I'm Thinking of Backpacking in South America
June 28, 2013 7:51 PM Subscribe
I'm thinking of backpacking in South America. Does anyone have experience with doing this?
I'm curious on the following in terms of specifics.
1) What (current) books to get and read. I'm reading the roughing it guides first and then going on to the 2013 Footprint guide, but that reads like stereo instructions.
2) What routes would you recommend? What are good things to do in combination or places that are not well known to have a lot of things close together? I know the Mayan Route in Northern South America as well as the Gringo Trail in the Andes. Are there any other good ones worth considering?
3) Does anyone have any experiences that were awful or fantastic enough to warrant special calling out in terms of advice?
4) How much should I budget for a trip like this?
5) When is the best time to go?
6) What gear is necessary (ie what would you pack and in what pack)? I was looking at http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Travel-Backpack-Reviews for a backpack although I'm not sure I like the Osprey they recommend because it comes into pieces. I'm also wondering if I should bring a tent or if it's not worth the hassle because a) accommodations are cheap enough b) the weather is too inclement or c) it's too much of a pain to lug around.
7) What documents do I need? (I'm an American)
Those are the big ones that seem open ended to me and any help would be appreciated.
I'm curious on the following in terms of specifics.
1) What (current) books to get and read. I'm reading the roughing it guides first and then going on to the 2013 Footprint guide, but that reads like stereo instructions.
2) What routes would you recommend? What are good things to do in combination or places that are not well known to have a lot of things close together? I know the Mayan Route in Northern South America as well as the Gringo Trail in the Andes. Are there any other good ones worth considering?
3) Does anyone have any experiences that were awful or fantastic enough to warrant special calling out in terms of advice?
4) How much should I budget for a trip like this?
5) When is the best time to go?
6) What gear is necessary (ie what would you pack and in what pack)? I was looking at http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Travel-Backpack-Reviews for a backpack although I'm not sure I like the Osprey they recommend because it comes into pieces. I'm also wondering if I should bring a tent or if it's not worth the hassle because a) accommodations are cheap enough b) the weather is too inclement or c) it's too much of a pain to lug around.
7) What documents do I need? (I'm an American)
Those are the big ones that seem open ended to me and any help would be appreciated.
I haven't been to South America, but have done a couple of backpacking-travel trips. The things I was skeptical about buying but were TOTALLY worth the money:
Ex-officio underwear. Wash them in the sink, they dry overnight. I brought 3 pairs, you can get away with 2.
One of those quick-drying travel towels. I got a large one, whatever was on clearance at REI. Same as the undies; dries quickly overnight.
Related, a clothesline you can hang up wherever you're staying.
A Steripen was AMAZING for rural areas. I got the "traveller" one, with no filter since I wasn't planning to drink out of puddles or anything. But I could re-fill my water bottle with whatever tap water was around and not worry about it.
Get the smallest backpack you can get away with while carrying what you need; nothing is worse than feeling annoyed at all the crap you're carrying around. Compression sacks are pretty handy.
In general, a bigger budget so you can pick up what you need as you go is better than trying to bring it all with you and worrying about being 100% prepared. But... travel with a small budget is better than no travel at all.
posted by ruby.aftermath at 8:20 PM on June 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
Ex-officio underwear. Wash them in the sink, they dry overnight. I brought 3 pairs, you can get away with 2.
One of those quick-drying travel towels. I got a large one, whatever was on clearance at REI. Same as the undies; dries quickly overnight.
Related, a clothesline you can hang up wherever you're staying.
A Steripen was AMAZING for rural areas. I got the "traveller" one, with no filter since I wasn't planning to drink out of puddles or anything. But I could re-fill my water bottle with whatever tap water was around and not worry about it.
Get the smallest backpack you can get away with while carrying what you need; nothing is worse than feeling annoyed at all the crap you're carrying around. Compression sacks are pretty handy.
In general, a bigger budget so you can pick up what you need as you go is better than trying to bring it all with you and worrying about being 100% prepared. But... travel with a small budget is better than no travel at all.
posted by ruby.aftermath at 8:20 PM on June 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
Where in South America do you want to go? It's an entire continent. Saying you want to "backpack South America" is like saying you want to go for a nice walk in Europe.
What do you like to do when you travel? Are you more into culture, or outdoorsy stuff, or adventure travel? Would you die if you didn't get to see the Galapagos islands? Would you die if you didn't get to see Machu Picchu?
What's your travel style? Do you want to camp, couchsurf, stay in hole-in-the-wall youth hostels, or "flashpack" via AirBnB or in nicer hostels and lower-end pensions or boutique hotels?
We can't really answer any of your questions without this information.
Except, of course, for #7. Keep in mind that, as an American, you will be subject to a lot of visas and entry fees because the US doesn't have immigration reciprocity with certain countries. In other words, because the US makes it difficult for, for example, Argentinians to visit here, Argentina makes it difficult for Americans to visit there. This will substantially add to your budget if you plan to travel overland through several countries rather than being more selective about what you want to see and do. I don't think there's a lot of advance paperwork you'll need; most of these fees and visas can be taken care of at the border. But do your research so you don't get to the border and discover they want $200 USD to let you in.
posted by Sara C. at 8:26 PM on June 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
What do you like to do when you travel? Are you more into culture, or outdoorsy stuff, or adventure travel? Would you die if you didn't get to see the Galapagos islands? Would you die if you didn't get to see Machu Picchu?
What's your travel style? Do you want to camp, couchsurf, stay in hole-in-the-wall youth hostels, or "flashpack" via AirBnB or in nicer hostels and lower-end pensions or boutique hotels?
We can't really answer any of your questions without this information.
Except, of course, for #7. Keep in mind that, as an American, you will be subject to a lot of visas and entry fees because the US doesn't have immigration reciprocity with certain countries. In other words, because the US makes it difficult for, for example, Argentinians to visit here, Argentina makes it difficult for Americans to visit there. This will substantially add to your budget if you plan to travel overland through several countries rather than being more selective about what you want to see and do. I don't think there's a lot of advance paperwork you'll need; most of these fees and visas can be taken care of at the border. But do your research so you don't get to the border and discover they want $200 USD to let you in.
posted by Sara C. at 8:26 PM on June 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
For stuff like specific gear like a steripen, this is going to TOTALLY depend where you go, what you do, and how you travel. I backpacked through Peru mostly along the "gringo trail". I never encountered even the tiniest village that didn't sell bottled water. For treks, you're mainly required to go through a company that supplies guides and porters and wherein you can definitely stock up on supplies like water beforehand.
I would nail down what your actual travel plans are before you go out buying a bunch of camping gear you don't need.
That said, the travel towel is INGENIOUS and absolutely vital if you'll be anywhere near the jungle, where nothing ever seems to want to dry.
posted by Sara C. at 8:29 PM on June 28, 2013
I would nail down what your actual travel plans are before you go out buying a bunch of camping gear you don't need.
That said, the travel towel is INGENIOUS and absolutely vital if you'll be anywhere near the jungle, where nothing ever seems to want to dry.
posted by Sara C. at 8:29 PM on June 28, 2013
Bring more socks than you think you need. Bring a small led flashlight.
As far as budget, this really depends with how comfortable you are with roughing it.
posted by empath at 8:30 PM on June 28, 2013
As far as budget, this really depends with how comfortable you are with roughing it.
posted by empath at 8:30 PM on June 28, 2013
Response by poster: I know I'm not being very specific with my question right now, apologies. I'm in the preliminary stages but let me see if I can't explain a little better.
I would really like to do outdoor hiking and camping stuff but I don't know how reasonable it is to bring a tent and sleeping bag. Or if it's legal most places to camp or if I'd bring it and never use it. My ideal ideal would be hike/camp for 2 or 3 days then youth hostel. Every once and a while a nicer place to relax and scrub up. As far as what I want to see I'd like to be able to have jungle, mountain climbing and ruins. From the little I know right now that seems like either the Gringo Trail or the Mayan Route. I'd like to do some hiking through Patagonia but I think it would be too desolate/extreme for me. I also think that hiking through the Amazon would be amazing but clearly that's really not possible due to danger of surprise death so I don't think I want to see Brazil.
I want to stay out of major major cities and I'm not super into seeing beaches although maybe doing that a little bit would be fun. Oh and I also want to take a train ride because trains are awesome.
posted by ishrinkmajeans at 8:34 PM on June 28, 2013
I would really like to do outdoor hiking and camping stuff but I don't know how reasonable it is to bring a tent and sleeping bag. Or if it's legal most places to camp or if I'd bring it and never use it. My ideal ideal would be hike/camp for 2 or 3 days then youth hostel. Every once and a while a nicer place to relax and scrub up. As far as what I want to see I'd like to be able to have jungle, mountain climbing and ruins. From the little I know right now that seems like either the Gringo Trail or the Mayan Route. I'd like to do some hiking through Patagonia but I think it would be too desolate/extreme for me. I also think that hiking through the Amazon would be amazing but clearly that's really not possible due to danger of surprise death so I don't think I want to see Brazil.
I want to stay out of major major cities and I'm not super into seeing beaches although maybe doing that a little bit would be fun. Oh and I also want to take a train ride because trains are awesome.
posted by ishrinkmajeans at 8:34 PM on June 28, 2013
Well, yeah, the steripen is probably overkill. I was specifically in some areas where bottled water/trash was a hassle. It's probably not necessary. But if any of the places you're planning to go have that kind of issue, it's an awesome thing.
posted by ruby.aftermath at 8:35 PM on June 28, 2013
posted by ruby.aftermath at 8:35 PM on June 28, 2013
OK, in that case.
1. Keep in mind that, outside the US, when people say "backpacking", they're usually talking about more cultural travel and youth hosteling and the like, and not really camping/hiking. The term you're going to want for making guidebooks useful and doing google searches is "trekking".
2. If you mostly want to camp and be in nature, you're probably looking at Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and maybe some parts of Chile. I think one can camp in other parts of the continent, of course, but most outdoorsy, eco, and adventure travelers head there. Peru is really popular because it's got a lot of very diverse ecosystems in a relatively small country that is easier to travel in than many others. It's also extremely affordable. A lot of people add some time in the Bolivian salt flats onto their Peru trip, because it's another unique ecosystem you can't find in many other places. AFAIRemember, Bolivia is one of those pesky countries that charges an arm and a leg to visit, so be aware of that.
Because Peru is such a popular country for eco and adventure tourism, and so many ecosystems and cultural landmarks are under environmental threat from tourism, the Peruvian government places a lot of restrictions on where you can hike and camp. Many of the popular trails require a licensed guide, which means that the model for these types of trips is to schedule "treks" with this or that company in different places. Despite sounding a little like package tourism, it's a surprisingly cheap and efficient way to do what you want to do. This model extends to neighboring countries, to an extent, though I don't know if it's quite as government mandated as it is in Peru.
The most popular hiking trail on the entire continent is the Inca Trail Trek, which is a multi-day hike through the Andes and some parts of the Peruvian Amazon, ending up at Machu Picchu. This trip absolutely REQUIRES a licensed guide booked through a tour company, and there is a limited number of spots on the trail at any given time to preserve the environment in the face of the sheer mass of people clamoring to do the hike. If you think you might want to do the Inca Trail, BOOK IT RIGHT NOW and build your whole trip around that.
There are a few "alternate Inca Trails" that have sprung up which also are multi-day hikes, horse trails, or mountain bike experiences that take different routes to Machu Picchu. These can be easier to book, and maybe cheaper, but still, if this is something you want to do, plan it sooner than later. All these alternate routes also require state-licensed guides and have to be booked in advance.
Ask me how I know about all these BOOK IT IN ADVANCE treks! I'll give you a hint: I didn't book them in advance, and I ended up taking the train to Machu Picchu. Which was fine. Really.
posted by Sara C. at 8:48 PM on June 28, 2013
1. Keep in mind that, outside the US, when people say "backpacking", they're usually talking about more cultural travel and youth hosteling and the like, and not really camping/hiking. The term you're going to want for making guidebooks useful and doing google searches is "trekking".
2. If you mostly want to camp and be in nature, you're probably looking at Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and maybe some parts of Chile. I think one can camp in other parts of the continent, of course, but most outdoorsy, eco, and adventure travelers head there. Peru is really popular because it's got a lot of very diverse ecosystems in a relatively small country that is easier to travel in than many others. It's also extremely affordable. A lot of people add some time in the Bolivian salt flats onto their Peru trip, because it's another unique ecosystem you can't find in many other places. AFAIRemember, Bolivia is one of those pesky countries that charges an arm and a leg to visit, so be aware of that.
Because Peru is such a popular country for eco and adventure tourism, and so many ecosystems and cultural landmarks are under environmental threat from tourism, the Peruvian government places a lot of restrictions on where you can hike and camp. Many of the popular trails require a licensed guide, which means that the model for these types of trips is to schedule "treks" with this or that company in different places. Despite sounding a little like package tourism, it's a surprisingly cheap and efficient way to do what you want to do. This model extends to neighboring countries, to an extent, though I don't know if it's quite as government mandated as it is in Peru.
The most popular hiking trail on the entire continent is the Inca Trail Trek, which is a multi-day hike through the Andes and some parts of the Peruvian Amazon, ending up at Machu Picchu. This trip absolutely REQUIRES a licensed guide booked through a tour company, and there is a limited number of spots on the trail at any given time to preserve the environment in the face of the sheer mass of people clamoring to do the hike. If you think you might want to do the Inca Trail, BOOK IT RIGHT NOW and build your whole trip around that.
There are a few "alternate Inca Trails" that have sprung up which also are multi-day hikes, horse trails, or mountain bike experiences that take different routes to Machu Picchu. These can be easier to book, and maybe cheaper, but still, if this is something you want to do, plan it sooner than later. All these alternate routes also require state-licensed guides and have to be booked in advance.
Ask me how I know about all these BOOK IT IN ADVANCE treks! I'll give you a hint: I didn't book them in advance, and I ended up taking the train to Machu Picchu. Which was fine. Really.
posted by Sara C. at 8:48 PM on June 28, 2013
Oh, and another reason to do camping and hiking through a tour company in Peru and neighboring countries: narcoterrorism still exists and is based in the very jungles and Andean highlands you'll want to visit. You really, really do NOT want to go wandering through the Peruvian/Bolivian/Ecuadorian countryside alone with nobody knowing where you are and what your specific plans are.
posted by Sara C. at 8:51 PM on June 28, 2013
posted by Sara C. at 8:51 PM on June 28, 2013
Oh, and you can rent camping and (some) hiking/climbing equipment in any of the main stops along the gringo trail. Certainly if you plan to book an Inca Trail trip or anything like that, all those companies either include tents and such or rent them for a very reasonable fee.
I'll stop bombing the thread for now.
posted by Sara C. at 8:53 PM on June 28, 2013
I'll stop bombing the thread for now.
posted by Sara C. at 8:53 PM on June 28, 2013
How long is your trip? Some people backpack for 2 weeks, 2 months, or 2 years. Just a ballpark would help.
If you want jungle, mountain climbing, and ruins, then I recommend Peru. Cusco is treated as a hub to get to Manu national park, right inside the Amazon, and it's in the center of the Sacred Valley with Machu Picchu and the rest of the ruins and a bunch of amazing small towns. The Inca Trail is a 3 day hike into Machu Picchu itself, but mind you it's expensive, requires guides, and needs to be reserved ahead of time. Still, everyone I talked to loved it. Lima would probably be your first stop, and it's an excellent introduction to the country without being too much of a culture shock for an American.
The country is very cheap, has amazing food, and good tourist infrastructure. But cool things like the Inca Trail or a lodge in the Amazon cost a lot more than 'budget' (~$900 everything included for 6 days in the Amazon for me - best experience ever).
Coincidentally, there is a train ride between Machu Picchu and Cusco. The view is wonderful. Not many trains in South America, though.
Bolivia is a cheaper option I looked at, but the infrastructure is not as good, harder to find good information about non-scammy non-exploitative (to the environment) tour companies for the Amazon, and, well, the food leaves something to be desired compared to Peru's internationally famed cuisine. If I were more experienced I might have tried Bolivia instead, and it's natural environments are certainly more remote. Ecuador I don't know as much about, but it, like Peru and Bolivia, features jungles, mountains, lakes, rivers, volcanoes, and all kinds of ruins, while being reasonable on your wallet.
posted by subject_verb_remainder at 9:03 PM on June 28, 2013
If you want jungle, mountain climbing, and ruins, then I recommend Peru. Cusco is treated as a hub to get to Manu national park, right inside the Amazon, and it's in the center of the Sacred Valley with Machu Picchu and the rest of the ruins and a bunch of amazing small towns. The Inca Trail is a 3 day hike into Machu Picchu itself, but mind you it's expensive, requires guides, and needs to be reserved ahead of time. Still, everyone I talked to loved it. Lima would probably be your first stop, and it's an excellent introduction to the country without being too much of a culture shock for an American.
The country is very cheap, has amazing food, and good tourist infrastructure. But cool things like the Inca Trail or a lodge in the Amazon cost a lot more than 'budget' (~$900 everything included for 6 days in the Amazon for me - best experience ever).
Coincidentally, there is a train ride between Machu Picchu and Cusco. The view is wonderful. Not many trains in South America, though.
Bolivia is a cheaper option I looked at, but the infrastructure is not as good, harder to find good information about non-scammy non-exploitative (to the environment) tour companies for the Amazon, and, well, the food leaves something to be desired compared to Peru's internationally famed cuisine. If I were more experienced I might have tried Bolivia instead, and it's natural environments are certainly more remote. Ecuador I don't know as much about, but it, like Peru and Bolivia, features jungles, mountains, lakes, rivers, volcanoes, and all kinds of ruins, while being reasonable on your wallet.
posted by subject_verb_remainder at 9:03 PM on June 28, 2013
In Jan and Feb, I spent 7 weeks hiking through southern Chile and Argentina - mostly in Patagonia. It's not 'desolate/extreme' at all! I highly recommend it! Check out the Lonely Planet's Trekking in the Patagonian Andes. Using that as my guide, I did two hikes near Pucon, two near Bariloche then 5 days at El Chaltén (with the incredible Monte Fitz Roy.) Torres del Paine is right around there too. I didn't go only because I was saving it for another trip. My Spanish wasn't very good and I had almost no experience hiking and camping. It worked out fine. The hikes were 3-5 days and then I'd stay a night or two at a hostel before the next one.
Patagonia is easily one of the best places to hike in the world. Memail me if you want more specifics.
posted by saul wright at 9:38 PM on June 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
Patagonia is easily one of the best places to hike in the world. Memail me if you want more specifics.
posted by saul wright at 9:38 PM on June 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
I did something like this about 10 years ago. I camped and hitchhiked a lot in Chile, which was great. Lots of camping in Argentina, too. I did less camping in Boliva and Peru, but went on an Amazon tour for a week or so from one of those places and stayed in little huts or something. It was great.
If you want to focus on Patagonia, you will not regret bringing your own camping gear, but if you hit up the Gringo Trail only, you probably will because I didn't see many opportunities for camping up there.
Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia was a huge highlight that has not been mentioned yet. Also La Paz in Boliva is really amazing. You can bike down the "world's most dangerous road" from La Paz and that was so fantastic.
Have you bought the Lonely Planet yet? If not, go for it. Always a great place to start.
Have fun!
posted by pick_the_flowers at 6:56 AM on June 29, 2013
If you want to focus on Patagonia, you will not regret bringing your own camping gear, but if you hit up the Gringo Trail only, you probably will because I didn't see many opportunities for camping up there.
Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia was a huge highlight that has not been mentioned yet. Also La Paz in Boliva is really amazing. You can bike down the "world's most dangerous road" from La Paz and that was so fantastic.
Have you bought the Lonely Planet yet? If not, go for it. Always a great place to start.
Have fun!
posted by pick_the_flowers at 6:56 AM on June 29, 2013
Response by poster: Checking in.
The length of time for my trip can be whatever I want so at this point I'm aiming for longer. I don't know that I want to do Machu Pichu just because everyone does it and paying a lot of money for a touristy area doesn't seem as fun for me. That might be one of those things where I take the train and see it and then hike elsewhere, which I would be cool with. I'm also allergic to having strict itineraries - not nearly as fun! But Peru does sound cool. I like good food with not spending much money. I'm not opposed to doing some "culture" stuff but I also don't want to do stuff that would smack of cultural imperialism or "indian gawping". Yick.
I guess when I said parts of Patagonia seemed desolate I'm basing all of my information from a cursory reading of In Patagonia so please realize I have less than zero idea about anything. memailed Saul Wright!
posted by ishrinkmajeans at 7:02 AM on June 29, 2013
The length of time for my trip can be whatever I want so at this point I'm aiming for longer. I don't know that I want to do Machu Pichu just because everyone does it and paying a lot of money for a touristy area doesn't seem as fun for me. That might be one of those things where I take the train and see it and then hike elsewhere, which I would be cool with. I'm also allergic to having strict itineraries - not nearly as fun! But Peru does sound cool. I like good food with not spending much money. I'm not opposed to doing some "culture" stuff but I also don't want to do stuff that would smack of cultural imperialism or "indian gawping". Yick.
I guess when I said parts of Patagonia seemed desolate I'm basing all of my information from a cursory reading of In Patagonia so please realize I have less than zero idea about anything. memailed Saul Wright!
posted by ishrinkmajeans at 7:02 AM on June 29, 2013
I backpacked for 3 months in 2009. My trip expenses were $4000 total which broke down like this:
$1000 housing, $1000 food, $1000 buses, $1000 getting drunk
Go in the South American winter. I was there for three months and saw rain 3 times-- it was gorgeous, 70s every day and sunny.
My route was Peru (Lima-Arequipa-Cusco-Lake Titicaca) Bolivia (La Paz, Sucre, salt Flats), Chile (Atacama Valley) Argentina (Salta, Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls,Cordoba, Mendoza) Chile again (Santiago, Valparaiso).
It was the greatest adventure of my life.
Tips:
1.Salt Flats are the most amazing thing I've ever experienced. Go there-- do a 3 day tour
2. Bolivia requires a Visa (need a yellow fever vaccine). I got one in Peru for $5 and did my visa on the border betwen Bolivia and Peru
3. Spend the extra money to take the nice buses
4. Stay in social hostels or guesthouses
5. Don't fly into Chile-- you have to pay a steep entry tax, but you don't need to if you bus in or fly out.
6. Go with the flow. I had a fairly distinct itinerary
7. I came with a large backpacking backpack and a small school backpack. I took about 4 changes of clothes (nice shirt, mostly t-shirts) and jeans (I never wore shorts in public once there). You can do laundry for a $1 just about anywhere.
8. I would bring nicer clothes next time-- South Americans dress nicely and you feel less like a dirty backpacker wearing a button down shirt and nice jeans.
9. I got the Lonely Planet South America book from a cabbie in La Paz-- it's great.
10. Buy your trips when you get down there-- you play ridiculously inflated prices outside of the countries.
11. Peru was definitely my favorite country, but other backpackers really liked Colombia.
Please message me if you have any other questions!
posted by sandmanwv at 9:43 AM on June 29, 2013 [4 favorites]
$1000 housing, $1000 food, $1000 buses, $1000 getting drunk
Go in the South American winter. I was there for three months and saw rain 3 times-- it was gorgeous, 70s every day and sunny.
My route was Peru (Lima-Arequipa-Cusco-Lake Titicaca) Bolivia (La Paz, Sucre, salt Flats), Chile (Atacama Valley) Argentina (Salta, Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls,Cordoba, Mendoza) Chile again (Santiago, Valparaiso).
It was the greatest adventure of my life.
Tips:
1.Salt Flats are the most amazing thing I've ever experienced. Go there-- do a 3 day tour
2. Bolivia requires a Visa (need a yellow fever vaccine). I got one in Peru for $5 and did my visa on the border betwen Bolivia and Peru
3. Spend the extra money to take the nice buses
4. Stay in social hostels or guesthouses
5. Don't fly into Chile-- you have to pay a steep entry tax, but you don't need to if you bus in or fly out.
6. Go with the flow. I had a fairly distinct itinerary
7. I came with a large backpacking backpack and a small school backpack. I took about 4 changes of clothes (nice shirt, mostly t-shirts) and jeans (I never wore shorts in public once there). You can do laundry for a $1 just about anywhere.
8. I would bring nicer clothes next time-- South Americans dress nicely and you feel less like a dirty backpacker wearing a button down shirt and nice jeans.
9. I got the Lonely Planet South America book from a cabbie in La Paz-- it's great.
10. Buy your trips when you get down there-- you play ridiculously inflated prices outside of the countries.
11. Peru was definitely my favorite country, but other backpackers really liked Colombia.
Please message me if you have any other questions!
posted by sandmanwv at 9:43 AM on June 29, 2013 [4 favorites]
I spent a year backpacking through Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, and I loved it. I can only specifically answer a few of your questions, but I have some related recommendations.
4. In the countries listed, I spent an average of about $1000/month. This covered staying in hostels/cheap hotels, a few tours, a few flights, lots of bus rides, and eating at generally cheap/mid-range restaurants. You can certainly spend more or less, but this was a fairly comfortable budget. Bolivia was the cheapest, followed by Peru-Ecuador and Colombia most expensive (but still very reasonable). I've heard that Argentina, Chile, and Brazil are all significantly more expensive than the Andes region.
5. That depends where you decide to go. In the Andes region they have a rainy season for about 3 months a year that can make travel a little more difficult, but it seems to vary slightly based on the country. Any travel guide should cover this.
6. Don't take a tent, you will hate yourself. Pack lightly. Most anything you will need can be rented or purchased down there, and lugging around a bunch of stuff is a pain. And as someone noted, most overnight hiking trips require guides, and the guide usually comes with food, tents, etc. You probably want to bring a good pair of shoes if you'll be hiking much.
General recommendations:
- If you are going to be traveling for more than a month, put some effort into learning spanish. The experience is much richer if you can converse with the locals and don't just hang out with fellow travelers
-Border crossings and visas aren't a problem (in the countries listed), unless you want to stay for more than 3 months. I was never asked for anything more than a passport. In some areas you should look into anti-malaria medication.
-One of the highlights of my trip was settling down for a few months and volunteering at a non-profit. You get to know an area well and meet lots of interesting people. I can recommend a place - send me a message if interested.
-Go to Colombia! It doesn't have a stellar reputation among most westerners, but the country is beautiful and the people are incredibly welcoming.
-Take night buses for journeys more than a few hours. This way you won't waste entire days on buses (this is personal preference, of course. Some people like staring at the scenery all day). However, keep all valuables on your person. On of my bags mysteriously disappeared from under a bus in Peru.
Specific places:
Bolivia:
-For hiking, the area around Coroico is beautiful and so is Copacabana (Lake Titicaca). The La Paz surroundings has spectacular mountains that I believe require technical climbing experience to scale.
- Don't miss Salar de Uyuni. Truly spectacular.
- I also thought Potosi, Sucre, and La Paz were quite worthwhile. Watch The Devils Miner before going to Potosi.
- Saltenas (the Bolivian version of an empanada) are my favorite street food in the world. I became moderately obsessed with them during my time in Bolivia, so I recommend giving them a try.
-I did a jungle trip from Rurrenabaque, and it seemed a lot more interesting than the descriptions of jungle trips friends of mine did from peru or ecuador. You can do your own research on that though.
Peru:
- The multi-day trek to Machu Picchu is definitely worth it (I did one of the alternative treks, because the traditional Inca trail requires reservations months in advance), but the best hiking I did in Peru was in Huaraz, a few hours north of Lima. There are numerous agencies that offer dozens of treks for really reasonable prices. The landscape is amazing. I disagree with Sara that the alternative treks to Machu Pichhu need to be booked in advance, unless you are going during the middle of high season. You will get a much better deal if you go to the agency in person a day or two before you want to leave (and negotiate!)
-Other good hikes: Colca canyon near arequipa. The hike to Kuelap near Chachapoyas was pretty cool, though this is somewhat out of the way for most tourists. The region of cajamarca-chachapoyas is worth a trip if you know some spanish.
-Other recommendations: The floating islands on Titicaca (very touristy but still interesting), the sacred valley, sandboarding in Ica. Plan to spend some time in Cusco apart from Machu Picchu, it's an amazing city.
Ecuador:
-Hiking around Lago Quilotoa is recommended. You can hike from hostel to hostel in different villages around the lake.
- There are lots of places to hike around Banos, and the area is really beautiful. There's also a large national park in the south of the country, though I didn't spend much time there.
- Don't miss the Galapagos if it's in your budget. There are some nice little beach towns in western ecuador, too, though I am not much of a beach person either.
Colombia:
- The Zona Cafetera is great for hiking and hanging out. It's also where most of colombia's coffee is grown, so you can visit the fincas and see how it's grown.
- Decent hiking around Villa de Leyva and the town's very nice.
-San Gill is the adventure travel center of colombia, and there are many hiking opportunities. I did a few around barichara that were very pretty. Barichara is also a really nice town.
- I didn't do the ciudad perdida trek but it's supposed to be pretty cool. It's a several-day trek through the jungle to an old ruined city. The area is totally undeveloped, so there is no other way to get there except I think by helicopter. There are also mountains east of Bogota that I didn't make it to that are supposed to be very nice.
- Bogota, Medellin, and Cartagena are all very interesting cities.
- I'd give cali a miss.
Good luck! Feel free to message me with questions.
posted by btkuhn at 7:05 PM on June 29, 2013 [3 favorites]
4. In the countries listed, I spent an average of about $1000/month. This covered staying in hostels/cheap hotels, a few tours, a few flights, lots of bus rides, and eating at generally cheap/mid-range restaurants. You can certainly spend more or less, but this was a fairly comfortable budget. Bolivia was the cheapest, followed by Peru-Ecuador and Colombia most expensive (but still very reasonable). I've heard that Argentina, Chile, and Brazil are all significantly more expensive than the Andes region.
5. That depends where you decide to go. In the Andes region they have a rainy season for about 3 months a year that can make travel a little more difficult, but it seems to vary slightly based on the country. Any travel guide should cover this.
6. Don't take a tent, you will hate yourself. Pack lightly. Most anything you will need can be rented or purchased down there, and lugging around a bunch of stuff is a pain. And as someone noted, most overnight hiking trips require guides, and the guide usually comes with food, tents, etc. You probably want to bring a good pair of shoes if you'll be hiking much.
General recommendations:
- If you are going to be traveling for more than a month, put some effort into learning spanish. The experience is much richer if you can converse with the locals and don't just hang out with fellow travelers
-Border crossings and visas aren't a problem (in the countries listed), unless you want to stay for more than 3 months. I was never asked for anything more than a passport. In some areas you should look into anti-malaria medication.
-One of the highlights of my trip was settling down for a few months and volunteering at a non-profit. You get to know an area well and meet lots of interesting people. I can recommend a place - send me a message if interested.
-Go to Colombia! It doesn't have a stellar reputation among most westerners, but the country is beautiful and the people are incredibly welcoming.
-Take night buses for journeys more than a few hours. This way you won't waste entire days on buses (this is personal preference, of course. Some people like staring at the scenery all day). However, keep all valuables on your person. On of my bags mysteriously disappeared from under a bus in Peru.
Specific places:
Bolivia:
-For hiking, the area around Coroico is beautiful and so is Copacabana (Lake Titicaca). The La Paz surroundings has spectacular mountains that I believe require technical climbing experience to scale.
- Don't miss Salar de Uyuni. Truly spectacular.
- I also thought Potosi, Sucre, and La Paz were quite worthwhile. Watch The Devils Miner before going to Potosi.
- Saltenas (the Bolivian version of an empanada) are my favorite street food in the world. I became moderately obsessed with them during my time in Bolivia, so I recommend giving them a try.
-I did a jungle trip from Rurrenabaque, and it seemed a lot more interesting than the descriptions of jungle trips friends of mine did from peru or ecuador. You can do your own research on that though.
Peru:
- The multi-day trek to Machu Picchu is definitely worth it (I did one of the alternative treks, because the traditional Inca trail requires reservations months in advance), but the best hiking I did in Peru was in Huaraz, a few hours north of Lima. There are numerous agencies that offer dozens of treks for really reasonable prices. The landscape is amazing. I disagree with Sara that the alternative treks to Machu Pichhu need to be booked in advance, unless you are going during the middle of high season. You will get a much better deal if you go to the agency in person a day or two before you want to leave (and negotiate!)
-Other good hikes: Colca canyon near arequipa. The hike to Kuelap near Chachapoyas was pretty cool, though this is somewhat out of the way for most tourists. The region of cajamarca-chachapoyas is worth a trip if you know some spanish.
-Other recommendations: The floating islands on Titicaca (very touristy but still interesting), the sacred valley, sandboarding in Ica. Plan to spend some time in Cusco apart from Machu Picchu, it's an amazing city.
Ecuador:
-Hiking around Lago Quilotoa is recommended. You can hike from hostel to hostel in different villages around the lake.
- There are lots of places to hike around Banos, and the area is really beautiful. There's also a large national park in the south of the country, though I didn't spend much time there.
- Don't miss the Galapagos if it's in your budget. There are some nice little beach towns in western ecuador, too, though I am not much of a beach person either.
Colombia:
- The Zona Cafetera is great for hiking and hanging out. It's also where most of colombia's coffee is grown, so you can visit the fincas and see how it's grown.
- Decent hiking around Villa de Leyva and the town's very nice.
-San Gill is the adventure travel center of colombia, and there are many hiking opportunities. I did a few around barichara that were very pretty. Barichara is also a really nice town.
- I didn't do the ciudad perdida trek but it's supposed to be pretty cool. It's a several-day trek through the jungle to an old ruined city. The area is totally undeveloped, so there is no other way to get there except I think by helicopter. There are also mountains east of Bogota that I didn't make it to that are supposed to be very nice.
- Bogota, Medellin, and Cartagena are all very interesting cities.
- I'd give cali a miss.
Good luck! Feel free to message me with questions.
posted by btkuhn at 7:05 PM on June 29, 2013 [3 favorites]
I spent an average of about $1000/month. This covered staying in hostels/cheap hotels, a few tours, a few flights, lots of bus rides, and eating at generally cheap/mid-range restaurants. You can certainly spend more or less, but this was a fairly comfortable budget.
I think this is a pretty good budget, though I'd limit that $1000/month to on the ground costs. I would add your flight to that amount, and any other travel costs to get you to the beginning of your trip.
posted by Sara C. at 7:43 PM on June 29, 2013
I think this is a pretty good budget, though I'd limit that $1000/month to on the ground costs. I would add your flight to that amount, and any other travel costs to get you to the beginning of your trip.
posted by Sara C. at 7:43 PM on June 29, 2013
Response by poster: Oh btw here are two things I've been lusting after all day....
Goruck GR2 40 Liter Indestructible Backpack
Fujifilm x100s (such a sexy sexy camera)
Le sigh. I also just had a beer and started ebaying all the random crap I have floating around my apartment. Let me know if there's anything you want and I'll sell it to you.
Initial costs indeed.
Oh btw the best all south american travel guide that I've seen is FootPrints 2013 South America. It's updated through 2013 and is a frickin' phone book.
posted by ishrinkmajeans at 10:42 PM on June 29, 2013
Goruck GR2 40 Liter Indestructible Backpack
Fujifilm x100s (such a sexy sexy camera)
Le sigh. I also just had a beer and started ebaying all the random crap I have floating around my apartment. Let me know if there's anything you want and I'll sell it to you.
Initial costs indeed.
Oh btw the best all south american travel guide that I've seen is FootPrints 2013 South America. It's updated through 2013 and is a frickin' phone book.
posted by ishrinkmajeans at 10:42 PM on June 29, 2013
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