Camper for family of 4

[ianc]

I'm looking at the idea of doing the Pan American highway with my family and looking at what vehicle options I should consider. Things I think I need are:
1) Tough enough to deal with South/Central American roads (Not lots of off road)
2) Room for two adults & two kids to cook, live & sleep
3) Easy to maintain (can it be fixed in Bolivia?)
4) Not so flash that I have "target" written on my forehead.

Any pointers & help appreciated

 

[stevenmd]

Subscribed!

 

[pnwkayaker]

I might be partial (OK, I know I'm partial, since I *love* my Syncro Westy), but have you considered a Vanagon Westfalia ? Can sleep 2 adults and 2 kids, and several people have done the same trip (see http://torlasco.tripod.com) with that van.

 

[maximumrob]

I have the same challenge in front of me with my very young children, but we have no aspirations of going south of the border (north of the Red River, maybe!). The answer for us is a Suburban and a tent. There are some snazzy tents out there these days if you don't have to have expedition-bling or hard sides on your abode.

How minimalist do you want to be? What things are you not going to compromise on?

How 'bout a crew cab truck with a hard-sided camper in the bed?

 

[ujoint]

I think you already know you want a 4wd van!

 

[ianc]

A 4WD would not be a forgone conclusion - but they do look the part!

I think the VW would fail on the sleep/live/cook for 4 test.

How big an RV/Camper can you easily do this trip with (I'm thinking a small seperated bedroom would be good for the peace - But are any of them up to the abuse?

Anyone know what people do with their vehicles when they get to the bottom of South America? turn around or sell?

Just wondering - Could I fly to "somewhere south" and pick up a vehicle then travel north?

 

[stevenmd]

Anyone know what people do with their vehicles when they get to the bottom of South America? turn around or sell?

Just wondering - Could I fly to "somewhere south" and pick up a vehicle then travel north?

Interesting idea. I wonder if Graham has any input on this.

 

[18seeds]

I don't know anything about the type of road conditions you will encounter but what about a Truck with slide in camper or a Tiger Provan? More room seems like a must if you are traveling with children.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

used uhaul truck with a 4x4 conversion then converted into a camper.

 

[tamangel]

20000 miles south..

my favorite book as a kid..

20,000 Miles South. A Pan American Adventure in a Seagoing Jeep From the Arctic Circle to Tierra Del Fuego by Helen and Frank Schreider

float around the Darien Gap..

Mike W

 

[CalgaryMcLean]

We are doing this trip right now. Just crossed into Peru (not via the PanAmerican though).

Two adults, 2 kids (11 and 9 year olds), plus one large dog. All in a Syncro Westfalia, pulling a small trailer: www.mungoeatsla.ca

We have been fortunate with the weather and haven't been trapped inside too much due to rain, so the Westy has been fine for room.

Depending where you plan to go, 4wd isn't an absolute must, although it does add an extra measure of confidence. A 2wd Westy with good tires, some skid plates, and maybe a limited slip differential would get you most places.

Most places we've been you could get to in a larger truck and camper combination, but there have been a few pueblos with narrow roads when I've been glad not to be any wider.

For ease of repairs, I would think a Toyota would be a good choice though (the Toyota Hilux is everywhere around here). Four people in a small camper could be tight though.

 

[ianc]

We are doing this trip right now. Just crossed into Peru (not via the PanAmerican though).

Two adults, 2 kids (11 and 9 year olds), plus one large dog. All in a Syncro Westfalia, pulling a small trailer: www.mungoeatsla.ca

We have been fortunate with the weather and haven't been trapped inside too much due to rain, so the Westy has been fine for room.

Depending where you plan to go, 4wd isn't an absolute must, although it does add an extra measure of confidence. A 2wd Westy with good tires, some skid plates, and maybe a limited slip differential would get you most places.

Most places we've been you could get to in a larger truck and camper combination, but there have been a few pueblos with narrow roads when I've been glad not to be any wider.

For ease of repairs, I would think a Toyota would be a good choice though (the Toyota Hilux is everywhere around here). Four people in a small camper could be tight though.

Thanks for the insight. I've been reading your blog and impressed you have survived without killing each other so far!. Lots of questions
How long are you gone for and is there a section (in the blog) on the overall route you are taking?
Is Mungo along for security or are you just escorting him on his adventure?
What sort of paperwork did you have to organise before leaving?

 

[CalgaryMcLean]

We left Calgary on June 2, 2009 and our house is rented out until the end of June 2010 so the plan is to be gone 13 months.

We don´t have our overall route posted in the blog, mostly because it is always changing! We think the rest of the trip will go something like this: Lima for Christmas, maybe back to Huaraz, on to Cusco, then Bolivia and to the east coast of Argentina, then south through Patagonia, and then back north through Chile. Will most likely ship the van back to Calgary from somewhere in Chile. (Our original plan was to drive all the way south and then drive all the way back, but 1 year just isn´t long enough for us to do this.)

The hound dog is just along for the ride, although his presense does make people stop and think before getting too close sometimes

Other than an international driver´s licence and a passport, no special paperwork has been required (and I don´t really know if the international driver´s licence is needed or not). The dog has a health certificate and a list of all his shots.

Good luck with your trip!

Kevin

 

[ianc]

Bump - Any more suggestions for a vehicle with a little more room than the VW camper ( I will no be able to sell the VW to the higher power)

 

[1leglance]

there is a link here on expo for a older sportsmobile for $10k
would be a great rig