I'd reccomend you to find out what suits your taste and simplifying your trip to that.
Fin out what you'd like to experience and when! Machu Pichu, Rio, the Green Coast, Bahia, the Amazon, S?o Paulo, Buenos Aires, Pumamarca, Uyuni, Lake Titicaca, and so on, these are examples, but you could also visit the argentinian patagonia, ushuaia and the south of chile (pretty cool lakes and forrests)
Once you know what you're looking for, I'd reccomend going from north to south from Baia to Sao Paulo (thru Rio, Ilha Grande, Paraty, Trinidade, etc), spendind a few days in each place, then Buenos Aires, then north of argentina for Salta and then Uyuni, Bolivia, Peru, Machu Pichu and Cuzco, keep going north to Ecuador and Colombia. If theres more time I'd put Puerto Madryn (argentina) for whales and penguins, south of chile and then the argentinian/chilean north or Mendoza (good wines).
Moust of this trip you can make it by bus or special transfers, but it all depends on what you want to see. Think aboutus$10 to $25/night for lodging.
Greetings from Colombia. 2 months sounds a bit like a stretch to me, unless you're planning to stay a day in each major city. Cities like Buenos Aires are huge and there is too much to see for you to get by in a day or two. Another recommendation i give you kind sir is that when you do visit Colombia, 4/5 travelers prefer Medellin over Bogota. The weather is warm, the women are beautiful, and the people are friendly. If you don't believe me, go on trip advisor or lonely planet, and see for yourself :)
I'm actually from South America, and 2 months is NOT enough to backpack around all those cities. And another tip, EVERYTHING in South America is WAAYY cheaper than it is here in america. You should bring at least $300 or a credit card. Be careful around these areas though, because people there will try every chance they get to scam or mug you. DO NOT buy anything from the locals that they say is real ( jewelry, gold, top-brand items, etc) , Anyways unless you're going to be sprinting across South America, 2 months is not enough. Best of luck on your journey.
Hi there,
I have been backpacking through South America several times, and most recently 6 months in Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina (Buenos Aires only). Let me tell you, this was not enough time for this trip. Since you wanna go for only 2 months you should limit yourself to one area, i.e. either the eastern part (Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina) or the western part of South America (Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia). You certainly could to all the countries you mentioned, but then you are just zipping through each country without experiencing them. It'll cost you approximately US$ 1,400.00/month including transportation within South America by bus, which is the choice of travel there. Flying within South America is very expensive, however, you can get very good deals flying within Brazil (check airfares on www.kayak.com).
Here's some of my itineary for my recent trip to South America. Flew from Los Angeles to Bogota with a connecting flight to Leticia in Colombia, which is located on the Amazon, right on the border with Brazil and Peru. Take a boat to Manaus (3 nights and cost about $ 100.00 all inclusive sleeping in your hammock which you can purchase cheaply). From Manaus take another boat to Belem (4 nights and cost you about $ 150.00 all inclusive). From Belem take a bus to Fortaleza, and continue to Natal, Pipa Beach, Recife, Salvador de Bahia. From Salvador take a flight to Rio de Janeiro and then continue to Florianopolis, Montevideo and Buenos Aires. When in Uruguay forget about Punta del Este because it is highly overrated, and probably the most overpriced town in all of South America.
The long distance buses in a.m. countries are pretty good and all have air conditioning. Make sure you have a blanket with you because the buses are like a freezer at night.
Have a great time in South America. I know that you'll love it.
If you fly... you can visit every city and stay for 8 to 9 days including flying days.
Hi, I want to back pack around South America for 2 months and I was wondering if there are people that can give me some tips. The main thing I wanted to know is what is a realistic amount of time I would need to get around to cities like Rio, Montevideo, Santiago, Lima, Bogota and Salvador? Is 2 months enough time? How much money would I need (I don't mind doing cheapest options) and what is the best method of travel? Thanks a heap!
