Dakar trip Argentina – 2018

juni 7, 2017

Dakar Rally 2018

From January 6 till January 20 2018, the Dakar rally will take place in South America. Celebrating ten years of Dakar South America, during this edition you will see trucks, motor bikes, quads and buggies crossing thousands of kilometers through Peru and Bolivia, trying to reach the finish line in central Argentina!

Pure Latin America, a travel company specialized in Argentina, wants you to experience the magic of the 40^th Dakar rally. During a ten day journey you’ll get to know one of the most beautiful countries in the world while witnessing various stages of the rally, including the final stage! You’ll live the true Dakar adventure in Argentina!

The Argentine stages of the Dakar are impressive: the drivers enter the South American country via the high plateaus in the northwest, and will drive along the Andes’ foothills straight through Argentina’s green heart. Salt flats, mountains, valleys and a seemingly never-ending desert: A beautiful yet treasonous setting, which pushes both man and machine to its limits.

Cosmopolitan Buenos Aires

Your adventure however, starts in cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, which hosted last year’s final stage. The European flair and South American atmosphere make Argentina’s capital the perfect starting point for your adventure. A personal welcome, top notch hotel and a guided tour will make sure you won’t miss a single highlight of this mesmerizing city: colorful La Boca, romantic San Telmo and Evita’s stately Recoleta are just a few of this capital’s many surprising neighborhoods.

Salta: Argentina’s Northwest

After the soft landing in Buenos Aires, a domestic flight will take you to Salta, the most gorgeous province of Argentina’s northwest. Amidst colonial architecture, a very welcoming population and a breathtakingly beautiful scenery, you’ll experience two stages of the rally up-close!

We’ll arrive in Salta’s capital city before the caravan does, so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the wonders of Salta, like the Salinas Grandes salt flats or Purmamarca’s multicolor mountains. Also, don’t hesitate to savor Salta’s regional dishes: the local flavors are just as adventurous as the rally.

Córdoba: a bustling student city

While the rally heads west, we’ll venture into Córdoba. The province in the heart of Argentina is a true oasis with lush forests, lakes and hills. Its capital is a bustling student city, so rest assured that there will be a buzzing atmosphere when the race finally reaches Córdoba. The locals are rooting for an Argentine victory, but the friendly people of Córdoba will use the Dakar as a great excuse to party during the final two stages.

Although the rally ends in Córdoba on January 20^th, we’re more than happy to extend your stay in Argentina. Whether you want to see more of Buenos Aires, feel like discovering Mendoza’s vineyards, Patagonia’s glaciers or the Iguazú waterfalls, we’d love to take care of your travel arrangements!

Dakar itinerary:

Day 1 – January 12 | Arrival in Buenos Aires

Your adventure will start in cosmopolitan Buenos Aires. The European flair and South American atmosphere make Argentina’s capital the perfect starting point for your adventure. A personal welcome, top notch hotel and a guided tour will make sure you won’t miss a single highlight of this mesmerizing city: colorful La Boca, romantic San Telmo and Evita’s stately Recoleta are just a few of this capital’s many surprising neighborhoods.

Day 2 – January 13 | City tour and tango night

During the day you will explore the city with a professional guide that will show you the most interesting highlights and hidden gems of Buenos Aires. Of all of South America’s capitals, Buenos Aires – aka Capital Federal, Baires, BsAs or simply BA – has the most going for it. Seductive and cultured, sophisticated yet earthy, eclectic but with a strong identity, it never bores, seldom sleeps and invariably mesmerizes its visitors. Influenced by the great European cities, Buenos Aires nonetheless has its own distinct personality enhanced by proud traditions, including football, tango and mate.

In the evening you will visit the neighborhood San Telmo known for its antique markets and tango culture. As well we will show you a typical milonga where porteños gather to dance the tango.

Day 3 – January 14 | Flight to Salta and city tour

After the soft landing in Buenos Aires, a domestic flight will take you to Salta, the most gorgeous province of Argentina’s northwest. Amidst colonial architecture, a very welcoming population and a breathtakingly beautiful scenery, you’ll experience two stages of the rally from up-close.

We’ll arrive in Salta’s capital city before the caravan does, so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the wonders of Salta. Salta is the historic capital of one of Argentina’s biggest and most beautiful provinces and it easily lives up to its well-publicized nickname of Salta la Linda (Salta the Fair), thanks to its festive atmosphere, handsome buildings and dramatic setting.

In a region where the landscape and nature, rather than the towns and cities, are the main attractions, Salta is the exception. Fifteen hundred kilometres northwest of Buenos Aires, at the eastern end of the fertile Valle de Lerma, nationally famous for its tobacco plantations, and bounded by the Río Vaqueros to the north and Río Arenales to the south, the city is squeezed between steep, rippling mountains; at 1190m above sea level, it enjoys a relatively balmy climate. Also, don’t hesitate to savor Salta’s regional dishes: the local flavors are just as adventurous as the rally.

This afternoon you will explore the city with a professional guide that will show you the most interesting highlights and hidden gems of Salta.

Day 4/5 – January 15/16 | Dakar from up close

During the next two days we will observe the Dakar from up close from a great spot. We will probably see most of the vehicles pass as we have plenty of time to watch both stages. The landscape is characterized by narrow gorges and broad valleys. The beauty of this remote area is something to experience yourself.

Day 6 – January 17 | Flight from Cafayate to Córdoba

Today we will fly from Cafayate to Córdoba.

The rest of the day is without obligations.

Day 7 – January 18 | City tour Córdoba

Home to the second oldest university in South America, the city has a large student population, which gives it a dynamic, youthful feel. This sits alongside a well-preserved microcentro (historic centre) filled with beautiful colonial-era churches, monasteries, theatres and municipal buildings.

The centre of cool Córdoba, though, is Barrio Güemes, one of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods, now rapidly gentrifying. Many of its crumbling eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century houses have been transformed into antique shops, boutiques, art galleries, and trendy restaurants and bars. The barrio comes alive in the evenings, when locals flock to drink craft beers at Dada Mini and cocktails at Milk, eat at the artist-owned Milo Lockett, and – at weekends – rummage through the stalls at the bohemian Paseo de las Artes street market.

Today you will explore the city with a professional guide that will show you the most interesting highlights of Córdoba.

The rest of the day is without obligations.

Day 8 – January 19 | Dakar from up close

Today we will observe the Dakar from up close from a great spot West of Córdoba. We will probably see most of the vehicles pass as we have plenty of time to watch today’s stage. The landscape is characterized by Pampas and the mountain range ‘Sierras de Córdoba’. Enjoy nature and a diversity of Dakar vehicles passing just in front of you!

Day 9 – January 20 | Dakar arrival in Córdoba

This is the last day of Dakar 2018 and you will be there to witness the podium finish.

Let’s end this trip partying with the locals and the Dakar caravan. Salud!

Day 10 – January 21 | Flight to Buenos Aires

Today we will fly from Córdoba back to Buenos Aires where you will spend your last day.

You will have plenty of time to visit one or two neighborhoods, relax in a beautiful park or enjoy a late lunch paired with a glass of Malbec.

Day 11 – January 22 | Flight back home

A transfer will bring you to the airport for your flight back home.

Tour details

Below the most important details of the Dakar trip:

• Date – January 12 till 22 – 2018
• Days/nights – 11/10
• Group size (min./max.) – 6/11
• Passport – Make sure your passport is valid for 6 months before flying abroad

Price

• Price mainland (6 participants) – $2.430 per person
• Price mainland (7 participants) – $2.292 per person
• Price mainland (8 participants) – $2.260 per person
• Price mainland (9 participants) – $2.172 per person
• Price mainland (10 participants) – $2.055 per person
• Price mainland (11 participants) – $1.974 per person
• Price mainland (single supplement) – $950
• Price 3 domestic flights – $445 per person

Included

• Domestic flights as described
• Spanish/English speaking guides
• Accommodation (double rooms) as described
• Excursions/tours as described
• Transfers as described
• Meals as described

Not included

• International flight
• Lunch, dinner and drinks from day 1 till 11 unless otherwise indicated
• Services not mentioned in the itinerary
• Early check-ins or late check-outs
• Vaccinations
• Travel and health insurance
• Visa (if applicable)
• Tips

If you would like to book our special Dakar trip to Argentina, then please send us your full name and written confirmation that you would like to book this trip. For further questions about this Dakar trip you can reach us by phone +31(0)35-2031669 or email info(at)purelatinamerica.com.