camping
 

I'll be leaving Ecuador this week for Peru. What I want to hear is that camping gets much easier from now on. Is this true?? Tired of the military in Colombia, and roads that go to villages in Ecuador. Where are the open spaces??!!
And, are there any other campers out there, or does everyone staying in hotels??
Lorraine

We found we just didn't camp from San Pedro de Atecama till Costa Rica. We were probably not hardcore enough but we tended to find it easy enough to get a cheap room everywhere. Also, there just doesn't seem to be the same kind of places that there are in say Chile or Argentina that you can just free camp and pitch a tent as we found people just seemed to appear from nowhere whenever we stopped. Mind you, you have your dogs to scare off any wierdos!

Best of luck anyways!

Hi - Don't know where you are headed after Ecuador but we camped twice in Peru - Huanchaco on the northern coast and Pisac in the Sacred Valley near Cusco - and several times in Bolivia. But, yes, Argentina was great for camping. By the way, if you follow the Panamericana down through Peru, you'll have all the open spaces you'll ever want - from Nasca to Ecuador was the most boring and featureless part of our trip so far!

since 1986 I am travelling almost every year around south america and even in the Sendero times in Peru camped everywhere, expet cities ofcourse. In the mountains and beaches never evwr had a problem. In the jungle area (since bushcamping is nealry impossible) every town has a soccerfield. Just ask permission to the local chief, no problem.
Same for Bolivia .
Chile, Argentia and Uruguay even easier. Even having many campsites in these last 3 countries I camp most of the time ´in the bush´

marker

nice to speak a sudamerican traveler. I am going this samer through Brazil. Ponta Pora, Campo Grande, Cuyaiba, Caceres, Porto Velho, Manos, Boa Vista and then Venezuela and Colombia and back to South. Do you think possible make camping in this itinerary? I make camping all the Pacific´shore in Peru and Chile and all the nights in my Ushuaia trip. But never in tropical weather.
What do you think? Thank Marcel

Thanks all for your comments! So far, so good, one night in Peru, and fairly similar to Ecuador. Heading to the coast today!
best, Lorraine

Hola Raul,

Brasil is a difficult country for bushcamping as most land is private(farm) land and fences all over. Another question is the safety especially at the more populated areas.
Petrolstations (postos) often are a good option when you don´t find a good spot altough often a bit noisy as trucks use them for overnighting as well. These are mostly very spacious, have security 24hours, have free (warm) showers and cold drinking water available ( cold beer too but not for free unfortunately).
Colombia and Venezuela I also found not too easy for bushcamping. Although the Gran Savanas in Venezuela are ideal. Lots of free beautiful campsites too. But the rest of the country I did not have a too good feeling for bushcamping, just intuition , not based on facts but I asked either permission at police/miltary checkpoints to camp, at farms or also petrolstations (not as good as in Brasil though).

Buen viaje, Marcel

PD If you chose to go via southern Brasil and pass by Bombinhas (60 km north of Florianopolis) you are welcome to camp here with us! Residencial Holandes - Bombas, Bombinhas - Santa Catarina - Brasil |We are building a campsite here too, is not quite ready but than it is for free!

Gracias Marcel. Siempre uso Petrolstations para acampar cuando viajo. Con el cansancio no se siente ni el ruido de los camiones ni nada.
No en el 2008, pero ya pasaré mas adelante por la Posada del Holandes. Si vos pasas por la ruta 7 a 250 Km al oeste de BA, yo vivo en la ciudad de Junin. Mandame un mail y te espero.
Raúl

obrigado Raúl!
pasé por Junin hace 2 meses....
Pero de hecho hasta la vista algun dia!
Tchau, Marcel