Atacama Desert Crossing, 17-day Mountain biking tour in northern Argentina and Chile

Arrival in Salta. Adjust bicycles, trip briefing and safety talk. Tour this beautiful colonial era city and enjoy a dinner of the delicious local cuisine.

Transfer to the spectacular red sand stone cliffs of Quebrada de las Conchas (Seashell Canyon) where the riding begins. The day’s destination is Cafayate, the center of northern Argentina’s wine country. In the afternoon, tour this charming colonial town, visit a local winery and taste the aromatic, yet dry, white torrontés varietal special to this part of the country.

On this first day of riding up Valle Calchaqui the road passes San Carlos, the first of six small colonial villages to be encountered along the valley. At San Carlos the pavement ends as the road continues to Quebrada de las Flechas (Canyon of Arrows), a gorgeous canyon with unique rock formations and beautiful panoramas of the fertile river bank and the immense Andes to the West.

Pass the sleepy village of Angastaco, seemingly untouched by time – sitting in the central square one is transported to another era. End the day in Molinos in the enchanting Hacienda de Molinos, formerly the house of the last governor of Salta to be chosen by the King of Spain before the Argentine independence.

Start the day with a challenging climb that leads to Seclantes, an artisan village that specializes in weaving colorful woolen products. Continue past a vibrant sandstone canyon to Cachi, the gem of Valle Calchaqui. Houses dating from the XVIII century have been carefully restored and converted into hotels, restaurants and cafes, making it a popular destination for tourists attracted by the less beaten path.

The views of the snow capped Andes are memorable on this stretch of the road. After a break in quaint Payogasta,
continue past farm houses dotted along the river and giant canyons that contrast breathtakingly with the blue skies and snowy peaks. Pass the night in La Poma, a small agricultural village, for the first time above 10,000 feet!

Climb slowly out of the Calchaqui Valley towards the Abra el Acay Pass. The riding is not steep but challenging
due to the altitude. There is a chance to see vicuñas, a cameloid similar to the llama with a short-haired, brown
coat. The only inhabitants along the road are goat herders who live in small isolated huts. Spend the night in a well appointed tent near the creek that follows the road.

Today is a unique challenge, only possible in the Andes or the Himalayas: a 2,290-foot climb on an unpaved road
up to 16,150 feet above sea level! The road is well maintained and the grade is never excessive allowing for a very manageable, slow-and-steady ascent to an incredible view and an unforgettable feeling of achievement. What
follows is a joyous descent that zigzags towards San Antonio de los Cobres where a well earned bed and shower await.

Take time to recover from the previous day’s efforts and explore this small town, once an important stop along the Tren de los Nubes (Train of the Clouds). In the early 1900s the train connected mines in the Andes with Salta in
Argentina and later with Socompa in Chile. Now it is a tourist attraction taking travelers for a day ride from Salta to
San Antonio de los Cobres and back. The highlight of the trip is the 230-foot high viaduct crossed by the train and
the high altitude it reaches.

Renewed from the previous day’s rest, begin the adventurous, five day crossing of the Andes from Argentina to
the Atacama Desert in Chile. Enjoy the panoramic views of the valley engulfing San Antonio and of Abra el Acay,
the high pass from day eight, as the road slowly climbs out of town. Seventeen miles of great riding top out at Alto
el Chorri Pass (14,980 feet) before crossing into a new valley. The rest of the ride is a delightful descent past incredible rock formations and green patches of marshland called “Vegas”. Transfer 15 miles to Olacapato, a
small village that houses miners in the summer months. Winters here are frigid, forcing most of the local population to return to San Antonio or Salta when the mines are closed.

Reach today’s pass (14,270 feet) after twenty miles of gentle climbing. The goal on this day is to reach the Argentine border crossing. The silence and remoteness of this high altitude desert landscape is a unique
experience in today ́s hustle and bustle world.

Take in the kaleidoscopic colors and the view of tall volcanoes on the twelve mile climb to the first pass of the day (14,680 feet). On the way, cross the Argentine/Chilean border!! Take out the passports anew at the Chilean border crossing, Avansado Laco (14,320 feet), at mile nineteen. At mile twenty two, reach the high point of this part of the trip, (15,050 feet), as well as the last important climb. From here to San Pedro de Atacama, it is all downhill with the exception of several small hills. Descend past a coal mine to camp at Laguna Tuyajto for one last night in tents under the awesome, star-filled sky of the high Andes.

Ride thirty miles past the salt flats of Aguas Calientes (13,134 feet) and many more colorful volcanoes to where the dirt road ends and the smooth asphalt begins again. Take a side trip by vehicle to visit Laguna Miscanti y
Meñique. Finish the day with an elating twenty mile, 2,500-foot descent to Socaire, where comfortable beds and
a panoramic view of the Atacama await.

Begin the day with another memorable descent to the junction with highway 23 that leads to San Pedro de
Atacama. The last forty miles of this journey are a pleasant, smooth ride past small towns amid an austere
landscape of tall, conical volcanoes and the dry, flat valley floor. San Pedro de Atacama is a small oasis in the
middle of this immense desert. A little paradise of adobe houses, delicious eateries and fun bars. The perfect
ending to an epic adventure!

Spend several days relaxing in town and taking advantage of entertaining excursions that include a wonderful
visit to the local hot springs. From San Pedro there are flights to Santiago, Chile or transfer with us over the Andes
back to Salta, Argentina , this time via the Jama Pass.