Packing for 3 months in South America
Not included: how to keep it all organized in your backpack.
I spent the last 3 months traveling in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. We spent time on the beach, in the jungle, the desert, and on the “highest” peak in the world at over 20,000 ft. We went from sea level to over 15,000 ft multiple times. I packed for efficiency, durability, and a wide variety of conditions. This is by no means a complete (you don’t care what brand toothpaste I brought) or even an ‘optimal’ pack list, but it’s what I brought, and hopefully it can provide you some advice and suggestions for a similar trip.
General Clothing
Traveling for almost 3 months in a wide variety of ecosystems means packing for flexibility. The big winners from what I brought were definitely my Prana Brion pants, which I easily wore more than anything else. The Super Mojo’s doubled as a great lightweight short and swim trunk. On the casual side, levis were nice to have for a change of clothes and chilling around hostels/cities. Flint and Tinder (aka Huckberry) makes some of the most comfortable clothes I own. As always, Ex Officio travel briefs are the ONLY underwear you should consider bringing. Worth every dollar.
- 4 t-shirts (definitely brought my Outbound shirt)
- 1 longsleeve (Flint and Tinder)
- 1 "dress" shirt (Marmot Windshear LS) Lighweight, looks good, and DOESN'T WRINKLE
- 2 pants (Prana Brion, Levis Jeans)
- 2 pairs shorts (Prana Super Mojo, Prana Brion Short)
- 3 pairs socks
- Hat (Outbound, duh)
- 3 pairs Ex Officio Briefs
Mountaineering Clothing
I covered this in more depth in my Ecuador Mountaineering Gear Kit. If you’re not doing serious mountaineering and backpacking, you likely won’t need the majority of this gear, or possibly just a subset. This is the gear I wore in pouring rain while trekking at 14k ft in Colombia, at over 20,000 ft while climbing in Ecuador, and in the snow while hiking in Peru.
- Rab Murztag hardshell
- Rab Continuum hoody
- Rab Vector Softshell pants
- Under Armour ColdGear Reactor hybrid
- Under Armour 2.0 base top and bottom
- 3 pairs socks (Smartwool PHD, REI expedition weight, Mountain Standard Utility)
- Revo Traverse Glacier Glasses
- Beanie, Neck Buff
- 3 pairs gloves (Lightweight liners, Outdoor Research Stormtracker, Black Diamond Soloist)
Footwear
I wore my Chaco sandals almost every day in Colombia (and the Galapagos). When the weather cooled down a bit in Ecuador/Peru, my Lems were an everyday choice and the Vasques for bad weather and hiking. I was super impressed with the lightweight/waterproof combination of the Vasque Monoliths. I put these through the ringer on some pretty wet and rugged trails and never had any problems with durability.
Other Accessories/Gear
I tested some Thule backpacks for this trip and was incredibly impressed. 88L is definitely way too much for general travel backpacking, but it was nice to have the space since we were carrying a bunch of mountaineering-specific gear as well. I used the 35L Stir as my every-day daypack and as a summit pack. My Thermarest bag and pad kept us warm in all conditions (even my girlfriend, who is the coldest sleeper I know). Was warm and toasty even when sleeping at over 15,000 ft. Because I was writing and editing photos on the go, the Macbook Pro was a must have. I’ve shot with a Sony system since the A7 was released, and have never regretted the switch. Definitely worth carrying the extra batteries though, as that is the one downside of Sony cameras right now. I had several lenses, but really used the 24–70mm most of the time. The most versatile lens length for travel shooting. BRING TWO BACKUP DRIVES AND CONSTANTLY BACK UP YOUR PHOTOS. Trust me. You won’t regret it. I brought the DeLorme mostly to make my mom happy. It's one of those things you probably won't need but will never regret having if an emergency actually happens.
- Thule Guidepost 88
- Thule Stir 35L
- Thermarest Questar 3-Season Sleeping Bag
- Thermarest NeoAir Xtherm pad
- REI Quarter Dome 3 tent
- Macbook Pro 13"
- Sony A7 (16–35mm, 28mm 2.8, 24–70mm, 4 batteries)
- 2x 1TB external hard drives
- External battery charger for phone
- Phone/computer charging cords
- Revo sunglasses
- Garmin Delorme Inreach
We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
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