The Best Biking Adventure – 8 days

Join the best biking adventure that Ecuador can offer. Cycle through Andean mountains and tropical lush jungles, enjoy stunning landscapes of active volcanoes, craters, lakes, wildlife and remote villages populated by indigenous local cultures. Explore one of the countries that hosts the largest bio-diversity in the world. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to discover your own adventurous spirit during a once in a lifetime experience.

• Duration: 8 days
• Arrival: Daily
• Departure: Daily
• Destinations: Quito, Mindo, San Clemente, Otavalo, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua

DAY	DESCRIPTION	MEALS	OVERNIGHT
Day 1	Arrival in Quito	—	Quito
Day 2	Biking tour in Mindo	(B) (L)	Mindo
Day 3	Biking tour in San Clemente	(B) (L)	San Clemente
Day 4	Biking Tour in Imbabura Volcano	(B) (L)	Otavalo
Day 5	Biking Tour in Cayambe Volcano	(B) (L)	Cotopaxi
Day 6	Biking Tour in Imbabura Volcano	(B) (L)	Tungurahua
Day 7	Canyoning in Waterfalls	(B)	Quito
Day 8	Flight to your Next Destination	(B)

Breakfast (B)

Lunch (L)

Dinner (D)

Day 01: Arrival in Quito City

Welcome to Quito! The biggest, and best-preserved colonial city of the America’s that was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The city is considered the Cultural Capital of South America and the second most important city of the old Inca Empire. Depending on arrival time, you may spend your day exploring the town of Quito and the surrounding area. If you desire, our team can help organize a day trip for you. In the evening, one of our trip leaders will meet you at the hotel for a welcome briefing where there will be plenty of time to discuss the details of your trip, and answer any questions you may have regarding the adventure. Our first day is an informational and acclimation day.

Day 02: Biking to the Tropical Cloud Forest of Mindo

Our adventure begins driving down to the western part of Pichincha Volcano, to the old road that connects the highlands with the coast. We will hop on our bikes starting at about 11000 ft (3300 mt), cycling mostly downhill to the amazing valley of Tandayapa, where the tropical forest is packed with diverse bird life, including toucans and hummingbirds, many different varieties of butterflies, and lots of orchids. We will experience an incredible change of temperature along the way. In the afternoon, we will visit the chocolate factory of Mindo.

Day 03: Biking From the Equator to San Clemente Community in the Middle of the Andes

In the morning, we will travel to the middle of the world, “the Equator Line,” for approx. 3 hours. We mountain-bike from the equator to the ancestral community of San Clemente, the place where the last Inca Emperor was born. This magical biking path will transport you back in the time, allowing you to discover little villages that have been untouched through the years, full of local indigenous people from the Andes, and happily invite you to explore the hand crafts manufactured in this area. Along the way, we will pass small towns and villages such as, Olmedo, Zuleta, la Esperanza, etc., to finally arrive at San Clemente. From which we will enjoy some quality time with the local people, learning about their traditions and customs that are still alive today. We will see icon Andes animals including,  llamas, alpacas, guinea pigs, etc. Biking duration is between 4 & 5 hours, full of beautiful landscapes, 35 miles mostly flat and downhill.

Day 04: Skirts of Imbabura Volcano

After a family-style breakfast, we will start our day driving along the slopes of Imbabura Volcano. We will take our bikes up to the mountains and look out at the stunning views of the Andean valleys and lakes, such as San Pablo Lake considered one of the largest lakes in the highlands of Ecuador. We will take our bikes along a small path going across the Imbabura and Cubilche Volcanoes, to reach the San Pablo Lake for 35 miles on flat, up- as well as downhill trails, to finally arrive to the town of Otavalo where we explore the largest market we have in South America, with its colorful, handmade articles.

Day 05: Cayambe Volcano – Ecuador’s Third Highest Peak

Our adventure begins today with a drive down the Pan-American Highway to Cotopaxi National Park. Along the way, we will see potato and corn fields, two of the Ecuadorian food staples. We will reach the entrance of Cotopaxi National Park, which is located at 3900 meters in altitude. This is where we will start our ride on bikes through the “Altiplano” (high Andean ecosystem). 600 years ago, this place was inhabited by Incas. The Incas had a small village in this area, named Tambo. It was a resting place for their messengers, who needed to rest after a long stretch of running, always bringing important information from the southern part of the Empire. The National Park surrounds Cotopaxi, which is the highest active volcano on earth. It is 5897 meters high and is a perfectly cone-shaped volcano, topped with an icy white glacier. This reserve is approximately 33,000 hectares and spans from the Andes to the Amazon region. We will find rivers with crystal-clear waters nursed from the glacier, as well as the Limpiopungo Lagoon. We will hopefully see some Andean wildlife, such as: deer, rabbit, fox, bulls, horses, and several bird species such as coot, teal, gull, cara-cara. With any luck, we might spot the majestic Andean condor. Biking duration 4 to 5 hours of mostly flat and uphill. Distance of 25 miles.

Day 06: Biking the Skirts of Imbabura Volcano

After a healthy breakfast, we will take our mountain bikes from the Llanganates National Park down to the Pastaza River Canyon, enjoying the beautiful scenery of the cloud forest. Our tour will take us through some Andean farms, where they cultivate tomato trees and passion fruit. While descending into the jungle, we will have a very impressive view of the town of Baños with the Tungurahua Volcano in the background. This town is very well-known for the spectacular location on the foothills of the Tungurahua Volcano, active since 1999. This is the main attraction of the region. We will have some time to explore the town and then enjoy the night life.

Day 07: Canyoning the Sanctuary of Waterfalls

This morning, we will have a little change in scenery, exploring the famous sanctuary of waterfalls in the town of Baños. Here, the inside of the canyons feed the major canyon of Pastaza. We will drive for 30 minutes to the beginning of the canyon for rappelling in the area. Enjoy 2 full hours of adventure and adrenaline! Rappel down 5 waterfalls along the canyon of Rio Blanco. In the afternoon, we will take private transportation back to the capital, Quito.

Day 08: Departure

International departures, end of services. Take with you memories and photos, and leave a piece of your heart, as you will want to return to Ecuador soon to experience more of this enchanted land. We wish you a “buen viaje”!

Included:

• Transportation: Private and comfortable land transportation
• Accommodation based on double occupancy
• Meals Included: 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 1 dinner
• Activities: Exploring Otavalo market, biking in the cloud forest of Mindo, visiting the chocolate factory, biking in Cotopaxi National Park, biking the slopes of Imbabura volcano, biking to Pre-Inca archeological sites, San Clemente local community activities, visiting the Equator Line, canyoning in the town of Baños
• Out-door gear: High quality MTB (disc brakes and front suspension), Shimano Deore parts, gloves, helmets
• Trip Leader: Certified expert, English-speaking adventure trip leader and local guides

Not included:

• Your own room supplement: $ 652 USD
• International flights
• Airport transportation (international flights)
• Travel insurance (mandatory)
• Meals not described in the itinerary – estimated budget $120 USD
• Personal expenses
• Gratuity