buenos aires to lima - possible in 6 weeks?

jobless

just wondering if anyone has done this journey?....
I'm planning on starting in Buenos Aires and finishing in Lima, while i havent planned out an itinerary i like to stop in as many places as reasonably possibe while staying in each place for 2-3 days... would also like to do the Inca trail which i heard needs 7 days between acclimatising and the trek itself..
has anyone any recommendations on any places they stopped off and liked on the way?.... am i pushing my luck trying to travel so far in 6 weeks?

onemorechance

I have not done that journey but I have done similar distances. If you are driving your own car, doing about ten hours a day, it can be done in five days. That might help you gauge how much time you got to stop in each place.

Neamhshuntasach

Without taking in too much of Southern Argentina it is well achievable at a comfortable enough pace. I guarantee you that you're 2-3 days in each place will go out the window though. Some places are just worth staying more days and it never goes to plan. Although some places are crap and you end up leaving earlier than expected. You could spend 2 weeks each in Argentina, Bolivia and Peru. Having traveled through Bolivia there would be no need to aclimatize for the Machu Picchu trek. Acclimatizing is only necessary if you only flew into the place from somewhere at ground level. With you only having 2 weeks my advice would be, don't be too ambitious. No point in flying in and out of places just to cross them off a list. It's better to see little properly than seeing loads improperly.

dory

Yea, as Neamh said it's totally doable. Start in BA, head maybe west to Mendoza and then up. Of course taking in the salt flats. And as you're coming from Argentina you could start the tour in Tupiza which is what I did. I thought it was fantastic, got to see some of the countryside with no other tourists. It was incredible.
Then that'll leave you in Uruni and you can make your way north. You'll see Puno and the islands there on your way from Bolivia to Cuzco so, unless you really want to go to Arequipa/Colca Canyon you could get a cheap enough flight from Cuzco to Lima at the end so you get to spend a little more time in Cuzco. The flight is 1 hour and cheap, the bus ride is 24 hours or something, so I think it's worth it.

Also, check out some stuff directly south of Lima. We went to Paracas and from there did a day tour to Huacachina and went sandboarding. It was really great. But Paracas was very near the epicentre of the August 2007 earthquake, so check the situation there before you go, presume they've rebuilt by now.

Have fun!

jobless

thanks a mill for the replies... i'd love to hear from anyone else that travelled this way and their highlights....

Neamh.....whats were your favourite spots?