From Lapland to Latin America on two wheels
Ilkka
Tuija
Cycling couple
About us
We are a cycling couple from Lapland, Finland. Our love for nature, travel and cycling (and each other!) has taken us to adventures around the world.
Adventures on the bicycle have challenged us physically and nurtured us mentally. On two wheels the surrounding world comes literally under your skin.
In February 2022 we hopped on our gravel bikes in Cartagena, Colombia and reached Ushuaia, Argentina in January 2nd, 2023. After a little break in Buenos Aires, we continued to Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil. The adventure ended in . Rio de Janeiro in May 2023. Now are are enjoying winter cycling in Lapland, Finland, dreaming of our next adventure. Meanwhile Tuija is writing a book on our South America. The book will be published in February 2023 in Finnish and translates something like “Idle Miles – cycling through South America.
Information about our journey when cycling through South America
(updated 25.4.2023)
We left Cartagena, Colombia on 7th of February, 2022 and arrived in Ushuaia, Argentina on 2nd of January, 2023.
After a 10 day break in Buenos Aires continued to Uruguay and Paraguay. Our final destination on this journey will be Rio de Janeiro in May 2023.
Please note that the cycling route map below does not detail every single village where we’ve taken a break during the cycling days nor the numerous wild camping spots.
To experience the lovely uphills and downhill of our route, please turn on the Google Earth 3D view on your computer. To watch the route on your mobile or pad, download the free Google Earth app.
Staticstics our our cycling trip
- Countries: 8. Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brasil, Paraguay.
- In total 452 days including rest days.
- Distance: 16 992 km excluding some city cycling without panniers during the rest days.
- From Ushuaia we took two buses and a flight to Buenos Aires and onwards a ferry to Uruguay where we continued cycling towards Rio de Janeiro. See the route below.
- Other means of transportation: 690 km by bus or collective taxi when Ilkka was recovering from Covid-19. 64 km by truck due to an armed strike in Colombia. 250 km by taxi when we were not allowed to cross the border in Paso Sico, Chile. 180 km by taxi and 400 km by bus to avoid a busy truck-filled and roads next to soybean fields in Brazil. 140 km of hitchhiking in Patagonia due to dangerous wind and 80 km in Paraguay due to exhaustive sun. We crossed 7 lakes and rivers by ferries and boats and took a ride by a motorboat to reach the tidal coast by the Atlantic. The last 500 km to Rio de Janeiro we travelled by bus.
- 60 % of the nights in tent at campsites, abandoned houses, soccer fields, people’s backyards, customs and various wild camping spots.
- 40% of the nights inside in hotels, hostels, casa de ciclistas, private homes.
- Longest day: 150 km with 1500 meters vertical.
- Shortest day: 2,4 km
- Longest downhill: 130 km
- Longest uphill: 70 km
- Most vertical per day: 2880 m
- Average daily distance: noin 70 km
- Average speed: not measured
- Gravel/paved: 40/60%
- Highest point: 5039 m
- Lowest point: 0 m
- Temperature: highest +43 C, coldest -15C when sleeping in tent in the altitude of 4300 m
- Punctures: 1 (tubeless), 3 (with tube which was on about 1000 km)
- Tires: changed to completely new after 6000 km
- Break pads: 7
- Other gear damages: 2 rims, 1 derailleur hanger, 1 chain
- Lost items: 2,5 pairs of socks in laundry, 1 sleeping bag cover, 1 drinking bottle, 1 fully-loaded pannier. The latter was eventually found.
- Money spent: approximately 600 € per person per month excluding insurance, gear, flight etc. costs prior to the trip.
- Stolen items: 0
- Diarrea: 6
- 3 flues
- Other illnesses: Covid-19 X 2
- Books read: 26
Click the map below to see the whole route in Google Earth on your browser or free Google Earth app.
