ONE DAY TOURS

COTOPAXI ONE DAY BIKE TOUR

Price per person: Standard | US$ 59

What to bring:

• warm clothes
• rain/wind jacket

At 07:00 AM we leave Quito and after driving south for 1 and a half hours on the Pan-American highway we reach the park entrance of Cotopaxi National Park. We drive through pine forest and soon reach the Visitors’ center of the park. After visiting the Center we continue the ascent in our 4-wheel drive vehicle until we reach the highest point of the tour, 4.500 meters/15.000 feet. The view from this point is stunning and on a clear day we are able to see 8 volcanoes.

We then put on helmets, gloves and protective pads and the bike adventure on the world’s highest active volcano can begin. The first 8 km will take us down 700 m on dirt roads through volcanic ash and tundra landscape. At 3.800 m. you actually have to do some pedalling while we head down another 8 km between volcanic rocks and wild horses to our lunch spot by an Inca ruin at 3.700 m. With some luck we might see a condor or a caracara. We put the bikes back on the jeep and head for the lake of Limpiopungo at 3.800 m where we start the 16 km downhill biking on dirt and paved roads through pine forest. After this the bike adventure is over for now and around 16h00 we are back in Quito.

This is the standard itinerary that we always try to respect. Please keep in mind that due to the nature of this tour we sometimes have to be flexible because of weather conditions, or biking skills of other participants.

Length: 31 km | 19 miles

Max. Altitude: 4500 m | 15000 ft

Difficult Level: Family Adventure Moderate

ANTISANA ONE DAY BIKE TOUR

Price per person: Standard | US$ 59

What to bring:

• warm clothes
• rain/wind jacket

Antisana (5705 m) is the fourth highest and one of the most beautiful snow capped volcanoes in Ecuador.  It has huge extensions of paramo which has endemic plants and endangered animals, such as the Condor which is the national emblem of Ecuador.

The tour starts early with a departure from Quito at 7am, where we head east for 45 minutes  by jeep, until we reach the town of Pintag. Once in the Protected area, we continue for approximately one hour along the plains of this outstanding volcano, up to an altitude of 4.000 meters towards La Mica Lake to enjoy beautiful surroundings and sights.

In La Mica we start biking back to Pintag for about 30 kilometers.  The first 7 kilometers is mainly plain and the last 2 kilometers before reaching the highest point of the pass will be uphill.

When we reach the pass there will be an awesome downhill through different landscapes until we reach the Entrance, where the bike tour ends.

We’ll serve a hearty box lunch en route. Jeep ride back to Quito.

There will be some up hills but it will be mainly down hills or plain stretches and always accompanied by a 4-wheel-drive.

The bike ride is approximately  30 km.

Length: 30 km | 19 miles

Max. Altitude: 3500 m | 12000 ft

Difficult Level: Family Adventure Moderate

NONO - MINDO ONE DAY BIKE TOUR

Price per person: Standard | US$ 65.00

What to bring:

• warm clothes
• rain/wind jacket

This is an ideal 1-day trip, which starts on the slopes of Guagua Pichincha active volcano and descends towards the coast into the Cloud Forest of Mindo.

When the trip begins, passing a northern neighborhood of Quito, you’ll never dream what lies ahead!

We’ll drive for a while on the quaint old road from Quito towards the Pacific Ocean coast.  Drive until the highest point of the trip (3200 meters of altitude) where we switch to human power.  You’ll descend on bike 10 kilometers on a paved yet quiet road, surrounded by Andino flora until we reach the village of Nono, located at 2900 meters of altitude above sea level.  From this point the ride continues on a quaint dirt road until Tandayapa (located at 1800 m) for 26 kilometers.

The exuberant cloud forest is full of bromeliads, palm trees and orchids. At your right there is a mountain stream which soothing sound will accompany you. And very often small waterfalls will bedazzle you  Every once and then, you simply have to stop to take pictures of a flower, that you have never seen before!

We then drive  towards Bellavista Cloud forest reserve  where the picnic lunch will be served! Keep one eye on the road and the other peeled on the sky: there’s a good chance to see parrots, hummingbirds, toucans and caciques.

After a tasty lunch, we will continue the 20 Kilometers bike ride towards Mindo, world famous for its  diversity.

Visit the Butterfly farm, relax or have a juice in town. At the end of the afternoon we head then towards Quito.  Or you can stay in Mindo on your own.

Length: 65 km | 40 miles

Max. Altitude: 3500 m | 12000 ft

Difficult Level: Family Adventure Moderate

PAPALLACTA - AMAZON RAIN FOREST

ONE DAY BIKE TOUR

Price per person: Standard | US$ 65

What to bring:

• warm clothes
• rain/wind jacket

This is an excellent way to see a cross section of Ecuador’s ecosystems in just one day. As we travel, we are dwarfed by the striking Andes Mountains that surround us. If we are lucky and have a clear day, we can see all the snow capped volcanoes of the Eastern Cordillera (Cayambe, Cotopaxi, Antisana, Chimborazo). You will pedal across the paramo – the Ecuadorian equivalent of the arctic tundra – and down through stunning cloud forest, traversing steep Andean slopes as you descend down into the Amazon basin.

The terrain for this leg of the journey is a combination of dirt and paved roads of scenic rolling hills.

Drive to the high pass “Paso de la Virgen” at 4200 meters (13300 ft) . From here the descent begins by mountain bike all the way to Cuyuja, the Gateway to the Amazonian rainforest.

On the way, stop for a nutritious lunch. We will then drive you back to 3300 meters.  Stop to have a swim in the best hot springs of Ecuador.

Papallacta has crystal clear water at ten different temperatures. If the day is clear, views of Antisana Volcano will bedazzle you!

After a relaxing dip, we drive to the Ave Maria Pass (4200m). From here we bike back towards Quito along the Chiche river basin. This is a great ride.  The last 18 kilometers will be on the famous railroad line going through five tunnels, one of which is 322 meters long. The spectacular ride takes us speeding through wide stretches of paramo, cloud forest and the canyon of the river with the Andean sun illuminating the way. Some days can be chilled by occasional fog, so don’t forget your mittens and fleece. In Tumbaco we pile the bikes on the jeep’s roof and head back to Quito.

Return by jeep to Quito around 5 p.m. (L)

Departure time: 07h00 in the morning.

Each day we ride approximately 60 kilometers by bike (4 hours) Clients can choose to do more biking, if desired!

Length: 68 km | 42 miles

Max. Altitude: 4300 m | 14000 ft

Difficult Level: Family Adventure Moderate

PICHINCHA ONE DAY BIKE TOUR

Price per person: US$ 75

What to bring:

• warm clothes
• rain/wind jacket
• Courage

We start our biking journey near the top of the still very active Guagua Pichincha Volcano. The views are spectacular: look east on a clear day and you’ll see the sprawling metropolis of Quito back-dropped by numerous snow-capped volcanoes. Look towards each of the other three compass points and you will be awed by great expanses of paramo (tundra like vegetation).  We will trek to the edge of the crater to peer over its rim and into the throbbing heart of this rumbling, belching sulfuric being. Then we mount our bikes and race downwards to Lloa on an abandoned dirt road. At Lloa we head west into the cloud forest, where the flourishing forest awaits you.

Packed lunch en-route.  By early afternoon we return to Quito by jeep.

Length: 45 km | 28 miles

Max. Altitude: 4784 m | 15700 ft

Difficult Level: For experienced riders only

Pick up / Drop off: Quito*

*Our team will contact you to set the location

• Box lunch
• Purified Water, Tea
• 21 Speed Mountain Bikes (Trek)
• Protections (handgloves and helmets)
• Transportation 4x4
• Taxes

• Available upon request (extra fees)
• Other activities or tours
• Other meals and drinks
• Entrance fees 
• Personal expenses
• Gratuities

• If you cancel at least 30 days in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
• If you cancel between 20 and 15 days in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 50% cancellation fee.
• If you cancel within 7 days of the scheduled departure, ther is a 100% cancellation fee
• Last minute bookings are non refundable.

• Cash (Offices – Quito)
• Wire Transfer
• Bank Deposit
• Credit Cards

NOTE: Some credit cards may charge 4 - 8% fee