South America
May 4, 2023 – after we had redeemed the Luis and sorted out all the formalities, we went on to Barranquillo and there to the Hotel El Prado, our cold demanded a break
May 6, 2023 – Minca, Finca Simon Bolivar near Santa Marta, at the foot of the Sierra Santa Marta, the highest coastal mountain range in the world with the highest mountains in Colombia, thanks to the constant haze we didn't see any of it
May 8, 2023 – Drive around the Sierra outside, along the border with Venezuela, stop in Barrancas
May 11, 2023 – Guatape – the impressive rock in the middle of the landscape surrounded by a huge reservoir
May 13, 2023 – Continue to San Rafael and spend a few days in the mountain forest
May 15, 2023 – Medellin, here we spend a few days and immerse ourselves in the city
May 19, 2023 – We spent more days than expected in Medellin, the city that impressed us so much. But we're continuing on toward Villa de Leiva, the old capital in the mountains.
21.05.2023 – we stayed until Sunday and met Ivan and his family and met Antonita and Henk from the Netherlands again, what coincidences there are
May 22, 2023 – Visit to Zipaquira, the Salt Cathedral, a cathedral carved into a huge salt seam
23.05.203 – Arrival in Bogota and again more days than expected
May 28, 2023 – Departure from Bogota towards Honda
30.05.2023 – Salento and Valle de Cocora, we met Simon and Lucie again
1.06.20223 – Popayan, a beautiful city in the south of Colombia
June 3, 2023 – Ipiales – Las Lajas, the famous church on the bridge over the gorge
June 4, 2023 – Finca Sommerwind, Ibarra Ecuador
June 6, 2023 – Mitad del Mundo, the center of the earth, from now on we are in the southern hemisphere
June 6, 2023 – Quito, the capital of Ecuador, the second highest capital in the world at 2,850 meters
June 8, 2023 – Cotopaxi, the famous volcano that Alexander von Humboldt described but never conquered
June 10, 2023 – We are in the Amazon rainforest, where the famous river originates. The area is vast and stretches from Colombia and Ecuador to Peru, which means there are many springs that flow into the river.
June 12, 2023 – Rio Verde, the famous waterfalls “Pailon del Diablo”
June 14, 2023 – Riobamba, we are back in the Sierra, in the height
June 14, 2023 – Overnight stay at the foot of Chimborazo, opinions differ as to whether Humboldt reached the summit
June 15, 2023 – Visit to the Inca ruins in Ecuador, Incapirca, a very beautiful complex
June 16, 2023 – Cuenca, Ecuador
June 20, 2023 – We drive to Peru, crossing the border in Macara/Ecuador, and then continue on to Piura. Overnight stay at the beautiful Porto Verde resort.
June 22, 2023 – Caraz, we drove along the coast until just before Chimbote and then turned into the mountains towards Huaraz, passing through the Canyon del Pato (Duck Canyon) and having a few adventures. We stayed two nights with Erik at the Apu Ecolodge.
June 25, 2023 – Drive through the Cordillera Blanca (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordillera_Blanca) to Catac, visit the ruins of Chavin de Huantar https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chavín_de_Huántar
June 26, 2023 – Lima, a few days of rest, no kilometers
July 4, 2023 – Ica, visit to the oasis of Huacachina – sand, lots of sand and a small lake with palm trees, like in the best film
July 6, 2023 – Nasca, visit to the Maria Reiche Museum. In 1986, we met her personally, a remarkable woman who dedicated her life to the Nasca Lines.
July 7, 2023 – Overnight stay at Casa Lena. A project initiated by a young couple who cares about the development of children with disabilities.
July 8, 2023 – Cusco, a few days in the footsteps of the Incas, up to Machu Picchu, but normally by train and not on foot along the trail
July 15, 2023 – Arequipa, the white city at the foot of the Misti, we drove from Cusco to the Rainbow Mountains and into the Canyon del Colca to arrive here
July 20, 2023 – Departure towards Bolivia
Another major leg of our journey is over. We're moving further and further away from the equator and traveling further into the southern hemisphere. A new section begins with Bolivia and continues to Chile. The average altitude of our journey is approximately 4,000 meters above sea level, which is indescribable.
Here is the link to the current Polarstep route - Follow us on Polarstep
https://www.polarsteps.com/KaiOlafDammenhain/5161546-panamericana
or Find Penguins
https://findpenguins.com/4bghekcxvpogd
July 20, 2023 – Puno on Lake Titika/ Peru-Bolivia border
July 21, 2023 – La Paz Bolivia
July 24, 2023 – Sugar
July 26, 2023 – Uyuni, overnight stay at the Hotel Flamingo
July 27, 2023 – Trip to the Salar de Uyuni, overnight stay on the Isla de Incahuasi
July 28, 2023 – Overnight stay at Laguna Canapa
July 29, 2023 – Overnight stay in a hostel at Laguna Blanca/Bolivia Chile border
July 30, 2023 – San Pedro de Atacama
August 2, 2023 – Departure from San Pedro de Atacama, swimming in the Laguna Baltinacha
3.08.2023 – Calama - a pure mining town with the largest mines in the world
4.08.2023 – Antofagasta
5.08.2023 – Visit to the ESO Paranal Observatory, the southernmost observatory in the European Union...
8.08.2023 – La Serena and Vicuna in the Valle de Elqui, visit to the Pisquera ABAhttps://pisquera-aba.cl/
9.08.2023 – Casablanca – Casas del Bosque winery
August 10, 2023 – Santiago de Chile – we are staying here a little longer and from here we are also making a short trip to Europe, more precisely to Birmingham for our daughter’s wedding
20.08.2023 – Flight to London
21.08.2023 – Landing in London and drive to Birmingham/ short stop in Luton at Ashcroft Transmission and handover of broken gearbox
28.08.2023 – Travel to London and departure to Santiago
29.08.2023 – Landing in Santiago
September 6, 2023 – Departure for skiing in the Valle Nevado
September 10, 2023 – back in Santiago
and then we continued south...
September 17, 2023 – Gearbox and Luis ready, trip to Mendoza Argentina
September 18, 2023 – Visit to Dieter Meier’s “Ojo de Agua” winery
September 22, 2023 – Return to Chile
September 23, 2023 – Viña del Mar
September 24, 2023 – Valparaiso and back to Santiago in the evening
September 25, 2023 – Departure from Santiago to the south on Ruta 5
26.09.2023 – Constitution
September 27, 2023 – Concepcion
September 28, 2023 – Lajas Falls
September 29, 2023 – Termas de Trancura at the Villarrica volcano
September 30, 2023 – Camping Hans - Pucon and Villarrica (Villarrica National Park) and the 7 Lakes in Chile
October 1, 2023 – Moncopulli, the car museum of Don Bernardo near Osorno
October 2, 2023 – off to Argentina to Bariloche, we stayed here for 3 days, hike up Cerro Otto
October 5, 2023 – Return to Chile, Puerto Montt, start of Ruta 7 – Carretera Austral
October 5, 2023 – Puerto Montt, start of Ruta 7 – Carretera Austral
October 7, 2023 – Hornopiren – ferry ride to Leptepu and finally Cateta Conzalo (5 hours ferry ride) – Ruta 7 is a bimodal road, meaning it travels overland and partly only by ferry, approximately 1,500 km through wild nature and fjords...
October 9, 2023 – Caleta Tortel, a small town just off Ruta 7
October 10, 2023 – Villa o Higgins, the end of Ruta 7, Carretara Austral
October 11, 2023 – Start of the adventure at Paso Rio Mayer, overnight stay at Lago Christie
October 12, 2023 – Overnight stay in the mud hole in the no man's land between Chile and Argentina at Paso Rio Mayer, on 13.10.2023 re-entry into Chile, adventure aborted
October 14, 2023 – Overnight stay in Argentina in Perito Moreno
October 15, 2023 – El Calafate, visit the glaciers
October 18, 2023 – Arrival in Torres del Paine back in Chile, visit to the National Park
October 20, 2023 – Arrival in Puerto Natales
October 21, 2023 – Punta Arenas/Puerto del Hambre/Estrecho de Magalanes National Park
October 22, 2023 – Punta Arena City
October 25, 2023 – Ushuaia, the southernmost city in Argentina and next to Puerto Williams/Chile the southernmost city in South America – we have reached our destination, Alaska Prudhoe Bay to Tierra del Fuego Ushuaia
Here is the link to the current Polarstep route - Follow us on Polarstep
https://www.polarsteps.com/KaiOlafDammenhain/5161546-panamericana
or Find Penguins
https://findpenguins.com/4bghekcxvpogd
October 30, 2023 – the journey north begins. From the southernmost point of our journey, Ushuaia, we begin the journey towards Buenos Aires and then to Montevideo, Uruguay. From Montevideo, Luis travels in a container with a colleague to Antwerp.
We'll spend two weeks in Buenos Aires and fly home on December 15, 2023. Let's go...
October 31, 2023 – Drive to the Argentine side of the small Bellavista border crossing. Unfortunately, the crossing is still closed and will not reopen until December 1, 2023.
November 1, 2023 – San Sebastian, back into Chile for a short stretch. The border lines down here are very fragmented; none of the countries can travel overland to their southernmost point.
November 2, 2023 – Visit the King Penguins at Povenir
November 3, 2023 – Visit to Monte Leon National Park
November 4, 2023 – Puerto San Julian, where Magellan had set up his winter quarters
November 7, 2023 – Peninsula Valdes – an entire peninsula as a national park
November 9, 2023 – The Grutas
November 10, 2023 – Visit to the parrots, Balneario el Condor
November 11, 2023 – one last time thermal baths – Termas de Medanos via detours we drive further north and then have to go to the workshop again
November 13, 2023 – Villa Ventana – Pampa Taller Land Rover, Santiago and his family takes us in and we straighten the front axle of the Luis
November 15, 2023 – a short visit to Dieter Meier’s cattle farm Ojo de Agua
November 16, 2023 – Visit to the Juan Manuel Fangio Museum in Balcarce
November 17, 2023 – Montevideo – Paraiso Suiza with Heinz and Sylvia, our last campsite before shipping home
November 21, 2023 - Trip with Luis to the port of Montevideo
21.11.2023 – Arriving in Montevideo, we first check into our quarters for the next few days and then head to the port. Luis is loaded into the container. Everything is wonderfully organized. Many thanks to Alejandro from Overland Embassy and Rachida from Wave Logistic. Everything works out perfectly; Luis fits in, and we lock the container, after his buddy, another Land Rover, has also parked there.
We're now exploring Montevideo until November 30, 2023. We've also bought concert tickets for two events at the Solis Theater.
December 1, 2023 – Take the boat from Montevideo directly to Buenos Aires. We considered taking the route via Colonia del Sacramento. It's definitely worth the trip, but it's easier this way with all the luggage.
December 1, 2023 – Arrival in Buenos Aires, Selina Hostel, and now more days to enjoy culture and museums. And we'll see many new friends again.
December 15, 2023 – Departure from Buenos Aires to Frankfurt with a transfer in Madrid. We'll make everything work out.
December 16, 2023 – Aidlingen, we're home again. Jan-Frederik picked us up and brought us home safely.
End of adventure, end of journey!
and then we can pick up Luis in Antwerp in the new year
Here is the link to the current Polarstep route - Follow us on Polarstep
https://www.polarsteps.com/KaiOlafDammenhain/5161546-panamericana
or Find Penguins
https://findpenguins.com/4bghekcxvpogd
