Buying maps in Santiago?
 

Hey guys,

Want some "old school" backup to digital maps, but finding it hard to find a place in Santiago to buy South American maps. Anyone have any ideas of a place?

Cheers.

I got all mine from Amazon. They probably deliver to Santiago.

Tell you what's worth a go, in Provedencia, on Provedencia/11 Sept there's a pub called "The Phone Box". In the same square (it's only small, you'll find it) there's a book shop that does a lot of travel books. It's called Austral something or other.
They have a lot of Lonely Planets in the window, I don't know if they do maps or not but it's maybe worth a punt. You can always stop at the Phone Box for a Pisco Sour anyway.

Cool dunch, thanks for the Provedencia tip. Amazon no go, I'm leaving town in a few days... plus would never trust delivery to South America, too many things go walkabout.

I have to disagree with Duncan!!!

He is spot on about the old book shops next to the Phone Box BUT I would not have a pisco at the Phone BOx - they do not make a good one there!

A few blocks further down Av Providencia on the same side of the street there is a group of old book shops (mostly paperbacks) they may have some maps, there is also an Education book shop along there too. I bought my Spanish dictionary in there (and then left it behind as it was too heavy)

I assume you are looking for Bolivia &/or Peru (COPEC petrol stations sell a pretty good map for Chile as so YPF in Arg).

Happy hunting
Delb

PS: I bought my Peru & Bol maps on line whilst at home.

Yep, unfortunately only found Peru maps at COPEC. Funny how there just seems nowhere to buy maps, don't students here ever need maps for school at the very least??

I've heard from some people that they make due with the maps you can buy from the old guy on plaza de armas, it's nothing topographic but most roads are showed on it and it's in book form so pretty convinient for bike-travel.

devee007: when are you leaving, i'm curently in Santiago as well trying to organise my trip

HI, Im from Chile and I was searching maps everywhere for my current trip. For chile, the best is the copec maps, you can find it in every copec gas station. For argentina and Brasil, i found michelin maps in a bookstore chain, I dont remember the name but is in almost all big shopping malls. I bought mines in a mall in the córner of avenida grecia with Av. Macul (Av. José Pedro alessandri). Maybe you can find it in other popular and high end shopping malls like parque Arauco or alto las condes. In the Brazil michelin map appears all Bolivia too. I hope this help you

Ps: in the bookstores in providencia, some blocks down the phone box store, you will not find anything. And yes, our children DO learn geography but in regular maps, NOT ROAD MAPS

Damn, wish last 2 posts had come before I left Santiago. I was not able to find anything, so hoping my iphone GPS + caching Google maps before leaving wifi will do the trick. I have a map to northern Chile, am hoping that across into Bolivia I will find one for Bolivia ...etc.

Yeah like you I looked around for good maps in Satiango and didnt find anything, the Copec small book maps were the best I found and they fit in a bank bag map pocket.

In Bolivia I didnt see any maps for sale, In Cusco, Peru there was a small tabbaconist shop on the corner just up the road from Norton Rats bar that had a few road maps for Peru and some of Equador.

Suerte!

Deeve

I am in San Perdro about to cross to Arg and then up to Bolvia. I have maps so if you are going to be in the same part of the world at the same time I am happy to share.

(I also have Peru)

Both bought in the UK before I left.

Cheers
Delb

Delbert, thanks for the offer, but me being on a 125 I'm pretty sure you'd leave me for dust! ;)

I'm sure I'll survive, just didn't help that my iphone just died too, ha ha! Will be buying android phone first big town I hit (not expecting to find an Apple centre to look at my phone ;) ).

Copec map is great, if you're heading south hit the ruta inter lagos its awesome, soon got bored of the 5, got off at victoria headed east and went on the tracks through the national parks all the way to Puerto Varas. Nokia maps are great in bolivia and peru, even covers the route between San Pedro de Atacama and Salar de Uyuni throught the Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve of Andean Fauna, just watch out for crazy drunk land cruiser tour drivers, ps you get hit up for $40 park entry.