Hi,
We're about to embark on a 3 month trip (late April to late July) to South America and are wondering what's best to pack and whether it's possible to buy as you go ie walking shoes/ coats...
We're kicking off in central america for a wk (costa rica) and then travel to ecuador (quito), bolivia, chile, argentina, back to Peru for the inca trail (early July) and then finally Brazil for 2 weeks.
Also could anyone let us know what the weather is like in Bolivia (La paz) late May and northern Chile in early June?
We're aware that we're travelling in their winter but would like some advice as to what areas would be best to catch the odd bit of sunshine...
Reply to this I´m from the States and currently in Valparaiso, Chile. I thought it would be cold. Coming from Southern California, I looked at the weather almanac and figured that I would need some thermos undershirts in low 70 degrees weather. To my surprise i was wrong. It was quite warm and that was a surprise considering this is a port town with ocean breezes. I was still warm. I would highly recommend Valparaiso, Chile. I have family here and have been coming back every year. There is plenty to do and see. You are not likely to get ripped off like in Santiago. You can definetely buy as you go. I personally pack very lightly. But then again I don´t backpack. Use good judgement. There are plenty of backpackers here. I run into them all the time. If you need any other bit of information feel free to ask.
Reply to this Quito can get a bit chilly because of the altitude so a jacket of some description would be an idea. Equally, nights in Ecuador and Peru can get cold so take at least one jumper. Other than that the weather is usually surprisingly nice. High altitude places are likely to be a bit cold and if you got to the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia it gets freezing (my lowest point was -10 C one night!) I would say it's better to take stuff with you on the off chance you can't get something out there once you arrive. There was still sun on the beaches of northern Peru when I went in July so you should be able to catch some sun!
Have fun!
Reply to this Katherine/Richard,
Thanks very much for your responses...they've given us a better idea of what to expect.
Cheers,
Hector and Kirsty
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