Prices going north? Try heading south

One of the mysteries of travel is why so few North Americans visit South America. You can make the trip there almost without jet lag, flying north to south. Once there, you encounter a generally friendly population and pleasant prices. And this year, in two particular locations, you will find amazingly low rates. Here are the top bargains in Latin America for the coming winter months:

Rock-bottom Rio: With its economic crisis unresolved and its currency selling at 3.6 to the U.S. dollar, glamorous Rio de Janeiro is more of a lure than ever. And a longtime specialist, Marnella Tours, (866) 993-0033, www.marnellatours.com, offers round-trip air from Los Angeles or San Francisco on American Airlines, seven nights at the Trocadero Othon Hotel -- across the street from Copacabana Beach -- round-trip airport-to-hotel transfers, breakfast daily and a half-day tour of Corcovado or Sugarloaf for $849. That rate is valid through April 30, except for holiday periods.

Historic Peru: Marnella Tours also has an inexpensive trip to the Andes, where you can spend a week for $999 per person. Lima plus Machu Picchu is what many travelers demand, and Marnella (see above) offers a well-planned itinerary. You’re flown from Los Angeles or San Francisco on American Airlines to Lima for two nights at the three-star Faraona Hotel in the Miraflores district. You’re then flown to Cuzco for a four-night stay at El Puma Hotel, during which you’ll receive a half-day tour of Cuzco and nearby ruins, and then the climax: a full-day excursion to the ruins of Machu Picchu. The prices are valid today through June 30, except holidays.

Bargain Buenos Aires: It costs less to tango in Argentina this winter, and Buenos Aires has become a sensational value. A one-week air-and-land package from LAX to Buenos Aires from Analie Tours, (800) 811-6027, www.analietours.com, has dropped to $670 as Argentina’s economic problems continue and the Argentine peso -- once exchanged at par with the dollar -- falls to 3.5 to the dollar. Everything there is cheaper. From today through Dec. 14, and again from Jan. 12 to March 31, you’re flown round trip to Tango Central for a six-night stay at the centrally located Lafayette Hotel, with breakfast daily and two sightseeing tours.

Sultry Santiago, Chile: The summer season here is our winter (beaches with daytime temperatures in the 90s from December through mid-March). From today through Dec. 9, and again from Jan. 16 to March 31, Discover Latin America, (800) 826-4845, www.discoverlatinamerica.com, charges $927 from Los Angeles for round-trip air and six nights’ accommodation at the boutique-style Torremayor Hotel downtown. Bonuses include breakfast daily, a half-day city tour and a separate full-day excursion to the beach resort of Vina del Mar and the city of Valparaiso.

These four trips provide an excellent introduction to Latin America. Once you have checked into your hotel, you discover that everything else -- restaurant meals, in-city transportation, shopping and entertainment -- is also available at bargain prices. You couldn’t hope for a better short holiday this winter.