What’s The Best Travel Route THrough Peru, Bolivia & CHile?
The travel routes between Peru, Bolivia and Chile are pretty straightforward, making visiting these countries easy.
As they all border each other, so travel between them is cheap, easy, and can be done mostly by bus if you are a budget traveller.
Alternatively, internal flights are cheap if you want to do a highlights tour.
There’s two main routes I’d recommend:
| Peru, Bolivia & Chile Itinerary | Highlights | Perfect For... |
|---|---|---|
|
1. Budget Itinerary |
Cusco, Machu Picchu, Salt Flats and Atacama Desert |
Travellers looking for an efficient but budget friendly route that covers a lot |
|
2. The Highlights |
Cusco, Machu Picchu, Salt Flats, Atacama Desert and Patagonia |
Those with a bigger budget who want to see Chilean Patagonia |
1. Budget Itinerary For Peru, Bolivia & Chile
This is one of my most recommended itineraries for budget travellers looking to see as much as possible whilst keeping costs down.
Over night buses and land border crossings keep transport costs low, meaning you can focus on enjoying all the great activities on offer.
Here’s the breakdown of this South America itinerary that includes Peru, Bolivia and Chile:
| Stop | Location | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Lima |
Miraflores, Barranco, Cooking Class |
|
2 |
Paracas |
Ballestas Islands, Desert Tour |
|
3 |
Huacachina |
Dune Buggy Tour, Sandboarding |
|
4 |
Arequipa |
Colca Canyon |
|
5 |
Cusco |
Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, Sacred Valley |
|
6 |
La Paz |
Death Road, Lake Titicaca Day Trip |
|
7 |
Uyuni |
2-Night / 3-Day Salt Flat Tour |
|
8 |
Atacama Desert |
El Tatio Geyser Field, Valley of the Moon, Salt Lagoons |
|
9 |
Santiago |
Walking Tour, Winery Tour |
“Joe saved us so many hours of research and planning. His expertise turned our stress into a clear, custom itinerary we could actually enjoy.”
Maeve & Martin – 6 Weeks 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
✔ Spending hours researching… and still feeling stuck
✔ Want freedom, not a rigid tour
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You don’t have to figure it out solo.
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Peru
Stop 1 - Lima
Barranco is the bohemian district of Lima and a great place for those who want to escape the busy city centre.
The area is known for its laid-back vibe, artisan coffee shops and huge colonial-era mansions that have been renovated into bars and restaurants. Make sure you visit one of the old mansions turned resto-bars and order yourself a Pisco Sour to celebrate and start off this 1-month itinerary.
Aside from Barranco, there isn’t much in Lima for backpackers so best to move on after a day or two and use your limited days in the more exciting places yet to come.
For a more detailed guide on Lima for if you decide to stay a little longer, check out my post below:
Stop 2 - Paracas
The striking coastal desert of Peru should be on every adventure seekers bucket list.
The protected area, spanning over 3,350 km², consists of rolling desert, jagged ocean cliffs and rocky islands populated with a diversity of wildlife.
You can explore the desert by bicycle, ATV, or guided tour on one day.
And on the other, a trip to the Ballestas Islands is well worth it. The islands are known as Peru’s Galapagos Islands and you can see whales, sea lions, penguins, and thousands of sea birds on a tour.
Stop 3 - Huacachina
After Paracas, it’s time to swap one desert for another with a visit to the famous oasis at Huacachina.
My favourite activity here is the dune buggy ride and sandboarding trip across the dunes.
After a day of adventure on the dunes, climb the tallest dune overlooking the town to watch the epic sunset to end the day.
Stop 4 - Arequipa
Arequipa is an underrated gem of a city bursting with beauty and charm.
With tranquil cobblestone streets, fantastic local cuisine, and great rooftop bars, all surrounded by a backdrop of picturesque volcanoes – the city has so much to offer travellers.
On top of this, this will be your starting point for trekking into Colca Canyon, the second deepest canyon in the world.
For more information on Arequipa, head to the links below:
“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.
Stop 5 - Cusco & Machu Picchu
Cusco is one of the most popular adventure hubs in all of South America and there are endless amounts of opportunities here for fun.
You should spend your first day in the city centre exploring and preparing to travel to Machu Picchu. If you fancy doing an activity, you can find several museums full of Incan artefacts and history, book on to a cheap massage, or go chocolate tasting.
There are also several great single-day treks you can do around Cusco such as Rainbow Mountain or Humantay Lake.
For more information on my favourite things to do in Cusco, head to the guide below:
That’s the first section of this Peru, Bolivia & Chile itinerary. One country ticked off.
Now it’s time to visit Bolivia!
After Cusco you can then get the bus into Bolivia and straight to Copacabana which takes around 10-12 hours.
For more Peru backpacking itineraries, check out our popular curated itineraries from 10-days to 1-month:
Bolivia
Stop 6 - Copacabana
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, the largest island on the lake.
Stop 7 - La Paz
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 (known as the easiest 6000m mountain to climb in the world).
When wandering around you will see the impressive cable cars and their lines stretching out to every corner of La Paz.
Some routes will go as high as 4,000m (13,000 ft) above sea level, and it’s a great see more of La Paz and get incredible views of the city.
Stop 8 - Uyuni
Your next stop is to the town of Uyuni, most famous for the beautiful Salt Flats.
Book yourself onto a 3-day tour of the Salt Flats. I recommend Salty Desert Adventures for their excellent guides and competitive prices.
- Day 1 is spent on the actual salt flat taking the all-important perspective and reflection photos for the gram, before spending a night in the famous salt hotel – a hotel made entirely of salt.
- Day 2 takes you out across the high-altitude desert to see even wilder landscapes such as volcanoes, geysers, and beautiful high-altitude lakes full of flamingos. I’ve never seen landscapes like this and my mind were constantly blown with each new thing I saw.
- Day 3 takes you to a couple more sights before dropping you at the Chilean border
This is one of best tours in the whole of South America and shouldn’t be missed.
For more on the Uyuni Salt Flat Tour including the best tours companies and what to pack, head to the guide below which has all your information:
One of the great things about a salt flat tour is that it also includes your transportation to Chile!
The tour ends on the morning of the third day and drops you at Chilean border which works perfectly for this 1-month Peru, Bolivia, and Chile trip. From the border you can take a short 45-minute bus to the town of San Pedro De Atacama where your next adventure awaits. Nice and easy!
If you prefer to stick to one country and see more of Bolivia, then check out our extended itineraries below to see how it can work:
Chile
Stop 9 - Atacama Desert
Your mind may have just been blown with volcanoes, high-altitude lagoons, and surreal landscapes on the salt flats tour, but it doesn’t stop there.
Just across the border, the Atacama Desert still has some incredible landscapes worth checking out.
Why not rent a car and explore it yourself this time?
You can head to the Valle de la Luna to see strange rock formations eroded over millions of years or float in the tranquil salt lagoons of the desert surrounded by mountains and volcanoes.
My Atacama Desert itinerary has all the information you need on how to rent a car, avoid expensive tours and drive to the best places in the desert:
Stop 10 - Santiago
Santiago is a long drive from Atacama so best to take a short 1-hour flight down south instead.
Once in the capital you can start with the walking tour to get your bearings and then visit one of the several museums Santiago has to offer.
For any extra days you wish to stay, you can take day trips outside of the city to Valparaiso, go trekking in the mountains or head to one of the many vineyards to try the best of Chilean wine.
“Joe saved us so many hours of research and planning. His expertise turned our stress into a clear, custom itinerary we could actually enjoy.”
Maeve & Martin – 6 Weeks 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
✔ 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.
1. Highlights Itinerary For Peru, Bolivia & Chile
If you aren’t on a budget and want to see more of the highlights of South America such as Chilean Patagonia, then this is the itinerary for you.
It skips the long bus journeys for flights and covers southern Chile, ticking off the best sights in Patagonia.
Here’s the breakdown of this South America itinerary that covers the highlights of Peru, Bolivia and Chile:
| Stop | Location | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Lima |
Miraflores, Barranco, Cooking Class |
|
2 |
Cusco |
Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, Sacred Valley |
|
3 |
La Paz |
Death Road, Lake Titicaca Day Trip |
|
4 |
Uyuni |
2-Night / 3-Day Salt Flat Tour |
|
5 |
Atacama Desert |
El Tatio Geyser Field, Valley of the Moon, Salt Lagoons |
|
6 |
Santiago |
Walking Tour, Winery Tour |
|
7 |
Pucon |
Villarrica Volcano |
|
8 |
Puerto Varas |
Chiloe Island, Osorno Volcano |
|
9 |
Puerto Natales |
Torres Del Paine National Park |
Stops 1-6 - Lima to Santiago
For stops 1-6, you follow the same route set out in the previous itinerary but cut out a few stops.
Take flights between each city to make this part of the trip efficient:
Lima > Cusco > La Paz > Uyuni
Then use the Salt Flat tour to get to the Chilean border before heading from Atacama to Santiago.
Stop 7 - Pucon
Pucón is the adventure capital of Chile, and there’s so many great activities on offer in this city including horse riding, kayaking, volcano trekking and much more.
One of the best hostels in the country is here – Chili Kiwi Hostel which won Hostel World’s Best Hostel in Latin America in both 2017 and 2018.
This hostel is in an unbeatable location on the shore of Villarrica Lake, directly opposite the majestic Villarrica Volcano and only a short walk from downtown Pucón.
The hostel has a nice garden with swings, hammocks, and treehouses where you can catch sunsets over the lake and volcano.
To see a detailed itinerary breakdown, check out my guide below:
Stop 8 - Puerto Varas
Puerto Varas is a charming lakeside town in Chile’s Lake District, known for its German-style architecture and stunning views of Osorno Volcano.
Walk along Lake Llanquihue’s promenade or rent a kayak to paddle its calm waters.
Head to Petrohué Falls for powerful rapids surrounded by lush forest, or take a day trip to Osorno Volcano for hiking or snow sports.
In town, explore local cafes and shops, or visit the Museo Pablo Fierro for quirky artwork and lake views. It’s a great base for outdoor adventures without the chaos of larger cities.
The lake district of Chile is one of the many reasons why visiting South America is well worth it. For more great reasons, head to the post below:
Stop 9 - Puerto Natales and Torres Del Paine National Park
You can use Puerto Natales as a base to travel into Torres Del Paine for day trips, but I highly recommend the W-trek.
This 5-day self-guided trek takes you in the shape of a W – in, out, and around the beautiful Cordillera Paine mountain range.
There are multiple ways to visit Torres del Paine, from bringing your own camping and cooking gear, renting camping gear at each camp site or staying in the refugios (the hostel style accommodation with beds).
If you would like to see some alternative but equally incredible South America itineraries that include Patagonia (Chilean and Argentinian), check out the post 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.
