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Stage 8 - Sunday 11 January 2009 | Valparaiso > La Serena

  • Connection 245 km
  • Special 294 km
  • Connection 113 km

Travel diary

Judith Tomaselli, a motor-sports journalist, has traveled throughout this last year through the regions visited by the Dakar. Check out the official site for here impressions and photos.

  • The Ritoque Beach

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    The Ritoque beach and its famous dunes where you can even have fun on a bike or 4x4…

    The Ritoque Beach

  • Hillsides

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    On the other side of the “Ruta 5” road, which spans the country from north to south, the tracks snake across the hillsides dotted with cactuses and inhabited by goat herds. The vines used to make the famous Pisco are nestled at the bottom of the fertile valleys, bathed in sunshine.

    Hillsides

  • Farms

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    Sometimes, around a bend, the tracks cross through farms…

    Farms

  • Ovalle market

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    At the Ovalle market, you can find everything you need to fit out your horse and its rider. The horseman should always wear a chupalla hat.

    Ovalle market

  • Huaso

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    At the Ovalle market, you can find everything you need to fit out your horse and its rider. The horseman should always wear a chupalla hat.

    Huaso

  • Rugged coastline

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    All along the rugged coastline, the rocks, a refuge for a wealth of marine flora and fauna, contrast with the white sand or ochre tracks.

    Rugged coastline

  • The mountain range

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    Higher up, not far from the Del Elqui valley, where an Indian God has combined the colors of the rainbow with the rock, you find yourselves in the mythical Andes Mountain range. Here, nearer to the stars and almost as high as the Himalayas, it is said that the comic magnetism is the strongest in the world… Whatever the case, the magic is very real, enchanting the heart and soul of those who dare to adventure here!

    The mountain range

La Serena

On leaving Valparaiso, Chile opens its arms wide and offers the traveler who dares to leave the beaten track some wonderful wide open spaces. Deserted beaches on which the waves of the Pacific live their last, hills that flirt with the 1000 meters in altitude or even the Andes Mountain Range… here, everything is majestic, imposing and unforgettable…

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