2022 Dainese Expedition Masters Takes On The Atacama Desert

There’s no experience like traveling on a motorbike. While a car protects drivers from the elements, motorcycles place riders in the thick of it. The sights, sounds, and smells. The temperature drops and wind gusts. The rider experiences them all.

That's exactly what Dainese wants riders to embrace with its Expedition Masters group trips, and there’s no better place to reconnect with nature than South America’s Atacama Desert. As an entry in the experiential series, the 10-day journey kicked off from Salta, Argentina on July 20, 2022. With the 2,500 km (1,553 miles) adventure taking place during the dead of winter, each participant fought the chill conditions with Dainese’s aptly-named Antarctica 2 Jacket.

During the first leg of the Expedition, each rider moseyed their BMW R 1250 GS through lush rainforests before settling in the indigenous village of Purmamarca. From there, the route shuttled riders through the Andes, El Tatio’s geysers, and Valle de la Luna’s sand dunes and volcanoes. On Day Six, the team crossed the Bolivian border before traversing the world’s largest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni on Day Seven.

The riders then pounded the pavement, covering 580 km (360 miles) on the tarmac and just 60 km (37 miles) on the trail over the next two days. Natural beauty and points of interest dotted the way back home, though, with the team winding past mining towns and hot springs over the long descent. As the elevation dropped, the temperatures climbed, putting the versatility of the Dainese adventure kits to the test.

Fortunately, green pastures highlighted the final day of riding as the group returned to Salta, Argentina on July 30, 2022. After meandering through three countries and fully immersing themselves in the scenery and local culture, many riders fondly reflected on the once-in-a-lifetime road trip. After all, there’s no experience like traveling on a motorbike.

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