Tips and advice for The south of South America?
 

Hi all

So far I've seen northern Chile grande Norte, San Juan & Mendoza Argentina. I've spent three months in Bolivia and really took my time here. It's been incredible - what an amazing country and great people!

Now in heading south to Patagonia (not TDF not so interested) planing on March to avoid worst of crowds and winds. Was wondering if anyone can add any must-sees that are not the obvious ones? My route planned is this;

Northern Chile Small - attempting to cross the two national parks and ending up in Calama, anyone done this would love to hear from you - then Paso Jama (or Sico - any suggestions which is better?) for Salta Region, then across the pampas/southern Chacos to Asuncion Paraguay, then the next two weeks exploring Eastern Paraguay and coastal Uruguay and token visit to waterfalls.

Then south on Atlantic Argentina until switching coasts to Calafayti then zigzagging up the carreterra austral! I really want to see that Valdez peninsula and maybe the siete Lagos route but other than that no idea!

I'm a bit worried about Paraguy, Uruguay - any free campers camped there or travelled through? I'm an experienced but not hardened wild camper but prefer it to campgrounds - how's the camping out there and are attitudes to foreign lone motorcyclists as warm as they are in say Argentina?

Well just researching now - set to leave LaPaz on a XR250 (got a range of about 330k and have been advised to install windshield on her !!) in two weeks time!! Any suggestions or tips muy welcome :)

Hi,

I have done both Jama and Sico.

Paso Jama is all paved route. It is scenic, altiplano region with desert surroundings, salt lakes, rock formations, lamas, flamingos. It is nice and easy. You reach up to 4,800 meters altitude.

Gas is available right after the border, on the Argentinian side.

Paso Sico is more rugged. It is more beautiful route but in a very remote and wild sense. All dirt, with sections of deep gravel and sections with sand. There are also stretches with corrugations from the grader machines. Lot's of bumping.

See pics of Paso Jama route here at my blog, and here to get an idea.

And for Paso Sico, have a look here and here.

If you do Paso Sico coming from Chile, definitely fill your gas tank at San Pedro Atacama and also get supplies (water and some dry food) because you might have to spend the night out in the open (depending on your off-road riding skills - I mean if you take it slow you might not arrive before night at San Antonio de los Cobres). Your next chance for gas will be at San Antonio de los cobres in Argentina, that's approx 350 kilometers from San Pedro, 250 of them on dirt/gravel/sand.

Next , the areas around Salta, Tucuman, Purmamarca etc definitely deserve some riding and exploring.

Further south, I believe you read my other post regarding route from Zapala to caretera austral etc. , as well as the east coastal front. :)

Valdez is not interesting in my opinion, during this time of year. Whales & orcas have moved south, and the peninsula is overcrowded with tourists (domestic and foreigners).

For uruguay and paraguay, unfortunately I have no info to share...

Wow fantastic stuff! Many thanks - they both sound great. It sounds like Jama is the sensible route but Sico sounds like a decent challenge. Thanks for letting me know :)

Uuguay
 

Road spirits advice is good and we concur so won't add to that.

In Northern Chile we did NP Lauca and NP Volcan Isluga, we have 39 liters full and we nearly got caught short after filling up at Putre, even running at 4.5 - 5 L / 100 km that we did the fuel distances there are long, that is the only place I thought we were going to push the bike.

Uruguay we spent nearly three weeks there, flat, expensive and not really an adventure bikers paradise, nice beaches north so your coastal choice is good, plenty of camping along there, really nice camp behind Fortaleza.

Free camping, you can easy enough in the middle but it is just an expanse of farmland and not a much shelter, we camped in Durazno, free camping there with toilets and HOT showers.:thumbup1:

Really cool camp ground 10 k north of Colonia too right on the river.

While we had an ok time in Uruguay we found it a little empty after Arg, Bolivia and Chile, not putting it down but knowing where you have been it does not have the adventure or scenery side.

Uruguay things to do, Colonia, Montevideo.. because, Casa Pueblo, Punta Del Este, Punta De Diablo, Fortaleza, in the middle there is not much, there are hills in the north but we did not go to there.

Paraguay we only went in at Ciudad Del Este, noisy stinking town, other bikers who have gone in said not worth the money they paid for a VISA but I don't know on that as we only went 11km in (undercover :D)...for what we saw and what others say I wouldn't put Paraguay on the top of the list unless you want to tick off countries.

Foz Do Iguassu, although touristy it is well worth the visit, we did both Argentina and Brasil side, Argie side we took the boat with the rest of the sheep but I have to say I enjoyed being a tourist for a day despite the crowds for something so spectacular, both sides are worthwhile IMO.

Hope this helps, any specific questions on Uruguay let us know and will see if we can answer.

Cheers Andi

Tips and advice for The south of South America?
 

Hi Andi and thanks for that response what- a wealth of information! Cheers!

I wanted to start in Putre (it's good to know there's a pump there - last time in Tambo I had a real drama getting my tank filled!) and head south skirting the boarder with Bolivia, hopefully ending up in Colchane near the boarder crossing with Bolivia - then down to the Gigante hand.

My range is like 350k without messing around with soda bottles - can I assume there's no gasoline at Colchane? I found in Bolivia small villages usually sell (unreliable) gasoline but maybe not in Chile. Is there a pump near the gigante by any chance?

You're not the first to comment on Paraguay - maybe it's better explored as a backpacker than a biker! And I'm surprised Uruguay is expensive - maybe better off in low-season? I suppose I only wanted to go because they were relatively unknown to me. Thanks again for your input and hope to see you down south!!

RTW

Heya RTW

In Putre there is no pump, just bottled/drum gas ....and it is nearly 2 x the price, still better than pushing though.

Not sure about Colchane gas we we turned out to the 5 prior, can anyone else chime in?, I think at least you can get bottled few like Putre.

Your next gas near on the Ruta 5 is 6 km south of the turnoff to Iqueque, no gas by Mano De Desierto ,if coming down the 5 be prepared for very long stretches of nothing, gas stations are few and far between in that area.

Yes I saw the other comments from bartman?, his story echoed in similar vein by many.

Yes Uruguay makes Brasil look cheap, gas is expensive, food, accom etc although camping in a proper camping ground ranges from very acceptable to free.

Rubber side down, catch you down south with some luck, we are two up on a KTM 950 Super Enduro covered in stickers to cover crash damage doh

Cheers Andi