Saturday 2nd May 2009

PH Alpine Assault 2009

Petrolhead Nirvana launches the first ever PH tour, and its one not to be missed

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A few weeks ago we announced that PistonHeads had partnered with fellow PHers and driving holiday experts Petrolhead Nirvana. As a result of this partnership we will provide you with a series of PH driving tours covering the very best roads available across Europe.

It's fair to say that we are starting the partnership in fine style, with the first offering being the Alpine Assault tour that takes place on the 18th- 26th July. This tour provides 9 days of the very best roads the Alpine region has to offer and not only will you drive some famous passes that you'll know well, you will also visit some less well known, but equally impressive routes thanks to the extensive local knowledge held by the Petrolhead Nirvana team.

During the 9 days you will drive some challenging and exciting roads with breathtaking scenery and light traffic. And as if that wasn't enough, you will also take a blast along the Ducati and Pagani test routes, do a lap of the Monaco GP circuit, have a run up (and down) the Stevio as well as taking a tour of the Lamborghini factory and Mille Miglia museum.

To help you relax and concentrate on your driving, you will be provided with car to car walkie talkies and full sat nav route files as well as comprehensive driver packs with route notes and important local information. The team also provide a mechanic and support vehicle to ensure that nothing can stop your fun.

When you have finished driving, you can relax in four and five star accommodation with both breakfast and dinner included every night throughout the entire tour. The cars will be securely parked at every venue, and with a lead and chase car you can enjoy the driving at a pace that suits you without any risk of losing the rest of the group.

For full details and booking information please visit the website where you can also contact the PN team should you have any questions or comments.

[robert_raw]

damn that road looks amazing, wish i still had my Honda Integra

[E21_Ross]

damn - if only i had a spare £1500 and a car that could cope with 8-9 of pure thrashing

sounds like that will be one hell of a road trip! wish i could go

[Grandmasterbt]

i'd love to do something like that

[vtecstu]

Grandmasterbt said:

i'd love to do something like that

+1

Is it too early to request a similar thing but staying in campsites / less swanky hotels around the route, for those less wealthy PHers...?

[Garlick]

The Alpine Assault tour is one of the higher end PN/ PH offerings.

Rest assured that other tours will be announced throughout the year, covering most budgets

[Fordo]

vtecstu said:

+1

Is it too early to request a similar thing but staying in campsites / less swanky hotels around the route, for those less wealthy PHers...?

+1


me and my other half a planning our own road trip round europe in a few weeks, taking in some of the best driving roads. We're going in her little rover, and camping all the way- we like to think you dont need to be rich to be a petrol head

would be great to do a similar tour with similar petrolheads though

[Jasper Gilder]

vtecstu said:

Is it too early to request a similar thing but staying in campsites / less swanky hotels around the route, for those less wealthy PHers...?

If you want decent security for the cars and people not complaining than that's about what it costs - I'm organising an 8 nighter to France and Claremont Ferrand in October and the price for car and two people is within
7 euros of this - and no we haven't been fixing the prices - I don't know who any of the guys from Nirvana are and doubtless the opposite applies!

[Touring Remo]

Do you have to be in a car? Could we go on a bike?

[johnbear]

Spoken to guys running the tour and as result i've booked with Mrs JohnBear on the tour along with another mate and his wife in a Cerb. Another two mates are hopefully confirming this weekend in either a Sagaris or GT3. Should be a great tour.

I done the Driving adventures tours ever year but they cancelled their tours this year.

This Alpine Tour seems to be the only Summer Tour in town with tour manager running this year. I've checked them all out, there are a few tours running were you are given a map and off you go, but they don't compare in terms of fun with this type of tour. You get a real team atmosphere and great laugh in the bar in night.

[jerrytlr]

I've done loads of 'DIY' versions of this (on a bike) and if you are looking for the budget option, it's not hard to do and the planning is fun, if time consuming. Buy a Garmin SatNav and use their excellent route planning software on a PC, just pick the bendy looking roads that aren't main roads and off you go!!

Having said that, I'm not sure DIY would be that much cheaper - less than £200 per night for two people including evening meal seems pretty reasonable given that the tunnel is also included as well as some fun stuff like the museum trip, and the lousy pound/euro exchange rate we are having to contend with. Looks like a good deal to me, and having lots of like minded PH people would be a plus.

BTW I strongly suggest you arrange a tour to Corsica as well, tons of great roads and very little traffic.

Cheers,

Jerry

[Muze ST]

I know that road.

Looking back onto my sat nav, its in italy north of milan, north of the lakes, lake garda is more to the east. Its in the mountains called Pass della Novena. Some lovely views from some of the stop sites, Cars tend to be once in a while but is still a great road to drive.

All around this area are some great road, the best i can remeber was Gletsch.

I stayed in a town near the motorways while still great roads called Airolo if i can remeber its spelling.

[Butters]

I have just returned from the Millau Tour with Petrolhead Nirvana having driven some of the best roads that France has too offer over 5 days and 4 nights. My Girlfriend and I completed the tour in a Boxster S and had the most incredible time with the weather being mostly in our favor so plenty of top down opportunities. The hand picked hotels were exquisite and both myself and partner were left with some serious holiday blues on our return to work a couple of weeks ago!

The Petrolhead Nirvana team are a great bunch with years of experience between them and a wonderfully reassuring 'nobody gets left behind' attitude. Their knowledge of the roads kept the tour safe at all times and support when technical issues did arise with some cars was priceless.

I for one would not hesitate to travel with them again and just wish I had both the time and funds that would allow for me to take in another tour this year. As a next best option I am intending to send the team a deposit to secure myself a place for The Alpine Assault for this coming year 2010...

What a blast!

James.

[G4HKS]

It sounds amazing - but 9 days? Wish I could steal 9 days for a driving holiday!

Maybe they can offer a 4 or 5 day section?

[AhBisto]

Have Driving Adventures gone under? or have they just pulled one of their tours.

[AhBisto]

Have Driving Adventures gone under? or have they just pulled one of their tours.

[Mattt]

Tempting!

[pSynrg]

What's the standard of car you are expected to take along? Do the Ferrari/Porsche drivers look down on the Vauxhall Monaro drivers, or maybe even my 10yr old MV6?

[zakelwe]

Excellent holiday and route, just wish I had the cash.

If they do a trip along the A272 ending up with a pot of cockles on the south coast then I am in for sure.

Regards

Andy

[fridaypassion]

Is 1500 for 2 people? Very good price if that's the case. Me and the Mrs are going to lake Garda and back over a longer break but we are doing a mix of camping and hotels to keep costs down. I'd tag an extra night on at the end and do the ring as well.

[mikeh501]

Muze ST said:

I know that road.

Looking back onto my sat nav, its in italy north of milan, north of the lakes, lake garda is more to the east. Its in the mountains called Pass della Novena. Some lovely views from some of the stop sites, Cars tend to be once in a while but is still a great road to drive.

All around this area are some great road, the best i can remeber was Gletsch.

I stayed in a town near the motorways while still great roads called Airolo if i can remeber its spelling.

I think your a little off there. That picture is the Passo Dello Stelvio aka the Stelvio Pass. The picture is about half way up before it opens out. I know because there arent many places to stop on the way up and its where ive got an identical picture

The Stelvio Pass is awesome, would definately recommend it, and the set of passes to the west (Grimsel/Susten etc). To find Stelvio, look up Bormio on google earth and its the road north from there into the mountains.