If you’ve always wanted to travel through unique countries and experience beautiful landscapes, destinations full of culture, make adventurous friends along the way, and sleep in places at excellent prices… Then the perfect option for your vacation is to go on a backpacking tour of South America.
The most popular destinations for backpackers include Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. A tour of these 3 countries is the typical dream trip that you will keep all the pictures of forever and come back with lots and lots of stories to tell.
This is a relatively easy trip to organize because most of the countries in South America can be entered without a visa. In addition, you can get free permits for up to 90 days.
If you plan this backpacking trip, you should ask yourself: Where to start? Which country to leave last? Most backpackers choose to start in Chile and end up in Peru, or vice versa, passing through Bolivia along the way.
Peru, the country of Inca traditions
Backpacking in South America: Where to go? The great attraction of Peru is Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas and one of the 7 new wonders of the world. But there is also much more to see and admire in this country.
Cusco and the Sacred Valley are popular stops on many South American tours. The Sacred Valley of the Incas comprises several cities cut by rivers that descend through small valleys and has numerous archaeological monuments and indigenous villages.
During this trip, you can visit the Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral, the stone alleys and the archaeological site of Saqsaywaman in Cusco, the ruins of Pisac, the Seven Colors Mountain, the salt mines of Maras, Moray, Chichero, and Ollantaytambo.
The most popular backpacker hostels are the Pariwana Hostel Cusco, the Loki Cusco, and the Wild Rover Backpackers. They are well located and lively, with fun parties in their bars.
Bolivia, a country full of magic
Bolivia is a country with a rich culture and charming nature. Do not overlook Bolivia. La Paz is a city with a culture different from other countries in South America.
You should spend time in the Mercado de Brujas, the Calle Tarija, where good restaurants and prices are. On La Carretera de la Muerte, you can cycle down to get views of the city and stay in the liveliest hostels in the city, which are the Loki La Paz and the Wild Rovers Backpackers. The parties in the bars are also amazing!
Backpacking in South America: Where to go? Another exciting destination in the country is Isla del Sol. This small island looks like something out of a fairy tale. All around it is Lake Titicaca, the highest lake in the world, and you could even say that it looks like a sea, because you can’t see the end of it.
You can also visit attractions such as the Gold Museum of the Submerged City, Sacred Stone, Temple of the Inca, Ritual Table, and the ruins of the Temple of Chicana.
To fully complete your trip to Bolivia, make sure to visit the largest salt desert in the world, the Salar de Uyuni. It is surrounded by other sites worth visiting: the Uyuni Salt Flat, Train Cemetery, Morning Sun Geyser, Polque Hot Springs, Lagoa Verde, Lagoa Colorada, and Arbol de Piedra.
Chile, a country with magic and history
Chile is a country with a lot of tourist attractions. From beaches to mountains, volcanoes, wineries, ponds, snow. It is beautiful, safe and has many cities to visit. Here we are going to list some of them.
If you plan to visit these two coastal cities, Viña del Mar and Valparaíso, you should know that most tourists only spend one day in these two destinations. In Viña del Mar, you can visit La Sebastiana, one of Pablo Neruda’s houses, and admire the colorful tiny houses there.
On the other hand, in Viña del Mar, you have to walk along the shore and take pictures at the classic Flower Clock. You can also go to see the Wullf Castle and the casino.
Backpacking in South America: Where to go? If you want to get adventurous, you can go to the Atacama Desert, located in the north of the country, and today is the leading tourist destination in Chile. This city is called San Pedro de Atacama, and there are plenty of tours to do here.
Other attractions are the classic routes: Valle de La Luna, Piedras Rojas, Lagunas Altiplánicas, Laguna Cejar, Salar de Tara, Geyser el Tatio and Termas de Puritama. It is also possible to hike and climb volcanoes.
Enjoy all these places and more at an affordable price traveling as a backpacker! However, remember that all destinations have their own rules and restrictions regarding traveling. To better understand what you need, we recommend using our services at **iVisa.com**. We will help you have the best trip of your life.