Expert: Juan Carlos Valencia - 10/29/2008

Question
I am planning on driving from Bogota to Lima end of this year. I was initially thinking riding a scooter, but I think a car would be faster. I am thinking of dedicating about 5 days for the trip, which includes stopping at beaches, and sites. Whats the best way to do that? I am having trouble renting a car that I can pick up in Bogota and return in Lima. If not, is there a train, or bus?

Thank you so much for your information.  

Answer
Dear D,

you are planning a really nice trip.

It may not be agood idea to do it in a scooter. I think that you have to check a bit more about the geography that you are going to find. You will be going along some of the tallest mountains in the Andes chain. The maximum speed in some parts could be 30 km/h...there are big precipices, constant turnings and big truck traffic.

Bear in mind that you will go from temperatures close to 0*C to highs in the mid-thirties in just a matter of hours. In Peru you will be crossing a long desert.

It's a tough journey that requires a good car, a careful driver and more time than the 5 days that you mention, especially if you are thinking about stopping at beaches and sites along the way.

Trains are not common in Colombia or Peru. It's a sad fact with a long complicated history. There's some train services in Ecuador but they do not cover the whole country.

So I guess that the easiest way to carry out your trip, apart from buying a cheap car in Bogota, would be in buses.

To give you an idea of the time that you need:

A bus from Bogota to Cali may take 11 hours. From Cali to the border with Ecuador, another 12. From there to Quito, maybe 10. From Quito to Guayaquil, possibly 14...And that's a like the middle of the journey.

So check your guides and travel books a bit more and come back with more detailed and realistic questions, so that I can help you more.

Saludos

JC