This will be unlike anything you've ever done before. As part of this adventure, you and your companions will bike 12,000 km, through seven countries, in 134 days; a journey that explores all the cultural and natural wonders of South America.

But be forewarned! This tour is a genuine physical and mental challenge. This is not an event within a controlled environment; it is a pioneering expedition where participants will not only test their physical and mental stamina, but their ability to overcome the unexpected surprises that inevitably await us. The organizers have created the framework and support systems, which will sustain the group, but the ultimate responsibility for this endeavor lies with you and your inner resources.

The goal of this tour is not to travel the most efficient line between the opposite ends of a continent, but to explore South America by bike. Vuelta Sudamericana will begin in Brazil and continue through Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, passing through several national capitals. Along the way, we visit Iguazu Falls, Mount Aconcagua, the Atacama Desert, Lake Titicaca and Machu Picchu. You will ride along the coasts of both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, but remember, you'll have to cross the Andes in between. The route meanders across the landscape linking a variety of cultural and wilderness destinations. We also believe this is the most logical route to allow us to take advantage of the most favourable patterns of wind, heat, precipitation and daylight.

We run pioneering cycling races/expeditions in areas that often do not have the infrastructure and standard of living that you may be used to. Furthermore, many of these areas do not adhere to the same safety standards that many of us are accustomed to. The tours often travel through areas where there may be political or economic instability and there are some risks involved. Do not join one of our tours unless you are prepared to accept these risks.

Prepare for anything and everything - sun, snow, rain, heat, cold, mountains, desert, bad roads, busy roads and strong winds. We will likely see all of these conditions on the tour.after we completed our scouting, we realized that there could be up to 40% of the route that is on unpaved roads of varying quality.

A typical riding day will begin at 7:30 am. By then, you will have packed your tent and gear, had your breakfast and filled your water bottles ready for the start. Soon enough the bikers break into several groups. Some riders try to complete the stage quickly, some compete against each other and record their times, others are concerned with maintaining EFI status, while others ride at a comfortable pace, hoping not to miss any adventure offered on that day, and stopping to visit shops offering local delicacies and curios.

Just past the halfway mark of most riding days (a riding day varies in length anywhere from 80 km on really bad terrain to more than 180km on good paved roads), the lunch truck will be awaiting your arrival with a sandwich, energy bars, drinks and some words of encouragement. After lunch you are on your way to the campsite, where hot soup will be awaiting you. After the soup, it is time to put up your tent, clean up (assuming there is water) and get ready for dinner and the next day of riding. Of course - depending on how fast you cycle - you will have plenty of opportunities to explore the campsite, the surrounding town or village or nearby lakes and mountains.

The staff at the Tour d'Afrique Ltd. are avid cyclists, outdoor enthusiasts, travelers, humanitarians and adventurers. We are involved in creating these tours because we think there is nothing else like them in the world. We are very proud of the unique experiences we produce and their effects on promoting sustainable transportation and international tourism.

The Orient Express is done at a slightly more relaxed pace, with more rest days (generally every fourth day), and covering less distance each riding day (averaging 95 km per day). It also travels through more urban areas than the Vuelta Sudamericana.

Vuelta, Silk Route, and Tour d'afrique are more similar in terms of daily distances (averaging 110-130 km per day), and the regularity of rest days (generally every sixth or seventh day). The Tour d'Afrique is 100% camping, whereas the Silk Route and Vuelta Sudamericana are about 60 - 70% camping and 30 - 40% basic hotels, haciendas, and guesthouses when camping is not appropriate. The extremes (hot, cold, altitude, terrain) will be particularly challenging on the Vuelta Sudamericana. Because this is the first year of the Vuelta Sudamericana, you can expect things to be less predictable and to have more last-minute changes to the route, the destination, the accommodations, the food, the rest days, and departure times.

Most airlines are now charging a fee for bringing your bicycle along on international flights. This fee could be upwards of US $50. Most bike stores will be able to help you package your bike in a cardboard box for the flight. No hard or soft shell bicycle cases are allowed on the tour, as there is no space on the support vehicles to stores these.

For participants leaving the tour before Quito, we generally recycle the boxes of the other participants that are joining the tour along the way. In Quito, cardboard bike boxes will be made available for all participants at a small fee.

The full Tour costs 8,300€. Refer to the registration page for detailed prices on each section.

• Registration fee - 100€ paid on our website by clicking the big red button
• Local payment - $1000 US paid to Tour Director in Rio (pro-rated for sectionals)
• Flight
• Equipment
• Vaccinations
• Visas
• Upgrades to hotels along the route (optional)
• Souvenirs (optional)
• Food on rest days as well as on the nights coming into a rest day
• Gratuities for field staff (optional)

No, the Vuelta Sudamericana is a 'self-guided tour with support'. Directions will be given each morning, but the riders are expected to be independent and responsible for their own well being. The race/expedition is set up in a way that provides reasonable support and safety. This includes a midday check point and the retrieval of all riders one hour before darkness. It is therefore highly recommended that you bring your own regional maps of South America.

Our support vehicles will carry everything that you don't need for the day. While riding, you only have to carry some basic tools, a spare tube, water, and a snack. Everything else we take for you. We ask that you use some common sense and consideration for the other participants when deciding what to bring on the tour, since space is quite limited on the support vehicles. A formal baggage inspection is conducted at the beginning of the tour and repeated again at different points along the route. Additional information on baggage restrictions and packing suggestions will be available in the registration kit sent to registered riders.

The available power supply will be limited to what is available in the villages and towns we pass through. Though our trucks have some charging capabilities, these are solely to charge tour communication systems and emergency equipment. Power to recharge your electronic gear is generally available on rest days as well as additional batteries can be obtained at local markets.

On the Vuelta Sudamericana, we will primarily be camping, but with several nights in haciendas, hostels, and budget hotels. Camping will be at times in organized campgrounds, but often it will be a make-shift bush or desert camps alongside our route. These camps will likely not have any facilities for washing, and so water will be carefully rationed to riders on those days. The campgrounds will typically be municipal campsites with some water and basic toilet facilites, or traveller's campsites on the outskirts of cities or towns on our route. On rest days we are mostly indoor accommodations and campsite near cities where water, tourist attractions and shops are more readily available.

On biking days there are four meals a day. You will start with a breakfast of porridge, bread, jams, honey, and fresh fruit when available. Just past the halfway mark of most cycling days, there will be a lunch awaiting you with a sandwich, energy bars, energy drinks, and water. When you arrive to camp there will be hot soup. Supper is a hearty, nutritious meal usually pasta or rice based. You may go to sleep exhausted, but never hungry. No soup or supper is served on the night coming into a rest day. Likewise, no food is served on the rest days - riders are expected to find their own food in local shops and markets. For those with dietary restrictions beyond vegetarian diets, please contact our office to discuss whether we can accommodate your dietary needs.

We think so. We constantly monitor the current political climate in the countries the tour will be passing through. We also conduct scouting missions to get first hand insight into situations in these countries. We then make educated assessments of relative safety, and make adjustments if necessary - before and during the tour.

Based on our combined international experience, we are confident that there will be no serious safety issues. But as with all travel to unfamiliar territory, the possibility of danger exists and it is important to respect the local culture and people and observe the law. Your greatest hazard is, in fact, motorized vehicles, as it is for cyclists everywhere, so appropriate safety/visibility gear is essential.

Yes, travel medical insurance is required and we will need copies of these documents before the start of the tour. No one will be allowed on the tour without proof of travel medical insurance. This will ensure smooth processing in case of an emergency. You should also consider getting trip cancellation / curtailment insurance as well, in the event that you have to leave the tour unexpectedly. Further information on insurance can be found in the registration kit.

Undoubtedly health is a major concern on an expedition of such length. You will need to check with your doctor or at a local travel medical clinic to determine what vaccinations are recommended for travel in the countries along our route. The most likely problems we will encounter will be dehydration, saddle sores, abrasions, infection, and diarrhea. Additional health information will be available in the registration kit sent to registered riders.

The support we provide is based on the expectation that you will ride your bike everyday - whether it is a full day or half day. You should feel comfortable riding an average of 110 km per day for up to 8 days in a row with a maximum single day distance up to 200 km.

Contact our office for specific training tips, and to be put in touch with past participants of our other tours who can provide you with invaluable first hand insight into what worked for them.

Yes, depending on your nationality, you will need visas for most of the countries we pass through. Some of these may need to be arranged before the start of the tour, whereas others can be obtained at the point of entry. Please check with the nearest foreign consulate or embassy in your country for specific requirements. Additional information on visa requirements will be available in the registration kit sent to registered riders.

There is no one style of bike that is perfectly suited to the Vuelta Sudamericana, but there are many that will do the job well. A front suspension mountain bike has proved to be the most reliable and versatile bike for the Tour d'Afrique, and with alot of unpaved roads on Vuelta, a mountain bike is definitely a good option. On the Silk Route and Orient Express, a cyclocross bike with wide tires worked well. Frames should ideally be steel, but aluminum or titanium frames are also fine. Carbon frames are not recommended and neither are hydraulic disc brakes. A front suspension mountain bike is recommended.

Yes, of course. The Vuelta Sudamericana is broken into nine sections varying in length from one to four weeks. You can also choose to start and end anywhere along the route that you wish. If there is a specific area you would like to cycle through or specific dates you have available between July 26th and December 6th then please contact our office and we will help you make it work.

Yes, absolutely. This way, you have the satisfaction of doing the entire Vuelta Sudamericana, but in manageable sections each year.

• Brazil
• Argentina
• Uruguay
• Chile
• Bolivia
• Peru
• Ecuador

Absolutely! The race/expedition has been designed to allow free days in some of the most fascinating spots in the world. And since the average biking day will be five to seven hours, there will still be plenty of time to explore the local environment.