Posts by Appenans

Hi, We're heading to Chile in a month and have rented a 4x4 pickup with a camper cell to travel part of the Carretera. The Ioverlanders site is really ideal for planning the route, with info on lots of things and especially on spots where you can park for the night. I found a site about ongoing roadworks on the Carretera, Planifica tu viaje. When I look, it seems there are tons of roadworks, sometimes with roads closed for several hours or at least alternating traffic, which really extends travel times. Has anyone recently traveled on Ruta 7 and can give us some "real" info? Thanks in advance! Céline

Hi, Actually, I sent out several "messages in a bottle" at the same time and already got a response and "booked" a visit. Thanks anyway and have a great day! Céline

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

we’ll be going from north to south—is the price okay for a month? Thanks for the info

Hi there, We’re also leaving mid-Nov to mid-Dec and looking for a camper van or other converted vehicle. Could you let me know what rate you got for renting that van and which rental company you used? Thanks in advance and happy trip planning! Céline

Hi there, We're also looking for a pickup truck rental in Argentina for Patagonia. Did you end up finding one, and if so, which one? Any feedback on how the pickup handled in practice? Thanks! Céline

Hi Sheepie, Thanks again for all this info... We’ve got a year to fine-tune our trip and save up—it’s gonna be a big one!!! Céline

Hello, First off, I’m glad our itinerary isn’t completely unrealistic. For the route between Bariloche and Puerto Tranquilo, we’ve decided to add an extra stop because we realize the travel time can be unpredictable, especially with the border crossing. We won’t make any reservations either, so we can adjust the route based on time (duration) and weather!

For Punta Arenas, my husband really wants to see penguins! That’s the only must-see for us... so one day might be enough. It’s the stop we could skip if we fall behind on the rest of the trip.

We’re also thinking of saving a day by leaving from El Calafate and waiting for our flight to Paris at the airport.

Ideally, we’d have more than a month—there’s so much to see—but we only have three weeks!

I’ll look into the Pucón option. From experience, do you know if car or van rentals are more or less expensive in Chile vs. Argentina? Our first estimates for a 4x4 from Bariloche to El Calafate are 5,400 €!

Thanks again for all your tips and comments!

Hello, We’re planning a trip to Patagonia for November–December 2026. After reading forums, blogs, and guidebooks, we’ve sketched out a rough itinerary and would love to hear from experts. We initially wanted to rent a camper van, but it’s hard to find options and we have no idea about prices. We’ve settled on starting in Bariloche, crossing into Chile for the Carretera Austral, then back into Argentina before crossing into Chile again for Punta Arenas, and finally ending in El Calafate to drop off the car. We don’t want to make any advance reservations so we can stay flexible based on weather and road conditions. Do you think this route is reasonably doable? And if you have any idea about the cost of renting a car for 17 days with a different drop-off location and the paperwork needed for border crossings… Thanks a million in advance for your replies! Céline

Day 1: Flight – 24 hours of travel, overnight on the plane Day 2: Arrival in Buenos Aires, overnight in BA Day 3: BA, overnight in BA Day 4: BA, overnight in BA Day 5: Flight to Bariloche, overnight in Bariloche Day 6–7: Seven Lakes route, overnight in Bariloche Day 8: Drive to La Junta, overnight stop Day 9: Drive to Puerto Tranquilo, overnight in Puerto Tranquilo Day 10: Catedral de Mármol, overnight in Puerto Tranquilo Day 11: Drive to El Chaltén, overnight stop Day 12: Arrival in El Chaltén, overnight in El Chaltén Day 13: El Chaltén, overnight in El Chaltén Day 14: El Chaltén, overnight in El Chaltén Day 15: Drive to Punta Arenas, overnight in Punta Arenas Day 16: Punta Arenas, overnight in Punta Arenas Day 17: Punta Arenas, overnight in Punta Arenas Day 18: Drive to Torres del Paine, overnight in Torres Day 19: Torres del Paine, overnight in Torres Day 20: Torres del Paine, overnight in Torres Day 21: Drive to El Calafate, overnight in El Calafate Day 22: El Calafate, overnight in El Calafate Day 23: Flight to BA, overnight in BA Day 24: Flight to Paris

Hello, We got back from our trip in mid-May. We loved it so much!! The cities, the monuments, the people... In Khiva, we hired a guide when we bought our tickets. She was really great—her French is perfect, she didn’t rush us, and her commentary was varied, not just reciting a script. If I remember correctly, it was 70 € for 2 hours, which ended up being at least 3. A tip: do one visit with a guide and another on your own to fully enjoy the colors from every angle. We booked 2 days for hikes in the mountains near Samarkand and stayed in two villages. Our guide and driver, Gofur, spoke French very well, had lots of anecdotes, and we had a great time with him. Be ready to taste the vodka! ;) We went through Khiloha from the Zamin Travel agency, but he also works independently and can do tours all over Uzbekistan. I can send you the contact details of both people in a private message. Anyway, I hope you have a great trip—you won’t regret it, you’ll see. Céline

Thanks for the replies. We do have WhatsApp. Thanks and have a great weekend!

Hi, Yes, we looked into Orange for a short-term plan because calls from France would be expensive, and we need to stay reachable. Thanks and have a great Easter weekend!

Good evening,

Buy a SIM card, which you can top up at a terminal with cash.

Michel

Good evening, Thanks for this solution. I still need to find a way to keep my number and stay reachable, though. Thanks, Tatra

Hi there, Our trip is just around the corner—only 10 days to go! Quick practical question: what’s the easiest and most budget-friendly way to use my phone while I’m there? Thanks in advance! Céline

Hi there, We're heading out in April and I'm looking for transportation between Khiva and Bukhara. For trains, I only see afternoon options, and I was planning to leave in the morning. I'm really tempted by your shared taxi idea: meeting other people and the stops seem so friendly! Could you tell me where to find these shared taxis and how you booked them? Thanks in advance! Céline, who can't wait for April! !

Hi, Yeah, actually I saw there were flight options, but only for next month—that’s why there was nothing for April. Thanks for the other airlines; apart from Humoair, I wasn’t aware of the others. Thanks again! Céline

Hi, So glad the site’s back up—I’ve always found great off-the-beaten-path tips here! This time, we’re planning a trip to Uzbekistan. Since time is a bit tight, we wanted to fly from Tashkent to Urgench, but we can’t find any direct flights between the two. Do we need to book from France, and if so, which site should we use? We’re thinking of going around mid-April. Thanks in advance for your help! Céline

Bonsoir, La photo donne envie, nous attendons les vacances ! Encore merci

Merci, Ca à l'air vraiment sympa; Je crois qu'effectivement c'est une adresse à retenir. Je pense qu'en février il n'y a pas trop de monde. Le téléphone c'est bien le +212 682-748491, je l'ai trouvé sur internet. De toutes facons comme nous ne sommes pas encore décidé sur le jour exact de notre séjour, on téléphonera un jour ou deux avant seulement. Merci et bonne soirée

Bonjour, Nous aussi nous souhaitons faire une petite excursion à Imlil, venir de Marrakech et trainer sur la route et faire une ballade le 2d jour, à priori il y a des circuits de 4/5 h dans les villages environnants. Auriez vous des adresses de logement chez l'habitant ou petite auberge sympa ? Merci pour vos réponses Céline