BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) -- The Dakar Rally roared out of Buenos Aires with a ceremonial parade of hundreds of vehicles departing from its famed Obelisk on Saturday, Jan. 1. The 16-day trek takes drivers 5,903 miles across northern Argentina, through the Andes, the Atacama Desert of Chile and back to the Argentine capital. Officials listed a record 430 official starters, up from the 362 who were enrolled last year. The actual number starting the race is always lower. This year's route goes northwest from Buenos Aires, with the racers crossing into Chile. Racers then head north through the Atacama Desert then to the Arica in the far north of Chile, on the border with Peru. The race then turns south and crosses back into Argentina on Jan. 12. It ends on Jan. 16 in Buenos Aires. The rally was always held in Europe and Africa until the 2008 race was canceled because of fears of terrorism. It was moved to South America the next year. The rally is run in the middle of the South American summer, a highlight for school children on vacation. (43 images)
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Chile's biker Francisco Lopez Contardo rides his Aprilia during the stage 6 Iquique-Arica of the 2011 Dakar Rally, in Chile, on January 7, 2011. AFP/ Getty Images / Daniel Garcia
Dakar Rally 2011 dakar-rally-2011
Spain's driver Carlos Sainz steers his Volkswagen with co-driver Lucas Cruz on the podium during the symbolic start of the Dakar 2011 Rally in downtown Buenos Aires on January 1, 2011. The Dakar 2011 Rally will take place in Argentina and Chile from January 1 to 16. AFP/ Getty Images / Daniel Garcia
Volkswagen's Nasser Al-Attiyah, from Qatar, and co-driver Timo Gottschalk, from Germany, compete during the first stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Victoria and Cordoba, Argentina, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Czech Republic's Martin Plechaty rides his Yamaha quad during the first stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Victoria and Cordoba, Argentina, Sunday Jan. 2, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
BMW car driver Stephane Peterhansel and co-driver Jean-Paul Cottret, both from France, compete during the second stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Cordoba and San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Biker Yannick Guyomarch, from France, rides his KTM motorcycle as people watch during the second stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Cordoba and San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Children wave as a biker competes during the second stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Cordoba and San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Biker Giulio Napoli, from Italy, rides his Beta motorcycle during the second stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Cordoba and San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Volkswagen's driver Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz, both from Spain, compete during the second stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Cordoba and San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Qatar's driver Nasser Al-Attiyah steers his Volkswagen with German co-driver Timo Gottschalk on January 3, 2011 on the stage 2 Cordoba-Tucuman of the 2011 Dakar Rally. AFP/ Getty Images / Daniel Garcia
Mitsubishi's driver Guilherme Spinelli and co-driver Youssef Haddad, both from Brazil, compete during the fourth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Jujuy, Argentina, and Calama, Chile, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Argentina's Jose Antonio Blangino rides his CAN-AM quad during the sixth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Iquique and Arica, Chile, Friday Jan. 7, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
MAN's driver Richard Gonzalez and co-driver Raphael Gimbre, from France, sit beside their truck after it overturned during the sixth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Iquique and Arica in Chile, Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Giofil Aprillia's Francisco "Chaleco" Lopez, from Chile, front, rides his motorcycle followed by Red Bull KTM's Cyril Despres, from France, during the fifth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Calama and Iquique in Chile, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Volkswagen's driver Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz, both from Spain, front, followed by Volkswagen's Nasser Al-Attiyah, from Qatar, and co-driver Timo Gottschalk, from Germany, compete during the fifth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Calama and Iquique in Chile, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Fans watch as Volkswagen's driver Mark Miller, from U.S. and co-driver Ralph Pitchford, from South Africa, compete during the 9th stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally in Copiapo, Chile, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Volkswagen's driver Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz, both from Spain, compete during the sixth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Iquique and Arica in Chile, Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Spain's driver Carlos Sainz steers his Volkswagen with co-driver Lucas Cruz, during the stage 6 Iquique-Arica of the 2011 Dakar Rally, in Chile, on January 7, 2011. AFP/ Getty Images / Daniel Garcia
The shadow of a helicopter is seen near parked vehicles after the fourth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Jujuy, Argentina, and Calama, Chile, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Volkswagen's driver Giniel De Villiers, from South Africa, and co-driver Dirk Von Zitzewitz, from Germany, compete in the third stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between San Miguel de Tucuman and Jujuy, Argentina, Tuesday Jan. 4, 2011. AP / Stephane Mantey
Followed by a TV helicopter, Volkswagen's Nasser Al-Attiyah, of Qatar, and co-driver Timo Gottschalk, from Germany, race in the eighth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Antofagasta and Copiapo, Chile, Monday Jan. 10, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Paulo Goncalves of Portugal races his BMW in the seventh stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Arica and Antofagasta, Chile, Sunday Jan. 9, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
France's Bruno Da Costa races his Yamaha bike, right, and Argentina's racer Sebastian Halpern races his Yamaha quad in the third stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between San Miguel de Tucuman and Jujuy, Argentina, Tuesday Jan. 4, 2011. AP / Daniel Garcia
Michael Pisano of France rides his Honda in the third stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between San Miguel de Tucuman and Jujuy, Argentina, Tuesday Jan. 4, 2011. AP / Stephane Mantey
People watch Argentina's Alejandro Patronelli race his Yamaha quad in the third stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between San Miguel de Tucuman and Jujuy, Argentina, Tuesday Jan. 4, 2011. AP / Eric Gaillard
France's driver Guerlain Chicherit steers his BMW with co-driver Michel Perin, during the stage 6 Iquique-Arica of the 2011 Dakar Rally, in Chile, on January 7, 2011. AFP/ Getty Images / Daniel Garcia
Spain's driver Carlos Sainz steers his Volkswagen with co-driver Lucas Cruz on the stage 8 Atacama - Copiapo of the Dakar 2011 Rally. AFP/ Getty Images / Daniel Garcia
Spain's driver Carlos Sainz steers his Volkswagen with co-driver Lucas Cruz during stage 5 Calama-Iquique of the 2011 Dakar Rally in the province of Tarapaca, northern Chile on January 6, 2011. AFP/ Getty Images / Daniel Garcia
Motorcycles and quads competitors are seen from an helicopter during the start of the 9th stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally in Copiapo, Chile, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Cristophe Geoffroy of France races his Honda in the seventh stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Arica and Antofagasta, Chile, Sunday Jan. 9, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
U.S. biker Quinn Alexis Cody races his Honda in the sixth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Iquique and Arica in Chile, Friday Jan. 7, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Helder Rodrigues of Portugal races his Yamaha in the seventh stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Arica and Antofagasta, Chile, Sunday Jan. 9, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
KTM MRW Rally Factory's Juan Pedrero Garcia rides is motorcycle during the sixth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Iquique and Arica in Chile, Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Slovakia's biker Ivan Jakes races his KTM in the sixth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Iquique and Arica, Chile, Friday Jan. 7, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
KTM MRW Rally Factory's Marc Coma, from Spain, rides his motorcycle during the sixth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Iquique and Arica in Chile, Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
KTM MRW Rally Factory's Marc Coma, from Spain, rides his motorcycle during the sixth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Iquique and Arica in Chile, Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
BMW car driver Stephane Peterhansel and co-driver Jean-Paul Cottret, both from France, compete during the 9th stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally in Copiapo, Chile, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Kamaz' driver Firdaus Kabirov and co-driver Aydar Belayaev, both from Russia, compete during the sixth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Iquique and Arica in Chile, Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
View of the tent of massages after the end of the Dakar 2011 Rally fifth stage between Calama and Iquique on January 6, 2010, in Iquique, Chile. AFP/ Getty Images / Daniel Garcia
Kamaz team masseur Bolat tends to driver Artur Ardavichus, both of Russia, at the camp at the conclusion of the 9th stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally in Copiapo, Chile, AP / Natacha Pisarenko
Mechanics work on the Yamaha of Italy's biker Antonio Cabini after the end of stage 5 Calama-Iquique of the 2011 Dakar Rally, in Iquique camp, northern Chile on January 6, 2010. AFP/ Getty Images / Daniel Garcia
Bowler co-driver Paul Vidal, of France, looks over maps at the Dakar camp in Calama after the fourth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Jujuy, Argentina, and Calama, Chile, Wednesday Jan. 5, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
People wash their faces at the Dakar camp before the start of the 10th stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Copiapo, Chile and Chilecito, Argentina, Wednesday Jan. 12, 2011. AP / Natacha Pisarenko
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