peru brazil & other s.america questions

Loco

hey, booking my flights to s.america soon just a few questions first!

1) whats the best place to start a 2 month trip? rio?

2) where is the place you can go skiing in south america

3) whats the climate of peru like? im looking for a hot sunny summer trip except the skiing and an inca trail tour or things like that which are worth doing without the warmth!

4) briefly what countries would u visit in 2 months and the a few of the best things from each of them

thanks

Loco

and also what are your thoughts on travelling there alone and with no spanish at all!

fitzrik

Hi there.

I hav only been to Peru so can't answer all your questions.

but...

firstly learn some spanish before you go and you'll pick up more as you travel around. English is not that widely spoken(you'll have no preoblems getting around but you'll want to communicate more) so for fun learn some spanish.

Peru has three very distinct climates.

The coast is low lying desert. Hot through most of the year. You are going in their winter. You are probably going to hit a miost in this area. It hapens regularly in the summer period especially around Lima.

The Andean climate as you might expect can be quite cold, especially at nighttime. You will need to dress very warmly if you are going high.

If you go to the jungle you'll be fine. Warm all year old. You'd want to check how wet it would be but at this time of year I'd say you'll be alright.
I know La Paz(Bolivia) is the (or one of) highest capitals in the world and you can go skiing near there. Don't know where the best is though.

I've got some photos at

http://www.a1linux.com/gallery

if you're interested

As for Peru, my highlights were Iquitos and surrounding, Inca trail and Macchu Picchu obviously. There are hot volcanic baths at oh what's the name of teh town at the base of Macchu Picchu?? Arequipa and surroundings were lovely. Nazca not only has lines but a fascinating cemetery in the desert where the corpses are mummified. Huaraz was fabulous too although I didn't see enough of it.

We always need more time, no? :0

Richard

PunyHuman

@Loco

You might want to consider starting on the west coast and heading east, finishing up with some time in Buenos Aires or Rio, which are both fantastic cities. Buenos Aires had the edge for me, though.

I did a two-month trip last year and only just had enough time for Chile and Argentina, with short trips to Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil. Don't miss Iguazu if you have the time.

edit: travelling alone is no problem as it's easy to meet people, but as fitzrik said, you'd really benefit from conversational Spanish, or Castillian to be more precise.

@fizrik

I'm loving your photos. Man, you've been everywhere I want to go! Uzbekistan, Iran, Morocco, Peru... and Sandymount.

vox

fitzrik, how did you find the Inca trail? Is it tough going or is it well paced out, any altitude sickness problems? I havent done any trekking before so im worried if i will be fit enough for it!!:rolleyes:

We are also making our way across from Lima to Rio then to Buenos Aires then Santiago. Is it safe enough over there?

I booked the inca trail through hostelworld.com
http://www.hostelworld.com/tours/tourdetails.php/TourUID.1432
Done through a company called Axel Tours. I hope they are ok as all the travel agents i tried in dublin like USIT and trailfinders said there were no inca trail places left.
http://www.axeltours.com/

Hostelworld looks great for finding cheap accomidation aswell.

fitzrik

I'm loving your photos. Man, you've been everywhere I want to go! Uzbekistan, Iran, Morocco, Peru... and Sandymount.

*lols*

and you think I don't want to go here??...Chile and Argentina, with short trips to Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil

You're pretty lucky too

Thanks for comment

fitzrik

vox wrote:

fitzrik, how did you find the Inca trail?

There's a big sign pointing to it

Is it tough going or is it well paced out, any altitude sickness problems? I havent done any trekking before so im worried if i will be fit enough for it!!:rolleyes:

I'm fairly fit but that doesn't seem to make a difference. I got the sickest out of my group. Whether altitude or food I don't know.

We are also making our way across from Lima to Rio then to Buenos Aires then Santiago. Is it safe enough over there?

I booked the inca trail through hostelworld.com
http://www.hostelworld.com/tours/tourdetails.php/TourUID.1432
Done through a company called Axel Tours. I hope they are ok as all the travel agents i tried in dublin like USIT and trailfinders said there were no inca trail places left.

I'm sure they'll be fine. all go through the same operators in cusco anyway Have a brilliant time. When are you going? Show us the pics when you get back

Richard

vox

I will be heading off on 19th april...... Suppose we will make our by bus to cusco, i think it takes 24hrs so hopefully they have sleeper seats! Inca trail to Macchu Picchu 27th. Will acclimatise in Cusco for around 4-5 days hopfully.
Anyone know if you have to book a bus beforehand or just turn up for it?

abakan

have you got your trip planned yet?

im in the same boat as yourself - 2 months in S.America - flying into santagio - dont know what to do but thinking of flying to la paz( world most dangerous road appeals to me for some reason)- them bussing it to cusco then lima to rio and fly home.

also no spanish - learning the basics before I go though

Loco

not planned just got a load of flights priced and information off friends who were there last summer, and also internet stuff!

you headin on yer own too? when?

i wish i had the time to pick up a bit of spanish! im sure ill manage fine tho

abakan

im not heading on my own - im on the booking stage of the round the world trip and looking into S. America. heading now in september and the only thing im concerned about is the spanish over there - its a different type of spanish aswell

Im booking the usit explorer with the 4 internal flights - good for the long trips - like santaigo to La paz

What do u intend to do for 2 months??

Loco

i was thinking of starting Rio and heading across but im not sure if this is the best way to do it

what ide do in 2 months? prob inca trail / skiing / partying near some beach place thats it really

any suggestions?

abakan

I never thought of Sking - suppose u'd do that in the Andes somewhere - Peru??
That wil buy up another week for me - I hear there is plently to do around La Paz and it was recommended to me!! the gringo trail - im going to keep to that

Loco

ya my friends were there last summer, told me it was the best thing from their holiday. i love snowboarding so i would defo fit a couple of weeks of that in! some olympic resort they did it in, think it might have been peru alright not sure. im so unorganised..

only thing that could motivate me to plan my route is booking the flights!

i want more ideas of stuff there tho

like in s.e asia 2 years ago we hit some amazing spots.. waterfalls in laos, temples in cambodia, diving & parties in thailand etc

Galvia

Go native! Try one week in the Juan Fernandez Islands off the coast of Chile.

boogie woogie

im in south america at the moment, its the best place ive ever been . i started in rio, went to ilha grande (island off the coast south of rio), the down to florianopolis, then up to iguazzu, then over to the argentinian side, then down on the buenos aires bus and hopped off at a place called concordia- right nxt to to a town called salto in uruguay. thermal springs there, so nice for a day!! then down to montevideo, and getting the ferry across to buenos aires. then flying to la paz, bussing it to cusco for the inca trail, then down through the atacama desert, salt lakes of chile, probably over into argentina again, down to mendosa, down to patagonia in argentina (much cheaper than going through chile), then up to santiago to fly to aukland.
we are here for 2 months aswell and our timetable fits in everything fine. altho it is obviously more suitable for people who are continuing on over to NZ afterwards.

one place i would say not to miss is ilha grande. it only gets a tiny paragraph in the guide books, but it is seriously paradise. we were meant to stay one nite and ended up there for nearly a week!!

enjoy your trip, south america is so class!!!

Loco

your route is quite interesting, would it be safe enough to take your route alone?

boogie woogie

i´m a girl so i wouldn´t be that happy about doing it on my own. about 95% of the guys we have met are travelling on their own. the other 5% are part of a couple.