SAMtNEWs SAMt HIGHLANDS MAY 2011 New SAMt adventure in the Highlands (northern Chile, Peru and Bolivia)

Transcription

1 SAMtNEWs 10 may / june 2011 Official Travel Partner 1.0 SAMt HIGHLANDS MAY 2011 New SAMt adventure in the Highlands (northern Chile, Peru and Bolivia) 2.0 FOLLOW DAKAR 2012 Dakar has confirmed their return to South America in 2012 and included Peru in the itinerary. Chile - Peru 3.0 SAMt PATAGONIA 2011 Do not miss this historic opportunity to ride the original Patagonia! Chile - Argentina

2 1.0 SAMt ALTIPLANO MAYO 2011 After a two day trip from Santiago to Pozo almonte, in the north of Chile, SAMt crew finally arrived with eight BMW motorbikes and the support vehicle at the ecological camp El Huarango. There, amidst the remarkable Chilean desert, which starts at sea level and reaches its end at several thousand meters of altitude, we met for the first time with the riders who were about to share this experience with SAMt. 2

3 This time we had two groups of mates: the Guy group, formed by Adrian, Malcolm, Andrew and Guy, and also the Christian group, with Juan, Pablo and Christian. Eight riders in total including John as a guide on his GS Adventure. Gaby and Gionata in the supporting vehicle. The silence of the Atacama Desert at night, a blue layer endlessly covered with stars and a campfire was the ideal scenario at this meeting full of smiles and handshakes. The group started to get to know each other while the camping personnel poured some local wine and beer. Beside us a chicken was being cooked within a metal 44 galon drum. Marshmallows roasted by the fire heat, were the dessert. A first toast with pisco sour, the local drink, was the formal welcome to this group and the highland adventure to be started the following day. 3

4 Sunrise in the desert. A shining sun woke the group up. The bikes were ready and the rider s enthusiasm to get on them was obvious. After a proper breakfast the first engines of the GS s were started and ready to kick off on the adventure. The first stop was at the Humberstone saltpeter town, heading north afterwards, towards Arica. The driest desert in the world offered a perfect scenario to the riders to feel comfortable with their bikes on this first days ride. 4

5 The next morning we started early as we had the first border crossing between Chile and Peru. A series of curves on the way to Puno, higher than meters above sea level, appeared among a huge desert showing some sporadic oasis that painted with deep green patches, the dry monotonous monochrome scheme of this region. The bikes worked at full power along the curves, which, according to Malcolm s words, seemed to be shaped by God s hands for the riders delight! 5

6 The two resting days at Puno, at the historical Titicaca Lake, were not only a good chance to visit the Floating Islands, but also allowed the group to get accustomed to the altitude. We left Puno and travelled along the Titicaca Lake border, a radiant sun was present all the way to the Bolivian border. We put the bikes and the support vehicle on the very basic local rafts, and we crossed the lake to reach Bolivia. The rafts moved, cracking under the weight of the eight BMW s and our support vehicle s wheels. It was not only the sight of the other shore of the lake that surprised us though, but the immediate scenery shift perceived between Peru and Bolivia. 6

7 Bolivia welcomed us with its intact authenticity, unspoiled by the tourism, and with its natural beauty. After customs we were on our way to Coroico, the Bolivian jungle. After crossing La Paz and coping with its traffic, a heavy rain caught us by surprise on the paved road to Coroico. We arrived at the hotel with no daylight left. It was very dark, all we could hear was a river nearby, thank God, all of a sudden a flashlight appeared before us. A person from the hotel had come to pick us up from the parking area which was a short distance from the hotel. Now we could see that in front of us was a hanging bridge over a river. The group crossed the bridge and arrived at their rooms. A 7

8 quick shower and we were ready to go to the restaurant, where we shared a local wine, some beers and had a chat about the amazing riding. It was morning again and the rain was here to stay. After a good breakfast the group decided to visit the area where the eco lodge has a bear and monkeys, the big bear was definitely something nobody expected to see in the jungle!. Now the riders were ready to tackle the famous Death Road, even though it was still raining heavily. All the bikes arrived at the end of the Death Road with no incidents and the riders with a big smile on their faces. The sky started to clear up a few kilometers before our arrival to La Paz, our destination for the day, where we took our time to rest and dry our wet clothing. 8

9 The following day we headed towards Cochabamba. Soon the traffic in La Paz, one of the world s highest above sea level cities, disappeared between the highland valleys, with its mountains covered with snow and vegetation typical of this magic and unique scenario. The altitude was still over meters and the bikes were running well despite the lack of oxygen and the low octane fuel. 9

10 The following day s route in Bolivia was a mix between gravel and asphalt. The final destination was Sucre, but before that we had a mandatory stop midway in the journey, at a small place called Totora. Totora is characterized by its rich colonial architecture which consists of old houses and churches. This village is a jewel in the history of Bolivia, a lovely place that always takes us to the past, almost inviting you to enjoy the beauty that time has painted on its streets. Kids from the street came to talk to us, showing curiosity about the bikes and the group. We shared a few moments with them while they played with marbles on the street. The route was superb, curves, dirt, mountains and everyone wanted to keep riding. Nevertheless, hunger and the first flat tire forced the group to stop. Lunch was on, starting with the daily soup, followed by spaghetti, drinks and coffee, in the meantime John fixed the flat tire. 10

11 With a full stomach, the energy of the group was restored and we continued onto the second half of the gravel to reach Sucre. Obviously, on a road like this, another flat tire was no surprise. This was a good opportunity for Gionata (the new SAMt guide) to attempt his first repair, and also a good excuse for the entire group to strip off their gear and take a sunbath wearing only underwear and riding boots! 11

12 We finally arrived at Sucre, a city where different indigenous groups converge as part of the region s cultural diversity. After a shower the group was ready to head off to the Pub. Spending the last hours before bedtime, the guys enjoyed Sucre, with its lights, the crowded square, the churches and the atmosphere of this magical place. And once again, as not to miss it, they had a good wine, a pisco sour and a nice dinner. 12

13 The new day was bringing a short ride to Potosí. We all arrived at a Hacienda (Farm) from the 16 century where a light lunch was served to the group. Outside a transfer was waiting to take them on a tour to the mine of Potosí. As a way of thanking the miners who granted the access to their working place, everyone left presents for the families (useful stuff for miners), coca leaves, tobacco and dynamite! The visit to the mine got everyone s attention. It was an experience that left everybody thinking. One by one they walked through the dark tunnels of the mine. Soon the visibility became difficult and 13

14 the oxygen started to run out. The group reached different levels and working areas where the precarious tools used by the miners could be seen. There are not too many places left in the world where working conditions as such are still allowed, the entire scenery was kind of shocking. The mine experience ended with a dynamite explosion carried out by Willy (the Bolivian ex miner guide) from a secure distance. As accustomed, counting on the great effect and charm that this experience casts on their visitors, we spent the night at the Hacienda Cayara, the first ranch of Bolivia, built on the XVIth century. 14

15 Outside, on the fireplace, a big barbecue was being cooked. We went outside and sat around a wood fire to talk about the mine experience and taste some local wines. The entire night was going along so natural, there were dogs and kids playing outside accompanying their parents as they worked. A local worker was helping with the barbecue while carrying her child on her back with a colorful blanket, the Bolivian way. 15

16 The long awaited day finally came. We left towards the Uyuni salt flats. The road between us and the salt flat was initially paved, but it shifted rapidly to gravel. The landscape started to change and we slowly started to notice the salt all around. Nothing warned the group for what they were about to see. In the distance, a huge white spot spreading endlessly appeared. We were near the Uyuni salt flat. 16

17 A hotel completely built from salt was right at the entrance. Tables, chairs, walls, floor, beds all made of salt. We woke up in a salt bed, with the numbness of the altitude and a spirit compelling us to defeat all the discomfort and make our way to this massive white desert. Due to a snow storm which had occurred three days earlier, there was a lot of water on the salt flats and unfortunately we couldn t ride the bikes. For the first time SAMt 17

18 had to take the group on 4x4 vehicles. We must say, this was the first time SAMt crew had seen the salt flat with water on it, and regardless of the disappointment of being unable to ride our way through it, living this new experience with a full moon was very special. There were two 4x4 vehicles waiting for the group, and a white world to travel through. We moved on and the salt flat started to play its optical illusion game. The reverse reflection of volcanoes and islands over the water gave shape to some hard to understand figures. The salt flat has many stories, and up to this day, there are many tourists on bikes and trucks who have lost their way due to GPS malfunction. 18

19 We arrived at the fishermen s island and the group walked to the top of the hill following the guide. From up there it s possible to observe almost the whole salt extension, and realize that, once you re lost out there, it would be almost impossible to find your way back. 19

20 As we started to return to the hotel the water level over the salt flats surface seemed to have risen in some areas due to the wind. The clouds in the sky reflected on the salt, creating an infinite mirror effect that confused even the guide. The entire scenario produced a unique attraction. We all arrived back at the hotel and gathered around an unlevel pool table. A pool game was on, together with some local wine and a very welcome open wood fire. 20

21 Sunrise in Uyuni, a cold morning outside. The temperature guage on the bikes were showing eight degrees below zero. Nothing we could do about it, so just jumped on and started the ride towards the Atacama Desert returning to Chile. We arrived at Ollagüe, a small town at the border of Chile. It was two o clock in the afternoon we had already cleared customs and the group decided to continue to San Pedro de Atacama. A good hotel and the fact that we left behind the altitude was a good reason for chilling out and celebrating with some drinks at the bar. 21

22 The resting day at San Pedro finally came and we took a private tour to the oasis in the desert. To boost the experience, SAMt offered the group a catering that included among other things, pisco sour, beer, wine and food to enhance a great moment swimming in this small oasis in the desert. 22

23 It was our last riding day, 300 km to Antofagasta. Upon arrival a good lunch was ready at the hotel to farewell the group. Once again, we had the special privilege of sharing this experience with an exceptional group of people, who after 14 days became good friends. What more could we possibly want! Until next time! Group SAMt 23

24 Testimonios Dear Gabriella, John and Gionata: This was just the best bike tour possible. Perfect organisation. (Well done at those Customs posts) Great accommodation choice. (Luxury hotels to Eco Camp) Well chosen pace (fast enough for us old guys yet slow enough for the youngsters to keep up) Quality bikes (BMW - what do you expect) Interspersed with interesting and historical features (Historical riders over 60) Incredible scenery - (best ever riding the best ever i have experienced) On board Oxygen (for those who needed a sniff) Fantastic memories of everyone who participated. Thanks and Best wishes Adrian Reynard In his early days, Adrian broke and held five land speed records on a motorcycle he built himself. Dear John, Gabriella and crew, Just a short note to say thanks so very much for taking us on tour with you on the Altiplano. The whole experience was just fantastic, and hugely memorable. The bikes, the roads, the landscape, the hotels, the food ; all first class. And sharing the trip with you guys was just great ; more like going on holiday with some new friends than being led by a guide. The fact that you guys obviously enjoy doing what you do so much is testimony itself to the tour. Wishing you all the best for the future, Yours sincerely, Malcolm oastler 24

25 Dear All Thank you, John, Gabby, Gionata and Natalia for all of your hard work, which made our recent adventure so wonderful. The organisation of the tour was first class right from the start, and the calm and efficient way that such things as border crossings were dealt with during the tour continued this excellent level of organisational efficiency. John s sterling work in leading, Group Guy and Group Christian around three countries without seemingly putting a foot wrong was just brilliant and Gionata s constant support work could not be faulted. The bikes were presented really well, were obviously well cared for and loved and thus a joy to ride. Whilst not a BMW fan the bike was the perfect tool for the job. The route was nothing short of sensational, I really had no idea that Bolivia would be quite so beautiful, and that came after crossing the Andes and Lake Titicaca, all breathtaking. The scenery just got more varied and more stunning with each day that passed. right to the end. Quite something for a 3500 km ride. I do not believe that anyone here in Europe would believe the quality of some of the roads we went on, just classic biker s roads, with 100kms of turn after turn after turn. I don t think any of us will forget the charge up the Andes from Tacna to Puno brilliant. The hotels we stayed at were varied and interesting; all good, even the one you apologised for. An especial highlight being the Hacienda at Potosi. Most of all, thank you for the friendly way that you all went about your business, with nothing too much trouble. It was great to spend so much time laughing. Group Guy is well established and it is always a pleasure to ride and spend time with the four members of our Group, but I feel especially lucky to have ridden with Group Christian, a great bunch if a bit slow on both tarmac and unsealed roads, still, they ll learn as they get OLDER I m sure. Lets hope that Group Guy are not too old yet and will be able to come back to South America and ride with you again maybe Patagonia. Well, back to reality and the daily grind of normal life. Thanks again, the tour could not have been any better, really it couldn t. Best Regards to all Guy Austin Partner For Ridge and Partners LLP 25

26 2.0 FOLLOW DAKAR 2012 Dakar has confirmed their return to South America in 2012 and this time the have included Peru in the itinerary. CHILE - PERÚ DAKAR 2012 TOUR Five days to follow the Dakar five days to explore... Total Kilometers days This time SAMt not only has the opportunity to guide our riders as close as possible to the competitors during the rally but we can also explore one of the oldest civilizations on earth, the world of the Incas. Do not miss the unique opportunity to combine the Dakar with the experience of Peru (Machu Picchu, Nazca and Lake Titicaca). See further details on this tour and the description of the route we will take on: 26

27 Route 40 - PATAGONIA ARGENTINA - CHILE 3.0 SAMt PATAGONIA If you plan to ride the mythical route 40 you should do it this year! The Route 40 is being paved and will be fi nished shortly. Do not miss this historic opportunity to ride the original Patagonia! Total Kilometers days 14 nights See further details on this tour and the description of the route we will take on: SAMt CONTACTO contacto@samttours.com gzampini@samttours.com Gabriela Zampini Teléfono: + (56 2) Celular: + (56 9)