HERO-ERA has launched its latest epic rally, labelling the Gaucho Trail Motor Challenge a voyage of discovery. The event, open to cars produced before 1976, will take place in November 2026.
The route will consume 11,000km of South America in 28 days, circling across the continent from Montevideo in Uruguay up to Uyuni in Bolivia and down the coast to Viña del Mar in Chile, continuing on into Argentina and Bariloche before returning to Montevideo. It is the first historic rally for a decade to cross from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific.
In all, the Gaucho Trail will traverse six countries, adding Brazil and a maiden visit to Paraguay to the list.
It will be a rally of extremes, from 5000m high passes in the Andes to the Gran Chaco basin, swapping rainforests for desert and the Salar de Uyuni Salt Flats.
The route has been devised by Kim Bannister, an expert in South American rallies.
Tomas de Vargas Machuca, HERO-ERA chairman, said it will be an ‘exhilarating experience', adding: “We are proud of our 23-year history of running endurance rallies in South America. By the time we have amassed two more years of work on the continent, it will become a 25-year legacy.
"They have always been authentic events, starting with John Brown running the HERO Inca Trail in 2001 with our last, the Lima Cape Horn in 2022, this will be our sixth South American voyage of discovery.
“It’s great to welcome Kim Bannister back to the fold. As one of the ERA originators with the legend Philip Young, it means that we will maintain our record of running genuine endurance rallies in the spirit of Philip and the ERA, which we promised we would continue to do.”
