Explore the breathtaking Andes mountains in Torres del Paine, Chile, with dramatic skies and untouched nature.
| |

The Best Hikes in Latin America for Travelers (Not Just Mountaineers)

ByJordan

Some links may earn Jet Set LatAm a commission at no additional cost to you. Recommendations remain editorially independent.

You do not need ice axes or a summit résumé to hike some of the most beautiful terrain on earth. The best hikes in Latin America for travelers reward good shoes, decent fitness and a willingness to start early, not technical skill. These are the trails that deliver the big views without asking you to become a mountaineer first.

Peru: Inca Paths and Rainbow Ridges

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu remains the region’s most famous trek for a reason: stone stairways, cloud forest and ruins that you can only reach on foot, ending at the Sun Gate. Permits are limited and must be booked through a licensed operator, so this is one to plan months in advance. Note that the trail closes each February for maintenance.

For a single, very high day, Vinicunca, better known as Rainbow Mountain, is a popular early-morning trip from Cusco. The striped mineral slopes are the reward, but the altitude is serious, so give yourself a few days to acclimatize first.

In the south, the Colca Canyon trek from Cabanaconde descends to the green Sangalle oasis on the canyon floor. It is a steep two-day outing that feels remote, with a decent chance of spotting Andean condors riding the thermals above.

Patagonia: Granite Towers and Glacier Lakes

The W Trek in Torres del Paine National Park strings together three valleys and the famous granite towers into a multi-day route with refugios and campsites along the way. Reservations for lodging are required, and park rules can change with the season, so check CONAF’s current guidance before you go.

Across the border, El Chaltén’s Laguna de los Tres trail ends at a glacial lake directly beneath Monte Fitz Roy. It is a long day with a punishing final climb, but you can start from town without a guide, and the payoff is one of the most photographed views in South America.

Ecuador and Colombia: Craters and Cloud Forest

Ecuador’s Quilotoa Loop links small Andean villages over several days and finishes, if you choose, at the rim of a turquoise crater lake. Guesthouses along the way make it easy to hike light, and the route can be shortened to a single stage.

In Colombia’s coffee region, the Valle de Cocora near Salento is gentle enough for most travelers. The loop climbs through cloud forest to hillsides dotted with towering wax palms, Colombia’s national tree, and it works as an easy day trip.

Costa Rica: A Summit Without Ropes

Cerro Chirripó is Costa Rica’s highest peak, and reaching it is a long, steady hike rather than a climb. Most hikers overnight at the base lodge and push for the summit before sunrise, when clear mornings can reveal both the Pacific and the Caribbean. Entry is reserved in advance through SINAC.

How Hard Are These Hikes, Really?

Difficulty varies more than the photos suggest. Cocora Valley and the shorter stages of the Quilotoa Loop suit anyone who walks regularly at home. Laguna de los Tres, the Colca Canyon and Rainbow Mountain are full, demanding days, mostly because of steep climbs or thin air. The Inca Trail, the W Trek and Chirripó require stamina over several days, though porters, refugios and base lodges take much of the load off your back.

A good rule of thumb: if you can comfortably hike five or six hours with a daypack at home, you can enjoy most of this list with some preparation. Train on hills or stairs for a few weeks beforehand, break in your boots and practice with the pack you plan to carry.

It also helps to think about the rhythm of a trip. Mixing a demanding hike with rest days, hot springs or a city stop keeps legs fresh and makes the big days more enjoyable. Altitude hikes in Peru, for example, slot neatly around time in Cusco and the Sacred Valley, while Patagonian treks pair well with a lazy day of lake views and lamb asado in town afterward.

Hiking Smart

  • Acclimatize: spend two or three days at altitude before big Andean hikes.
  • Book the bottlenecks: Inca Trail permits, Torres del Paine lodging and Chirripó entry sell out first.
  • Pack layers: Andean and Patagonian weather can swing from sun to sleet within an hour.
  • Go with a guide where it is required or the route is unfamiliar.

Planning several hikes in one trip is easier when you can see them together. Save routes and plan the journey in Rallii, and find more ideas in our Scenic Journeys hub.

Plan your visit

  • Best time: roughly May to September in the Andes; November to March for Patagonia.
  • Getting around: most trailheads are reached by tour transfer or local bus from a nearby town.
  • Where to base: Cusco for Peruvian treks; Patagonia towns like Puerto Natales and El Chaltén for the south.
  • Booking tips: secure permits and lodging first, then build the rest of the itinerary around them.

Save these routes

The short list

Schedules, seasons and access change — check each operator before you go.

Rallii app screen

Rallii · from the Jet Set family

Save the journey. Plan the adventure.

Scenic journeys by rail, trail, mountain bike and snow — compare routes and build your own library of adventures.

Get Rallii ↗

Your next good read

Keep exploring with Jet Set LatAM

Go deeper into the destination or follow a shared interest through these stories.

Rallii app icon

Continue the journey in Rallii

Get the app ↗

Notes from the Jet Set world

A little inspiration.
A beautiful next trip.

New stories, city discoveries and the Jet Set edit, delivered to your inbox.

Free to join. Unsubscribe whenever you like. Privacy & disclosure

A little more Jet Set

Keep a little
Latin America close.

Beautiful places, good taste and stories worth opening. Join the Jet Set Letter.

Free to join. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy & disclosure

Planning this trip? Save the places you love and build your itinerary in the Jet Set LatAM app.

Download on the App Store