Hi all,

I'm in Colombia and about to hit Ecuador/ Peru/ Bolivia/ Chile and Argentina over the next couple of months.

I've been scouring posts trying to find travellers favourite routes, trails and have been running around in circles.

I would be greatful to hear some other bikers most favourite rides/ highways/ trails that they have experienced of these countries, so I could plan my route to intersect some great scenery.

Also some of your favourite sites/ towns/ cities/ national parks/ ruins would also be great!

hope you can help or suggest where to look

cheers

Choose a place on the map, ride the bike there. You will enjoy it which ever route you take.

The only big option (IMO) is in Peru, stick to the PanAm or ride the Cordilleras.

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Cheers Bruce,

Good to know its all pretty scenic, saw your blog, looks like you two had some fun down that way. I might invest in a fuel can like you did as I can only get around 240kms max out of my tank.

so with peru do you mean theres just the two options of the coastal road and corderilla?

For a start, when you get along Otavalo (indian town on the Panamericana), go into town and have a look at the indian market (saturday is the best day), this is a town where you can chill out for a couple of days. Lake San Pablo is just a few minutes away (going south). From here, if you want to take a little break from tarmac, you can ask the way to Lagunas de Mojanda (some lakes scattered here and there on the mountains). The road to this place is cobbled and in relatively in good conditions (I rode that way about 4 months ago 2 up), when you get to the big lake, go around it on the dirt road (not very good condition but just for a couple of miles, nothing to be scared of). When you follow the road up you will start a nice descent for about 40 minutes and you will reach a town called Tabacundo, where you join the tarmac again. From Tabacundo you cand either head towards Cayambe and join the Panamericana again or go towards Quito (you can go to Quito both ways). If you decide to go through Cayambe stop for a nice coffee, bizcochos and queso de hoja (biscuits and cheese) then follow the Panamericana for about 5 km south, where you will find an orange "monument" of the equator, on the left (this is the modern and precise version) and you will see the old monument a few yards ahead on the right side of the Panamericana. From here follow the road south to Quito.
If you fancied more adventure, ask in Cayambe the way toward "El nevado Cayambe" (a snow capped mountain called Cayambe, about 2 hours ride through the mountains, the road is ridable and nice scenery). Let me know if you need more directions. Enjoy the landscape and pay attention to your speed, there is a new regulation in place and people are going to jail for speeding, Ecuador is not bad at all, you won't have trouble with police or anybody.

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If you look at the map, that is the basic gist. In Ecuador it is a similar option. In Chile you have even less options :-)

There is no sense in planning stuff too far ahead, just plan as you decide where you want to be. Then choose tarmac or unpaved.

We are back in SA now, down in Chile. Crossing to Argentina soon (Los Andes). Must get around to an extra gas can :-)

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thanks for the detail, will definitely see some of those sites and rides, good sound track on you you tube video too,

safe travels down south Bruce and thanks for the tips

Route 6 in Bolivia is very nice. Oruro - Sucrce (nice city) to Carmini.
Max distance between fuel 200km roadcondition (2010) unpaved but good.

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cheers kenny for the tip, will detour to ride that

Take in mind you're going way up, 4500M. (Hight sickness) but views are astonishing.

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If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed.

Peru:
-Celindin to Chajapoyas. Even though the part between Cajamarca en Celindin is a nightmare becausse of the road works (there 3 mounths ago). This was fighting for a top tree place of best roads between Santiago and Bogota. DIRT
-Huanyuco to La union. MOSTLY ASPHALT but verry pretty and tranquile.
- Sacred valley: Cusco - Ollantaytambo - Santa Maria (or marta forgot, look it up) yes touristy but pretty ****ing impressive if you like nice roads and really big stones. The last part from Santa Rosa is an epic 30-something km dirtride.

Bolivia:

-la paz to rurrenabaque this is what you could call the real death roads. Like the tourist road from La paz to Coroico but then acctually in use. Hell for everybody travelling on a bus. Heaven on a motorbike if you like a but of rough stuff.
- absolutely best road for me: Valle Grande to Villa Serrano. Just look it up, visit the town where Che was killed. La higuarra

plenty more so much options but like said here before I think the most important choise if taking the panamerican or stay away from it as much as possible. For me the former was not an option. It sucks monkeyballs unless you like hour after hour of mind numbing asphalt (my humble option )

Awesome, will definitely check out, thanks a lot