I was wondering if anyone on here did a long-term trip with a tour company through South America and has any thoughts/comments you could share. I would like to do a trip from Quito to Rio (via Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina) and found two companies that do it for a reasonable price: G.A.P. Adventure (part of Intrepid Travel)and Budget Expeditions (part of Tucan). I have read a few not so positive posts regarding G.A.P., mostly concerning the inexperience of the guides and the time constraints (sometimes skipping whole parts of the itinerary because of time issues).

I was thinking about doing the trip on my own, but I am limited, in terms of time, so I would like something organized that is planed out more or less ahead of time, and where I'll be certain to have transportation to and from places. I have done long treks/trips on my own before, but generally had a lot of flexibility and time to work with and was therefore able to meander on my own.

Any thoughts appreciated....thanks =)