Santiago - Lima - Buenos Aires itinerary/travel advice
Replies: 10 - Last Post: Dec 17, 2012 4:00 AM Last Post By: meajwilson
jump to
Santiago - Lima - Buenos Aires itinerary/travel advice
Hi guys,So I am taking 3 months in the summer to visit as much of South America as I can in a nice slow fashion without any crazy rushing around. What I am after is advice on the route. The cheapest flight (which I have already bought) goes into Santiago and out of Buenos Aires. As a result I know I am going to be geographically looping. My main worry is whether the order I am seeing things in makes sense. Any comments on my basic map plan from anyone that has gone North then South would be gratefully appreciated!!
Santiago - La Serena by overnights bus 7/8 hrs
La Serena - San Pedro by overnight bus 16 hrs
San Pedro - Arica by overnight bus 11 hrs
Arica - Arequipa by bus 6 hrs
Arequipa - Nazca ovenight bus 12 hrs
Nazca - Ica 2 hr bus
Ica - Paracas 2 hr bus
Paracas - Lima 4 hr bus
Lima - Cuzco flight with LAN 1.5 hrs
Cuzco - Puno Inka touristbus 8:30 - 5pm
Puno - Copacabana bus 5 hrs
Copacabana - La Paz bus 3 hrs
La Paz - Sucre 12-14 hrs night bus
Sucre - Potosi bus 3 hours
Potosi - Uyuni bus 5.5 hrs
Uyuni - Salta (via Tupiza by bus 4/6 hrs??)
Salta - Posadas/San Ignacio by night bus 10 hrs??
Sab Ignacio - Iguazu by night bus 8 hrs??
Iguazu - Buenos Aires 1.5 hr flight with LAN
Main qs are whether this is a sensible way round to do it? I definetley want to the Salt flat tours and a tour in San pedro dattacama but as I am looping wonder if doing them on separate legs makes more sense or whether there is a tour from Uyuni which ends in Sala?
Any advice/info would be wonderful. Am mega excited now!!
x
1
May be a few too many stops. I would get rid if San Pedro as similar scenery is seen around SW Bolivia. On that point don't go to uyuni, go from potosi to tupiza then do the tour from there, they will give you a lift back to tupiza from uyuni. When going from tupiza to Salta try and get a few people together and get a shared taxi to the border at villazon walk across the border to la quiaca where you get a bus to Salta.Edited by: Tryfan
4
Overall your itinary is perfect. Santiago till Lima will be quite boring with a long time on buses and pretty boring scenery most of the time. If time is not a problem you could consider to do Lima, Huancayo, Ayacucho Cuzco instead of a flight. Less touristic but adventurous and scenic route through the mountains. When travelling to Salta from La Quiaca, be sure to get out at Tilcara or Purmamarca and explore for some days the surroundings there.5
thanks Beerfree! You've given me some planning self-confidence. Yeah I did worry the overland Santiago bit. Tis the bummer of the cheaper flight that it was an extra £360 to add a flight santiago to Lima so thought I'd try and make the most of a stop in La Serena. Apparently the beach is worth it...Purmamarca sounds lovely will have to try and stop there. Easy to do by bus? Thanks.
6
and @Tryfan - Butch Cassidy wow - okay may look at riding in Tupiza instead!7
You could take a flight from Santiago to Calama or Antofagasta. Sometimes cheap inland flights are avaible. To get to Purmarca or Tilcara is very easy as all buses on the route La Quiaca - San Salvador de Jujuy - Salta pass along there.10
thanks Beerfree Sky is not to bad prices are about the same. As to buses - Tryfan any idea ow long it takes from Potosi to Tupiza? x
