Hello there Kiwis, like your plan.
I am planning a trip to New Zealand in January 2008, so you can give me some advice in return...
The main problem I see about your trip is that you have long jumps, that can take a day or two, maybe more,
that are not counted in your 3 months quota.
But, I'll try to help you about the things I know.
Stage One.
Buenos Aires, Argentina (3-4 days)
Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay (1-2 days)
(then back to BA to fly to La Paz)
La Paz, Bolivia (4 days)
Villa Tunari (15-16 days volunteering)
Uyuni (3 day tour of salt flats, ending in Chile)
- I can't see here traveling distance from BA to Uruguay. I think that you wrote this like you're being teleported ("Beam us up, Scotty").
That is not how things work in SA. And also, since I have impression that you're human beings, you have to prepare for the trip,
get tickets and so on, travel, then have some rest. Making connections in SA can include many delays, or the trip from A to B can result in two or more steps including places C and D...
To give you impression: I traveled from La Paz to Cochabamba, with stopover in Oruro, and it took me a whole day. From Cochabamba to Santa Cruz, it took me half a day. Transfers by land are not easy, they depend on departure times and many other things. Leave when full - that is a phrase often used in those countries. So, if a bus is scheduled for 10am, you can start at noon. Nobody takes care 'bout that.
Those questions that you have in Step one can be answered mainly when you arrive there. My recipe is that everywhere I arrive, I go to check for next transfer - immediately! Then I take a shower, if there is one.
Step two
San Pedro de Atamaca, Chile (3 days)
Arequipa, Peru (4-5 days)
Puno, Peru (4 days - Floating island o/nite tour)
Cuzco, Peru (4 days - bus/train to Machu Picchu)
Huacachina, Peru (2 days)
Be aware that from Chile to Peru you travel through Arica and Tacna. When I crossed that boarder last time, since we stayed in Arica, we had to rent a cab to go to the Peruvian side, there have formalities, and proceed to the bus terminal. It took us 6 hours to do this. If taking a bus line from Chile be aware that there might be inspection of the cargo that can last 4 hours at least. Then, you can proceed to Arequipa.
Yes these are a long trips, you can be sure that along Panamericana bus service is good and frequent. Cuzco - Huacachina?
First, that is almost a suburb of Ica, not distant by taxi, but yet it is expensive to stay there. In Ica there are many other things to see, like wine cellars, museo Cabrera, and so on. (Go directly from Cuzco if possible, I think it is.)
Trujillo, Peru (2 days)
Vilcabamba, Ecuador (1-2 days)
Quito, Ecuador (5 days)
Huacachina - Trujillo? First of all, bus service is to Lima, and from Lima. From Ica to Lima there is 4 hours of nice ride, I had travelled with Soyuz. Leaves every seven minutes from terminal! It costs about 25-30 soles. First class. (Since then the prices got higher, but not too much.)
From Lima to Trujillo - 8 hours (I used Ormeno, but there are many others). Along Panamericana - it is easy.
But, why you exclude Lima from your plan? It is a splendid city, with many nice things - at least to visit Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral, and to eat sweet ham in Cordano Bar near presidential pallace.
Trujillo in just two days? Yes, with a visit to Chan Chan and to buy tickets for next bus.
On the way to Quito you can stop in Chiclayo, Riobamba is fine town, but I don't know if "Devil's Nose" is still operating. There are other nice places along that road, but I haven't been there...
Your steps about Colombia and Venezuela - I can not answer since I haven't been there, and to tell you frankly - I'm not so eager about that. But, I'm sure that those are nice countries.
But there is another question: how long to stretch the trip? Sometimes less is more, you'll see that along the way.
Main thing about your plan is that you made your schedule but it looks to me like a job to do - not a really relaxed adventure. SA is relaxed - you can find yourself in a small town that is really interesting, distant from hordes of tourists (and industry that follows), and it can be better experience than Cuzco. I.e., my best time in SA was in Riobamba - we had to stay there because of political instability (roads were closed) for nine days. We had a basketball game with the locals, fiestas, bullfighting in Guano, we were visiting almost nameless and not known places that gave us impression of real life in Ecuador. The same was in Peru, in Huamachuco, Pataz, Juanjui, Ica, Santa Clara and so on. The point is - what you want to do there? If you're into archeology, go for it. If you're into partying and meeting people, OK. But be aware that tourist places can be disappointment.
Your trip is realistic if you have decided to make it three months of rushing from place to place on a schedule, not making any turns and stopovers in other places. But, believe me SA offers more, in all places you arrive you'll find more and more things to see.
Yes, it is good to book the flights there, but sometimes, and it depends of the season, some flights must be booked one week in advance. To book anything else but flights is very stupid, since you can find cheap places apart from hotels and fancy places you find on the net.
In conclusion: forget the way you travel in your country, or Europe, SA is different.
My experience is that we always made similar itinerary, but along the road we had to change it. Or the transfers were late, or we wanted to see something else. When we come to some town or place, then we look for place to stay. We never choose in advance. Sometimes it is good, sometimes less, but in SA bed is not the most important thing.
Greetings from Croatia,
Mike65
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