Travel Itineraries

[backpacker]

Hey Mark and everyone,

very fond of the site. i will reccommend it to my friends for sure...


1) should i do north of peru like equador and columbia or south of buenos aires towards ushuaia?

2) im flying out from vancouver, canada. flights are cheaper in the main airports, what is a good itinerary? i've attached a vague itinery on google maps, do you think i'll have enough time to get this all done? i assume you have people ask his question all the time. what do people with 2.5 months usually do? here for link

http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?oe=UTF...e9647f&t=h&z=3

3) is there a way to see the amazon when my plans keep me mostly around the west coast?

any other help is nice with how long i should plan to stay at some of the attractions. im looking for a busy trip but i don't want to do things half ass'ed.

thanks for everything

[Mark]

Both itineraries offer very different, but equally breathtaking, attractions.

What you should do depends on what you want to do. Is it hiking? Discovering ancient ruins? Relaxing on a beach? Exploring the Amazon?

You can download my free 'Attractions of South America' ebook. Maybe it'll help you decide where you'd like to go.

Don't forget South America is huge. Distances are enormous. You'll spend lots of time in buses if you travel overland.

The itinerary on your map is going to take you months, my guess would be a trip of 6 months, if you want to do it without rushing. Again, distances are enormous. You'll be crossing The Andes to the Amazon Basin. I see on your map that you'd like to travel from Potosi to Brazil. You can only enter Brazil in Guayaramerin. Getting there overland is going to take you weeks. Have a look at my Amazon river boat story that took me from Trinidad (Bolivia) all the way to Brazil (unforgettable experience).

As always, how long you'll stay at a place all depends on how much you're enjoying yourself.

Have fun! Keep us posted!

[backpacker]

thanks mark,

i know it ultimately depends on what i want to do.

i want this trip to be about scenery, culture, and history.

1) To maximize my time, do you think it would be wise to fly into lima and do a lap of peru and bolivia before heading north to equador, columbia and venezuela INSTEAD of flying to rio de Janeiro and seeing the falls and travelling accross the continent which would eat up lots of time? see new link to trip plan
Ryans South American Adventures - Google Maps

i just see myself in a toss up, knowing i have 2.5 months, what do yo think i could accomplish at a decent yet getting it all in pace?

[Mark]

I do think traveling in the Andean countries, including Peru and Bolivia, is going to be more rewarding. Peru is the heart of the Inca empire and has lots of treasures to share. Bolivia is a very traditional country and you'll be confronted with some wonderful surreal sights.

You can also op to travel from Bogota to La Paz although in 2,5 months it's going to be close call. So many things to do and see. Maybe you can opt to skip a country. This is going to give you some room to enjoy the trip more.