South America eSIM Guide: Regional Plan or Country SIMs for Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil

For a multi-country trip, a South America eSIM installed before you fly is the simplest way to stay online: one plan works across the borders, with no SIM card shopping in each new country. SimplySIM has two South America regional plans, and they do not cover the same countries. The 6-country plan covers Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay but not Bolivia or Colombia, while the wider South America plan adds both. Neither covers Venezuela.

Last checked: 27 October 2026. Coverage lists, roaming prices and currency rules change. Check the GOV.UK travel advice for each country and your network's roaming page before you go.

Regional plan or country plans for South America?

The classic routes, such as Lima to Cusco, across Lake Titicaca to La Paz and Uyuni, then down into Chile and Argentina, cross three to five borders in a few weeks. You have three ways to cover them with a travel eSIM:

• One regional plan. Install once, and it keeps working as you cross into the next country. Best for routes with many borders, or if you do not want to think about data again.
• Separate country plans. Usually cheaper per GB, and some use more local networks. Best if you are spending most of your time in one or two countries, such as two weeks in Peru and a few days in Bolivia.
• A global plan. SimplySIM's Global Plus plans cover all seven countries on the usual Andes and Patagonia routes, including Bolivia and Colombia, which can make them a good fit for a mixed route.

Our guide to regional versus single-country eSIMs explains the same trade-off for Europe, and the reasoning is the same here.

Which countries the SimplySIM South America plans cover

This is where most people get caught out, so check your route against the plan before you buy. The lists below are taken from the plan details on 27 October 2026.

• South America (6 areas): Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay. It does not include Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay or Venezuela.
• South America (wider plan): Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay, plus Central American and Caribbean destinations including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe and Martinique. That makes it a useful Latin America eSIM if your trip also takes in Central America. It does not include Venezuela.
• Not covered by either regional plan: Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. Venezuela has its own country plans on the Venezuela eSIM page.

Country-by-country coverage table

The networks on the unlimited 6-country plans differ slightly: Argentina uses Movistar rather than Personal. The networks for each plan are shown on its product page.

SimplySIM plans for South America

On 27 October 2026, SimplySIM plans included:

Unlimited plans include 1GB a day at full speed, then continue at a reduced speed until the next day. All the plans above allow hotspot use and start when they first connect to a network in a covered country. See every option on the regional and global eSIMs page.

Which to pick: for Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil only, the 6-country plan is the natural choice. If Bolivia or Colombia is on the route, choose the wider South America plan or a Global Plus plan, or add a Bolivia country plan. For a three-to-four-week trip, 10GB suits travellers who mainly use maps, messaging and ride apps. Our guide to how much data you need helps you size it.

What UK networks charge for roaming in South America

The countries on the usual South America routes are outside every UK network's Europe roaming zone, so rest-of-world rates apply. These are the details we could confirm:

At £8 a day, a three-week trip costs £168 per phone, and Bolivia may not be covered by a daily pass at all. Official pages: Three roaming destinations, EE, Vodafone and O2. Our UK roaming charges 2026 guide has the wider picture.

Altitude and remote coverage: Andes, Uyuni, Patagonia and the Amazon

Altitude itself does not stop your phone working. Cities such as Cusco and La Paz have good 4G. What limits signal is distance from towns and masts, so the most spectacular parts of a South America trip are often the places with no signal at all.

• Andes treks. Expect signal in towns and at some campsites, and long gaps on high passes. Download offline maps before the Inca Trail, Salkantay or the Cordillera Blanca, and tell your guide or lodge your plans.
• Salar de Uyuni. There is signal in Uyuni town, but travellers report it fades quickly once you head out on the salt flat, and multi-day tours south towards the Eduardo Avaroa reserve can go a day or two without any signal on any network. Reports differ on which Bolivian network reaches furthest, so treat any coverage as a bonus. Our Bolivia, Tiwanaku and Puma Punku guide covers the Bolivian leg in more detail.
• Patagonia. Towns such as El Calafate, El Chalten, Puerto Natales and Ushuaia have coverage, but trails and long roads between them often do not. Plan for offline maps and downloaded booking confirmations.
• The Amazon. Gateway cities such as Manaus, Iquitos and Puerto Maldonado have signal. Jungle lodges are often out of range and may offer limited Wi-Fi only.

Peru and Machu Picchu

Peru is covered by both regional plans and has its own country plans using Claro and Movistar. For signal in Cusco, Aguas Calientes and at the citadel itself, see our Machu Picchu and Peru eSIM guide.

Brazil

Brazil is in both regional plans, and the country plans use Claro, TIM and Vivo, which helps in rural areas. If Rio is on your route, our Christ the Redeemer and Brazil eSIM guide covers the city and the climb up Corcovado.

Argentina: payments and the exchange rate

Argentina used to have a large gap between the official exchange rate and the informal "blue" dollar rate, which led to the old advice to bring US dollar notes. In April 2025 the Central Bank of Argentina removed most currency controls for individuals and let the peso move within a trading band. Since then the gap has narrowed sharply; in September 2026 it was reported at only a few percent. In practice, a UK card now gets a fair rate in most places, and changing cash on the street has little advantage. Rules have changed often, so check your bank's foreign transaction fees before you go, and the GOV.UK advice for Argentina.

Mobile data helps here: card payments, ride apps and banking apps all need a connection, and some ask for a one-time code by text. Keep your UK SIM switched on for texts if you need bank codes.

Easter Island

Easter Island (Rapa Nui) is part of Chile, so Chilean plans work there in principle, but coverage is limited and runs over satellite links to the mainland. Entel is the longest-established network on the island. WOM, the Chilean network used by SimplySIM's 6-country plan and Chile country plans, announced in February 2026 that its signal had reached Rapa Nui. Expect usable signal in Hanga Roa and weaker coverage at outlying sites. Our Easter Island and Moai eSIM guide has more on visiting the island.

The Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos are part of Ecuador, so Ecuador coverage on the regional plans (Movistar) and the Ecuador country plans (Claro and Movistar) applies. In practice, signal is limited to the inhabited towns, mainly Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal, with weaker coverage on Isabela. On cruises, at sea and on uninhabited islands, expect no signal. Use town stops to sync photos and messages, and check the GOV.UK travel advice for Ecuador for current entry rules for the islands.

Setting up before you fly

1. Check your phone supports eSIM and is network-unlocked with our device compatibility checker.
2. Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi before you leave, and keep it switched off until you land.
3. On arrival, choose the travel eSIM for mobile data and turn on data roaming for that line.
4. Turn data roaming off on your UK SIM to avoid daily charges. Keep the line on for texts if you need bank codes.
5. Download offline maps for treks, the salt flats, Patagonia and any boat trips.

A SimplySIM eSIM is data only and does not include a local phone number. WhatsApp and other apps work over data, so you can keep WhatsApp on your UK number. Our guide to dual SIM settings before you fly shows each step on iPhone and Android.

FAQs

What is the best eSIM for South America?

It depends on your route. For Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador and Uruguay, SimplySIM's South America (6 areas) plan is the simplest. If Bolivia or Colombia is on the route, choose the wider South America plan or a Global Plus plan, because the 6-country plan does not cover them.

Does a South America eSIM work in Bolivia?

Only some do. SimplySIM's 6-country South America plan does not cover Bolivia. The wider South America plan and the Global Plus plans do, using Tigo, and there are separate Bolivia plans using VIVA.

Do I need a SIM card for South America, or is an eSIM enough?

If your phone supports eSIM, a travel eSIM is enough for data in every country on the main routes, with no need to buy a physical SIM card for South America at each border. You only need a local SIM if a service insists on a local phone number for texts.

Is Venezuela covered by South America eSIM plans?

Not by SimplySIM's regional plans. Venezuela has its own country plans using Digitel. Check the GOV.UK travel advice for Venezuela before planning any trip there.

Will I have signal at Salar de Uyuni or in Patagonia?

Expect signal in Uyuni town and Patagonian towns such as El Calafate and Puerto Natales, but little or none out on the salt flat, on multi-day tours and on most trails. Download offline maps before you set off.

Can I use a South America eSIM in the Galapagos?

Yes, Ecuador coverage applies, but signal is mostly limited to the main towns on Santa Cruz and San Cristobal. Expect no signal at sea or on uninhabited islands.