Hi Folks
I will be starting a bike tour from Goya, Corrientes province in Argentina at the beginning of May after visiting friends. . I have approximately three months before returning to the UK. I will be riding a drop bar touring bike with 700x38 c the widest I can fit. Will have panniers and tent with me. Aim to navigate by maps, compass and gps. I am happy to ride gravel but also enjoy climbs on tarmac. I enjoy seeing wilderness, wildlife and visiting villages and towns. Currently trying to learn Spanish.
I have thought of doing the Carretera Austral but am not sure if 38c tyres are wide enough? Also is this route so much better than others and worth travelling down to it from North Argentina.
My other thought was to ride north towards Bolivia which many bloggers reccommend. However I am unsure about the weather and what routes would be possible given touring bike with 38c tyres?
Basically any advice, thoughts welcome, blogs to read!
Thanks!
Argentina and South America route advice - Carretera Austral?
Re: Argentina and South America route advice - Carretera Austral?
This trip account is worth a read https://medium.com/the-bright-now/carre ... .oh5dl21do
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MartinBrice
- Posts: 464
- Joined: 13 Nov 2007, 9:57am
Re: Argentina and South America route advice - Carretera Austral?
don't worry about the tyre width, it is the wheel size that will hurt you - if you have problems with a 700c wheel you can't get spokes, or a decent wheel builder. take loads of spokes - six for the front, and six for each side at the back. learn to fix a busted wheel.
i rode the carreterra austral in chile to o'higgins, folk coming the other way said argie riding was awful so i didn't go there. others no doubt will like it.
YMMV.
learnig spanish is the best thng you can do. it'll save you lots of problems.
Crazy Guy on a Bike will have lots of blogs.
there's one called These Places in between
http://theseplacesinbetween.co.uk/
that might help.
i would avoid going north, it's jungle and crap police. south is crap police and no mosquitos.
chile has good police, no mosquitos.
i rode the carreterra austral in chile to o'higgins, folk coming the other way said argie riding was awful so i didn't go there. others no doubt will like it.
YMMV.
learnig spanish is the best thng you can do. it'll save you lots of problems.
Crazy Guy on a Bike will have lots of blogs.
there's one called These Places in between
http://theseplacesinbetween.co.uk/
that might help.
i would avoid going north, it's jungle and crap police. south is crap police and no mosquitos.
chile has good police, no mosquitos.
Re: Argentina and South America route advice - Carretera Austral?
Thanks MartinBrice and Kenoboy. I am looking at both blogs which look to be very good. I appreciate the comments about 700c and will be taking extra spokes. It seems the CA is the best choice.
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rualexander
- Posts: 2645
- Joined: 2 Jul 2007, 9:47pm
- Contact:
Re: Argentina and South America route advice - Carretera Austral?
Is the Caraterra Austral warmer and drier in winter than it is in summer?
It was pretty wet and cool when I did it in december 1997.
It was pretty wet and cool when I did it in december 1997.
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randonneur
- Posts: 59
- Joined: 9 Apr 2007, 5:55pm
Re: Argentina and South America route advice - Carretera Austral?
If you plan of starting your trip in May, then I would suggest the Carettera Austral is not an option given that it will be mid winter. Even in November I encountered snow, and temperatures were rarely above 10 degrees. In addition the ferry out of O'Higgins at the end of the southern end of the road stops running at the end of March, meaning you would have to return along the same route. Many establishments along the route only open December through to March,and I siuspect ferry schedules are much reduced out of season.
I would recommend heading north.
I would recommend heading north.
Re: Argentina and South America route advice - Carretera Austral?
Thanks for both you replies. I hadn't realised the ferry service was not running at that time and I am not so keen on retracing routes. Going to do more research!
Re: Argentina and South America route advice - Carretera Austral?
Bonroute wrote:Thanks for both you replies. I hadn't realised the ferry service was not running at that time and I am not so keen on retracing routes. Going to do more research!
The Austral region of Chile has weather like Norway. Would you go cycling in Norway in the winter? As it happens there's more ferries in the winter than there used to be, but this is irrelevant, you really don't want to be there out of season.
On the other hand, southern winter is perfect time to go cycling in NW Argentina, Bolivia and Peru. Cold at night, but nice and sunny in the day.
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Cyril Haearn
- Posts: 15215
- Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am
Re: Argentina and South America route advice - Carretera Austral?
Bonroute wrote:Thanks for both you replies. I hadn't realised the ferry service was not running at that time and I am not so keen on retracing routes. Going to do more research!
How did you get on, could you learn enough Spanish?
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Re: Argentina and South America route advice - Carretera Austral?
Just noted your question Cyril Haearn!
Firstly I didn't learn enough Spanish but did get by! I made the mistake of relying on learning from Duolingo which relied on having an internet connection which I didn't have most of the time. I should have done a formal course either before going or just after I go there.
I will try and summarise my experiences -
On arrival at Buenos Aires Customs I was briefly questioned about the bike, an old steel tourer in a new Orbea cardboard box from my local bikeshop. They asked for an invoice for the bike assuming it was new but once they had looked inside they were happy and I was waved through. I was told by locals that Argentina has import tariffs and Customs are looking for people trying to bring goods in and avoid duties. When I later crossed into Chile from Argentina I was given letter by Chilean Customs describing my bicycle and was told to show it on departure from Santiago to prove I had not sold the bike! However, at Santiago airport no one asked me anything.
For internal travel within Argenentina I took the bike boxed on buses from Buenos Aires to Goya and from Goya to Salta. This process would have been made easier with a better level of Spanish. Even when arranged with the ticket office I would have to pay extra to the luggage man (locals also pay). In some cases I effectively paid more than the ticket. I also took the bike unboxed but wheels off on a bus in the Seven Lakes region of Argentina as snow had blocked the road. This was a normal thing to do as the area has a lot of cyclists but I also had four panniers and a tent and fell foul of some rule on the number of bags so again paid extra.
From Salta the cycling was excellent although initially quite heavy traffic. I rode south and then west via Chicoana. From here there was practically no traffic. Conditions became hardpacked dirt and ripio (gravel) and then back to tarmac. On the climbs the wind was so gusting very strongly in the afternoon and I had to stop and crouch over the bars to avoid the stinging dust. The Parc Nacional de Cardones is stunning but you need to ask motorists for water. The night before I had free camped and runout. The Argentinian National Park Service had a HQ in the park but everything was closed and no outside taps.
Eventually I reached Ruta 40 and headed north with a stop in a hostel and one in a hostelleria. Town squares have public wifi (signs point to a fiber optic cable running the length of the 40 that I rode). Small shops sold tinned food, biscuits, water etc. Ruta 40 is ripio or graded gravel and often I struggled with 38c rear tyre and 35c front. Sometimes drifts of gravel were too deep or sand. If camping you need to be aware it will get cold very fast once the sun goes below the ridge line. Motorists (the few) were very helpful and often stopped to give me food and water!
In stages I rode to Abra del Acay. The wind from early evening was very strong. I brought extra long aluminium stakes for pitching in sand and they ripped out in the night effectively my tent became a giant bivvy bag. You need to look for shelter to pitch in. The rivers were not big but had begun to ice on the edges and I was glad to have a light pair of trainers to wade across in and change back into cycling shoes. Guessing I camped at 4000m (no altimeter so from other blogs). It snowed. Didn't sleep well. Walked the last 6 miles I think. Used mapsme and google maps offline but there is only one road. Had to break everything down into one action per stop ie water this one suncream the next, jacket on/off. Riding was too difficult. Got to the top. Sign said 4990m. Felt no elation. Forced myself to start the descent. After about 10 miles got to tarmac and rode a headwind to San Antonio de los Cobres.
After this I changed my plan to ride onto Chile as I was still suffering from altitude. Rode back east over San Antonio pass 4000m and if Abra del Acay was the worst day on a bike this ride down to Salta was the best. Spent most of the time at 30mph and completed the easiest century ride I've ever had in stunning scenery. Good ice cream and microbrewery in Salta.
Took plane down to Bariloche, bikebox got from Trek dealer in Salta. Rode the Seven Lakes route which was stunning but had snow block the road. Noticed other harder cyclists just carried on but I took a bus. Used hostels which were of high standard. Eventually crossed into Chile via Hua Hum pass a glorious 659m. Dirt road, cold and wet.
Nearly got hypothermia at the border while clearing Immigration, Customs and bio-security (no fruit, meat etc). Took ferry along Lake Pirihueco and was offered lift by group of Chilean hippies at the other end. This was one of several spontaneous offers by Chileans of help usually when they passed me on some god- forsaken ripio backtrack. As I rode north dogs carried out numerious sorties against me particularly as I took back roads through farmland. Shouting and pointing at them worked and was not bitten. Used booking.com and hostelworld to find accomodation or just looked out for signs. Accomodation was moderately cheap and [inappropriate word removed] or expensive hotels. Eventually got bored of being cold and wet and took bus to Santiago. Stayed at official hostel in Santiago possibly the worst condition hostel in the world but did have nice staff and secure area to lock bike.
Made friends with Carlos the mechanic at Taller Chicle who stored my touring bike and went north to San Pedro de Atacama. Hired a bike locally and did the desert - brilliant place and also got to the Nacional Parc de Flamencos my orginal destination which I had thought I could get to from north Argentina before my body rebelled against altitude. Returned to Santiago and was lucky to enjoy the Ciclorecreovia in Santiago - a closed road circuit for everyone on a Sunday including Cerro San Cristobal!
Firstly I didn't learn enough Spanish but did get by! I made the mistake of relying on learning from Duolingo which relied on having an internet connection which I didn't have most of the time. I should have done a formal course either before going or just after I go there.
I will try and summarise my experiences -
On arrival at Buenos Aires Customs I was briefly questioned about the bike, an old steel tourer in a new Orbea cardboard box from my local bikeshop. They asked for an invoice for the bike assuming it was new but once they had looked inside they were happy and I was waved through. I was told by locals that Argentina has import tariffs and Customs are looking for people trying to bring goods in and avoid duties. When I later crossed into Chile from Argentina I was given letter by Chilean Customs describing my bicycle and was told to show it on departure from Santiago to prove I had not sold the bike! However, at Santiago airport no one asked me anything.
For internal travel within Argenentina I took the bike boxed on buses from Buenos Aires to Goya and from Goya to Salta. This process would have been made easier with a better level of Spanish. Even when arranged with the ticket office I would have to pay extra to the luggage man (locals also pay). In some cases I effectively paid more than the ticket. I also took the bike unboxed but wheels off on a bus in the Seven Lakes region of Argentina as snow had blocked the road. This was a normal thing to do as the area has a lot of cyclists but I also had four panniers and a tent and fell foul of some rule on the number of bags so again paid extra.
From Salta the cycling was excellent although initially quite heavy traffic. I rode south and then west via Chicoana. From here there was practically no traffic. Conditions became hardpacked dirt and ripio (gravel) and then back to tarmac. On the climbs the wind was so gusting very strongly in the afternoon and I had to stop and crouch over the bars to avoid the stinging dust. The Parc Nacional de Cardones is stunning but you need to ask motorists for water. The night before I had free camped and runout. The Argentinian National Park Service had a HQ in the park but everything was closed and no outside taps.
Eventually I reached Ruta 40 and headed north with a stop in a hostel and one in a hostelleria. Town squares have public wifi (signs point to a fiber optic cable running the length of the 40 that I rode). Small shops sold tinned food, biscuits, water etc. Ruta 40 is ripio or graded gravel and often I struggled with 38c rear tyre and 35c front. Sometimes drifts of gravel were too deep or sand. If camping you need to be aware it will get cold very fast once the sun goes below the ridge line. Motorists (the few) were very helpful and often stopped to give me food and water!
In stages I rode to Abra del Acay. The wind from early evening was very strong. I brought extra long aluminium stakes for pitching in sand and they ripped out in the night effectively my tent became a giant bivvy bag. You need to look for shelter to pitch in. The rivers were not big but had begun to ice on the edges and I was glad to have a light pair of trainers to wade across in and change back into cycling shoes. Guessing I camped at 4000m (no altimeter so from other blogs). It snowed. Didn't sleep well. Walked the last 6 miles I think. Used mapsme and google maps offline but there is only one road. Had to break everything down into one action per stop ie water this one suncream the next, jacket on/off. Riding was too difficult. Got to the top. Sign said 4990m. Felt no elation. Forced myself to start the descent. After about 10 miles got to tarmac and rode a headwind to San Antonio de los Cobres.
After this I changed my plan to ride onto Chile as I was still suffering from altitude. Rode back east over San Antonio pass 4000m and if Abra del Acay was the worst day on a bike this ride down to Salta was the best. Spent most of the time at 30mph and completed the easiest century ride I've ever had in stunning scenery. Good ice cream and microbrewery in Salta.
Took plane down to Bariloche, bikebox got from Trek dealer in Salta. Rode the Seven Lakes route which was stunning but had snow block the road. Noticed other harder cyclists just carried on but I took a bus. Used hostels which were of high standard. Eventually crossed into Chile via Hua Hum pass a glorious 659m. Dirt road, cold and wet.
Nearly got hypothermia at the border while clearing Immigration, Customs and bio-security (no fruit, meat etc). Took ferry along Lake Pirihueco and was offered lift by group of Chilean hippies at the other end. This was one of several spontaneous offers by Chileans of help usually when they passed me on some god- forsaken ripio backtrack. As I rode north dogs carried out numerious sorties against me particularly as I took back roads through farmland. Shouting and pointing at them worked and was not bitten. Used booking.com and hostelworld to find accomodation or just looked out for signs. Accomodation was moderately cheap and [inappropriate word removed] or expensive hotels. Eventually got bored of being cold and wet and took bus to Santiago. Stayed at official hostel in Santiago possibly the worst condition hostel in the world but did have nice staff and secure area to lock bike.
Made friends with Carlos the mechanic at Taller Chicle who stored my touring bike and went north to San Pedro de Atacama. Hired a bike locally and did the desert - brilliant place and also got to the Nacional Parc de Flamencos my orginal destination which I had thought I could get to from north Argentina before my body rebelled against altitude. Returned to Santiago and was lucky to enjoy the Ciclorecreovia in Santiago - a closed road circuit for everyone on a Sunday including Cerro San Cristobal!