How Many Days In South America Is ENough?
For most travellers, two weeks in South America is the absolute minimum if you want to see at least two countries without feeling rushed. With less than that, it’s better to focus on a single country so you can explore in depth and avoid spending most of your time in transit.
If you can stretch your trip to one month, you’ll have enough time to visit three or four countries and tick off some of the continent’s most famous highlights — from Machu Picchu to Iguazu Falls.
For those lucky enough to have three to six months, you can travel at a slower pace, cover five to seven countries, and immerse yourself more deeply in each destination’s culture, landscapes, and hidden gems.
Here’s a quick summary of what’s achievable:
| South America Trip Length | No. of Countries | Avg. Cost ($) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1-2 Weeks |
1 or 2 |
$1000-$2000 |
Quick getaway to see one or two highlights
|
|
3-4 Weeks |
2-3 |
$3000-$4000 |
Balanced pace to see more highlights
|
|
5-6 Weeks |
2-4 |
$5000-$6000 |
Deep dive of 2-3 countries |
|
2-3 Months |
4-7 |
$8000-$12,000 |
North to south adventure covering most of the continent |
|
4 Months + |
8+ |
$15,000+ |
Digital nomads or sabbaticals |
If you are still struggling to work out how many days in South America you need, my South America Trip Planning Service is perfect for you.
“Joe turned our fragmented ideas into a seamless itinerary. His expert advice saved us time, money, and stress – making our 3-month trip feel easy.”
Sam & Amy – 3 Months In South America
Planning a trip to
Struggling with any of this?
✔ Don’t know where to start planning
✔ Unsure how to pick the best route
✔ Spent hours researching… and still feeling lost
✔ Want freedom, not a rigid tour
✔ Don’t want to spend $5,000+ on a travel agent
You don’t have to figure it out solo.
I help travellers like you plan custom South America trips that are efficient, affordable, and totally personalised.
One Week South America Itinerary
With just seven days, it’s best to focus on a short, high-impact route. A popular option is Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro with a border crossing at the famous Iguazu Falls.
🌍 Route: Buenos Aires for tango, asado & colourful barrios → Iguazu Falls (Brazil & Argentina sides) → Rio’s beaches & Sugarloaf Mountain
💵 Budget: $1,200–$1,500 USD (including internal flights).
📅 Best Time: November–March for warm, sunny weather.
✈️ Transport: Short-haul flights between cities save time.
One Week South America Route & Map
| Stop | Where? | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Buenos Aires |
Palermo, Recoleta Cemetery, Tango Shows |
|
2 |
Iguazu |
Iguazu Falls |
|
3 |
Rio de Janiero |
Sugarloaf Mountain, Christ the Redeemer |
If you are looking for more great 10-day or one week itinerary options, my posts here have routes for Patagonia, the Andes and more:
Two Week South America Itinerary
Two weeks gives you time for two bucket-list destinations. One of the most epic routes is the Galapagos Islands to Machu Picchu – ticking off two of South America’s best sights:
🌍 Route: Quito → San Cristóbal & Santa Cruz Islands → Lima → Cusco → Aguas Calientes → Machu Picchu.
💵 Budget: $1500–$2500 USD (includes Galapagos flights & tours).
📅 Best Time: June–September for clear weather in both the Andes and Galapagos.
✈️ Transport: International flight to Quito, island flights/ferries, then flights to Lima & Cusco.
Two Week South America Route & Map
| Day | Where? | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
|
1-2 |
Quito |
Walking Tour, Teleferico |
|
3-7 |
Galapagos Islands |
Interpretation Centre, Giant Tortoise Sanctuary |
|
8-10 |
Cusco |
Rainbow Mountain |
|
11-12 |
Aguas Calientes |
Machu Picchu |
|
13-14 |
Lima |
Miraflores, Barranco |
How Much Will Two Weeks In South America Cost?
A good rule of thumb for travelling South America is $500–$1,000 per week, depending on your travel style, transport, and activities.
For two weeks, you should plan for at least $1,000 USD to cover accommodation, meals, and local transport — with extra for tours and internal flights.
Here’s a quick guide to what each budget tier includes:
💰 Budget: $70/day ($1,000 total) — basic hotels, local buses, street food, and free/low-cost attractions.
💳 Realistic: $100/day ($1,400 total) — Mix of private rooms & dorms, some domestic flights, and paid tours.
🥂 High-End: $150/day ($2,100 total) — Boutique hotels, internal flights, guided tours, and fine dining.
| Budget | Realistic | High-End | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Daily Budget |
$70 |
$100 |
$150 |
|
Weekly Budget |
$500 |
$700 |
$1050 |
|
Total Two Week South America Budget |
$1000 |
$1400 |
$2100 |
If you are looking for more great options to spend 14 days in South America, this post has even more choices:
“Joe turned our fragmented ideas into a seamless itinerary. His expert advice saved us time, money, and stress – making our 3-month trip feel easy.”
Sam & Amy – 3 Months In South America
Planning a trip to
Struggling with any of this?
✔ Don’t know where to start planning
✔ Unsure how to pick the best route
✔ Spent hours researching… and still feeling lost
✔ Want freedom, not a rigid tour
✔ Don’t want to spend $5,000+ on a travel agent
You don’t have to figure it out solo.
I help travellers like you plan custom South America trips that are efficient, affordable, and totally personalised.
Three Week South America Itinerary
Three weeks gives you time to combine mainland Ecuador with Peru’s top highlights, travelling overland and by short flights.
🌍 Route: Quito → Cotopaxi → Baños → Guayaquil → Lima → Paracas → Huacachina → Arequipa → Cusco → Aguas Calientes → Machu Picchu.
💵 Budget: $2000–$3000 USD (includes Machu Picchu entry & transport).
📅 Best Time: May–October for dry season in the Andes and coastal sunshine.
✈️ Transport: Mix of buses, trains, and short flights between major hubs.
Three Week South America Route & Map
| Day | Location | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
|
1-2 |
Quito |
Walking Tour, Teleferico Cable Car |
|
3-4 |
Cotopaxi |
Cotopaxi Volcano |
|
5-6 |
Quilotoa |
Quilotoa Crater |
|
7-8 |
Banos |
Route of Waterfalls |
|
9-10 |
Lima |
Miraflores, Barranco |
|
11-13 |
Ica |
Paracas, Huacachina Oasis |
|
14-16 |
Arequipa |
Colca Canyon |
|
17-21 |
Cusco |
Machu Picchu, Ranbow Mountain |
How Much Will Three Weeks In South America Cost?
For three weeks in Soutb America, expect to spend between $2,000 and $3,150 USD depending on your travel style, not including internal flights or major tours.
Here’s a breakdown of three different budgets:
| Budget | Realistic | High-End | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Daily Budget |
$70 |
$100 |
$150 |
|
Weekly Budget |
$500 |
$700 |
$1050 |
|
Total Three Week South America Budget |
$1500 |
$2100 |
$3150 |
To see this three week itinerary in more detail with day-by-day breakdowns, along with 3 other suggestions, check out the post below:
One Month South America Itinerary
With four weeks, you can see some of South America’s most iconic landscapes while travelling overland through three countries. A classic route is Peru → Bolivia → Northern Chile.
🌍 Route: Lima → Paracas → Huacachina → Arequipa → Cusco → Machu Picchu → La Paz → Amazon (optional) → Uyuni Salt Flats → San Pedro de Atacama.
💵 Budget: $3,000–$4,000 USD
📅 Best Time: May–October for dry weather in the Andes and deserts.
✈️ Transport: Combination of buses, trains, and short-haul flights for longer stretches.
One Month South America Route & Map
How Much Will One Month In South America Cost?
Expect to spend between $2,000 and $4,200 USD depending on your travel style, including major tours like Machu Picchu and the Uyuni Salt Flats:
| Budget | Realistic | High-End | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Daily Budget |
$70 |
$100 |
$150 |
|
Weekly Budget |
$500 |
$700 |
$1050 |
|
Total One Month South America Budget |
$2000 |
$2800 |
$4200 |
More more extended itineraries across the continent, check out the posts below:
“We ended up with a better itinerary than anything a travel agent suggested – and without the hefty price tag!
Jerry & Maria – 5 Weeks In South America
Planning a trip to
Struggling with any of this?
✔ Don’t know where to start planning
✔ Spending hours researching… and still feeling stuck
✔ Want freedom, not a rigid tour
✔ Don’t want to spend $5,000+ on a travel agent
You don’t have to figure it out solo.
I help travellers like you plan custom South America trips that are efficient, affordable, and totally personalised.
Six Week South America Itinerary
Six weeks in South America allows you to cover a lot of ground, but this classic route is fast-paced — expect multiple internal flights and long bus journeys. Just because you have more time doesn’t mean you need to add more countries; you could also slow the pace and spend longer in fewer places.
🌍 Route: Colombia (Bogotá, Santa Marta, Medellín) → Ecuador (Quito, Galapagos Islands) → Peru (Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu) → Bolivia (Lake Titicaca, La Paz, Uyuni Salt Flats) → Chile (Atacama, Santiago, Torres del Paine) → Argentina (El Calafate, El Chaltén).
💵 Budget: $5,000–$6,000 USD (includes Galapagos, Machu Picchu & Patagonia).
📅 Best Time: September–November or March–May for a balance of good weather across regions.
✈️ Transport: Multiple flights plus long-distance buses — pack light and plan connections carefully.
Six Week South America Route
| Week | Country | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Colombia |
Bogota, Santa Marta, Medellin |
|
2 |
Ecuador |
Quito, Galapagos Islands |
|
3 |
Peru |
Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu |
|
4 |
Bolivia |
Lake Titicaca, La Paz, Salt Flats |
|
5 |
Chile |
Atacama, Santiago, Torres Del Paine |
|
6 |
Argentina |
El Calafate, El Chalten |
How Much Will Six Weeks In South America Cost?
Expect to spend between $3,000 and $6,300 USD depending on your travel style, including major tours like the Galapagos, Machu Picchu, and Torres del Paine.
| Budget | Realistic | High-End | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Daily Budget |
$70 |
$100 |
$150 |
|
Weekly Budget |
$500 |
$700 |
$1050 |
|
Total Six Week South America Budget |
$3000 |
$4500 |
$6300 |
You can see the above route laid out in more detail in this post:
10 Week South America Itinerary
With 10 weeks in South America, you’ll have time to visit the majority of the continent’s highlights while keeping a steady travel pace. This route covers eight countries and a mix of city life, mountains, jungle, and coast. Any extra time can be used for additional stops or to slow the pace and spend more days in your favourite places.
💵 Budget: $8,000–$10,500 USD depending on pace and tour choices.
📅 Best Time: Shoulder seasons (Sept–Nov or Mar–May) for good weather across regions.
✈️ Transport: Combination of flights and long-distance buses; choose flights for major border crossings to save time.
Ten Week South America Route
| Week | Country | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Colombia |
Bogota, Medellin, Santa Marta |
|
2 |
Ecuador |
Quito, Cotopaxi National Park, Quilotoa, Banos |
|
3-4 |
Peru |
Lima, Paracas, Huacachina, Cusco, Machu Picchu |
|
5 |
Bolivia |
Lake Titicaca, La Paz, Uyuni Salt Flats |
|
6-7 |
Chile |
Atacama Desert, Santiago, Valpariso, Torres Del Paine National Park |
|
8-9 |
Argentina |
Perito Moreno Glacier, El Chalten, Bariloche, Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls |
|
10 |
Brazil |
Florianopolis, Rio De Janeiro |
For more extended itineraries for South America, check out the posts below:
“We ended up with a better itinerary than anything a travel agent suggested – and without the hefty price tag!
Jerry & Maria – 5 Weeks In South America
Planning a trip to
Struggling with any of this?
✔ Don’t know where to start planning
✔ Spending hours researching… and still feeling stuck
✔ Want freedom, not a rigid tour
✔ Don’t want to spend $5,000+ on a travel agent
You don’t have to figure it out solo.
I help travellers like you plan custom South America trips that are efficient, affordable, and totally personalised.
