Solo in South America for Six Months - Route/Budget Questions?

NotoriousNidge

kieran--f wrote: »

I'm familiar with South America so il give my 2cents.
Panama to Colombia is a bit tricky and the boats arent cheap. If you fly to Colombia you could start there and its cheap I came down from Miami for 80 dollars so you could do a connection with the US. Other option is flying to Brazil which is like 25 euros from Germany.
You wont need 4 weeks in Colombia really, beside Bogota, Medellin and the Carribean coast there isnt much to visit without entering FARC territory in my opinon.
More than 2 weeks for Ecuador, that place is great. The beaches are practically empty (except Montanita which you will love if you smoke weed) and beautfiul. Quito is a cool city and there some nice junle in Ecuador too.
Peru is cool, probably more than two weeks is neccesary my favuortie town here is Trujillo in the North in the desert. The cultures of Puno and Cusco have unfortunately been sold long ago, bloody Incans selling sunglasses like, I didnt bother with Maccu Picchu couldnt aford it but if you want to check it out people do like it, Im more into the current culture then visiting the ruins of a civilization european raped.
You dont need 4 weeks in Bolivia, really not that much there except the salt desert, nice markets in La Paz and some bad roads.
Argentina is huuuuge, you need to bring cash too, withdraw a couple hundred dollars in ecuador (its their currency) and bring the wad to Argentina. Each dollar is 15 pesos on the street, with your bank card at an atm each euro is 10 pesos.
Chile I cant comment on im going next week though and excited for it.
On your budget just be smart and you will have more than enough. Im writing this in Buenos Aires from a friends house but I can tell you Iv been about 4 to 5 months in SA and defiinetly less than 1000 dollars. Probably like 600. But i hitchhiked in every country here from Colombia only paying once or twice in Bolivia because the people are a bit poorer and there aint many cars. Argentina is the opposite its like Italy or something. Also I sleep outside mostly in my hammock or couchsurf occasionly staying in a hotel.
Usually the little family run hotels are cheaper than hostel and you get your own room and you can know your money is going to genuine locals and not some german dude. For example i had my own room in a hotel in la paz bolivia for 4 dollars, the other tourists go to the wild rover hostel and pay ten dollars then spend the whole time drunk. (dont do that its a waste of time).
An almuerzo (a soup, juice, rice and usually chicken lunch) should cost 2 dollars in colombia, 2 dollars 50 in ecuador, 1 dollar 5 to 2 dollars in peru and 2 dollars in bolivia, not sure about argentina because iv been using my camping stove mostly here.
Dont let the locals overcharge you its racism in my opinion, they will try to in the north of colombia, cusco peru and bolivia.
I found Ecuadorians to be the nicest of all with nice spanish.
In 4 months i have picked up enough spanish to have full conversations but i am speaking every single day when hitchhiking to people. The most important words are, Claro (of course), Cuanto Cuesta (how much cost), rico (rich use it when you like food) and Soy de irlanda (im from ireland but you need to say irrrrlanda and really roll the r or every one thinks you are dutch here because of our accents (Olanda))
Dont drink the tap water in Bolivia!!!!
Vaccines arent really neccesary though you can get yellow fever for free in colombia.
Overall i reccomend backpacking here, people are great and the food is great

Thanks for the response.

I'd prefer to travel slow, which is why I'll probably do a month in Colombia.

Is the hitchhiking at all dangerous? Obviously you're still alive, which is a plus, but I can't imagine doing it on my own. No problem if I had another mate with me.

Were you solo on your trip?

Yeah I was thinking about stopping off in Miami. How many night's did you do there? Is it somewhere worth going as a solo traveller?

NotoriousNidge

ViperMAN wrote: »

Hi 50Cent0313,

My tips:
- If you want to do the inca trail you have to BOOK IT in advance. The permits go like gold-dust that time of the year.
- If doing the inca trail - ensure your tour operator takes your Passport number to get a permit. I booked the inca trail online for 820e - but it had to be cancelled because they didn't get my passport number in time to get a permit.

I've heard before that you need to book it, but as I'm planning to "go with the flow" I'd rather not book it.

Is there any way around not booking it and hoping a space opens up?

ViperMAN

NotoriousNidge wrote: »

I've heard before that you need to book it, but as I'm planning to "go with the flow" I'd rather not book it.

Is there any way around not booking it and hoping a space opens up?

I am not 100% sure but I reckon it would be highly unlikely.

If your heart is set on the doing the actual Inca trail then you should definitely book it to avoid disappointment. I didn't hear about anybody who managed to rock up and do it - but I suppose it could happen.

iusedtoknow

NotoriousNidge wrote: »

I've heard before that you need to book it, but as I'm planning to "go with the flow" I'd rather not book it.

Is there any way around not booking it and hoping a space opens up?

You could find yourself waiting around for days or weeks which could stop your "going with the flow". Book it and use it as an anchor date

kieran--f

NotoriousNidge wrote: »

Thanks for the response.

I'd prefer to travel slow, which is why I'll probably do a month in Colombia.

Is the hitchhiking at all dangerous? Obviously you're still alive, which is a plus, but I can't imagine doing it on my own. No problem if I had another mate with me.

Were you solo on your trip?

Yeah I was thinking about stopping off in Miami. How many night's did you do there? Is it somewhere worth going as a solo traveller?

A not really dangerous in fact Iv not had any scary moments. Tourists get robbed at bus stations not at truck stops generally I always tell myself. but Spanish is a big help to get talking to the truck drivers at petrol stations they can take you long distances for free, like i just did over 1400km from Buenos Aires to Santiago in one trip over two days with one trucker if they see your good chat,pack your own tent too so you can sleep outside while they sleep in the truck and then rejoin em the next morning and you should pack light (one backpack). If you have never hitchhiked before then use hitchwiki to find all the places to start and tips, Ecuador would be a good place to start, very easy there once you get away from the colombia border a bit, Columbia was dam difficult at times especially getting out of cities.
Ye always solo, I meet others on the road sometimes usually Argentinian or Chilean backpackers hitchhiking around but I usually do it solo, much easier.
Didnt stay in Miami at all came straight from New Orleans to the airport.
Im in Chile now by the way and I can say its beautiful and the people are nice but definetly more expensive here, european hostel prices.

Fappington08

Joemon24 wrote: »

Getting some great info here. Thinking of headin off myself in jan/feb for roughly 5 months. Thinking of flying into colombia and working my way down. Ive never travelled alone before and its probably the one thing holding me back at the moment, anyone have any advice. Is it easy meet people?

Hi Joemon,

I am heading off myself for 6 months at the end of Jan/beginning of Feb. Very rough Itinerary for the first few months:
Colombia (Cartagena, Medeillin, Cali (stop off on my way to Equador))
Equador (Quito, Guayaquil (stop off on way to Peru))
Peru (Mancora, Huanchaco, Cusco, Inca Trail)

After that it would be Bolivia, Chile, Argentina (head down south to the glaciers for a week or so before going to Buenos Aries) and finally Brazil (Iguazu Falls, Florianapolis, Ilhla Grande, Rio)

Like yourself, I would be doing the trip by myself. I have never done anything like it before but none of my friends are in a position to drop everything and head off due to work/girlfriend/family commitments etc. I am 27 years old and if I am going to do the trip, now is the time. I currently live and work in NYC so flights to Colombia are much cheaper from here!

Feel free to DM me to talk about it further!