{"id":7973,"date":"2017-07-17T14:11:29","date_gmt":"2017-07-17T21:11:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dontforgettomove.com\/?p=7973"},"modified":"2017-07-17T14:24:50","modified_gmt":"2017-07-17T21:24:50","slug":"backpacking-south-america-8-things-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dontforgettomove.com\/backpacking-south-america-8-things-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Backpacking in South America: 8 Things To Know Before You Go!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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South East Asia<\/a> <\/span>might have once been the coolest backpacking hangout, but South America<\/span><\/a><\/span>, with its exceptional diversity of cultures and landscapes, is quickly becoming the number one place for a backpacking adventure. But from safety concerns to budgeting and itinerary planning, there are plenty of things that might seem confusing if you\u2019re preparing for your first time backpacking in South America. <\/span><\/p>\n Never fear:<\/strong><\/em> traveling to South America has never been easier than with this South America travel guide and its eight handy hints and tips for exploring this vast and beautiful continent.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Before we get any further, let\u2019s deal with the elephant in the room: safety<\/em><\/strong>. South America\u2019s long had a bad reputation which, although not completely unfounded, is unfair. Yes, parts of the continent are dangerous for backpackers. But, the vast majority places you\u2019ll likely visit when you\u2019re traveling around South America are incredibly safe. <\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s not to say you shouldn\u2019t exercise caution here. Part of the trick of avoiding South America backpacking dangers is being aware of what\u2019s happening in each city and town you visit and listening to the recommendations of people like hostel owners and locals who are better informed than you.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Additionally, there are a number of really simple ways to help you avoid becoming a victim of theft, such as wearing a travel wallet under your clothing to store larger amounts of cash, using ATMS attached to banks (these are less likely to be tampered with) and leaving your passport locked in your hostel while out exploring. Most importantly, remaining alert when you\u2019re out and about \u2013 and not drinking too much so that you\u2019re an easy target \u2013 is the recipe for staying safe and sound. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Like any part of the world, there are certain scams to which backpackers are easy prey. In big South American cities, diversion scams are common, often involving ketchup or another liquid being thrown on you and a seemingly innocent onlooking who comes to help… but actually steals your wallet!<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The golden rules of backpacking in South America are simple: never leave your valuables on the floor or overhead on a bus, use radio taxis not cabs on the street and keeping a close eye on your rucksack in bus stations. In many cities, ride share apps like Uber and Lyft are becoming increasingly more available and easy to use. In Medellin, Colombia<\/a><\/span>, calling an Uber to get around actually worked out cheaper than a taxi and was a lot less worrisome.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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 don\u2019t fall victim.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Solo female travelers might feel intimidated by the idea of backpacking in South America. Sure, it\u2019s a region known for <\/span>machismo<\/span><\/i> and there\u2019s no way of escaping the sexual harassment that many women experience traveling here. \u00a0<\/span>It might make you feel a little uncomfortable, but be prepared for some long stares and the occasional wolf whistle.<\/p>\n Attitudes towards women are slowly changing and while it\u2019s never recommended that female backpackers wander the streets late at night or hitchhike alone, most feel comfortable traveling around South America. And while women receive plenty of attention from local men, it’s also not uncommon to have men become protective and determined to look after you on your travels. Conservative gender roles in a lot of places still place men as the designated ‘protectors’, so rest assured there will be someone out there that has your back!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you\u2019ve only ever backpacked in South East Asia, you might be surprised by how travel in South America isn\u2019t as cheap as you thought. Start your South America backpacking trip in Chile and you\u2019ll find that your well-earned cash isn\u2019t going to go very far. <\/span><\/p>\n But that\u2019s not the case throughout the continent, as prices vary considerably. Bolivia is the ultimate place for cheap South American travel, where a three-course lunch in the market can set you back $3 and decent hostels rarely cost more than $7 per night.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Peru<\/a><\/span>, Ecuador and Colombia aren\u2019t too much more expensive to visit, while Argentina, thanks to huge inflation and the disappearance of the \u201cblue dollar\u201d (a good exchange rate from American dollars to Argentine Pesos) is becoming increasingly expensive. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Cheap South America travel isn\u2019t impossible though. To keep costs down, take buses rather than flights and always book tours from local companies rather than those run by foreign agencies. Tours run by foreign companies are overpriced compared with those run by local businesses. <\/span><\/p>\n Bear in mind too that haggling<\/a><\/span> isn\u2019t common in most countries here and avoid bartering tours and souvenirs down to rock-bottom prices \u2013 that extra $2 you shaved off probably means a lot more to the local people than it does to you. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you\u2019re concerned about your budget for backpacking in South America, there are ways of prolonging your travels without spending more money. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Your best options are <\/span>Workaway<\/span><\/a><\/span> and <\/span>Helpx<\/span><\/a><\/span>, both of which have listings of farms and hostels looking for volunteering in exchange for food and board. Plenty of backpackers use these websites to move through the continent, establishing roots in cities and towns along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n There are also plenty of volunteering opportunities<\/a> <\/span>around. Work with local people, save money by sticking in one place of a while and do something good for a local community, all at the same time. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Plenty of travelers arrive in South America without speaking even a <\/span>gracias<\/span><\/i> or a <\/span>hola<\/span><\/i> in Spanish. And you know what? They survive! Sure, they\u2019re guaranteed to find themselves in plenty of confusing conversations, where the only way to get the taxi driver to understand where they want to go is through a frustrating game of charades. But you can backpack South America without Spanish.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, picking up even the most basic words goes a long way. It\u2019s recommendable to start your trip with a few weeks studying in one of the main (and cheap) learning hubs, such as Sucre in Bolivia, Quito in Ecuador or Buenos Aires, Argentina. A homestay, where you live with a local family, is also an excellent way of immersing yourself in Spanish and learning quickly. <\/span><\/p>\n After a few weeks of study, not only will you come away feeling more confident about traveling, but you\u2019ll suddenly find that you can communicate with local people, making the whole backpacking experience even more rewarding.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Many parts of South America are still only just emerging as popular tourist destinations, which is great if you\u2019re hoping to get away from the crowds. However, because of this, you might struggle to find information about bus routes or even hostels and accommodation online. <\/span><\/p>\n The joys of the internet are slowly making their way to all parts of South America, but for the time being it\u2019s often best to rely on booking your transport directly at local bus stations. Similarly, much of the accommodation available in many countries has yet to find its way onto Hostelworld<\/a><\/span> or Booking<\/a><\/span>, so don\u2019t be too worried if there\u2019s not much choice when you search a town online. You\u2019re guaranteed to find more options when you arrive.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n As a continent that is ten times the size of Alaska, it\u2019s fair to say that you\u2019re never going to see more than a tiny proportion of South America when backpacking. Too many travelers make the mistake of jamming six or more countries in as many weeks, an itinerary that allows them to see some of the highlights but ends up being exhausting and only skimming the surface of what each nation has to offer.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Before planning to backpack South America, first consider the absolute \u201cunmissables\u201d on your list, places such as Machu Picchu, Iguaz\u00fa Falls, The Galapagos Islands and Torres del Paine National Park. <\/span><\/p>\n Then, think about exactly what you want to get out of your trip: Fancy hiking and camping? Head to Patagonia. <\/span><\/p>\nIs it safe to backpack South America?<\/b><\/h2>\n
Watch out for the scams<\/h2>\n
Is it safe to travel as a woman?<\/h2>\n
How much does it cost to travel in South America?<\/h2>\n
But there are other ways of finding cheap South America travel<\/h2>\n
Do I need to speak Spanish for traveling around South America?<\/h2>\n
Don\u2019t expect to book everything online<\/h2>\n
South America is huge! So don\u2019t try and see it all in one go<\/h2>\n