|




click the map to enlarge
"The
tour with You in 2004 was really a special and a ever lasting experience.
In 2005 I joint with some Brazilian friends a Crossing of the Alpes. .I
have to
compliment You on the professional way You guided as in 2004!"
Michael
Kempa, Germany
|

Location:
Salta and Tucumán provinces in the Argentinean northeast
region near the Andes Mountains and Bolivia, 1600 km from
Buenos Aires.
Duration:
9 days.
Activities:
Saturday:
We arrive in the capital of Salta at 6p.m. after traveling
for 20 hours. It is possible to fly, but that will be an
extra charge. The group will all meet at the first night,
which will serve as a rendezvous point for those who chose
to fly. Transfer to Chicoana.
Sunday:
We start the day with one of the trip's highlights! We leave
our Minibus on Road 68 then cross the town of El Carril
and follow Road 33 to start climbing the Quebrada de Escoipe
following a river flowing from the mountains. It is a beautiful
place surrounded by green vegetation and tremendous mountains.
Then we keep on climbing the famous Cuesta del Obispo (bishop
slope) an amazing and untiring climb until finally we reach
the Piedra del Molino at 3348 meters above sea level. After
taking in the amazing views, we prepare to descend one of
the most beautiful and lonely dirt roads you'll ever experience,
El Camino de Los Colorados (the red's path). Its name comes
from the strange ways the red rock took shape after years
of erosion. Finally, we arrive at Cachi where we will stay
at a "hoteria".
50km of dirt roads.
Elevation gain: 1000 meters downhill
Monday:
Early in the morning we awaken in Cachi, a pre-colonial
town that Chicoanas Indians once lived before the Spanish
arrived. It has a beautiful old 18th century church, many
old buildings and a beautiful little square in front of
an archeological museum. After we tour the town, we then
ride slowly uphill to see El Nevado de Cachi, an incredible
snow capped mountain that reaches 6200 meters into the sky
only 759 meters less than Aconcagua, the tallest peak of
the Andes. At Las Pailas is where we will find the best
view of "El Nevado de Cachi" and the Morteros
and pircas that the Indian civilization left behind. After
that we descend down hill once again until we are back at
Cachi. Then we cycle 27 meters on Road 40 to Seclantás
where we come to rest at some beautiful cabins for the night.
58km of dirt roads.
Tuesday:
After breakfast we head towards one of the most unexpected
places of the trip. We end up in the middle of red, dry
mountains, a lonely place covered by cardones called Brealito
Lagoon. Here we arrive for lunch. This scenic and rocky
path has many challenges. This is where you can exercise
your technical cycling skills on some of the most difficult
climbs and incredible downhills of this tour. In the afternoon
we'll ride another lonely, only used by locals, narrow and
beautiful dirt track to arrive in "Molinos". During
the last three kilometers we will find lot of loose sand,
so we will probably need to walk and carry the mtb.
45km of dirt roads.
Elevation gain: 800mts
uphill- 800mts downhill.
Wednesday:
We pedal from Molinos, an old 17th century town, where we
set our bikes up to ride the mythical Road 40 following
the Calchaquí River towards Angastaco. Rolling over
the Calchaquí Valley we will have the chance to see
the colors of the local architecture and culture. Here we
get the opportunity to experience other ways of life, lonely
and silent totally unlike the city.
42km of dirt roads.
Thursday:
From Angastaco we will begin cycling on one of the most
strangely beautiful and amazing roads on earth, the Arrows
Road. It is an incredible place that is so much like the
moon that will take you another planet. At the end of this
ride, we load our bikes on the trailer in San Carlos to
arrive a little later in Cafayate, a place famous for its
world-renowned wine cellars.
53km of dirt roads.
Friday:
From Cafayate we'll take the Minibus to the Castles for
inside trip to another and discover a place that is very
similar to Utah and Colorado with gorgeous canyons and red
rocks with marvelous cuts carved out by weather - rain,
wind, thunderstorms and snow. The most beautiful site will
be the glowing sunset as it drifts across the red mountains.
An incredible ride on paved road!
50 km of pavement roads.
Saturday:
We pack up the Minibus and drive 50km to the Quilmes ruins
where legend says that the Quilmes Indians, a local civilization,
resisted the Spanish Invasion for many years. The Quilmes
Indians held out for such a long time that while surrounded
they finally had to give up when their food and water ran
out. Following a tour of the ruins, we take the bikes to
Cuesta del Infiernillo at 3200 meters above sea level and
then descend over a paved road towards Tafi del Valle soaking
up an outstanding view along on the way. After lunch we
load up the bikes onto the trailer and return to Buenos
Aires...
25km of pavement roads.
Sunday:
We arrive at Buenos Aires around 4 pm.
|
|
|
|