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OK, I’ve discounted Easter Island due to flight prices being between £700-1100 return for the dates I’m looking at, and also discounted Uyuni/Bolivian Salt Flats because I really don’t want to do a 3 day backpacker tour/10 hours both ways from Salta, or 30 hours and 3 flights via La Paz. I think I’ll do both of them during a round the world trip in the future by flying into either La Paz or Santiago. (I’ve been to La Paz before and disliked it).
I have to use up an IHG comfirmable suite voucher and the options are limited. IC BA is a non starter as it’s either sold out or $400/night upwards for a basic room depending on the day. My only realistic options are IC Santiago (bad reviews), IC Panama City, CP Asuncion. Comments welcome.
Then I have 21 days between leaving Ausuncion (Paraguay), arriving in Salta and getting to Buenos Aires to schedule.(ignore my 7 days in Salta from the previous post, that was a placeholder).
So my thoughts now are:
4 nights Salta
Bus to San Pedro de Atacama – 10 hours
3 nights in SP De Atacama with car
Fly Calama to Santiago
3 nights Santiago inc day trip to Valparaiso
Then either fly to Purto Montt and take the 4 buses/3 ferries across the lakes to Bariloche, or alternatively miss that and fly Sky Airlines direct from SCL to Bariloche
5 nights Bariloche with car
Fly to El Calafete
4 nights El Calafete/El Chalten area with car
Fly to AEPAm I missing anything vital, too rushed? Anyone done the PM to Bari Bus/ferry route? Some of the night counts are fixed because of flights/buses only running on certain days.
Stayed in IC Panama once. Points booking, upgrade to a suite. Tired hotel. A fair distance to Casco Viejo.
Would stay in CV and enjoy the old town, or take a 30 min ferry to Taboga island and stay at Villa Caprichiosa.
We had a fabulous lunch there and it is a stunning place with great food and views.
Hi Dave, I don’t know where the other post is you are referring to so I feel I’ve got half a story here.
You flying UK to Paraguay? Are you doing Iguazu falls?
It’s a long time ago now, but I recall the busses in Argentina being fantastic. Think I also recall a beach destination just north of Santiago to be pretty cool.I remember seeing the mines where the Chilean miners got trapped also, as it literally happened on a few months before I visited.
Do they still have the coffee shops in Santiago? Can’t wait for the trip report already
@Colin MacKinnon Thanks, that seals it then. The very boring looking CP in Asuncion is is then. If they give me the presidential suite I’ll be happy (not a chance of that), otherwise it looks incredibly average. But there’s very limited choices of top IHG properties in the countries I’m going to.
@yorkshireRich I posted some ramblings on Friday in the daily chat. I went to SA for my 50th, Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu, The Belmond posh train to Lake Titicaca just after it launched, La Paz, Buenos Aries, Igauzu and Rio all with Travelsphere as a small group tour and have been longing to get back to BA and see Patagonia ever since.This trip is 8 weeks solo, taking in Ecuador (Qutio, Galapagos cruise), Panama City, Columbia (Cartagena, Bogota), Paraguay (Asuncion) then the above route, then back to BA for 5 nights, (Uruguay, Columbia, Fray Bentos Montevideo).
I’ve left it very very late, only started planning it a week ago, and it starts at the end of Jan. Got Avios flights MAD-UIO and MVD-MAD-MAN for the amazingly low sum of 50500 Avios + £249.40 plus Amex voucher, and booked the Galapagos cruise and my MAN-MAD flights and the night in Madrid, now I have everything else to book.
Flight route from UIO is to/from Galapagos, up to Panama, Cartagena, Bogota, Asuncion, Salta. Bus to San Pedro de Atacama. Calama to Santiago, then all the above flying back to AEP, and then ferry to Colonia, and get a car to drive around Uruguay to finish at MVD. They’re all non stop flights, no backtracking at all.
Wow, brilliant. I may have seen Fridays post, but I was given plenty of lovely beers over the Xmas
Period.
Think there are various ferries to Uruguay and I’d recommend the faster one.Planning is the best bit, I’m sure you will have a great time. I’m sure you will have a great trip also.
Are you sure there are no avios flights to Easter Island? I booked via BA site and traded less avios and more cash ( econ) and it worked out bout £600 for the 2 of us return. Granted ours were booked earlier this month for Nov next year!
We have a weekend 3 nights in Santiago . Was planning a wine trip on one day and a general mosey in Santiago on the other full day. I’ll be interested in your Valparaiso trip.
Happy planning@Jill Kinkell There are business class ones at 50500 Avios + £ 16.40 each way! Tbh, I’m fairly cash and avios poor at the moment, especially after managing 111 days away in 2024, so something as luxurious/expensive as a side trip to Easter Island isn’t in my budget. My Avios earning has dropped off pretty much since I retired and I’m saving the ones I’ve got to potentially blow them on a multi-carrier trip in 2026/27 if BA don’t pull the rug out from under that one. Starting 2025 with a 57 day trip wasn’t really on my radar until I realised my Amex voucher expired in August and this was the trip I’d been saving it for which put a rocket under me.
I’ve got Sat PM/Sun/Mon in Santiago, if I blow off the 10 hour lake bus/ferry trip from Puerto Montt that gives me an extra day for wine. This is where the decisions get made 🙂
Valparaiso will be a last minute decision depending on weather and how tired I am. Can either go on the local bus myself for a few quid or go on small group tour.
@davefl. Your revised itinerary sounds good.
Easter Island is a long way (approx 5 hours flying time). Our flights in each direction were delayed. Going out by more than 2 hours and nearly two hours for return flight. The plane was full in both directions. The plane outbound was old with old style seats in business. Return flight was a new plane with flat beds. We had been unable to get business on outbound flight so didn’t miss much whereas inbound and arriving late a flat bed was good. You also need to check in at least 3 hours before flight at SCL in separate area. A day is taken up travelling in each direction. As much as I found Easter Island fascinating, I wouldn’t go back.
We liked Valparaiso and Vina del Mar and would definitely go back. We also enjoyed wine tasting in Casablanca (between Santiago and Valparaiso).
During our stay in Bariloche we attempted to hike in Llao Llao NP. Unfortunately it was closed for at least 3 days because of high winds. So on second attempt decided to take return boat trip with Turisur from Puerto Panuelo via Puerto Blest to Chilean border. We were the only English speakers outbound and a crew member who spoke excellent English explained everything to us. At Chilean border a tour group of about 15 Americans joined us for the return journey. Would definitely recommend Turisur. It was a good day trip.
We had previously been to Chile and had considered taking this route but as we made other arrangements to visit volcanoes, Lake and Petrohue falls from Puerto Varas and wanted to head south within Chile, we decided to rule it out. If you’ve got time/money definitely worth considering. Decisions. Decisions.
Regarding Atacama, since you’re renting a car, please check distances and petrol stations because there aren’t any if you go further south (especially Salar de Talar). It can be done via one tank from San Pedro with stopping at Lagunas Miscanti y Miñiques, but no further deviations. My partner and I thought that we’d run out of petrol on the way back and had to abandon some other spots. It was so low. You’ll see tour bus drivers filling their tanks mid-way from canisters.
@LD27 Thanks, I’ll look at Casablanca, appreciate all the info as well. Yes lots of decisions and not much time to make them,
@Meta Thanks I’d heard that about the petrol stations but hadn’t written it on the plan. Cheers for the reminder. I nearly ran out twice in Death Valley in temps of 46C in a dreadful BMW X5 Hyrid that only did about 14 MPG, and have no wish to repeat that.Just a quick interjection about Uyuni – we spent nearly 4 weeks in Bolivia this year on a wildlife trip courtesy of Nicksadventuresbolivia – think jaguars, jagarundis, macaws, etc. We flew from Trindad to Sucre for a couple of nights then drove via Potosi to the Palacio de Sal in Uyuni. Our day on the Salt flats ranks as one of the most magical days I have ever spent…
Thanks @GillyDee I do want to do it and also visit Tiwanaku and Pumapunku, as I missed those last time due to the appalling traffic in La Paz that meant it took us around 10 hours from landing at Lake Titicaca to our hotel in the centre. Something to put on the ‘next time’ list. There’s always something that can’t be accomodated due to lack of time.
I’d second Uyuni. Our trip from San Pedro to Uyuni was the highlight of going to South America. Stunning austere and should not be missed. We stayed at Takya Desertio which is supposedly the highest hotel in the world. It’s probably the nearest thing to staying on Mars. It was our 2nd attempt at San Pedro – the 1st time it flooded!
Ok, I’m getting towards the end of the plan, next question for those that have been to Salta/Cafayate.
I have 3.5 days (Yes I know it’s not long enough to do everything 🙁 ) and have to be in Salta on the final night because my bus leaves at 6am the following day. Do I:
a) Get a car and spend a night in Cafayate, 1 night in Molinos and back via Cachi like this = https://maps.app.goo.gl/TqkjCNvDe4QdGcb48 I’m looking at the roads on streetview and they seem good apart from some gravel parts of R40 which look no worse than I handled in South Africa in a Suzuki Saloon.
b) Just base myself in Salta for 4 nights and do 3 x 12 hour small group tours to Salinas Grandes and Purmamarca, one to Cachi and one to Cafayate.
Any opinions on the train to the clouds?
Ok, I’m getting towards the end of the plan, next question for those that have been to Salta/Cafayate.
I have 3.5 days (Yes I know it’s not long enough to do everything 🙁 ) and have to be in Salta on the final night because my bus leaves at 6am the following day. Do I:
a) Get a car and spend a night in Cafayate, 1 night in Molinos and back via Cachi like this = https://maps.app.goo.gl/TqkjCNvDe4QdGcb48 I’m looking at the roads on streetview and they seem good apart from some gravel parts of R40 which look no worse than I handled in South Africa in a Suzuki Saloon.
b) Just base myself in Salta for 4 nights and do 3 x 12 hour small group tours to Salinas Grandes and Purmamarca, one to Cachi and one to Cafayate.
Any opinions on the train to the clouds?
I would probably go for option b) as you get a bit more variety. Salinas Grandes is an excellent excursion as is Purmamarca where you can see the multi coloured hills. The drive along R40 through Cachi is spectacular on a road which is lined with cactuses (cacti?) and is good dirt road construction, feels like something out of an old John Wayne film. Cachi is a pleasant place to visit.
If you take option a), I think you’ll find the road is fine. The bits we did were all very passable in a saloon car, in fact you’ll probably pass several on the trip.
I would definitely go for option a)! The drive from
Salta to Cafayate (Quebrada de las Conchas) is absolutely spectacular – allow more time than Google maps says as you will want to stop at several points. The road is paved all the way but windy and subject to flash flooding.The road from Cafayate to Molinos (Quebrada de las Flechas) is equally spectacular but very different. That road isn’t made after about 10km from Cafayate, so is pretty slow in addition to stops at view points a few minutes walk from the road, and you can get stuck behind a lorry or bus although there is very little traffic. Not many petrol stations on either route. The Colomé winery and James Turrell museum up there are rather extraordinary.
If you didn’t want to do the driving, the Flecha bus from Salta to Cafayate is very efficient and you can book yourself the upper deck front row seat! Car hire can be quite expensive.
I’m a bit biased re Cafayate – we’re off there in March for three weeks, which will be the fourth year in a row!
You will see huge variety on this circuit.
How are you travelling from Asuncion to Salta? If by bus… be warned, the border crossings out of Paraguay can be chaotic. Also, the bus station(s) – note there are many, depending on bus company – are also chaos.
Personally, I didn’t like Asuncion. Great food, but to me the city didn’t have much character. Fascinating and beautiful country though, with an absolutely horrendous history, stemming from the Triple Alliance War causing many present day issues.
If you have any time at all, I would recommend travelling to the Jesuit ruins in the south of Paraguay. Fascinating, and really not well visited so you get the run of the place when you’re there.
Ok thanks @JDB and @AFKAE I’ve decided to drve from Salta airport to Cafayate on the day I arrive, should have about 7 hours of daylight for the 3 hour trip so plenty of time to stop along the way. Then morning in Cafayate and surrounds, 3 hours to drive to Molinos, then the full following day for the slow drive and some hikes on the way back to Salta.
As for a day trip to Salinas Grandes and Purmamarca on the last day I’ll see how I feel and what the weather forecast is.
I think 4 days in a row of minibus/big bus, 12 hours per day would have driven me insane.
@redlilly There’s a new flight on Paranair direct to Salta (and they have a route to Jujuy as well). I’ll be on the second rotation of the new route.It only flies Wed/Sat and then the onward bus from Salta to San Pedro De Atacama only runs M/W/F which is why my time in Salta is limited to 3.5 days.
Unfortunately the Jesuit ruins are too much of a stretch, it’s a 6 hour drive each way.
The driving itinerary from Salta is pretty much the same we did 5 odd years ago. Wholeheartedly recommend it, likely what we liked best in the many trips to Argentina we made.
Similarly to you, we flew in to Salta mid-day, picked up a car at the airport and drove to Cafayete. The late afternoon was a beautiful time to drive, with the sun starting to set. Lots of stops for pictures and mini-hikes.
We then stayed a couple of days in Cafayete (it was NYE), visiting the many high-altitude wineries (great) and a small hike (nothing memorable). We then set out to drive to Cachi on the ruta 40. The drive itself was impressive, but it is not a paved road and we had poor weather. The highlight was our stop in Colome (nice lunch, beautiful wines, and a short visit to the modern art museum). From Cachi back to Salta, the road is mostly paved goes over mountains, very different and also beautiful. It took us half a day, with stops – in time for lunch in Salta.I know you have written out Uyuni, but I’d see if you can bring it back in. We actually visited from San Pedro de Atacama, on a 2N/3D semi-private tour (we ended up being the only ones so it became private). Sceneary was amazing, and it did feel like we were back 20 years in time in Bolivia. Pick up from SPdA and end in Uyuni, we then took a bus from Uyuni back to Calama and flew back to Santiago.
Lovely part of the world! Still relatively not as discovered, but also not as developed (and distances are large!)
The bus from Uyuni to Calama is not very pleasant, but certainly one of a kind. No heating and it’s an early start at 4am. Also it can take a while to cross the border, you need to take out all the luggage and haul it through dust and dirt at both borders and there is an extensive search on Chilean side. They line everyone up. It’s like a scene from a movie. You arrive in Calama after 3pm. The scenery is spectacular though.
Post-covid private tours have got early expensive and it’s the same price whether you book in advance or on the spot.(everyone will tell it’s different, but it’s not the case.). It can be easily $600+ per person for the 2/3d tour for Spanish only in basic accommodation. Tayka hotels are also very popular so for last-minute trip it’s probably not going to be available.
It’s also best to do Uyuni first then Atacama if you have issues with altitude sickness.
Indeed my Uyuni experience was pre-covid, and we got a pretty good deal on the SPdA-Uyuni tour (we stayed in the Tayaka hotels, and indeed I suffered from altitude sickness, but 15 mins of oxygen from a bottle and I was back on my legs). We paid around $600 for two of us. The bus from Uyuni was indeed an early start, and crossing the Bolivian border however you do it, is always an experience 🙂 We were at the airport in Calama by 2pm, so it wasn’t too bad.
@mzb Thanks for the info on the drive, I’ve noted it all down.
But no, I cen’t bring Uyuni as much as I want to. There’s too much to do and too much to see already that I’m pencilling in down days to recover/do laundry etc. 7 countries in under 8 weeks (not counting the overnight in Madrid), 17 flights, a long bus ride and a ferry is enough without adding more 🙂
@meta
Altitude sickness is something I’ve not factored in although I’m aware of the potential impact. I didn’t have an issue last time when I went to Cuzco, Machu Picchu etc. The only time I did briefly suffer was when I was on the Belmond train, had been drinking red wine all afternoon/evening, missed dinner and woke up breathless in the middle of the night. So fingers crossed I’ll be ok.Altitude sickness hit my partner and I so hard in Peru. We were okay during the day and then at night it was terrible for the first few days. The tablets I got in the UK were useless, made it even worse. So after first day, we switched to just drinking plenty of coca tea.
In Uyuni, we did a trip to Cerro El Mundo which was at nearly 5600m, so much higher than Cuzco and didn’t suffer at all. (Macchu Picchu is below the altitude sickness level). It was more the scenery that made us breathless.
In Uyuni, we did a trip to Cerro El Mundo which was at nearly 5600m, so much higher than Cuzco and didn’t suffer at all. (Macchu Picchu is below the altitude sickness level). It was more the scenery that made us breathless.
That’s the problem it can hit anyone at any time regardless of fitness, but I’ll take it easy on the alcohol this time.
MP – Yes indeed. Being a glutton for punishment I decided to get up at 4am and hike Montana Machu Picchu on the second morning. 6am bus after 90 mins in the queue, hike nearly to the Sun Gate, and then back to the Montana gate, then up the mountain at 7.30am. By the time I got down at 11.30 and back into town my legs were shredded. It took 5 days for the pain in my thighs and calves to subside. I dropped and broke my water bottle at the gate, so managed the whole thing on half a cup of watery coffee. The steak and beer I had for lunch at the restaurant next to the railway line was like ambrosia.
But after all the the view down into the MP ruins was one of the most amazing sights I’ve ever seen.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9xt9Zdd8bVFCQMNX6@meta did the coca tea help much? We’re in Peru for just over 2 weeks later in the year, so taking note of remedies. We were in Colorado in Sept and up at 11-12k ft a few times, but also drove to top of Pikes Peak at over 14k ft ( ~4300m) . Did notice a tinge of breathless but nothing else.
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