SOUTH AMERICA ITINERARY- FEMALE SOLO BACKPACKER

Early this year I had my  most ambitious travel yet. I backpacked South America alone for more than a month. I had wanted to stay longer but my vacation leave would not allow me.

"I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.” – Rosalia de Castro

A post shared by ilocana wanderlust (@wanderwitharmie) on Mar 17, 2017 at 6:21am PDT

Why ambitious? This part of the earth is  still considered as uncharted path for most Filipinos. First, from the Philippines you need to travel halfway around the globe just to reach the nearest South American country. I flew  from Italy so that cuts it to half of the travel time. Add to that the costs of travelling around the continent. The question about security and will I be able to adopt to the environment especially to the high altitude places? And not  to forget the language barrier.  

Take me back! #machupicchu . - - - - - #wanderwithmie #unescoheritage #discoveryourselfinperu #visitperu #discoveryourselfinperu #ig_peru #travelgram #travelstoke #travelphotography #iphone5 #worldplaces #WorldNomads #passionpassport #suitcasemag #travelandleisure #traveldrops #natgeotravel #natgeoyourshot #ShotoniPhone #shotonipnone

A post shared by ilocana wanderlust (@wanderwitharmie) on Jul 17, 2017 at 11:36am PDT

 In spite of all the apprehensions, I  can say that “ I MADE IT”. I had one of the best travel experiences so far. I gained new friends and finally checked  off my bucket list. Well, some in my very long bucket list.

My first stop was Rio de Janeiro just in time for the Carnevale. Then I went all the way to Mexico, which by the way is already part of Central America.

Me on top of the Temple of the Moon. The pyramid in the background is the Temple of the Sun. - - - - - - #wanderwithmie #pyramids #templeofthemoon #templeofthesun #mexico #ig_cdmx #ig_mexico #teotihuacanpyramids #teotihuacan #backpackingsouthamerica #solotravel #solotraveler

A post shared by ilocana wanderlust (@wanderwitharmie) on Jun 22, 2017 at 6:18am PDT

So here is my   itinerary that started and ended in Rome. This is only an outline of my itinerary.  I will have a separate posts for more detailed information of my trip. 

Day 1 - Flight from Rome to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Day 2 - Early morning arrival in Rio de Janeiro . In  the afternoon I joined the “Rio de Janeiro city tour”. I met 4 fellow                     Filipinos .  Like me,  they are also based from different parts of the globe. Surprisingly, after the tour we found out that we     were all   staying in the same hotel. 

Day3 -  AM - Guanabra bay Cruise Tour

    PM - Docks Walking Tour

Day 4 - AM - Early Access to Cristo Redentor followed by Sugar Loaf Tour.

             7PM -my Sambadrome transfer picked me up at the hotel lobby for the Carnevale.

Day 5 -  2AM -   dropped off from Sambadrome

              13:40 PM flight to Iguasso. My plane was delayed for more than 3 hours. 

Day 6 -  Whole day Iguasso falls DIY tour.

Day 7 -  Iguasso Bird Park 

Day 8 -  AM     Foz de Iguaco city tour

             PM 16:35  flight to Sao Paolo

Day 9 -   Sao Paolo Old Town Walking Tour  after the tour I roamed around Sao Paolo with 4 other  world travellers.

Day 10 AM  - walking tour around Villa Madalena

            PM - I should be joining the Paulista Avenue walking but I didn’t made it to the meeting point because it rained. 

            22:40 PM took the airport bus for my early morning flight.

Day 11 - 05:55 AM flight to Lima, Peru

                          Met a Korean in the airport who was also looking for someone to share a taxi going to the city centre. We explored the city for a few hours.

PM - City and Fountain Tour. 

 Day 12 - AM  Historical city walking tour , this was the most disappointing walking tour I had ever joined so far. I will tell                         the  story on another post.

                PM - Miraflores and Barranco Walking Tour.

Day 13 - AM Pick up by Peru Hop. Detailed info on my Peru Hop experience will be on another post.

Day 14 - Paracas/ Huacachina

Day 15 - Huacachina/Nazca

Day 16 - Arequipa

Day 17 - Arequipa/Cusco

Day 18 -  Cusco

Day 19 -  Sacred valley

Day 20 -  Machu Picchu

Day 21 - Cusco

Day 22 -  AM Puno, Peru / Copacabana, Bolivia

10PM arrived in La Paz, Bolivia

Day 23 -  AM     went around La Paz city

15:45 PM flight Uyuni

Day 24 -  Uyuni - salt flats tour

Day 25 -  17:05 PM flight back to  La Paz

Day 26 -  La Paz city tour

Day 27  AM 3:35 -   flight to Quito, Ecuador

       6:17  -    stop over for 14 hrs  in Bogota, Colombia. I went out of the airport for my booked tour.

PM 20:20 - 2nd leg flight to Quito

Day 28  - AM Walking tour

PM Middle of the world tour

Day 29 -  Bus ride to Banos

Day 30 - AM - Treehouse tour

PM - Falls Tour

Day 31 - Bus ride back to Quito

Day 32 - AM             - Presidential Palace Tour

      PM 18:29   -flight to Mexico

Day 33 - AM -Mexico City

PM- Cancun

Day 34 -  AM  -Cenote Tour

PM -Cancun city DIY Tour

Day 35  AM -Early Access to Chichen Itza

PM- went around Cancun

Day 36 -  flight to Mexico City

Day 37 - AM  - Pyramid Tour

PM - Mexico City tour

Day 38 - AM -  Hop on Hop off Tour

PM -22: 30 flight back to Rome

Day 39 - 18:35 PM Arrived in Rome

Day 40 - Rome day Tour