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Summary: S. America Handbooks
Review: I just spent 5 months in all the s. american countries except the norhternmost 3-4. Both the lonely plantet and footprints came in handy however I ultimately found Footprints to be more informative and to the point. Most other travelers agreed with me. The lonely planet had one advantage in that it's maps were better. Bottom line, if your are backpacking, take Footprints. If you have lots of space, take them both. Happy trails. edwardhillmann@hotmail.com
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Summary: The best for S. America
Review: I'm not sure, but I get the impression that Mr. Gillies has not used the Lonely Planet as well as Footprint in practice. Having returned from SA in April and having taken both I can say that Footprint is far, far better and very much more up to date. It is sad, considering I live in the city where LP is published.
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Summary: A MUST for travellers to South-America
Review: I've been buying this book regularly for years. And I've used it on my journeys. especially to Colombia and Equador. I was able to impress my brother-in-law (native Colombian and I am from Norway) when I made all the detail planning, hotels, sights etc on a journey through Colombia by car. All information found in SA Handbook. I can't go to SA without it. Recommended!!
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Summary: Best book on South America
Review: I've found this the best guide on SA. It covers all SA countries very well, but is well worth if you are interested in only 1 or 2 countries.
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Summary: The Only One
Review: If you are travelling through a few countries in South America, then this footprint guide just cannot be beaten. Has all the fun topics and places covered like some other common guidebooks, but much more history, culture, food and accomodation info, all wrapped up in the same size package. My travel companions all grew to rely on Footprints' accuracy, and appreciated the lack of sarcastic, put-down comments that one other common guide often had.
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Summary: Don't leave home without the Handbook!!
Review: My wife and I relied primarily on the South American handbook, now in its 77th year (the longest-running travel guide in the English language, apparently) during a 3-month period of backpacking through Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and Argentina not too long ago, and along with other information we gleaned from a variety of sources (i.e. fellow backpackers, some maps and other material I had gotten off the internet) it served us extremely well. However, I can understand why some people might consider the book to be difficult to use in the sense that there's almost too much information and not enough informed opinion/recommendations about what the authors think you SHOULD do. In many ways, this book is information overload, and not opinionated ENOUGH! Some of the fun of reading guide books, I have found in my many travels, is listening to someone who has a strong (as long as it is well-informed) opinion, and then seeing for myself what I think. Also, SOMETIMES it's a relief to be able to turn off my brain for a while and just have someone TELL me what to do if I've got, let's say, just 3 days in a particular city. But, the bottom line is if you don't mind/prefer to think for yourself, are not particularly into listening to other people's suggested itineraries for you, and are willing to wade through the vast amount of material provided in this guidebook, then you will be richly rewarded with the Handbook, which is truly an amazing creation, and obviously a labor of love! It sometimes seems, for instance, like the Handbook has a detailed street map on every interesting (and even not-so-interesting) town in South America! Plus, listings of hotels/hostels and restaurants in numerous price ranges. Plus, "Places of Interest", listings of museums, information on excursions, local festivals, archeology, culture, language schools, laundramats, and just about everything else you could possibly need! This book probably should not be the main reference for those wanting to travel first class all the way (or to be led by the hand), but for the budget traveler it's great (Lonely Planet is excellent as well, and would be a fine companion to the Handbook). Just be prepared to use your brain while wading through a veritable jungle of information on South America! Don't leave home without the Handbook!!
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Summary: Highly Recommended
Review: Our company, AmeriSpan, sends thousands of people to Latin America every year. For South America, this is the book that we use AND recommend to our clients. It is updated annually and is simply the best. - John Slocum, President of AmeriSpan
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Summary: An Alternative to Lonely Planet
Review: The Footprint guide definately gives the traveler a different itinerary than the typical Lonely Planet guided souls. Often, with the domination of Lonely Planet suggestions being taken by travelers, certain "Gringo trails" are forged and well trampled. Footprint gives the next best comprehensive review of traveling in South America, but makes the travler leave more to their own judgement instead of relying on a guide. I traveled with both my Footprint Guide and my partner's Lonely Planet. The LP is a better guide for nuts and bolts, but the prices are often inacurate because of the popularity increase, which rapidly rises prices in South America. But the Guide has its drawbacks. If you are extremely map based, then go with the LP. Footprint's maps are not nearly as good. Also, for specific suggestions on exactly what a traveler SHOULD do, LP is better. Bottom line is, if you can fit them both in, do it. Take the LP for those late night bus stops in a tiny southern Ecuadorian town, and take the Footprint for those days and nights when you want to make more judgements for yourself than the guidebook makes for you.
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Summary: The one and only.
Review: This 1997 edition is the third which I have owned. It is my companion in all of my travels even in my backyard. It is not a visually exciting nor user friendly guide but is indispensible for its appoximation of reality, especially off the beaten trail.
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Summary: The Bible of South American Travel
Review: This is a must have for overland travel in South America.
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