Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru

[Ribaros]

Hi everybody.
I'm planning to start the trip middle/end of April for a 3 or 4 weeks journey starting in Santiago, crossing to Argentina (Mendoza) and heading north to Villazon to cross to Bolivia. Next Salar de Uyuni, La Paz, Lago Titicaca, Machu Picchu, Nazca Lines and from there, back to Santiago via San Pedro de Atacama.
I am riding a Suzuki DR 650 and I'll like to meet someone to join me in the journey. If you are interested, please contact me to ribaros@hotmail.com

[motozen]

I replied to your email in spanish, not sure if your native language is spanish. Let me know if you don't understand or not interesed.
Raul

[Ribaros]

Hola Raul.
Si, mi idioma es espanol. No recibi tu correo. Trata de mandarmelo de nuevo.
Saludos,
Ricardo

[motozen]

Ricardo, podrias realizar tu plan "al inverso" es decir talvez empezar desde Nazca?
Yo puedo cambiar tambien el trayecto y tambien podria arrancar en ese punto y recorrerlo (viendo el mapa) en el sentido de las manecillas del reloj es decir del pacifico subir a los Andes y descender hacia Bolivia.
Si estaria bien para ti, escribe. Salu2
RG

[Gertmans]

Ribaros,

just sent you a mail. Let me know through mail or here if you got it or not as it seems you have trouble receiving your mails. In any case I'll be in Santiago in about three weeks, my rough guess. In Puerto Natales right now.

Let me hear from you.

Gert
KLR 650

[zaplaje]

me da mucha envidia saber que hay gente planeando viajes y yo no poder unirme. si no fuera por el trabajo ahora estaria escribiendo que me uno a ustedes...

el año pasado fui a cusco desde santiago, tengo algunas buenas rutas un tanto inexploradas entre Ilo y cusco, si les interesa haganmelo saber!!!

mi mail: zaplaje@hotmail.com

[jc]

I plan to be down in Santiago by mid to end April, so can meet up with any travelers. From Santiago we wil go south to Ushaia on the Chilean side of the mountains as far as we can. We plan to reach Ushaia mid to end May, and then head back north on Ruta 40.
Anyone with similar plans?

We're now in Cusco, Peru.

Johan

[charapashanperu]

Hey man, if your are on a DR650, then do a little exploration! I went around the backside of Titicaca (like the backside of the moon! but it sure was pretty!

Also, don't miss the Colca Canyon, then go up to Cuzco the back way via Espinar (all gravel). I will be in Cuzco this July, but just riding Cuzco-Ayacucho-Cuzco. The back road between Cuzco and Huancayo is just AMAZING! (see http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ils-goat-34466 and my 2007 trip blog below).

[motozen]

I'd love to have the complete info of the alternative Titicaca road. I've seen on the map places such as Moho or Pto. Acosta, but i'm not wheater there is a border or a control up there or not.
If u can send the info, i'd appreciate.
motozen@hotmail.es

[shitou]

Originally Posted by Ribaros

Hi everybody.
I'm planning to start the trip middle/end of April for a 3 or 4 weeks journey starting in Santiago, crossing to Argentina (Mendoza) and heading north to Villazon to cross to Bolivia. Next Salar de Uyuni, La Paz, Lago Titicaca, Machu Picchu, Nazca Lines and from there, back to Santiago via San Pedro de Atacama.
I am riding a Suzuki DR 650 and I'll like to meet someone to join me in the journey. If you are interested, please contact me to ribaros@hotmail.com

多么羡慕你们有这样的机会到南美去旅游呀，我是中国重庆的一个摩托车旅游爱好者，但我们的摩托是YAMAH A125排量的，而且我们办理出国也没有那么方便，真是太遗憾了！最后祝你们旅途一路顺风！同时也欢迎你们 到中国来骑车旅游。MY E-MAIL IS 42833101@qq.com
石头

[charapashanperu]

OK, here it goes! The short version is at: Around the Block 2007 |

but here goes the detailed version:

We didn't get off very early because we had to drop our carbs, change the jets for the altitude, then look for gas. Because of this (and the wind) we were lucky to make Mojo, Peru by 8:30 pm! Don't do that. be ready and start early.... We skirted the lake on the Bolivian eastern side. It was a sunny day, but the wind was howling down from the snow-covered monstrosity of a mountain on our right making us have to lean heavily to the right into the wind. At this point one of the microbuses, trying to avoid the holes in the rough asphalt, literally tried to play "chicken" with me!

We gassed up at every chance, not knowing where the next station/barrel outside a shack might be. We only had a 170km range. I believe Carabuco was where we gassed up last that day. The dirt (and it is that "polvo tramposa", talcom powder with golf balls inside it! We had switched to an on/off road front tire by this time and it was very difficult! Full knobby-much better!

We arrived at Puerto Acosta (the last significant Bolivian town before the border) at 5:30, but the customs station as you come into town was already closed. But we banged on the door until the guardian came and we made him stamp a copy of our entry to Bolivia papers (for the motos) and left him a copy too. This proved to be VERY key as I will tell later....

We went down into town, to the plaza and found the police, but they said that they had no migraciones authority, but that 14 kn further was the Peruvian Border and for sure they would have it there. It was now getting dark. Over an hour later, we finally came down into a little town, the streets deserted, and found a chain across the road, but no one there. As we were motorcycles, we just went around the post. I assume that was the border, but there was no one to confirm this for us.

to be cont....

[charapashanperu]

The road (read "goat path") out of Puerto Acosta was incredible... and in the dark! Back to the border....

So the border was an abandoned flat low area about 200 yards long with no one in sight. We figured we were now in Peru, although there was no one to ask and no police station anywhere... We rode on and on, very tired, and looking for somewhere to spend the night. We had NO IDEA how far we had to go. We made one small mistake and turned towards Conima, but a question at a dark doorway got us back on track to Moho.

We pulled into this little Quechua town of Moho and up to the plaza at 8:30pm and asked around if there was a place to stay. Everyone pointed across the plaza, where (who would believe it!) stood a 6 story concrete monstrosity. I think we were the only clients there, but there was hot water! Of course they put us on the 5th floor and there is no elevator (and we must be at 11,000 ft! It about killed us to get up to our room with our small bit of luggage. there is a service alleyway where the moto can be brought inside. The only thing I could think of was how this must have been built with drug money of some Mojoite that had no business sense at all! But the whole 2nd floor was an internet cafe that was full of Quechua youth!

Now, the main trouble was we had no immigraciones stamp in out passports. Our motos were from Peru, so we just hid all the paperwork that said they had been outside the country. Our passports also had us arriving in Peru a month earlier (to begin our 4 country ride from there), so as long no one noticed we had LEFT the country... we would be OK. We figured we would right everything at the first major city...

The ride the next day (we bought gas out of a "barrel" gas station) and headed first to Huancane (VERY rough road, but no way to get lost). The pavement started there, but BEWARE! Hugh holes in the middle of your lane. The big trucks and busses will weave all over the road to miss them instead of slowing down, even if it means running over a motorcycle! These holes can end your WHOLE trip or even your life! Around the Block 2007 |

The entry into Juliaca was very caotic! :confused1: Looks like an earthquake disaster, but once you get into town there is order, and it is quite a nice city, where there are NO rules to the traffic. We've lived many years in Peru, so we knew we could "wing it" until we got back to Pucallpa (our origin in Peru) and there get our paperwork straightened out. I have no doubt that anyone could just go to migraciones in Juliaca, and show the customs stamp from Puerto Acosta and get everything in order. But make sure you have at least that! Maybe even take some pictures with the Police there and one crossing the border, etc..

Happy riding!