IÆd be really grateful for any constructive feedback on a
travel plan IÆm forming for the summer. IÆve got a really
cheap return ticket to Caracas arriving early June
departing late august, my initial plans are to travel
mostly overland through Colombia and Ecuador to Peru before
flying back to Caracas. Do you think this is too much?
Obviously I donÆt want to be continually on the road, but
then again I want to make the very most of the time IÆve
got. Are there any basic flaws in this basic plan? (eg.
flight availability, border crossings etc.).
I intend to travel as light as possible, has anyone got any
tips on the bare essential clothing? Is it possible to buy
suitable clothing along the way? How about a sleeping bag?
It seems to be something of a necessity at altitude, should
I bring one or can I get one in there when needed.
Finally, I plan to keep expenses to a minimum except for
the following activities, which I imagine will be fairly
expensive: Scuba diving, mountain biking and jungle
trekking. Given my planned route where would be the best
places to do these?
All advice or suggestions gratefully received. Thanks.
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To save travel time, look into buying a ticket flying into Caracas and out of Lima , Peru. In most cases its just as cheap. Out of L.A. i found one (with Continental) for 430 USD. Also, form what i've read, seriously think about flying through Columbia. Bueno Suerte!
Your time frame is pretty good..though you'll wish you could
stay longer. Sleeping bag is only needed if you are
trekking.You can rent one in Lima, Cusco, Quito and
Arequipa..maybe else where. Nice sweaters in Peru and
Ecuador. A down jacket is needed in the mountains. You can
buy cheap clothing..both price and quality..but large sizes
are hard to find. Try Margarita Island for scuba. Banos in
Ecuador for jungle treks. You can rent mountain bikes in
cusco. Not sure where else.
Just came back from Ven two days ago. It's not the cheapest
country, in case you were wondering. Prices are pretty much
doulbe anything in the newest LP book, especially if you're
traveling alone. Also airport departure tax from Caracas is
now $32, not $29 as mentioned by people on this site only a
few months ago, so it might even be higher by the time
you're ready to fly out. The above suggestion about flying
out of a different country sounds good. Once you've seen
Caracas you'll have little interest in returning a second
time, in my opinion.
Your timeframe looks good to me. I think about a month per country gives you enough time to take it easy, stay in places you like for a couple days longer, and still see a lot and do all the main sites of interest (travelling overland).
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Taking overnight buses could save you time as well as a night's hotel costs. My (female) friend and I did this in Bolivia and Peru (not on routes that LP advised against) and never had any problems safety-wise.
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A light-weight sleeping bag can be a solution, mine is only 500 grams (one pound). Blankets are usually supplied in hostels, but not always as clean... I also used my sleeping bag on overnight bus trips through the cold Altiplano.
Zippable pants are useful, too. Zip off the legs and you have a pair of shorts.
Bring clothing that can go in layers on top of eachother so you don't need to bring many items. Fleece is light and warm, as is lamb wool.
I guess it's all a matter of choice and how much comfort you need. We ran into a guy in Indonesia once who only carried a tiny rucsack (schoolkid type) with his passport, tickets, one change of underwear, his photo camera, a toothbrush and toothpaste. That was it! He was wearing the rest: a singlet (sleeveless top), a torn pair of shorts, and Teva sandals. But of course Indonesia is warmer in most places. Just to illustrate how much it depends on what you want.
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I'll also send you my tips list. The list of "items to bring" is very elaborate and not all items are needed, but it gives you an idea of what the options are.
Hey, your trip sounds great. But as far as traveling south
from Ecuador to Peru, you'd better be careful. Flooding is
not all that uncommon and when I was there last year, all
overland routes were inaccessible. It was either fly or wait
a few months. So check the situation as frequently as
possible! Trains in Ecuador are dangerous and fun, where you
can ride on top of the train if you want and the tracks are
constantly breaking.
You will definitley want a sleeping bag if you will be
anywher in the Andes. You can go lightweight as long as
you're prepared to layer up and sleep in a hat. Gets pretty
damn cold at night.