Routing suggestions south of Bolivia: Ride Chile or Argentina until Mendoza/Santiago?

arooni · 12-08-2012, 05:51 PM

Hi folks:

I'm planning my route south of Bolivia as I prepare to leave the country in a week or two. I'm trying to figure out whether I should be exiting Bolivia for Argentina or Chile. I'm interested in discussing routing until Mendoza/Santiago first, but would love suggestions farther south.

Positives I've heard about Argentina Route:
* No road tolls like Chile
* Cheaper gas
* Cool stops along the way (Cafayate, Cordoba)
* Supposedly beautiful

Negatives I've heard about the Argentina Route:
* Really heavy winds of 60-100km can happen
* Incredibly boring road
* Gravelly (maybe this is routa 40 farther south)

Positives I've heard about the Chilean route:
* You get to actually see the coast (I love the coast) at some points
* Highway is supposedly beautiful
* No wind

Negatives for Chile:
* Road tolls
* Deserty type terrain in northern Chile like the Peruvian coast (didn't love Peru coast with some exceptions like Mancora).

Would love your thoughts!

aussie_explorer · 12-08-2012, 07:34 PM

I went eastwards from Uyuni towards Paraguay, so can't comment on the roads at the southern end of Bolivia, or northern Chile/Argentina, but the road leading south from Alta Gracia (near Cordoba) is beautiful - similar to the lake district. Not a awful lot to see in the Pampas, until you approach Bariloche.

GastonUSAChile · 12-09-2012, 12:41 PM

Follow the ruta 40 south of Mendoza, till you hit Bariloche , then proceed south until you are able to cross the border to Futaleufu , Chile. From there you are at the Austral Road all the way down . Eventually you'll have to cross to Argentina again and back to Chile hitting Punta Arenas , Ushuaia.

Check www.bugsonmyface.com , same route and plenty of photos and valuable information.

Gaston

arooni · 12-09-2012, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GastonUSAChile

Follow the ruta 40 south of Mendoza, till you hit Bariloche , then proceed south until you are able to cross the border to Futaleufu , Chile. From there you are at the Austral Road all the way down . Eventually you'll have to cross to Argentina again and back to Chile hitting Punta Arenas , Ushuaia.

Check www.bugsonmyface.com , same route and plenty of photos and valuable information.

Gaston

Sounds like great advice for the route south of Santiago/Mendoza. Do you have any thoughts of the ride from Bolivia to get down there?

cu260r6 · 12-09-2012, 09:50 PM

I rode from Vilazon, Bolivia to Mendoza through Salta, and I experienced none of the winds you're worried about. There were boring sections of the road, like coming into San Juan, but there was a small, 60k stretch of winding road through the mtns from El Carmen and Salta on Routa 9 that was THE BEST section of pavement I've ever experienced on the planet!
The area surrounding Tucuman also has some great places to explore and cool blue and red colored rock formations. I'd take this portion over the boring straight-line desert of northern Chile anyday.

If you're huffing it you can make Tucuman to San Luis in a day without riding at night.

12-08-2012, 05:51 PM	#1
arooni ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2011 Location: Seattle, WA Oddometer: 154	Routing suggestions south of Bolivia: Ride Chile or Argentina until Mendoza/Santiago? Hi folks: I'm planning my route south of Bolivia as I prepare to leave the country in a week or two. I'm trying to figure out whether I should be exiting Bolivia for Argentina or Chile. I'm interested in discussing routing until Mendoza/Santiago first, but would love suggestions farther south. Positives I've heard about Argentina Route: * No road tolls like Chile * Cheaper gas * Cool stops along the way (Cafayate, Cordoba) * Supposedly beautiful Negatives I've heard about the Argentina Route: * Really heavy winds of 60-100km can happen * Incredibly boring road * Gravelly (maybe this is routa 40 farther south) Positives I've heard about the Chilean route: * You get to actually see the coast (I love the coast) at some points * Highway is supposedly beautiful * No wind Negatives for Chile: * Road tolls * Deserty type terrain in northern Chile like the Peruvian coast (didn't love Peru coast with some exceptions like Mancora). Would love your thoughts! __________________ I'm David, a 28 year old Eagle Scout headed from Seattle => Tierra Del Fuego Riding Rosie, a 2005 red DL-650 I bought for $3400 with 30K "warmup" miles Leaving: August 25th 2011; Returning -----> ??? Follow my journey at http://www.davidparkinson.com

12-09-2012, 12:41 PM	#3
GastonUSAChile Studly Adventurer Joined: May 2008 Location: Miami,USA Oddometer: 713	Follow the ruta 40 south of Mendoza, till you hit Bariloche , then proceed south until you are able to cross the border to Futaleufu , Chile. From there you are at the Austral Road all the way down . Eventually you'll have to cross to Argentina again and back to Chile hitting Punta Arenas , Ushuaia. Check www.bugsonmyface.com , same route and plenty of photos and valuable information. Gaston __________________ SAmericaXplorer Export/Import Adventure Logistics Motorbikes & Overland Vehicles CHILE to US SHIPPING Now open: MAY 2013 Container Santiago Chile to Los Angeles http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=741582

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12-08-2012, 07:34 PM	#2
aussie_explorer Adventurer Joined: May 2012 Location: Perth, Western Australia Oddometer: 20	I went eastwards from Uyuni towards Paraguay, so can't comment on the roads at the southern end of Bolivia, or northern Chile/Argentina, but the road leading south from Alta Gracia (near Cordoba) is beautiful - similar to the lake district. Not a awful lot to see in the Pampas, until you approach Bariloche.

12-09-2012, 09:50 PM	#5
cu260r6 Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2007 Oddometer: 340	I rode from Vilazon, Bolivia to Mendoza through Salta, and I experienced none of the winds you're worried about. There were boring sections of the road, like coming into San Juan, but there was a small, 60k stretch of winding road through the mtns from El Carmen and Salta on Routa 9 that was THE BEST section of pavement I've ever experienced on the planet! The area surrounding Tucuman also has some great places to explore and cool blue and red colored rock formations. I'd take this portion over the boring straight-line desert of northern Chile anyday. If you're huffing it you can make Tucuman to San Luis in a day without riding at night.