Assuming I can do the trip this year....

How long do I need to get from Colombia, through Ecuador, Peru & Chile to Ushuaia?

The idea is not to rush.....just to arrive in Patagonia for the Southern Hemisphere summer & see as much as possible along the way.

I was thinking to leave Colombia in late July.....1 month in Ecuador, 2 months in Peru & 3 months to cross Chile & get to Ushuaia....arriving at the bottom in late January.

If needed, I could spend less time in Ecuador & Peru as I will be passing through them again on my way back to Colombia (via Argentina, Uruguay & Bolivia)

All & any thoughts much appreciated

I think it would be a mistake to ride straight through brcause you will miss some of the most interesting part of South America. I did that mistake. Everytime I wish I could have more time I thought I will have that more time on my way back but I fooled myself obsessed to make back to Cartagena in time to cross the Darien Gap.

Maried to a Colombian native, I lived some years in Colombia. I had the opportunity to ride the Andes of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and their part of the Amazonas. I realized I didn't took the time to connect with the locals.

My beloved wife just lost her fight against Cancer, I'm obsessed to go back to South America and ride the trip we planed to do together. I don't think I will ever want to come back to Canada.

Not planning on riding straight through - just trying to co-ordinate my departure from Colombia so that I arrive in Tierra del Fuego for the summer (Dec-Jan)

On my way back to Colombia I have no time constraints at all, so once I start heading north again I can take my time to see & do all the things in Peru & Ecuador that I might have missed on the way down.

Still need some advice on whether 6 months is adequate on the way down...

Firstly, I am sorry that you have lost your good lady. Doing the trip you had planned with her would be, IMHO, a good tribute to her and to you both as a team.

Secondly, to often we set timescales that we regret in hindsight - hindsight is, of course, done with perfect vision. To take the opportunity to go more slowly seems wise - we don't often hear about people that say that they wish they had had less time travelling.

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You will have to do without pocket handkerchiefs, and a great many other things, before we reach our journey's end, Bilbo Baggins. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you. The world is ahead.

When we did this (we started in Bogotá) we live in Colombia so took only 5 days to reach the border with Ecuador. If you want to explore Colombia before reaching Ecuador you'll need 6 to 12 weeks for this in my view.

We left Colombia at the end of June, and arrived in Ushuaia in November - about 4-1/2 months. We spent 2 weeks in Ecuador (however we live not far away so were aware that we would easily be able to spend more time later), 6 weeks in Perú, a month in Bolivia, and then the remainder of the time travelling back and forth between Chile and Argentina.

This worked well for us - we travel 170 Km per day on average - some days we cover 500 Km, and in some places we spend several days. We also then spent another 7 months returning to Bogotá, so had we simply travelled from Bogotâ tp Ushuaia and then shipped our vehicle back and returned by air, we would have spent at least twice the time travelling south, and wandered much further east and west.

6 months one way would be fine I think. I recommend that instead of returning on the same route (more or less) you plan on taking a completely different route northbound. We travelled south as noted above, and returned through Argentina (Atlantic coast, mainly), Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela. I suggest that you do not plan to visit Venezuela at present, however it's worth planning on spending time in regions much further east than the Pan American highway (and in fact to stay off the PA Highway as much as you can).

You should also plan on a day every couple of weeks just to rest.

Alanymarce - fantastic advice....gracious!

I have already toured northern Colombia & the Zona Cafeteria....so I plan to see the south (either on the way down or the way back.

I am planning a similar route to you.....Ecuador, Peru, zig-zag down through Chile & Argentina.

On the way back I will ride up the Atlantic side of Argentina to BA, through Uraguay then across to Cordoba, Salta & then across Bolivia, back into Peru, through Ecuador again & then return to Medellin to sell the bike & dance with a few of the beautiful Paisa’s

All in I am giving myself a year to do the trip

Now all we need to do is vaccinate 500 million people!

How much is enough ?
How long is a rope ?

A lot of people do Alaska-Ushuaia in around ½ year.
To have summer both in Alaska and Ushuaia.

But probably many of them are rushing to get to the end and tick the box.

But. ½ year for Colombia- Ushuaia should be plenty of time.
Especially considering that you are going up again.

But everybody will have a different opinion/way of travelling.
And there is nothing "correct"
So only you can say what is correct time for you.

=
I spent some time planning the part La Paz, Bolivia-Ushuaia.
Most of the time on Ruta 40.(Saving Chile for the way back)
For me I planned 2 months for that part.
Searching for places to visit during the way.
=
An example from Mexico:
And Simon does not rush..

Simon Gandolfi sets off from Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico to embark on a five and a half month journey culminating at Ushuaia 'the end of the world' in Tierra del Fuego.

>stay off the PA Highway as much as you can

In particular, the PanAm north of Lima Peru is deadly boring, avoid it at all costs.

I didn't ride all the way to TdF, but understand there are long stretches of very dull road in southern Argentina that simply need to put into your rearview mirror. It's a long road between BA and TdF, much is beautiful and some sections are to be powered through quickly. Unless long, flat, and windswept are your thing, then budget more time.

Philosophically speaking, it is shame to use the phrase "time budget" in the same sentence as "adventure travel", but it happens unless you won the lottery. Make a rough plan and be open to enticing detours as they come up. If that means not making it to Ushuaia, then the experiences you soak up will make it all worth it. I rode clockwise around South America in about 7 months. Faster than recommended. In the next few years, I will return to ride Patagonia and the interior of Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, eastern Bolivia...all places I didn't see on my first big trip. Think quality of experience, not the number of miles and passport stamps.

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Peter B
2008/09 - NJ to Costa Rica and back to NJ
2012/13 - NJ to Northern Argentina, Jamaica, Cuba and back to NJ
2023 - Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia...back to Peru.

Blogs: Peter's Ride

You could literally do it in 2-3 weeks if you had to.

But why would you ? It's crazy to me.

I think your timeline looks quite sensible.

Where I am a fan of not rushing anywhere I'm also not a fan of those who think you should take longer than it takes.

It's very easy to imagine a idyllic travelling dream whilst sitting behind a keyboard. But the reality of Overland travel is that it can be very expensive, physically and mentally tiring and you run the real risk of it losing it's magic and novelty if you spend too long in one spot or ride places just for the sake of a selfie.

It's impossible to know. And you won't know yourself until you're there.

But always give yourself the option of more time. Even if you don't need need it.

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

if you are riding with a pair of those in your luggage...

New riding suit idea

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

IMO how long is the wrong question to ask.

The key here is to time the seasons correctly.

Make sure you arent in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru during the rainy season and make sure you are in Patagonia during their summer.

So idealy you would be done traveling down Colombia, Ecuador and Peru (also Bolivia) before or rather right around late November early december.

Then you would have a good 2 maybe 3 months to do Patagonia in December, January and February.

Don't follow a straight line down or up. Any chance you get to criss cross the Andes you take it. That way you will see more dramatic and diverse landscape and you will experience a broader slice of what South America has to offer.

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Alaska 2014: Hotel Budget ZeroXmas in Death Valley, New Year in Urique

Why do we like to travel? To answer will be so different like the needed timeframe for the same distance.

Many regret the travel-speed afterwards, but honestly - are didnt able to try and report - how the slower travelling was at the end.

Most of us are not able to travel extended many times between the working years.

So try to answer the question to yourself - why do you really like to travel in south america. Do write the reasons down to paper. Think about how much time you will need for that all - and you will know more.

For landscape related travel you can travel faster, as if you like to get a deeper dive in local culture and local people in each country...

One thing is to mentioned - you need breaks between - to be able to enjoy "the new" like as you did start.

Personally my travel speed is getting slower - if I`am able to do like i want.

2012 - 20`500km in two monts (transafrica)
2015 - 35`000km in six months (south america)
2019 - 6`500km in two months (europe)

At 2020 I had 6500km in 3 weaks - because the time was very limited, and I had to eat kilometers to get to my travel destinations - Overlanding in Sweden. Same it was at 2014 in Iceland - not much time and a lot to see - too over 6`000 km in 3 weeks...

My travel diarys are linked - so you can a bit, how the travel live did looks like.

Surfy

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About Overlanding, Travelogues, Equipment
Trans-Africa over the west coast

that's a good question right now I have been in Colombia for over a year
Time is the essence We will have to wait the CV situation it is not improving
borders may open in June
6 months I think would be fun to go to Ushuaia

Did you was able to work in colonbia - or do you was able to do holidays for a year?

Surfy

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About Overlanding, Travelogues, Equipment
Trans-Africa over the west coast