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While hiking itself may not be expensive, everything surrounding a hiking vacation certainly is: from booking flights to buying a ticket of plane. hiking permit to book accommodation on the bookends of your trip. But if you plan your adventure with airline ticket deals, exchange rates, and budget-friendly travel tips in mind, you can avoid a potential hit to your wallet.
We searched for flights from central Denver to affordable backpacking destinations around the world. We've also researched local travel tips to make your adventures in these destinations more budget-friendly. Here's where to travel in 2024 if you want to embark on a low-cost backpacking adventure that's worth every penny.
San Jose, Costa Rica
The agreement
Flights from Denver International Airport: From $394 round-trip
Exchange rate (at time of publication): 1 USD = 503.17 CRC
The best things in life are free, like hiking. And there are plenty of trails to explore in and around the capital San José, Costa Rica. During peak summer travel months, you can't beat flights under $400 from Denver that drop you off at the base of a dense rainforest covering the Cordillera mountain range. Talamanca. A favorable exchange rate for the Costa Rican colón also means your spending money will go further.
Hikes
Eolico Santa Ana Park; Tapantí – Macizo de la Muerte National Park; Braulio Carrillo National Park
Take a local hike in the lush Eolico del Valle Central Park, a 45-minute drive from downtown. You can get to the park by public bus for less than $2 one way, departing from Costado Sur Parque Beneméritos De La Patria. Be sure to hike the Pico Blanco por Ventoleras Trail (9 km loop) which will challenge you with over 2,300 feet of elevation gain but reward you with panoramic views of the valley.
For more rugged hikes, go to Braulio Carrillo National Park—one of the largest national parks in Costa Rica. The mix of high-altitude cloud forest and lowland rainforest caters for all styles of hiking, from the Cacho de Venado Trail (3.6-mile loop) up Barva Volcano to the Zurqui Trail sunken in the jungle (7 miles round trip). In a rain-prone climate, you'll salivate at the picturesque views of gushing waterfalls while sheltering under the enormous palm fronds, known as the “poor man's umbrella.”
Calgary, Canada
The agreement
Flights from Denver International Airport: From $340 round trip
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 1.37 CAD
Most people flock to Canadian Rockies to immerse yourself in the beauty of Banff National Park. But the trip comes with a hefty price tag, especially if you plan to stay a night or two in the heart of town or near Lake Louise before or after your backcountry sojourn. Instead, choose to start your journey to the trailhead with a stay in Calgary. The mountain-adjacent metropolis offers a less expensive option for day hikers willing to take a short trip to the trailhead, with all the benefits an outdoor urban hub has to offer: affordable public transportation, free festivals and access to an abundance of parks and green spaces. .
Where to hike
Bragg Creek Provincial Park; Spray Valley Provincial Park; Banff National Park
Between the foothills of Banff National Park and the vastness of the Canadian Prairies, nature surrounds Calgary on all sides. Day hikers can explore the eastern edge of Kananaskis Country by Bragg Creek Provincial Park on Telephone Trail (9.3-mile loop) or Elbow Trail (7 miles round trip), or hike deeper into the remote wilderness of Spray Valley Provincial Park along the Tent Ridge Trail (6.3 mile loop). National park purists or Banff-bound hikers can also take a $10 shuttle via On-site transit from Calgary to Banff.
San Juan, Puerto Rico
The agreement
Flights from Denver International Airport: From $219 round-trip
Exchange rate: USD
Enjoy the summer sun on the trails without spending a fortune. Flights to San Juan from Denver start at just over $200 in June and July. You can start your days on the trail early to beat the humid midday heat and end your afternoons relaxing at the beach. Camping is limited in this area of Puerto Rico, but you can save money by staying at an in-town hostel at Santurcia Youth Hostel ($79 per night) or by the beach Casa Coral Luquillo ($92 per night) in Luquillo, a small beach town an hour east of San Juan. You can also splurge and stay on the edge of the El Yunque National Forest at Rainforest Inn ($234 per night) with full bed and breakfast amenities and easy trail access.
Where to hike
El Yunque National Forest; Bosque Estatal de Carité
Take a short 62 km drive west of San Juan to a hiker's paradise: El Yunque National Forest. The lush rainforest landscape is full of hidden waterfalls, cool swimming holes, and foliage as far as the eye can see. Popular places for day hikes include the El Yunque Trail (5.4 miles round trip) to the summit of El Yunque Peak and the Tradewinds Trail (4.5 miles round trip), each showcasing the forests of misty clouds of the region, the paths overflowing with flowering foliage. , and a ground covered with moss. Travel a little further to Bosque Estatal de Carité, or Carite national forest. The hour-long trip south from San Juan is worth it for a short but breathtaking 1 mile hike through the rainforest to El Charco Azul, a radiant blue freshwater swimming hole 40 feet wide.
Lima, Peru
The agreement
Flights from Denver International Airport: From $439 round-trip
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 3.70 SOL
Hikers typically travel to Cusco, Peru to make the iconic pilgrimage to Machu Picchu and hike the classic Inca Trail. But you can cut the cost of your flight to Peru in half by opting instead for the capital, Lima, located 1,800 miles to the west. Characterized by its oceanfront hikes that resemble the coasts of California, you'll also savor Peruvian culture in Lima with affordable restaurants in town. Pro tip: Ask for the “Menu del dia” (which translates to “menu of the day”) to keep costs down. This style of meal typically includes a drink, soup, entree, and side for just 15 soles (or $4).
Where to hike
Reserva Paisajistica Nor Yauyos-Cochas and Zona Reservada Cordillera Huayhuash
Escape the city for day hikes and overnight camping in the trail-rich towns of Huancaya and Vilca to the east. Use the money you saved on a flight for a car: your best option for getting to the trailhead in nearby forested areas and nature reserves. It'll take you about 7 hours to drive through the Andes to get there, but the route is beyond beautiful.
Free camping is abundant in the Reserva Paisajistica Nor Yauyos-Cochas, also called the Nor Yauyos-Cochas Reserve. This reserve is known for its waterfalls which flow into turquoise lagoons surrounded by a backdrop of mountains covered in eucalyptus and topped with snow-capped peaks. Here you'll find primitive campsites at Huancaya, on the banks of the Cañete River, where you can sleep in creature comforts at Glamping Huancaya. Five hours' drive further east in the Andes, you can camp in the eucalyptus forests surrounding Vilca, on the edge of the San Cristobal and Cantagallo hills.
Head north of Lima to the Zona Reservada Cordillera Huayhuash to experience some of South America's most remote mountains in the Peruvian Amazon. Backpackers can take the famous Cordillera Huayhuash Circuit, a high-altitude pass flanked by dramatic mountain walls and piercing glacial lakes along the way.
Reykjavik, Iceland
The agreement
Flights from Denver International Airport: From $670 round trip
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 141.77 ISK
Iceland is certainly not the cheapest place to travel. But if you plan your adventure with budgeting tips in mind (like using public transportation and hiking instead of hopping from hotel to hotel), you can ensure a relatively affordable trip. From Denver, you should be able to fly to Reykjavík for less than $1,000 during the summer months of June and July. You can also take the Highland Buses Or Stræto buses to nearby towns and popular hiking trails, including the iconic mountain region of Thórsmörk, three hours southeast of Reykjavík.
Where to hike
Reykjanesfólkvangur Reserve and Thingvellir National Park
Skip the Blue Lagoon for day hikes in Reykjanesfólkvangur Reserve on the famous Búrfellsgjá Trail (3.4 miles round trip) and the cliffside Krýsuvíkurfoss Trail (3 miles round trip). The 30-minute day trip to the trailhead will reduce the cost of traveling across the country to more remote natural areas, but will offer equally stunning views. Búrfell Mountain, a famous tuya basalt volcano in this southeastern corner of Iceland, is a feature of the reserve. You can also travel to Hveragerði, south of Reykjadalur Valley, for hiking and camping via the Stræto bus. Immerse yourself in a thermal hot spring river in Reykjadalur and camp at Reykjamörk Hveragerði campsite for a cheaper stay. About 45 minutes northeast of Reykjavík, you can also explore the “heart of Iceland” – Thingvellir National Park – or travel further east to do the Laugavegur trek (34 miles point to point). This region of the Icelandic highlands is arguably one of the most stunning due to its landscape dotted with hot springs (great for swimming) and is surrounded by mountain ranges of multi-colored rhyolites and vast fields of basalt lava. Plan far enough in advance to reserve one or more of the famous refuges of Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls.
