Vuelta Sudamericana
In Depth
Over the past five years, we've pedaled across diverse and exotic Africa, absorbed the romance and sophistication of Europe, and traveled along Asia's ancient Silk Route. Now we begin to explore South America, with all its alluring cultural and natural wonders. Riders will depart Rio de Janeiro on July 26th and arrive in Quito on December 6th, after cycling 12,000 km through seven different countries. This will be our longest race/expedition to date and the longest organized bicycle race/expedition in the world!
Our participants come from all over the world but share one thing: a passion for cycling. Traveling by bike allows you to immerse yourself more fully in a foreign culture - to smell strange and wonderful foods cooking as you roll through a village, to share a home-made beer in a country inn, to feel the temperature drop as you relentlessly climb to the top of a mountain pass, and to observe how the culture and vegetation changes across landscapes. Such experiences create the Zen of long distance cycle touring. The goal of the 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 south through Argentina, Uruguay, then west into Chile and north to Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, passing through several national capital. Along the way, you can visit some of the most fabulous sites, including Iguazu Falls, Mount Aconcagua, the Atacama Desert, Lake Titicaca and Machu Picchu. Imagine, you will ride the coasts of both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, but you'll have to cross the Andes in between.
Inevitably, this expedition will provide a complete range of cycling conditions: extreme temperatures, mountain passes over 4,200 m, open desert crossings, dense jungles and every conceivable road surface. Whether you want to immerse yourself in the diversity of ancient cultures or simply enjoy the contrast between the salt plains and the Amazon basin, this will surely be the journey of a lifetime. From Darwin's exploration of the Galapagos to Che Guevara's "Motorcycle Diaries," the wonders of South America have changed the lives of travelers throughout time. The diversity of landscapes creates a unique traveling experience. The height of the Andes divides the continent between the rivers and jungles of Amazonia and the barren deserts of the Pacific coast. The cascades of Iguazu Falls produce one of the world's most spectacular waterfalls. The glacier capped volcano Mt Aconcagua is one of the seven summits. As it climbs skyward its reveals a vertical stack of ecosystems associated with different altitude ranges. The rural regions of the continent host a wealth of agricultural diversity, filled with vineyards and alpacas, while in the cities, the modern peoples of South America have developed some of the world's most fascinating urban environments.
From the raw sex appeal of Rio de Janeiro to the chic sophistication of Santiago, all of the cities we visit have their own twist on architecture, food and art that contribute to the glorious mosaic of South American culture. The ancient peoples, such as the Inca, also constructed magnificent civilizations, including mystical Machu Picchu. In the rural areas indigenous people live today in humble agricultural villages illuminated by the brilliant fabrics made of wool and cotton.
*There will also be an additional local payment of $1000 US (paid in person to the Tour Director at the start). Sectional riders will pay a pro-rated amount.
Our participants come from all over the world but share one thing: a passion for cycling. Traveling by bike allows you to immerse yourself more fully in a foreign culture - to smell strange and wonderful foods cooking as you roll through a village, to share a home-made beer in a country inn, to feel the temperature drop as you relentlessly climb to the top of a mountain pass, and to observe how the culture and vegetation changes across landscapes. Such experiences create the Zen of long distance cycle touring. The goal of the 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 south through Argentina, Uruguay, then west into Chile and north to Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, passing through several national capital. Along the way, you can visit some of the most fabulous sites, including Iguazu Falls, Mount Aconcagua, the Atacama Desert, Lake Titicaca and Machu Picchu. Imagine, you will ride the coasts of both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, but you'll have to cross the Andes in between.
Inevitably, this expedition will provide a complete range of cycling conditions: extreme temperatures, mountain passes over 4,200 m, open desert crossings, dense jungles and every conceivable road surface. Whether you want to immerse yourself in the diversity of ancient cultures or simply enjoy the contrast between the salt plains and the Amazon basin, this will surely be the journey of a lifetime. From Darwin's exploration of the Galapagos to Che Guevara's "Motorcycle Diaries," the wonders of South America have changed the lives of travelers throughout time. The diversity of landscapes creates a unique traveling experience. The height of the Andes divides the continent between the rivers and jungles of Amazonia and the barren deserts of the Pacific coast. The cascades of Iguazu Falls produce one of the world's most spectacular waterfalls. The glacier capped volcano Mt Aconcagua is one of the seven summits. As it climbs skyward its reveals a vertical stack of ecosystems associated with different altitude ranges. The rural regions of the continent host a wealth of agricultural diversity, filled with vineyards and alpacas, while in the cities, the modern peoples of South America have developed some of the world's most fascinating urban environments.
From the raw sex appeal of Rio de Janeiro to the chic sophistication of Santiago, all of the cities we visit have their own twist on architecture, food and art that contribute to the glorious mosaic of South American culture. The ancient peoples, such as the Inca, also constructed magnificent civilizations, including mystical Machu Picchu. In the rural areas indigenous people live today in humble agricultural villages illuminated by the brilliant fabrics made of wool and cotton.
Design
The objective of this expedition, quite simply, is to explore the diversity of South America by bike. In keeping with the Tour d'Afrique mandate, it is a trans-continental journey. Meandering across the landscape and linking a variety of cultural and wilderness destinations, it has been designed to follow the most favourable patterns of wind, heat, precipitation and daylight. Part of the experience is to endure all these extremes. A tour of this magnitude will include days of scorching heat, intense cold, lashing rain, high winds, altitude, serious hills, long distances and certainly great personal satisfaction.Support and Safety
The support staff on the Vuelta Sudamericana consists of experienced professionals and a support infrastructure designed to promote safety. However, given the nature of cycle expeditions, some accidents may be unpreventable. Every participant must willingly accept the inherent risks associated with cycling and traveling in foreign countries.Facts and Figures
The tour features 110 cycling days, averaging 110 km each, broken up by 23 rest days, and one travel day for a total of 134 days. The length of each day's ride will range from 60-80 km on really bad terrain to more than 180 km on good paved roads.Payments
- All full tour payments must be received by May 1, 2009
- We reserve the right to cancel a rider's participation if the entry fee has not been received by May 1, 2009
- All entry fees are in Euros
- All participants must pay the registration fee of 100€. This fee is non-transferable and non-refundable. It may be paid online through PayPal on this website or by bank wire transfer, bank draft, certified cheque or money order payable to Tour d'Afrique Ltd. For a bank transfer, please contact our office for details. Registrants from South Africa may send payment to our office in Cape Town. Registrants from some other countries are not able to use the online payment system and must use one of the other payment options.
- The entry fee cannot be paid online. It may be paid by bank wire transfer, bank draft, certified cheque or money order payable to Tour d'Afrique Ltd. Banking details are provided in the registration package.
Discounts
- A discount of 400€ applies to the full Tour entry fee if full payment is received on or before March 1, 2009. This discount does not apply to sectional riders.
- If someone chooses to do two or more sections, they will receive a 10% discount on the combined section prices
- Group discounts are available. Please contact our office for details.
- Former Tour d'Afrique/Orient Express/Silk Route riders will receive a 5% discount
- A rider can choose to pay the full tour amount this year, but complete the full journey over a two or three year period, as long as the details of this arrangement are agreed upon at the time we receive the payment, and as long as the payment is received before the deadline.
Cancellations
- All cancellations must be made in writing and directed to our main office in Toronto.
- 90% refund of entry fee if written request received on or before February 1, 2009.
- 50% refund of entry fee if written request received on or before May 1, 2009.
- no refund if request received after May 1, 2009.
Pricing*
All participants must first pay a non-refundable registration fee of 100€ to confirm their place on the Tour. Please click on the registration button above to register.*There will also be an additional local payment of $1000 US (paid in person to the Tour Director at the start). Sectional riders will pay a pro-rated amount.
Current Pricing
| Section | Destinations | Distance | Start | End | Entry Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Tour | Rio de Janeiro to Quito | 12000km | Jul. 26 | Dec. 06 | €8,300 |
| Iguazu | Rio de Janeiro to Foz do Iguazu | 1800km | Jul. 26 | Aug. 11 | €1,600 |
| Las Pampas | Foz do Iguazu to Buenos Aires | 1450km | Aug. 14 | Aug. 27 | €1,200 |
| Aconcagua Vistas | Buenos Aires to Santiago | 1750km | Aug. 29 | Sep. 17 | €1,500 |
| Atacama Aventura | Santiago to Antofagasta | 1350km | Sep. 19 | Oct. 03 | €1,500 |
| Sea & Salt | Antofagasta to La Paz | 1450km | Oct. 05 | Oct. 19 | €1,500 |
| Inca Highlands | La Paz to Cusco | 800km | Oct. 21 | Oct. 28 | €800 |
| Gringo Trail | Cusco to Lima | 1200km | Nov. 01 | Nov. 12 | €1,200 |
| Cordillera Blanca | Lima to Loja | 1350km | Nov. 14 | Nov. 26 | €1,300 |
| Andes & Amazon | Loja to Quito | 800km | Nov. 28 | Dec. 06 | €900 |
