Advice on South American route and timings
 

Hi!

Up to now I have been hanging out in the Africa regional forum on this site. Having ridden down through Africa I've reached Cape Town and decided to carry on travelling in South America.

I’m hoping for some feedback back on a route that I have hastily thrown together. My plan is to ship the bike from CPT to BA in the next few weeks, hopefully arriving at the beginning of April.

Rough route and timings are as follows:

April – Buenos Aires, AR > Bahia Blanca > Bariloche > Puerto Montt, CL > Valparaiso > Santiago
May - Santiago > Mendoza, AR > Salta > Sucre, BO
June – La Paz > Cusco, PE > Lima > Piura > Guayaquil, EC
July - Quito > Cali, CO > Cartagena

I am aware Southern and Central Argentina and Chile will start getting colder during April. Apart from this I think that the seasons should be fine?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

R

You'll be fine in April if you have good gloves and wind protection. A couple suggestions: Don't miss the mtn route from Cusco to Lima direct through Huancayo. Huaraz in nothern peru is also a must see. I did the same route in reverse through BO and AR, but I wouldn't miss Uyuni and the salt flats. The coolest paved 40 miles ever is the Route 9 just north of Salta. It's like a go kart track! San Augustin and Tierradentro in Colombia are worth a side trip too. ...too many to list :)

Hi
I will be doing the same sort of route at the same sort of time (just south of Santiago at present but am going back to UK for a few weeks to see family etc).
If you are looking for company please let me know. I would quite like to ride these areas with someone. Arg & Chile are easy but not sure about these more northerly areas given some feedback i have had.

Thanks for the "dont miss" routes - all noted in my little black book!

Cheers
Delb

Miss and Don't Miss
 

R,

What are you riding. Are you OK with gravel?

YES, go thru Salta and Juyuy! In Peru forget going to Lima. And the PANAM is boring, boring, boring! From Puno go to Arequipa, then to Cuzco from there via Chivay and the Colca Canyon (Great riding!). Then do all of Peru right up the middle!

I have 30 years experience living and riding in Peru with info as recent as 50 days ago when I rode to Huaraz. YES, don't miss it! Your timing is perfect for Andes riding. It will be sunny and warm (70) at altitude every day thru August.

Four jems in Peru: (1) Andahuaylas to Ayacucho (2) German colony of Oxapampa in central Peru mountain jungle. (3) Huanuco to Huaraz (via road past the Pastoruri Glacier) (4) Ride from Celendin in the mountains to Chachapoyas in the high jungle.. AMAZING!

Ask anything about Peru...

Toby :mchappy::mchappy::mchappy:

cu260r0 and Toby, thanks for the great tips!

Delbert, yup some company would be great. I'll drop you a PM when I get to BA.

Btw, Im riding a BMW 1150 GSA. Gravel is not a problem, though for this trip I'll be on road tires, Metzeler Tourances.

Russell