Best route from Quito to Chile?
 

I'm in Quito at present, and not sure which roads are going to be best south, or perhaps there aren't that many options.

I don't have time for TOO many detours (taken too many already!), and want to take in most of the usual must-sees including:

Canon del Pato
Nazca Lines
Colca Canyon
Cusco & Machu Piccu
Lake Titicaca
La Paz?
Salar de Uyuni (not sure if Bolivia's complicated with bike?)

My immediate question is whether to continue through the Andes or drop down to Guayaquil? Andes seems obvious to me, but someone suggested the other.

Off in the morning, so last question first please!

pop in
 

Why don,t you visit the pub and we,ll have a chat! details on the beer in Ecuador thread or give me a bell on 256 55 44 or my cell 098 323 788,look forward to hearing from you,Albert

Oh yeah, rain in the mountains,warm on the coast,also try maxvert he left for Cuenca today on a ktm 950,he posted a couple of says ago,looking for people to travel with!!!

detour through North Peru
 

A beautifull road runs through North Peru. Take the road inland from Chiclayo then ride the Andes roads towards CajaMarca, visit the romte Inca Ruins of Kuelap (there stunning location competes with muchu pichu, but no tourist here) , Leymabamba, Huamachuch, Karaz, Huaraz. You can continue the Andes roads all the way to Cuzco. For me definatly a better route than the desert road along the coast. But it takes longer roads can be bad after rain.
On the coastal road which is all desert in Peru. Picso Ica Nasca make nico stops but don't compete with the Andes. Arequipa and Coca Cnyon area are worth de detour.
But offcourse this is all personal. I prefer mountains over desert, probably because I am dutch and it all flat here...

good luck
Mills
www.trans-amerika.nl

Thanks Mills, don´t have a map in front of me now, will look later.

Albert, I´ve had to delay a day, felt a bit rough this morning. Back home I could quite happily drink twice what I did yesterday and not feel so bad! Is your beer stronger than I thought or is it the altitude? Might be in later, but could have same trouble tomorrow, so maybe not.

Thanks for the route anyway, I´ve plotted it out on my map OK. Just one question - it appears possible to continue further south in the Andes rather than dropping off to the coast where you said - is there a reason why not to continue in the mountains? Can´t remember the names of the places at present.

no reason at all mate,it,s just that I was coming from Lima up,the folks in the hotel I stayed in in Huaraz had local maps made up for tourists and hikers in the hotel these had all the local routes on them!! Try the hotel Tumi they have plenty of space to park bikes as well!!

Got the map now!

What I'm talking about is keeping south after Cuenca to Loja then SW to Piura crossing border at Macara. Is that a good way to go?

BTW found the Equator museum today after a few wrong turns. GPS said I was 120m south of the equator, but the whirlpools showed that the line was correct. Whereas at the other monument I stopped at on the Pan-am (large orange pole) the GPS was reading exactly 0.00000. Strange.

Yup. The border at Macara is a sleepy & quiet one so a good place to cross.

Quito South
 

Holla Ian,
We are in Cuenca at present and leaving tomarrow for Vilcabamba.
After a few days there we will go south and into Peru through Jaen and
to Cajamarca.
We spent part of the day at the KTM dealer here, amazingly friendly people.
The shops owner Wilson Malo has traveled this route and it sounds like a
spectactular ride.
We expect to be at least three days from Vilcabamva to Cajamarca .
If you are interested in joining us for this section of the trip PM me here.

GO!!!!!!! MAX

routes thru ecuador
 

Hi Ian, I rode from Quito - riobamba-cuenca-macara-piura then down through the coast trujillo, barranca-lima-Nasca up over the Andes through abancay and other towns I can't remember the name of into Cusco. From Cusco then went to Puno, copacabana and onto La Paz. From La Paz to oruro - potosi - and down to Salta in Argentina crossing at the Bermejo border.

The roads in Ecuador were fine, a few potholes here and there and a small part where it disintergrated into mud just before macara. The scenery was fantastic and no problem for petrol. I had a 10 litre tank and it was fine. Macara was an easy crossing, no hassle, friendly border guards and all done in 30 mins. The roads in Peru were great - quite a lot of desert on the coast and dodgy police who took our licences and demanded bribes just outside Baranca. apparently this happens a lot at this particular spot. If it happens to you just demand to be taken to the Commiseria (sp??) and refuse to pay. They will eventually let you go. The road through the Andes to Cusco was beautiful and again roads were very good. Just make sure you have cash on you as we were stuck a couple of times as a lot of towns didn't have cash machines. From Cusco to Potosi the roads were great but south of potosi they were ripio/sand etc. I didn't go to the Salar uyuni but the road down to it is ripio and can be a bit challenging.
Hope this is useful
Christine

Thanks christy - I've been warned about the cops in N Peru! Are you back in blighty now?

MAXVERT I've PM'd you, it seems I'm spoilt for choice with good routes! I've had a nice day's ride down from Quito and am in Loja tonight.

Albert, Dick and I had a great time at the Turtle's Head. Thanks so much for your help with the tire. It wasn't going to happen without you. I posted a couple of photos here. Be sure and thank the girls.
http://www.bogriffinrides.com/html/january9.htm

In Huaraz
 

My name is Marcello, I am the HU host in Huaraz. You are surely on the road now, probably near here if you came down the Andes. If you want precise information and contacts on your way south, come around Vagamundo Travelbar in Huaraz, my phone is 043-905063.
Ride on...

Thanks Vagamundo, but I'm long gone! Now in Cusco, heading off to Puno in the morning.

Just one question, if you're still online: I would like to visit Colca Canyon, but I'm not sure if there's a nice way of making a detour there before Puno? Obviously I'd need an extra day.

Bolivia
 

Hi Ian,
if you are on the way from Puno I should think you are planning to come into Bolivia next. Well, things are a bit strange here at the moment. You are fine to La Paz but heading south from La Paz you may hit trouble. I came back from Santa Cruz yesteday and there was around 100 km of road-blocks either side of Cochabamba. I got through but at one point I was hugging the right side of a bus while people were throwing rocks at it from around 100ft above on the left side. Cochabama town was closed off in the centre and today there have been 70 injured in clashes.
Busses from Uyuni to Potosi have been cancelled because it is too dangerous and I have heared that there are problems today around Oruru.
This sounds bad, it is, but things get really intense here for a bit and then it all just goes away and is forgotten about as quickly as it started.
Try and keep an eye on the news!
Fraser