[clr]

So, I have been living it up here in Medellin for the past month. A friend just got into town and we are going to head out on a trip to explore some of south America. We have until oct 29 about a month, I will be staying a week past that, so if I love it I may stay in Argentina that extra week.

The general idea is to hit up Quito to Lima to cusco(machu picchu) to Mendoza to igazu falls to buenos aires, ferry to montevideo then back to medellin.

Side note. Flights on LAN from medellin to cusco to Mendoza to BA is 3k usd.
Now get this, a flight plan from med to Quito, to Lima to cusco, to Mendoza to igazu to BA to Medellin is 1200. Go figure.

Everyone says hit cordoba, so we shall see. My main goals are to have fun, hit machu picchu, drink lots of wine and have a bunch of great steaks, other then that I am pretty open. The girls will happen so I am not worried about that, but some cool club/lounge spots would be nice. Money isn't that important but I am a big fan of getting a good bang for my buck. Value I like

Along the way I think I would like to do some white water rafting, horseback riding, maybe scuba if it happens. Maybe hit a few other side ruins, some wine tasting.

I read through a lot of the old posts, but many of them are out dated. Any thoughts guys? Also where to stay? I don't mind hostels as long as I can get my own room, or at minimum a room to share with my buddy, I'm not into the military dorm room style sleeping. I don't need or want 100 a night hotels either, just a Private clean bed and shower.

[gringochileno]

I was in Mendoza for a week in July. It's a good place to be if you want to drink wine and eat steak but I wouldn't visit for the girls. The only real nightlife in the city is a place called Por Acá that's on the street with all the other restaurants and bars (I think the nearest major intersection is Colón and Belgrano). Otherwise it's a 30-minute drive to get to the clubs (I didn't go to any, my travel partner and I both got sick a day after we got there). The hostel I stayed at was called Hostel Lao. It was probably the best hostel I've ever been to--awesome staff, clean, good amenities, free wine every night, for about 15 bucks a night. Probably more for private rooms but I'm pretty sure they had them. Do the biking wine tour they recommend and don't skip the last bodega--we got pretty damn loaded at that one.

I know it doesn't get as much play on this forum but if you have time I'd highly recommend swinging by Chile. Santiago is a cool city and if you have Spanish skills you can clean up there.

[redneckpunk]

only good place for scuba will be Galapagos

rafting outside Quito and Cusco is possible.

Eat some alpaca in Peru its very good and Lima has the best ceviche on the planet.

[jdelisi]

Make sure you check out requirements for yellow fever shot. Going from Colombia to certain countries you need it or they won't let u board the plane. I found out the hard way trying to go from Medellin to el Salvador. Avianca let me buy the ticket online but I couldn't get on the plane. I had to go to Miami first, get the shot, then to San Salvador.

[clr]

Shit I forgot about that yellow fever shot jdelisi, anyone know about this? I know it's an issue for costa rica....

I like to eat at Inka restaurants, peruvian food is awesome, i plan on eating a bunch if cevice and other dishes!

Gringochileno, tell me more, originally I planned on going to satiagi, but the more I read it seemed over priced and not really much to do, but again, I don't really know.

[clr]

Does anyone know of you can just get the yellow fever shot here in Colombia

[KingofScotland]

You'll be able to get it yeah, go see a doctor.

Mendoza is pretty dull (I also got sick the day after I arrived which meant was stuck there for 4 days ill) but there's a lot to do nearbye, bike and wine tours, horseback riding etc. BA I'm not a fan of, plenty of night life options but the girls are cold and I didn't find many clubs I like, they open and close seriously late though (2am - 10am etc). Cusco is cool as MP is awesome as is Sacred Valley, meeting girls in Cusco is as easy as being foreign.

[clr]

Really? Cusco of all places? I would have thought it was all tourist trap ish!

[gringochileno]

(10-01-2011 03:46 AM)clr Wrote:  

Gringochileno, tell me more, originally I planned on going to satiagi, but the more I read it seemed over priced and not really much to do, but again, I don't really know.

The link in my first post is a data sheet I wrote up on Santiago. Do you have any questions on stuff that isn't covered in that? I was there this past July and August as well and I would stand by what I wrote earler. If you're looking for touristy stuff to do in the area, it's not ski season right now but the beach is close by (Valparaiso/Viña del Mar is about an hour and a half away), although their beaches aren't great. If you can swing it, San Pedro de Atacama up north or Patagonia in the south are great to visit. I mentioned Santiago because it's right over the pass from Mendoza and it probably wouldn't be difficult to take a quick detour.

You're right that Chile is expensive compared to everywhere in South America except Brazil. Stuff is noticeably cheaper in Argentina.

[clr]

I guess after I read your data sheet, I didn't understand, basically it seemed like you said girls are homely and not much to do, yet here said it doesn't get much play I didn't really see any reason to go, more expensive, homely girls, and not much to do?

[gringochileno]

Compared to Argentina or Brazil there are fewer cute girls it's true, but they're also very friendly and if you're a Gringo with Spanish skills it's not hard to get play from the hotter ones. Learn to drop a few words of Chilean slang and it's gold. I'd rather deal with Chilean girls than "histerica" Argies even if they aren't as hot. Brazil beats both of them in my opinion but it's also even more expensive.

Santiago is a major city like any other. It's not gonna have a lot of the adventure sports stuff that you can find in tourist towns that cater to that sort of thing (although there are mountains in the area that you can climb), but as South American cities go I found it safe, clean, and with a fun, chill vibe. If you're interested in BA or Medellin I think you'd enjoy checking out Santiago as well.

[Lumiere]

(09-30-2011 06:40 PM)clr Wrote:  

Side note. Flights on LAN from medellin to cusco to Mendoza to BA is 3k usd.

You can buy a round the world trip ticket for not much more than that. Upto 16 flights.

[Entropy4]

I will say that airfare has taken a noticeable hike in many regions just in the past few months. I'm not sure what it is, but I noticed it in Europe this summer and also in Asia right now. Prices are significantly higher with some routes than they were last year.

Either way, Latin America has always had terrible prices on airfare. One of the knocks against it.

[KingofScotland]

(10-01-2011 11:44 AM)clr Wrote:  

Really? Cusco of all places? I would have thought it was all tourist trap ish!

It is a tourist trap but MP and Sacred Valley is nearbye which are out of this world and the clubs are full of willing girls. It suited me. You can actually avoid the tourist stuff just by getting away from Plaza De Armas, everything is centred round there. Walk a short bit away and you'll not see other tourists.

[redneckpunk]

Cusco is awesome, i was there for 3 months. Who cares if there are gringos everywhere, don't talk to them. In 3 months i talked to 3 gringos the entire time i was there, only bc they came over to talk to me. Rest of the time I was banging the tar out of bricheras and hanging with local rastas.

[clr]

Ok heading to Quito now, I found a nice place in the old town for a few nights