South American Tour. Route planning problems!
 

Hi,

Heres my plan: 1 year. I want to hit Columbia, Equcador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Arg, Bra.

I intened to buy and sell in Chile. I just can work out the best poss route. Im thinking fly to Caracas and bus/train to chile where I will buy a bike then south ending in Ushuia before going north.

I feel that buying in chile then going all the way north before coming back down again is a waste! Ideally i want to travel anti clockwise from where i start.

Any suggestions?

The only advice I can really offer, unless you want to get blown to you next destination, is avoid Patagonia in the spring. The winds in Patagonian Argentina are savage and often at their worst in spring time.

We re-routed NOrth before heading South again for precisely that reason: I'd ended up seeing my life flash before my eyes more often than I'd seen Star Wars at Christmas.

all help appreciated.

now when you say spring in patagonia, do you mean march / april time as in UK spring?

Spring for them over there, so September to Novemeber time ish...

Have you looked into buying a bike there? What bikes for what prices? I'm just wondering if it would be cheaper for me to leave my bike at home. I would ride all the way but I can't enter the US so I'm shipping or buying there.

guys,
Can i get some thoughts on this proposed route. Feasability, timescales..etc
Fly in and out of Santiago.
Buy there. Then.....
SAN > USH > RIO > LA PAZ > MANAUS > CARACAS > BOGOTA > QUITO > SAN.

exact details would obviously change but as for the backbone of my trip this is what I propose. Am i kidding myself? Planning aprox 1 yr of riding.

OK.

Here's another tought, also weather related, although I have not travelled beyond Argentina and Chile: follow the seasons.

The Northern Eastern part of the continent will be scorching and 200% humidity in summer, whilst the South will be windy and colder in Spring, so perhaps head North East first then lopp back down toward the South for later in the year....

Don't know if this will help you. There are many experienced SA travellers on here: I'm sure some of them will offer thoughts. Also consider the timing of any events/festivals/carnevals that you might want to see... New Year in Ushuaia seems a favourite, although we spent that day in BA.

Ahhh, the memories....!:Beach: