Currently, you can get almost all the information you need on the Internet. So why spend a place on a huge guidebook while traveling in South America? First of all, the guide is a great resource, even before you go on a trip! Use it to plan a trip, and keep it overnight to stay motivated and save money on your adventure. Secondly, management is always a great help in situations where the Internet or other resources are not available. How much do I have to pay for a taxi from the airport to the city? Where is the hostel in this abandoned town where I am the only English-speaking person within a mile? It’s always good to have a manual as a backup, even if you can’t use it every day!
There are many hiking guides in South America. Some cover the entire continent, others cover only countries, cities or islands in more detail. The type of book you want to buy depends on the organization of your trip. Do you plan to stay in the same country? Or just a city? Or do you plan to do all the chatter? If you are planning a long trip to more than one country. I recommend that you bring only a “Bible” guide that covers everything. Carrying too many books will take up a lot of space and put a lot of strain on your back. Basically it is 3 guides from South America, recognized as a bible for a backpack.
Lonely Planet – South America with little money:
“South America on a Budget” is probably the most popular book you can bring to South America, as well as a book that is considered the Bible. The book covers all of South America and contains information about everything from the main attractions to the restaurants of a small town in the outback. It is known that Lonely Planet books are very good in matters of housing, restaurants, entertainment, etc. The downside is that the book dries up a bit, there is only text and no images, and details of history and location can be a little scarce. However, this is one of the best books in South America, and one you’ll find in most people.
An exemplary guide to South America on a tight budget:
Rough Guides is a new, upgraded version of Lonely Planet. While Lonely Planet is focused on pure quality information, rough guides are harder to read and enjoy browsing. RG’s positives are top to-do lists for countries, inspirational photos, detailed historical information and guidebooks. The downside is that something is missing on the side of resources. Most offers seem out of date, and hotels/restaurants may be closed or moved. Rough Guides is a very good book for those who prefer the pleasure of visual reading and good background and historical information.
Guide to The Environmental Trails of South America:
The imprint is the old dog of this competition. Let’s go back to the 70s; The print was the first on all lists of guidebooks. After spending several years in the dark, they are now struggling to regain their position as the leading dog. And the new edition of 2010 is certainly new, but it still has some serious flaws. The new book Footprints contains a lot of detailed information about all the main locations and in many cases covers small towns in much more detail than the other two. Fingerprints The biggest drawback is unnecessary errors that should have been corrected before publication. Many maps are incorrect, and some sections of the core resources are out of date. They did a good job correcting a lot of mistakes in the new 2010 edition.
Choosing the best book for yourself, you really need to think about what you will use it for. Do you plan to use it only as a resource for restaurants, hotels and itineraries? Or you also enjoy reading information about cities, countries, etc. Find out what you want and choose the guide you need. And finally, if you plan to go hiking in South America in the near future, you will never be able to buy a guidebook early enough.