South America; Chile North through Columbia?
 

A couple of friends and I are planning a ride from Santiago Chile north to the top of South America. Some say Columbia is much too dangerous... Any new information??? If Columbia is a no go, does anyone know any routes through brazil and Venezuela to Caracas? We are planning this for January 2003. This is a culmination of an adventure from tip to tip, North America to South America. Thanks, Sparerib

Hai Spare-rib,

I personally think Colombia is not to bad. Lonely planet state's that most of the bad publicity is highly overated. You just need to be sensibel. Also I heared from some travelers that Colombian people are very nice and friendly.
Ofcourse there is always a risk.
But... check out www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/south_america/colombia/
and decide yourself.

There are route's to Caracas through Brazil, but I have heared they are in bad shape.

Keep in mind that what I am telling you is only what I have heared, and although the sources are reliable, it still is second hand info.

A good piece of advice is to learn spanish. This realy helps when you might get in a hard spot, and is great to be able to talk to the locals.

I'll be there myself somewhere march 2003, trying to find an overland route to panama.

Maybe CU then

Maarten

gidday mate!

my mate mario and i just travelled through colombia last week. we took the following route: quito - pasto - cali - ibagué - bogotá - bucaramanga - cúcuta - venezuela.

although the people, the landscape and the roads are simply awesome, the situation is NOT. during our time there another 30 people were kidnapped on the panamericana, an ex-minister afterwards executed.

the head of security of unicef colombia said he would have forbidden us to travel through his country if we had been employed by them instead of being volunteers.

if you decide to do the trip regardless, start travelling at 6am or earlier and be off the road by 4pm. keep a low profile and do not leave the main roads.

if you need any more specifics, just mail me!

cheers, d
official ambassador for unicef nz www.2-mad.com