-/+16 months circuit, starting Ecuador Feb, going clockwise.
 

From interpreting weather charts of South America. I have come up with a ruff plan, what I would like would be if someone with some experience of South American climate could cast an experienced eye over it please.

Arriving Ecuador at end of Feb (2012) spending 1 month in quito getting used to Spanish.
April set off for Columbia and on into Venezuela spending about 3 months there. (April,May, June).
July in the Guyana's.
August, Sept, Oct, In Brazil arriving in Buenos Aires end of Oct.
November December riding from BA down to Ushuaia.
Jan Feb riding up to Santiago Chile.
Then the next 4 months riding back up to Ecuador.

So how does this sound? Would this escape me most of the rain in the north and the winter in the south?

Thank you! George

Sounds reasonable to me, nice you are spending a good amount of time on the trip :thumbup1:

Only thing that might be a little off is hot temperatures in Brazil??? but what does that matter.

Where are you from South Arkansas?

Almost!
 

George,

I can't tell you about northern and far southern SA, but after 30 years in Peru, Bolivia, and western Brazil I think I can speak to those parts.

In southern Brazil you will hit off-on rain in August and Sept (different from the Amazon area which is HEAVY rains from Dec to March. Don't worry, all main roads in Brazil are paved, just don't schedule your days too tight. I have learned this by driving two 12 hour days thru solid rain in southwestern Brazil.

Returning north from Santiago will be March, April, May, and June. You will want to see Bolivia and Peru, but not until May can you really drive anywhere in the jungle areas of those two countries because of the rainy season. That means you will miss some of the best places (even Machu Picchu is in the mountain jungle. It will not only be rainy meaning it will be very difficult to "ride" your moto to near MP, but that is the season when the roads/railway to MP often get washed away. 2 years ago thousands of tourists were trapped there and had to be helicoptered out!).

March-April is when the rains (light rains, but most every day in the afternoon) fall in the central Andes. Not so bad as you can plan your day to leave early and arrive at your next destination by 2:00 pm... BUT when it is cloudy (versus sunny) in the Andes during the day it is the difference of 40 degrees versus 70 degrees ambient air temp. Multiply that by 60MPH and it is a WHOLE different ball game! South American winter (our summer) is the best time to ride in the central Andes. At that time we ride with only under armor and a breathable jacket! But get where you are going by 4pm because the winds begin to pick up and it gets cold quick and you know you are in the Andes!

IMHO, I would try to hit the central jungle and Andes parts May to Nov, and save the southern and northern SA places for Dec to March. Little hard to do... but with a some imagination and a twisty,turny route, it can be done!

Cheers, Toby

Great info guys.

George, we will be in the area next year but we are starting from Deadhorse then riding down, we plan to be on the road for 1.5 - 2 years so may cross paths in South America somewhere.

We are planning to have 25th December (Christmas day) 2012 in Ushuaia (assuming we have enough time from April to December to get there) then start travelling back up, this is the only date we want to stick to if possible, the rest will be as and when.

Cheers Andi

Hey George,

Commendable attempt at planning. We all know though that the only semi- reliable details regarding your trip is the estimated time (> 1 year) and the continent (South America). After that, countries, direction, cities, etc. are all subject to change based on the availability of cold beer for you to drink and pretty women to fall in love with. We''ll give you five years and if you haven't made it out of Colombia by then we'll send a search party.:)

Hope all is well in the Channel Islands and that working isn't eating too much into your trip planning time:) Weren't you supposed to show up around these parts sometime this year?

Yes you are right Tom, in many ways. Yes I should be around your part of the world now ish....but as you said cold beer, warm sea's and beautiful girls kept me a little longer on the last leg, instead of 6 months Europe to Australia it took 13. Then I was offered a amazing job on a remote Falkland Island so spent 7 months there, 3 months back home and now just back in Australia. Now drawing on maps and multiplying weekly earnings by four and then by available months to work... and comming up with a gap between what I have and what I will need. So.... new plans will be drawn up and pondered over. It has me in a catch 22 position. If I leave when the seasons are right I don't have enough money, if i wait until I have enough money then I will be riding in the rain....
and then into winter!

But in essence "Estimated time (> 1 year) and the continent (South America)" Is just about all the planning I really need!

To be sure...I will get up to BC!


Two Kiwis on bikes.... humm thats not Gareth and Helen is it?

Heya George

No, we are Andi & Ellen from Wanaka in New Zealand.

All our details are in our profile but it does not show for some reason and I am not sure why, probably one tick of a box would sort it.

Hi then Andi & Ellen, I look forward to seeing you guys over there! I was wondering if you could have been a really nice couple from NZ who MountainMan and I met whilst riding in Africa.

George

Heya George

We are a really nice couple (or at least that is what we tell everybody :innocent:)

Africa is one place we have not been yet so pretty sure it wasn't us.

Will follow your trip with interest too, we have no specific plans other than ride to what interests us next. bier

Transalp
 

Hey mate
What will you be riding and how you getting it there??
The reason I ask is because I brought my Transalp over to Buenos Aries in feb last year and will be up north probably columbia in Jan looking to sell the trusty girl and fly back to Brisbane
If ur interested ( would be much cheaper then buying here/ or at home and shiping )
Let me know and i could send u som picks and info
Cheers Maciek

Hey Maciek, I will be on my Africa Twin for sure, already been a long way with the old girl. I was planning on shipping to Ecuador, but now Santiago is proably more likely. Enjoy your trip!

Saw the AT outside the Regale with a broken shock! We leave in May for SA via Dakar so may bump into YOU this time ;) Are you travelling with Morgan again?

Cheers
Pete

Hi yes thats the Africa Twin!, that WP shock was junk didn't last at all, it is still an on going thing....I have a hagon shock now, its super strong...but not that good performance once you start riding it too hard it starts to lose control. Morgan is over in Perth, about to go out on muster the cattle in on dirt bikes. He plans South America as well, but not until the year after next as he needs to save more. Hope to chatch up for a beer over there!
George

"In southern Brazil you will hit off-on rain in August and Sept (different from the Amazon area which is HEAVY rains from Dec to March.

You will want to see Bolivia and Peru, but not until May can you really drive anywhere in the jungle areas of those two countries because of the rainy season.

March-April is when the rains (light rains, but most every day in the afternoon) fall in the central Andes. Not so bad as you can plan your day to leave early and arrive at your next destination by 2:00 pm

IMHO, I would try to hit the central jungle and Andes parts May to Nov, and save the southern and northern SA places for Dec to March. Little hard to do... but with a some imagination and a twisty,turny route, it can be done!"


Toby this is really helpful - my plan is to be in BA mid Jan (get street wise & learn spanish). Use Feb to get to Ushaia and then use March to get up to Santiago.
Are you saying it will be best to take a month in & around santiago before heading north?

Many thanks
Delb