The Gringo Trail: vaccines, visas & the UK traveller's prep guide
The Gringo Trail. Six weeks if you rush, six months if you don't, and one of the most variable trips on the planet - sea-level Lima to 4,000m La Paz to Patagonian glaciers to Buenos Aires steakhouses, often with a 12-hour bus journey between each. Most routes start in Peru (cheap flights, the Inca Trail, easing into Spanish), drop south through Bolivia's salt flats, then either jump east to Argentina or south through Chile depending on whether you're chasing wine or fjords.
The good news for British passport-holders: none of these four countries require a visa for stays under 90 days. The bad news: altitude sickness is the single biggest thing that derails this trip. Cusco sits at 3,400m, La Paz at 3,650m, Uyuni at 3,650m, Potosí at 4,000m - and you can fly straight into all of them. Yellow fever is required for entering certain Bolivian regions and recommended across the Amazon basin. Below is the prep that actually matters.
Country data is automatically refreshed from gov.uk Foreign Travel Advice, NaTHNaC TravelHealthPro and the UK government's IDP convention list. Editorial sections (intro, when to go, current health watch) are written and reviewed by Trek Ready. Not medical advice - always confirm with a travel-health professional before you travel. Read our full methodology →
At a glance
Tell us when you fly and we'll turn every lead time below into a real deadline - so you know exactly when each vaccine, visa and IDP needs to be booked.
Vaccines for the trip
A combined list of every vaccine NaTHNaC suggests for Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile - deduped, with the strongest recommendation across the route. Lead time is the longest course duration so a single appointment covers the whole trip.
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Hepatitis A RecommendedRecommended for Peru, Bolivia, Argentina·Consider for Chile
Free on the NHS for most travellers to higher-risk countries. A single dose protects for up to a year; a booster after 6-12 months extends protection to 25+ years.
Recommended for all previously unvaccinated travellers.
14 days lead time -
Tetanus / Diphtheria RecommendedRecommended for Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile
Most UK adults are covered if their last booster was within the past 10 years - check your GP record before booking.
Booster recommended if last dose was more than 10 years ago.
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Typhoid RecommendedRecommended for Peru, Bolivia·Consider for Argentina, Chile
Free on the NHS for travellers to higher-risk countries. A single injection protects for around 3 years.
Especially recommended for those visiting friends/relatives, young children, and long-stay travellers.
14 days lead time -
Chikungunya ConsiderConsider for Peru, Bolivia, Argentina
For ages 12+. Consider for outbreak areas, long-term or frequent travellers.
14 days lead time -
Dengue ConsiderConsider for Peru, Bolivia, Argentina
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Hepatitis B ConsiderConsider for Bolivia
Hepatitis B has only been part of the routine UK infant schedule since 2017 - most UK adults have NOT had it. A 3-dose course is needed (or 2 doses for the accelerated schedule).
21 days lead time -
Rabies (Pre-exposure) ConsiderConsider for Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile
Pre-exposure for those with high-risk activities, limited medical access, long stays (>1 month), or occupational exposure.
28 days lead time -
Tuberculosis (BCG) ConsiderConsider for Peru, Bolivia
Most UK adults born before 2005 received BCG through the schools programme. After 2005, BCG was only given to at-risk infants.
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Yellow Fever ConsiderConsider for Peru, Bolivia, Argentina
Recommended for travellers aged 9 months+ visiting Amazonian regions below 2,300m. NOT recommended for Cusco, Puno, Machu Picchu, Inca Trail, Lima, or areas above 2,300m. No entry certificate required.
10 days lead time
Source: NaTHNaC TravelHealthPro. Also worth consulting NHS Fit for Travel and the US CDC Traveller's Health.
Suggested prep timeline
When to start each vaccine course, counted back from your departure date. Multi-dose courses (rabies pre-exposure, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis) have fixed dosing intervals you can't shortcut - book your first appointment early.
- Rabies (Pre-exposure) · 28 days
- Hepatitis A · 14 days
- Typhoid · 14 days
- Chikungunya · 14 days
- Hepatitis B · 21 days
- Tetanus / Diphtheria
- Yellow Fever · 10 days
Current health watch
Yellow fever: A vaccination certificate is required for entry to certain regions of Bolivia (the Amazonian lowlands - Beni, Cochabamba, La Paz, Pando, Santa Cruz, Tarija departments below 2,300m), and recommended for travellers visiting Amazonian Peru (Iquitos, Madre de Dios). The vaccine needs to be given at least 10 days before entry to be recognised on the certificate. A single dose now provides lifelong protection under WHO rules.
Altitude sickness: Not strictly an infection, but the most common reason UK travellers cut a Gringo Trail trip short. Plan your route so you ascend gradually (Lima to Cusco is fine if you spend 2-3 days acclimatising before doing the Inca Trail or Rainbow Mountain). Acetazolamide (Diamox) is available privately in the UK for around £15 - start it 24 hours before ascending and continue for 48 hours after reaching altitude. Drink lots of water, skip alcohol the first 48 hours, and don't push it on day one. Altitude over 3,500m is a real medical risk for some people; if you have heart or lung conditions, talk to a travel-health doctor before you book.
Zika and dengue: Risk is present across lowland Peru and Bolivia (and northern Argentina and Chile) year-round. Dengue cases have surged across South America since 2024 - cover up at dawn and dusk, use a 50% DEET repellent.
When to go
South America's seasons are inverted from the UK's, and the continent is so long that one season doesn't cover the whole trip. The dry season in the Andes (May to September) is the best window for the Inca Trail, Salar de Uyuni and high-altitude hiking - it's also winter in Patagonia, when many trails and lodges close. October to April is summer in Patagonia (the only time you can really do the W trek in Torres del Paine or get to the Perito Moreno glacier easily) - but it's the rainy season in the Andes, with cloud cover that can ruin Machu Picchu and flooding that closes some Bolivian routes. The classic compromise: do Peru and Bolivia in May-September, then either fly home or head south to Argentina/Chile in November-March. Trying to do the whole circuit in one season means accepting that one half won't be at its best.
Visas & passports
Peru
Full guide →Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond arrival.
Bolivia
Full guide →Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond arrival and have 2 blank pages.
No visa needed for short tourist stays.
Argentina
Full guide →No visa needed for short tourist stays.
Chile
Full guide →No visa needed for short tourist stays.
Source: UK Foreign Travel Advice. Apply for any pre-arrival visas in plenty of time - eVisa processing takes 3-5 working days for most countries.
Driving & International Driving Permits
This route crosses multiple IDP conventions. A 1968 Vienna Convention IDP is accepted in 1949 countries, so if you need both, the 1968 covers you. UK IDPs cost £5.50 from PayPoint.
- Peru1968 Vienna Convention
- BoliviaNo IDP listed
- Argentina1949 Geneva Convention
- Chile1949 Geneva Convention
What to see along the way
Peru
Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail (book 4-6 months ahead), Cusco's Sacred Valley, Rainbow Mountain, Lake Titicaca, the Amazon at Iquitos or Puerto Maldonado
Bolivia
Salar de Uyuni's salt flats and the 3-day jeep tour to Chile, La Paz's cable cars and Death Road, Lake Titicaca's Isla del Sol, the Amazonian Madidi National Park
Argentina
Buenos Aires steakhouses and tango, Iguazu Falls, Mendoza wine country, El Chaltén and El Calafate for Patagonia, the Quebrada de Humahuaca in the north
Chile
Torres del Paine W trek, the Atacama Desert from San Pedro, Valparaíso's hills, Easter Island, Chiloé Island
The Gringo Trail: frequently asked questions
Do I need different vaccines for each country on this route?
Mostly no. Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile share a similar vaccine profile under UK NaTHNaC guidance, so a single travel-clinic appointment can cover the whole trip. commonly recommended jabs include Hepatitis A, Tetanus / Diphtheria, Typhoid. The combined list above shows exactly which countries each vaccine is needed for.
How far in advance should I start preparing?
Aim to book your travel-clinic appointment at least 8 weeks before you fly. For this route specifically, the longest lead times come from Rabies (Pre-exposure) (28 days) and Hepatitis B (21 days), so plan to start those courses around 12 weeks out. Visa applications and an International Driving Permit are quicker - allow 1-2 weeks for an eVisa and same-day for an IDP from PayPoint. The prep timeline above shows what to do when.
Can I do this trip on one visa?
No - each country issues its own visa or pre-arrival authorisation. Peru: check with the embassy; Bolivia: no visa needed; Argentina: no visa needed; Chile: no visa needed.
Do I need an International Driving Permit for this trip?
Only if you plan to drive yourself - hire cars and motorbikes alike. UK photocard licences are not legally sufficient on their own in any of these countries. This route crosses both 1968 Vienna and 1949 Geneva Convention countries. A 1968 Vienna Convention IDP from PayPoint (£5.50, same-day) is accepted in 1949 countries too, so a single permit covers everywhere. Note: most travel insurance won't cover a road accident if you don't hold the right licence and IDP for the country you're in.
Where can I get UK travel vaccines for this trip?
NHS GPs provide some travel jabs for free under the NHS schedule (typically: tetanus/diphtheria/polio booster, hepatitis A, typhoid, cholera). For this route, paid jabs you may need include Hepatitis B and Rabies (Pre-exposure) - charged privately even at NHS clinics, or available at private travel clinics like Boots, Superdrug, MASTA and local pharmacies. Boots and Superdrug publish their travel-vaccine prices online and can usually book you in within 1-2 weeks. Always cross-check the UK NaTHNaC list above against your destinations.
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