This challenging race and expedition offers the best opportunity to explore the vastness and diversity of South America by bike. In keeping with the Tour d’Afrique vision, it is an epic trans-continental expedition unlike any other. This is the only South American bicycle trip that covers the continent from top to tip, that includes up and coming Colombia, the menacing row of volcanoes in Ecuador, the majestic vistas throughout the Andes, the stunning and surreal landscapes of the Bolivian Salt Flat, the old colonial towns of Northern Argentina, and cycles the entire legendary road – the Carretera Austral, and savoures the remoteness of Patagonia and the vineyards and lakes of southern Chile.
The intrepid participants will be cycling this amazing continent from top to tip; starting in Cartagena, Columbia on the shores of the Caribbean; up and down the Andes ‘a few times’; covering Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina; exploring the Bolivian Salt Flats, Lake Titicaca and Machu Picchu; visiting some of the grand cities like Bogota, Quito, Lima, La Paz, Santiago; cycling through the stunning Patagonia region of southern Chile and Argentina, and finishing in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego on the shores of the Drake Passage. Along the way the cyclists will pass through 10 UNESCO World Heritage sites, a dozen National Parks and numerous other areas of historical and archeological interest.
Highlights include, but are not limited to;
- Cartagena, Colombia – stunning harbour and colonial architecture
- Zipaquira, Colombia – a beautiful historic town featuring the Salt Cathedral, an underground Roman Catholic church built within the tunnels of a salt mine.
- Bogota, Colombia – Colombia’s capital feauring its historic centre – La Candelaria
- Cycling past Ecuador’s many volcanoes including Antisana, Surnaco and Cotopaxi.
- Flying over the incredible Nazca Lines.
- Three rest days in Cusco to explore Machu Picchu.
- Lake Titicaca and its renowned floating islands.
- Cycling and camping on the other-worldy, Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat.
- A couple days spinning along historic route #68 through the little-known Valles Calchaquies.
- Exploring the incredible architecture of Chile’s capital, Santiago.
- Sipping Carmenere in the shadows of ice-toppped mountains.
- Completing the entire 1,240 kms of the mythical Carretera Austral in Patagonia.
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