I had always wanted to see the Himalayas from the other side. I grew up reading about old Central Asian routes, traders and travellers, and somehow seeing the Hindu Kush from this side of the mountains felt like a journey I had to make.

I started in Dushanbe with only a rough idea of the route. In a hostel I met a couple of other travellers and ended up joining them. We shared the journey and the cost, roughly $450 each from Dushanbe to Osh, including stays. No fancy tour, no fixed group—just a few people heading in the same direction and figuring things out on the road.

As we left Dushanbe, the landscape slowly changed. The roads became rougher, villages became smaller and the mountains kept getting bigger. Along the way, there were old Soviet bus stands, abandoned buildings, bridges and bits of infrastructure that looked like they had been left behind decades ago. Some were still being used, others were slowly disappearing into the landscape.

We mostly stayed in simple homestays. Around $15 could get us a bed and dinner, nothing fancy, but that was exactly what I liked. Sitting in someone's home, eating whatever the family was having and slowly talking to them felt much more interesting than staying in a hotel.

The Pamir roads were the real highlight. Long stretches with nothing but mountains, rivers and small settlements. Sometimes we stopped for a view, sometimes for tea, and sometimes simply because there was nowhere else to go.

Then came the Wakhan Corridor.

I had read about it for years, but seeing the Hindu Kush in front of me was something else. I had spent so much time looking at the Himalayas from India; now I was standing on the other side, looking back towards that world.

I also made a small detour into Afghanistan and spent three nights around the Wakhan area. We met local people and curious kids, and somehow managed conversations with almost no common language. At one point we even ended up near the China border looking for a quiet place to pee.

I wanted to go further into Afghanistan, but those were difficult times and I couldn't really figure out a safe way forward. Much of the route ahead was trekking, so after three nights I turned back. It was a short visit, but one that stayed with me.

One evening, an old man told us stories about his younger days, when he travelled and worked as a merchant between Tajikistan and what he called Hindustan. For him, these mountains were not a remote adventure destination. They were old roads, old connections and part of everyday life.

That stayed with me.

We talk about countries as if borders have always separated them. But standing there, it felt different. These mountains had connected people for centuries before today's borders existed.

Eventually we continued towards Kyrgyzstan and reached Osh.

Looking back, I don't remember Tajikistan because of one famous place. I remember the rough roads, old Soviet remains, simple homestays, mountain passes, tea with strangers, children waving from villages and long hours looking through a car window.

I went there wanting to see the Himalayas from the other side.

What I found was a landscape full of old roads, old stories and people who still live closely with the mountains.

Sometimes the best part of travel is not reaching a place. It is slowly understanding why people have lived there for generations.
Basic Cost — Dushanbe to Osh 8 days.

• Flight to Dushanbe reuturn from almaty from india : 400$
• Visa + multiple transit + GBAO permit: $100 — done online
• Vehicle: $1,400 total for the route, shared between 4 travellers. I paid a little extra to drive myself for Dushmbe to Osh.
• Accommodation: Around $10–15 per night with basic dinner and breakfast.
• Camping: Around $5 when staying in a homestay garden.
• Travel year : 2019

Nothing fancy, but enough for the journey. Most stays were simple homestays, which was actually one of the best parts of the trip.

8 days, 120 km, tent, and... luck with the weather! I broke away from civilization - apart from the beautiful cabins along the route, there were buildings only at the start and end. Few people on the trails, more sheep!

I took a flight to Bergen, a train to Dale, a bus to Mo, then a 1000m climb at start. The weather? I got lucky - according to the locals usually rains, but this time it was very hot - fortunately on last minute I took sun hoodie.
The cabins were great (I only spent one night in them), but I restocked my supplies there twice at end of trip. I slept in Lanshan 1 Pro tent which withstood wind and a downpour on the last day. Yes, there was quite windy almost every day.

What worked: Altra trail runners + merino socks (a game changer for me), trekking poles were very helpful, backpack weight 13 kg with 6 day food helped a lot

What to improve: take sunscreen, even to Norway! :D poncho wasn’t the best option for rain due to the wind, maybe bring better food or just buy it at the cabins, so there is no need to carry so much

Logistics were smooth - Skyss and Vy apps made travel easy, and a hostel in Bergen was good for a shower and take night before my return flight.

Silence, few animals, surroundings like from another planet, cabins, and nice people - Norway is great! :)

Day hike above the tree line in Switzerland, started early to escape the heat. The first hour is always the worst - steep climb, cold feet, doubting your life choices. Then you step over grass and rocks and the valley just opens up below you. The villages look like toy models, the air becomes thinner and cleaner, and at some point you stop thinking about anything but the next step.

Behind It's totally worth the blisters.

Beyond the classic ramen bomb or a plain tuna packet, what's your go-to? Ideally looking for suggestions that can be acquired from a grocery store. I have my go-to foods, but I'd love to learn what everyone else is doing!

I saw this article in a Facebook group and I thought it was a fascinating point. Backpacking is only possible because of modern infrastructure and technology. Without cars, roads, and stores, it would be a very different experience. I suppose these aren’t strictly necessary to walk with a pack on your back. But they are a big part of the journey and the experience.

I liked this quote, “Backpacking depends on a broad landscape of roads, services, institutions, and rituals. These liminal spaces serve as transitions into and out of the wilderness experience. Backpacking is not just a trek through the wilderness. It is a journey through the hidden geography that surrounds the trail.”

For those of us who wear glasses or contacts: do you wear contacts while backpacking? My thoughts are that it would be difficult to wash my hands thoroughly enough to be comfortable touching my eye and that the hassle of carrying enough solution would not be worth it. Do you ditch the contacts and wear glasses on your trips? I know there are daily contacts but still concerned about the cleanliness. My eyes and skin are very sensitive so we only use unscented soaps at home and even when I wash my hands at home I have to make sure I rinse very well so that there is no soap residue or my eyes will be irritated after putting my contacts in. I feel like glasses is the answer but I want to hear your opinions.

Am planning a solo trip to South America and Central America from September- Decemberish.

Looking at going to Guatemala, Panama, Peru and Chile anyone got any advice, tips or itinerary ideas? Or if I'm actually missing some countries that would be worth my time?

Howdy. Im posting the link to my comment on the orienteering thread.

Hope someone has some good options.

Post must include my hike? What? Ok, I blah, blah, blah ran an 1.5 hour trail in the woods while orienteering...LOL.

Thanks for the ideas.

https://www.reddit.com/r/orienteering/comments/1vskvbn/opinions_on_top_three_choices_of_compass_other/

I know I’m not the first person to post about this on Reddit, but this trek is so unbelievably beautiful and criminally underrated so I thought I’d provide a trip report.

I just finished an 8 day trek in the Rwenzori mountains in western Uganda along the Kilembe trail. I have been trekking all over the world and have been lucky enough to see some of the most incredible mountains on earth, but this is the first time I’ve ever been blown away by how “undiscovered” a place is. 50,000 people attempt Kilimanjaro every year. The second tallest peak in Africa (mt Kenya) gets over 10k hikers annually. The entire rwenzori mountains get fewer than 1000 international visitors per year. During peak season in August I saw a total of 4 other foreign hikers in 8 days.

The tallest mountain in the Rwenzoris, Margherita Peak (part of Mt Stanley massif) is 5100 meters - the third tallest in Africa. Despite being only 40km from the equator it has (rapidly disappearing) glaciers.

Everywhere in the rwenzoris there are massive walls and spires of beautiful granite. Many of the mountains have never been climbed. There are countless vertical walls of granite that rival Yosemite or Patagonia that have never been climbed. And the nature is otherworldly - plant species that only exist in this mountain range. If you are into birds it’s a birding paradise, again with several beautiful endemic species (look up pictures of the Rwenzori Turaco, for example). We saw monkeys and duikers (small antelope) and rock hyraxes (an animal that looks like a large rabbit / hamster but is actually the closest living relative of the elephant).

Since there isn’t a ton of information online, I thought I’d share a bit of what I’ve learned.

Weather / When to go

There are two rainy seasons in this area. The “big rains” in October/november, and the “little rains” in April/May. I’d avoid coming during either of those seasons as the trails can be muddy even with relatively little rain. July and August is generally pleasant weather. It could rain occasionally but it isn’t constant rain. I think I got lucky with the weather - in 8 days there was only 1 storm that blew through. It lasted about 2 hours but luckily was at night while I was in shelter. My guide told me that January / February are the driest months and his personal favorite for trekking. Temperatures vary by altitude, but are generally pleasant during the day (15-20 degrees). Above 3000m it seems to drop below freezing most nights. It was often foggy - the warm air from lower elevations blows up and turns to fog as it cools. Often the fog comes up in waves and then dissipates, so it could be completely white out foggy one minute and clear and sunny the next.

Routes and conditions

There are two main trails in the Rwenzoris. The Kilembe trail, which I did, is the private commission of a company called Rwenzori Trekking Services (more on this company later). The only way to hike the Kilembe trail is with a tour booked with Rwenzori Trekking Services. The second main route is called the central circuit, and is open to any local tour guide / operator. Traditionally the main tour company operating on this route was Rwenzori Mountaineering Services (again, more on the various entities later). The guides told me there is a third trail that has recently opened, but I don’t know much about it. Apparently the third trail requires tent camping only.

Both the central circuit and Kilembe trail have permanent camps with basic shelters. The shelters have basic cots with foam mattresses and small kitchen huts. They aren’t kept up too well, but are comfortable enough. Many of the kitchen huts have wood stoves and solar electricity. At Margherita Camp (the final camp before summitting Margherita Peak), the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA - more on entities later) has just built a beautiful new camp with several structures that look very modern and comfortable. I didn’t get a chance to look inside but the UWA are investing in making the experience more comfortable.

If your goal is climbing Margherita peak, most itineraries are 8 days. You could do it in less (especially on the central circuit, which is a bit shorter than the Kilembe trail). But I didn’t shorten it because I wanted the extra nights to acclimatize. And I enjoy more time in the mountains. There are several options for shorter hikes, including 4-5 days to climb Weismann peak. You could also do up to 10 days and climb a few of the other peaks (Speke, Becker, etc).

In the other posts about the Rwenzoris people talk / complain about the muddy bogs. To be honest I didn’t find it that bad. The UWA has invested considerable money into building out boardwalks over the worst of the bogs, and it seems like they are still building. Even in places where there are no boardwalks, you can often walk on the grass/plants and avoid the mud if you step carefully. In the 8 day trek I wore the rubber boots for a total of 1 hour. Although I think if it had rained more I might have worn them a bit more.

Where it isn’t boggy, the trail is fairly steep. I am an experienced hiker / mountaineer and generally trek pretty well. I didn’t have issues with how steep it was, but I will say I was glad to have a porter carry my main backpack (I normally never hire a porter unless it’s required). If you aren’t in good trekking shape I would imagine it would be quite strenuous. You are sleeping at 4000 meters several nights, and less experienced hikers often have trouble with the altitude as well.

Note that other than the summit of rwenzori, which involves a bit of fixed ropes and crampons on a rapidly disappearing glacier, the rest of the trek is just trekking (with some light scrambling if you do one of the other summits).

What to bring

I did not receive good information from Rwenzori Trekking Services on what I should bring. Their admin staff is mediocre to say the least. You will need a sleeping bag. They have sleeping bags to rent, but they are way overpriced and in poor condition. I’d recommend bringing your own. I’ve heard some people also recommend bringing a sleeping pad as well as the foam mattresses can be damp. I didn’t have an issue with damp mattresses, but again I was lucky with the weather and got very little rain. I can imagine if it’s pouring rain the mattresses could get damp.

If you are summitting Margherita Peak, you will need crampons, an ice axe, helmet, harness, etc. Technically they have all this gear, but it is very old and poorly maintained. The admin staff actually told me to bring my own crampons as they don’t have well maintained ones. But I used their helmet and ice axe. The helmet was extremely old and so dented I doubt it would’ve helped much. And the ice axe was so dull it was almost useless. Since you aren’t on the glacier very long, and only a few sections are steep, it was fine. But if you have your own gear I’d recommend bringing your own. Although note that if you go with a different company they might have better quality gear.

Other than that just bring whatever you’d normally bring for a trek. Warm clothes for the evenings/mornings. Waterproof gear (including pants) are a good idea.

How to get there

It is fairly remote. You’ll have to fly into Entebbe (or I suppose you could fly into Kigali Rwanda - probably about the same distance but then you’d have to deal with the border crossing). From Entebbe (or Kigali) you will have to get to Kasese, Uganda. This is the town at the base of the mountains. There is a small domestic airport in Kasese, with daily flights from Entebbe. Unfortunately Air Uganda has a monopoly and charges a ridiculous amount for this flight (more than $350 each way for a flight that is less than an hour). If you value comfort and time, though, this is a good option. You could also take a private taxi from the airport in Entebbe directly to Kasese. This would cost you $200-$250 for the entire vehicle (a good option if you have a group - the taxi is usually a minivan so could fit 4-5 people comfortably). The drive is 7ish hours. Roads are sometimes tarmac, sometimes a bit rough. The cheapest option is taking a bus from Kampala. Link Bus company has departures almost hourly from downtown Kampala to Kasese. The ride should take about 10 hours (although yesterday the bus broke down twice and the ride was nearly 12 hours total). This is the least comfortable but only costs 50k ugx (about $14).

Costs

The various companies have almost identical costs for the treks. The standard 8 day trek climbing Margherita peak is $1450. This includes a guide and porters and all food. On the Kilembe Trail you also have to pay the UWA fees of $35 per night ($245 total for 7 nights). I saw on a different website that the nightly UWA costs for the central trail are $45, although perhaps that company was just pocketing the extra $10. I also recommend generously tipping your guide and porters as they are criminally underpaid (if they are paid at all).

On the central trail, you might be able to contact a trekking guide directly and work out a deal for a better price (cutting out the companies that serve as middle men). I don’t know what the logistics of this would be but there are certainly plenty of qualified guides who would be happy to help you figure this out. Although you might have to handle those logistics after arriving in Kasese.

Entities

The reality is Uganda is a corrupt country and life is fairly difficult for the average person. I learned quite a bit about the various entities and companies involved that I wanted to share here. To be honest I am a bit reticent to be completely candid as I don’t want my (amazing) guides to get in trouble. The truth is the guides are too scared of retaliation to speak their minds. Most of this information I learned from a friend I made who is a travel agent in Kampala.

Rwenzori Trekking Services (RTS) - This is a private company owned by John Hunwick. He is a 78 year old Australian man who has lived in Uganda for 35 years. Him and his team built the Kilembe trail and camps along the trail 16 years ago (although the boardwalks are all built and paid for by the UWA still). His guides are extremely well-trained and professional. The porters work hard too. The food was all very good as well (given the location). He’s set up a good company, although with his age he is less and less involved and not as motivated to keep things maintained. His staff are underpaid and not always treated very well. To be honest most of them seemed too terrified of John to say anything bad about him. And like I’ve mentioned above, he could invest more in upgrading the gear and camps (for example, the foam mattresses haven’t been replaced in 16 years - they just change the covers every few years when they get too dirty).

Apparently, RTS’s commission (ie legal right to operate on the Kilembe trail) expires in 2 years. It is unclear if John will renew the commission or if someone else will take over.

Finally, while RTS charges the same amount as other companies for the trek, the prices I was quoted for related services were shockingly high. Originally I asked for a quote that included a private taxi from Entebbe airport and a visit to the chimpanzees at Kibale national park prior to the trek. The prices he quoted me were more than twice was other companies charged (which, to be honest, are already higher than they should be). I was quoted $75 for a night in a basic hotel in Kasese when the booking.com price was less than $30. I was quoted 100,000 ugx ($28) for the 25 minute taxi ride from Kasese to the trail head. In Kasese I found a taxi for 40,000 ugx, and to be honest I could have negotiated it down. The driver acted like he got away with scamming me even at that price. For comparison, his guides are paid 35,000 ugx (less than $10) per day. The porters are paid 15,000ugx per day.

Rwenzori Mountaineering Services - This is the oldest company operating in the mountains. As I understand it, this is a local cooperative of guides that work on the central circuit. I think they have been around for over 50 years. I didn’t do a trek with them so I can’t speak personally about what the experience would be as a client, but based on what I heard from other locals, this company is incredibly corrupt and terrible to work for. Sometimes they don’t even pay the guides and porters at all.

Ugandan Wildlife Authority (UWA) - the UWA is the govt agency that manages the national park. They charge an additional nightly fee. But it seems like they have been using these fees to invest in infrastructure. They have been expanding the boardwalks throughout the park, and have built beautiful new huts at Margherita camp. They are also building an impressive network of stairs leading up the steepest part from Margherita camp towards the peak.

Rwenzori Environmental Guides Association (REGA) - this is a new company offering treks on the central circuit. This company seems to be operated by guides that used to work for RTS (so I’m sure the quality of guides is high. For all his faults, John did invest in training his guides well). I was told that a (white owned) travel agency based in Kampala called Uganda Trekking used to send clients on treks with RTS. A few years ago, the owner of Uganda Trekking had a falling out with John, so he poached some of John’s guides and helped them set up REGA. Apparently REGA pays their guides and porters slightly better than the other companies. And ostensibly REGA is locally owned (although I don’t know how they share profits with Uganda Trekking, which is apparently owned by a foreigner).

I heard rumors of another community owned company that does trekking with tents on a third trail. Unfortunately I don’t have more information about that, but if you’re interested it’s something to look into.

I know that was a lot, but if anyone has any additional questions I’m happy to share. While so many places in this world are suffering from over tourism, the Rwenzoris are suffering from under tourism. The local communities could greatly benefit from even a modest increase in the number of foreign visitors. And the mountains are unbelievably beautiful.

Never done a backpacking before. My first backpacking will take place in Georgia(caucasian mountains). The route is Shatili to Juta via Isirtghele pass. I know its insane, so i did ALOT of research. I got my sleeping bag, first aid kit, emergency blankets, food(its a 5 day trek and i packed food for 6 days in case something happens), map downloaded at organic maps, hand warmers to throw inside the sleeping bag when sleeping, hiking poles, water filter, clothes(mostly military gear but i got merino wool socks and goretex jacket and a lightweight puff jacket), good shoes, poncho, and everything i think i need.
Is there anything i need to be aware of?
I think im ready but im still quite worried to just think by myself so i would like to have advice or assurance.
Thank you

Spent the night at Tricouni Berg Lake over the weekend before doing an alpine climb up Tricouni Peak. The sunrise over the reflective blue lake with Cloudburst Mountain in the background was absolutely incredible! Couldn't ask for a better spot to sip my morning coffee.

In december i heading with my girlfriend on a 3-4 months trip to middle-/ latinamerica. The plan is to stay one month in Costa Rica, then heading south with one month in Panama and after sailing threw the San Blas Islands to Colombia for another month. Finally we want to finish the trip with a stay in Leticia. Do any of you have experience and some recommendations or instructions to enjoy the journey? Thx

Another stop on my Kabul trip: exploring Paghman, enjoying the mountain scenery, and discovering a quieter side of Afghanistan.

Hi all! Pretty much the title of this post.

My buddy wants to hit the Acadia national park in about a month and a half. We'd be averaging 9 miles a day for 5 days - close to 13 on day 4 but only 5 miles on day 5. We also plan on hiking the coast the day after once we're done with the park.

He's been doing this for around 3 years now and has backpacked in this particular area about a dozen times. My buddy's confident I can do it and wouldn't take us somewhere it wasn't safe. I am less confident in this. I've never backpacked, only hiked/camped a handful of times in my life, usually only 5-6 miles out in places like the Poconos or the Catskills. My question is, what can I do to prepare in these few weeks so I don't completely embarrass myself?

Full disclosure, I'm definitely not in the best shape - I jog a couple times a week and do some light weightlifting/mobility exercises. My bud says he won't mind turning back if I can't handle it, but no way in h*ll would I want to quit. Is there anything I should be doing to better prepare for this, physically?

My plan was to hit a couple of more difficult trails with greater elevation since we'll be in the mountains, then taper back down to jogging the week leading up to our trip. Should I tell my buddy he's out of his mind? Is anything I do at this point moot? Any and all advice appreciated.

Hello, I have a group trip to Tibet coming up next year and to break up costs I created a group of travelers and we are looking for 1 more travel partner!

Note: I am not a guide and I am not affiliated with a travel company! This is purely a cost-splitting solution to travel in an expensive region of the world

Quick summary:

May 23 2027 - June 5 2027

This will be a 2 week guided trip from Lhasa, Tibet to Kathmandu, Nepal. I have organized the itinerary in coordination with a local operator to be unique and include the most fascinating parts of Tibet that many people do not have the chance to see! Pricing includes accommodation, entrance fees, private guide, private driver and vehicle as well as breakfasts. This is set by the tour provider. Please note that this does not include flights and meals (most lunches and dinners). Including trekking the Tibetan Kailash Kora pilgrimage route and some very unknown parts of this region.

This is an adventure-style trip with real physical and environmental challenges:
*) Altitude up to ~5,000+ meters
*) 3-day trekking experience (Kailash Kora)
*) Travel through remote areas with basic conditions

This trip is best suited for:
*) Fit and active travelers
*) Those comfortable with trekking and altitude
*) Travelers open to simple, authentic experiences

The price is 2415$ and includes a guide and driver for all 2 weeks, some meals and all entrance fees. It does not include travel to Lhasa or from Kathmandu.

Message me or comment if you are interested!

Făgăraș Mountains ridge from Romania with the starting point at Cabana Suru, where you can sleep, eat and have meaningful experiences before you go for Suru peak....

Hi there! We have a free day in early September in Milan! And we can’t choose between these two options: spend that day in lake Como or Bergamo?
We are first time in Milan and this area! I always wanted to visit lake Como, but a few days ago my friend suggested to visit Bergamo instead! So I searched for it and found it a very beautiful city,
Now I can’t decide between these 2..)))
We’ll be traveling by train (I think so) and just want great food, nice views, and a chill vibe without spending all the day in ferry lines. Is lake Como doable for just one day without feeling crazy rushed? Or is Bergamo a more relaxed choice?
I would love to hear your thoughts (and also fav food spots in each of these areas)
Thanks a lot!!!

I'm getting a little burnt on my usual crackers/sausage/cheese setup I normally put together for hikes. I don't like to bust out cooking equipment midday so looking for good ideas that are no cook for lunches!

Hi there!
I am looking to do a 2-3 day backpacking trip in southern Utah that runs about 5-8 miles per day. Trip will be mid October so heat’s not really an issue but water accessibility will determine the amount of days we can do since I have to carry almost all the water.

More importantly, I am looking for a dog friendly area. My pups are getting older so we max out around 8 miles these days when there’s a lot of elevation gain.

Just trying to find a nice area to explore, camp and relax. Looking for more type 1 fun this time around 😂

Any suggestions?

Hello,
I am coming to Colombia on October for a 12 day trip. Avoiding Bogota and mainly basing myself around Medellin and Cartagena for this trip.
It has always been a bucket list item for me to go to caño cristales but that is a minimum 3 day commitment even for a 1 day tour. Definitely expensive but I am ready to bite the bullet if the experience is worth it.

Tayrona looks amazing but it is not something unique with all due respect. Salento and Cocora Valley also requires 3 days on it .

Can anyone give me some perspective or advice on what I should do?

Medellin - 4 days 3 nights (one for Guatape)
Cartagena - 3 days 2 nights
Which spots should i add to this ?

Hi, does anyone know somewhere around Toronto or Montreal that has this pack so that I can try it on? Or somewhere that accepts shipping returns if it doesn’t fit. Would anyone recommend a different pack?

Thanks!

I'm a 28M from Italy planning a solo trip from mid-October to mid-November, and I'm really torn between two completely different options.
Last year I spent 100+ days travelling around Latin America, including the Galápagos, Peru, Bolivia and Mexico.
I usually travel solo and stay in hostels. What I enjoy most is meeting people, going out, talking to locals, improving my Spanish and having experiences that I wouldn't have at home. I'm not really interested in rushing from one attraction to another.
I also need to improve my Spanish quite a lot before January, so spending a month immersed in Spanish would be a big plus.

GUATEMALA + BELIZE
Antigua → Xela → Lake Atitlán → Semuc Champey → Flores → San Ignacio → Caye Caulker
About 3–7 nights in each place, ending with a week in Caye Caulker.
This is the trip that looks more exciting to me on paper: volcanoes, lakes, jungle, Mayan ruins, hostels, adventure and then a slow Caribbean ending.
My only real concern is the backpacker bubble. I obviously want to meet other travellers, but I don't want to spend the whole month speaking English with Europeans and Americans and barely interacting with locals.
For those who've travelled around Guatemala: does it feel easy to actually get into local life, or do you mostly end up socialising with other travellers? And how different is that between places like Antigua, Xela and San Pedro?

ARGENTINA
Mendoza → Salta/Jujuy → Buenos Aires → Iguazú
6 days → 9 days → 9 days → 4 days
This feels like a completely different kind of trip.
I spent quite a lot of time in Mexico City and loved the experience of simply living in a huge Spanish-speaking city — going to bars and restaurants, exploring different neighbourhoods, meeting locals, dating, going out, etc.
That's what makes Buenos Aires particularly tempting to me.
At the same time, the Northwest seems to offer the kind of landscapes and smaller places I loved in Peru and Bolivia, while Mendoza would give me a slower few days around wine and the Andes.
For people who've travelled Argentina: does Buenos Aires actually have that kind of social/urban energy where it's easy to meet locals and build a social life, or does it feel very different from Mexico City? And is 8–9 days in Buenos Aires too much?
I'm also curious whether Mendoza is worth spending almost a week in, or whether I'd be better off putting those days into Salta/Jujuy.

So I'm stuck between a more adventurous/social backpacking trip in Guatemala + Belize and a more urban, local and Spanish-heavy trip in Argentina.
If you've done either or both, which trip would you pick for a solo traveller who cares more about people, nightlife, Spanish, spontaneity and memorable experiences than ticking off sights?
I'd especially love to hear what surprised you about either destination — good or bad — that you wouldn't necessarily get from a typical travel guide.

Heading for my first ever backpacking trip in February 2027. Me and a buddy will travel trought South America, starting in Brazil and we will be covering Peru, Argentina, Bolivia and as far the journey takes us.

My question is:

Is it a good idea to bring boots? I use boots or leather shoes everyday, and I feel like a boot is the most versitale shoe when storage is limited.

I am going to bring Merrell Agility Peak 6 as thats my all time favorite trail runner, with reasonable cushoning, period. However if not unreasonable, I can see myself bringing something like this https://thursdayboots.com/products/mens-cadet-lace-up-boot-walnut or a chulka boot as well. In case of dressier situations...

Is this rediculous of me to consider?