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Quito, Ecuador
To make the most of three days in Quito, start by exploring the historic Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where you can visit iconic landmarks like the La Compañía Church and the Independence Square.
Then, take the Teleférico up to the base of Pichincha Volcano for stunning panoramic views of the city and surrounding mountains. Pichincha Volcano is one my favourite treks in South America and if you are an experienced hiker, I always recommend it as a good trek to acclimatise to the altitude in Ecuador.
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Cotopaxi, Ecuador
Cotopaxi Secret Garden
From the hostel, you can plan hikes into the park, go horse-riding across the Andean planes, and even summit Cotopaxi if you are brave enough.
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Quilotoa, Ecuador
After a lovely stay at Cotopaxi, it’s time for even more trekking. A short journey will take you to the town of Latacunga where you can prepare for the epic 3-day, self-guided trek known as the Quilotoa Loop.
The challenging 70km ‘loop’ will take you through 3 towns in the Ecuadorian countryside, eventually ending at the breathtaking Quilotoa Crater.
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Banos, Ecuador
You can easily spend 4-5 days in the adventure capital of Ecuador.
There’s so much to do here including white-water rafting, hiking, and riding bicycles along a 16km stretch of road known as the ‘Route of Waterfalls’ to the insanely powerful waterfall ‘Pailon del Diablo’.
Banos is also the perfect place to relax! Massage and treatments are cheap here and there are several bath houses with thermal baths fuelled by the volcanoes surrounding the town.
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Guayaquil, Ecuador
After Banos, you will need a full day to travel to Guayaquil (7-8 hour bus) where you can also spend an extra day or two if you wish, but there isn’t much here for backpackers.
Just use any extra days to get ready for your once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Galápagos Islands!
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Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
You can’t visit South America for 3 months and not go to the Galapagos Islands. The price often puts a lot of backpackers off but it’s such an incredible place that it can’t be missed.
If you can’t afford a week then 5 days is still a good amount of time to visit two of the main islands and still have a great time. The island has so many free activities that you only need to worry about spending money on food and accommodation.
Contrary to what most people believe, you don’t need to book a tour or a live-aboard boat to see the islands. You can take direct flights to the islands and explore them yourself without blowing your budget on an over-priced tour that does the exact same thing.
Start by exploring the island on your first day. You can walk to many of the best places which include museums, secluded beaches, and viewpoints. Aim to visit the Interpretation Centre, Cerro Tijeretas and Playa Punta Carola. On the second day, book a tour to take you to see the highlands where you’ll find the Giant Tortoise Sanctuary.
The second island, Santa Cruz, is the more developed of the three main islands. The town has more restaurants and bars to enjoy, and a greater diversity of natural areas so you can spend more time exploring here.
Here you’ll find Tortuga Bay. A secluded beach surrounded by mangrove trees. Along the beach, you can see marine iguanas crawling out of the sea and up onto the beach to warm up. If you go snorkelling, you’ll be able to find baby sharks, rays, and turtles in the mangroves.
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Lima, Peru
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Paracas, Peru
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Huacachina, Peru
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Arequipa, Peru
A great thing to do whilst in Arequipa is check out the traditional restaurants called picanterias. These are traditional, family run restaurants that will serve some of the best food you’ll try in Peru.
Colca Canyon
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Cusco, Peru
This itinerary doesn’t include the Salkantay Trek but it can easily be included if you want.
The alternative way to get to Macchu Picchu is either by bus or train. I always recommend the train as it only takes 3 hours in comparison to the bus which takes 9 (meaning you lose an entire day). The train will drop you off in the town of Aguas Calientes (the closest town to Machu Picchu).
Once you arrive in Aguas Calientes, take the evening to relax and get an early night in preparation for Machu Picchu.
Early the next morning, it’s finally time to climb the 1,600+ stairs up to Peru’s most popular tourist attraction – Machu Picchu.
When you need to leave depends on what time ticket you purchased. However, I would recommend trying to get a 6:00 AM ticket which is the earliest entry possible. Most people wake up around 4.30AM and wait outside the gates from 5:00 AM.
When the gates open you can start the hike. The alternative is to wait and take the bus which will get you to the top quicker. Either way, you’ll be one of the first people into Machu Picchu, catching the sunrise and largely having the place to yourself (at least for half an hour, until it becomes packed).
After you have finished at Machu Picchu, you can either spend another night in Aguas Calientes or return to Cusco.
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Aguas Calientes, Peru
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Copacabana, Bolivia
Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world at 3,810 metres above sea level. Half of it sits in Peru, the other half in Bolivia.
The town of Copacabana on the Bolivian side is a small but pretty place filled with local markets and artisan restaurants, but it’s the lake itself that is the must-see.
Fun activities include walking up to the summit of Cerro Calvario to get beautiful views of the lake and taking a boat tour to Isla del Sol which is the largest island on the lake.
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La Paz, Bolivia
Once you reach La Paz you have an endless list of things to choose from such as biking down Death Road, trekking in the Valley of the Moon, or climbing Huayna Potosi.
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Uyuni Salt Flat, Bolivia
Visiting the Amazon in Bolivia is a good idea as it’s so much cheaper compared to other countries in South America.
You can get a package deal that includes a 3-day jungle tour and return flights from La Paz for around $200 depending on the season and how savvy you are.
From the town of Rurrenabaque, you will spend 3 days exploring the winding tributaries of the Amazon river by speedboat, searching for caimans, anacondas, and rare birds of paradise.
After the Amazon, you can fly back to La Paz or straight down to Uyuni. And once you arrive in Uyuni, it’s time to end this epic South America trip with one of the best tours on the whole continent.
The 3-day Salar De Uyuni tour will take you from one unique landscape to the next, starting with the white expanse of the salt flat on day 1, to the high-altitude desert of the Andes on the next.
The first day on the tour is spent taking the famous perspective and reflection shots. Then on the second, you drive out across the Altiplano, the high altitude desert that’s home to volcanoes, geyser fields and high altitude lakes.
Your mind will be blown by all the incredible scenery and you will leave on a high. The perfect way to end an incredible 3 months in South America!
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Atacama, Chile
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Santiago, Chile
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Torres de Paine, Chile
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El Calafate, Argentina
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El Chaltén, Argentina
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Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Iguazu Falls, unknown