South America top to bottom trip (solo)

[Snowy]

In mid-November (18 weeks time) I fly out to Bogota for my solo trip south to Ushuaia. I say 18 weeks rather than 4.5 months because it makes my departure sound sooner which helps me focus on all the stuff I have to do to get ready. I fly home from Buenos Aires at the end of February. My route will take me through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile but I only have 14 weeks for the trip. Elsewhere, I've seen others ridiculed for doing this type of trip in such a short amount of time but it's all the time I have. Yes, I'd love to spend 6 - 12 months doing it, but I can't, it's as simple as that. The alternative is not to do it at all but I'd rather do it in double-time than not do it at all. There are quite a few commercial group tours that do this trip in 55 to 73 days so my 100 days there seems quite generous! My bike is being shipped there and back with the lovely people at Moto Freight and my plan is to hostel in the northern bits and camp in the south.

I'll have my 59th birthday while I'm out there and I haven't done a solo trip like this before, and I have to confess that at times it feels as scary as it is exciting. The only itinerary I have is to be at the airport at the end of February to fly home, other than that I'll be making it up as I go along (although my limited time there will be forcing my hand). There are a few places along the way I can't miss, such as camping in the Atacama Desert, riding the Carretera Austral and the Torres del Paine National Park as well as other 'sexy' stuff up north.

I know there a few people on here that have experience of travelling through South America so I welcome any advice/tips I can get.

 

[grantmac]

A couple of points for Chile.
check camping in the Atacama desert. Understand its not as free as it used to be and you have to stray at registered camping grounds.
A visit up to the Geysers del Tatio is best done in guided tour. Torres del Paine - check weather. Should be OK due to summer but can be tricky....and when travelling highway 5 (Ruta 5) be prepared to stop and pay the toll many times along your trip south

 

[John RTW]

There's a camp ground in San Pedro, which I know a lot of bikers stay at for ease and accessibility to the town and tours to see the local highlights. For Torres del Paine, it's better to camp just outside of the NP so you can see the Torres from your tent.

I'll be in Santiago around New Years and then heading up to Antofagasta sometime after that, so give us a shout if you're local closer the time. Hostal Casa Matte is the place to stay in Santiago with Cristian who has plenty of knowledge of where to go and a workshop to maintain your bike or Johny Motos a great mechanic who can do the more technical stuff.

South America is pretty easy going, try and learn a bit of basic Spanish if you can. I've no idea what's happening with the economy in Argentina, so it could be very handy to bring a big wad of Dollars to use there. It's been a few years since I've done the C A so you might find that could be sealed most of the by way now. The Ruta 40 can be fun and the wind down south will keep you on your toes. With so much to see in such a short time, I would keep Peru and the Bolivian Salar as the must see touristy spots, although the weather in the North might be a bit wet and the Salar de Uyuni could be flooded which might mean a trip out in a 4x4 might make more sense depending on how much you love your motorcycle.

As Grantmac says, if you're not going to hang around and use the Ruta 5, be prepared to pay many tolls.

 

[Snowy]

Thanks for the advice grantmac and John RTW, really appreciate it...

 

[simondippenhall]

In mid-November (18 weeks time) I fly out to Bogota for my solo trip south to Ushuaia. I say 18 weeks rather than 4.5 months because it makes my departure sound sooner which helps me focus on all the stuff I have to do to get ready. I fly home from Buenos Aires at the end of February. My route will take me through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile but I only have 14 weeks for the trip. Elsewhere, I've seen others ridiculed for doing this type of trip in such a short amount of time but it's all the time I have. Yes, I'd love to spend 6 - 12 months doing it, but I can't, it's as simple as that. The alternative is not to do it at all but I'd rather do it in double-time than not do it at all. There are quite a few commercial group tours that do this trip in 55 to 73 days so my 100 days there seems quite generous! My bike is being shipped there and back with the lovely people at Moto Freight and my plan is to hostel in the northern bits and camp in the south.

I'll have my 59th birthday while I'm out there and I haven't done a solo trip like this before, and I have to confess that at times it feels as scary as it is exciting. The only itinerary I have is to be at the airport at the end of February to fly home, other than that I'll be making it up as I go along (although my limited time there will be forcing my hand). There are a few places along the way I can't miss, such as camping in the Atacama Desert, riding the Carretera Austral and the Torres del Paine National Park as well as other 'sexy' stuff up north.

I know there a few people on here that have experience of travelling through South America so I welcome any advice/tips I can get.

GSPod of this parish would be worth talking to as he and Amanda have just done Montreal to Ushuaia over last winter/this spring on his GS and her Himmie. (Plus he’s a real gent)

 

[Northern jock]

59? Good to do it while you're still young
Not been there but a few folk on here have as noted above, more will come and comment. Worth reading Old man on a bike by Simon Gandolfi, you may pass through some areas he talks about.

 

[Snowy]

Thanks Northern Jock, I'll take a gander at that book

 

[Jeffk]

Hi did some of what you're doing but the other way, rode from Buenos Aires to Bogota. I too used MotoFreight (excellent).

I found it all quite easy...in the end, but I'll admit I felt a little aimless for the first couple of weeks then I started planning 2-3 days ahead, it really helped me mentally. Planning most individual days was left till the evening before, but i made target towns a couple of days in advance. I did it on a CRF300 Rally, and spent as mush as possible on trails...these appeared hard to find at first...but when you get there half the roads I took were not paved = result. Rooms were generally easy...never camped once and don't regret it. Carried to much stuff to do that thinking it would be good fun, but in some remote places I was paying less than £15...worth it when you're dog tired and wet!

Have a great time...pack light...you can always buy it there and ever tool has its place...so don't change it, as soon as I got out of sequence panic sets in . Avoid the Pan American Highway = boring.

On of my highlights

 

[ThreeDawg]

We're off to ride north from Chile to the USA in 23 days time, so if you spot a GB registered 1100GS, it might be us!

Don't think 14 weeks is too bad for your trip - last time we did Santiago up to Uyuni in Bolivia and down as far as Puyuhuapi in northern Patagonia before returning to Santiago in six fairly easy weeks. That was about 1000 miles per week. Ruta 5 is a sodding bore, at least in Chile, the rest of it is brilliant.

Just watch out for the altitude if you are heading to Uyuni and are going to cross the Andes- quite easy to find yourself at 12000 feet or more. We used Diamox Acetazolomide (sp?) tablets to good effect. Rooms are often very cheap, didn't bother hauling all the camping gear with us on that one.