Trek of the Americas
STARTS IN MCALLEN TX ON AUGUST 25TH

​2017 ALL TRUCK CAMPER TREK-FORMING

Travel Details and Vehicle Requirements

From the start…….
We all met before the trek in Texas, socialized and inspected the vehicles, paperwork, and prepared to enter into the journey of a lifetime!
THEN it started…
You could not imagine driving into latin america in your own rv.......The following is a true comment from one of our members!
“I really don’t know how to put this DREAM IN REALITY, except make a list (maybe you would call it a BUCKET LIST?” Please read these 49 items...It WILL ​MAKE YOU GO!!!!!!!
Here it goes (not always in chronological order:

1. The thrill of driving in Mexico, seeing the agricultural fields, stopping with the group for a break at a small store and fueling in liters, paying in pesos.  We crossed the TROPIC OF CANCER.
2. On the first days we saw the mountains, the Gulf, and the fishermen - all from our RV.
3. On the second day, a real treat was our first visit to the Mayan Culture was to the site of EL TAJIN RUINS, and museum and witnessing the famous dance of the Voladores! 
4. Then traveling to the Gulf coast beaches and river, we enjoyed a peaceful little village and beach town where we enjoyed excellent seafood, took a river tour, and visited a Vanilla Factory where we saw the plantation .  
5. Gulf coast towns, then south to the isthmus of Mexcio, where we crossed over to the Pacific side and the lush jungle-like scenery north of Guatemala.  What a change, passing the MANGO CAPITAL OF MEXICO.
6. WOW…actually going into “Central America”…entering the border of Guatemala, the people and surroundings completely changed.  Colorful costumes, fresh fruits and veggies, Indian culture.  Some said…..”Too bad Mexico is in-between”…freshness and mountain air, southbound on the Pan American Highway.
7. Three days at a full hookup campground, NATURAL HOT SPRINGS, 6 HOT POOLS, JACUZZI, VAPOR BATHS, WAVE POOL,  green grass, barbecue pits, wow….we based camped here, where we traveled to tourist points such as Antigua, Pacific coast, and the Ruins of Copan.
8. Then, El Salvador Pacific Beaches, camped next to a Volcano at a mountain rain forest, star watched, from here you can see the Pacific Ocean.  Here are orchids, blue birds, hummingbirds, butterflies , and amazing volcanic lakes.
9. Then a beautiful Passage thru the mountains of Honduras on the way to the Nicaragua border where we head south on the Pan American Highway
10. In Nicaragua we see Volcanic National Park, Hammock Making, stay on the shore of 100 mile long Lake Nicaragua, Ometepe Island, and sample the typical foods of the areas.
11. Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast, beautiful beaches and on to Panama.  Panama Canal Transit, city tour, and shopping in Largest Shopping Center of the Americas.  New subway transit system in world class.
12. COLUMBIA….CARTAGENA BEST for four days, old forts, Columbia Foods, and a few days in hotel.  Carriage ride in old historic town, introduction to South America meeting and review of the routing.
13. South through Columbia we see:
    1. Cocoa Plantation, and packing plants with chocolate samples.
    2. Stay on a Cayman Farm with hotel and restaurant and zoo.
    3. Cross the highest mountain on the Pan Am route, waterfalls, and cheese country.
    4. Visit Schools and give out school supplies.
    5. Special Visit to mountain hamlet with gold panning in river.
    6. !3,000 feet pass before leaving Columbia.
    7. Columbia is where the policeman is your FRIEND.
    8. Beautiful white beaches.

14.  ENTER EQUADOR….Centre of the world.l
15.  Visit the Indian pueblos , and mercados, along the Pan Am Highway.
16.  Cross the EQUADOR at Quito Equador, visit the capital city.  We stay at a Military School, where the President exercises in the morning.
17.  Gasoline is $1.00 a gallon!
18.  Pass through some out of the way villiages, and rural sights in Equador.
19.  Stop and chat with the locals, restaurants and experience local cultures.
20.  Prepare to enter Peru from Equador.  Start of the Sechura Desert, later you will enter the Atacama Desert – a desert in  Chile and  Peru, the driest desert in the world!
21.  Now I am in Peru….really hard to believe!…Pass arid areas on the way to the Pacific coast.  Hundreds of “ghost towns” all over the area..we stopped at several and even had lunch there.
22.  Finally reach the mountains with many geographic veins through out the rock formations before reaching the coast.  Famous for seafood.  We spend 2 days at one of the remote villages here…..fishing, total rock beaches, and sea lions. and visiting the coastal fishing towns,  enjoy the seafood, and hear an occasional fisherman singing in the early morning in his boat off the coast!  Really!
23.  LIMA Peru is bypassed and we stay on the south side, optional fly out to Machu  Picchu - Cusco for a couple of days .  Land of the Incas!  This is the No. 1 Tourist Attraction in the World!
24.  South of Limas we visit the The Nazca Lines /ˈnæzkɑː/ are a series of ancient geoglyphs in the Nazca Desert, in southern Peru. They were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site - Also we stay at the museum there!  Option fly over in small plane.
25.  More desert adventure enroute to Chile.
26.  Enter the driest desert in the world,  visit abandoned mines (World Heritage Site), and     see llamas, and a coast of Sea Lions everywhere.27.  Camp at a town campground, that has a fence built of SALT ROCKS, also view the Southern Cross in the night sky.
27  We stop and visit local cemeteries and read the headstones - lots of English Miners here.  Amazingly preserved because of the dry climate, ahead we visit a old railroad yard and museum with a roundhouse.  We stay here overnight, then early morning cross the TROPIC OF CAPICORN with a monument. 
28.  Traveling on the PANAMERICAN HIGHWAY (SUPER AUTOBON) it seems like we are in Germany with the super highway,  Following the Chile Coast and visiting the coastal fishing towns,  enjoy the seafood.
29.  Several Valleys here are rich in Fruits and veggies.
30.  ANACONDA COPPER MINE and it’s history, the big trucks dwarf our RVs, Petroglyphs, and ancient Indian settlements are scattered all over.  …. I’am still “pinching” myself…have a sore leg!!!  lol
31.  The great Andes Mountains are visible with the snow covered caps to our east side before we reach Santiago camping at a military base there.
32.  After Santiago, we travel in the wine country (and sample some too!)  The vineyards stretch forever, you can almost smell the grapes, great trout streams, and historic towns with German Style buildings.
33.  Before crossing the Andes into Argentina, we stop at a hot springs, and pass fields of bright colored tulips, painting the countryside.
34.  Then we travel to the “pass” with snow on both sides of the highway, at the top is the official border of CHILE/ARGENTINA, however the border station into Argentina is a few kilometers ahead.  We stop to get a view of “Reflection Lake” below, and then on to the border.
35.  Out of the snow at the border station, and on to Barlioche - the winter capital of Argentina where we stay a couple  of days .. first class restaurants, chocolate factories, and typical gift shops here… ice skating rink too.  Lago Argentino here.  Ski is a hour away if you want to.
36.  El Bolson and Lago Guterrez…. after Barliloche we have a “Big Pinch” camping along beautiful Lago Guterrez, crystal clear drinking water in a National Campground, waterfalls, and campsites with electric and hot showers.  Then on to the spiritual Capital of Argentina, El Bolson … homemade jelly and jams, beer, and lots of hippies.
37.  Grand Canyon of Argentina
38.  Historical Oil Fields and equipment
39.  Califate National Park and Glaciers,  flying Condors, wild horses, and more!  This is where we camp and make HOT TEA OUT OF THE MELTING GLACIER ICE!
40.  THEN, on to the famous fishing area of the brown trout, and on the the end of the Panamerican Highway, Ushuaia - World’s Southernmost City, we stay at the World’s Southernmost Campground in the National Park, near the sign reading: “Alaska-19,990 kms”  Also a chance to play golf on the world’ s SOUTHERNMOST GOLF COURSE.
41. PETRIFIED NATIONAL FOREST, lots of Rheas, Foxes, Sheep, and petrified logs.
42.  Atlantic coast camping on the shore - bowling in a 4 lane bowling alley with hand set pins.
43.  Whale Watching, sea elephants , penguins (over a million), National Park and campground, visit a Welch Village.
44.  Walmart
45.  Buenos Aires, tango show, walking street, national monuments , ChoriPan, and more!
46.  Car Ferry over the Rio Plata to Uruguay, duty free gift shop and restaurant on board, enjoy the ride.
47.  URUGUAY……City Parks, River fishing, local wine tasting, thousands of old cars still on the road everyday.  Visit rural schools.
48.  BRAZIL - Southern border area of Brazil, local color and the visit to the city of two countries…  Longest undivided beach in the world…over 300 kms you can drive on!
49.  LAND of hot springs, Cranes (the bird), and hidden fishing spots.

Reservations; Contact [email protected] for application and details.  Our price for the last 6 years has been $14,900 for 2 persons.  There is a $2000 deposit for reservation (refundable up until 90 days prior to departure date - less $500 administrative fee).  You are required to send vehicle and passport information for pre-check at this time. Special discounts to groups available.

​Vehicle Preparation:
After operating this trip for 15 years (and three years of research before that), we have found the following vehicles and equipment to have proven themselves time after time.  These are only guidelines, if you have any questions about the material discussed in this section, please call us at 956-369-7575 or via email: [email protected]

R.V. GUIDELINES:
The following guidelines are recommended  for “Trek of the Americas” Expedition

1. 35’ or less in total overall vehicle length (required).
   
   
2. Good ground clearance (especially important not to have excessive rear overhang or long bumpers).
   
   
3. Top mechanical shape.
   
   
4. New tires (we recommend buying Bridgestone ® brand tires)
   
   
5. Potable water purifier, we suggest Nature-pure by General Ecology.
   
   
6. Transmission Cooler & Oil Cooler.
   
   
7. A/C Generator or Inverter.
   
   
8. Solar Panel for battery charging.
   
   
9. FULLY Self-Contained ... expect no hook-up facilities on this trip.  Your vehicle should be comfortable enough to live in without the need of constant external service connections.
   
   

What type vehicle should I get?
There are many options available when deciding on the ideal unit for this expedition.  There are four principal aspects to keep in mind:

Comfort/Livability:
Choose a vehicle you can ‘live with’ for the period of the journey.  Decide if you can do without air conditioning (most campers do not have generators).  Units should have sufficient vents for air flow, with the door closed.  Also consider the windows for visibility. A fantastic vent roof air-circulation system is a great investment and will help when you need to keep air moving in your RV.

Security:
Your RV must be able to be securely locked with all windows secured.  Windows should have shades or blinds (tinting recommended) so living quarters are not visible from the exterior.  An alarm system should be installed and identified with exterior decals.  A separation door or “removable wall” is highly recommended to divide the rear living quarters from the driver’s compartment.  This is specially valuable when your RV is shipped to prevent pilferage on the ship.  Interior cabinets and furnishings should be secured and extra care taken in securing loose items (lamps, mixers, pictures, storage bins, etc.) with Velcro fasteners.

Size and Design:
The maximum length currently acceptable is 33 feet.  The chassis design should be such as not to have under-carriage drag.  Drag characteristics depend on ground clearance and rear axle/body overhang.  Generally speaking, if you have a dragging problem here in the US or Canada, your RV will not be acceptable.  We have found the Air Lift System, excellent for improving ride and suspension height.

Fuel - Diesel or Gas?
The preferred fuel for south-of-the-border travel is diesel and the price will average approximately 40% less than gasoline.  Both fuels are readily available in all countries.  Diesel will usually give you higher mileage than gasoline.  Fuel capacity should be sufficient to travel at least 300 miles.

The best type of vehicle for this trip is either a 'Class-B motorhome, Class-C motorhome or pick-up truck/slide-in camper combination.  We have had many RV's on our caravans and have found most to be well built and able to withstand the rigors of foreign travel conditions. 

SPARE PARTS LIST:
Even if your vehicle is new, it is highly suggested that you bring the following spare parts along. Keep in mind - most dealers and parts stores will give you a full refund when you return the parts un-used after the trip.

Thermostat

Ignition module

Plug wires

Fan clutch

Altinator repair kit or replacement

Wheel cylinder repair kit

Master cylinder repair kit

Glow Plugs (Diesel vehicles)

Radiator Hoses – upper & lower

Full Set of Belts

Full Set of Filters (Air, Oil, Fuel) (2)

Wheel Bearings (both front and rear and both inner and outer)

Wheel Seals (front and rear)

U joints

Fan Clutch

Water Pump 

Fuel Pump

Vacuum Pump

Alternator (Vehicles over 75,000 miles)
Extra brake fluid, power steering fluid, windshield washer fluid, and a can of radiator stop leak.

TIRES - Bridgestone tires are recommended and have proven durable in our tests in the extreme heat, cold, dirt and gravel roads, and general riding comfort.  Extra tires (at least two spares), should be carried if you have a half size (i.e. 16.5, 17.5 or 19.5" rims), which are extremely difficult to find in South America.

RADIO - VHF 2M radio - opened frequencies.  Must be connected to operate with the ignition switch is in the “off” position.

ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT - Optional items you may want to have are: compass, altimeter, outdoor thermometer, and GPS.


Of course all the normal RV items, hoses, connectors, bucket, toilet chemical, elect adapters, propane wrench...... you know!

Special Advise:

Couple of GOOD IDEAS FOR SOUTH OF THE BORDER TRAVEL!
DRIVERS LICENSE ADVISE:
1.  Get a International Driving Permit AND also a Inter-American Driving Permit.  The Inter-American Permit is required for Brazil. (These can be obtained from AAA or CAA.)


2.  Color Photo-copy your DRIVERS LICENSE, both sides, and plasticize it!  You need not give your orginal to the police....