Locations
Each race in the series takes place in a desert with different climates and terrains which pose unique challenges to competitors. The locations are chosen not only for the physical challenges they will present, but also for their wild beauty, their history and their cultures.
The Atacama Crossing takes place in the Chilean region of Antofagasta. The Atacama Desert is the largest Cold Coastal desert, and is a rainless plateau blocked from moisture on either side by the mountains of the Andes and the Chilean Coastal Range. The host town is the delightful San Pedro de Atacama.
This desiccated environment of the desert is the perfect preserver of ancient relics, with the world’s oldest mummies (of the Paleolithic Chinchorro tribe), having been discovered in the Atacama, thought to date back to 7000BC. Huge geoglyphic paintings adorn hillsides and ruins of Indian fortresses and sacred Inca sites dot the landscape. The Altiplano is still the home to descendants of the region’s pre-Columbian natives, the Aymara and Atacama Indians, who live the age-old lifestyles of herding llamas and alpacas and growing crops.
The Gobi March takes place in the Chinese province of Xinjiang. In 2012 the race will be located in the region around Kashgar.
The ancient Silk Road, is renowned for its stunning scenery including Heaven's Gate and the Pamir Mountains to the west. Uyghur, Tajik and Kyrgyz communities call the region home, with the event passing through a number of villages and homesteads.
The Sahara Race takes place in Egypt's Western Desert. The Sahara is the world’s largest non-polar desert and also the hottest desert in the world. In 2012 the event will take place for the third time through the protected area of Wadi El Rayan. Permission has been granted for competitors to race again through the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Wadi El Hitan, or the Valley of the Whales. The race will end at the Pyramids of Giza.
Competitors will pass through a number of oases and Bedouin communities.
The Last Desert (Antarctica) takes place on the Antarctic mainland as well as on some of the islands off its coast. The host city where competitors embark upon an expedition ship which serves as the race's base, is the most southerly town in the world – Argentina's Ushuaia. Antarctica is the world's largest desert.
The wildlife of Antarctica includes penguins, seals, whales and a surprising variety of birds. Competitors visit and race close to a number of historical sites and scientific research stations.
In 2010, the race was held on King George Island, the largest of the South Shetland islands and home to many national scientific bases; Deception Island, which is the caldera of a live volcano, and a former whaling station; and Dorian Bay on the Antarctic mainland.
Read more about this topic: 4 Deserts