bonjour,
en Juin nous visitons le sud du Pérou, et nous comptons passer en Bolivie quelques jours pour faire une excursion de 4 jours du salar de uyuni et sud lipez (pack acheté en agence sur place).
Ou vaut il mieux acheter ce pack (4*4 chauffeur, hotel, restaurant)? Uyuni, Potosi, Sucre?
comment aller et revenir au plus rapide dans l'une de ces villes en venant de La Paz?
si vous pouviez m'indiquer aproximativement les horaires et jours des trains ou bus, pour l'inserer dans mon circuit pour que tout s'enchaine au mieux?
Hotel et restaurants c'est de bien grands mots dans le salar... Prendre la reservation a Uyuni, moins cher et ca permet de se faire une idee du serieux de l'agence.
De la Paz, bus. Faites une halte a Potosi. Par contre je pense que c'est un peu plus long pour faire Uyuni - Sucre - La Paz.
De mon temps (2006), bus de Potosi en journee, arrivee l'apres midi, retour du Salar dans l'apres midi et direct dans le bus de retour vers La Paz (on a failli le rater tellement c'etait short et plus de bus avant le lendemain apres midi).
Prendre une double paire de chausettes. Sortir regarder les etoiles la nuit. Et une biere dans les sources d'eau chaude 😉
"Personne ne peut vous diminuer sans que vous y consentiez" Eleanore Roosevelt
Pour acheter le classique pack 3 ou 4 jours en 4x4, il vaut mieux Uyuni. Les tours partent en fin de matinée, tu peux en trouver un le matin même (les agences se "refilent" les clients pour compléter les voitures, donc toujours de la place au dernier moment). Ne te prend pas trop la tête avec les questions de sérieux de l'agence, parce qu'à moins de payer nettement plus cher avec certaines qui font du sur-mesure, tu auras à peu près la même prestation partout... Perso j'ai testé kantuta tours (sur la place où sont toutes les agences, impossible à manquer Uyuni n'est pas très grand), rien à redire.
Pour aller à Uyuni : soit tu as un peu de temps, et effectivement moi aussi je te recommanderai de passer par Potossi pour y faire une halte d'un ou deux jours et visiter la ville, soit tu n'as que peu de temps et le mieux c'est le bus "touristico" qui fait direct La Paz-Uyuni. Je ne sais pas ce qu'il en est des horaires à l'aller (j'arrivais de Potossi), mais pour le retour sur La Paz c'est un bus de nuit qui part de mémoire vers 21h, tu peux donc le programmer sans souci pour le jour de retour du tour dans le salar. A réserver tout de même auprès de l'agence où tu achètes ton tour avant le départ pour le salar, au cas où...
le prix du pack (basique, pas de luxe) est a peu prés de combien? (pour ne pas se faire avoir, ou croire que l'on se fait avoir)
il nous faut des duvets qui descendent à quelle température?
j'ai reperer un duvet (T° confort 1°C, limite confort -5°C, rabat + collerette antifroid.) à 60e, est ce suffisant?
merci à vous 2 pour vos reponses.
Normalement, tu auras dans les gites des couvertures en lama à disposition, cela devrait donc suffire...
Personnellement, nous avions des duvets - 15°, mais étant en indépendant, nous avons parfois dû dormir ailleurs que dans les pièces communes, où il y a parfois un petit poele, et avons donc dû affronter le -23° en aoüt sans profiter de la chaleur dégagée par les autres humains...🏴☠️
Le prix du pack? Il me semblait que c'est entre 80 et 120 en 2006, selon le nombre de personnes par voiture, pour trois-quatre jours (je ne serai pas plus précise, car je n'en ai pas pris, mais tu pourras trouver cette info facilement grâce au moteur de recherche...)
Il me semble avoir payé (il y a deux ans) 90 USD par pers. pour 3 jours. ça peut varier en fonction du nombre de personnes dans la voiture.
Pour le duvet, certes dans les refuges il y a des couvertures, mais moi j'ai trouvé ça très insuffisant, heureusement que j'avais mon duvet... une nuit dans un des refuges j'ai eu froid comme jamais de ma vie (et c'était en avril/mai, ce sera pire en juin)...
Donc si tu peux sans trop te charger, prend un duvet !
Pas besoin de grandes perf. thermique, tu complètes avec les couvertures qu'on te donne et ça devrait aller.
Normalement, tu auras dans les gites des couvertures en lama à disposition, cela devrait donc suffire...
__
Non, ce n'est pas suffisant.
Lors de la traversée du salar de Uyuni en 2003, notre véhicule est tombé en panne à 15h de l'après-midi et aucune autre voiture qui passait au loin ne nous a vu. A partir de 17h plus de passage.
Nous avons dû dormir à 5 dans une jeep bolivienne donc assez rustique. Et là, croyez moi, un excellent duvet est indispensable.
voir quelques photos de l'aventure sur mon site yllen-voyage graphique (Bolivie)
... entre le soleil et le vent, entre le sable et l'écume ... (texte de Claude Roy pour Zao Wou-Ki)
Yllen-voyage graphique
Je me suis mal exprimée: le duvet - 5° devrait suffire, à partir du moment où, effectivement, ils dorment dans des gites. Je ne voulais pas dire que les couvertures suffiraient (le "cela" désignait dans mon esprit le duvet dont il parlait.)
Après, en cas de panne (et c'est vrai qu'elles sont fréquentes) un excellent duvet vaut mieux, mais ils coûtent souvent très cher pour un usage peu fréquent...
Si tu as le temps, trace au sud de la Bolivie à Tupiza (paysage de Far West: superbe!), et là, prends une agence qui te fait le Sud Lipez et le Salar puis te dépose à Uyuni. Tu peux même te faire un voyage "à façon", en t'arrêtant un jour au Licancabur et le grimper: vue imprenable sur a cordillère!
c'est possible si il y a un bus qui nous y dépose (et si possible un direct La Paz-Tupiaz)
je vois sur ma carte qu'il y a une voie de train, c'est peut etre plus simple et plus rapide pour aller a Tupiaz!
les agences font-elles toutes a peu près le même circuit et est ce que l'on voit tout ce qu'il y a voir quand on prend le pack standard? (salar uyuni, laguna verde, villa mar, sol de manana, laguna colorado...)
en ce qui concerne les duvets, je pense que je vais en prendre un qui descend jusqu'a -10° C à 80euros + le drap de soie pour duvet que j'ai a la maison (gain de chaleur 5°C). Au dessus c'est trop cher pour moi pour le peu que je vais l'utiliser dans ma vie (130e)
si vous avez des bons plans pour avoir 4 duvets à moins de 100e chacun et qui descendent à -15° C, je suis preneuse!
A l'époque, on avait fait La Paz -> Oruro en bus (2 heures ou quelque chose comme ça..)
Puis Oruro -> Tupiza en train de nuit: très ambiance avec une population très très locale!
Les circuits depuis Tupiza ou Uyuni sont à peu près identiques je pense. mais en partant de Tupiza, tu as l'avantage de ne pas faire un "aller-retour"...
Sinon, pour les duvets, j'avais un duvet classique "Décath'" mais c'est vrai que c'est mieux d'assurer au cas où il y a un problème (genre obliger de dormir au milieu du désert après un panne...). Et en juin, ça commence à cailler an plus!
le bon plan ??? les gagner à un concours car franchement j'ai de gros doute quand je vois l'étude de prix que je fais pour le moment ... en tout cas en duvet c'est même pas la peine de penser à ce prix-là
Avec mon amie, nous arrivons à Uyuni début août. Nous voulons faire une excursion de 4 jous 3 nuits dans le désert. Nous ne savons pas quelles agences choisir…
Je voudrais savoir si certains ont eu des experiences d'excursion dans le salar d'Uyuni incluant le sud Lipez depassant le classique 3 jourset 2 nuits. Si oui,…
Je pars avec des amis au mois de juin et nous allons faire une excursion dans le salar d'uyuni pendant 3 jours ; nous avons contacté une agence locale ; nous…
Amérique du Sud › Brésil / Bolivie / Paraguay · 2 replies
Nous sommes 2 et pensons passer 3/4 jours dans le Pantanal vers le 10 Aout depuis Campo Grande faut-il réserver à l'avance via internet ou est-ce plus simple…
Le simple fait de lire la description de ce parc m'a donné envie de le découvrir. Mais je trouve relativement peu d'infos dessus. Je pense que le mieux est de…
Bonjour à tous,
Nous envisageons pour le mois de novembre, de faire un tour dans le sud du Chili. Le programme pressenti est le suivant :
Jour 1 : Arrivée à Santiago puis vol le lendemain sur Balmaceda où nous récupérerons une voiture de location pour rallier Cohaique.
Jour 3 : promenade dans la réserve nationale de Cohaique puis continuation de la route jusqu'à Puerto Chacabuco. Retour sur Coyaique pour la 2è nuit.
Jour 4 : route sur Villa Cerro Castillo pour se balader dans le PN. Poursuite de la route sur Puerto Tranquilo et nuit à Puerto Tranquilo où nous prévoyons de rester 3 nuits
Jour 5 : Navigation sur la laguna San Rafael
Jour 6 : Journée au glacier Monte San Valentin
Jour 7 : Excursion pour les Capillas de Marmol puis route sur Puerto Guadal. Nous resterons 3 nuits à Puerto Guadal
Jour 8 : Balade le long de Lago Carrera et retour à PG
Jour 9 : Vallée du Rio Baker et si possible excursion sur le glacier
Jour 10 : Route sur Cochrane et rando dans la réserve nationale de Tamango. Nous resterons 2 nuits à Cochrane
Jour 11 : Balade dans la vallée de Chacabuco
Jour 12 : Route sur Caleta Tortel. Nous y resterons 2 nuits
Jour 13 : croisière dans le delta du Rio Baker
Jour 14 : retour sur Cochrane
Jour 15 : retour sur Balmaceda en deux étapes
Jour 16 : poursuite de la route de retour
Jour 17 : restitution de la voiture de location et retour sur Santiago.
Nous prévoyons également à la suite de faire un tour au Nord de Santiago. Je ferai un autre post pour cette partie quand j'aurai une idée plus précise du parcours.
Que pensez-vous de ce programme ? Est-ce faisable en 17 jours ?
Merci par avance pour vos conseils et recommandations.
martine
Hi everyone! So happy to be back on this forum—it’s packed with such useful info! 🙂 My husband and I are planning a 2.5-week self-drive trip to Colombia at the end of the year, including some domestic flights. My first question is: is it possible, easy, and safe to do a road trip in Colombia?
Below is our draft itinerary (with questions at each stop):
29/11: France → Colombia. Overnight in Bogotá.
30/11: Exploring Bogotá: La Candelaria and Montserrate.
01/12: Gold Museum (closed on Mondays). Drive to Zipaquirá (1.5 hrs) to visit the Salt Cathedral. Then drive to Villa de Leyva (3 hrs). Explore the town. Overnight in Villa de Leyva.
02/12: Return to Bogotá via Laguna de Guatavita (5 hrs). Is it worth the detour? Overnight in Bogotá.
03/12: Flight to Pereira. Drive to Salento. Overnight in Salento.
04/12: Cocora Valley (hike among the wax palms) followed by a drive around the area. Are there any waterfalls or other sights nearby?
05/12: Visit a coffee finca—any recommendations? Then explore the surroundings: Filandia, Manizales, waterfalls? Hot springs? Which ones?
06/12: Flight to Medellín.
07/12: Exploring Medellín: Centro, Plaza Botero, Comuna 13. How do you visit Comuna 13? Is it easy to get around Medellín? Metro? Buses?
08/12: Drive to Guatapé (2 hrs). Visit the town, stroll around the lake, then El Peñol. Overnight in Guatapé.
09/12: Return to Medellín.
10/12: Flight to Santa Marta. Drive to a hotel near Tayrona Park.
11/12: Tayrona—El Zaino entrance.
12/12: Tayrona—Palangana entrance, then Bahia Concha and Santa Marta. What do you think?
13/12: Drive to Minca (45 mins). Can we reach the village by car? Pozo Azul and Marinka waterfalls. Overnight in Minca (or back in Tayrona?).
14/12: Drive to Puerto Nao (5 hrs). Stop in Ciénaga on the way + boat tour in Nueva Venecia and/or Buena Vista? Not enough time? Overnight in Puerto Nao.
15/12: Exploring Cartagena: Centro, Getsemaní, the walls + La Boquilla if we have time.
16/12: La Boquilla (is it really worth it?) if we didn’t have time yesterday, then back to the beach.
17/12: Return to France.
So, what do you think? Is this doable, or should we tweak it? Thanks in advance for your invaluable feedback and tips! 🙂
Hi there, I’ll be in Brazil from December 10th to the end of February.
I’ve sketched out a rough itinerary but I’m not sure how to arrange it—considering the climate, year-end holidays, and Carnival.
Basically, I’m thinking of the Amazon, the Northeast coast with Lençóis Maranhenses National Park (but skipping Chapada Diamantina),
Ouro Preto, Paraty, and Ilha Grande—but no Rio visit.
Is this doable in 3 months?
Which direction should I take for this itinerary?
Thanks in advance!
Hi everyone, does anyone know the agency Ventura Travel Agency (not ventura travel)? After lots of research and quotes, it’s the only one offering Uyuni at a reasonable price while meeting all the criteria: transfer to the border, private-room accommodation, and a very fair rate. Other agencies or guides either offer shared rooms, no border transfer, or prices that are way too high. But I’d love to hear some reviews about this agency. Thanks in advance!
Hi everyone,
We're planning a trip to Chile to visit the Atacama Desert and then head toward Putre, Lauca, Salar de Surire, etc.
Which would be the better time to go, April or November?
Is an SUV enough?
Looking forward to your tips!
Hi everyone, French travelers in Chile—what credit cards do you use for your various car rentals in the country? I’m traveling in September and was planning to switch my regular debit card (a VISA PREMIER in deferred debit mode) for the deposit guarantee.
My rentals are with Figal in Punta Arenas, Econautos in Arica, and Chilean Rent a Car in Temuco, and all of them want the deposit on a credit card. For me, deferred debit *should* work, but I’ve read comments saying the opposite.
How’s it actually working on the ground with these rental companies right now? Will a deferred debit card work, or not at all?
In France, banks don’t issue credit cards, right—or am I mistaken?
Hi everyone, is it still possible to travel in Ecuador outside the Amazon region? If so, do you have a reliable agency to recommend? All your recent experiences from the past few months would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much
Hi,
We’re heading to Buenos Aires for 3 days in November and would like to do a guided tour of a few neighborhoods. There are "free" tours, but none in French. Does anyone have a guide to recommend so we can really get to know the city beyond just the architecture?
Thanks
Hi there,
I’m desperately looking for info on the schedules and routes of (shared) boats to visit the islands of Lake Titicaca.
From what I’ve found, there’s a *combi* (bus) that leaves from Puno to go to Llachon. Where do you catch it? What are the schedules and frequency? Does it take about 1 hour?
Then in Llachon, you can take a boat to Amantani (45 min). Same question—where do you check for frequency and schedule?
After that, from Amantani, boats go to Taquile and then Uros. Do you have enough time to visit the islands between two boats? Frequency and schedule?
The goal is to do this tour independently (no agency) over 2 days. Thanks for any tips you might have!
I just got back from a trip to Bolivia and wow—what a wake-up call. It’s not the easiest country, but it’s absolutely stunning.
I started with Isla del Sol, perfect for easing into the altitude at a relaxed pace. Try to stay in the northern part of the island—it’s quieter and the views are insane. And the trout there? Unreal. Quick tip: bring cash in small bills; they almost never have change, and cards are rarely accepted.
Next up, La Paz. The city’s pretty wild, built in every direction. I did a few hikes in the area, including the famous Charquini Lagoon (the blue lake) at over 5,000 m—let’s just say I struggled 😅 but it was so beautiful it was totally worth it.
After that, I headed to Sajama. It’s cool, especially for the hot springs, and I stayed in Tomarapi. But honestly, if you’re short on time, you can skip it without too many regrets.
The highlight of the trip: the Salar. I did it starting from Tupiza, and I *highly* recommend going Tupiza → Uyuni. Way less crowded at the start and the landscapes are super varied. For the tour, I used SplitYourGuide to find a group, and it worked out great. Super handy for splitting costs and meeting people.
I wrapped up in Sucre—this city is gorgeous, all white, with such a chill vibe. And the salteñas + ice cream? Next level 😋
Bottom line: Bolivia’s a bit rough around the edges, sometimes exhausting (shoutout to the altitude), but it’s 1000% worth it.
If you’ve got questions or need tips, I’m happy to help!
Martin
I was planning to go to Réunion and stay in half-board accommodation with non-professionals, but it seems that’s not really the custom there—or maybe my budget isn’t big enough.
So, since I’ve already traveled around Ecuador and Peru, I’m now looking at Argentina, especially for its mountains (like the ones in Réunion that tempted me, even though—frustratingly—I could only admire them from below).
I plan to get around by bus and don’t know in advance where I’ll sleep, so I won’t book ahead. If I like a place, I might stay for several days.
I know that in Chile, it’s easy to find half-board accommodation, but what about in Argentina?
I’d like to stay with locals in half-board without it being a professional setup. I’m not sure if this is common practice there. It’s up to me to find someone willing to host me.
What do you think?
What would be a fair price (keeping in mind that 40 to 50 € is the max I can spend on accommodation, breakfast, and dinner)?
Hi everyone,
We’re heading to Patagonia for three weeks in November, starting from Coyhaique in Chile.
We won’t have a car, and I’m struggling to find information about transportation options for a few parts of the itinerary we’d like to do:
1) From Perito Moreno (the town, near Los Antiguos), we’d like to travel down Ruta 40 to visit Perito Moreno National Park and then cross into Chile via the Paso Roballos (at the latitude of Bajo Caracoles) to reach the road to Cochrane. Without a car, it seems we’ll need to use private agencies to get to the national park—do you have any recommendations or suggestions? Also, does anyone know if it’s possible to cross into Chile via Paso Roballos (from Bajo Caracoles) without a rental car? That is, without having to go all the way down to El Chaltén or back up toward Perito Moreno/Los Antiguos, etc.?
2) The second stretch that seems a bit tricky (though still easier, in theory) is from Caleta Tortel to Villa O’Higgins on the Chilean side. Do we have to go back through Cochrane, or are there ways to get directly from Tortel to Villa O’Higgins?
3) Finally, we’d like to hike into Argentina (El Chaltén) from O’Higgins. Any recommendations for this? Do we need to go through an agency? What’s the estimated duration of the trek?
As you’ve probably gathered, we want to visit some off-the-beaten-path spots but don’t have a car, so we’re looking for the best possible compromises.
Thanks so much in advance for all your suggestions!
Thomas
Hi,
we’re planning a round trip from San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, to Salta, Argentina, in two months. On the way there, we’ll take the northern route via Susques, Route 27, then 52. But for the return, we were thinking of taking the southern route via San Antonio de los Cobres, Route 51, then 23. Is it similar to the northern route in terms of road surface? How busy is it, and are there gas stations? Basically, should we be worried about doing it in an SUV that’s supposedly 4x4 but has regular road tires and no second spare wheel, obviously...
I’ve seen that we can stop over in San Antonio de los Cobres.
Thanks for your feedback.
Raf.
Hi,
we’ll be in Calama at the end of March 2026, and I’m looking for a reliable car rental there for a 7-day road trip to Salta, Argentina. But I’m struggling with the car rental agencies in Calama because the reviews can be scary. I saw Gyg, which has great ratings, but I’m a bit wary (5/5 from 59 reviews—either the guy’s amazing or it’s fake...), but I can’t find any recent reviews on VF in general.
For Punta Arenas, I booked with Dachelet and didn’t have any issues with email exchanges.
Thanks in advance.
Raf.
I’m planning the trip of my dreams for next November—Chile!
I’d love to get your thoughts on my potential itinerary. I know it’s a big investment in terms of both time and money, so every bit of feedback, suggestion, or info helps immensely. Thank you in advance!!
1-Flight to Santiago
2-Explore Santiago
3-Explore Santiago
4-Bus from STG to Valpo (2h) + visit Valparaíso + night in Viña
5-Visit Valparaíso + bus back to STG (2h)
6-Flight to Calama + bus to San Pedro + explore and acclimate in San Pedro + car rental in the afternoon (+Chaxa?)
7-(Very early) Valle del Arcoíris + Laguna Cejar + Valle de la Luna
Good evening,
We’d love to go in November to enjoy some beautiful beaches for about two weeks, preferably around Bahia, as November/December seems like a great time.
We’ve already traveled to Brazil several times and know the south of Rio as well as the region between São Luís and Fortaleza, and Chapada Diamantina...
What advice would you give us: the south with Itaparica, Morro de São Paulo, Boipeba, Barra Grande—or all four? Or maybe the north?
Thanks in advance for your help
Hi everyone, it’s been a while since I last posted!
First time in South America for me, my wife, and our 7-year-old son. I’ve put together this itinerary and would love to hear your thoughts:
Bogotá 28/07 – 30/07: Arrival. Which neighborhood and outings would you recommend?
Flight to
2 Filandia 30/07 – 03/08: (255 €). Waterfalls and horseback riding,
Cocora Valley,
Hiking,
Nearby villages.
Flight to
3 Tayrona 03/08 – 07/08: Hotel La Casablanca
Hike with Tierra Nevada and the Kogui village (any feedback?). Return by inner tube for the little one.
Short night hike.
Second hike to La Piscina, etc., return by 🐎.
4 Cartagena 07/08 – 10/08: Air-conditioned bus.
Staying in Getsemaní? Mangroves & the Castle, exploring the city.
5 Bogotá 10/08 – 12/08
Feel free to share your feedback!
Have a great day!
Hi,
During an upcoming trip to Peru, we’ll have one day to explore around Arequipa (excluding Colca Canyon) with a car and driver.
We’ve got a few options:
- Toro Muerto petroglyphs and dinosaur footprints at Querulpa
- Ruta del Sillar and Quebrada de Culebrillas
We’re a group of 6 friends with an average age of 70, all mobile, and we’re planning a trip to Peru in September/October 2026. Below is an idea of what we’re looking for: a French-speaking guide, accommodation in 3-star hotels or homestays with comfort.
Duration: 16 to 20 days on-site.
Visit the main sites with immersion in the culture and way of life.
Which francophone agency in Peru would you recommend? Thanks
Hi there!
I’m putting together my itinerary for Brazil, looking for beautiful natural spots with wildlife, flora, and great hikes...
I’ve come across the Cananeia / Super Agui / Ilha do Mel region and the PETAR / Intervales / Alto Ribeira area.
Has anyone here been to these places? If so, do you have any recommendations for accommodations and activities?
Thanks in advance!
Best,
Olivier 🌍
I’ll be in ARICA in northern Chile at the end of May 2026 and want to get to TACNA.
Are there taxis, buses, or collectivos that run the border crossing route?
After that, bus to AREQUIPA (Peru): any bus company you’d recommend?
Hi there,
We’re spending 3 weeks in Brazil, arriving in São Paulo—a couple plus a teen—and we’ll have a rental car.
We especially love nature: hiking, wildlife watching, birds, etc.
We’re planning to wrap up with a week around Paraty and Ilha Grande.
We’re not really into visiting big cities like São Paulo or Rio unless you think we’d be missing out big time.
So we’ve got 2 weeks to explore the south/southwest region of São Paulo.
What do you recommend?
National parks? Off-the-beaten-path nature spots? Iguazu Falls?
Hi there,
Do you have any recommendations for comfortable accommodation in Leyva and Barichara? We're also looking for a guide to explore the areas around these two towns (parks, waterfalls, etc.).
Thanks for your tips!
I visited Colombia in January 2016 and I’m heading back from August 6th to 17th with the same airline to see how things have changed. Starting August 18th, I’ll continue with independent exploration. I prefer slow travel and enjoying places at my own pace.
Any tips—especially for getting around or must-see spots—are welcome!
Thu Aug 06. Fly Montreal to Bogotá 20:55-04:05+1 Air Canada
Fri Aug 07. Bogotá
Sat Aug 08. Bogotá
Sun Aug 09. Bogotá
Mon Aug 10. Fly Bogotá to Medellín
Tue Aug 11. Medellín - Explore Guatapé
Wed Aug 12. Comuna 8 & Hill of Values - PM Fly to Pereira
Thu Aug 13. Montenegro
Fri Aug 14. Salento - Cocora Valley
Sat Aug 15. Fly to Cartagena
Sun Aug 16. Explore Cartagena
Mon Aug 17. Explore Cartagena
Tue Aug 18. Fly Cartagena to Cali 12:20-14:55 Latam
Wed Aug 19. Cali
Thu Aug 20. Cali
Fri Aug 21. Cali
Sat Aug 22. Bus Cali to Popayán 09:00-13:00
Sun Aug 23. Popayán
Mon Aug 24. Popayán
Tue Aug 25. Popayán - Day trip to Silvia (Market Day)
Wed Aug 26. Overland Popayán to Tierradentro by public transportation 4h, 100km
Thu Aug 27. Tierradentro
Fri Aug 28. Tierradentro
Sat Aug 29. Overland Tierradentro to Garzón via La Plata
Sun Aug 30. Bus Garzón to San Agustín 10:30-13:00
Mon Aug 31. San Agustín
Tue Sep 01. San Agustín
Wed Sep 02. San Agustín
Thu Sep 03. San Agustín
Fri Sep 04. Overland San Agustín to Tatacoa Desert via Neiva
Sat Sep 05. Tatacoa Desert
Sun Sep 06. Fly to Bogotá via Neiva 16:00-17:00 Latam
Mon Sep 07. Bogotá
Tue Sep 08. Fly Bogotá to Montreal 09:00-16:30 Air Canada
Hi there,
Three years ago during a trip to Java (no, I didn’t post in the wrong forum!), I came across the address of former miners who had switched to “tourism” and organized nighttime ascents of the Kawah Ijen volcano and descents into the crater.
So I was thinking—maybe there are miners on the salt flats too, either former or still active, who do the same thing. If you’ve had an experience like this, I’d love any tips you can share.
Thanks in advance.
Hi there, since there isn’t much recent info on how to get to MP, I’d love to know if there have been any improvements to the "route" to Hydroelectrica. Is it feasible to drive there in February? And is it still possible to walk all the way to Aguas Calientes? I think I read somewhere that it’s no longer allowed??
Do you think I can buy Machu Picchu entrance tickets last-minute at that time of year, given the weather?
A group of friends and I are heading to Brazil in March 2019 and we’d love to attend the Carnival parade. I could really use your help because I’m struggling to find reviews for online ticket sellers for Carnival.
I came across rio-carnival—is this a reliable agency?
Do you have other agencies to recommend or experiences to share?
Any advice is welcome.
Everything You Need to Know About Argentina’s Currency Exchange Maze (2026 Edition)
Hi fellow travelers,
Packing your bags for Buenos Aires? Watch out—here, money is a science almost as complex as the dance steps in a tango!
As of March 2026, the situation has shifted dramatically: the "Blue" (parallel) rate is now neck-and-neck with the official rate. To save you from losing your hard-earned euros in bureaucratic mazes or "disastrous" exchange rates, I’ve laced up my reporter boots and hit the famous Calle Florida for you.
In my latest video (and the accompanying article), I take you behind the scenes of currency exchange:
Arbolitos and Cuevas: Who are they, and can you still trust them?
The Rate Showdown: Why Banco Nación is currently the worst place for your savings.
Western Union: Why it’s often your best ally right now.
Cash or Card? The little secret to getting an instant 10–15% discount at restaurants or hotels.
The Bill Trap: Why your 500 € notes or stained dollars might stay in your wallet.
Argentina changes fast—*very* fast (by the end of March, today’s advice might already be old news!). So don’t leave without checking the market’s pulse.
