Itinerary
South America ca. 17 weeks
Central America ca. 5 weeks
Mexico ca. 4 weeks
1st week
Our trip starts in the vibrant capital of Argentina. Buenos Aires has a very special and international atmosphere: the colorful wooden houses in La Boca, the elegant Recoleta, the main plaza with its government buildings and the Obelisk on the Avenida 9 de Julio (which locals claim is the world's widest road). At the end of our stay, we will enjoy an exciting tango performance by highly skilled dancers. We then head south and leave the big city behind us.
2nd week
The Atlantic coast is an animal lover's paradise. You will encounter guanacos, Magellan penguins, sea lions, sea elephants and many more. With a bit of luck, you may be able to watch right whales close by the boat. Several days will be spent driving through the endless expanse of the Pampas until we finally reach the Strait of Magellan, where we will be ferried across to Tierra del Fuego.
3rd week
You will reach the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia. Your location is 54 degrees southern latitude: from here, the Antarctic is less then 1000km away! Time to explore the Tierra del Fuego National Park, where a sign marks the official beginning of the Pan-American Highway. The Torres del Paine National Park awaits you with its shimmering glacier lakes, thunderous waterfalls, diverse flora and fauna and unsurpassed rock formations. Icebergs float year around on the waters of Grey Lake. Patagonia unveils its natural beauty as all this stunning scenery surrounds our campground.
4th week
The Patagonian glaciers are part of one of the biggest extensions of continental ice, and listening to the sound of ice breaking off the front wall of the glaciers is an unforgettable and sobering experience. We reach the mountain range of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, a dream destination for any hiker. On a clear morning, the sunrise lights up the mountain peaks of Patagonia with every shade red imaginable. This is truly a magical place.
5th week
The famous gravel road "Ruta 40" takes us through vast and flat grassland where our only encounters will be with guanacos, ostriches and armadillos. We spend the night on Estancias, where you will get a taste of local farm life. From the shore of South America's second largest lake, you will continue your trip to Chile. The views are spectacular! The main attraction at the General Carrera Lake are the enthralling marble caves, and the famous Carretera Austral takes us through dense, cold rainforest along the Last HopeSound.
6th week
Further north, we will reach the ‘Switzerland of South America,’ Bariloche, rife with enchanting scenery. The campground here is ideally located at the shore of the Nahuel Huapi lake. After a well-deserved break, we continue our trip to Chile's Lake District and explore its beautiful snowcapped volcanoes.
7th week
This week, you will see Laja Falls, is the highest waterfall in Chile, as well as explore Santiago, the Chilean modern capital, by foot. You will also take a cable car to the San Cristobal summit for a beautiful overview of the city. A spectacular Andean crossing takes you to the highest mountain outside of the Himalayas, Cerro Aconcagua (6.962m). Finally, Mendoza is Argentinean wine capital, so of course we will visit a winery and indulge in a fine wine tasting while here!
8th week
The Moon Valley is a bizarre landscape with peculiar rock formations. Regardless of whether you are a museum fanatic or not, the open air Pachamama Museum is well worth a visit! The town of Salta is also known as La Linda, or “the beautiful,” in Spanish. Palm and orange trees surround the Plaza, and the churches that dot the town are picturesque enough to be in a fairy tale.
9th week
Your second Andean crossing will be a breathtaking experience. Flamingos and the timid vicuñas life here in the solitude. We won't miss seeing the Atacama, the world's driest desert. Leaving San Pedro de Atacama in off-road jeeps, we will have the opportunity to get deep into Bolivian territory and explore some of its extraordinary attractions: colorful lagoons almost 5000m above sea level and Salar de Uyuni, the world's biggest salt flat. Returning to our motorhomes, we will reach the Pacific coast in the northern reaches of Chile.
10th week
Back to the Andes! Snow-capped volcanoes are ubiquitous in this region and it’s best to keep an eye on your meals, as plenty of vicuñas are looking for food. At the border to Bolivia lies one of the world’s highest lakes, with the majestic Parinacota volcano acting as its backdrop. Only a few hours later, we reach La Paz, one of the craziest cities in the world: the height difference inside the city is more than 1.000m! Strolling through the witchcraft market, we guarantee you will find many bizarre items. Our next destination is Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. An adventurous ferry ride will take us over the Strait of Tiquina as we finally enter Peru. On a boat trip, we will observe and learn about the floating islands of the Uros.
11th week
Cusco is the former capital of the Inca Empire and without a doubt, one of the most beautiful cities in South America. The most impressive Inca site is by far the lost city of Machu Picchu. The mystic atmosphere that enshrouds this ancient region is absolutely incredible.
12th week
After spending some time in the altitude of the Peruvian Andes, we will come down and return to the ocean, not far one of the world's last mysteries is located, the famous Nasca lines of southern Peru. These giant drawings on the earth can only be seen properly from the air, so you may choose to take a scenic flight over the ancient geoglyphs. In the middle of the desert lie the huge and impressive sand dunes of Huacachina. Afterwards we will reach Lima, the capital of Peru.
13th week
Visiting the Museum of the Royal tombs of Sipan we will learn more about the ancient Peruvian culture. Reaching the border to Ecuador, you will leave the dry desert behind. The landscape changes completely and becomes lush and verdant. In the beautiful colonial city of Cuenca the famous Panama Hat is produced. You will then get to Baños, at the foot of the active volcano Tungurahua. Many eateries sell the local delicacy – grilled guinea pig.
14th week
Following the Avenue of the Volcanoes will take us to Quito, Ecuador's capital city, which is divided into old and new halves. During a city tour, you will learn quite a bit about the colonial history of this area. The official Equator monument is only a short drive away: here you can jump between the Southern and the Northern Hemisphere! On our way to Colombia, you will spent a night at an idyllic crater lake.
15th week
Colombia! This relatively unknown country will surprise you with its fascinating scenery and a unique hospitality. Spending several nights on the grounds of a coffee farm, you will learn the process of coffee making. We also explore Cartagena, a popular destination for cruise ships and surely one of the most beautiful cities in South America.
16th & 17th week
Due to the break in the Pan-American Highway at the Darien Gap, this is time when we will wait for our motorhomes to be shipped. It is the ideal location to take a break and recharge your batteries for the next part of the trip. A several day stay gives us enough time to organize everything concerning the shipping to Central America. Our vehicles will board a cargo ship, whereas we will take the plane. As a result, both in Cartagena and Panama City we will spent some nights in hotels.
18th week
We fly to Panama and return to our motorhomes; from here, the Pan-American Highway guides us through Central America. After visiting the colonial part of Panama City, we will see the world-famous Panama Canal and learn about its fascinating history and technical intricacies. Costa Rica's capital city, San José, is an ideal base from which to explore the surroundings. You will have the option to visit the top of Poás volcano and have a look into the steaming crater lake or wander around and enjoy the waterfalls, orchids and hummingbirds in the area.
19th week
There is a part of Costa Rica which could easily be mistaken for the middle of Switzerland! That is exactly what the owner of a chalet-style hotel thought, where we will stop to enjoy Swiss specialties like cheese fondue. With a little bit of luck, we may spot lava running down the Arenal volcano. During a boat trip, we will keep an eye out for monkeys and colorful birds and in Nicaragua, we will have a unique opportunity to drive our motorhomes right up to a smoking crater. Nearby is Granada, one of the oldest cities in Latin America and located on the shore of Managua Lake. A romantic carriage ride will take us through the town center.
20th week
In Honduras, you will see the first Mayan site and spend a night close to the highest waterfall in the country. We will drive along the beautiful Yojoa Lake until we reach the country of El Salvador. Here we will get a chance to relax at the beach. A boat trip takes us deep into an entangled forest of mangroves to a small inhabited island, and modern civilization will seem incredibly far away.
21st week
Guatemala is another highlight you can look forward to! Antigua is a world heritage site and wandering around, you will feel as though you are in a fairy tale. It is impossible not to fall in love with this beautiful city. We will spend some nights right on the shore of the Atitlan Lake, surrounded by several volcanoes. From here, you can visit a typical indigenous market and try the local produce.
22nd week
Tikal itself is well worth the trip to Guatemala. It is an attraction for both its cultural importance and its location in the middle of lush and dense tropical vegetation. Of course, we won't miss Latin America’s only English-speaking country, the small and likeable Belize. There are several attractions aside from the laid-back Belize City, such as dripstone caves and hidden lakes in which you can bathe.
23rd week
It’s time for Mexico! We can assure you that this huge country has more to offer than simply tacos and tequila. Its beautiful Caribbean beaches, colonial cities, vivid markets and fascinating Mayan sites all make it a wonderful destination. We will start our visit on the Yucatán Peninsula, where we will be able to relax at the beach before moving on to the must-see Mayan site of Chichén Itzá. At the Gulf of Mexico we will visit Campeche, where you can appreciate how it has preserved its Spanish heritage.
24th week
In the mighty jungle of Chiapas, you will discover the Mayan site Palenque. Don't miss the colossal stone heads at the Olmeke Museum in Villahermosa! After a stop-over in Puebla, we will dive into one of the largest cities in the world. Mexico City is a diverse and sprawling metropolis that we will explore by tour bus, and we will be sure to stop by the Anthropological Museum to learn more about its history.
25th week
On the way to Guadalajara, you are welcome to visit the archeological ruins of Tula, and San Miguel de Allende is truly a colonial treasure worth seeing. We then leave the Mexican highland and reach the Pacific Ocean, where we will spend some time in Mazatlán and San Blas, right by the sea.
26th week
After Guaymas, we leave the coast and eventually cross the border into the USA. After touring 180 days through Latin America, this one-of-a-kind tour ends in Tombstone, Texas. We will celebrate the end of our trip in a historic old western saloon drinking whisky, sharing the many stories, memories and mementos we have collected along our journey! From here, everyone is welcome to continue the tour on their own.
You can either continue your trip right away or put your motorhome in storage and fly back home, returning several weeks later to continue your journey. It is completely up to you whether you choose to explore the other end of the Pan-American Highway, all the way to Alaska, or to simply drive to the east coast.
Note
During our trip there is a slight chance that changes in itinerary and program might occur, but these usually do not affect the overall length of the tour.
While it is uncommon, please note that if shipping delays cause scheduling changes, we reserve the right to shorten the trip in the end.
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