Reader tips: Travelling Santiago to Bogota by bus and plane

NAME Lynda and Terry Quigley, Black Rock, Vic

THE TRIP Santiago to Bogota by bus and plane over seven weeks.

THE ITINERARY Santiago, Valparaiso​, Lima, Cuzco, Macchu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Arequipa​, Paracas, Salento, Medellin, Santa Marta, Cartagena, Bogota.

In Santiago Cerro San Cristobal for city and snow-covered Andes views, then hilly Valparaiso for colourful historic port, amazing house-sized street art and Naval Museum.

In Lima, the historic old town and modern Miraflores​, an upmarket beachside suburb with personal trainers and Paddington Bear statue. Flight to Cuzco to acclimatise for Inca Trail trek. Narrow cobbled streets opening onto the main square, old Spanish villas and immense Catholic churches. Colourful dance groups during a June festival. Strenuous trek to amazing Macchu Picchu. Then bus trip from Cusco to overnight stay on Lake Titicaca, then bus to Arequipa, home to a 16th century convent containing six streets within its walls. Visit to museum of frozen, young sacrifice to Incan gods, dislodged and discovered through global warming of the Andes. Another bus to Paracas, "the poor man's Galapagos", to see islands covered with birds, seals and penguins. Flight from Lima to Bogota, Colombia, second highest capital city in the world. Then flight/bus to Salento in the Coffee Zone for a hike through the Cocora Valley of palms and tour of coffee plantation. Medellin next, birthplace of Fernando Botero​ famous for his fat statues in the main square. Bus to Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast, first Spanish city in South America. Then bus to Cartagena, its old town a magical place of cobbled streets, huge stone churches, old Spanish mansions dripping with bougainvillea and lovely tropical squares. Stone walls and a fort overlooking the Caribbean Sea to protect the stolen Incan gold bound for Spain. Flight back to Bogota for Museum of Gold, a salt cathedral and mountain lookout.

BEST BITS All fabulous, especially Valparaiso, Cuzco, Cartagena, Lake Titicaca and Macchu Picchu. Chilled tropical juices in Cartagena.

WORST BIT Mobile phone stolen in restaurant in Lima.

BEST TIP Use Tappsi​ in Bogota, an app for calling taxis which registers your journey and the customer-rated driver's registration details.

WHERE TO NEXT Next year we are off to Britain for a friend's 60th birthday at a 14th century moated manor house in Herefordshire. Also Cornwall, The Dordogne, Italian lakes and Hong Kong.