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Bike Across the Andes
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16
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This is a 15-night trip including Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. It’s not just a uniquely designed itinerary that takes you to amazing places. It’s much more then that… It’s the chance to “experience adrenaline” and fell, with every step, that we’re in the “end of the world”. We offer a journey in motorcycle and 4x4 trucks though salt flats, lakes and impenetrable roads. The trip begins in Quebrada de Humuaca, declared a World Natural Heritage site by UNESCO. Its continues in the small town of San Antonio de los Cobres, located in the middle of the mythical Puna, and from there we head towards the border with Chile through and amazing arid landscape, filled with color and at great heights. Once we arrive to San Pedro de Atacama, we visit the valley of the moon, the hot springs and geysers. We continue traveling to Bolivia, and plunge into its Altiplano (high plains). We explore mountains, volcanoes, sleep two nights in the homes of local inhabitants and arrive to the Uyuni Salt Plain, the largest in the world. Then we go to Lake Titicaca and Fish Island.
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VIP Tours has no fixed departure dates. We plan One-of-a-Kind Luxury Travel completely designed for you. Call our travel planners now to see how easy it is... 800.772.9188.
Day 1 - Buenos Aires / Jujuy / Tilcara (Quebrada de Humahuaca)
Flight to Jujuy City Airport and transfer to the City of Tilcara. In the afternoon, we get our motorcycles ready and ride around the Quebrada de Humahuaca to get used to the height and explore this narrow valley of beautiful views. This is a place with a millenary Andean culture and 10,000 years of history; declared Natural World Heritage by the UNESCO. Dinner at the Pucará de Tilcara, an old Indian fortress, and return to the hotel.
Day 2 - Tilcara / San Antonio de los Cobres
Early in the morning we ride on the bikes and trucks along Road 9, pass by the Cuesta de Lipán and arrive to the Big Salt Planes. We have a light box lunch and continue traveling up to San Antonio de los Cobres, a small northern town to spend the night.
Day 3 - San Antonio de los Cobres / San Pedro de Atacama (Chile)
After getting the equipment ready, we continue with the journey. The next portion is very demanding: the road and height are a great challenge. Box lunch at noon. We continue traveling towards the border with Chile to cross through Paso de Sico and to San Pedro de Atacama, a small town located in an area with some of the highest peaks of the Andes Mountain Range.
Day 4: San Pedro de Atacama
We go to Puritama Hot Springs, located in the north of San Pedro de Atacama in a mountain canyon. We have lunch and explore this fantastic place with thermal water pools created from the underground streams of River Puritama, an invitation to relax. By night we visit the Valley of the Moon located in the Cordillera de la Sal, an area of great beauty which is similar to the moon's landscape due its rock formations, petrified salt and sand eroded after thousands of years of floods and wind. Box lunch dinner under the moonlight and return to the hotel.
Day 5: San Pedro de Atacama - Lake Colorada (Bolivia)
Early in the morning, taking only the necessary equipment, we go towards the border with Bolivia to Lake Colorada, where there's absolutely nothing but the homes of the inhabitants. In the lake, located 4,200 meters above sea level, there are pink flamingoes and thousands of Andean birds. By night we have dinner and sleep in the area's Shelter.
Day 6: Lake Colorada - San Juan del Rosario
We have breakfast in the shelter of Lake Colorada and then leave towards Chiguana Salt Flat, passing by the stone tree and Lagoons Ramaditas, Honda, Chiar Kota, Hedionda and Cañapa, watching the pink flamingos on the road. This portion of the journey is at an average height of 4000 meters, and it takes 8 hours on roads made of calamine, sand and in a very bad shape. We stop to have a box lunch along the way and then continue to a small town called San Juan del Rosario, where we have dinner and spend the night.
Day 7: San Juan del Rosario - Uyuni
Early in the morning we begin our journey to the city of Uyuni, passing by the salt flat by the same name, the largest one in the world, with a surface area of 11,000 square km. This is one of the most difficult roads because the earth is sandy and we might encounter water holes. After a pretty rough day, we check-in and relax.
Day 8: Uyuni - La Paz
We explore the town of Uyuni and head towards the city of La Paz. Today is a day of low difficulty: we travel on rubble and paved roads that take us through an attractive mountain landscape. We pass by Oruro and other small towns. In the afternoon, we reach La Paz, where we spend the night.
Day 9: La Paz - Copacabana
We leave early towards Copacabana. We border Lake Titicaca and cross it by raft. Lake Titicaca is a very special place, a mystic place for the Incas. It's the highest navigable lake of the world, surrounded by mountains and some snowed peaks, and it has islands that are none other than more mountain peaks. We arrive to Copacabana and check-in. We explore the city, visit the Cathedral, the square and enjoy the beautiful views.
Day 10: Copacabana - La Paz
In the morning we visit the Islands of the Sun and the Moon located on Lake Titicaca. The Island of the Sun has many remains of the Tiawanakota, Aymará and Quechua cultures that inhabited this place before the Incas did. In the Island of the Moon there are the ruins of the Iñak Uyu Palace or the Temple of the Moon, possibly an Ajlla Huasi or a place of meditation for ñustas or virgins of the Sun. We leave this wonderful place and continue our trip towards the city of La Paz.
Day 11: La Paz - Potosí
We get our motorbikes and trucks ready to go to the City of Potosí, located at 4,070 meters high at the foot of the Andes, one of the highest cities of the world. We arrive in the afternoon and check-in. This city offers various and interesting alternatives for dinner.
Day 12: Potosí
We explore the city of Potosí, declared World Cultural Heritage for being intact to date. We visit the the Royal Mint House, the Royal Treasure, the Convent Tower of the Company, and the Church of San Francisco.
Day 13: Potosí - Sucre
After breakfast, we leave the city of Potosí and head for the city of Sucre, the oldest city of South America. A low-difficulty mountain road is waiting for us. We arrive in the afternoon, check-in and relax.
Day 14: Sucre
Today we rest from the bikes and trucks. We explore the city of Sucre, declared World Heritage by the UNESCO. We visit the old section of the city of a great architectural value as buildings have been preserved intact through time.
Day 15: Sucre- Tupiza
We leave early on our bikes and trucks towards the town of Tupiza, where we spend the night. Our journey is on a rubble road full of curves and counter curves. There are breathtaking views of green valleys, long, red canyons, cacti woods and multicolor mountain formations.
Day 16: Tupiza - Salta (Argentina)
The last day of our trip has arrived and a short journey is ahead. We leave Tupiza for the border with Argentina, pass by Quiaca and several towns of the area until the city of Salta late in the afternoon. We leave the motorbikes and go to the airport.
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Package Prices and other details
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Hotel
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Prices
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Land Only - Price is per person based on double occupancy.
Includes:. Aall breakfasts some lunches and some dinners. Guides, transports, entrance fees and airport transfers. 13 nights accommodation in hotels according or similar to the itinerary, 2 nights accommodation in local homes, meals according to the itinerary, full gear and specialized guides for the journey, mechanic support for the bikes, support truck throughout the trip, ongoing coordination.
Not Included: International airfare
Important Notice: This is a general itinerary, which does not necessarily incorporate the special interests that you may have personally. Please contact our specialists to customize this trip for you. Call us at 800.772.9188 to speak with an expert now.
Required Gear: Helmet, Goggles, Motocross boots, Gloves.
Recommended Equipment: Chest, knee and elbow protections, Cross pants, Sunscreen, Fleece-lined jacket, Small backpack, Wool gloves for the nights, Fleece neck, Thermal T-shirts, Warm jacket, Fleece shirt, Fleece neck, Gloves, Trekking pants, Warm clothes because we're at a great height, Lip balm, Wool hat.
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