It’s now only November 2014 and with a nod from Elena’s bosses that she can take her long service next year the planning of a 3 1/2 month journey to South America starts to evolve.
Our plan is to take form late September until early January and travel through Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Cuba and Mexico. It’s going to be one hectic trip with long bumpy bus rides and I’m even going to mountain bike Death Road!
Our initial plan is as follows:
Santiago – Chile
This will our starting point, and being totally new to South America it’s a good and safe option for us.
Antofagasta, Chile
This is Chile’s second largest city and is yet another pit stop along the planned journey. Antofagasta has a rough-and-ready jumble of one-way streets and has a strong history as a port city supporting the mines of Atacama.
San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
The Atacama Desert is the driest non-polar desert in the world, so take plenty of water.
Salta, Argentina
To be honest we don”t know much about Salta, but to get from the Desert we need to pass through Salta and tick off yet another country. Sometimes when you get this rare opportunity of explore with no expectations you get so much more from the experience.
Tupiza, Bolivia
To see the Bolivian Salt Flats will be a dream of mine, to get a hold of a fast car and scream across the flats is yet another….
La Paz, Bolivia
One of the highest cities om the world and it’s from here that Elena and I will part ways for a couple of days as I tick off yet another box and mountian bike Death Road from La Paz to Coroico. It’s a 70km ride on one of the most dangerous roads in the world. The road claims 300 lives a year… who’s scared?…
Coroico, Bolivia
This will be we Elena and I meet again after my adventure mountain bike ride.Nestled in The Andes this little trading town stood between the Amazon Jungle and the Mountains and depended on goods being supplied from La Paz via the notorious Yunccas Road, know to the locals as the road of death.
Rurrenabaque, Bolivia
It wouldn’t be right to visit South America and not go to the Amazon, so from this remote place we get a chance to see the jungle.
Copacabana, Bolivia
It’s from this picturesque town that we visit the worlds highest lake. Lake Titicaca is home to a race that literally lives on the lake building reed boat and a floating village.
Arequipa, Peru
Located at an altitude of 2325m in the desert mountains of the Andes. This beautiful city is practically completely built out of sillar, a kind of white volcanic stone. Arequipa is often refereed to as the White City. With its one million inhabitants, Arequipa is the second biggest city of Peru.
Cusco, Peru
From here, we’ll take a trek to the famous Machu Picchu ruins, high up in the Andes Mountains. this is one of the most famous of Inca ruins.
Lima, Peru
While many of Lima’s stately manors have given way to glass-enclosed apartment buildings, high-rise business towers and hotels, at least one part of Peruvian culture is returning to its roots here: the cuisine. Lima natives — Limeños — are obsessed with food….. excellent, so am I!
It’s from here in Lima that we can get to visit the Oldest City in the new world. Caral predates any colonial heritage.
Huaraz, Ancash, Peru
Known as ‘Laguna 69’ is a breathtaking turquoise lake that is literally hugged by snowy mountain peaks, jagged rocks and trickling waterfalls some 4,600 metres above sea level. It is both a steep and demanding ascent beginning at 3,800 metres, but the overriding challenge is being able to cope with the high altitude.
Bogota, Colombia
Ten million people call vibrant, passionate, sprawling Bogota home. The energy of this metropolitan heart of Colombia is in part fueled by its hundreds of eclectic and authentic dining hot spots, fantastic wines, and frequent foodie festivals… this is a city I can’t wait to taste.
Cali, Colombia
Finally, I’m getting to Cali and meeting a friend that we’ve known for years but never actually met in person, It’s going to be an awesome time as Maria is a professional D.J. and artist… It’s gonna be Party Time 🙂
Medellin, Colombia
I’m hoping to meet a fellow blogger that we’ve been following for some time now, Marcello goes under the name of Wandering Trader and teaches people how to Day Trade the stock market. He’s been doing this for years and it allows him to travel and work at the same time…. lucky bastard 🙂
Also I discovered El Picol 100km north of the city and really want to check this picturesque place out…. its only 750 steps!
Cartagena, Colombia
Once I thriving pirate port and the inspiration of the movie Pirates of the Caribbean, it’s a must see. From here we plan to visit a volcano that you can sit in the boiling mud…. Roast Human anyone, if someone throws in veges and seasoning I’m out!
Panama
As our flight from Cartagena goes through Panama we’re going to see if we can meetup with an old Couch Surfing Friend who stayed with us in 2012. Jenny is now working for the Peace Corp in Panama and it will be awesome to see here again.
Havana, Cuba
Once a communist country run by a ruthless tyrant Cuba is fast becoming popular with tourists. My goal is to smoke a Cuban cigar and spot as many old cars as possible.
Cancun, Mexico
We just have to come back here as Elena came here for a work conference in 2013 and NEVER left the resort. It’s the only country she’s been to and yet never seen the country.
Playa de Carmen, Mexico
I feel like we’ve been on the Amazing Race as we plan to fit all this into 3 1/2 months. So, this will be our pit stop at the end of our race around South America.
And as a side note…… Did you see the Lama?
