Cycle Chile & Argentina: Atacama to Salta

Cycle two South American countries

This trip takes us on a journey through a part of the world that resembles no other. Starting in the popular town of San Pedro de Atacama and finishing in Salta la Linda, this trip takes us through many roads in which you will see very little traffic and no other cyclists. This 'once in a lifetime' journey includes cycling through salt flats, ravines, a serpentine road through a rainforest and in the driest desert in the world.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
• Read more about our other initiatives here.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for re-usable bottles.
• At the Cafayate wine resort they do not use refillable dispensers for shampoo and it is free from synthetics and parabens. They also have a wastewater plant so they can treat water for use in their gardens.
• The payment of entrance fees to natural reserves and archaeological sites generates income which is used for upkeep and development of these important sites. On this trip we visit Valle de la Luna (Atacama, Chile), Parque Geysers del Tatio (The Tatio Geysers Park) (Atacama, Chile) and Parque Nacional Los Cardones in Salta (Argentina). We also visit we visit La Ciudad Sagrada de los Quilmes, the Sacred City of The Quilmes: a monumental archaeological site, where we have a guided tour and then a picnic lunch, tasting several traditional products from the local market.
• We rewild 100 square metres per passenger to compensate for all trip and flight emissions.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• We stay at the Cafayate wine resort where they use solar panels to heat the water and illuminates the indoor and outdoors with LED bulbs.
• We stay at the EcoLodge La Baita where they use solar power to generate power.
• Cycling trips like this have very little detrimental impact on the environment and the locals, as it is a quiet, low impact activity requiring comparatively few resources to support.
• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: we do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: please bring a re-usable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Visa

Chile

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Chile. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/americas/chile

Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/chile

United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/chile/entry-requirements

USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Chile.html

Argentina

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Argentina. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/americas/argentina
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/argentina
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/argentina/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Argentina.html

Please note, if you are crossing the border into Argentina from Chile on your trip, we will need to know your profession to provide when entering Argentina.

Vaccination

Chile

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies and typhoid.

Dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is a known risk in places visited. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Argentina

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies, typhoid, and yellow fever (strongly recommended if you intend to visit the Iguazu Falls due to a recent outbreak in the Misiones province). Please check all vaccination recommendations with your doctor or travel clinic.

Bilharzia is known to occur in some lakes or rivers in Argentina; follow advice from your guide or leader locally before venturing for a swim.

Dengue and zika, both mosquito‐borne viral diseases, are known risks in Argentina. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available; therefore, the best form of prevention is to take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts and 9 lunches included.

Hotel breakfasts are normally buffet-style, and lunches will either be at convenient restaurant stops during our rides or packed lunches. There is a variety of good quality food on offer in the hotels and local restaurants for the evening meals that are not included in the price of the trip. Chile and Argentina traditionally have a lot of meat dishes in their cuisine however vegetarians can be catered for throughout the trip. Please ensure that you advise us of any dietary requirements before you travel so that we can make the necessary arrangements on your behalf.

Weather

Departures are organised between April and October, to avoid the rainy season. During these months the temperatures in San Pedro de Atacama reach a maximum high of 24ºC, and a maximum low of about 1ºC. In Salta it is very similar with a maximum high of 26ºC, and a maximum low of about 3ºC.

Weather Charts

Is this trip for you?

This trip is classified Road and Activity Level 4 (Moderate/Challenging). 

• Average daily distance: 51km (32 miles)
• Number of days cycling: 10
• Vehicle Support: 100%

The set itinerary is not technical, however please note that the majority of this tour is spent at high altitude and some days the group is cycling above 3000m where the air is noticeably thinner. Because of this we recommend that you have a good level of fitness for this tour.

Some cycling experience and a good level of fitness are recommended. Total distance covered: approx. 516km

Terrain and route: Approx. 67% tarmac, 33% unpaved roads. Some large elevation gains; mixed cycling terrain; variable weather conditions and some remote locations.

Most of the roads are in good condition, although there can occasionally be potholes and poorer conditions in some short sections. You should be prepared for some cycling on unpaved gravel/dirt roads.

The roads are generally free of heavy traffic until we reach towns where we are more likely to encounter other vehicles.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.