SOUTH AMERICA - starting Buenos Aires oct 2011
 

Hey Guys,

I'm a 24 year old Aussie heading to BA on the 14th of september. I plan on staying in BA for a few weeks, doing some spanish classes and looking for a bike.

I don't have really much planned but was thinking heading down to Ushuaia then up to Torres De Paine and Fitz-roy along the Carretera Austral and continuing up to Bolivia, Peru and maybe Equador. Staying mainly in hostels and camping. I have about 5 months.

Anyone doing anything similar around the same time? Does anyone have any tips? Would be great to share some of the journey.

Cheers, Steve

Hi Steve.

If you're looking for friends/partners, make sure you hit these three hotspots on the way south..

Dakar Motos, Buenos Aires (This guy DOES NOT sell bikes though)
La posta del viajero en mota, in Azul (300 KM south on bsas)
HU Meeting in Viedma in December (also on the way south on RTA 3)

Here you will find loads of cool people to hang out with, on a similar trip.


When in Ushuaia, head to Rio Pipo campsite at Christmas/NY for a wild overlanders party..

You're gonna love it. I'm very jealous.

Hi Steve, I'm hoping to arrive at Dakar motos on the 13th Sep. I've done a lot of traveling in South America so if you want a chat and several beers before I set off to see the whales off the Valdes look for a little old man who walks with a stick and rides a 1200gs. Ride safe.

Hey Ted and Mike,
Thanks for the tips!

I intend to head to Dakar motors soon after I arrive to check it out, so Mike if your still there I'll look for your stick and GS.

Do you think I'm more likely to find people to ride with if I head to Santiago first and then south or the other way around?

Steve

You will find the main gringo bike trail heads down RTA 3 on the east coast from Buenos Aires.

The HU meeting in Viedma is definitely where you will meet the most people heading South.

If you are looking for travel buddies though, be sure to put a thread in the "Travellers seeking travellers" section on this site.

September 2011
 

Guys,

Im arriving on 29th September. Originallt i was planning to head to Santiago then south to Ushuaia and then north on Ruta 3. ive changed my plan and now hitting Ruta 3 first then north on the Carretera Austral.

Ive hopefullly sorted a bike for my arrival so will head to uruguay first to sort the registration out.

May see you guys there, or else meet some of you at the HU meeting.

David

Hi David, if you like whales, Elephant seals and penguins I would head south as soon as possible after you arrive in BA, the Valdes peninsula during Sep./Oct. is in my experience one of the best whale watching sites in the world probably beaten only by Hermanous (or however you spell it) in South Africa and also a lot less crowded than Hermanous or Mexico. Personally I would ignore Xmas/new Year at Ushuia and think about Cusco if it fits in with your plans as the local festival over the Xmas period is incredible and you get a Xmas dinner of Guinea pig and 3 veg in the town square which to be honest is recommended only once. Hope to see you on the road, ride safe.

2011
 

Mike,
Thanks for your comments. From St Andrews I see!? Im in Paisley and spent 4 years at the home of golf at Uni!

To be honest, im keen to reach Ushuaia really just for the tourist aspect of it. Will be riding north to Peru, Chile etc and being in Ushuaia at new year kind of fits in with my plan of meeting some people in the north early next year.

Will defo head to Puerto Madryn for the whales, penguins etc.

Maybe catch you on the road somewhere. Whats your plans?

David

We will be in Santiago as of 20th October, pick up our '08 1200GSA and head South for Xmas in Ushuaia - Leaving Melbourne for the next 18 months Shirl and I are in our 50's, don't camp so much as cheap hotels etc. Thiis will be our 2nd overland motorcycle journey and we hope to spend about 7 months in South and Central America. Stay in touch and I'm sure we'll catch up on the road somewhere. Brian (& Shirl)

comming soon...
 

hey all of you,

We are coming to SA end of december. We are starting in Europe (Belguim/Antwerp) in November on a cargoboat and will arriving aroud Christmas in Buenosaires.
The plan is to go South to Ushuai en than North, as for as we can get with our budget.
driving a F 650 gs and a GS 1150

Hope to meet some of you and bier together
cu !
Ils & Johan

Hi,

Johan&Ils, may I ask where did you arrange a cargoboat from Europe to SA and how much did it cost? I was looking how to get my bike to SA, specially how to sort out the paperwork once I come in Argentina or Brasil? I heard that many people had problems with customs clearance when they arrived in SA.

Also Jealous..
 

Steve,

I know you will head south first, but write me back for any questions you might have on Bolivia, Brazil or especially Peru. In fact, by the end of the year I plan to be living in La Paz for the next two years!

Glad to help a fellow traveler,

Toby (Charapa) :mchappy::mchappy::mchappy:

Valdes is writ in stone and I would like to head north up C 40 and the Caraterra Austral if they have finished the roadworks but the rest is flexible but I'm getting on, in body if not in mind and I still haven't been to Rio for Carnival week so might head for there via Iguazu. Mind you, a week of samba could be a case of kill or cure but as long as they sell beer I might just risk it. Ride safe

Guys,

On the weekend I suffered a bad knee injury playing rugby and require surgery and 4-6 weeks on crutches afterwards. So the chance of me being in South America in 2 weeks as planned are pretty slim. I still will be heading over but plans will be on hold for a couple of months. Best of luck to everyone for their trips!

Steve

Amigos!
 

Hi everybody

I'm Max, 28 from NZ. Currently enjoying my first week in BA.
I too will be travelling south from BA Nov/Dec. Plan to catch the HU meeting in Valdes either before or after Ushuia. Then north to Panama. Or maybe New York if I'm still alive.

I too am looking for travel mates, and any wisdom you may impart to a first time, novice, poor spanish speaking, un-mechanically minded nice guy! :thumbup1:

Cheers
Max

Hi Guys, just put the bike into James Cargo so I'd better start singing on the street corner to get some cash. May I suggest that anyone interested uses Dakar Motos as a Thorn Tree for contacting others in or around BA. All being well I should be arriving with my moto on the 13th Sep. Ride safe.