Central & South America are among the most exciting regions in the world for backpackers, offering everything from vibrant cities and colonial towns to rainforests, mountains and world-famous landmarks. The region is incredibly diverse, with each country delivering its own culture, landscapes and travel experiences at a pace and budget that suits long-term travellers.
Whether you're exploring ancient ruins, chasing beaches, hiking in the Andes or immersing yourself in local food and music, Central & South America reward curiosity and flexibility.
Timing depends heavily on which half of the continent you're in — the seasons run opposite to the Northern Hemisphere south of the equator. April to October is broadly the best window for the Andes and Patagonia (drier, and Patagonia's summer trekking season runs roughly November to March, its own exception), while Central America and the Amazon basin follow a wet/dry pattern closer to the equator, with December to April typically driest. A long north-to-south or south-to-north route will cross multiple climate zones, so it's worth planning the route direction around which regions you want at their best.
Where you go depends on the kind of trip you want. Below are some of the best backpacking routes and regions to explore — whether you're travelling on a budget, chasing culture or planning a long multi-country trip.
Often the starting point — Mexico City's museums and food scene, Oaxaca's culture, and the Yucatán's beaches and cenotes. Well set up for backpackers, with a huge range of cost levels depending on region.
Antigua's colonial streets, Lake Atitlán's volcano views, and Tikal's Mayan ruins make it a compact, affordable highlight of the Central America leg.
Once overlooked, now a firm favourite — Medellín's transformation, Cartagena's colourful old town, and the coffee region around Salento. Good value and increasingly well connected.
Machu Picchu is the headline draw, but Cusco, the Sacred Valley and the Amazon basin around Iquitos round out one of the region's most complete single-country routes.
The Salar de Uyuni salt flats are the single most photographed thing in South American backpacking — plus La Paz's altitude and Sucre's colonial calm. One of the cheapest countries on the continent.
Buenos Aires' European feel, Patagonia's hiking (Torres del Paine, El Chaltén), and Mendoza's wine country give Argentina huge range — but it's pricier than its neighbours and inflation makes budgeting tricky.
An extraordinarily long, thin country — the Atacama Desert in the north, Santiago in the middle, and Patagonia in the south. Distances are big, so factor in real travel time between regions.
Rio and its beaches are the obvious draw, but the Amazon, the colonial towns of Minas Gerais and the waterfalls at Foz do Iguaçu extend it well beyond a city stop. Portuguese-speaking, which sets it apart from its Spanish-speaking neighbours.
A few tried-and-tested routes to build your own trip around — extend or combine them depending on how much time you have.
Mexico City → Antigua → Bogotá → Quito → Cusco → La Paz → Santiago
The best-established route through the continent, roughly following the Andes south — reliable infrastructure and a well-worn backpacker circuit.
Lima → Cusco → Machu Picchu → La Paz → Salar de Uyuni
A shorter, high-altitude focused route hitting the region's most iconic sights without the full continental crossing.
Santiago → Puerto Natales → Torres del Paine → El Chaltén → El Calafate → Ushuaia
For hikers — big distances, serious scenery, and a trip best timed for the Southern Hemisphere summer (Nov–Mar).
Mexico → Guatemala → Belize → Nicaragua → Costa Rica → Panama
A more compact, lower-altitude route through Central America alone — good for a shorter trip with strong infrastructure throughout.
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The backbone of overland travel — Peru and Argentina in particular have excellent 'cama' (bed-style) overnight buses worth paying a bit more for.
Worth it for the biggest distances (e.g. Lima to Cusco, or across Argentina) where a bus would eat 20+ hours.
Cheap shared transport common in Central America and the Andes for shorter regional hops.
Dorm beds run $8–15 in Bolivia, Peru and Central America, up to $20–30 in Argentina and Chile's cities.
Not transport exactly, but worth building in — Cusco, La Paz and Quito all sit above 3,000m and need a day or two to acclimatise.
Per-person daily costs in USD, excluding flights between regions. Argentina and Chile run noticeably higher than Bolivia, Peru or Central America.
Inter-city transport: Varies — overnight buses run $15–40 depending on distance and comfort level
For a trip this long, a daily average isn't enough — see if you're actually on track, and how that compares to the budget tiers above.
See your real daily budget from here, not a generic average from day one.
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Most Western nationalities can enter the majority of Central and South American countries visa-free for up to 90 days, though a few exceptions exist — Bolivia in particular requires advance visas for some passport holders, including US citizens. Safety varies more by country and even by neighbourhood than it does across Europe or Southeast Asia; the standard backpacker advice applies — research the specific areas you're headed to, avoid displaying valuables, and take official transport at night in larger cities.
Most Western passports get 90-day visa-free entry to the majority of countries in the region
Bolivia requires a visa in advance for some nationalities (including US passport holders)
Varies by country — 911 in Mexico, 105 in Peru, 911 in Colombia
Varies significantly by country and city — research specific neighbourhoods; petty theft is the most common issue