The original post: /r/travel by /u/Due_Draft4838 on 2024-04-29 21:27:34.

Hello all,

I am looking for some advice on a travel itinerary I am pulling together for July this year with my partner. For context, we are mostly going for hiking & to see the natural beauty of these countries, but will be looking for a variety of experiences (as noted through this itinerary). We’ve been through several versions of this itinerary, using all variations of the 4 - but this currently feels to be maximising all of the places we like the look of the most. Our favourite trip we’ve done was to Aus/NZ - but way preferred NZ landscapes and people (but enjoyed the heat in Aus…!). Itinerary below:

  • Lima (1 night) - land early morning, a day to explore. The following day spent similarly, before getting the overnight bus at 9PM
  • Huaraz (7 nights) - acclimatisation walks, followed by Santa Cruz Trek
  • Cusco (7 nights) - acclimatisation walks, followed by Salkantay Trek
  • La Paz (2 nights) - may be a bit more of a chill one considering the 2 weeks prior - but may be tempted to do a day hike or two!
  • Uyuni Salt Flats Tour (2 nights) - end in San Pedro at 1pm on last day
  • San Pedro (2 nights) - valley de luna, geysers etc
  • Santiago (1 night) - not sure if we’ll love it, but are very tempted by the idea of a nice Chilean wine bar after all this activity… worst case a day trip to Valpraisa
  • Cartagena (5 nights) - time in the old town, Parque Nacional Tayrona & Minca
  • Medellin (1 night) - stop off as changing over flights

I think the only places we feel like we’re missing out on at current are:

  • Arequipa/Colca Canyon - slightly out of the way
  • Sucre - feels a mild detour when thinking of flying from La Paz > Uyuni
  • Puerto Maldanado/Rurrenabaque - I don’t feel like we would be able to give the appropriate time for this on this trip & will aim to revisit the Amazon in its own trip one day

Some of the other logic necessary here:

  • It seems that to get from Uyuni back to Colombia, it will take longer and will have to spend an extra night in Uyuni (which I have read is best to avoid…), hence looking at ending the tour in San Pedro and spending this extra night in this way.
  • Santiago I’d be happy to cut out (particularly as we’d be looking to return to Chile/Argentina in another trip) but flight times are looking like it’d be better to try and make the most of time here.
  • The logic behind ending in Colombia is that we think it’d be great to end with some nice weather - we are leaving Europe in Summer and are concerned we’re missing out on Summer!
  • Uyuni is one we really want to do, as well as San Pedro! Otherwise we’d just skip out Bolivia/Chile for this trip and go direct from Peru > Colombia

Feel free to tear this apart in the comments! Thoughts more than welcome. Also would love any recommendations for bars, record shops or live music venues in any of these stops.