ftoglu

Hi,
I am 47 yrs old (M) and make hiking, trekking and low-difficulty mountaineering. I planned a 45 +/- 2 days trip with the following itinary. It will be (I hope) my first long backbacking adventure and I will make it solo and never been in South America. I formed the itinary on the trekking and cultural basis and have some questions:
a- The following timelines are applicable and reasonable?
b- What time of the year can be ideal for the following itinary and timelines by excluding winter and summer?
c-Is there / how much entrance fee when crossing the borders between Brasil-Argentina-Chile?

DAY- PLACE- NIGHT
1- Sao Paulo (Br) - at bus to Foz De Iguazu
2- Iguazu Falls - Brasil side- at hotel / hostel / ???
3- Iguazu Falls - Argentina side - at bus to Buenos Aires
4- Buenos Aires - at bus to Puerto Madryn'e
5- Puerto Madryn- at hotel / hostel / ???
6- Puerto Madryn- at bus to Ushuia
7- Ushuia - at hotel / hostel / ???
8- Ushuia - at hotel / hostel / ???
9- Ushuia - at bus to El Calafate or Puerto Natales
10- El Calafate or Puerto Natales - at hotel / hostel / ???
11- Torres del Paine (W circuit)- at hotel / hostel / ???
12- Torres del Paine (W circuit)- at hotel / hostel / ???
13- Torres del Paine (W circuit)- at hotel / hostel / ???
14- Torres del Paine (W circuit)- at hotel / hostel / ???
15- Torres del Paine (W circuit) ,return to El Calafate- at hotel / hostel / ???
16- El Calafate- at hotel / hostel / ???
17- El Chalten- at hotel / hostel / ???
18- El Chalten- at hotel / hostel / ???
19- El Chalten- at bus to Esquel or El Bolson
20- El Bolson / Esquel- at hotel / hostel / ???
21- From El Bolson / Esquel to Bariloche- at hotel / hostel / ???
22- Bariloche- at hotel / hostel / ???
23- Bariloche- at hotel / hostel / ???
24- From Bariloche to Chile Lake District- at hotel / hostel / ???
25- Lake District- at hotel / hostel / ???
26- Lake District- at bus to Pucon
27- Pucon- at hotel / hostel / ???
28- Pucon- at bus to Santiago
29- Santiago- at hotel / hostel / ???
30- Santiago (1 day visit to Valparaiso)- at hotel / hostel / ???
31- Santiago- at hotel / hostel / ???
32- Santiago- at bus to Mendoza
33- Mendoza- at hotel / hostel / ???
34- Mendoza- at bus to Cordoba
35- Cordoba- at hotel / hostel / ???
36- Cordoba- at bus to Buenos Aires
37- Buenos Aires- at hotel / hostel / ???
38- Buenos Aires (1 day visit to Montevideo)- at hotel / hostel / ???
39- Buenos Aires- at bus to Rio De Jenario
40- Rio De Jenario- at hotel / hostel / ???
41- Rio De Jenario - at hotel / hostel / ???
42- Rio De Jenario - at hotel / hostel / ???
43- Sao Paulo- at hotel / hostel / ???
44- Sao Paulo- at hotel / hostel / ???
45- Sao Paulo- Finish

Thx in advance for your replies

Huentetu

It looks fine and I assume you have chosen the amount of days in each place according to your interests. You want to cover various areas which have different weather patterns, so I would say mid-November and all December would be good. Patagonian weather is always a lucky dip, but things will be open and transport available from mid-November. January and February are the peak months which I think you want to avoid? March and April can bring a lot of rain in the south, although March is a usually still nice.
One tip: google the national holidays in each country against your itinerary as long weekends can crowd you out of local buses and upset travel plans. Also check national elections etc. as these can also upset an itinerary.

qwovadis

http://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-.../dp/1741041635

Your bible download read digest...

www.weather2travel.com Climate Guides your countries

You seem to want to do the Brazil Route and the

Route of the Cones(volcanoes)

generally best done to be warmest Dec/Jan/Feb

so might plan around that

www.hostelbookers.com deluxe bus works best

fly the long legs if budget is good.

www.travel.state.gov for heads up on safety/entry

www.mdtravelhealth.com for health

www.insuremytrip.com always cheap wise

usually budget $30 or so per person per day shoestring

exclusive of xport costs Chile is most expensive as a rule.

Happy Journey,

ftoglu

Huentetu, thanks a lot. I will take your comments into consideration.
With my best eishes

ftoglu

Qwovadis,
i will delete the long ride bus travels and take flights instead.What about the passages in patagonia (for example from el calafate to torres del paine) in mid-october???
Thx a lot