Destination
South America - The Continents Top 10 Rides
This is our list of the top ten rides on the
incredibly diverse and exciting continent of
South America. Go on do yourself a favour and
get there, you won’t regret it. All rides
are included as part of www.compassexpeditions.com
extensive range of tours, the most comprehensive
offered in South America.
- 10 Sacred Valley
- 9 Huaraz
- 8 Serra Rio Do Rastro
- 7 Ccroico
- 6 Seven Lakes Drive
- 5 Uyunito To San Pedro De Atacama
- 4 Costa Verde
- 3 Camino Austral
- 2 Ruta 40
- 1 Torres Del Paine
San Martin de los Andes, San Pedro de Atacama,
Ushuaia, never heard of these places, how about
Uyuni, Paraty or Lago Espero, these are just
some of the places that feature highly on our
list of the top 10 rides on the South America
continent.
South America is a continent of absolute superlatives,
the world’s greatest rainforest, largest
rivers, longest unbroken chain of mountains,
all exist here, and we haven’t even mentioned
the worlds largest salt flats, driest deserts
and fantastic ruins.
Yet this is a continent that still remains
largely unexplored by today’s adventure
bikers. There is hardly a corner of the world
that hasn’t been explored to death or
a road that hasn’t been trampled by a
million bikers before, South America is screaming
out to be “discovered”. Undertake
one of these rides and the experience will stay
with you forever.
Number 10 - Sacred Valley.
Where: Peru
Begins: Cusco
Ends: Ollytaytambo
 Beginning
in the ancient Incan capital of Cusco the ride
climbs sharply out of town and passes the first
group of Incan ruins of Sacsayhuaman before
winding and twisting its way through the Andes
to Pisac located at the head of the Urubamba
valley. The ride continues onto ollytaytambo
across the valley floor bordered each side by
incredibly steep sided mountains with views
of the snow capped peaks in the distance. From
“olly” it’s a train ride to
one of the world’s most recognised sights,
Machu Picchu. The sight of this stupendous ruin
will blow you away.
Number 9 - Huaraz
Where: Peru
Begins: Huaraz
Ends: Chimbote
The ride takes you along some of the highest
mountains in South America, from Huaraz you
can see 23 snow capped peaks all over 5000m.
The road continues north through the Cordillera
Blanca with staggering mountain scenery all
around before reaching Caraz. From Caraz you
descend toward the Pacific but not before riding
through the spectacular Canon del Pato where
you pass under massive walls of bare rock and
36 tunnels. The ride continues onto Chimbote
at sea level on the Pacific.
Number 8 - Serra Rio Do Rastro
Where: Brazil
Begins: Sao Joaquim
Ends: Bom Jardin Do Serra
Ride this amazing mountainous region of southern
Brazil. The ride begins in Soa Joaquim and finishes
in Bom Jardin do Serra passing through Araucaria
forests as the road clings to the mountainside
as it winds and twists its way down the valley.
If twisting roads with numerous hairpin bends
and a sheer drop is your thing you will love
this ride.
Number 7 - Coroico
Where: Bolivia
Begins: La Paz
Ends: Coroico
Often referred to as “the most dangerous
road in the world” this incredible road
drops over 3000m in 80 ks. Starting in La Paz
the road circles skywards and crosses the La
Cumbre pass at a dizzying 4725m, all around
are towering snow-capped peaks. The “good”
road soon ends and you are on dirt all the way
down to the semi-tropical forests of the Yungas,
all that in 80ks. This isn't a ride for novices,
it is impossibly narrow and when you meet an
oncoming truck or bus the rider must stop, alarmingly
close to a vertical drop, safety barriers on
this road are considered a silly extravegence
and one mistake will mean death.
Number 6 - Seven Lakes Drive
Where: Argentina
Begins: San Martin De Los Andes
Ends: Bariloche
The road that “Che” passed through
on riding La Poderosa 11” an old 1932
Norton. This is one of the world famous rides
that some bikers may know of. A dirt road that
passes through the stunning Nahuel Huapi National
Park. Crystal clear rivers, stunning alpine
lakes and towering snow capped peaks all feature
on this ride. You eventually hit the pavement
again and follow the shoreline of the magnificent
100k long glacial lake of Nahuel Huapi to Bariloche,
scenically set at the foot of Cerro Otto. Do
yourself a favour and take your time on this
one maybe even camp lakeside at one of the seven
alpine lakes. Its magnificent.
Number 5 - Uyuni to San Pedro De Atacama
Where: Bolivia/Chile
Begins: Uyuni
Ends: San Pedro De Atacama
 This
ride has to be one of the most extreme, remote,
yet visually stunning rides anywhere on earth.
It is imperative that no-one travels this way
alone. You ride across the biggest salt pans
in the world, the Salar de Uyuni. Riding across
these flats is a fantastic, if not slightly
hallucinogenic experience; it is as if you are
in another world. You pass by Laguna Colorado
then Laguna Verde some of Bolivia’s most
spectacular and remote sights. The ride is staggering
in its beauty and remoteness; you cross a 5000m
pass, ride amongst volcanoes, geysers and pass
numerous Flamingo filled lagoons on the way
to the adobe village of San Pedro in the Atacama
Desert of Chile. Remember don’t try this
ride alone, some people have tried and died.
Number 4 - Costa Verde
Where: Brazil
Begins: Bertioga
Ends: Itaguai
Often described as one of the worlds most beautiful
highways, the BR 101 travels south from Rio
de Janeiro hugging the forested Emerald coast
allowing views of white, palm fringed, sandy
beaches from the steep passes, before dropping
down to the beachside itself. Beautiful little
red roofed villages cram into protected bays
that are dotted with tropical islands. The ride
passes the wonderful colonial town of Paraty
whose entire cobblestone centre has been declared
a national monument. The nearby beaches are
absolutely stunning. Get off your bike and spend
a day on a Schooner sailing the clear calm waters
of the countless bays. This ride is a tropical
wonderland.
Number 3 - Camino Austral
Where: Chile
Begins: Puerto Montt
Ends: Puerto Yungay
This is a region of Fjords, mountains, glaciers
and rare forests, but be prepared to get wet,
very wet. The region experiences over 2000ml
of rain per year, but the ride is worth it for
the unbelievable scenery. The road is referred
to as “Camino Ripio” or “paved
with gravel” and you will be riding amongst
stunning fjords, past waterfalls, turquoise
lakes, hanging glaciers and icefields before
stopping off at one of the few small communities
surviving in the wonderfully remote part of
Chile. Don’t worry about the wet, you
will dry out.
Number 2 - Ruta 40
Where: Argentina
Begins: Salta
Ends: Ushuaia
Technically speaking this legendary road RUTA
NACIONAL 40 starts in Salta, Northern Argentina
and finishes in Rio Gallegos in the South of
Argentina and becomes RUTA 3 on Tierra del Fuego,
but for the purposes of this list we shall include
the ride to the very end of the road at Ushuaia
as RUTA 40. This is “the mother road”
of South America and has it all, but primarily
we are concerned with it as it cross the lonely
windswept vastness of the near mythical Patagonia.
The rider will have to contend with ferocious
winds and vast distances on “ripio”
riding through the lands of expansive Estancias,
sweeping views and a horizon that seems to go
on forever. Those who stick it out will be amply
rewarded as they cross onto Tierra Del Fuego
and ride the stunning mountain region riding
to the very end of the Pan American Highway
and RUTA 40 in Tierra Del Fuego National Park,
just south of Ushuaia. This is a ride of accomplishments.
Number 1 - Torres Del Paine
Where: Chile
Begins: Torres Del Paine
Ends: Torres Del Paine
 The
deserved number one ride on the South American
continent is, in our opinion, the stunningly
beautiful Torres Del Paine National Park. The
180,000 ha UNESCO bio-sphere Park has been described
as a mini Alaska and is crammed with soaring
granite peaks, royal blue icebergs, turquoise
lakes, glaciers and wandering wildlife. Every
corner presents a scenic wonder and you will
be awestruck by the sunrise over the towers
(Torres) as the view is reflected off Lake Pehoe.
It will take you at least three days to explore
all corners of this jewel in the Patagonian
crown. Riding here will leave you with memories
that will stay with you forever.
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