FAQs

South America spans over 7000km long, and as a result it’s hard to generalise since it has many varying countries and terrains along the way. There are definitely some safer areas such as within Uruguay and Argentina, whilst parts of Venezuela and Brazil are not the safest. In general, though, South America can be safe, as long as you prepare properly and minimise the risks you take in your daily life on the road. Why not see our four tier system for safety in South America to get a better idea?

Every country is different in terms of costs and budget, however what we can do is average it out over 6 months (using the classic gringo route – Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil). For 6 months, you’ll need a budget of $4,500USD for daily living ($25USD a day), and an extra $3,000 for transport, extras and any pre-trip costs. In total you’ll need $7,500USD for a 6 Month Trip in South America.

It has to be February. This month is the best in terms of weather throughout the continent, as the more southern areas of Argentina and Chile will be warmer as they’ll be in their Summer Season. The rest will be hot as usual, with most being within their dry seasons too. February is also good as it’s off-peak, making it a cheaper time to visit. Last but not least, within this month you’ll be able to have the best weather whilst hiking through Patagonia, as well as see the surreal mirror reflection of the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia. See our guide on the best time to visit South America for more information on specific countries.

When it comes to any South America backpacking route, buses will always be king. All of the major destinations along the route connect up well, so the idea of waiting days at a place just to catch a bus is well and truly a thing of the past. Whilst some of these journeys can be pretty long (15 hours +), this is what backpacking is about! You just need to embrace it and enjoy the ride.

From our experience, we’ve found Bolivia to be the cheapest country in South America. You can easily living on a daily budget of $20, with dorm beds often costing between $5-7, and a local meal at around $2 each.

We would recommend visiting Argentina and Chile between December and April. As they’re located in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are reversed so this will be their Summer season. During these months the climate will be warmer, which is perfect for hiking through Patagonia.

How long is a piece of string? In all honesty, it’s a pretty hard question to answer generally. It all depends what you want to do, where you want to go and the activities and treks that you want to undertake. 6 Months is the standard advice if you want to visit all of the top places in the continent. Take a look at our 3 month South America itinerary to get a rough idea when starting to plan your own trip.

Through our own experience, we’ve found Uruguay to be the safest country overall when travelling around South America.

As a whole, both countries fall under the cheaper end of things when travelling in Latin America. We would say Colombia remains the cheaper option, and you’ll be able to get better value for money with the foods, accommodation and when buying local trips.

Both cities definitely have their safer and more touristy areas, whilst other barrios are much best avoided. In general, both Lima and Bogotá are very similar in terms of safety, although the Colombian capital can feel a bit rougher around the edges.