It's the ancestral Antakari Route, dating back to pre-Inka times. We were studying it for a while now.
It starts in Vicuña in the Elqui Valley and climbs over incredibly beatiful settings and descends into the fertile Rio Hurtado Valley.
We must climb three very steep slopes. the road is rough and rocky. The sun is inclement. The landscape is magical: color, solitude and silence.
We arrive at Hacienda Rio Hurtado, where we stay overnight. Nice accomodations, cold beer.
The second day is also a long ride down the valley, but becomes less interesting as we approach the city of Ovalle.
Logistics: we had some major problems with chains and brakes that almost ruined the trip. Fortunately they occured while we were just starting, and walking back to Vicuña was still possible. Had it happened further down the road, it would have been really problematic.
Note: Bikes must be checked thoroughly for this type of trip. Hydraulic brake systems prove to be less reliable and harder to fix than old fashion cable systems.
KMZ here
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