itinerary - 12 day 'arrive & drive' Rally-raid tour
Day 1 - Arrive anytime September 3rd to Lima. We pick you up at the airport and shuttle you to the 3-star HOTEL ANTIGUA MIRAFLORES right by the Pacific coast where you will have the remainder of the day to explore the coastline (where four DAKARS have begun and/or finished). Maybe even go for a ride with the Parasailers, shop, or try the best cuisine in the world as Peru is known for!
Day 2 - After the buffet breakfast, we gather for the tour welcome and orientation. After we will guide you to the best spots in Miraflores to explore, change currency, eat and more, for the remainder of the day.
In the evening we will be shuttling you to the bus station to take the Deluxe Sleeping coach over the 15,800 ft (4,818 mt) Ticlio pass, then along the high lake-strewn altiplano, and down the Huallaga Valley to the 490 yr old colonial city of Huanuco in the 'Valley of Eternal Spring' at 6,238 ft (2,000 mt) where the event will start.
Day 3 - After a late breakfast and rest at the GRAN HOTEL HUANUCO, we will have an on-site orientation and introduction to your bikes and the whole support team. Then we will gear up, mount our bikes and head up a nearby valley route (using the roadbooks) to the Hacienda of Shismay and beyond to a high pass and lake at 11,200 ft. This route will be very similar to the race stages so that you can get used to your bike and the style of the route for the rally.
Your hotel will be Rally HQ for the next 2 days.
Day 4 - After a great breakfast, you will pass through Administrative Check-in and Technical Scrutineering with your bike, and request any last minute adjustments.
The day will end with a special dinner (in your very hotel) with the authorities and a story-telling recount of the history of the Austrian-German immigrants that came to Peru in 1857, and WALKED over the Andes to settle the towns of Pozuzo and Oxapampa, upon which this event is based.
Day 5 - A second day of scrutineering and preparation, setting up your 'pit' area in the BIVOUAC, and participate in a 'Shakedown ' with some other riders on some 6,000 ft to 9,000 ft altitude (2,000 to 2,800 mt) routes. This will familiarize you with our stage Start proceedures and Timing methods.
From 14:00 hours on there will be PARC EXPOSE of the competitors and their vehicles in the Main Plaza (in front of your hotel) so that the public may meet you and get your autograph, followed by the CEREMONIAL START at 19:00 hours with dances and announcements of each of the riders on the ramp/platform in front of the Municipality attended by dignitaries and the press. From there it is to PARC FERME where the competition vehicles will be impounded until the start the following day.
Driver's meeting at 16:00 hours at the hotel before the CEREMONIAL START
Day 6 - First day of competition, with the first moto starting out at 05:31 hours from the PARC FERME ! Today will be almost 400 kms of riding the valleys and high mountain roads, broken up with a 30 minute SERVICE from your support team in the town of Huariaca, then on to some high altitude routes finishing up with a wild public reception in the highland town of San Pedro de Cajas. Night in the BIVOUAC.
21:00 hours Driver's Meeting.
Day 7 - This 2nd day of competition starts at 05:31 hours with a highland stage then a high jungle stage followed with a 30 minute SERVICE by your support team in the city of La Merced on the beach beside the river. Then into the mountain jungle for 2 more stages on twisting gravel routes and river crossings. A total of four competitive stages this day of 350 kms heading up the mountain jungle valley to the world-famous German imigrant coffee producing city of Villa Rica. Your arrival in the Main Plaza will be celebrated with bands and dancing! Night in the BIVOUAC.
No nightly meeting.
Day 9 - Today's start is at 06:01 hours beginning with a 81 km stage through the jungle followed by a 30 minute SERVICE in the jungle town of San Juan de Cacazu, before 3 stages including many river crossings and beach runs. We will end at the Austrian cowboy town of Codo de Pozuzo with presentation of riders and celebrations! You are almost finished! Night in BIVOUAC.
21:00 hours Driver's meeting
Day 10 - Today begins a bit later with a start at 07:01 hours right out of the BIVOUAC in Codo del Pozuzo and straight to the river ! The day will be shorter, only 2 competitive stages (115 km total) kms but a wild jungle route! It will be important to just hold your place during the stages today. The next to last stage, SS13, is partly a beach sprint with water crossings near the 'elbow' of the River Pozuzo (thus the name: 'Codo'). Don't bend a rim!
Upon arrival in Pozuzo you will be received grandly up on the platform where medals and trophies will be given out. YOU FINISHED! All that is left is the PARTY!
Day 11 - Start with a great breakfast, something you have been missing with these early start times!
The race is over, but you are in a most wonderful town full of Austrian heritage. They even still speak a dialect of Tirol here that has been lost to Europe! Today is the final day of the week long festivities for this region and you have the day free to finally check out your surroundings! . Walk around the square! Go visit the nearby waterfalls!
In the afternoon we will make our way south through the Yanachaga-Chemillen National Park to the German town of Oxapampa where we will celebrate with a meal of German smoked grilled meats and local brews! Later that night the group will be catching the Deluxe Sleeping coach for our return to Lima.
Day 12 / Sept 14th - Upon your arrival back in Lima around 8 am, you will be shuttled back to our HOTEL ANTIGUA MIRALORES in time for the breakfast buffet. You have use of the room until your flight home sometime today or tonight. We will make sure to take you to the Inka Market for items you may want to purchase to remember your time in Peru!
Each of you will be taxied individually back to the airport. Don't forget to tell all your friends about this event as we hope to repeat it annually many years into the future!