My friends and I are looking to do the ultimate ride of a lifetime and in need of some real world places to go. We're not getting any younger ya know. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

Everyone has their own definition of "ultimate" ours is as follows...
A long (500 miles plus) and challenging (mud, rocks, water crossings, hill climbs etc...) ride that is either guided or has some sort of support for necessities (fuel, food etc...). It could be from town to town or a big loop. Hotels wouldn't be necessary everynight maybe camp of a night between hotel stays. Anyway I think you get the picture.

I've searched the NET and there are a lot of tour adventure companies but they cater to beginners and scenic rides. Not many are for the extreme atver. Some of the companies in Canada and Alaska will design a tour to match your liking but unsure of how "ultimate" they would or could make it. I may call one and find out.

I've come up with only 2 possibilities:

1. The Bolivian Caravan: this is a 10 day 1000 mile ride through the Amazon jungle and has a complete support crew including food, water, fuel and medical. Some camping and hotels. Cost is $3000 including food, lodging and atv rental (Honda Foreman 450 or Prairie 650), plus airfare to get to Bolivia approx. $1000 and couple hundred spending cash. Web site is 'atv-caravan.com' if you want to look. THIS IS OUR CHOICE AS OF NOW.

2. The Baja Tours: this is a 4 day ride through Baja following the race route. This is a guided ride that costs $1600 includes food, lodging, fuel and atv rental (400ex or ds650) airfare to Cali approx. $400. This is not quite the ultimate but less expensive.

2 weeks and $5000 is our limit price wise also we don't need to rent but it seems to be convient since we would rather ride than drive.

Thoughts, opinions and suggestions welcome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Howdy,

Just got back from the Baja peninsula and had a great time. Did the guided tour for the last two years and had an equally great time. We went with Greg Row who used to ride for Bombardier and now runs for Team Alba. He runs tours of the peninsula and willl either rent you a quad or you can bring your own. His website is something like www.atvbajatours.com. If that aint it just do a search and you will find it. Greg is a great guy and very knowledgable about Baja. This year was on our own (5 of us) and it was a little bit more adventurous, but still a blast. Greg has talked about running a trip from Tecate Mex. down the 1000 race route to Cabo and we hope to do that someday, but it would probably be in the price range you are talking about.

Baja is a place like no other on earth (Great people, great food, fast riding, and usually good weather).

Let me know if you want more details.

 

Have you considered the Paiute ATV Trail in Utah? Almost every town/village located near or on it has facilities.

 

I was watching Tv a few weeks back. Dirt rider TV was the show. they did a special on an atv tour in Hawaii complete with a helicopter flight, and the ride went to the waterfalls on Jurassic Park. It looked great. Bill

 

I would check out the ATV Jamborees around the country. They seem to have all the challange you seek if you take the challenging options and much less expensive.
I have done Baja many times on dirt motorcycles both with guided tours and recently on my own with friends. Baja is a great place to start. The tour operators can make it as extreme as you like or as tame.
The tours all have their own hidden trail systems that you cannot find on your own and will give you a workout if that is what you want. When you are ready for the scenic dirt road, it is there.

 

EasterEgg I'm interested in this Bolivian trip.... I can not get there with the name you posted... is it wrong or is it me... You still have an open invation to run newfoundland. Even an LT80 did that run this year!...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] PM me or something if you find something good.

 

I'd say save yuor money by going to Utah and the Piute trail system....awesome rides, awesome views, and everybody speaks english, and you don't need a passport.

Numerous trails in and out of towns, motels, restaraunts and gas... plus awesome riding.....go there, ...do this thing..... then go to Glamis, the best place on earth for sand.....

after that I think maybe the Oregon sand dunes, the Nevada deserts, not to mention other parts of Utah, Colorado, California.....Alaska, Canadaa, eh? That Baja trip sounds great, but it's fricking Mexico,...and that part sucks.... So what if you can go anywhere without a street license....and the cops can confiscate your stuff and jail you, because your.....white.....Mexico can be scenic, but what a hole....! If your going to Mexico, go on a cruise ship or an airliner.....drink lots of alcohol and don't do the locals.....

And if you listen to me...too bad for you....

 

Thanks all for the suggestions, keep them coming.

I think the BAJA trip is out, the other guys aren't as interested as I am.

We're looking into the Paiute Trail in Utah, contacting some of the local tour/rental places to see what they offer as far as custom extreme trips. Also contacting tour operators in Alaska, Canada, Washington and Oregon as well.The most important thing for me is it has to be challenging. Most of what I've seen (on the net) doesn't come close to being challenging enough, after talking to some of these people maybe I'll get a better idea of what they offer.

The wives of the others are balking at Bolivia so we are keeping are search more to the US & Canada now. I've been to South America several times and speak espanol well enough so it's nothing to me.

Kawi650 Sorry I put it in backwards it's www.caravan-atv.com also it won't come up without the www or the .com.

BUDXXX I'm not afraid of Mexico been there atleast a dozen times and have even DONE a local or two[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

I have found another very good possibility in the northwest here is their site www.atvactiontours.com I spoke with these guys last night and sounds very cool. Check out their "ultimate trip" it's 8 days in Washington and Oregon and they will customize it to your liking. They suggested 5 days in the woods aboard their Prairie 650 and 3 days at the dunes in Oregon on a Raptor. All inclusive for $2500.

They also offer trips to Africa for 12 to 18 days but the cost is $8000 to $12000 I may need to save some more.

 

.If you want to camp out and go on an unguided tour... Try Bolivia, Nevada. It's an abandoned mining town( not much) in the Stillwater range. Try the SteamShovel trail...

 

That Africa trip sounds really good, I' thinking of Feb.13- to the end of march and do all three you only have a 3 day waiting between trips.... I'm going to email them wondering about a price on that.