Backpacking Peru and Bolivia backpackr: 35 Days, Lima to Uyuni

Backpacking Peru and Bolivia on a budget of $30 per day across 35 days is the Andean bucket-list route that delivers Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, and the Uyuni Salt Flats without requiring a trust fund. Six cities across two countries, a cost structure that rewards careful planning, and landscapes that escalate from Pacific coast to 4,000-meter altiplano to the largest salt flat on Earth. Peru is the slightly pricier half (especially around Cusco's tourist infrastructure), while Bolivia brings some of the cheapest travel costs in South America. All prices on this page are in USD.

Lima opens the route at sea level with what many consider the best food scene in the Americas. A ceviche lunch at a market stall runs $4 to $6, and the city's menu del dia (three-course set lunch) is $2 to $3 at neighborhood restaurants. Cusco is the route's gravitational center at 3,400 meters, where altitude hits hard on arrival day but the Sacred Valley, San Pedro Market, and Machu Picchu access make it worth every labored breath. The Machu Picchu ticket ($50 for foreign visitors) is the single biggest expense on the trip, but it's also the single most iconic sight. Arequipa, the white city built from sillar volcanic stone, offers Colca Canyon (twice as deep as the Grand Canyon) as a day trip and a food scene that competes with Lima at lower prices. Puno is the Lake Titicaca gateway at 3,830 meters, where the floating Uros islands and Taquile Island boat trips run $10 to $20.

Crossing into Bolivia, the budget drops noticeably. La Paz, the world's highest administrative capital, is built into a canyon at 3,640 meters with a cable car system that doubles as public transit for $0.30 per ride. Dorm beds in La Paz run $5 to $8 per night, and a full almuerzo is $1.50 to $2.50. Uyuni is the finale, where three-day salt flat tours ($100 to $150 including accommodation and meals) cross landscapes that look computer-generated: endless white salt, pink flamingo lagoons, and rock formations shaped by wind.

Hostel prices across the full route average $5 to $12 per night. Cusco's tourist demand pushes dorms to $8 to $15, while Bolivia rarely exceeds $8. Food follows the same split: Peru's tourist-area restaurants charge $5 to $10 for a meal, but local markets and menu del dia spots keep it at $2 to $4. Bolivia is consistently cheaper, with $1.50 to $3 meals being standard.

Ground transport for the full route runs $900 to $1,200. Peru's long-distance buses are comfortable (Cruz del Sur and Oltursa are reliable operators) with Lima to Cusco costing $25 to $40 for a 20-hour ride (or $50 to $80 for a flight that takes 1.5 hours). The Puno to La Paz border crossing is straightforward by tourist bus for $10 to $15. Altitude is the one factor that requires genuine planning on this route. Building in acclimatization days in Cusco and La Paz (at least one full rest day in each) is not optional. The Andes punish rushed itineraries.