South America Route and Timing Opinions
 

Hello people of great knowledge and useful advice!

I'm putting together a rough route and schedule for a trip around South America possibly 2012 or 2013.

I live in NZ and am looking at flying to Santiago, buying a cheap 200cc ish bike and then selling it when done.

here is the proposed route

South America Loop 2013 - Google Maps

and timing something like this

Aug Santiago
Aug Lima
Sep Quito
Sep Lima
Oct Cusco
Oct La Paz
Nov Asuncion
Nov Rio de Janeiro
Dec Buenos Aires
Dec Ushuaia
Jan Santiago

Any hints, ideas, advice from anyone regarding where to go, when or when not to go etc. would be very helpful.

Thanks :)

Hi,
We are sailing into to Buenos Aires next August and travelling to Ushuaia for next Christmas. Keep in touch on your planning, we will be working on the plan within a few months once we get time to look at it. We got a book "weather to travel" which is good for knowing where the rainy seasons are. Keep us informed of your plans, we might learn from each other.

Merv.

Just a little adjustment
 

When you go north to Quito, go inland along the center of the Andes in Aug/Sep (even better July/Aug) as that is when it is winter. Don't get me wrong... it doesn't snow then. It is the dry season and blue sky and sunshine every day. 65 to 75 degrees as long as the sun is up. If you wait later than Oct, you will not have as nice of weather.

From Santiago go north to Iquique, then over via San Pedro de Atacama, Salta (Arg), then north to Tarija and Santa Cruz (Bol), then west to Cochabamba and La Paz. After Cuzco, Peru, continue north thru Ayacucho, Huancayo, Huanuco, Huaraz, all the way to Cajamarca. Then turn east to Chachapoyas.

After seeing the Gocta Falls (3rd in the world) and the pre-Incan fortress of Kuelap, head north and west to Jaen, then directly north up the center of Ecuador to Cuenca and finally Quito. I've ridden most of all that within the last 4 years and on a 250cc bike. It will struggle a little, but the roads climb slowly.

After that you can return via the coast, but I will warn you BOOORRRIIINNNGGG!!! Just desert (and corrupt policemen) mile after mile after mile!

Enjoy! Toby :mchappy::mchappy::mchappy:

Hey, We're planning a trip starting in Santiago mid july, heading north into peru and perhaps equador and then back down through bolivia and into argentina. Finishing in Santiago again in Early december. Seems like we might be crossing paths a bit. Feel free to PM me so we can discuss anything from planning to catching up for a beer!

Cheers.

Hey,

Sorry to say but planning has taken a back seat due to other commitments at the moment, hopeful to still go but maybe later on depending on $$.

Have fun and let us know when you are there anyway :)

If you are planing to go to Ecuador, you can also enter Brazil using the inter oceanic highway in Peru and avoid very bad road conditions on Bolivia and northern Paraguay.