Tent and sleeping bag is SA to bring or not to bring
 

Three friends and myself are taking the ride south to Ushuaia January 2016 from the US. We've had some discussion about whether or not to bring tent and sleeping bags. For those of you who have been down this route what are your opinions as far as available lodging through Patagonia and the surrounding areas?
Wouldn't mind not bringing the extra crap if it can be avoided but don't want to be a fool and get caught unprepared.

Although I never did this special trip I would never leave home without tent and sleepingbag. There is allways a chance to pitch a tent even in winter but there might not allways be hotels...

If you are planning hotels and B+B I would still take a lightweight tarp and gortext bivi bag at least as back up. Both fols really small and weigh little. I used bivi bags for years in millitary and they pretty much keep the mozzies out too!

Look up the girls of Motoventuring (Facebook)

They are doing the same trip with tents.

Best thing about a tent. You can stay on that remote beach with nobody else around and not have to worry about going back to a hostel. Plus .. you would save a fortune in accommodation fees.

Check out the iOverlander App (iPhone) which lists a shit load of places to camp along the way.

Gwyn & Linzi
The Overlanders
www.facebook.com/theoverlanderspage

We may not agree on Scotland ... but I certainly like your travel style! bier
I do the same, depart early finish early ... and relax. Have a drink, talk to locals, practice your Spanish (for Gringos anyway!), get to know the town, run errands, maintain bike, ect.

Camping is S. Chile and Argentina is fantastic, best in all of S. America. So buy what you need when you get down there. Other travelers often sell off gear cheap. Camping in the rest of S. America is "mixed". (I'm being generous here! .. it mostly sucks in my experience)

Lots depends how remote you want to go. If you go deep into the Andes in Northern Peru' (fantastic exploring) then being able to camp would be a plus. There ARE little towns and villages but it's a HUGE area and some villages have NOTHING and can be FEW and very FAR between.

Sometimes you can stay with locals on a dirt floor or in a spare room, in some more established towns you can find small Hostels. But sometimes there is nothing. If you know your route and know perfectly where things are, distances to get there and what's available, then you are ahead of the game.

If you pretty much follow the "Gringo Trail" and stay mostly on paved roads, and if your route planning is GOOD, you can almost always make it to a town and find a Hotel or Hostel. This is not too hard to do with good planning and The Knowledge! Also consider Couch Surfing!!

I lived and traveled in Mexico and Cent. America, also been to S. America three times over 7 years. Not usually on bikes. Camping in parts of Mexico and Cent. Am is challenging. There ARE nice places ... but it's generally fairly DENSE with people, bugs.

One thing I dislike about camping is that in some situations you become a prisoner to your camp site. You can't walk away and leave it unguarded. If you are really really in remote area .... then there is NO WHERE to go anyway, so doesn't matter. :(

Pay type organized campgrounds are better if they have decent security. But MANY have been robbed in these types of campgrounds too. :thumbdown:

If you camp on the perfect lonely beach in paradise ... use caution. Many have been robbed at gun point in middle of night. Been there, seen it happen. (I was in my VW Van, tent campers got robbed) Sadly, in some places tourists can be targets, especially Mexico and Cent. America.

Not carrying camping gear lightens up weight and allows more room on your bike. I sometimes carry my Hammock, which I lived in when I lived in El Salvador. A Bivi sack is also a good idea for emergency shelter.

Really depends on travel style, schedule, budget and good or NOT good route planning ... and how far you can realistically travel in one day.
Experience is best teacher if you're not sure what you want to do or how you want to travel. Get out and DO IT! bier

Tent and sleeping bag is SA to bring or not to bring
 

I've spent $2000 on accommodation in 7 months from Mexico to Colombia and every country between. And that averages about $10 a night for staying mostly in hostels and inexpensive hotels. You won't save a lot with a tent if your trip is expedited. You will, however, camp in the most incredible places that you can't camp in without a tent.

Edit: I camped all throughout Mexico as I could find free places to camp, and I stayed in cities when I wanted to use my time seeing a city instead of making and breaking camp. Accommodation has been my biggest expense, and yet I feel like I've been mostly frugal with that regard. I expect to camp a lot more as I head south through the Andes.

I`m traveling around south America and having a tent and a decent sleeping bag is great. There is amazing camping out here, it`s been part of the adventure for me. Waking up in unreal landscapes is better than a sweaty dorm in a backpackers.

Even if I had an unlimited budget, I would still take my tent! It also gives me peace of mind, should I break down at 5,000m, I won`t freeze to death. I aimed to camp 3-4 days and then take a night at a cheap budget hotel, to recover, so to speak.

Given I absolutely hate dormitories and can`t sleep in them anyway, the weight and bulk of the tent is worth it. As Mollydog says, get out there and experience it - if it`s not for you give away or post the stuff back home!

http://i.imgur.com/gBGV2FCl.jpg

I rode from Montreal to Ushuaia and back up hauling camping gear in my saddle bags.

I used the stuff 4-5 times. If I were to do it again I would absolutely skip the whole camping gear. There was always cheap accommodation everywhere I went on the whole trip.

After a day of riding I was enjoying a comfy bed and shower. Also the security of a room and the company of people.

Camping is a skill. I thought I could improvise myself as a camper, but I could'n't sleep well and just didn't enjoy it because of that.

So I'd say bring camping stuff only if you are an experienced camper and enjoy camping in wild places or because you want to save money.

Yes it`s a tough call! Rough estimate I probably spent five or six hundred pounds on my camping setup, including water filter, cooking stuff, a very decent tent, sleeping bag, mat, pillow and liner. That is no doubt a good few months of budget accommodation in cheap countries in the north, maybe a month and a half in Chile/Argentina. But as noted, there are other drawbacks and benefits to consider, i.e. size, weight, bulk vs ability to sleep anywhere, etc.

For the first two weeks on the road, I didn`t sleep so good either when wildcamping, (still better than a dorm anyday for me) but I put this down to cold, high-altitude and generally just not being accustomed to sleeping outside, of which I hoped would disappear as time went one (but I crashed a month ago so been in hostel since - will let you know if I ever get used to it or not!!!).

I think, given benefit of hindsight, one thing I might get rid of completely is my cooking outfit. Dry food, pans, cleaning stuff, fuel or gas, fuel container or gazcan, actual stove plus cutlery sure are big and bulky, and fairly heavy too. I think I could handle eating non-heated meals so long as I could find something decent to eat for lunch, even every other day - but not being able to have a hot drink would be a killer!

I travelled to Ushuaia and carried all the camping gear, didn't use it much. Actually I wish I had used it more, on the way home I camped through Uruguay and parts of Brazil and loved it but 95% of the rest of the time it was hostels which I really liked as well. Met a lot of different people, had kitchen use everywhere and it was cheap. If (I actually mean when) i go again I don't think I'll take full gear but there will be some.

Cheers Philip

Honest man!
Some of us are just not good at road side camping/cooking off the bike. But lots of good points to camping as illustrated.

But it can be isolating, you might miss out various interactions, "interesting"
food, info from other travelers, language skills/practice. But if you HAVE camping gear ... then you can DO BOTH.

I rarely ever have stayed in dorms ... maybe they're more common now? I pay for a private room, but have communal bath, which is fine for me.
Digging deep and finding best hotels deals is hard, but I've gotten lots of great tips here and from other riders on the road. bier

A tent and sleeping bag are also survival gear. It might save your life.

It's possible. Could be part of the reason many Novice RTW travelers always have all that stuff with them? (usually too much) Not only Tent and Sleeping Bag, but cooking stuff, washing up stuff and riding gear suitable for a Russian Winter. It's partly FEAR really ... and lack of experience.

In the end, many riders don't use their camping gear much. End up hauling an extra 15 kgs. around for a year for nothing, wearing heavy, poorly vented, black riding outfits in the tropics. And On and On!

As mentioned earlier ... if you carry no camping gear you need to have good route planning and be able to achieve your planned riding day if in remote places. In Urban or semi rural areas, not an issue. But things don't always go to plan ... doh so some survival gear is not a bad idea ...doh

Lots depends where you are. In most cases a Bivi Sack/Space blanket and a few extra layers will get your though a cold night. Bivi packs up small. Will you be comfortable sleeping on rocks? NO! :rofl: So also depends on your level of tolerance.

I carry snacks & water, can survive for days on this. (no canned fish thanks) Most times you can find some food if you plan ahead ... even a small village. Reach out, meet the locals. Smile!

Some riders don't need a cooked hot meal daily. Some do OK on dried fruits/nuts (available in most mercado's). Buy an extra Sandwich (or two) when passing a town, save for later.

Sure, Tea or Coffee are nice ... but not a requirement for survival and (to me) not worth carrying all the cooking gear along for this daily indulgence so many seem addicted to.

I bring a small baggy of loose tea. When there is Hot water, a cup and sugar available from locals, I take advantage. But as always, YMMV. It's amazing what people will offer if you simply reach out and make contact.
?Me entiendes?
bier

------------------------------------
Posted 2014...leaving 2016...so it seems you are certainly planning well ahead.
I have ridden from California to Ushuaia... and now north in SA for the last 28 months. I have a tent and light weight sleeping bag...but not the other camping stuff such as stove etc. takes too much space... I've only used them 4 times...once in Torres del Paine...beautiful. Hostal/hotel accommodation is cheap in SA depending on your budget.
I agree with some of the posts in taking a form of backup.
Depending on your route I can give you some good cheap hotels/hostals to stay at.
Mexico, Colombia,Chile,Costa Rica, Panama, are more expensive than the other countries but still reasonable. Argentina, has higher room standards than Chile and is cheaper.
Drop me PM and I'll be glad to email you my info.
BTW it is a great trip!

I guess I'm a wedge ass, I love having a sleeping bag, cot, and sometimes pull out the tent when I can't find any cover. Forcing yourself to camp on a long trip is the best way to save money, sleeping is free, you get good at stealth(free) camping the more you do it.

If you are just humping the PanAm down to TDF just for a couple months then you may budget for places to sleep and the shortness of the trip makes you always in a hurry and you will find it too easy to pony up the money for a place to stay. Personally I would rather spend my accommodation budget on food, drink, and the women(used to until I married off) jeiger

Mucho tiempo y poca plata is the best way imho

I'm surprised so many people are recommending against camping equipment in South America. The spaces are so vast and empty that camping was not only easy but sometimes necessary. Furthermore a room in some places in the south are incredibly expensive ($40+ for a shared bathroom).

There are many places in the world where camping equipment can be left behind, but for me South America would be at the very bottom of that list.

But how do you enjoy food, drink and women if you're stuck in a campground 10 miles out of town? :innocent:

How did you find camping in Mexico, Cent. America? Tell me where you camped there. I lived in Guatemala and El Salvador for 3 years ... did not seem like a good place for camping? (I did camp at Tikal!)

What about Colombia, Ecuador, Peru' and Bolivia? I only spent 7 months in those countries, I never camped. Can you tell me how it went? ... especially if any where near a town or City? I found Bolivia the least camp friendly with a combo of harsh weather, people everywhere and very cheap lodging in every town. I'm quite sure it can (and has) been done, but is it enjoyable or torture? (TIP: I'm not into torture! :smartass: )

My strategy was to take "breaks" along the Gringo Trail, stop in a place that was nice, rent a house or apt. or long term hotel room and hang out, re-charge the batteries and enjoy the Wine, Women and Song Throttlemeister refers to.

I would use these places as "Home Base", then take small trips around the region. I did this in Guat. Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina.

As has been mentioned, camping in Southern Chile and Argentina is really good. (if you have the gear!) But for many, the Southern reaches seem to be the only place they feel comfortable camping out.

Younger riders/travelers are probably tougher and can handle the hardships of camping better than older folks. We Fossils like our comforts! :wheelchair:

Lunch?

Easy, stop in town, order up a great dinner have a nice drink find a respectable brothel (if you are needing some loving) take a nice shower at the establishment before enjoying that said company and then ride off into the sunset and find a spot to lay down, been done for hundreds of years up to now. If you are really good at making friends then lots of doors just tend to open...

I think many of these non-campers on here camp to a totally different style; when I camp I find a spot, hopefully with some kind of cover overhead, and often just throw down my cot and bag and sleep. I don't build a camp fire, cook a 3 course meal, etc. I pull in after my day's riding is done and sleep, possibly cook a simple dinner on my camp stove, and dream about tomorrow's ride. And best of all it is totally free!

Even in the most populated area there are always possibilities to sleep for free if you just work a little to make a new contacts when you stop and step out of your comfort zone a little it goes a long ways. Bike clubs, fire stations and even some National guard/police stations come to mind as alternatives in more populated areas and in the countryside a quick visit with a farmer/rancher is all it takes to ask permission to sleep somewhere and more often than not you get at least a cup of coffee and maybe even a real bed.

It is best to have full control over at least one variable of your trip and sleeping for free has allowed me to turn shorter trips into a much longer one, I would never leave home without my sleeping kit.

Well as I said I think South America is the best continent for wild camping on the planet. Mexico and Central America... not so much. It's possible but that area is so populated that you it seems are never more than a few hundred meters from people. That said, I have camped in some wonderful places in central America, just more work to find.

Stealth camping does require some experience to do in comfort. For me it is just easier. To find a decent sized town, ride in circles asking people, get 10 wrong directions, find a hotel, argue the price, take all the luggage off, find a place for the bike, find out who has a key to the bathroom, get a stuffy room with a broken fan, wake up with bed-bugs, etc... That is a typical hotel stay for me. Camping is just so much simpler, easier and more comfortable.

Plus, if you feel social, asking permission to camp often lead to cultural experiences that you would never have otherwise.

So then, after several months of camping I'm pleased to say I did get used to it and it's been an absolutely fantastic experience, certainly as important to me as the riding. Camping and watching sunrise and sunsets over the Salar de Uyuni, sleeping in abandoned houses at 4,500m overlooking incredible lakes in south Bolivia, or sleeping amongst the terraces built by the Incas in the Colca Canyon, well, nothing else really compares to that for me. Also I couldn't imagine traveling now without the ability to just camp anywhere and not have to "plan" your stops. I totally with what Jordan says, I really sort of resent having to pay a load of gasoline money to stay in some dive now and much prefer being in my tent, which is clean and free of mosquitos, bedbugs, isn't sweaty, noisey, etc. No ones ever bothered me, sometimes I stealth and when I think that isn't possible I just ask the farmers and they've always been very friendly and accommodating. Obviously I always take all of my trash, even used tissues, etc!