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Hi Peter & everyone,
Thanks for your tips. I'm in Asuncion. It's been a very warm and hilly ride since Juan Pedro. The capital city is currently baking in 41°C heat. I camped a few times along the way but it's difficult to fall asleep with temperatures hardly dropping at night :( Rural hotels/hospedajes have been a blessing. They're cheap, ubiquitous and always have AC. To get to the Falls I'll try to use the backroads where available. I'm planning to visit both sides. Any nice route you'd recommend through southern Brazil ( Parana, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul as far as the Uruguayan border ) ? Looks like I can either hug the coast down or ride inland through the Serra do Mar. Levelo. |
Levelo,
41°C -- WOW! You could cook an egg on the tarmac. :clap: I was on a schedule to meet my wife in Buenos Aires for Christmas, so my ride through southern Brazil in 2012 was a blur. Nothing special to report after hanging out with a motorcycle club in Florianópolis. bier Given you are going to Iguazú and are headed south from there, I have a strong recommendation. Go to Saltos del Moconá! Moconá (Yucumã on the Brazilian side) is the world's longest vertical waterfall. Between 2-3 km wide. https://maps.app.goo.gl/svNSjCerdfdwpY737 On the Argentine side, there is a tour service that will take you down the river on a Zodiac (inflatable boat.) From studying Google Maps and researching the area, approaching the falls from the Brazilian side appears to mean hiking through a park. We decided to get there would be easier on the Argentine side and rented a car in Puerto Iguazú, AR (a 4-5 hour drive.) I don't know if there is a boat tour available on the Brazilian side or if there are any services. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltos_del_Mocon%C3%A1 The rainfall needs to be considered. If you are in the rainy season, the water below the falls rises and there is very little or no waterfall. =( By late April there could be a lot of rain or only some. I suggest checking with the Argentina tourist office or perhaps a hotel near Moconá to learn the height of the waterfall. Brazilian friends of mine rode there in October 2023 and there from Curitiba, Brazil, and there were zero waterfalls. I remember the day they left for the trip, it was raining hard. We went to Moconá Falls in December 2018 after visiting Iguazú. There were falls at that time of year... https://weatherspark.com/y/29626/Ave...20Chapec%C3%B3 (Sorry for the slow reply.) |
Ola Peter & everyone,
I'm on the coast in Imbituba, 100 kms south of Florianopolis. I've been lent a summer house for as long as I want, and it feels good to be relaxing here :thumbup1: The Falls were great. To make it to the coast I first went through the beautiful National Park on the Argentinian side of the river. There is a 50 km dirt track that cuts through the jungle. I crossed back into Brazil at the Comandante Andresitos/Capanema small border post, then pedaled through what I imagined would be the backroads of southern Parana. It turned out be a hellish hilly ride, with lots of traffic and no shoulder most of the time. Southern Brazil has plenty of aggressive drivers, and lots of them thought I was a nuisance in their way. This part of the country is one of the most stressful places I have ever ridden through. Santa Catarina was a bit better, with less soy fields, more forest and cooler air up in the mountains. I'm still undecided as to which route to pick from here to the Uruguayan border. It's either the road along the coast, which I've been told is quiet south of Porto Alegre, or back inland through the more challenging southern part of the Serra Geral in Rio Grande do Sul ( Canion de Itaimbezinho, Canela, Gramado, Nova Petropolis... ). Levelo. |
Hi Levelo, I would recommend the coastal route, go to the BR 101 south of Osorno towards Sao José do Norte. Very quiet. Then take the ferry to Rio Grande and on towards Chui/Chuy the border with Uruguay. By far the most quiet route.
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Hola Marker,
I did just that. This wasn't my prefered route but the massive flooding in Rio Grande do Sul ruled all the other options out. I got trapped in the torrential rains a couple of times, Sao José do Norte and Rio Grande were partly under water but the ferry was still operating the day I crossed ( the level of the laguna rose sharply when I was there ). The coastal route was quiet indeed but still wet and very windy. I crossed into Uruguay at Chuy, then made my way to Montevideo and Colonia where I took the ferry to Buenos Aires. I thoroughly enjoyed riding there. Better roads, less traffic and more considerate drivers. And the cheese rocks ! L. |
Motoviajeros and exchange tips
levlo!
Welcome to Argentina! Food and Drink I found the quality of meat raised considerably over the beef in Brazil. If you are a meat eater, enjoy. If you haven't already discovered it, Argentines love a good Milanesa sandwich, and wine and cheese of course. I bought wine in stores and directly from vineyards. Traveling alone, the problem was finishing a whole bottle by myself... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milanesa Money, money, money... If you have crisp USD bills (possibly EUROS) you should be able to get as much as 30% more by trading privately or informally (Blue Dollar, Dólar Blue, Informal Dollar, Unofficial Dollar, Parallel Dollar) over the official bank rate. The rates change daily and have fluctuated greatly in the past few months. To trade privately, ask around, at hotels and stores, if anyone is buying. In tourist areas of some cities, you may encounter cambo guys on the street. In October 2023, I heard cambo guys were chased out of Buenos Aires, but ran into them in Bariloche. Go figure. If you have a credit card issued outside of Argentina you should get somewhere between the bank rate and the informal or private rate. The credit card advantage over the bank rate is supported by an Argentine government "Foreign Tourist Dollar" (also Tourist Dollar, Foreign Tourist Dollar, Dólar Turista.) You can find the daily rates for the above and more here: https://bluedollar.net/ https://bluedollar.net/tourist-dollar-rate/ Lodging Resource Sadly, I learned about this list/map of pousadas after my trip was over. I discovered two by way of recommendations given by friends. I believe some of the pousadas are motorcycle clubhouses. There may be a room with a bed or a space to camp. Amenities such as shower, wifi, and kitchen, surely vary by pousadas. Chances are you will be warmly welcomed by one person or the whole club. Refugios Motoviajeros AR - https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer...98&usp=sharing I stayed at these pousadas (and wish I had this map above when I was traveling!) La Posta Del Viajero En MotoWhat is your plan now? Will you brave the cold and power through the distance to Tierra del Fuego? |
Hi Peter, Hi everyone,
I flew back " home " from Argentina one month ago. I was just beat and the cost of having my winter gear sent to me was more than the airfare :nono: I will spend the summer here in Europe ( relaxing & making a few bucks ) while the bicycle is stored at a carpenter's workshop in Buenos Aires during my absence. I plan to resume my ride south to and through Patagonia in mid-September or so. Cambio guys were very conspicuous on Florida St. in BA when I was there ! Thanks for your lodging advice and the list/map of posadas. Do you think the hosts would mind a cyclist :innocent: ? Levelo. |
Hola Levelo!
Many adventurers take a break and then return later to continue their journey. Grant & Susan Johnson, the owners of Horizons Unlimited rode around the world, in segments. They would travel for as long as the money lasted, return home to make money, and then pick up where they left off. Riding south in Argentina at this time of year is cold, mixed with snow, and more cold. Wait a few months until the weather becomes hospitable and you have built up cash reserves. I don't enjoy extended travel on a shoestring; to each their own. I was in Buenos Aires in 2023, three weeks before the elections and was told by a friend who works for the Argentine government, that the cambio guys were chased away. It is interesting to note the cambio guys have returned to the streets and goes to show that laws and policies change all the time in South America. Cheers, |
Hola Peter & everyone in the Hubb,
I concur, I also always break my long journeys in various segments of between 12 and 18 months tops. This time I decided to fly home to see my folks, rest and make some cash ( plus I underwent 2 minor but necessary surgeries ). I'm due back in Buenos Aires on September 14th. Will keep you posted. Happy trails, L. |
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