At the end of 2025, we embarked on a 55-day journey from Rio de Janeiro on the Atlantic Ocean, passing through the stunning Iguaçu Falls and winding our way across the Andes Mountains in Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru, before reaching the Pacific Ocean at Punta Sal in northern Peru. Check out our itinerary, packed with discoveries, tips, and plenty of do’s and don’ts.

CLIMATE >> Climate-Data.org

During our trip from the end of November to mid-January

What was the weather during our trip:

Rio de Janeiro (end november)	Warm, humid, occasional showers
Iguaçu Falls (november) 30-35°	Very hot & dry, top waterfalls
Salta 25 ° dry + cloudy/ sunny + some heavy showers1 Uyuni december 20-22° dry and sunny Arequipa january 25 ° dry and sunny Cuzco january ” 15 -17° cool and showers	evening = Fresh
Punta Sal january 25-30 ° dry and sunny Lima January 25-30° dry en sunny	Tropical temperatures, more rain regen in jan

BRAZIL

Population: 215 mln . Capital: Brasilia 5 mln. Biggest City: Sao Paulo; 23 mln

GDP pro head ; $ 10.000 (EU $ 47.000 President ; Lula da Silva (80 jaar)

RIO DE JANEIRO ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Number of inhabitants: 7 million (city) / 17 million (conurbation)

Second city of Brazil after Sao Paulo

money; 100 BRL (REAL) = € 16

Used Travel Guide: Rio de Janeiro Lonely Planet Pocket 2025

Arrival Galeao / GIG (officially Antonio Carlos Jobim)

Do not withdraw money at the ATMs at the airport!

Do not use ATM at the airport! when withdrawing 1000Rs (€ 163,– ) € 30 commission!!

Use the ATM Fee Saver app for cash withdrawals

From the airport to Copacabana; use Uber; from arrivals direction (on floor) follow to Uber terminal 10 minutes walk.

Uber terminal to Copacabana = 23 km / 30 min. We paid € 12.80 for a ride

Sim and all;

Use VIVO or Claro

eSIM

Ubigi 10GB >>> VIVO network worked well. Sometimes the network is overloaded and the connection becomes slow.

Highlights

Christ the Redeemer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ; one of the 7 “modern” wonders of the world.

Impressive; also the train ride with the Corcovado train to the top. Phenomenal view at least when it’s not cloudy!

With a train you go up the mountain through a tropical forest. It was very busy. We had been here two years ago but it was cloudy with strong winds. Beautiful view.

Statue of Christ; No senior discounts for foreign visitors; tickets available at the entrance for €26.

Or online at corcovado tren for € 22. Website is a bit tricky, you have to create an account with passport number and stuff

Bottle of iced tea costs € 1.60 on top of the mountain

Be put off by a long queue at the entrance. It goes relatively quickly. Please note! Several people report that the train is full or that you have to wait for hours and try to sell a ticket to go up the mountain with a van. Don’t! Moreover, you often get scammed!

Praia Vermelha (Red Beach). ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A gem in the middle of the city! It is sandwiched between two rocky mountains, one of which is the Sugar Loaf

Pão de Açúcar (Sugar Leaf Mountain) :

Not visited; It was cloudy and I also found the cable car very scary

A visit to the cable car of the Sugarloaf Mountain gives a discount for everyone over 60 years old (including foreigners): €15 instead of €30!

Tour self-organized;

With Uber to Museu de Arte Contemporânea ⭐⭐⭐⭐ in Niteroi

Return Uber approx. € 28 one-way time 32 km / 45 min

Visited last time in 2023: Museu do Amanhã ( = Future) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Take a Free Walking Tour. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Free Walking Tours mainly in Centro, unfortunately not in Botafogo and other parts of the city

Walk through the Botafoga district on your own ⭐⭐⭐

Copacabana ⭐⭐⭐

The beach is wide and the boulevard impresses. Still, it looks a bit worn; many fast food stalls and regularly people lying exhausted on the street. I have the idea that Ipanema is slowly taking the place of Copacabana. During a walk, you notice that homes and shops are heavily secured with large iron fences and surveillance cameras. Crime is high here. In any case, the streetscape is very diverse; from tiny swimwear to considerable overweight.

ACCOMMODATION:

Rio Spot Homes U041 Copacabana ⭐⭐½ € 64 per night (end of November)

+ location very good

+ hammock

1. You have to pay a deposit + tourist tax of Rs 380 (€ 63) in cash on arrival (deposit of Rs 200 = € 33 you will get back after departure) and if you arrive in the evening airport ATMs are the only option and you will be dropped off there gigantically. If you still want to spend the night there: you can add the € 30 commission to your overnight stay. (NB; I understood that this amount cannot be in $ or €, but I would like to ask again if you are going to book this..)
2. NB. After dark, it is not advisable to look for an ATM in Copacabana.
3. noisy old air conditioner
4. no balcony
5. without atmosphere; outdated
6. There is a mini-mini kitchen and virtually no kitchen utensils

The reason we chose this apartment was because during our stay at the end of November, Hotel Atlantico where we stayed last time was much more expensive (around €85-90 per night)

Better Idea:

Hotel Atlantico Copacabana ⭐⭐⭐⭐ has rooms including a good breakfast for €50-55 p/n. Room is a bit outdated but clean. Small rooftop pool!

EATING OUT

We have eaten well and affordably at :

Pavao Azul ⭐⭐⭐ ; a classic and very busy. Nice to eat on their terrace on the street. 2x main course and 6 (!) cocktails € 51. A cocktail costs €4-€5

Pavao Black ⭐⭐⭐1/2. Calmer. 2 x main course and 4 cocktails; € 37

Landuco ⭐⭐⭐⭐, 100 meters from Azul; much less crowded; good food; cuisine from NE Brazil; 2 x main, 3 small beer + 1 juice + 1 dessert € 43

Ice cream parlor; 2 scoops of delicious ice cream € 4.60

Copacabana Beach ⭐⭐⭐

Went to the beach. We remember it from two years ago: then we were there in August. Now it was much busier. The well-known hassle with people in all shapes and sizes. A strong sea breeze and high waves with red flag. Comparable to a Dutch beach day in the summer. Unfortunately, I also got acquainted with some less pleasant sides of a stay at the beach. A tourist trap where we paid 10x as much for our two chairs and umbrella as normal. We are approached by a beach chair gentleman and ask the price in English: 30 Real (= almost € 5) for 2 chairs and an umbrella, a good price. After sitting for an hour, a guy brings a price tag that says the beach chairs cost👿 300 ehh and a coconut 35 (€6) that I had already consumed. We feel wetness and at the checkout there is the same price tag at the stall. No chance. We comment and they give 100 Real “discount”, so that’s 335 minus 100 = 235 real. So those few hours at the beach cost €37. Anyway, we have been warned😔😡 The beach bars are called Baracas and are numbered. First, look at the reviews on Google map. Ask for a price list at the Baraca and have the price confirmed again. Take a picture of the price list if possible. You can pay with your credit card everywhere. Also with the mobile hawkers!

Except for the exorbitant prices you can pay for a beach chair with an umbrella, the prices are not too bad. It is (sometimes much) cheaper than in Western Europe. In a simple restaurant you pay € 35-€ 40 per two, for a main meal with one or two beers or something similar. A cocktail costs less than € 5. Uber is remarkably cheap; For a shorter ride you pay around €4, for a longer one around €10

We travel on a low/medium budget level and spend the night in simple to mid-range hotels and eat in simple restaurants. In Rio we used Uber as transport.

The 5 days that we were in Rio we spent € 177 per day, which is € 88 per person per day. It should be noted that we have been cordoned off 2x (beach and ATM airport). We have been able to live comfortably on this amount.

A relatively large cost item was the overnight stay (€64 per night). During the period that we were there, the prices for overnight stays were relatively high.

By spending the night in an (even) simpler apartment, hostel or in another, cheaper part of Rio, you will be able to reduce the costs a lot.

Buses;

Booking a bus on a Brazilian website/app is not possible because you will be asked for a Brazilian social security number during the booking process. We booked the night bus with busbud.

RIO DE JANEIRO – FOZ DO IQUAZU ; 1500 km. Route; mostly flat urbanized landscape on highways in no less than 30 hours. ⭐⭐ 🥱

Almost all buses depart from the gigantic Central Bus Station

Busstation Rodovaria do Rio (Centraal bus station)

Bus rating:

Maatschappij; Catarinense ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ; € 62 p/p. Geboekt via Busbud.

Travel time 30 hours ( state 28 hours) / 1500 km

lying comfort; ⭐⭐⭐⭐ fine; you get a sheet and a blanket

toilet ⭐⭐⭐ OK

Stops; stops regularly in other places. Around noon and early evening stop at a (kilo) restaurant. NB. The bus does not stop in the morning so make sure you have breakfast and coffee on the bus!

Driving time/delay. ⭐⭐ Took two hours longer.

FOZ DO IQAZU⭐⭐

HOTEL;

Lider Palace hotel ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great hotel with a fairly large swimming pool as an extra and that for only € 30 per night (including breakfast)

EATING OUT:

There are plenty of options in the center of town.

Don’t.

We thought we had found a nice kilo restaurant (Buffet Muffato⭐ 👎) on Google Maps but it turned out to be part of a large supermarket. Mediocre buffet.

Three days in Foz Do Iquazu cost us € 120 per day (€ 60 p.p.) and that makes this place a lot cheaper than Rio de Janeiro

IQUAZU FALLS

Brazilian Site ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

• Known for panoramic views: you can see a large part of the waterfalls at a glance.
• Walking routes, with spectacular views, especially on the Devil’s Throat.

BORDER CROSSING TO ARGENTINA

Uber isn’t an option, and taking the bus isn’t really recommended either, as it involves a long walk along the road and across the Tancredo Neves Bridge to reach the border post, followed by arranging transport again on the Argentinian side.

We booked a taxi through our hotel reception, and it cost about €20 to get from our hotel in Brazil (Foz do Iguaçu) to our hotel in Puerto Iguazú. Avoid booking online, as prices for this ride are often much higher.

ARGENTINA

Population : 46 mln. Capital Buenos Aires ; 16 mln.

President Javier Milei (55 jaar)

GDP per capita $ 13.000 ( Brazil $ 10.000; Bolivia $ 3822; EU $ 47.000)

eSIM

Argentina has three main providers; CLARO, Personal and Movistar.

It is important to know that Movistar has poor coverage in much of northern Argentina.

I used two eSIM cards: the Alosim 3GB for $13, which works on the Claro network, and the Global 5GB eSIM, which runs on the Personal network.

It is annoying that it is often unclear with eSIMs which network(s) they are using

There’s barely any internet reception between cities, and the buses don’t have Wi-Fi. Even in the cities, the connection is disappointing. I tried to buy a physical SIM card in Salta but had no luck—oddly enough, they weren’t even available at the provider stores.

Money

10,000 pesos = €6 (spring 2026)

Inflation is high; 32% spring 2026

You will find a lot of outdated information on the internet about the exchange rate of the Peso in Argentina;

Until May 2025, there was a big gap between the official exchange rate, the black market rate, and intermediate rates like the Blue dollar. During our trip, that wasn’t the case. However, paying with a credit card still gave a slightly worse rate than cash—unless the cash was exchanged through Western Union!

Cards are widely accepted, but in some spots, like Cafayate, there’s still a 10% surcharge for card payments. In those situations, paying in cash after exchanging through Western Union, as we did in Cafayate, can be the better option.

Don’t use ATMs; you’ll pay a ridiculously high commission of up to 25%% and you can only withdraw a small amount at a time

Use a combination:

1. Western Union → for Cash
2. Visa/Mastercard → for larger payments such as hotels as well as most restaurants in Salta, Corrientes and Puerto Iquazu. The exchange rate with debit cards is worse than with cash obtained at Western Union, but it still seems inconvenient to me to walk around with too much cash.
3. Approximately €10-15* in cash per day in Argentine pesos → Tips, WC and emergencies

*) In Cafayate and Tilcara it is better to pay everything in cash outside your hotel because of a surcharge of 10% that is asked for a credit card payment!

By far the best option for cash

1. Send money to yourself via Western Union ( Create an account at home !; from Argentina you need a VPN)
2. You will receive Argentinian pesos at a favorable rate
3. Better than ATMs
4. Low commission

Price example at the end of 2025

Meal restaurant in Salta 77,500 ARP

Cash at WU rate 5.8 , pays : € 45

Pay with your Visa card rate = 6.4 (6.5), you pay : € 49

In some places, including Cafayate and Tilcara,  they also asked a 10% surcharge for a credit card payment!

In Salta, Corrientes and Puerto Iquazu there is no 10% surcharge for credit card payment

Guides; the English Rough Guide and the German Reise Know How

TRANSPORT

We traveled by bus through Argentina. RIO Uruguay, Velez Del Norte, Balut and some smaller airlines. The buses are comfortable. Daytime Semi Cama 160° for long distances and at night; Cama 180°

We booked the buses with busbud and Bookaway

PUERTO IQUAZU ⭐⭐⭐

Much smaller than Foz on the other side of the Iquazu River. Tourist town with many restaurants.

Accommodation:

 Tierra Viva ⭐⭐1/2 ; only €17 per night. Has a very high rating (9) on Booking.com. For this price you can’t expect much but you do have an apartment!. It’s rather worn. The swimming pool is an advantage. No (breakfast) service. Given the low price as a budget accommodation, still recommended.

On the outskirts of the town. Small grocery shop 7 minutes walk away. Local taxi is easy to app. ( Google > taxi Puerto Iquzazu and you will find a few )

Eating out:

El Arbol real ; a (pastry) bakery with a fantastic buffet ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ that, just like in Brazil, you pay by weight. must be the influence of the border because further in Argentina we did not come across this kind of kilo of restaurants. We spent a total of € 18.😊😊

Parilla pizza color ⭐⭐⭐; good for steaks, 1 steak 350 grams + 1 more expensive pizza 2 drinks € 39. PIN A tip of 10% is common and you (usually) pay in cash

Yesterday we had a delicious meal: Bife Ojo (ribeye) 350 grams with mashed potatoes and lettuce and Annemarie a large pizza. My large steak cost 22000 pesos and that is about €14 and is cheap but the mashed potatoes and lettuce are added. All in all, the bill was just under €40 that we paid with our visa card and we gave the tip in cash.

Transport;

Uber is hardly available, although we have used it once. Furthermore, we just texted a local taxi company and that went fine (€ 3 for a ride)

From the bus station you can take a bus to the entrance of the NP Iquazu

Bus: to the Cataratas – Waterfalls

Busmaatschappij: Río Uruguay

The bus usually has a “Cataratas / Waterfalls” sign  in the front.

Terminal de Ómnibus de Puerto Iguazú (bus terminal), or at various stops in the city (including along Av. Victoria Aguirre)

Every ±20 minutes; Travel time: about 30 minutes; Runs daily

You can use the card:

1. pay on the bus , or
2. at the bus terminal

The bus will drop you off directly at the entrance of the Iguazú National Park (Cataratas Argentinas)

Iquazu Argentijnse kant ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Argentinian site

• More focused on experiencing up close: long hiking trails over and along the waterfalls.
• You often stand above or next to the water, which makes it impressive and intense.
• Larger park with more marked hiking trails.

You take a train to the river and there you can get to the Devils gate with several bridges.

The Devil’s Gate (better known as Garganta del Diablo, the Devil’s Throat) is the most impressive part of the Iguazú Falls. It is a huge, horseshoe-shaped gorge where a large part of the water plunges down with enormous force. The waterfall is located right on the border of Argentina and Brazil

Entrance : € 26

Normally you can pay by card at the entrance, but the ATM by the cash register was out of order, so we could only pay in cash and had to use the one at the entrance with another ridiculous fee! Definitely bring enough cash for the entrance just in case. Inside the park, though, we could pay everywhere with our Visa card.

PUERTO IQUAZU TO CORRIENTES ; ⭐⭐⭐

Flat, a bit monotonous, but still a beautiful landscape. ; Along the border with Paraquay.

More than 600 km ; 10 hours ; Bus; Rio Uruquay ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ; Semi Cama € 32 pp. Seats all the way in the😀 front

CORRIENTES ** population: 450.000

Large provincial town on the Parana River. The city is good for a stopover in the long trip from Iquazu to the Andes

TO DO

Not so much; The location on the wide river Parana is beautiful. You can walk from the hotel Corrientes Plaza via the main shopping street to the river. There is also a beach that you can see well when you cross the river over the bridge the next day

Arrival; The Bus Station is located a bit outside the center in a fairly desolate neighborhood

Hotel ;

Corrientes Plaza ⭐⭐⭐ ½

€ 58 including breakfast. Breakfast is not as much as everywhere in Argentina. Fortunately, there is egg. It is a pity that the cutlery is made of plastic.

+ Very centrally located

+ There is nothing to complain about in the room

+ Big plus is a small pool

There is no restaurant, hotel is a bit lacking in atmosphere

For eating out please note the opening hours!

There’s not much to choose from.

Esteros Resto Y coffee ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2 > Two main courses with 2 liters of beer for €35;

Salsitas ⭐⭐⭐ with the same plus 1 liter of juice for €32.

PUERTO IQUAZU TO SALTA 820 km ** flat monotonous landscape

The ride took 16 hours instead of planned 14; Velez Del Norte ⭐⭐⭐ ; Cama € 72 per person

Sleeping comfort ⭐⭐ 1/2 cama is actually more semi cama. No sheet or pillow; still slept reasonably well

Toilet ⭐⭐⭐

SALTA ⭐⭐⭐1/2

750,000 inhabitants. Height: 1150m a.s.l.

Salta is an atmospheric, colonial city in the northwest of Argentina, beautiful architecture and access to spectacular landscapes. The climate mild and pleasant. It’s nice that everything is walkable.

Cerro San Bernardo ⭐⭐⭐ – Take the cable car up for views of the city.

MAAM museum – impressive Inca history with the famous mummies of Llullaillaco. Phew; not visited! We were (too) busy with all the tours..

Cathedral of Salta – one of the most beautiful churches in Argentina.

ARRIVAL:

The bus station is on the edge of the city center; taking a regular taxi from here is much easier and quicker than using Uber, and it’s barely more expensive. By the way, during our time in Argentina, we were never dropped off by a taxi.

Hotel Regidor ⭐⭐⭐ €34 a night

Simple hotel around the corner from the main square. Breakfast is poor

Don’t

Pacha hostel backpack⭐⭐ € 31 a night

We had a room with private bathroom. This one was horrible, with no windows directly behind the reception.☹️

Hotel itself looks reasonable. There is even a small swimming pool

EATING OUT:

In Argentina, dinner usually doesn’t start until 8:00 p.m., and most restaurants remain closed until then. Lunch, or almuerzo, is typically served between 12:00 and 3:00 p.m.

Evening walk and Bife Chorizo. Yesterday I spoiled myself again with a large steak. Beef has become considerably more expensive, also in Argentina, but still affordable 😄😄 This 350 gram one costs about € 18. A liter bottle of beer cost €4.80 and is served in a cooler just like champagne. Then we walked back to our hotel that costs only €30 per night including (simple) breakfast. In the foyer of a theater we found various artistic expressions.

El Charrua ⭐⭐⭐⭐ excellent steaks; open from 19.30 but only from 20.30 pleasantly busy.

1 x steak Chorizo of 350 grams + pork dish 150 grams + garnish + 1 liter of beer = € 49

Cafe Martinez ⭐⭐⭐⭐ modern “coffee” place with sandwiches and small meals and drinks

Two thick brown slices of bread with cheese, ham and egg and 3 large cappuccino € 30

BUDGET TIP:

Tiempo de Plaza ⭐⭐⭐1/2 Surprising. Also open before 20.00. Directly at Plaza 9 July

2 x main course including 1 steak + 2 consumption € 30 including tip!

IN THE AREA SURROUNDING SALTA ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

TOURS

Cachi / Calchaqui vallei ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Booked through Get Your Guide for €27 per person.

Departure 06.30

Wonderful excursion 🌵🌵🌵🌵🌵that lasted 12 hours! The cacti are Cardones that have water unlike “regular” cacti, I understood from our guide who also spoke good English, which is special in this country. We went by bus via Ruta 33 to an altitude of 3450 meters. Then we drove a bit on the famous Ruta 40 (Argentinian variant of Route 66) to the beautiful (and touristy) village of Cachi. Back on the same route with lots of beautiful pictures.

Tren A Las Nubes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Booked through Viator for €175 per person.

Departure 06.15

Yesterday an excursion to the Tren de Las Nubes. An excursion that started🤭 at 06.15 in the morning  and lasted until 19.00😇 yesterday evening. The day before yesterday we had about the same schedule😉 No breakfast, only around 10.00/10.30 stop for coffee and a cookie or id But yes you have to do something for it; It was a beautiful route through the Andes and ending in a train ride at 4250 m altitude (there was an oxygen bottle in the train). First of all, we will travel by bus, then we will take the train over the famous viaduct and we will return with a different light. It was beautiful🏜⛰️🏜🏔

A very big difference in price! The first tour is of course an absolute must. Excellent price-quality ratio😀👌

The Tren a las Nubes is actually also a must do. The price can hardly be lowered, because the Tren a las Nubes has a monopoly on the rate.

Salta to Cafayate is a 200 km journey taking about 4 hours, with a lunch stop halfway offering delicious empanadas. The first part of the route is flat and not particularly special ⭐⭐, while the second half, through the stunning Quebrada de las Conchas, is truly beautiful ⭐⭐⭐⭐. Flechabus tickets cost €17 per person.

Cafayate ⭐⭐ 1683 m

Cafayate is a wine town in northern Argentina, known for its high-altitude vineyards and breathtaking rocky landscapes. It is located in the Calchaquí Valley, surrounded by red rock formations and vast vineyards. The town itself is not very special in itself.

Quebrada de las Conchas – an impressive route with rock formations such as the Garganta del Diablo and El Anfiteatro.

Wine tastings at bodegas in and around the village.

We are in Cafayate for two days at an altitude of 1620 m. We walked around this place and did practical things like a visit to the lavanderia for the dirty laundry. Western Union was closed due to the fact that there is a Catholic holiday here. The most advantageous way to get cash here is to transfer🤫 money to yourself via Western Union  . Then you have by far the best rate. Withdrawing money at an ATM (ATM) does cost 25% 😨😨 commission per withdrawal with often a maximum withdrawal of only 60,000 pesos (€36) and that is 3x debit card for 100 euros and paying 25% each time. Fortunately, you can pay a lot with your credit card, but the exchange rate is less favorable than with cash. But now we have to pay a 10% surcharge in this place and in many other places if we withdraw money in a restaurant

Today we visited the sand dunes outside Cafayate with a taxi. Very beautiful again! Then a hearty lunch in a Comedor; sandwich with Milanese (= Wiener Schnitzel )with slice of ham, cheese and egg). That was necessary because breakfast is not much in Argentina; bun and sweet croissant with butter and mini cup of jam. Eating out is complicated anyway because the eating times are very different from ours. Breakfast nil, then from 12.00 but more from 13.00 Almuerza, the hot big afternoon meal. From 13.00 to 17.00 siesta. From 20.00 evening meal. This means that between 18.00 and 20.00 you can hardly go anywhere for a hot snack. Difficult. The choice is therefore limited to eight o’clock in the evening. Especially if you want to eat a steak or id.

CAUTION ! Credit card surcharge 10%

Hostel Amancay⭐⭐⭐ € 30 per night including Argentinian (= meagre) breakfast. Great room. There is a small swimming pool

Lengua Mota ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ; delicious soup meal ; 2x main + 4x 0.5 beer incl. tip and credit card 10% surcharge € 37

Estoicio ⭐⭐⭐ ; Lunch for two € 21 (incl 10% surcharge)

Taxi to Los Medanos (sand dunes) ⭐⭐⭐ €16, including 1 hour of waiting time.

BUDGET TIP

Comedor Mercado ⭐⭐⭐ lunch for two € 13

SALTA – TILCARA 200 km km; Balut bus / Semi Cama.

First part ⭐⭐1/2 (fairly flat and you drive through villages and towns) ; After San Salvador de Jujuh again beautiful through the Andes ⭐⭐⭐⭐

TILCARA ⭐⭐⭐ 2466 m

Tilcara is a lively Andean town in the north of Argentina, in the middle of the Quebrada de Humahuaca, a colorful gorge that is on the UNESCO list

DO

Pucará de Tilcara – a reconstructed pre-Inca fortress with beautiful views.

RECOMMENDED

Hotel Punta Coral ⭐⭐⭐⭐ € 34 including basic breakfast

Beautifully located hotel on the outskirts of Tilcara

Restaurant;

El Chiringuito de Tilcara ⭐⭐⭐; Lunch € 20 incl. tip

Los Puestos ⭐⭐⭐; Steak 350 grams with pasta for €30; Chorizo steak 350 grams for €14!

BUDGET TIP

In one of the small eateries on the Belgrano: a pizza + matambre ternera (= flat piece of pork) + 2 drinks € 14

SURROUNDINGS

Pucará de Tilcara – a reconstructed pre-Inca fortress with beautiful views. From the Punta Coral hotel, you can take an easy walk to the Pucara Tilcara and also visit the Botanical Garden.

TILCARA – LA QUIACA/VILLAZON (BOLIVIA) ; 200 km . Balut bus company in 4 hours.⭐⭐⭐⭐ beautiful route through the Andes mountains

From bus station we take a taxi in 10 minutes to the border crossing. We walk across the river that forms the border between the two countries. Everything goes very smoothly.

Today the 4-hour bus ride to La Quiaca, the border with Bolivia. After half an hour we pass the Tropic of Cancer (Capricorn) so that we are back in the Tropics. It is again an incredibly beautiful ride and we have the best seats in the bus. Around 13.00 we cross the border and are in Bolivia. It is the third time that we visit this country It is an hour later than in Argentina. We exchange our Argentinian money and take a taxi (€1.20) (nb it’s only a short ride) to our hostel.

We spent an average of € 152 per day in Argentina; that’s €76 per day per person. We lived comfortably on that.

Can it be cheaper; YES; by avoiding an expensive excursion such as the Tren a las Nubes. Then you already end up € 10 per day p.p. lower.

BOLIVIA

Population: 13 mln

Capital: La Paz / Sucre (officieel)

GDP per capita nominal $ 4600 ( Argentinië $ 14.000; EU $ 47.000)

Rodrigo Paz (58)

eSIM;

There are two providers; ENTEL and Tigo

My GoMoWorld eSIM, 15GB for €11, worked reasonably well. During the Uyuni tour, there’s no reception, making it perfect for a digital detox.

Money:

BOB (Boliviano) 100 = € 12

Gids; Rough Guide Bolivia

VILLAZON ⭐⭐ ; 3455 m

Hostal Casa Grande ⭐⭐ €35 p/n. Overpriced

Simple room overlooking covered courtyard.

A simple meal will be cooked for you upon request.

Didn’t find a decent place to eat; only Pollerias

After being installed we went out for a drink and a sandwich; uh almost everything is closed and what is open are chicken tents After😱 walking around for an hour we ended up in a kind of fast food place that only sells chicken and fries and eat a plate of fries with an unclear sparkling drink. It looks like Eastern Bloc 80s

VILLAZON TO TUPIZA 91 km local bus ; 2 hours Route ⭐⭐⭐⭐ beautiful through the Andes up to 4000m

TUPIZA 2850 m ⭐⭐ omgeving: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tupiza is a town in southern Bolivia, surrounded by red-colored rock formations and canyon landscapes. The town is much less touristy than Uyuni or La Paz. As a result, there is of course much less catering and it is difficult to find a somewhat reasonable restaurant.

And what else we experience here in Bolivia; In Tupiza it is difficult to get (decent) food. There are quite a few restaurants, but they are closed at the most unsightly times. In the morning anyway, some close at 13.00 others only open at 20.00. Others open from 17.00 to 20.00 You can’t make sense of it And many only have chicken on the menu. This afternoon we found something that was open at 14.00. Only BBQ meat on the menu I took nothing and Eric got a pile of indefinably very fatty beef on his plate. Eric did his best to get rid of it, which only partially succeeded. The dog that had joined us didn’t like the sausage either, but the fat rib steak went in. When the plate was half empty we left and an old Indian lady immediately took our place to eat the plate further. There are a lot of dogs. Just about everyone has a dog and then there are the many stray dogs. Some are registered and have a colorful ribbon around the neck as proof of this. Yesterday I got into a rather dark taxi on a dog that loudly let out that I was on top of him. Well, who expects a dog in that place

Hotel

Accidentally booked hotel Mitru Express⭐⭐ 1/2 (€ 33 per night) instead of Hotel Mitru

For just a few euros more, you can book Mitru into a much nicer hotel that has a swimming pool!

Eating out:

Very few decent options;

Marialla ⭐⭐⭐ ; a bit hippie like place with messy courtyard where you can also eat outside. We paid € 17 total for a reasonable meal for two (2x pasta, 2 x small beer (0.35cl) + 1 excellent crème brûlée

TOUR omgeving TUPIZA ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ½ by Torre Tours.( Hotel Torre )

We paid a total of € 90 for a beautiful private tour. Perhaps the most beautiful of our trip!

TUPIZA TO UYUNI 200 km ⭐⭐⭐⭐ with local bus

So today we went to Uyuni. A 4-hour bus ride. And I’m starting to get monotonous but it was another beautiful ride. The start was through one of the beautiful gorges around Tupiza, then up into the mountains. The old but comfortable bus crawled up Tupiza at 2850 m, after a while we were at 4100 m. We thought we were going to descend, but that was only for a moment, then up again and it kept going, up down up in a beautiful high mountain landscape. When we finally started to descend a bit, this changed into a desert-like landscape and in Uyuni we are now at an altitude of 3700. From December 2 we travel through the mountains. The altitudes we stayed at ranged from 1200, 1700, 2450, 2850. The trips from these places varied between 3000 and 4000 with a peak of 4250 And now we are at 3700 and this will only increase in the near future

UYUNI ⭐⭐ 3600 meter ; population 35.000 . The surrounding area: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Uyuni, in southwest Bolivia, is best known as the gateway to the Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat. Spanning over 10,000 km² and sitting at an altitude of about 3,650 meters on the Andean high plateau, it transforms into a massive natural mirror during the rainy season, creating breathtaking scenery. Formed by the drying of prehistoric lakes, the Salar consists of a thick crust of salt. Its surreal landscapes and flamingos draw travelers from around the globe.

Since our last visit in 2008, the place has grown a lot and become more touristy. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from and a good range of hotels, from budget to mid-range. Thankfully, the big hotel chains haven’t made their way here yet. We went during a quiet time in mid-December. (source: own observation)

Climate

Rainy season (approximately from December – March)

Thin layer of water on the salt flats

1. Famous mirror effect (sky reflects perfectly)
2. Some parts may be temporarily impassableBest temperature !

Dry season (about April – November)

1. Dry, white salt flats
2. Colder, especially at night during the day 12-14
3. Best time for multi-day tours

We still had dry weather in mid-December. It was quite hot. The salt flats

Hotel;

Hostal La Magia de Uyuni ⭐⭐ (⭐⭐⭐⭐) € 53 per night (according to Booking.com € 44) you will be dropped off with a very unfavorable rate when paying by credit card.

The room at the front is large but looks a bit stiff. Other than that, there is nothing wrong with it. After some fumbling the shower also works well.

However, the breakfast buffet ⭐⭐⭐⭐ is excellent, the best of the entire trip and that makes up for a lot.

TIP; Pay cash only in Bolivianios here

BUDGET TIP

SALAR DE UYUNI AND THE SURROUNDING AREA  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

We recommend a three-day tour, 3 days / 2 nights so that you can experience the entire area well.

A typical three-day tour kicks off at 10:00 am in Uyuni, heading to the salt flats and Inca Huasi island, with the night spent in a salt hotel. Day two takes you through the Eduardo Abaroa National Reserve, wrapping up at the stunning Red Lake. After another overnight stay, day three includes visits to the Dali Valley and the geysers before returning to Uyuni by late afternoon. On both mornings, the day starts early at 6:00 am.

You often drive a 6-seater vehicle. The days are long in the car. Sometimes a little too long.

Every tour follows exactly the same route.

You have variants with Uyuni back to San Pedro de Atacama (Chile) or v.v. You can also do the tour from Tupiza or la Paz.

You can do a basic tour but there are all kinds of upgrades possible.

Yesterday was a busy regulation day In a moment we will leave with 4 backpackers for a three-day excursion over the salt flats, through the desert and the colored lakes region. An area between Uyuni and the Chilean border

We have already made this tour in 2008. Was so beautiful that we wanted to repeat it. Our group consisted of people in their thirties, a Bolivian woman with a German partner and a Bolivian woman with a Colombian partner. Had three nice days with it. We spent the first day on the salt flats. An endless white plain the size of the province of Utrecht, lies at an altitude of 3600 m. You have the idea that it is snow with ice underneath but it is all salty. There is an “island” in it, a hill overgrown with 8 meter high cacti. We spent the night on the edge of the salt flats in a hotel built of salt stones. Even the cot was made of salt

The second day of the excursion we visited the desert area and the area of the colored lakes Altitude 4300 m Beautiful nature! The lakes have different colors, bright blue, green, white, red. The colors are created by the different minerals in the soil. We sleep in a simple hotel in this area. The night at this altitude is already quite chilly

The third day started at 05.00 am Fortunately, it is already light After an hour’s drive we arrived at the geysers An unreal landscape. You feel like you’re walking on the moon. There are geysers everywhere. Altitude 4850 m. A bit further there are hot springs but we didn’t go into them. Then to the Dali desert. Salvador Dali lived here for a while and gained a lot of inspiration. It is therefore extraterrestrial beautiful. In the afternoon through another desert with special rock formations back to Uyuni These three days were just as beautiful as 17 years ago

HOW TO BOOK A BASIC TOUR ?

The three-day BASIC tour typically includes 6 people, a Spanish-speaking driver-guide, 2 nights in a basic room with a shared bathroom, and no guarantee of a private room. Meals and water are included.

On our first tour in 2008, we had a private room the first night, and for the next two nights, the six of us shared a room.

On our 2025 tour we had a private room both nights. This seems to have to do with the composition of the group, (un)even number of people, the range of rooms, but it has not become entirely clear to me

You can book upgrades in advance, like an English-speaking guide or a private room, though I found these options to be quite pricey in comparison..

English-speaking guide is not always necessary as someone in the group regularly speaks Spanish

Searching for AI and googling > Visit South America (USA) came out as the cheapest

We chose:

VSA ( Visit South America) Salar de Uyuni 3 Day Tour (Shared & Spanish ) 2 N = € 158 p/p (December 2025). GetYourGuide offers (approximately) the same tour for €172 (Spring 2026)

The tour is handled by a local contractor, and the quality doesn’t seem much different. The food is simple but decent, and vegetarian dietary needs are accommodated.

The price is leading with whom you book a tour. Of course, you can also do that on location in Uyuni. It is teeming with tour agencies.

As a tip we gave Bs 100 = €12 per two people to the driver/guide.

Make sure you have some extra food (chips, cookies, etc.) for the long time you are driving.

UYUNI — ORURO; 315 km ; landscape quite monotonous⭐⭐½

On December 22 we wanted to travel from Uyuni to Oruro. That became difficult Bolivia is known for its roadblocks. If the Bolivians do not agree with the government, they block access to the cities. This is done by the Indian part of the population. From December 19 there were more and more blockades and when we arrived at the bus terminal on 22-12 all bus rides (there are about 20 bus companies) to Oruro were canceled. After a few hours a bus decided to drive to the blockade From the blockade we had to figure it out ourselves. We took the gamble. When we arrived at the blockade we had to walk 1 kilometer. In the next 8 kilometers to Oruro there appeared to be about 10 blockades on all kinds of access roads and roads. There was a minibus without windows and without benches that wanted to take us and 3 more Bolivians to Oruro via all kinds of shortcuts. It was a hellish ride over the wilderness, over the mountains of garbage from a landfill, through rivers and ditches and over jagged rocks. Sitting on the floor of the van, we were thrown in all directions. The actual distance was 8 kilometers but because of all the detours it took us 1 hour. A fine piece of work by the driver. For the whole ride he asked 12 euros for the two of us and was very happy with the tip

i

ORURO⭐⭐ 3700m ; population 350.000

Oruro is a high-altitude mining town in Bolivia, best known for one thing: the spectacular Carnival of Oruro, one of the largest and most colorful festivals in South America. The city is not touristy at all and has a raw, authentic atmosphere.

HOTEL

BUDGET TIP opposite the bus station.

Recidencial Wensell ⭐⭐⭐ € 22 without breakfast

Restaurant on the left at the entrance of the bus Terminal ⭐⭐⭐ ;Two main courses plus drinks. € 12

LA PAZ ⭐⭐⭐½ 3650/4000m

La Paz is the highest capital city in the world and feels like a city that is literally stuck to the mountains. It is located at about 3,650 meters, with neighborhoods such as El Alto that reach above 4,000 meters . The city is chaotic, colorful and fascinating – a mix of high-rise buildings, modern cable cars and traditional Andean culture.

On Christmas Eve we had a Cuban dinner with a few cocktails. Was nice again alcohol, usually that doesn’t happen In our hotel an evening for Sweden took place (Owner of restaurants is Swedish) By the way, a nice hotel and that for € 34.50 per night including good breakfast. Yesterday I also visited the witches’ market where old Indian women sell all kinds of herbal medicines, but also offerings in the form of llama fetuses in spirits and mummified baby llamas and other unclear dried animals and of course coca leaves. Eric had put together a nice excursion for today. A city visit by cable car La Paz has 11 cable car routes similar to the metro network that we know in other large cities, but much more fun because you have a nice view of the city with every route, especially given the enormous height differences in this city (La Paz is located at an altitude of 3600 m). We spent hours with it and were able to visit several parts of the city this way. And it only costs 0.36 euros per route Highly recommended!

TO DO

Gliding  through the city by cable car ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – one of the most fun ways to experience La Paz.

Visit to the witches’ market with llama embryos and the historic center.

Cable car info Mi Teleferico

Get a chip card

Rechargeable card (tarjeta / travel card)

1. Available at larger stations
2. You top up balance and use the card for multiple journeys. a journey costs 3 Bolivianos (€ 0.37)
3. Useful if you use the cable car often or transfer

HOTEL:

BUDGET TIP

Sagarnaki ⭐⭐⭐⭐ € 35 including a reasonable breakfast

Restaurant hotel ; Two mains, two drinks, and one dessert. ⭐⭐⭐ € 24

BUDGET TIP

Sabo Cuban restaurant (100 meters further) ⭐⭐⭐ € 30 (2x main course + 4 cocktails); 1 Caipirinha costs only € 3 here!

LA PAZ naar COPACABANA ; 4 uur ; ⭐½ ( first part through outskirts La Paz) / ⭐⭐⭐ ½ : local bus.

It takes about an hour and a half by bus before we are really outside the city. After two and a half hours we have to cross with a ferry

This trip started on the beach of Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro and just arrived back in Copacabana, but this is a town on Lake Titicaca.

COPACABANA ⭐⭐1/2 3800 m

Beautiful location on a wide bay of Lake Titicaca, at an altitude of 3812 m the highest navigable lake in the world and the largest lake in South America by volume.

The place itself is disappointing. There are many day trippers. After all, it is the base for Isla do Sol, but the place nevertheless makes a somewhat dead impression. It takes us a lot of effort to find a decent place to eat in the evening. On Google Maps it still seems like a lot, but “live” it is very disappointing.

The next morning we have more luck. At Jardin Bolivia you can have a good brunch (was necessary after the scant “breakfast”) in a nice entourage.

Hotel Hostel Sol Y Lago € 21⭐⭐½

Room is OK. Nice view . Breakfast sucks

A bit over our budget, but really nice.

I was mistaken and swapped Sol Y Lago with the address where we stayed in 2015. A beautiful complex with very specially designed cottages. It ’s called Las Olas ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ but the price (at least € 75), has risen considerably. It’s best to book on their own website

Wij gaven € 116 totaal per dag uit (€ 58 p/p) en daarmee is Bolivia het goedkoopste land van onze reis.

COPACABANA –PERUVIAN BORDER — PUNO 142 km 2½ uur/km : ⭐⭐⭐ partly along Lake Titicaca

PERU

Peru has 35 million inhabitants, with its capital, Lima, home to 10 million of them.

GDP per capita $9500 (Bolivia $3800; EU $47,000

Travel guide : LP 2025

eSIM

I’ve had some frustrating experiences with eSIM in Peru. Mobile internet often didn’t work, especially in Cuzco and also in Arequipa. In the historical center of Cusco, there was barely any internet at all. It was often unclear which network the eSIM was connected to. In the northeast near Punta Sal, only the Saily eSIM worked occasionally, and in Lima, Saily was the only one that worked. I couldn’t even buy a physical SIM in Arequipa, as Claro’s main store didn’t sell them.

TIP;

When you arrive at Lima airport, it’s a good idea to pick up a physical SIM card there, or you can also get one at a tourist office in the city. Of the eSIMs I tried, only Saily worked well.

MONEY

PEN (SOL) 100 = € 25

Medications;

In Peru and also in the other Andean countries, self-care medicines are only for sale at a pharmacy behind the counter and always more expensive than in the Netherlands. Melatonin is up to 4 times more expensive! Nasal spray with Xylometazeline (Otrivin/Generic) is not for sale! I paid a whopping €33 for a nasal spray produced in India!

Transport;

We used one day bus, one night bus and two domestic flights, one of which was booked last minute due to the fact that I had diarrhea. In a night bus we travel in Cama mode (180°), where you have a seat that you can fully adjust into a bed. For a day ride, semi-cama (160°) is perfectly suitable.

With a night bus we travel Cama = 180° . You then have a chair that you can adjust into a bed.

For a day ride, semi-cama fine = 160°

PUNO ⭐⭐; UROS ISLANDS

How do I get there?

The boats depart from Kalapajra Port just outside Puno. A taxi costs about €3 from the bus station. Please keep in touch with your accommodation via Whatsapp before you leave.

UROS EILANDEN ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A very special experience is visiting the Uros Islands. Allow at least 2 nights for this to experience this properly.

The Uros Islands are artificial, floating islands of reeds in Lake Titicaca, built by the Uros people to protect themselves from the Incas.

Uros islands full board p €104 2N (+ excursion) ; NB an overnight stay costs € 31 P/N Booking.com)

3-hour bus ride from Copacabana to Puno on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca. On this side, the Indian Uros tribe lives on “floating” islands in the lake. The islands are made of a 60 cm thick braided reed layer (Totora reed) and the huts are built on top. Very bizarre I’ve never seen anything like it. There are even schools and community rooms It is very strange to walk on the limited space between the huts. The thatched bottom moves and you sink into it a bit. The Uros Indians now exploit their special place of residence for tourism and are mainly visited by Peruvian tourists. On the lake at the end of the floating village we spent a few days in such a floating house and that was fantastic In the middle of the water

AREQUIPA ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 2335 m ; about 1 million inhabitants, second largest city of Peru, at a great distance from Lima with 10 million inhabitants.,

Arequipa is one of the most beautiful cities in Peru, known for its white colonial buildings made of volcanic rock and its relaxed atmosphere. Many buildings are made of sillar, a bright white volcanic rock. the historic center is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many local tourists and fewer foreign tourists compared to Cusco

A striking number of catering establishments, including a few more luxurious restaurants.

Today excursion of 4 hours in minibus with 8 South Americans. We visited a beautiful gorge so we made a walk of half an hour. At the end we had to climb😓 back up quite steeply  Arequipa, the white city, is made up of white volcanic rock called Sillar. The city is surrounded by 4 imposing volcanoes. After we left the gorge we visited the sillar quarries and an area with many large statues carved out of sillar. The afternoon we walked through Arequipa. Is a beautiful and pleasant city with many restaurants and terraces and we are not used to that this trip

Hotel;

Casona Plaza hotel ⭐⭐⭐ € 41 each night, including reasonably good breakfast; bit dead, atmospheric hotel. Nothing wrong with room. Overlooking parking lot. Centrally located.

Restaurant:

RECOMMENDED :

Lounge del Brujo ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Trendy vegan restaurant, €32 For 2 mains, 2 small beers, 1 dessert, and 1 lemonade.

BUDGET:

Restaurant Istanbul; 1) ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2 = 2 x main course; 2x juice; €24 1) is just around the corner from the linked restaurant!

Cappuccino on the arcade of the Plaza De Armas €6 !

Juice on the terrace Plaza De Armas €4 to €6

Cocktail costs around €7

Tour; GetYourGuide ; Surroundings; Duration = 4 hours ⭐⭐⭐ € 11,– for each person

Quebrada de Culebrillas short walk through canyon. At the end you have to climb up quite a bit! then to the Anashuayco quarry and finally visit a viewpoint.

Considering the amount, definitely worth it.

The most famous tour you can do is a (Two) Day(s) trip to the Colca Canyon – one of the deepest gorges in the world. We didn’t do this because you have to travel for a very long time for one or two days and get up very early. It is better to include the Colca Canyon in your itinerary if necessary. To do it in one day from Arequipa is really not recommended!

AREQUIPA – CUZCO ; We opted for a domestic flight instead of the scheduled night bus because Eric had diarrhea.

The flight cost us booked on the same day € 209 p/p including checked luggage. In particular, the addition of checked baggage makes the flight pricey. Well in advance, this amount is (only) a few tens lower.

A night bus from CIVA with Cama (chair becomes 180 degree bed) costs only € 35 p/p

CUZCO ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2 3360 m; approx. 500,000 inhabitants

Cusco (Cuzco) is the ancient capital of the Inca Empire and a vibrant mix of Inca heritage and Spanish colonial architecture. It is the base for Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.

This place is at 3400 m so a lot cooler than in Arequipa, during the day about 18 degrees but in the evening and at night around 10 degrees. We have a nice hotel in an old monastery. Last night we slept well, Cusco is the most famous tourist place in Peru and one of the most famous in all of South America and you can notice that. Also the place with the most tourists from outside South America. This has advantages and disadvantages. Of course we prefer the places with few tourists, but sometimes luxury to have all kinds of restaurants, coffee shops, etc. And…. Cusco is of course a beautiful city with a lot to visit. It is also the place from where you will visit Machu Picchu. We are not going to do this, we have already visited this wonder of the world ten years ago and tourism here seems to have increased a lot in the past ten years, time slots and booking long in advance. We were lucky at the time

Hotel Afma Cusco €30 including breakfast ⭐⭐⭐⭐ RECOMMENDED

Located in the middle of the city near a former monastery. It is very quiet and the breakfast is fine.

Restaurant Carpe Diem ⭐⭐⭐1/2 ; Two pastas and two soups for €33.

CUZCO – LIMA- TUMBES; domestic flight with LATAM; transfer in Lima.

TUMBES – PUNTA SAL; 2 hours – booked and paid for by taxi in advance at hotel Smiling Crab

PUNTA SAL ⭐⭐⭐

At 16.00 hours flight to Lima. Due to the delay of this flight, we were just able to make the transfer for the flight to Tumbes. At 20.30 we landed at the mini airfield of Tumbes. There the taxi arranged by our hotel was already waiting for us. Then we had a 2-hour drive to Punta Sal where we arrived at 10.45 pm. We immediately went to bed and only saw this morning where we had arrived. A small hotel on the beach. Our cottage with terrace overlooking the sea . The beach is demarcated by steep rocks and the hotel is built against such a rock. It does involve a lot of climbing but this is rewarded with beautiful views. There is a nice restaurant plus a private beach with 6 beach beds at the bottom of the mountain This afternoon we were the only guests there and had the beach to ourselves.. The downside is that the sea is quite wild, but there is also a swimming pool. There is a dirt road of a few kilometers with minimal traffic (it is a dead end) to the “center” of the village where there is 1 mini market. We can last three days here. A lot warmer here. During the day about 27 degrees and at night 22-23 and for the first time no altitude but back at sea level

Today is the third and last beach day. This day a walk on the beach and sat on the beach in the village On our private beach you are usually alone or with 2 more people. It is also quiet on the village beach but just a little busier. You can rent beach chairs and umbrellas. What is striking is that there is no food or drink for sale at all on the beach. Not even a bottle of water. The bathers don’t bring anything themselves. So nothing is consumed at all. This is the case in more tourist places. Few catering establishments and if there is catering establishments, they are not used much. Most hotels don’t have restaurants and if they do, it’s never crowded

Smiling Crab ⭐⭐⭐⭐ hotel = €62 per nacht

Meals for two people costing around €30

In village: Two fresh mango juices and one Nescafé for €4.80.

Beach chair with umbrella €12.50

MANCORA – LIMA , over Panamericana ; ROUTE: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

CIVA bus ; Cama (180°) = €58 ; 1163 km; about 20 hours ; booked with CIVA directly * accepts foreign credit(visa)card

Ligcomfort: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Toilet: ⭐⭐⭐ / at the end of the ride 😫

Busbud doesn’t offer you to choose between Semi Cama (160°) and Cama (180°)

Saturday around noon we left Punta Sal and traveled to Mancora, but 25 km further From there the night bus would leave for Lima. Mancora is a surf resort for Peruvians. Spent the afternoon on the beach, had lunch at our leisure, walked a bit and sat on a terrace. Then to the bus It left at 7.30 pm for a 20-hour ride It was another super nice bus. We had our own booth again You have nothing to do with the travelers sitting in front of or behind you You can’t even see them. And you can lie completely flat, see Eric’s photo. In the evening you got a simple meal in the bus and in the morning coffee with a sandwich and tangerine. The view was beautiful again: A desert mountain landscape. A worthy farewell to nature from this trip. . When we arrived in Lima, the bus had to struggle through the traffic for another hour and a half before we arrived at our beautiful hostel. A beautiful building from 1900 designed by Gustave Eiffel (yes, of the Eiffel Tower). It is a real backpacker hostel, but super nice. There is also a rooftop bar where we drank Piscosour, the national cocktail of Peru, as a farewell last night. It is now Monday morning and our last day has started

LIMA

Population: more than 10 mln

Lima is the capital and largest city of Peru, located on the west coast on the Pacific Ocean. Founded in 1535 by the Spanish, the city  has a rich colonial past, especially visible in its historic centre, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Lima is a large metropolis and combines old colonial architecture with modern neighborhoods such as Miraflores and Barranco. The city is also known as a culinary hotspot, often seen as one of South America’s gastronomic capitals, and has a mild, dry climate with little rainfall.

We strolled from the 1900 Hostel to the Plaza Mayor, a pleasant walk that offers a great first impression of the city.

BUDGET TIP

1900 backpackers Hostel ⭐⭐⭐⭐ €27 including (very basic) breakfast

In the area (spacious) around the hostel we could not find any nice restaurants.

Right next to the hostel we found La Delicias ; a simple eatery ⭐⭐1/2; Two main courses and two large beers for just €10!

Lima is famous for its top restaurants. Maido, the best restaurant in the world, is located in Lima. The city also boasts three other spots in the top 50: Kjolle at number 9, Merito at 26, and Mayta at 39.

At Maido; Count on about € 400 p/p. At Mayta about half. Incidentally, a restaurant in the sub-top is still an option to end a trip. You will then spend around € 120 per two. We considered it but we only had 1 night in Lima and were also a bit tired of traveling.

We spent about € 135 per day in Peru including 1 domestic flight from Cusco to Tumbes. We did not include the extra booked flight from Arequipa to Cusco and instead of this flight we included the pre-paid night bus from Arequipa to Cusco.

Without that domestic flight, you end up with about € 107 per day.