Would Really Appreciate some General Help

[fredstar]

Hey there,

Quick situation: This is my first time travelling and I am going around South America for 3 months with my best friend from 20th March (very soon ahh) and want to have a great journey and obviously some pre-planning is in order, although I do want it to be quite a spontaneous trip.

All I have booked right now is Return flights in and out of Rio from London for 20th March - 10th June. I haven't booked Inca because all permits have gone but I will be doing the Salkantay trek instead, having heard good things about this.
So I would really appreciate if I could run our rough plans by yourself and if you can tell me any potential problems/key things I should know/what you think of timing.

Rough Plan:
1) Fly into Rio, explore local beaches/puerto etc (stay week or so)
2) Bus to Sao Paulo and again explore surrounding area (stay week or so)
3) Bus to Iguazo Falls (stay here a few nights)
4) Bus to Buenos Aires
5) Explore further south and then North of Argentina
6) Head up by bus to La Paz (stopping on the way)
7) Head to Lake titiciana and do the lake crossing into Peru
8) Bus to Cusco and do Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu
9) Bus to Huacachina
10) Explore more of Peru
11) Head to Lima
12) Single flight to Rio and back to London

Some more questions:
- A single flight from Lima to Rio is like £445, would it be better/cheaper to book the flight in SA?
- Is all this bus travelling going to ruin the trip? and is it even possible to do my journey just on buses? are there certain train routes that I should take that are nicer?
- Timing wise could I squeeze in Chile?
- Any more advice??

Thanks SO much in advance for all the help - this has been the most useful website/forum I have come across in my research

Fred

[Mark]

Hi Fred,

Your 'Rough Plan' looks great. Distances in Brazil and Argentina are enormous. You may consider skipping going South from Buenos Aires and either work your way up to Bolivia through Salta (Northern Argentina) or head up to Santiago, Chile visiting Mendoza and Cordoba, both in Argentina, on the way. Going to Chile will take more time than heading up to Bolivia from Argentina.

Highlights Southern Brazil

• Rio de Janeiro
• Curitiba
• Florianopolis
• Porto Alegre
• Foz do Iguazu

I spent some time in Sao Paulo with a friend of mine. Although I had great fun there are more picturesque places to visit in Southern Brazil.


Highlights Central and Northern Argentina

• Foz do Iguazu
• Buenos Aires
• Cordoba
• Mendoza
• Salta (Tren de las Nubes - Train of the Clouds)*

*The Tren de las Nubes or Tren a las Nubes (Train of/to the Clouds) is a train service in Salta Province of Argentina, that connects the Argentine Northwest with the border of Chile in the Andes mountain range, over 4,220 meters (13,850 ft) above sea level, the third highest railway in the world. Originally built for economic and social reasons, it is now of primarily touristic value as a heritage railway.

The train leaves once a week from General Belgrano station in the city of Salta for the 15 hour, 434 kilometer round trip to the viaduct La Polvorilla, located 4,220 meters (13,850 ft) above sea level. The curved viaduct is 224 meters long and 70 meters high. From Salta, the train enters first the Valle de Lerma and then the Quebrada del Toro before reaching the Puna. It is known as the Train of the Clouds because clouds can be often be seen around and under the bridges and slopes of the landscape through which the railway passes.


Highlights of Bolivia

• La Paz
• Lake Titicaca
• Salar de Uyuni
• Potosi
• Rurrenabaque (jungle trip)

Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca lies on the borders of Peru and Bolivia. You cross borders overland. Visit 'Isla del Sol' on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca before crossing the border to Peru. Catch a bus to Puno. From there you can visit the famous 'floating islands' on Lake Titicaca.


Highlights of Southern Peru

• Lake Titicaca
• Cuzco
• Machu Picchu
• Arequipa
• Colca Canyon (Cruz del Condor)

If time allows it you can work your way from Cuzco to Huaraz (great hiking opportunities) with a stopover in Ayacucho before going to Lima.


Flight Lima to Rio
Booking international flights in South America is not cheaper but it does offer more flexibility in terms of travel planning.

Let me know if there's something else. I'll do my best to help you out.

I wish you a great trip! Keep us posted in your blog (with lots of pictures)!

Best wishes,

Mark

[fredstar]

Thats amazing Mark, thanks very much!! Can't wait to go now!
Another quick q please: On our flight back from Lima to Rio we have a stopover and change of planes at Bogota, Colombia for 51 minutes...is this enough time do you think to make the next plane?

[Mark]

You're going to have an awesome trip!

Difficult to say if your transit time in Bogota is enough. Maybe you can check this out with the travel agent who issued the tickets. Keep us posted!

Best wishes,

Mark