Back in march 2016, i walked the torres del paine w trek as part of a tour around patagonia and was so struck by the park that i returned in march 2017 to hike the full o circuit its fair to say that on both occasions i fell head over heels in love. Active travel is the best way to see south america, and these walking holidays are carefully selected to offer immersive experiences. Peru is a land of cultural diversity, fascinating ancient history, and one of the most iconic trekking adventures in the world. The best patagonia books to read before you go oars. Hiking up the normal route and summitting the second highest of the seven summits is a real possibility.
Here are a 9 essentials for backpacking south america. Americas great hiking trails is a hardcover mac daddy of hiking books, loaded with 336 pages of drop dead gorgeous photographs and a glimpse into eleven of the countrys most iconic hiking trails. From some of the earliest evidence of human society, as well as mindboggling engineering at sites like machu picchu, to the salt flats of bolivia, the far reaches of patagonia and the rich and flourishing wild flora and fauna of the galapagos islands, south america. He is the author of two previous books, walking the nile and walking the. Top 12 best hikes in south america the adventure junkies. Let us help you to plan a lifechanging backpacking adventure in south america. Patagonias beauty is staggering, and weve crafted the perfect itinerary to show you the very best of it. Hiking the coast path from yumani, in the south, to challapampa, in the north, then returning via the upper path, will take you via terraced fields and pre columbian ruins, with views over the ethereal lake to the snowcapped andes. Lonely planet trekking in the patagonian andes travel guide. Pathways americas great hiking trails is a hardcover mac daddy of hiking books, loaded with 336 pages of drop dead gorgeous photographs and a glimpse into eleven of the countrys most iconic hiking trails. South america is one of the most diverse of all the worlds continents. Sol is also home to puma rock, reputedly the birthplace of manco capac, founder of the incas.
Pathways america s great hiking trails is a hardcover mac daddy of hiking books, loaded with 336 pages of drop dead gorgeous photographs and a glimpse into eleven of the countrys most iconic hiking trails. South america is a continent made for road tripping. Written by backpackers for backpackers, this website offers travel guides, inspirational articles, itineraries and trip planning advice. The hiking life is a compilation of tips and advice on trip planning, lightweight backpacking techniques, and improving your wilderness skill set. South america offers a world of hiking and cultural experiences. Explore the remote sanctuaries of huilohuilo biological reserve and parque futangueteeming with unique flora and fauna. Author karen berger is a wellseasoned hiker and she invites us to explore, discover and delight in trails that will take you through practically. I have traveled quite a bit in latin america and read this in costa rica while on a trip.
The complete packing guide to backpacking south america. Goway has been customizing central and south america vacations for 50 years and has the expertise and experience needed to turn your travel dreams into reality. You will be camping by the huge and mighty peaks of siula grande, jirishanca and yerupaja in a high altitude environment located in the heart of the peruvian andes. Hike along the base of three stunning volcanoesvillarrica, mocho and osornoand walk to waterfalls, lagoons and glaciers. Luxuriate in beautiful hotels perfectly situated next to rivers and lakes with easy access to trails and adventures on the water. Central america tours south america tours goway travel. One hundred years of solitude is written by one of latin americas most famous authors and the man who put colombia on the map with his. For that, you need to pick up hiking south carolinas foothills trail by scott lynch. Any outdoor enthusiast knows that south america is a continent with beautiful national parks and better hiking.
The book shows you that you could do it in five days, averaging 15. Even if youre backpacking south america, you should take the time to do a road trip on the carretera austral if you can. South america is a land of vivid colors, strong traditions and stunning landscapes. Part of the fifty places series, this book tackles the worlds fifty best hiking destinations, from the gorilla forests in rwanda to. Walking the entire length of the amazon, some 4,345 miles, is not just a crazy challenge its almost suicidal. This list is of the best hikes in south america that i completed during. From the world famous machu picchu and inca trails in peru, to the chilean andes, south america guided hiking vacations are exotic, exciting and unforgettable. South america tours group adventure holidays in latin. If you like to book some activities in advance i recommend you to have a look into getyourguide as this platform offers the possibility to book tours from local tour operators. While the w takes four days or so, the circuit requires seven to nine days, allowing for extra time to loiter at the campsite below paso john. South america is an incredible continent with so much to offer the adventurous traveler.
Nature really outdoes herself in this corner of the world. The 12 best books about south america to add to your reading list. During my backpacking in south america i attended a lot of organized tours to learn more about the history of the places or simply to see more in a short amount of time. This is the land of crazy parties, epic surfing, sprawling cities, and wild landscapes including the andes and the amazon jungle. Rei is a registered seller of travel in the following states. This is where some of americas best hiking boots are made. The longest walk goodreads meet your next favorite book. A beautiful coffee table book that features americas 11 national scenic trails. The carretera runs 770 miles through the wilds of northern patagonia, through misty mountains, small hamlets and villages and a nearendless roster of breathtaking. Lynch tells you where to start and end and where to camp in between. Trekking in south america is easily some of the best hiking you can experience anywhere in the world and is one of the most popular activities for many travellers to the continent.
A superbly illustrated hiking book celebrating more than 50,000 miles of trails in 49 u. The book is the incredible true story of a young man who walked from the tip of south america, at ushuaia, and ends up at pruhoe bay, at the north pole. From lost to found on the pacific crest trail by cheryl strayed, a walk in the woods. The circuit, or o as its also known, is rapidly growing in popularity among seasoned hikers and firsttimers alike, and while trekking in torres del paine national park particularly if you hike solo and avoid paying for an unnecessarily and costly tour might seem a daunting prospect, it really neednt be. From epic 12days treks through mighty peruvian mountains, to jungle journeys to reach lost cities, here are the 15 most epic treks to takes in south america. All you need to know about the top 10 best hikes in south. The best hiking in patagonia and tierra del fuego lonely. South america holds countless natural and cultural wonders for the adventure traveler. Choose a guidebook on trekking and mountaineering in south america. Walking holidays and discovery tours in south america, including the inca trail in peru and exploring patagonia on foot in chile. Between the physical stamina it takes to make it up and down a mountain and the preparation it takes to pack a backpack with all the essentials, very few people take on this feat. Our latin america tours will take you to the mindblowing andes that stretch the length of the continent mesmerise many a visitor, as does the nightlife.
Stretching from cape reinga on the northern tip of new zealands north island all the way to bluff at the southernmost tip of south island, the te araroa trail maori for long pathway is one of the newest longdistance hiking trails in the world along the way, hikers will likely encounter some of the most diverse topography in the world including sandy beaches thronging. While not the longest hike you may take in south america, it certainly is a unique offering in the world of long distance hiking, comparable only to the walkup ascents offered by a number of volcanoes around the world, such as mount fuji in. Many people travel here for the hiking alone, and while machu picchu is the most iconic hike in south america, there are many others that will peak your curiosity. From the tropical beaches of the caribbean to the windswept archipelago of tierra del fuego, backpacking south america guarantees a treasure trove of adventures that has fuelled the imagination of travellers for centuries, with dizzying landscapes, legendary cities and mindboggling ancient ruins haul on your backpack and follow in some famous and infamous footsteps. With such a diverse terrain, hiking in south america gives adventurers the chance to climb some of the most interesting peaks in the world. How to hike the torres del paine w trek without a tour. Hiking in torres del paine national park is one of the absolute highlights of a visit to patagonia i should know, ive done it twice. Whether you have one day or fourteen, here, your guide to south america s greatest undertheradar hikes. Cam swami honan described by backpacker magazine as the most. The boy scouts of america provides the nations foremost youth program of character development and valuesbased leadership training, which helps young people be prepared. Discover exquisite cuisine and warm local people on your walking tour in peru theres no better way to explore this land than on two feet. Travelers planning a rafting or hiking trip to chiles rugged and wild region will. A challenging read in that its a crash course in latin american economic history and policies over the past half millennia, open veins of latin america remains a.
Get a free trip quote and book one of our tours today. Peru tours book hiking and trekking tours in peru macs. Its a one tough route with 7 passes over 4,500 meters 23 or them over 5k. The people he met, the adventures he had and places he went kept me turning the pages.
Americas great hiking trails is perfect for anyone interested in outdoor recreation and conservation. Top 5 long distance hikes in south america the armchair. It was one of bergers earlier works, hiking americas triple crown 2001, that first introduced me to the idea of one day hiking the big three of american long distance hiking i. One of my best trekking trips, planned according to this book, amazing. Walking holidays in south america walking, discovery. From the dense amazonian jungle to the most idylic caribbean beaches, there are plenty of options for all sorts of visitors if there is one thing that will really blow your mind, its the spectacular hiking you will find throughout the continent. With the exception of a handful of backpacker hotspots, south america is the wild west frontier of backpacking on many levels. An independent backpackers guide to travelling in latin america. The circuit takes in the w, as well as the back side of the park. For many travelers, it is the main reason for their trip and so it is important to know a few of the best hikes in south america before you go. If you want to see nature, but dont want to sacrifice comfort, keep reading. For that, you need to pick up hiking south carolina s foothills trail by scott lynch. It contains detailed information for more than 200 of the worlds great hikes and was put together with the mission of inspiring and enabling folks to go backpacking. A 8 to 12 days hike, depending of your route choice, the huayhuash circuit is probably the best hike in south america.
In the white mountains of new hampshire, peter limmer makes the most soughtafter custom leather hiking boot in the world. The best south american travel guidebooks sounds and colours. The most iconic trail hiking south america, the inca trail is a route that takes visitors through some of the most beautiful high andes scenery on the way to the historic site of machu picchu. I originally visited in 2008 with g adventures and did a brazilargentina tour followed by a separate tour to peru a fantastic trip in todays post, tfgs backpacking guru is sharing her. These are some of my favorite travel reads and books set in south america which you should consider picking up before you begin your south america trip the backpacker bible get it for free. A host of awesome cities make the perfect introduction to this amazing continent. Its best to go anticlockwise from refugio las torres for the unparalleled glacier grey vista opening below you as you cross the highest point of the trek paso john gardner 1241m. The quirky mountain city of huaraz is the starting point for this threeday trek in the cordillera blanca region of the peruvian andes, deemed the highest tropical mountain range in the world youll drive out of the city by minibus to a small village called cashapampa in the foothills of the cordillera, where youll. The best walks in south america that arent the inca.