Here are the countries i visited as well as the average amount i spent each day. Written by backpackers for backpackers, this website offers travel guides, inspirational articles, itineraries and trip planning advice. Dec 22, 2011 backpacking around the countries of south america could keep you entertained for years, and it could take you almost as long planning it. Whether youre planning what backpacking essentials you need to take, how to pack them, or when you need them, take a look at our favorite tips on backpacking essentials. It is like a ride in the back of an old pickup truck over unpaved roads of south america with the indigenous people exploring the beauty of south american landscapes, experiencing its rich culture, visiting the lively towns and cities, exploring its ancient ruins, witnessing its scenic treasures, and learning about the untold stories of the.
Oct 20, 2014 when solo backpacking, you wont be alone. Dec 08, 2016 becoming a skilled and confident hiker or backpacker is a lifelong endeavor that requires continuous learning and practice. We have researched available books in each category and have selected and listed the most popular, timetested titles. Between the physical stamina it takes to make it up and down a mountain and the preparation it takes to pack a backpack with all the essentials, very few people take on this feat. I quickly discovered that i liked it more than hiking with a partner or a group. Whether visiting the iguazu waterfalls, the galapagos islands in ecuador, the glaciers in patagonia or just sitting back and enjoying the culture south america has. Most backpackers carry extra weight because they use gear that manufacturers make bombproof. My top tips for backpacking, travelling, or just having an adventure on vacation in central america. And unless youre a total lone wolf, youre probably a bit worried about being by yourself so often. Backpacking essentials for women travel fashion girl. These books about south america will charm, teach and inspire you in equal measures. Buy lonely planets solo travel handbook direct from lonely planet. Of travelling alone, hilary bradt says theres no doubt that its more fun to. Obstacles are your opportunities to prove your resourcefulness, your equanimity, and your resolve.
Backpacking in europe all you need to know to plan your very own trip. Travelling through south america on a group tour is a great way to enjoy your backpacking experience. My last afternoon at home before departing on a much anticipated, yearlong solo journey through south america, i had a meltdown over duct tape, or rather, the lack thereof. A true story of friendship, cocaine, and south america s strangest jail. From the summit, gaze across pristine forest and spy 6,000foot peaks lying on the horizon. I know i definitely was before my first trip backpacking alone through central america. This is the land of crazy parties, epic surfing, sprawling cities, and wild landscapes including the andes and the amazon jungle.
Now, lets talk about some of the amazing things ive learned while backpacking through south america. Lonely planets the solo travel handbook lonely planet shop. Hi all, im a 24 year old female looking at backpacking solo in south america namely bolivia, peru, ecuador possibly more. Staying in hostels for the most part, the backpacker usually opts for the privacy of a private room over the dorm style rooms where you could. Lonely planet south america on a shoestring author. Solo backpacking in south america americas south america. Backpacking in south america free travel guide backpacker steve. A 66 year old womans solo backpacking in south america. Visit south america the donts of visiting south america. Read on for suggested shoestring and more comfortable backpacking budgets in south america. Let us help you to plan a lifechanging backpacking adventure in south america. Naturally there are a number of things one does need to take into account as a woman traveling anywhere alone, and south america certainly has its own issues to look out for as a solo female traveller.
Backpacking central and south america alone hey, i am a 23 year old girl who is trying to plan a 3month ish trip to central and south america. Traveling solo in south america as a woman the legendary. Jul 14, 2018 backpacking south america, my route, total cost and few tips july 14, 2018 april 29, 2019 by anna powaska, posted in south america, travelling it took me 4 months to save money and to plan my backpacking trip around south america. The size of the continent and the distance between places is somewhat evident on maps, or when you start perusing bus schedules, but you dont viscerally comprehend it until your feet are on the ground. A basic account for backpackers and travelers on their first lowcost trip through south america mochilao book 1. May 30, 2015 the backpacker trail through south america is full of solo female travelers, happily making their way through across the continent. I am leaving for a solo south american journey next month and this book. Here youll find backpacking tips, articles, routes, suggestions and lots of budget travel inspiration. When i travel through south america, my idea has always been to connect with families and to be living in different households. Solo travel latin america 2020 the hidden reality travel tips. It was my first ever solo backpacking trip and i decided to kick it off in the country of cocaine and cartels. Backpacking solo through europe, southeast asia, or south america has been a right of passage for young, budget travelers for decades.
Tips and travel advice for people interested in backpacking south america. Although travelling alone in south america might feel like a daunting prospect, youre never likely to be far away from potential travel companions. A trio of incidents on the pct last month demonstrate how coronavirus is magnifying the dangers of one of america. This post details the estimated 2019 cost of travel in south america and all of its main countries. Apart from brazil or mexico its quite common to travel in several countries on one trip and not uncommon to cover the whole region. Backpacker magazine your backpacking, hiking, camping. As the story unfolds it becomes clear that this is not going to be a typical story of a western backpacker. Traveling alone may seem a bit scary at first, but it can also be very enjoyable and fulfilling. For example, brazil was quite expensive when i visited in 2016 due to the relatively strong. Each guide describes approximately 2030 easytofollow, scenic trails in and around national parks, cities and urban areas, and popular outdoor destinations. During my backpacking in south ame rica i attended a lot of organized tours to learn more about the history of the places or simply to see more in a short amount of time. The ultimate guide to spending 2 months in south america.
No one i knew wanted to come along, but i still wanted to go, so i did it by myself. My parents have some concerns about me going solo backpacking in south ame rica americas south america lonely planet forum thorn tree. So we made a list of ideal cities for women to travel solo in south america. In most years, hiking the pacific crest trail is a challenge. Most visitors follow a similar itinerary, known as the gringo trail, which winds through the continents top destinations. Theres that feeling, pulsing through your entire body. Backpacking south america, my route, total cost and few. The main scams and ways to deal with them are widely documented on the internet, so do a bit of quick reading before traveling to south america to make sure you dont fall victim.
Whether you decide to kick off your travels with a tour, finish your trip in style, or you just think travelling on a tour is the perfect way to backpack through south america, there are countless tours youll love. While reading hiking books cant give you the handson experience that only comes by getting your clothes dirty and boots wet, they are a useful guide to expand your horizons and help you understand what you dont know. Amy field lives on the central coast of california when she. Backpacking south america, my route, total cost and few tips. The backpacker trail through south america is full of solo female travelers, happily making their way through across the continent. Before we left for 5 months of south america backpacking, we spent months researching what to pack for south america or rather, i did jeremys less persnickety about these things. All credits to only the lightest camping equipmenthikelight must be left intact.
My parents have some concerns about me going solo backpacking in south america americas south america lonely planet forum thorn tree. If you like to book some activities in advance i recommend you to have a look into getyourguide as this platform offers the possibility to book tours from local tour operators. I learned early on via my solo backpacking trips that id rather be alone exploring south american cities than in unhappy relationships. Thanks for taking me on such an amazing trip, surfing in plays grande, hiking the inka trail, sleeping deep inside the. As an amazon associate south america backpacker earns from qualifying purchases. Feb 14, 2017 for a hiker of moderate experience, backpacking alone for several days may be just as challenging, and rewarding, as a free solo ascent is to honnold. But can you encounter unexpected obstacles on even the safest itinerary. Its easy to walk through a backpacking store and grab items that will have you carrying a 70pound pack. Dec 16, 2016 my backpacking central america budget. My parents have some concerns about me going alone, and so i was wondering if you might have any insight into safety in these countries. Rusty young was backpacking in south america when he heard about thomas mcfadden, a convicted english drug trafficker who ran tours inside bolivias notorious san pedro prison. You want a bag big enough to carry the essentials but not so big that it gets in the way when you are on trains or buses and you may not realize how often you are going to have that bag on your back. Im a 24 year old female looking at backpacking solo in south america namely bolivia, peru, ecuador possibly more.
In the sixties and seventies, the popular hippie trail started in london, paris or berlin and ended as far away as bangkok after traveling through the middle east and south asia. The ultimate ultralight backpacking book hike light have more fun version 1. Theres an element of bravery required to venture there, and thatll need to kick in before you even buy your ticket. While i advocate for traveling solo whenever i can, i have to admit, i was a bit nervous going into south america. A 66 year old womans solo backpacking in south america, annie sparkes, a solo traveler in her sixties sharing life on the road as a mature traveler. With the exception of a handful of backpacker hotspots, south america is the wild west frontier of backpacking on many levels. I originally visited in 2008 with g adventures and did a brazilargentina tour followed by a separate tour to peru a fantastic trip.
An independent backpacker s guide to travelling in latin america. Not all prices include the full cost of accommodation as i was working in exchange for free stays, so please check the individual costs for each country below. Well, after 5 months of backpacking through colombia, ecuador, peru, chile, and argentina, we can safely say that weve fully field tested everything that we packed for backpacking in south america. South america is an incredible continent with so much to offer the adventurous traveler. Go solo hiking backpacker your backpacking, hiking. Taking in the gringo trail, the backpacking hot spots across central america, sharing my. This lonely planet is also available as kindle ebook and covers the highlights in argentina, bolivia, brazil, chile, colombia, peru etc. Ways to fund your trip initial planning travelling alone, with friends, or a group vaccinations and health safety and security. However, as we had so many multiday hikes, we thought it wasnt a bad idea no matter what the cool kids say. The best easy day hikes series are handy, pocketsize guides for day hikers in america s most popular outdoor destinations. But dont worry, be it dancing tango in buenos aires, hiking in the andes or sunbaking on the brazilian beach, ive got you covered with this ultimate backpacking. On the approach, skirt outcrops at bald rock and see table rock mountain looming to the south. During this, we have been fortunate to slowly explore a lot of what the continent has to offer from the beaches of northern colombia, down to the glaciers of patagonia, and so many hikes, cities, and cultural moments in between. Hiking patagonia, the andes in peru, ecuador, colombia and bolivia, and jungle treks to hidden cities and lost worlds are all incredible adventures.
Bogota and medellin are home to major international airports of you need to catch a flight back home. Buy print and ebook together and get a massive 40% off both its like buying. South america cost of travel 2019 suggested budgets for. The first couple of times you do things solo, yes, it may feel weird. Newsletters include highlights from go backpacking, plus personal updates on where im traveling, and special discount offers on travelrelated digital products. Latin america takes in a fair few countries, so travellers tend not to stick to just one. Here are five reasons why south america is perfect for solo female travellers. Of course, keep your wits about you, but be prepared for the adventure of a lifetime. Flying in south america can generally be expensive. Apr 17, 2014 french citizen christy offret shares her tips and adventures from the road, two months into her south american backpacking journey. This is a test description and you can change it from the theme options. Obaidur rahaman, a native of india, embarks on a solo journey in south america. I recommend using the bus systems as much a possible.
The complete packing guide to backpacking south america. A staple in my backpack for quick repairs of ripped rain pants or threadbare boots. On the whole it is a reasonably cheap part of the world to visit although regions such as southern chile and argentina and most of brazil are quite pricey. The mountains, volcanoes and canyons in south america mean the continent is a hikers dream.
The costs of travelling in south america vary greatly depending on the countries you choose to visit, and the economic situation is like at the time. Spending 2 months in south america seems like a lotuntil you actually get there. Backpacking books offers preselected book indices, accessible from the featuredbooks menu on the left side of this page and also from the list below. I originally visited in 2008 with g adventures and did a brazilargentina tour followed by a separate tour to peru a fantastic trip in todays post, tfgs backpacking guru is sharing her tips from living in and backpacking south america.
Backpacking in south america archives tales of a backpacker. There are severe limitations of travelling alone and with an indian passport. Top 18 must read books for anyone travelling to south america. Good job im here with the top things to do in each country and the best way to travel between them. Dont let the idea of travelling alone stop you from living out your dreams. In todays post, tfgs backpacking guru is sharing her tips from living in and backpacking south america. And dont forget to download your free packing checklist. So different from europe, intoxicating and exciting, i found backpacking in south america to be easier and safer than i had anticipated. Ultimate south america packing list for backpackers big.
Sep 17, 2019 collectively, we have travelled three times in south america in the last 10 years, with a total trip time of 20 months. First of all you should check out all the free south america travel guides i published. Solo female travelers might feel intimidated by the idea of backpacking in south ame rica. If you want to come well prepared the following guides are great resources to take with you mostly also available as ebooks for your time in south america. Here i give you all information needed for backpacking in europe from preparation and tips to detailed guides. The 12 best books about south america to add to your reading list.
I got started when i hiked the long trail in vermont in 2008. Travel costs when backpacking in colombia vary depending on the type of traveler you are. Yes, good old south america can put even the most hardcore and or experienced backpacker s skills to the test when it comes to making sure youll have everything you need. Best hiking and backpacking skills books section hikers. Backpacking south america, my route, total cost and few tips july 14, 2018 april 29, 2019 by anna powaska, posted in south america, travelling it took me 4 months to save money and to plan my backpacking trip around south america. This backpacking in south america cost overview is based on notes from my own travels as well as uptodate research. A tale of ignoring life advice while backpacking around south america. Being born and raised in germany i traveled a lot in europe over the years and highly recommend you to do so, too. My grinning face at machu picchu backpacking south america alone backpacking south america budget. Lonely planet south america on a shoestring ebook ellibs. Even still, there are some precautions we must take, tricks and tips for various situations that may arise on your trip. But soon, those moments you felt unsure of, arriving into a big city as the sun goes down, heading out for a meal alone, will become enjoyable parts of the experience the promise of new friends in new destinations, the chance to sit and appreciate the view over dinner without needing to engage. One womans journey alone across south america ebook. She made her first trip through south america alone when her travel.