Best countries for backpacking trips
The countries that score highest for backpacking travel on our editorial scale, with the best months and trip lengths for each.
4 min read · Updated 2026-08-01
If backpacking is the point of the trip, start with Colombia, Guatemala, India. All six below score highly for backpacking on the WhereWeGo 0–10 editorial scale.
Top countries for backpacking
Editorial score out of 10, with the best months and a sensible trip length.
- Colombia — 10/10 · best in Dec, Jan, Feb · 10–18 days
- Guatemala — 10/10 · best in Nov, Dec, Jan · 8–14 days
- India — 10/10 · best in Nov, Dec, Jan · 12–21 days
- Peru — 10/10 · best in May, Jun, Jul · 10–16 days
- Thailand — 10/10 · best in Nov, Dec, Jan · 10–18 days
- Vietnam — 10/10 · best in Mar, Apr, May · 12–21 days
About these scores
Travel-style scores are our own editorial calibration of what each country is good for, not an external ranking. They feed the trip finder alongside budget, weather, trip length, accessibility and who is travelling.
Recommended destinations
Colombia
Caribbean coast, Andean cities, coffee country and Amazon — at low daily cost
- Budget
- Affordable · ~$95/day
- Best months
- Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar · Jul · Aug
- Ideal trip length
- 10–18 days
Guatemala
Volcanoes, Maya ruins and highland colour
- Budget
- Very affordable · ~$85/day
- Best months
- Nov · Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar
- Ideal trip length
- 8–14 days
India
Himalaya to tropical backwaters — a subcontinent best travelled one region at a time
- Budget
- Very affordable · ~$80/day
- Best months
- Nov · Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar
- Ideal trip length
- 12–21 days
Peru
Andean archaeology, one of the world's great food cities, desert coast and Amazon
- Budget
- Affordable · ~$95/day
- Best months
- May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep
- Ideal trip length
- 10–16 days
Thailand
Cities, northern mountains and two very different coasts
- Budget
- Affordable · ~$92/day
- Best months
- Nov · Dec · Jan · Feb
- Ideal trip length
- 10–18 days
Vietnam
A long, food-obsessed country from karst bays to the Mekong Delta
- Budget
- Very affordable · ~$70/day
- Best months
- Mar · Apr · May · Nov
- Ideal trip length
- 12–21 days
Places to start
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