Tour Highlights (why choose this tour):
- The magical island of Chile: on the Pacific Ocean, Chile has a unique culture and great sights – the ocean and countryside, quaint towns with a unique architecture, as well as excellent roads with varied terrain, including long flats, rolling hills and steep climbs.
- The Chilean Lakes District: Lake Llanquihue, the Volcanoes, Frutillar and the German towns, pretty farms and lots of green, rolling countryside; the night at the Puyehue Thermal Baths and Hotel is a highlight in itself - the hotel and its surroundings are a landmark in the Chilean Lakes region.
- The Crossing of the Andes over the Cardenal Samore Pass: a challenging ride with incredible scenery, crossing the lush Valdivian Rainforest in Chile and the high Andean forests of Argentina.
- The Seven Lakes Route and San Martin de los Andes: this famous road crosses the heart of the Nahuel Huapi and Lanin National Parks in Argentina; San Martin is a chic, exclusive mountain town that could not be left out.
- The transition from the Patagonian Steppe to the Andes: the ride from San Martin to Confluencia will take us through an incredible transition in ecosystems and scenery, cycling through the magnificent Steppe, including the "Enchanted Valley", where the Patagonian desert begins.
- A catamaran trip around the beautiful Arrayanes Peninsula, and across the inmense Nahuel Huapi Lake, set right under the Andes Range.
- Incredible cycling on the edge of the Andes, between Bariloche and El Bolson, through the "Andean Shire": beautiful nature, and the pretty hippy town of El Bolson.
- Esquel: a remote town with a real frontier feel, set deep in the Argentine Patagonia; also a great place to end our tour, offering many awesome options for further travel - Los Alerces National Park lies just outside town, maybe the most striking national park in Patagonia; Traveling, a town founded by Welsh immigrants, is approx 30 km away, as well as the incredible region of Futaleufu, in Chile.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Reception in Puerto Montt, well serviced by a good airport where guests can fly via Santiago. It is the fastest-growing city in Southern Chile, due to explosive growth of the salmon culture. Puerto Montt is also the gateway to Chiloé Island and many other smaller islands in Chile´s inland sea.
Day 2: Today we transfer by minivan to Quellon in Chiloe, enjoying lunch along the way. Chiloe developed a unique culture within Southern Chile, which is still very evident today. We'll cross through small, quaint fishing villages, and experience its wonderfully fresh seafood.
Day 3: Quellón to Castro (90 km cycling)Wonderful road cycling today, crossing the southern half of the Island. We'll have plenty of rolling hills to ride over, through very pretty countryside, and incredible views of the Pacific Ocean (and with a bit of luck, the Andes Range off in the distance). We'll pedal into our hotel in Castro, the capital of Chiloe, which still preserves its wooden houses on stilts over the water (the famous palafitos). This evening, you can stroll through Castro's central plaza and the waterfront, visit the fish market, or enjoy the picturesque cafés and old pubs, where plenty of Chilote hospitality is served.
Day 4: Castro to Ancud (118km cycling) - more wonderful roads, over rolling hills, with some steep climbs. We'll cross the northern half of the island, and ride into the northern shores on the Pacific Ocean. Ancud was the last stronghold of the Spanish in the Americas, and a stone fortress with Spanish canyons is still testament to this. A great place to watch the sunset from, over the craggy hills falling into the Ocean.
Day 5: Ancud to Frutillar (113 km cycling) – today we cycle out of Ancud, and get on a wonderful ferry ride joining the island with the mainland. More scenic riding over farmland, ever nearer the volcanoes and the Andes Range. We'll enter the Chilean Lakes Region, which was colonized and developed by German pioneers in the 19th century. There is still evidence of this everywhere, in the architecture, the food, and in its people. Once we reach Puerto Varas, the main tourist draw in the region, we can stop for a stroll, afternoon tea or pastries; from here we'll take a 20 min shuttle to Frutillar, a wonderful drive over the shores of the majestic Lake Llanquihue.
Day 6: rest day Frutillar - a small, pretty town founded by Germans, there are many options here for a rest day, from excursions to Osorno Volcano; rafting, mountain bike or kayaking; spending the day in a farm; or just resting in Frutillar.
Day 7: Frutillar to Termas de Puyehue (165 km cycling) – riding through farmland and huge eucalyptus tree groves, we'll eventually enter the Panamerican Road, after which we'll head straight for the Andes Range, over the shores of Lake Puyehue. We'll have plenty of views of the volcanoes (the Osorno, Puntiagudo, Casablanca, and others), and some great hills to ride over as we near the foothills of the Andes. Spend the night at Termas de Puyehue, a 5 star hotel and thermal baths complex, which is a real trip highlight in itself.
Day 8: Crossing of the Andes, from Termas de Puyehue to Lake Espejo, in Argentina (80 km cycling)- the day we've been waiting for! A challenging ride, going from approx. 400 ms elevation to 1300 ms at the top of the Cardenal Samoré Pass, crossing the lush, green Valdivian Rain forest in Chile. The reward is an incredible descent into the Lakes of the Nahuel Huapi National Park in the Argentine province of Neuquen. After a picnic lunch on the volcanic beaches of the amazing Lago Espejo (Mirror Lake), we'll shuttle over the famous Seven Lakes Route, a truly magnificent ride, taking about 2 hrs, into San Martin de los Andes. This is a very chique and exclusive mountain town, deep in the heart of the Argentinean Andes.
Day 9: San Martin de los Andes to- Confluencia (164 km cycling) – riding out of San Martin, we'll leave the forests behind, entering the Patagonian Steppe (the dry, almost desert-like ecosystem that covers most of Patagonia in Argentina). The scenery is magnificent, and we'll have plenty of chances to sight the Andean condor, guanacos (a cousin of the llama), and red deer. We'll find a scenic spot for a picnic, eventually arriving in Confluencia, a tiny settlement over the Limay River. There is a small lodge here where we'll set in for a cozy night.
Day 10: Rest day in Bariloche – today we'll shuttle out of Confluencia, crossing the amazing Valle Encantado (Enchanted Valley), which gets its name from the incredible shapes that the wind and water has given to the mountains and rocks surrounding the valley of the Limay River. We'll drive over the shores of the Limay until entering the central sector of Nahuel Huapi National Park, and head towards beautiful Villa La Angostura, a pretty mountain town on the shores of the lake. At La Angostura, you'll have some time to stroll around – we'll suggest a few great places for lunch on your own. In the early afternoon, we'll head to the famous Peninsula of Arrayanes, which holds a unique myrtlewood forest, which we will hike through (13 kms), and after which we will board a modern, comfortable catamaran boat crossing us over the Nahuel Huapi lake, to its southern shore. We'll drive into central Bariloche, giving us a chance to see its beautiful surroundings. Bariloche is a great city for a rest night, with many options for entertainment and relaxation, as well as all city practicalities (such as laundry, telephone and internet, banks, etc).
Day 11: Bariloche to El Bolson (115 km cycling)- another incredible ride, this time on the famous Route 40 (which stretches the entire length of Argentina, from the border with Bolivia down to Tierra del Fuego). We'll ride along the eastern edge of the Nahuel Huapi National Park, crossing incredibly beautiful scenery and nature, into the Andean Shire of El Bolson. There are great options for stopping for lunch, either in restaurants or having an outdoor picnic. El Bolson is and old pioneer town that eventually turned into an important crafts and agriculture center. We'll enjoy the summer weather strolling through its central plaza, visiting a brewery where the beer is made with the famous local hops, or just relaxing in our lodge, after watching the sunset behind the Andes.
Day 12: El Bolson to Esquel (185km cycling). A great way to end this great journey. Riding over the mythical Route 40, we'll cross some remote farms and settlements, sometimes right under the jagged peaks of the Andes. We'll eventually near the edge of the Patagonian desert again, until we head into the valley of Esquel, another pioneer town, in a beautiful setting.
Day 13: Departure day - shuttle to Esquel airport, or option of shuttling back with us to Bariloche.
Notes:
* Total cycling distance: Approx 1135 km (709 miles) of cycling, with options for more miles.
Trip begins in: Puerto Montt, Chile
Trip ends in: Esquel, Argentina
Flight-in city: Puerto Montt, Chile (via Santiago, Chile)
Flight-out city: Esquel or Bariloche, Argentina (via Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- Hotel: 12 nights, 3- and 4-star accommodations
- Minivan: 15 seater, configured for supporting group
- Bilingual Tour Leaders and local guides
- Breakfast every day (12 breakfasts), 1 Lunch and 3 Dinners (including welcome and goodbye group dinners); drinks not included
- Tips at restaurants and hotels that are part of the tour
Price Excludes:
- Bicycle.
- Airfare.
Also see tour packages in:
South America
Chile
Argentina
Bicycle Touring
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