4 Month (Van?) Journey LATAM?

Hey all! I (solo female late 20s) am building out a 3-4 month journey through South America in early 2026 (nearly every country minus Perú/Venezuela/Brazil...but also potentially adding on a bit of central America, not traveling by van). I'm fairly well traveled and can speak a decent amount of Spanish (lived in Spain for awhile). I am debating between doing van life through most of it, or just busses and hostels. Or a mix.

What did you do? Do you regret any of it?

If you did the journey living in a van or bus:

1. How did you go about getting the vehicle? Purchase or rent?

2. What were some unexpected challenges you encountered? Any issues crossing boarders?

3. How safe did you feel overall? Any areas that made you uneasy for one reason or another?

4. What was your route?

5. What did you do for a wifi setup? (Working virtually/own a business so impeccable isn't needed but enough to get by is a must, I can't go 100% off grid)

And/or any other thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated!