Road info on Colombia, Peru, Bolivia
 

Hi All,

Used already search but couldn't find much concrete result.
So, we are preparing a RTW with start in 2020. First part will be South America. I'm now looking for some information, GPX track, things to do for Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. Rest I have already a rough idea but for some reason it is hard to find information on routes to take for these countries.
Thanks in advance for suggestions and other info.

David

Yeah it's a tough one. Because you can almost take any route you like. I'll give you some of my highlights. I zig zagged a fair bit.

Bolivia: ruta de las lagunas, salt flats (in uyuni) Sucre (really nice town, could have stayed longer, cheaper Spanish lessons in south America) Cochabamba (it worth it just for the road from Sucre and Potosí) Villa tunari (over the hill from Cochabamba, into the jungle) route 25 from Cochabamba to Coroico (ask about the water level of the river first) death road near Coroico (not that good but it's a must do) La Paz (just to get some good burgers and beer) Copacabana (really liked it, much nicer than Puno on the Peruvian side)

Peru: Perú is huge, get ready for some long stretches of "not much". Entering from copacabana go through Puno and down to Arequipa, (after Arequipa and before Cusco you have the option of dropping to the coast for Nazca and Huacachina, personally I don't recommend) Cotahuasi, Colca canyon, Cusco (lots around here, rainbow mountain, Choquequirao, Machu Picchu etc) after Cusco head north staying in the andes, Huancayo, Huaraz etc. Before crossing to Ecuador I'd recommend popping to the coast, lobitos, Mancora.

Ecuador (you didn't ask but still) it's small enough you can do a good loop. Over to Vilcabamba, baños, Quilatoa, over to the coast a bit, puerto Viejo, back to Quito, up to Colombia (I liked the San Martín crossing over towards the jungle)

Colombia is also big, but if you zoom in on the map, a lot is jungle or not accessible. So some highlights would be San Agustín, Cali, Salento, Bogotá. I need to spend more time there and don't have much more info but I will update you in a few months!

All I do is chuck all those pins into a map and a route will show itself. As you travel other people will give you more places to add to it. I wouldn't worry too much about having a very fixed route.

NewbRider,

Thanks for the feedback. This exactly what I was looking for. I don't intend to plan a specific route but was looking for some experiences from other travellers. Always handy to have an idea on what to do and to ride :-)
It is like you say, inspiration come along the ride but at least I know in what direction I need to start.

Peru: Stay off the PanAm! Peru is awesome through the highlands route and even the jungle route.

After Quito in Ecuador, take the jungle route through Tina, Macas, Cuenca, Loja, crossing to Peru south of Zumba. See the giant clock in Zamora! The last bit of road is gravel, but beautiful and decent if not heavy rain. Jungle, kayaking, church architecture, fresh trucha.

Peru; go through Jean and down to Chachapoya, Cajamarka, & Huamachuco. Ancient ruins, mountains, Gotka falls, mummy museum. North of Huaraz, ride the lagunas route out of Carazs & Yungay, located north of Huaraz.
go to Chavin, then down through LaUnion. Stay inland through Huánuco to Cusco. Anyone who says Peru is ugly and boring did not venture off the PanAm, and they missed everything that is Peru. Northern Peru has the Cusco area beat, hands down!

You are totally right! Panam is for the most part very boring. There are a few places of interest such as Trujillo with lots of ancient sites, Lima of course, Ica and Nasca and maybe a few more, but in general: Stay away from the Panam and ride the Andes in Peru. The Chachapoyas to Cajamarca ride was THE most mindblowing stretch I rode on my 5 year RTW trip.

More tips for Ecuador
 

A: use La Avenida de Los Vulcanos
From Otavalo to Cuenca.
Ride at 2 500- 2 800 m altitude. In the bottom of a valley.
With view of Vuclanos Chimborazo and Cotopaxi and much more
Chimborazo: > 6 000 m. Refugio at 5 000 m. Road up to 4 800 m
(Now there is also a refugio where the road ends)

B. Turn towards El Oriente (Jungle) from Quito. Get back via Banos.
=> Passing the East of Andes twice. Experience the Amazonas.
A tour to Misahualli ??? Once it was real jungle adventure. Now it is pure tourist place. But maybe nice if you do not know how it once was.
Relax in Banos with a hot bath and wash of the dust.

I can not recommend more the road south of Lima from San Vicente to Huancayo up the Canete River. Absolutely spectacular in all respects.

just start :thumbup1:

You will optain so many suggestions (on the panamericana) on the way that there is no real preparation necessary.

You will meet other travelers, get ideas (together with pictures) - and storys - and if you had planned - you will break your plan ^^

Just plan the "big picture". Which country you plan to visit, Brasil yes/no

It is more worth to stay focused on optimicing equipement, clothes and so on..

Surfy

This is the plan. Most preparations are done now. Bikes 95% but still some testing. The question was mote to have a better general knowledge of the continent. We did some reading bit it is always nice to receive some first hand knowledge from other riders. [emoji3]


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