Key Facts
Dates	28th December 2013 to 24th January 2014
Start/Finish	Buenos Aires to Le Paz
Countries	Argentina Chile and Bolivia
Mileage	Approx 5,400 miles
Off-tar distance	Approx 1,500 miles of rough roads & tracks
Wild camping	Typically 8 nights in total
Dates & Prices	Click here for expedition information
Route map	Click here for a Google map of your typical route

Trip Highlights

• Meeting up in Buenos Aires for the training day and our ride out to Mar del Plata to actually see the start of the 2013 Dakar Rally where we are also arranging with our partners Yamaha to go behind the scenes to see the Yamaha team preparing for the rally this is still to be confirmed.
• Our route then takes us north west to Bahia Blanca following the first stage of the Dakar.
• Heading west to Santa Rosa Rio Cuarto and Cordoba taking in part of last years 2012 Dakar stage on to Mendoza with a rest day in the wine region to prepare for our first high Andes crossing at Po Maule Pehuenche with a wild camp at the border crossing into Chile.
• Decending the Andes west to Talca then north for a rest day in Santiago continuing through Azapa Valley La Serena taking in the coastal route to Calderra with another stage from the 2012 Dakar.
• Enjoying the coastal scenery to Antofagasta before challenging the Atacama desert with a ride out to the salt flats experiencing another Dakar 2012 stage arriving at Calama and the Bolivian border.
• Spectacular riding into the Sala De Uyuni desert exploring it's meteorite craters with another high Andes route from Cochabamba to the finish of the first months leg in Le Paz with a ride out to Lake Titicaca.

Kudu's Bikes

You can ride a Kudu bike or your own on this expedition and prices vary. Kudu will be using out tried and tested Yamaha Teneres which are great all-round bikes capable of covering huge distances on tar and trail in comfort. They have a comfortable saddle, good wind protection and a punchy, 660cc single cylinder engine. They performed excellently on our Round the World 2009 Expeditions and London to Magadan 2011and 2012, and really come into their own when riding on the more challenging tracks and trails. They are especially easy and forgiving bikes to handle if you are an off-road beginner and they will make the long sections through the Andes and South America a real joy to ride.

Pre-Expedition Training and Orientation

We at Kudu take great pride in running thoroughly professional adventures which are open to anyone with a desire to challenge themselves and what they are capable of.  You do not need to be a highly experienced motorcyclist, off-road expert or have a huge amount of adventurous travel experience.  Our training and orientation days are designed to be informal, enjoyable affairs where you can meet your fellow adventurers and the Kudu team in a relaxed environment.

TRAINING (1 DAY) :

• Meet the Kudu team and each other
• Equipment and route familiarisation
• GPS training
• Ride out and navigation practical
• Motorcycle maintenance and repair

With Kudu's unique pre-expedition and en-route training, all included in the price, you can begin the toughest challenge of your life well prepared for what lies ahead. At present the training day is earmarked to be held on day one of the expedition (28th December 2012) at Kudu's temporary base in Buenos Aires

Your Kudu Support Crew

As usual you will be supported throughout by members of the Kudu Expeditions team including an expedition leader and guide (Spainish speaking), mechanic and medic. Our support vehicles are packed with tools and spare parts to keep vehicles and riders moving and they also carry communal equipment, such as tents, chairs and cooking kit and full medical kit.

Our expeditions are run in a unique and highly successful way designed to give you the right professional support as back-up, whilst still enabling you to experience real adventures on a truly challenging trip.

 

Is this trip for me?

The Southern  Andes Challenge will be an exciting adventure covering three countries, vast distances and some tough terrain. Please remember however that all routes are achievable for any determined off-road beginner and it is normal for us to have several off-road novices on our tours - you wont be alone! In addition we take a very pro-active approach to training throughout the tour and staff will be there to instruct and help you along, whether it be with your off-road riding skills or GPS navigation. There are several nights camping out in the wilderness too where we will be completely self-sufficient, and for most this is a real highlight of their adventure. Please remember Kudu are an expedition specialist not a tarmac tour company and you will enjoy some real off the beaten routes full of adventure, if you have any concerns or questions about how suitable you think this expedition may be for you then please don't hesitate to get in contact with us - we are here to help!