Patagonia, Argentina

The huge area designated as “Patagonia” stretches from mid-Argentina, into Chile, and all the way to the Southern tip of Ushuaia. The area is home to absolutely stunning glaciers, all of which are suprisingly dissimilar. Frozen landscapes extending up into and through the mountains are one of the main attractions here, although there are many cultural and more populated areas in between the major destinations too, making Patagonia a favorite destination for backpackers. This destination is a popular spot for vocational tourism, an enviable profession to be sure. In fact, many people decide to study for tourism degrees after making their own trips to Patagonia.

San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Deserts, high skies, and stars are the main attraction in this village midpoint between Chile and Bolivia. This spot is a popular destination for those traveling from Northern Argentina as well. The village is quiet and relatively uneventful (keep in mind its in the middle of a dry, desert landscape). Bikes are always available for rent, and of course two legs and a backpack are always a viable option. Head out in any direction and get some amazing photos from the many desert vistas, but keep in mind that you are likely to not find any other humans there (which is part of this spot’s allure).

Machu Picchu, Peru

You have heard of this spot and for good reason. Nestled within the imposing Peruvian mountains, it is definitely one of the must-see spots in the world. What could be better than backpacking through rolling mountains and discovering ancient ruins? Take the Lares Trek–it will not disappoint, but be sure to search Global Travel Blogs for more details on this backpacking Mecca.

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

Home to more than 10,000 square kilometers of salt, Salar de Uyuni is one of the most popular destinations in the world for backpackers. The area can be visited from Uyuni in southern Bolivia on a day trip involving trips to the various salty sights. We recommend traveling through the deserts of San Pedro de Atacama in Chile in a Jeep in order to see more of this amazing spot.

Cuenca, Ecuador

So far, most of the recommended destinations suggested have been more remote destinations. Ceunca, Ecuador provides a different appeal for backpackers: a very affordable spot with plenty of nice towns in and on the way. This area is not necessarily known for vibrant nightlife (this is backpacking after all); however, the food is cheap and amazing. Eating well for cheap makes any backpacking trip much better, agreed?

Iguazu Falls, Brazil/Argentina

This place is great for waterfall enthusiasts. You are a waterfall enthusiast just like everyone else because waterfalls are undeniably worthy of everyone’s enthusiasm. This destination brings together everything that makes backpacking great: affordability, world-class sights, and a new destination every day. There is also an abundance of hostels competing for your business, as this area is a popular destination for travelers of all kinds.

South America has no shortage of great spots for backpackers of all experience levels. This list is, however, hardly comprehensive, so check out the following resources for more great reviews and ideas for backpacking South America.

Backpacking South America – this website takes a destination-by-destination approach and provides travelers of all kinds with great information on South America.

Horseback riding through mountains, forests, and rivers seems tranquil until….

In 2009 I took a backpacking adventure into the wilderness of Southern Chile. I went during their fall season, so the weather was just a bit mild but not too hot to feel terribly uncomfortable. So the outdoor activities were endless. Many new exciting activities were shown to me, therefore as being a huge outdoor person I took full advantage in trying them all. One activity in particular caught me a little off guard.
During one of the days I was touring in Pucon, Chile I decided to take up horseback riding with a bunch of other individuals whom I met during my trip. The horseback riding adventure was to show us the beautiful countryside, mountains, and rivers. It was excited to see more of Chile but also to go on a horse again. It has been years, since I last galloped and I knew this was the perfect opportunity to get my riding love back. Well that’s what I thought.
We spent over an hour riding until something whacked the back of my neck, had me flying of just seeing dizziness. All I remember is the tour guide telling me as she was standing over me, ” You got good luck”. I was like huh, what!? So what happened was the horse behind me had it’s horseshoe fly over one person and hit me directly on the back of my neck. If you have ever seen a horseshoe well they are heavy and made up of just metal. You can only imagine how much pain I was in afterwards. Although, apparently, if a horseshoe hits you, it is a sign of good luck….. which equals a little pain too! It sure didn’t feel like good luck to me!
The very next morning I woke up to a purple/green bruise on my neck that did not look very appealing. Yet, I must say occasions like this can really make adventure/travel story.

Although this is the type of news we don’t want to hear, we need to expect it. Some countries are not as well off as others because of their location on the map. Some are more susceptible to earthquakes, others to hurricanes while others to tsunamis. And let’s face it, most of us will never take into account these risks when backpacking in a country. Should we? Shouldn’t we? It’s a difficult questions to answer.

The way I see it is that we are surrounded by danger wherever we are. Let it be a psycho that goes into a school and randomly shoots at people, or getting hit while crossing an intersection, anything can happen to us at home. And yes, there is a certain degree of danger that’s involved with traveling but as long as you are aware of that danger, there is no need to worry.

When I was in Rio by myself two months ago, I knew not to be wandering around the streets on my own at night. And although I did pass as a local, I never wore jewelry on me to attract unnecessary attention. I avoided getting in any type of mugging situations by avoiding these simple things. At the same time, I heard mugging stories from backpackers at the hostel because they found themselves drunk at 3AM and needless to say, some of them got mugged. The point of the story is to be aware of the danger. This being said, it’s not always obvious when mother nature strikes. One cannot always be ready to deal with such a disaster. But one thing you can do is avoid certain places at certain times of the year. Don’t plan a trip to Cancun when it’s hurricane season or avoid Thailand when it’s monsoon. It’s certainly easier said than done, especially if you’re backpacking for a long period of time.

I’ll let you go with a few tips:

• If a hurricane hits, make sure to stay indoor and away from windows. Close all doors.
• If there is a tsunami watch out, stay away from the shore. Don’t think you can outrun the wave it because you won’t!
• If a lightning strikes, stay indoor, away from windows, doors, radiators, stoves, sink and other plugged-in appliances. You should unplug all electrical appliances asap. If you find yourself outdoor, stay away from trees, fences, power lines and swimming.
• If an earthquake strikes, drop on the ground and find shelter under a solid piece of furniture. If you find yourself near a door, use the doorway as shelter. If you’re outdoor, stay away from buildings, street lights and wires.

I booked my trip only a month in advance, thinking that April would be the perfect time in going in regards to low season and weather. I was very right about low season, the flight only cost me $600 return, but as far as the weather went, well let’s just say it was cold. It was going into their winter season, but I assumed it was going to be around 20c. Once I arrived in Buenos Aires it was hot and beautiful, the perfect weather after a long winter hall. Plus this was also my first trip to South America and yes I was supper excited about this trip.

The tour really started with a 21 hours bus journey to Bariloche. Now let me tell ya, since you are thinking, yuck a bus ride!!! But no, these buses are incredible. It was like a business class seat on a plane with food, beds and television. It did not feel like 21 hours at all, time passed very quickly. Once we arrived in Bariloche the next couple of days were filled with wonderful activities such as water-rafting, hiking, exploring national parks, and a boat cruise. The next stop was crossing over to Chile to adventure into the town of Puerto Mont. As I mention before the weather was freezing and spending a day in the rain with little activities to do, wasn’t that great. So chatting in cafes was the ideal thing to do. However, heading up north the weather started to improve. We had a stop over in Pucon. The perfect place to climb a volcano, however weather was the issue once again. So the new solution to keep us busy was drink, party, and eat great food! We did go horseback riding (at which I almost died, check out my page of top five), and spent a few hours in a hot springs with lots of champagne. I must say it was a lot fun even though the weather screwed up a lot of the plans. After a few days spent in Pucon the tour headed for Santiago. A city that reminded me of many European cities. No matter how I experience any big city, I just love of feeling of being surrounded by culture, traditions, people and craziness!!!

Bariloche

The tour was only 2 weeks long, but it was an unforgettable adventure. Friendships were made, stories were shared, and over all I had the best first time experience in South America!! Next South America trip will be Brazil!! I now have Tanya to tell me the best spots to hit up!!! So 2009 was a great year of backpacking and now another backpacking trip is in order for 2010!!!

So the other day or so I came across these toe shoes. Now, I know what you are thinking… what?… toe shoes? But yes, the perfect backpacking shoe. I thought I would share this with you, since I know carrying shoes are the pain while backpacking. Well no more wet, smelly, big, uncomfortable backpacking shoes! Check these Vibram FiveFinger shoes out.

So I got a pair and wow I must tell you, they make walking, hiking, running, and yoga feel like a “breeze!” They are so comfortable and it feels like you are walking in bare feet all the time.

I love hiking and running, especially while backpacking. Exploring beautiful scenery and being on a mountain or climbing a volcano, you need high-quality equipment to make your experience go smoothly. I say backpackers this is your solution compared to big, bulky, and uncomfortable running shoes.