Conquer South America in the 2024 Peaks of the Andes rally

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The Andes: a remote wilderness of rugged mountains, crystal lakes, and villages half-buried in the clouds. It is nature at its most sublime, and the attraction for anyone with an adventurous spirit is tremendous. There can be only one thing better than trekking through the Andes, and that's tackling them from behind the wheel of a trusty pre-war car.

Well, that's just what you can do, and in like-minded company, if you sign up to the Peaks of the Andes rally, organized by the team behind the Via Flaminia and South American rally organizer Hernan Miscione. Running from 6th to 30th October 2024, the starting point for the rally is Valparaíso in Chile. From there, the route will take in some of the world's highest roads, spending nine days winding along mountain passes which are higher than any in Europe. They may be remote, but we're told these mountain roads are of the best quality, being nice and smooth throughout.

At these dizzying heights, the sights and scenery will take your breath away. Air which is so limpid will afford unrivalled views across the ancient mountains and cantankerous volcanoes. Above, expect to see condors overhead, patiently circling for some morsel to dine on. Below, you might catch sight of the awesome snow-white salt flats, stark and lifeless.

You may not fancy a drive through the Atacama Desert, but you will be treated to a view of it from a hot-air balloon, and then you'll have a chance to admire some of culture and heritage of lost civilizations. You'll pay a visit to Cusco, formerly the capital of the Inca Empire and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and see the 15th-century ruins of Macchu Picchu, the Inca citadel precariously perched atop a lushly-vegetated mountain ridge.

Formidable though the landscape may be at times, you don't have to be an endurance rally driver. Covering an average of 180 miles (290 km) a day, the Peaks of the Andes will be more of a leisurely holiday, though certain special stages will be run for the competitive sorts among you.

Cars will be divided into two classes, one pre-war and one for post-war classics up to 1967. It sounds to us like it should be a lot of fun, and you can read more about it here.
 

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