Solo Travel South America Expert Guide

Will you Travel to South America soon?

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Solo Travel in South America

To start this solo travel article I will show you seven principles to help you start your solo travel adventure with practical follow-up actions.

1. Learn to hang out by yourself

Backpacking alone helped me to learn how to hang out with myself more than ever before. I learned to truly enjoy the solitude along my journey.

On my solo backpacking trips I discovered that I’d rather be alone exploring South American cities than in unfulfilling relationships.

This may even sound quite glum to some, but I assure you this is not easy to do. Even more so when you’re used to being around people all the time.

Practicing being alone is what I’m talking about.

Staying in a party hostel in South America every once in a while is cool. But, if you’re thinking of doing solo travel in South America, remember that the more you travel alone, the more you’ll get to know yourself along the way.

Here are some things you can try:

I like to arrive at places a little earlier and explore at my own pace. I do this because I know others in my friend group won’t appreciate that.

So, while planning a trip to South America: get creative and understand that you will thrive knowing that you’re in control of your own journey.

2. Create a Plan or Itinerary

Nothing inspires me more than planning solo travel.

Using my spare time to search Google for safe cities in South America to travel to and planning is a fundamental piece of the solo travel puzzle.

The stories I got from people the first time I traveled to Mexico, you know, the ones about it being mega dangerous and how it wasn’t amongst the safest places to travel in Latin America and how I should definitely avoid it.

In the end, I went against the grain and ended up booking a one-way ticket to Mexico City with no idea of where I was going to stay or even how long.

By the way, (if you’re in your 20’s) I highly recommend you try this…

Buy a plane ticket based on a price you can afford with a location in mind. It’s random, but if you’re on a backpacker’s budget, it works.

Being location independent allowed me to work out dates, times and availability later. If you don’t currently have this type of freedom, you’ll want to monitor sites like Skyscanner.com often to find the best flights deals.

3. Random Travel

Can’t decide where to go?

In the past, before I had the idea of strategic travel, if I couldn’t decide on a place, I’d just book a ticket to a country that I never imagined I’d go.

For example, I did that when I decided to go backpacking around Colombia and just worked out the rest when I got there. In fact, Colombia turned out to be the best place to visit in South America, for me. I loved it.

It sounds silly to me now, after thinking so much about strategic travel and being more careful with my time, but you have to start with random travel to be able to work out a travel rotation that works best for your life.

The reality… I’ve found random travel a way to get out my comfort zone, and it forces me to be a more responsible backpacker as a result.

Some simple things you can try:

If you’re constantly wondering whether South America is safe or not, I suggest you skip countires like Brazil and Argentina and take a look at the Gringo Trail with a focus on the smaller more manageable countries.

For example, why not take a look at countries like Uruguay or Chile? which are said to be the safest countries to visit in South America so you can start to explore those. That way you can begin to get a feel for the continent.

Both of the aforementioned countries are considered the safest in South America. There is also Ecuador too, which has a great reputation for safety.

4. Find your Purpose

After my first South America solo travel trip, I wrote about my comfort zone challenge on this blog and my ideas on traveling with a purpose.

I called them trips of growth. Knowing what you want to achieve from backpacking solo and considering the results upon return, anything from learning a new language to making friends or becoming a better human.

Here are some practical things you can try:

5. Connect with Like Minded People

I can tell you that backpacking through South America alone isn’t as hard as you think. I realized this because meeting new people is easy.

However, meeting like-minded people isn’t. Social networks and online communities can offer great tools for connecting with the right people.

6. Be a travel hero

Looking back, I wish I’d done more of this early on. You can do it from the start. Some of my best solo backpacking trips have been made memorable because of the interactions and shared experiences along the way.

As a man backpacking solo in South America, I would say that you can connect with both men or women as easily as you would in your hometown, if not even easier, thanks to the region’s friendly culture

Here are some things you can try:

When I travel alone in South America, I’ve noticed how like-minded people tend to stick together in their own groups, especially in hostels and cafes.

Bear this in mind when connecting with new people for the first time.

When you finally do decide to travel alone to South America, remember this; it pays to be in the right place connecting with like-minded people.

Whether that be doing some Tango lessons in Buenos Aires, hiking in Arequipa during a trip to Peru or sunning on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, connecting with new people is something that you can control.

7. Learn How to Talk to Strangers

Talking to people in the street is an idea I love, but before I started solo travel, it was a major challenge for me and now it feels completely normal.

It’s through solo travel in South America that I’ve leared to be more social, whether that by doing tours, attending events or Spanish meet-ups.

I suggest connecting with locals by confessing your love for their country, food etc, as a good place to start when on the road. It sparks genuine warm conversations and deepens cultural understanding every time.

You can even get into the habit of doing this before you travel to any new place. The best way is by using social media or by looking for homestays.

Here are some things you can try:

Traveling solo and learning how to be alone is a challenge. If you’re a social person in your everyday life, you won’t have a problem meeting new people in the world (where friendships can form almost effortlessly).

Accommodation In South America

Where you stay in South America is an important topic of discussion. It’s paramount to having a smooth experience and can shape your journey.

Also, how much you pay can also be end up being a crucial factor that will contribute towards your safety when exploring unfamiliar places.

Consider this when weighing up which South American country to visit. I’ve found some of the best hostels in South America just by being super picky.

For all you frugal backpackers out there, you’ll be glad to know you can travel freely whilst maintaining smaller budgets with plenty of adventure.

I’m talking like spending as little as $10-$20 per day and, in some cases, less, depending on the country and city you’re in. See Colombia for ideas.

Honestly, while solo travel can cost a little more vs traveling with friends, don’t let that be the one reason why you dismiss traveling solo.

Hostels in South America (Pay less)

Try to remember that the less you pay, the higher the chance of being subject to some kind of petty theft or perhaps a health-related issue.

Yes, bed bugs exist in South America.

This is why when backpacking South America you must be smart. Most beginners who start backpacking love the idea of staying in hostels.

Me too – I loved it – in my first few years of traveling alone in South America, all I wanted to do was meet people and have fun.

As I became wiser and more refined with my adventures, I started to seek out alternative options, although I’d still stay in hostels from time to time.

Have a read of this guide to see ideas on what countries and cities to visit if you’re currently looking for more specific solo travel routes to embark on.

Staying with Locals

I’d find mixing it up with staying with locals and renting my own apartment gives me a well-rounded experience. I talk about this strategy in my Latin America Travel Bible which I am currently working on at the moment.

When you do the maths, you’ll find that it can be more cost-effective to rent out an entire apartment or, even stay in a boutique hotel.

One of the first places I did this was in Mexico, then Guatamela before heading to Colombia and staying with the Paisas who later adopted me.

I like to carry something to break the ice with my hosts. It could be a fun board game or an English souvenir that works as a gift, but also a talking point. This is something for you to consider while you’re trip planning.

Is South America safe to travel alone?

The quick answer to this question is yes!

By following my travel tips, you’ll find yourself traveling with more purpose and reason, which will help you to avoid situations that can lead to danger.

We’ve all seen those travel quotes that say follow your gut instinct, take more risks etc. There’s a good reason why they resonate with us in these moments. I believe that many of them even lead me to personal growth.

We can’t avoid danger by reading the latest travel guides, or traveling more consciously and purposely alone. But by doing so, we can learn something new and reduce the risk of danger by up to around 80%.

Safety checklist

I trust that your South America solo travel trip will be a safe one but below I’ll share some quick-fire tips for making your journey even smoother.

The people you’re likely to encounter are generally welcoming and respectful, especially once they know you, which eases safety concerns.

However, there are still some things I think you should know…

Here are some safety tips for solo travel in South America:

There are many unsafe places to travel in South America, just like any continent. This is why I suggest to keep travel gear down to a minimum.

The tips I’ve noted may sound obvious but can be easily overlooked in most situations, especially when you are in certain areas of the bigger cities.

Buses in South America

Let’s talk about those long bus rides in South America. I used to hear stories of buses getting hijacked and people getting robbed by bandits.

Although it’s possible that you could get your belongings swiped on a bus journey, this hasn’t happened to me while traveling solo in South America.

That is because of the following reasons:

If necessary, I carry a large travel blanket to conceal my belongings and find a way to tie my bag to the seat in front of me. Aim to carry a thick and warm blanket with you since it can get cold on the buses in South America.

I’ve had countless positive experiences riding buses in South America. I believe it’s 20% luck and 80% experience. I believe that also, because I have followed the protocols listed above without fail along the way.

💡Smart Travel Tip
Usually people who steal on buses work in syndicates so never let anybody tell you where to put your bag or where you should or shouldn’t sit.

In short, buses are safe as long as you pay for a 1st Class ticket. Scammers usually ride on the lower-class buses and fish for the easier targets.

South America Solo Travel Tips

If you’re thinking of doing solo travel in South America, I hope you’ve taken something away from this that you can implement on your upcoming trip.

I’m not advocating being a loner or having zero friends; I’m talking about getting more comfortable moving around the world by yourself.

My solo travel tips for South America come from years of experience, and are ready for you to try out on your own solo travel adventure.

Read more about South America on this blog to get more inspiration.