South America trip

[maddog-uk]

OK, folks the other half and I are off to South America for 8 weeks in 2005 and need some advice on where to go! SO far the things we have been told are the Inca trail and the Amazon, but other ideas gratefully received, just so happens F1 will be in brazil when we are there so needless to say that’s one weekend sorted.

All ideas gratefully received.

[alfaman]

I've been to Chile , Argentina and Peru ....depends what you like really :

for mtn scenery : Cordillera Blanca in Peru ( near Huaraz), Patagonia in Southern Chile ( superb scenery in Torres del Paine Nat Park, with interesting wildlife )

hot deserts : Atacama desert in Northern chile

Volcanoes and Lakes : Lake district in Chile ( Puerto Varaz area) - extends over the border to Bariloche in Argentina.

Lake Titicaca in Bolivia

The bus journey over the Andes from Santiago (Chile) into Argentina is worth doing.

Buenos Aires is well worth a visit, lots to see ( though I was there before the economic collapse

Public transport in Chile is excellent ( long distance coaches put UK to shame ), internal flights are cheap.

Chile is quite "safe" , Peru and Argentina less so.

[maddog-uk]

Thanks for that. We kind of like adventure and pretty much everything on the scenary front, e.g rain forests and mountains etc.

[mechsympathy]

alfaman said:

I've been to Chile , Argentina and Peru ....depends what you like really : for mtn scenery : Cordillera Blanca in Peru ( near Huaraz), Patagonia in Southern Chile ( superb scenery in Torres del Paine Nat Park, with interesting wildlife ) hot deserts : Atacama desert in Northern chile Volcanoes and Lakes : Lake district in Chile ( Puerto Varaz area) - extends over the border to Bariloche in Argentina. Lake Titicaca in Bolivia The bus journey over the Andes from Santiago (Chile) into Argentina is worth doing. Buenos Aires is well worth a visit, lots to see ( though I was there before the economic collapse Public transport in Chile is excellent ( long distance coaches put UK to shame ), internal flights are cheap. Chile is quite "safe" , Peru and Argentina less so.

I'd agree with all of this and add that the best thing we did (in a 4 month Venezuela to Patagonia trip) was a jeep crossing of the altiplano from Bolivia to Chile. You cross a massive salt lake, high desert (4000m odd), geysers, hot springs and multicoloured lakes.

The Nasca lines in southern Peru was also spectacular as was the Colca canyon, with condors flying close overhead.

[Plotloss]

Bogota is quite an eye opener.

However I wouldnt neccesarily recommend it.

Its one of those 'difficult' travel things, if you're lucky you wont see any trouble at all, if you are unlucky someone may take a dislike to the taxi you are travelling in and shoot at it...

[alfaman]

Plotloss said:

Bogota is quite an eye opener. However I wouldnt neccesarily recommend it. Its one of those 'difficult' travel things, if you're lucky you wont see any trouble at all, if you are unlucky someone may take a dislike to the taxi you are travelling in and shoot at it...

A friend of mine visits Bogota fairly regularly (family) .... says that the kidnapping/robbery risk is higher there than most places in South America

[Racylady]

mechsympathy said:

The Nasca lines in southern Peru was also spectacular as was the Colca canyon, with condors flying close overhead.

If you go to the Nasca lines, you must see them from the air to get the full effect. Stunning.

[mechsympathy]

Racylady said:

mechsympathy said: The Nasca lines in southern Peru was also spectacular as was the Colca canyon, with condors flying close overhead. If you go to the Nasca lines, you must see them from the air to get the full effect. Stunning.

But don't eat too much beforehand. Getting thrown around the sky in a six seat plane by a pilot who's steering with his knees so he can point stuff out on the map does nothing for breakfast retention