South America Road Trip Self Drive Adventure Episode 1

Описание: Episode 1: Iquique to San Antonio de los Cobres
Our epic 9000km South America Road trip self drive adventure starts here. The seaside town of Iquique in northern Chile.
We crisscross the border of Chile and Argentina all the way to the southern tip of the continent.
We meet up with our group for a pisco sour and a welcome dinner watching the sun set over the dunes of the Atacama Desert. Then the following morning we collect our 4x4s and take them for a "test drive" to the ghost town of Humberstone, a former saltpeter mining town and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was a thriving hub during the nitrate boom from the early 1870s to 1959 when the town was abandoned. It is now an open-air museum showcasing the history and visitors can explore the preserved buildings including schools, a theatre and even a swimming pool.
It back down the dunes to Iquique for the night and kick off with our daily briefing before heading out of town and starting the journey south taking the coastal road.
It’s a stunning drive and as you can see, it feels like we have the road to ourselves! No mass tourism here.
We have to navigate a remote customs post then it’s not long before we stop for lunch and then leave the coast heading east into the mountains.
When we heard there was an ice cream shop at the four way intersection, we had to stop – who can resist ice cream in the Atacama? Someone even had two!
Near the town of Calama we pass the largest open-pit copper mine in the world which has been in operation since 1915 then we pass large wind and solar farms before we start to see moon like landscapes on the way to the small relaxed village of San Pedro de Atacama. This village is made of clay and 80% is “car free”.
There is a lot see here so we stay for two full days for optional activities. A visit to Moon valley is a must, the salt flats with pink flamingos at sun set is another popular option, there is always the soak in thermal hot springs or just roam the streets which always seem to have something going on.
Then it is time to cross the border into Argentina passing our first volcano. Depending on the day it could look like this …or it could look like this…
Either way, we will make it to the border, refuel and then say goodbye to the tar as we join the famous “Ruta 40” travelling through tiny villages that you think a tumbleweed will blow by and it would be rare to see another vehicle along this route. What you will see are the changing colours and rock formations and probably a lama or two or course.
A viaduct that is part of the “ Train to the Clouds” appears on the horizon. This is a scenic railway journey that climbs high into the Andes mountains. Finaly we arrive in one of the highest elevation towns in Argentina, San Antonio de los Cobres a at 3,775 m.
For more information on this and all our Self Drive Adventures, visit our website www.selfdriveadventures.com