Explore the Atacama Desert with Dainese - AAP2201
Our international guests arrived safely in Salta, en el norte de Argentina! This tour was set up in cooperation with Dainese and our motto for the next 10 days is: Explore the Atacama Desert with Dainese! Let me introduce our team: Vittoria, Luca, Ralf, Fernando, Francisco, Maxim, Marco, Martin, Refael and the guides Roberto & Holger!
Luca giving some offroad instructions in the morning at a beautiful peaceful spot Our royal :-) lunch at Thermas de Reyes! Starting into our unpaved section in the afternoon And ending our beautiful day in the Cerros De Los Siete Colores
Foto shooting with amazing views...we went up here like in an elevator. 3.900m a.s.l Having the Empanada and Mate de Coca experience on the Salinas Grandes de Jujuy Fueling up in the middle of nowhere....Yiehaa! Our dinner in San Pedro de Atacama...nice and warm again. On the way "down" from the Paso de Jama freezing temperatures. A long ride on an elevation between 4.500 and 4.800 m a.s.l.
In the morning in the Valle de la Luna...here Martin. This landscape is really like "on another earth feeling" On the way up to our remote mountain crossing, passing another laguna on ~ 4.100m... Refael always relaxed and having fun Vicunas feeding in the freezing cold water, later we decided that this is our lunch spot for today. Roberto brought sandwiches here...what a wonderful place Maxime! Marco, our professional photographer and filmer catching up In the late evening some rim & tire changes
The way out of an oasis in the middle of the desert Lagunas, salars, volcanos on the way to Bolivia...even though you are in the desert the landscape changes continously...fantastic!! Next arrangement for another foto shooting...Luca arranging the bike :-) Martin and Fernando helping serving the lunch in a small restaurant...we waited already for two hours at the border, nothing is moving, stuck in papers and authorities... ...running out of the time: On the bolivian side there is nothing for the next 250km. That would mean we would ride on unpaved desert roads into the darkness. No option. We found two small hostals, where we can sleep tonight. This IS an adventure tour! Impressions from one end of the world...:-) And in the evening we got beautiful wine and a dinner as well :-) All good, and everybody is up for the next day's adventure
Rafi warming his hands in the sun Taking off into the Bolivian desert And here we reached the Salar de Uyuni and Maxime his son Sagi waiting for him here... Sunset over the salar...nature dictates, just impressive, let it sink in Here our birthday "couple". Vittoria and Roberto have birthday on the same day...actually on our beautiful day before:-)
After the fun on the Salar, the washing experience...:-) Rafi...this guy sprayed me :-) ..and Luca helping Welcome to the chaos in Potosi... ...and then Roberto plugged in the van into the garage. A master piece! :-)
Out in the desert again Roberto helping to fuel up ...and first border impressions...a long afternoon and further extended to the evening. Another experience. Ralf, our jounalist, texting... ...if we only could...and yes, then we were invited to queue up and finally we crossed the border. Yiehaa!
Our last riding day, first flying over the Pampa, then through a wonderful canyon, desert and rock formations... A great lunch on our way back to Salta... ...and thank you all for this great adventure tour and safe travels home!