🌎 My South America backpacking route for 2026 would follow the Andes 🏔

If I had six weeks and a backpack, I would not try to zigzag across the continent. I would follow one of the most logical overland routes: Colombia → Ecuador → Peru → Bolivia. I would start in Cartagena, spend a few days on the Caribbean coast, then head toward Medellín and Bogotá. From there, I would cross into Ecuador and slow down in Quito and Baños before continuing south. Peru would get the biggest chunk of the trip. Lima, Arequipa, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu would take around two weeks because I would rather have time to acclimatize and enjoy the Andes than rush through them. Then Bolivia: Copacabana, La Paz, Sucre and finally the Uyuni Salt Flats 🌄 There is also a practical reason I like this direction. The route gradually takes me from lower elevations in Colombia and Ecuador toward the high Andes, giving me more time to adapt before reaching places such as Cusco and La Paz. A realistic 2026 budget for this four-country route is roughly US$35 to US$48 per day before international flights, depending on the country and travel style. Bolivia is generally the cheapest part, while Peru tends to cost more because of Machu Picchu and its associated transportation. I would use overnight buses for some longer sections, but I would not force myself onto a 20-hour bus just to save a little money. Sometimes buying a flight and getting an entire day back is worth it 🎒 Would you choose this classic Colombia-to-Bolivia route, or would you build your South America backpacking trip around Argentina, Chile and Patagonia instead? #backpacking2026