit, such as the VRAEM valleys in Peru or a border crossing in Chilean Patagonia, needs its own check.
  4. Book the first night and a named airport pickup. Brazil and Peru both name express kidnappings that involve forced ATM withdrawals, and a booked pickup removes the first taxi decision.
  5. Keep a spare day before an international flight. Demonstrations can block roads and trains without notice in Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and Colombia, and a missed flight costs more than a spare night.

If you travel alone

The levels above are written for all visitors. What changes for a woman travelling alone, or for a traveller over sixty, is the logistics: arrival hours, where you sleep, who knows your route. That part is in our guide to solo travel and, for travellers over sixty, in solo travel for women over 60.

The safest South American countries to visit, in one page

  • By advisory level: Argentina, Paraguay and Suriname are Level 1. Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil and Ecuador are Level 2, and Colombia, Venezuela and Guyana are Level 3.
  • By Global Peace Index: Uruguay is 43rd, Chile 52nd, Paraguay 64th and Argentina 72nd of 163.
  • On both: Paraguay and Argentina are in the top four on the index and at Level 1.
  • The level is an average. Ecuador’s provinces, Peru’s three areas, Brazil’s borders and favelas, and Colombia’s departments are where it changes.
  • Routes matter more than countries. Read against the advisories’ own wording, the standard circuits in Argentina, Chile and the Cusco area of Peru sit outside the areas they name for higher levels.
  • Dates matter. Every figure here was read in October 2026 and will move.

If you want help matching a route to what the advisories say, tell us when you can travel and we will build the route around it.