I'll be arriving in Buenos Aires on June 26th, and flying out of Lima on August 14th. I'm hoping to take a language immersion program for a few weeks in Buenos Aires, and then make my way to La Paz, via Salta and Salar de Uyuni. I'm planning on continuing on to Copacabana and Lake Titicaca, then into Peru to spend some time in Cuzco and on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
At this point, because both my time and Spanish are limited and I'll be travelling alone, I've set up an itinerary based around larger cities and fairly touristy areas of South America. On the other hand, there are a lot of places off the beaten path that I'd like to visit. I assume it will be difficult to explore some of the more remote regions of these countries (ie: Cordillera Apolobamba) on my own -- but does anyone have an idea of how dangerous it might be to do so?
Does anyone know if 7 weeks is enough to do this trip, and still have time to enjoy it? Any recommendations for transportation (I was thinking about flying to Salta from B.A., or taking a train from Copacabana to Cuzco and travelling by bus everywhere else)? Would anyone be interested in meeting up to travel together at any point?
Any insight would be much appreciated. This is my first trip to South America, and I don't really know what to expect.
Thanks so much!
Ben
I sent you a PM message with some language courses info...
on the other hand. I find SA quite safe to travel around, and everyyear there are more and more backpackers. How dangerous is it? It is not, if you follow the basic travelling safety rules that you should follow anywhere. I SAmerican, so of course I am 100% fluent in spanish, but I have met a number of tourists with very little spanish get by just fine.
NOw: distances are to be consider, but 7 weeks are plenty of time to complete the itinerary you propose in your log. I t all depends on how long do you intend to study spanish for. Flying to Salta could be an option, as you will save a one day busride, but It may not be worth it, there is plenty to see between BAires and Salta; but again, it depends on how many weeks do you have to travel after your spanish immersion course... anyway...
good luck any more info... davutor@hotmail.com
I think your presumptions may be reversed. It's in big cities that you will probably be in greater risk. Hiking in the boonies... you are running into peasants for whom Spanish is second language. You just won't talk alot. yeh...someone could try and rob you...but why would robbers hang out on a distant trail when they could hit the city and find lots of victims. Either case... learn from a phrase book in advance how to yell for help...FUEGO is best. Other... read a menu and find the loo. Oh..no train from Copa to Cuzco...where did you hear that one. Train from Puno to Cuzco...take the tourist bus instead. General travel...buses are the way to go.
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