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South American Epic section 6

Summary

Cycling the Salt Flats This is the sixth section of the South American Epic, La Paz to Salta. A few days after pedalling out of La Paz, our intrepid riders will have the unique opportunity of cycling and camping on the other-worldly, Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat. A six day trek brings you into Salta in Northern Argentina.

Recreational, Road bike, Mountain bike

14 days

1350 km / 839 mi

$ 3,950.-

Ride across the salt encrusted Salar
Camp in a Meteor Crater
Beautiful barren landscapes of Northern Argentina
Sample Argentinian wines in Salta

Gallery

Details

Type

Recreational, Road bike, Mountain bike

Duration

14 days

Level

Challenging

Support

Guided

Daily distance

100-120 km / 62-75 mi

Total distance

1350 km / 839 mi

Lodging

Camping, full board

Luggage transport

Daily luggage transfers

Bicycle

Not included

Dates

26 Sep 2024 - 08 Oct 2024

Limited space available

Start

La Paz, Bolivia

Finish

Salta, Argentina

Airport at start

La Paz, El Alto LPB

Airport at finish

Salta, Martín Miguel de Güemes SLA

Prices Please note the prices are subject to change depending availability

Price per person / please note the prices are subject to change depending availability

The tour price per person

$ 3,950.-

Itinerary

Inclusive / Not inclusive

Cycling the Salt Flats
As with Quito, Ecuador, La Paz, Bolivia is situated at a very high altitude- some parts of the city are at over 4100m above sea level - so if your section begins here, please arrive a few days before your section begins in order to acclimatize.

This high altitude section begins in La Paz, Bolivia’s frenzied capital city. Hopefully, sectional cyclists beginning their ride here will have arrived a few days early in order to acclimatize. The tour enters and departs on the Mi Teleférico, the world’s largest aerial cable car system. At 30 km and expanding, the network gives riders a chance to experience some unique and incredible views of La Paz. Once out of the city, the cyclists pedal south through the wild and barren southern altiplano. During the day the treeless plains are back-dropped by breathtaking volcanic peaks while at night the empty skies allow for some astonishing stargazing.

The route passes through the gritty mining town of Oruro, known throughout South America for its musical traditions that culminate in the city’s annual Carnaval celebrations. Although the tour will miss the wild celebration, riders may still be tempted to buy a locally designed Diablada (dance of the devil) mask. The cyclists continue south, camping one night on the rim of an ancient meteor crater before arriving in the tiny village of Conqueza. Sitting at the foot of Volcan Tunupa this spot marks the start of the cyclist’s trek across the stunning Salar de Uyuni.

Situated at almost 3700m and covering over 12,000 sq km, the Salar is the world’s largest salt flat. The riders will make the crossing in one day, covering 135 kms. Along the way they will experience surreal views – a seemingly endless expanse of white beneath a perfectly blue sky - occasionally broken up by cacti-studded islands, strange rock formations and pink flamingos. Salt is still extracted from the Salar for both human and animal consumption but underneath the flat lies a real treasure, the world’s largest lithium deposit.

After a well-deserved rest day in the tourist town of Uyuni, the route takes the riders south towards the border with Argentina. Along the way they will spin through some rugged countryside. Dry ravines, crooked cacti and rust coloured slopes are sprinkled with packs of llamas and colourful adobe houses. After crossing the border, the route continues through a harsh but magical landscape. Sculpted by centuries of wind and water, rock formations have been carved into strange and mysterious shapes and shift through a wide spectrum of colours. A final climb takes the riders into the city of Salta, brimming with colonial charm and sophisticated dining options.

* This is a general itinerary. Tour itineraries are subject to change based on the group, available accommodations and other unforeseen circumstances such as the weather, local conditions, government intervention, that may affect the quality of the trip and/or safety of the participants. Please view this itinerary as an outline as to what to expect on this tour.

Level: challenging

Longer days, harsher environments (temperature, winds) and terrain (rough dirt, gravel roads at times, more significant climbing) become a larger factor. More surprises await you.

Included:

Accommodation the night before first cycling day and the night of last cycling day are included in entry fee.
5 nights hotels, double occupancy rooms on hotel nights, we pair each rider with others of same gender
9 Nights of camping, bring your own camping gear
Most dinners, Most breakfasts, All roadside lunches, Afternoon soup on riding days
Experienced chef
Vehicle to carry your bags
Experienced tour leader
Sweep rider
Security as needed
Bike mechanic
Medic
Local support
Pre-tour information bulletitins
Pre-tour rider discussion forum

Not included:

Bring your own bike, For this section, we recommend a touring bike with 45-50c tires.
Airfare to and from the tour
Gratuity guides

We advise booking at least 1 additional night at tour accommodation before the tour, to be able to attend rider briefing and have assistance from tour bike mechanic in setting up your bike

Map & Routes

Map

Satellite

Bicycle

For this section, we recommend a mountain or touring bike with 45-50c tires.
For more information see PDF file below

Downloads

KM per day section 6 South American Epic

choosing a bicycle