My trip is 15 nights. I reserved private rooms in Peru in hostels and non-high-class hotels, along with 3 overnight bus trips. I didn't realize that non-high-class hotels in South America don't have heating. I have found only one blog about somebody describing staying in unheated logging places in South America. Is it true that in South America, non-high class logging places are not heated?
Posted by
Denver, CO, USA
1657 posts
I would say this is generally true though my travels in SA have been spread over 20 years and over different seasons so hard to generalize and don't necessarily remember the details.
Can call out a couple of things:
- Didn't need heat in the Guianas (Dec trip) - Guyana, Suriname, Fr Guiana
- No heat in the high areas of Peru that I can remember. Specifically, it was very cold in Puno (Lake Titicaca) and Colca canyon. This also meant no hot water but this was around 20 yrs ago. Though all establishments normally provide heavy blankets
- Ecuador - Riobamba I remember as cold with no heat or hot water
- Colombia - including about a month ago - didn't need heat in Manizales or Salento
- Bolivia (most recent - about 3 - 5 weeks ago). Stayed in nice hotels and didn't have heat in La Paz, Tarija (lower elev so not needed), anywhere on the Salar Circuit, Sucre, Samaipata, or Santa Cruz. Didn't need in S Cruz but Samaipata was cold (first big cold wave according to the locals). The only place we had heat was in more higher end hotels in Tupiza (9000 ft - mornings were around freezing) and Potosi (~13,400 feet).
- Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Chile -- travels were mainly during southern hemispheres summer so didn't need heat
Posted by
OP
Detroit, MI
1105 posts
Thanks for your input. It looks like in the last ten years, the low temperature in Cusco on July 5th to 7th was about 27 to 41F. The high temperature was about 63-77F. Did you pack sweatpants or long underwear? Are you sure the blankets the hotel will provide will be adequate? Part of my brain will feel like this trip is something dangerous I shouldn't be doing. How can you shower in an unheated bathroom?
Posted by
Denver, CO, USA
1657 posts
Yes, we did pack long underwear since we were going to do the Salar trip. We did a one way from S to N, starting in Tupiza and ending in Uyuni. This was a 4 day/3 night trip. The elevation on the entire circuit is very high and possibly similar to what you may encounter if you go to lake Titicaca and Colca Canyon.
Google says that Puno is over 12,500 and the top of Colca Canyon is over 13,000 ft. For comparison, the first two nights on our Salar trip were spent at 14,000 and 14,300 ft with the last night being around 12,000. The highest elevation we reached was 16,300 ft. If you have been in high mountains elsewhere you know how cold it gets. In Colorado where I hike, the rule of thumb is that the temp falls between 3-5 degrees F for every 1,000 ft you go up.
Finally, every hotel will provide you with more blankets if needed. And in some places like La Paz and Potosi, they will likely have oxygen on hand. Regarding hot water, if you stayed in the basic accommodation, then you could pay extra for a hot shower in most places I believe ($1.50 on the Salar circuit). Also note that during the day you will likely be fine if the sun is shining. My assumption is that most hotels in cities such as Cuzco will have hot water. The places I’m referencing are small outposts in the vast expanses of these countries and wouldn’t come close to even be considered a town.