What to pack for a backpacking adventure in South America

Edited by Sanghmitra Khanna

Travelling around South America has always been a dream of mine – exploring diverse cities, meeting different people, and discovering culture. 

For months, I had been planning for this big adventure; the things I would bring, the places I would visit…,but when the time finally came to pack my bags, I was lost. 

What should I bring? What should I leave behind? And especially, how would I manage to fit everything for three months travel into a single backpack? 

Over the course of three months, I would travel through opposite climates and demographics, from snowy hikes in Peru to sweltering heat in the Amazon, from partying in Brazil to lounging on Colombian beaches. Each destination required a completely different wardrobe. 

I didn’t want to splurge on fancy or expensive travel gear so I shopped primarily for a backpack that fit my budget. 

As I set off, I quickly realized how important packing wisely and efficiently really is. 

Here is a list of items I recommend to bring for your backpacking trip. 

Bags

• 60L backpack
  • The most important item. This backpack will contain your life during the months of your trip, and choosing the right size can make a big difference. For me 60L was the perfect size – large enough to fit all my belongings, and light enough to manage walking distances with it on my back. 

• Smaller backpack
  • Essential for day trips or hikes to avoid lugging around your larger backpack.  
• Money belt
  • A must – especially in crowded areas like Brazil during carnival festivities. 
• Tote bag
  • For day trips to the beach or casual outings 

Everywhere

• Passport 
• Power charger, AirPods, iPhone charger, Camera and Kindle
  • Great to stay entertained during long bus rides
• Universal plug adapter
• Air tag
  • My friend and I relied on it to keep track of each other during carnival in Rio, so we wouldn’t need to carry two phones with us. 
  • Also great to track your belongings. 

health and safety

• Mosquito spray
  • For protection against mosquitoes and diseases like Dengue fever (which is ramping in Brazil). 
• Locker
  • To keep your personal belongings secured in hostels. 
• Emergency cash
• Vaccination certificate
  • Make sure to bring your vaccination certificates (Yellow Fever especially) if you are travelling to certain countries where it’s mandatory for entry. I learned this the hard way when I left mine at home and ended up stuck in Brazil for several days before I could sort it out. 

organization and comfort

• Packing cubes
  • To keep your clothes organized and facilitate easy packing and unpacking 
• Ear plugs
  • After sleepless nights buses and dorms due to people snoring next to me, I invested in these – they are life-savers. 
  • Some hostels also have them for free at the reception. 
• Sunscreen and sunglasses 

clothing

• Comfortable leggings
  • Perfect for long night bus rides. Most buses blast the air conditioning all night long, so even when it’s warm outside, you will freeze. 
  • Also perfect for hiking. 
• Underwear – 14 pairs
• Bras – 3 pairs
• Socks – 10 pairs
• Flip Flops
  • This is a must – for when you are by the beach, but also for hostel showers
• Sneakers
  • For site seeing, casual outings, and parties 
• Running shoes
  • I prefer these to hiking boots. They are easier to transport and I find them more comfortable. 
• Flowy pants – 3 pairs
• T-shirts – 2
• Sweater – 2 
• Pyjama – 1 pair 
• Shorts – 3 pairs 
• Skirts – 2 
• Dress – 2 
• Bikinis – 3
• Waterproof outdoor jacket
  • We did the Salkantay Trek to the Machu Picchu during the rainy season, so this definitely was a must.
  • You can also rent most of these pieces of clothing in Cusco directly

toiletry

• Toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner, body soap
• Microfiber towel
  • They don’t take up any space and dry quickly. 
• Beach towel
• Deodorant, razor, pills (Tylenol), hairbrush, make-up, micellar water, cotton pads, perfume 
• Hand-sanitizer
  • Many toilets do not have soap or running water. 
• Toilet paper
  • Most public bathrooms do not have toilet paper