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Panamericana south
  • esmeralda life
  • Susanne Joss
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  • Susanne Joss

Panamericana south

with our trusted truck camper Esmeralda , we are driving south to Houston , ship the truck to Cartagena , Columbia and take off toward Patagonia. Read more
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  • Trip start
    July 24, 2019
  • Panamericana south

    Tyrona national park

    August 17, 2019 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Our Airbnb is just a few kilometers from the entrance to the park. We left early in the morning and took the shuttle inside the park. Tyrona is a wild coastal area near Santa Marta, a lot of dschungle and some beautiful beaches. But its a bit of a hike to get there , but well worth it for these lovely beaches . On our way back we get soaked by one of those tropical thunderstorms, but the colombians are very helpful, squeeze us in the already full bus and drop us in front of our Airbnb.Read more

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    sunday night in Getsemani

    August 18, 2019 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Its difficult to describe the assault on your senses in Cartagena. We especially love the Getsemani part of town ,where we are staying for a few more nights . People come to the square to do Zumba style dancing . At the same time , street performers stop the traffic and do folk dances, acrobatic stunts and even a michael jackson impersonator shows up. All along the beer gets delivered by bicycle... Its such a colorful, expression of the columbians happy lifestyle!Read more

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    Esmeralda is back!

    August 22, 2019 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    After a long day at the Puerto Bahia yesterday, I was permitted to drive our truck out of the harbor. It was already dark and Susanne was still roaming the streets of Cartagena ,while waiting for my return (only one person can enter the port) . So we decided to check out the overlander tip " behind the Hilton" .
    It usually feels better to camp together with others , and we spent a decent night right at the ocean in the middle of the fancy Cartagena peninula,called Boccagrande. Glad to have our home back!    Read more

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    that big bird is a Macaw!

    Finca Manantial - an english mens labor

    August 22, 2019 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    We are camping on the farm of an english men called Graham . He came here in 1973 and bought this beautiful property and started farming . We camp between goats, pigs, turkeys ,ducks and our next door neighbor is a huge colorful bird. The path next to the camper is the autobahn of the leafcutter ants . So nice to be in nature again after all the city life!Read more

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    some days suck!

    August 24, 2019 in Colombia ⋅ 🌧 22 °C

    Our goal was to escape the Caribbean heat and make it to the Cordillieres mountains for cool nights and pleasant days. Today we made it all the way to Bucamaranga, where we had found a larger grocery store to shop for the next few days (if you eat more then local fruits or fried dulce rings, handed to you at every speedbump, its not easy to go shopping) . Since there is never any parking in colombian cities, i droped Susanne off and promised to drive cicles and pick her up again. But then i saw the sign for the underground parking (with big notices to observe height limits of 2.40 meters. Anyhow , i parked found my wife , we shopped happily . But on the way out i hit a fire sprinkler ( and yes we are right around 2.40m high) , which caused the whole garage to flood . We were stopped and asked to wait for security. hours passed , we met friendly people trying to help us , but the el jefe (the boss) didnt show. We had long difficult discussions in spanish without understanding a lot . one of the guys took his motorbike to the hardware store to get an estimate for the broken fire sprinkler. As it was getting dark we started to worry about finding our selected overlander suggested camping spot. At last they let us go with a hefty deposit and promise to return after the weekend . It was dark when we left ( against overlander #1 rule" never drive at night " ) . Plus it was a big city with an unimaginable kaos of traffic . Then it stared raining ,and our planned restaurant- camping turned out to not exist after several tries. So we drove further out of the city and finally found a restaurant , balneario with camping spots . They charged us double for 1. being the only guests 2. arriving after dark. 3. arriving in the rain . But we are so happy to pop the roof and make ourselves a simple dinner in our own four walls!Read more

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    Chicamocha Canyon and migrant caravans

    August 25, 2019 in Colombia ⋅ 🌧 22 °C

    We are definitly in the mountains now , high above the grand canyon of Colombia. I have a sweater and a jacket on and the cool evening air is really refreshing. With a maximum depth of 2000 meters the Chicamocha Canyon is really the second largest in the world . We have a lovely overnight spot with a venezuelen family perched right at the edge after using our 4wheel drive to come up the narrow , washed out dirt road.
    We keep seeing venezuelen refugees hiking along the pass road of the road. At the same time a bicycle race is happening and groups of riders pedal next to the refugees , trucks, buses and cars. And we feel helpless and clueless how to help while driving by in our expensive truck camper.
    Our host tells us that poor people in venezuela make 2$ a month , and while i know that Chavez ,while he was alive, had done a lot for the poor it looks like they can't rely on the government any longer and they come here with nothing just a small pack.    Read more

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    Barichara and Camino real

    August 27, 2019 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    One of the most beautiful colonial small towns ,Barichara. From there the old camino real connects to neighboring villages from the 16 and 17th century. We got a beautiful campsite at the finca of a dutch couple, Joep and Julia.Read more

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    Villa de Levya and surroundings

    August 30, 2019 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    We pulled our thicker jackets out, now that we are in the higher Andes. Villa de Levya, a colonial town with a large plaza , is located above 2000 meters. In the nearby national park we visited today , we hiked up to 3600 meters ,and the wind was cold and strong.But the andean forest contains a little bit of everything... cacti, mushrooms, bamboo, pine ,huge colorful flowers and anything in between.Read more

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    Crossing the Cordillieres

    August 31, 2019 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Back in the 1980’s, when Colombian riders first appeared on the European professional cycling circuit, Colombian Pro, Lucho Herrera, mentioned that climbs like Alpe d’Huez were too short for Colombians. Yesterday we crossed the Alto de Letras, at 3800m the highest mountain pass road we have ever climbed .
    We marvelled about the many bicyclist, before we found out about this being the longest climb on earth in the bicycling community,more than 80km ,with temperatures of 97 at the Magdalena river to almost freezing on top of the pass.
    Driving in Colombia does take patience, 25 miles per hour average is a reason to celebrate , but usually there is a long lines of trucks laboring up or down the steep hills not much faster than walking speed. On our mountain range crossing from the Bogota to the Meddelin area ,we also visited a Saltmine ,which provided some interesting pictures.    Read more

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    Zona Cafetera Colombia

    September 2, 2019 in Colombia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    After soaking in some local hot springs it was time for an educational session. We went to Hacienda Guayabal and had a coffee tour. We learned lots, from planting, growing, harvesting, drying and exporting the coffee. Colombia is the third largest coffee exporter in the world, growing arabica beans exclusively. We got an opportunity to contribute to the year round harvest.
    After tasting plenty coffee we headed off to Valle de Cocora. Here you feel like you have just entered Switzerland with the bizarre addition of Wax Palms. These palm trees grow up to 60 meters and are the largest palms in the world.
    We took a beautiful hike through the forest to Finca Montaña and then to the House of Hummingbirds. We crossed a raging river many times on shaking hanging bridges and passed through a stunning, sense cloud forest.    Read more

  • Panamericana south
    middle of the earth,Susanne in winter,Michael in summer.
    1hiking above laguna Mojanda11Gluehwein!1Camping in Ibarra at Hans's place1indigenous market in Otovalo2climbing fuya fuya....so cold at over 4200meters

    From summer into winter

    September 9, 2019 in Ecuador ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Today we crossed the equator at "Mitad del mundo " in Ecuador. This little monument is where the northern and southern hemisphere connects .And with crossing the equator we are moving from summer into winter. While camping at a beautiful lake on 3700 meters, we prepared ourselves with some "Gluehwein" , the hot mold wine thats typical for the german winter season where we grew up.
    We had crossed into Ecuador a few days ago early in the morning. Based on other travellers reports it could take 6 to 8 hours to get the paperwork done, but while we saw many venezuelen immigrants camping at the border we got us and the truck across with little delay.
    While we enjoyed meeting other overlanders at a campground owned by a german, we escape into the mountains for nature, silence and hiking.    Read more

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    beautiful waterfall trail on the way up to cotopaxievacuation drilllots of germans and french in the refugio

    Vulcano Cotopaxi

    September 10, 2019 in Ecuador ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    From the national park materials , its described as the highest active vulcano in the world. At 5897 meters the Cotopaxi has a permanent snow cover . As for access to this ecuadorian national park , its a bumpy cobble stone road and i turned on the 4wheel drive to better get through the deep holes in the road . But after rattling along for 20 km we reached this beautiful spot at the lodge tambopaxi, where we spend the night.
    In the morning , we sat down for breakfast ( for the first time on our trip we camped with breakfast included), and the alarm went on and evacuation protocol when the vulcano errupts was initiated. We all got a little bag with water bottle and breathing mask, then piled into their trucks and rattled downhill to the escuela/evacuation center. It was a drill but all the park employees took it very seriously.
    After we got back we hiked up to the refugio, the basecamp for climbing to the top. That was enough for us ,we felt acomplished to have reached almost 16000 feet and climbed down again to get out of the brutal ,ice cold wind.    Read more

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    Banos-waterfalls,rain and smiles

    September 13, 2019 in Ecuador ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    We had decided to take small roads to Banos, the adventure capital of equador. And small they where, perched into the cliff of the canyon just the size of our truck . It takes a while to negotiate a passing spot when another car comes along .
    Ecuador makes you a happy spender. Fill up the tank of our truck and its 30$ . We had a splurging day in Banos , lunch at the expensive swiss bistro ,then thermal bath . After that we stopped at a wonderful german owned finca for kaffee und kuchen and dinner in the evening . overnight was free in their parkinglot and all together we spent just about 60 $ (yes ecuador uses US dollars ) .
    And while it rained all night and on and off during the day , we enjoyed the waterfall hikes and the young people doing mountain biking ,zip lines and swings .    Read more

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    Cuenca -a fun city to explore

    September 14, 2019 in Ecuador ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    This is a popular place to settle for north americans and europeans. Our friend Stephen moved here 5 years ago and we enjoy a nice little apartment for a few days,close to the old town. The diversity here ,between indigenous tribes, mestizos, afro ecuadorians and expats is refreshing and puts a playful feel over the city life. We love the Cafe's, food and roaming around town. The shrunken skulls and cultural exhibition in the indigenous museum also impressed us. For many of the tribes the spiritual and real world are of equal importance . What a concept!Read more

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    Beach live in Peru

    September 17, 2019 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Its hard to believe your eyes,when you first see these huge bodies jump straight up out of the ocean, just a hundred meters from the beach. I was reading up on the northern and southern wales...are they meeting at the ecuator? Well some do ,but the south american ones spent summers in patagonia ,but now they are in the warmer waters of Peru to raise the kids. After watching the humpback whales jumping from the beach at the outskirts of town , we started to cook dinner. Just as we 're getting ready to eat a police moto with flashing light stops and the officers knock at the door. "You cannot camp here , but we will show you a safe place to spent the night" . So after we packed up we follow their flashing lights through town to another spot at the beach , where we find other overlanders already camping . " And if you need help the police station is right around the corner" ,says the lady officer before she left. Such nice law enforcement!
    This stretch of northern Peru has beautiful beaches and we suck up the sun again after the cold of the Andes.    Read more

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    Cañon del pato

    September 21, 2019 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Today we left the coast of Peru to head to the Cordillera Blanca, the world’s highest tropical mountain range. The challenge is to make it through Cañon del pato. Up, up, up we go, the road is mostly single lane with areas to pass each other for oncoming traffic. The 54 tunnels are pitch dark, single lane and I did a lot of praying that no truck or bus will face us in the dark. Michael and Esmeralda made it through the 40 km stretch, while I am holding on to whatever I can when I see the cliffs plummeting down 1000 meters. But we arrived safe and sound in the cute mountain town of Caraz.
    We both need a drink while the daughters of our camp host check out the camper.
    Tomorrow we will get to check out some pretty amazing lagoons.    Read more

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    Huaraz

    September 23, 2019 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Huaraz sits more than 3,000 meters above sea level, with the snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Blanca range forming its dramatic eastern skyline. We spent time at blue lagoons, picturesque mountain pueblos and wide open spaces just below the glaciers south of the city. We needed an oil change and truck service as well ,and i am always sweating it to get the truck back in one piece. But with renewed fluids we relaxed and exlpored this city a bit more. Its hard to like any peruvian city, loud ,dirty and full of unfinished houses( for tax reasons? ) . But it does grow on you,in Huaraz, the colorfull markets, the exhausted mountaineers coming back from climbing peaks and the many quality restaurants catering to them .Read more

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    mountain people we are!

    September 26, 2019 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    We tried....realy tried to love the coast and la playas. But yet again we feel much better in the mountains.After a night in Caral, the oldest town in the americas, 5000 Years ago there was a huge civilization,just not as famous as egypt(which came later) building huge pyramids. We drove east of the panamericana, just to get away from the fog , the desolate pueblos and the weird feeling of closed up properties because its not main season
    We love the little town of Lunahuana,just the right size for us. If you wonder what Susanne is doing.... thats the typical position of a indigenous. Peeling Loquat/ Nisperos a lot of work for little reward.Most of the time four seeds to spit out. But tranquillo,thats the lifestyle here. Take it easy.....    Read more

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    Extra terestrials or rituals?

    September 28, 2019 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    On our way towards Cusco we leave the coast again and stop at the desert town of Nasca . It is known for one phenomena - the Nasca lines. Figures and lines drawn in the sand are dated to be 2000- 2500 years old . And since most of them are only visible by plane ,scientists continue to discuss how and why they are made . Many are hundreds of meters long ,with the longest meassuring 30 km and they depict birds , animals,geometric shapes and some astronout like looking man. Yet another unsolved mystery. But the general impression remains with many of the oldest cultures in the americas, our school tought knowledge that the older things are the less refined , does not hold true .Read more

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    Condors and Camelids

    September 28, 2019 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    We are backup on 4000meters,quite literally in the pampa. There is a small museum and a friendly ranger at reserva national de pampas galeras. While most people know the domesticated Camelids, Llama and Alpaca, the wild herds all arround us are the Vicunia and the slightly bigger Guanaco. The ranger drives us out into the pampa to show us the condors. Wow,what amazing creatures! We come back to the camper at sunset and the temperatures drop close to zero (32 F).Best time to bake a bread in our oven , we add some Quinoa to honor the Anden non wheat culture .Read more

  • Panamericana south
    1Sacsayhuaman above Cusco
    Sacsayhuaman above Cusco11Salkantay peak at 5am2Humantay laguna2This waterline in another Inca site, Llactapata , is exactly alligned with the Sundial in Macchu Picchu , far1my favorite view of Machupicchu from Llactapata1Machupicchu

    On the trail of the Incas

    October 5, 2019 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Cusco was the religious and administrative capital of the Inca Empire in ancient Peru between 1400 and 1534. Their Empire extended throughout South America, including regions of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. After a few days in Cusco,where we camp right next to one of the most fascinating Inca ruins , Sacsayhuaman . This archaeological complex has an area of 3,000 hectares and has the most beautiful walls. Even though the largest of the stones weigh over 300 tons, they are fitted perfectly. While there are no good ways to carbon date these structures , there are some indications that a pre incan culture built these structures. Carbon dating works only for organic materials found arround the structures and is highly inacurate. The famous example is ,that you loose your Iphone in a leather pouch at the 2000 year old coloseum in Rome. The Archeologists finding it 1000 years later would assume that the Coloseum builder made the Iphone.
    The walls of the most famous Inca city , Machupicchu , look much less sophisticated. After a challenging 5 day hike following ,whats called the high Inca trail, over the 4600meter high Salkantay pass, we reach Machupicchu. Our guide points out that , while most other sites are ruines ,destroyed by the Spaniards, Machupicchu is not. It was arguably only discovered in 1911 ,but never found by the spanish conquerors.    Read more

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    1Colca Canyon begins
    1We found a nice trail along the edge of the Canyon12Condor!212Morning routine ....making coffee

    Canyons,Condors and high dessert

    October 17, 2019 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Its almost 9am and the Condors have not shown themselves at the Mirador. We are at the Colca Canyon, the second deepest in the world (twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the US ) .
    From Cusco we drove through high mountains ,along lonely lagunas with typical indigenous villages.
    We spent the night here at the Mirador having it all for ourselves. But in the morning bus after bus arrives and by 9 the place is packed with tourists,school classes and local visitors.
    But what a sight ,when they appear...these huge birds without moving the wings,with the wingspan of a small car, just lifted by the thermic.
    In the evening we find some hotsprings nearby, which are often a great place to spent a night (out in the quiet parkinglot after they close) .    Read more

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