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Central/South America - Which direction is best? Central/South America - Which direction is best?
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Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
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  • 2 Post By richardfrost
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  #1  
Old 17 Aug 2016
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Central/South America - Which direction is best?
Hi everyone, I am hoping for some advice on exploring South America please.. It is my first post on this site and I have heard great things!

My wife and I will be taking a sabbatical next year to bike through central and south America for 6 months (starting in August), and I want to make sure that we travel in the right direction to make the most of good weather and ease of travel.

Question - Should we travel South starting in Mexico, or start at the bottom of Argentina and head North? (We will probably be buying the bike at the start point and selling at the end)

I am mainly thinking about the weather but if people have experienced other variables that would help the decision please shout (ease of buying or selling a bike/border crossings/Darien Gap etc).

If there is another thread that covers this, please let me know. I did have a good look but couldn't find one.

Cheers
Rich
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Old 12 Sep 2016
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route
Hi Richard,
I'm starting to plan my trip too (Feb) so I'm just joining your thread to see what suggestions are out there!
cheers,
Will
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  #3  
Old 12 Sep 2016
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August is a fine time in most of North America, and miserable in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego; there's your decision. Six months later, January/February is the nicest of seasons in the southern Andes, while trending cold and sometimes snowy in the highlands of Mexico; that'll confirm it.

There are other, more subtle weather considerations, but for overall planning that's all you need. I imagine you'll conclude that buying in the USA and selling in B.A. or Chile will be your best bet, but you can start obsessing on that issue at some point in the future.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark
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Old 12 Sep 2016
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Hi..I did ride from Cancun down to Ushuaia and up North on ruta 3 to Buenos Aires then to Brazil,Rio de Janiero....ruta 3 is a kiler...nothing to see for 4000km and lots of wind.
My suggestion is if possible to start at Ushuaia then North ruta 40 and cris = cross Chile,Argentina and on....toward central america.

Safe ride
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  #5  
Old 13 Sep 2016
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Originally Posted by markharf View Post
August is a fine time in most of North America, and miserable in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego; there's your decision. Six months later, January/February is the nicest of seasons in the southern Andes, while trending cold and sometimes snowy in the highlands of Mexico; that'll confirm it.

There are other, more subtle weather considerations, but for overall planning that's all you need. I imagine you'll conclude that buying in the USA and selling in B.A. or Chile will be your best bet, but you can start obsessing on that issue at some point in the future.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark
I agree with Markharf, spring and summer time are the best for bikers and you will are in the South hemisphere.
My contribute for your trip: in South America you can hit the West shore and mountain, the East shore and every day beach or the difficult (and fascinating) Amazonia. Welcome !!!!
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Old 6 Apr 2017
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Thanks guys

We have decided to start in Santiago at the start of October, drive down to Tierra del Fuego and then all the way up to and through Central America. Taking about 6 months. Hopefully this should keep us in spring/summer the whole way!
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Old 6 Apr 2017
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Originally Posted by richardfrost View Post
Thanks guys

We have decided to start in Santiago at the start of October, drive down to Tierra del Fuego and then all the way up to and through Central America. Taking about 6 months. Hopefully this should keep us in spring/summer the whole way!
What about a bike? Are you shipping a bike from EU or USA? Or buying locally?
Re-selling has its challenges and depends where.

October is perfect for Southern Chile/Argentina and that weather will be good until March. But keep in mind, once you head North, during these months it can be brutally HOT ... like in Northern Argentina in November, December, Jan, Feb,
March.

The High Andean countries are less predictable and it's nearly always fairly cold and rainy up over 3000 meters. Do basic research to learn about weather patterns in relevant regions.

If you intend to sell off your bike, I'd do it in Colombia or Ecuador. Don't ship across the Darien. Buy another bike in Panama or take a break, fly to USA and continue trip after a break. Buying bike in USA is cheap and easy.

Dozens of ways to approach this. Reading ride reports and basic guide books will educate you and expand options.

Good luck, thousands have done it before you, just not a big deal.
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