3 Reasons to Cycle in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District

Cycling in southern Chile is definitely a must-do if you are a bicycling enthusiast. More than just transportation, it allows you to access the hidden corners of the Chilean territory without contributing to climate change.

Bicycle riding is becoming more and more popular due to all the benefits it brings to people’s health and wellbeing. It is also a way of contributing to a more sustainable world. Moreover, it is the best eco-friendly way to visit Chile.

Geographically, Chile is one of the most versatile, safe and unique places to bike in the world. Furthermore, the fact that Chile is located in the Southern Hemisphere allows bikers from the northern parts of the world to enjoy a taste of summer in the off-season provides a great reason for a trip to check it out.

Noteworthy, and since 2016, Chile has won the award of “Best World Adventure Tourism Destination” at World Travel Awards. Correspondingly, you can find a great variety of world-class adventures in the famous Lake and Volcano District Scenic Route. Also known as the Interlagos Network, this southern part of Chile crosses areas booming with resources in terms of its landscapes, environmental and cultural value.

In other words, this 2.000-kilometers destination of (mostly) paved road connects six different circuits running through three regions, where you can see 26 large rivers, 22 lakes, 17 active volcanoes and 12 national parks.

As you can guess, this special part of Chile promises lots of fun rides with the breathtaking landscape. In this blog, we give you 3 reasons why cycling is an incredible travel adventure to do in Chile.

1) The Lake and Volcano District is Chile’s bike-friendly destination

From Temuco to Puerto Varas, we take you to bike the most scenic routes of the Lake and Volcano District. Your cycling adventure will be full of amazing landscapes composed of lakes, active volcanoes and the Andes mountain range. Moreover, you will observe some incredible endemic fauna and flora.

Cycling the roads of Chile’s Lake and Volcano District is the best way to explore this fascinating part of the country. Consequently, you will pedal alongside the Andes mountains, green rolling meadows and through national parks. In addition, you will visit local Mapuche villages and relax in soothing natural hot springs.

During our bike tours, you’ll get to explore the following highlights:

Kütralkura, Chile’s first UNESCO Geopark in the Malalcahuello National Reserve, always with the Lonquimay Volcano watching you.
Conguillio National Park and the Llaima volcano.
The Andes Mountain Range at the Alto Biobio National Reserve.
Pucón the Capital of Adventure Travel and the Villarrica Volcano, the most active of the territory
The 7-Lake Route and the Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve, an awarded land trust for conservation.
Puerto Varas, the Llanquihue Lake with the largest bike lane, the Osorno Volcano and the Petrohue Waterfalls.

2) Pick your style: MTB, Road or Gravel Bike

Thanks to the abundance of roads surrounded by active volcanoes, pristine lakes and the Andes mountain range, the Lake and Volcano District has a lot of biking trails to offer. You’ll absolutely get fascinated by the diversity of landscapes at the wheels of your bike.

As mentioned above, the special part of Chile is full of surprises. Indeed, this destination offers even a huge variety of biking trails. If you are an adrenaline seeker, an avid challenger, or an amateur cyclist, you will definitely be amazed by our bike travel adventures.

Mountain Bike

Our Mountain Bike Adventure was especially designed by Ernesto Araneda, one of our top cyclist guides. He is the former national champion of XC MTB in 2004 and three times winner of silver medal at the Pan-American Games of XC MTB.

This travel experience will take you off the beaten path, including the best bike trails of the Lake and Volcano District. You will absolutely love riding among endemic tree forests or descending the Villarrica Volcano in the famous national parks of the area.

Discover our MTB adventures with EVOC and Specialized Bicycles!

Road Cycling

If you’re more into paved roads, don’t worry. Our famous road cycling experience will make you ride the most beautiful and scenic roads of Chile. From the Malalcahuello National Reserve, through Pucón to Puerto Varas, this journey will never cease to surprise you.

Finally, our last ride in the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, gives you the opportunity to push your limits. Indeed, you will get to climb the Osorno Volcano and one of the steepest climbs of South America.

The group departure dates for our 8-Day Road Cycling Tour are already available for 2022-2023, check them out!

Gravel Bike

The last modality we added to our bike fleet, and by far the most versatile way to pedal the hidden off-the-beaten routes of the Lake and Volcano District. As a result, the gravel bike gives more possibilities when connecting sections and areas of both dirt and asphalt.

And this is where we see a great opportunity to explore the dirt roads of the Lake and Volcano District. For us, it is an extraordinary chance to add new routes in all circuits where bike tours are not operated today due to lack of asphalt.

Group departure dates available for 2023, save your spot!

3) Discover the cultural sides of Chile

But not everything is about physical activity, adventure and amazing landscapes. So, we also make sure our bikers’ belly gets well treated with our delicious Chilean cuisine. During the bike rides, you will have all the necessary snacks to refill energy. For lunch, you will either get to eat the typical Chilean food in our selected restaurants, or get to have a zero-waste buffet picnic, prepared by our drivers on a perfect scenic spot.

Food in Chile is, likewise, one of the highlights of our bike tours. Great wine, fresh and flavorsome produce, seafood and all kinds of meat will be part of the daily menus. We are prepared to cater vegetarian, pescaterian, gluten free and dairy free food.

On the other hand, and since 2019, we’ve been changing and improving our great picnic tables. Indeed, with the ambitious Zero Waste Challenge, we aim to reduce the generated waste during our travel adventures.

Read more about our sustainable measures in the adventure travel industry!

And to make it memorable, you will experience an indigenous encounter with the Mapuche communities. You will have the privilege to share a typical dinner, drink some Yerba Mate and learn more about their ancestral culture.

As they are the first inhabitants of this ancestral territory, sharing with them is a great opportunity to really know the human identity of the Chilean territory.

Why choosing Amity Tours for your next bike adventure ?

Amity Tours, as a company, has been specializing since 2003 in active adventures such as hiking, trekking, skiing and cycling. Our headquarters are in the town of Pucón, located in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District.

Our main motivation to offer adventure experiences in this region is quite obvious. Along with being the best place for outdoor activities, we truly believe it is one the most beautiful regions of Chile. If not the most!

The philosophy of Adventure

First of all, we are proud to call ourselves a boutique adventure tour operator from Chile, where luxury nature tours are our standard.

At Amity Tours, we are all fanatics for new adventures. Our guides are living in a constant adventurous state, showing and sharing the most beautiful places of Chile to our fellow travelers. Our drivers are always on the move, they can’t stand still and love to explore new places on our scouting trips. Likewise, the whole office team spends its free time in a national park, or on a campground together with friends and family.

That is why one of the main cornerstones of our philosophy is ADVENTURE: We are an adventure travel company and we define “adventure” as an experience where culture and nature are the main elements.

Discover our team adventures gravel cycling the Llanquihue Lake!

Professional service and bike safety measures

At Amity, we aim to provide the best travel experiences in Chile. For us, it means that this comes with excellent service, comfortable hotels and great local food, beer and wine.

Secondly, we make sure you find a true friend in our team of experienced and professional guides and drivers. They will show the best of Chile. Along with them, you’ll get to meet local people at every destination. Finally, they’ll make sure you discover the best hidden places that will take your breath away.

As a responsible travel company, we want our travel adventurers to get the best experience possible. This is why we’ll make sure that safety always comes first.

Here are our most important measures taken during our bike trips:

Our professional guides and drivers always have with them a VHF radio. Communication is the main element in our staff.
We use SAG vehicles to carry all the food, water, snacks and all the gear needed for such activity. For those who can no longer ride, our vehicle is here to pick them up.
The helmet while riding is mandatory.
Van stops every 10 km or 20 km depending on group pace. Just to make sure everyone’s ok and enjoying the ride.
In our road cycling tours, for every 9 riders, 1 professional guide is in charge of guiding and support, and in our mountain biking tours, we use 1 guide per 6 riders.
At the beginning of our tours, we make sure a technical briefing is given regarding road rules and trail conditions.

Spring season has already arrived in Chile and we can’t wait for the upcoming bike adventures in Chile’s top destination! Discover the Lake and Volcano District, a fascinating part of the Chilean territory, where adventure meets nature and connects with the local human identity!

The Lake and Volcano Scenic Route – Chile

Have you ever heard about the Red Interlagos in Southern Chile ? Also known as the Lake and Volcano Scenic Route, it crosses through areas of immense landscape, environmental and cultural values. Without a doubt, visiting this part of the Chilean territory is a must-do as you can compare its natural beauty to other wonders like the Atacama Desert and Patagonia.

At the present time, the Lake and Volcano Scenic Route features more than 2.000 kilometers of roads. All together, they connect 6 tourist circuits passing through 3 regions: La Araucanía, Los Lagos and Los Ríos. There, you can witness some of the greatest natural beauties in Chile such as 26 big rivers, 22 lakes, 17 active volcanes and no less than 12 national parks.

lake volcano scenic route chile — Map of the Lake and Volcano Scenic Route

Moreover, there exist 7 ski resorts and more than half the thermal areas of Chile. All these elements and so much more await you, come and see what southern Chile has to offer!

Araucanía Andina Circuit

The first circuit of the Lake and Volcano Scenic Route starts in Curacautín. There, you can admire two mountain areas characterized by the presence of the Lonquimay volcano and the Llaima volcano. Both of them also corresponds to two huge river basins of the Cautín and the Bíobío rivers. Not to mention the most characteristic icon of the circuit: the Araucaria Araucana tree (commonly the monkey puzzle tree). Indeed, it is a tree considered sacred by the Mapuche-Pehuenche culture.

In the middle of spectacular landscapes dominated by ancient forests, rivers and mountains, you can find some protected areas. First, there is the Malalcahuello National Reserve surrounding the Lonquimay volcano where you can find the Corralco Ski Resort, Chile’s top place to practice winter sports.

Second, you can visit 2 incredible national parks, such as the Tolhuaca but also the Conguillío. Interestingly, the latter is part of Chile’s first geopark, the Kutralkura, which is part of UNESCO Global Geoparks since 2017. Thanks to the large number of sites of geological interest, this special place reveals part of the natural environment where dinosaurs lived.

Under those circumstances, The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) refers to the Conguillio as one of the last refuges in the World to preserve the landscape where dinosaurs lived. As a result, part of the documentary “Walking with Dinosaurs“ was filmed in the park.

Hence the high volcanic activity, the area allows the presence of various hot springs in the circuit. Among which there are the Malleco, manzana and Cañon del Blanco hot springs. By far, our favorite are the Malalcahuello hot springs, located in the Corralco hotel.

Galletue lake llaima volcano — Tne Galletue Lake and Llaima Volcano

truful truful conguillio park — Truful-Truful waterfall in the Conguillio national park

If you love mixing active adventures in nature with relaxing rest at hot springs, we suggest you to take a look at our following travel experiences:

Araucanía Lacustre Circuit

Furthermore, the Lake and Volcano Scenic Route is framed by the Villarrica volcano. In reality, Chile’s most active volcano is the great natural monument of the Araucanía Lacustre circuit. Bordered by the Lake of the same name, you can also find the quaint city of Pucón. It is the capital of adventure tourism.

pucon villarrica volcano chile — Pucón dominated by the Villarrica volcano

villarrica city villarrica volcano chile — Entrance of Villarrica city with the Villarrica volcano

As a matter of fact, this circuit stands as a safety pin in the Lake and Volcano Scenic Route. To put it differently, you can find an impressive list of outdoor adventures to do. For example, you can hike through thousand years old forests, or ascend the Villarrica volcano. As well as rafting on the Trancura river, in addition to relax in natural hot springs. Above all, you can get the chance to connect with the roots of the Mapuche culture. As they are the first inhabitants of the Chilean territory, sharing with them will allow you to learn more about their ancestral traditions and their cosmovision.

Obviously, the Huerquehue and the Villarrica national parks are the unmissable protected areas to tick off your travel bucket list.

Get to know this incredible area in the following travel experiences:

Sietelagos Circuit

In the Sietelagos circuit, the lush evergreen forests of the Valdivian rainforest will always accompany you. Alongside the only temperate rainforest in South American, you can also appreciate the beauty of 7 surprising lakes such as Calafquén, Panguipulli, Riñihue, Pellaifa, Neltume and Pirehueico.

countryside sietelagos chile — The countryside between the Calafquén and Panguipulli lakes

panguipulli lake sietelagos chile — Scenic route alongside the Panguipulli lake

The circuit has a strong Mapuche cultural identity, and an historical past linked to old wooden ports. Moreover, there exists an ecosystem that has hardly been explored. For instance, The Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve is the natural icone of this circuit. There, areas of scientific and conservation interests overlap globally. In fact, it is home of a great natural diversity. Thanks to its particular geography, you can find lakes of glacial origin, eternal snow on the Mocho-Choshuenco volcano and countless water streams.

To visit the best of the Sietelagos circuit, we recommend you to take a look at:

Lago Ranco Circuit

To point out, the Ranco Lake is the third largest in the Chilean territory. With an extension of 442 square kilometers, large cattle farms, exuberant lush Valdivian forest, waterfalls and breathtaking cliffs surround the lake. The fully paved road passes through villages and corners full of history which refer to a valuable railway heritage.

On the other hand, the Futangue Park is one of our favorite places to visit around Ranco Lake. With more than 100 kilometers of trails, this place marks the beginning of North Patagonia. Close to the Puyehue National Park, Futangue is a private nature reserve is located at the feet of the Andes mountain range.

Important to realize, this area has some of the best preserved specimens of the Valdivian forest. Thus, it is one of the most biodiversity centers on the planet.

Discover the Lago Rango circuit in our family adventures!

NorPatagonia Circuit

In the Lake and Volcano Scenic Route, NorPatagonia is the shortest and narrowest circuit. But not the least attractive. In fact, the Puyehue national park and the lake of the same name are both not-to-be-missed attractions of the area. Around them, you can visit natural hot springs, exuberant evergreen forests, ski center and active volcanoes.

puntiagudo volcano osorno volcano puyehue lake norpatagonia — The Puntiagudo and Osorno volcanoes with the Puyehue lake

puyehue lake norpatagonia — The Puyehue lake

Like every parts of southern Chile, this area also features a great volcanic activity due to the presence of the volcanic complex Puyehue-Cordón del Caulle. they are two coalesced volcanic edifices that form a major mountain massif in Puyehue national park. Consequently, recent eruptions have left huge beds of lava.

Read our hiking adventures in the Puyehue national park!

Llanquihue Lake Circuit

For many, the Llanquihue lake circuit simply represents the golden brooch of the Lake and Volcano Scenic Route. Surrounding Chile’s second largest lake, this circuit traverses the shadow of the mighty Osorno, Calbuco, Puntiagudo and Tronador volcanoes. They are some of the most beautiful landscapes in southern Chile.

Without a doubt, Puerto Varas is the base of the Llanquihue circuit. This city, like the other cities around the lake, gives account of an architectural identity strongly marked by the German influence. This legacy was left by the first German settlers in the 19s century. Not without mentioning the city of Frutillar which is part of the Creative Cities Network by UNESCO.

Calbuco volcano llanquihue lake circuit — Calbuco volcano and Llanquihue lake from Osorno volcano

osorno volcano llanquihue circuit — Osorno volcano

Among the natural attractions of the Llanquihue circuit, we find the Vicente Pérez Rosales national park, the Todos los Santos lake, and Chile’s largest bike path.

Discover the Llanquihue lake circuit in our recommended travel adventures:

Because the natural diversity in the Lake and Volcano Scenic route is a must-do when traveling to Chile, contact us for more info! We’ll gladly help you plan your next trip in Chile’s top destination.

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5 Reasons to Visit Chile in 2022

Chile is a paradise for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Within the country, you can find a diverse variety of landscapes including vineyards, volcanoes, deserts, beaches, lakes, glaciers and ancient forests. Adventure, people, nature are just a few of the reasons to travel to Chile in 2022.

In South America, Chile is the gateway to some of the most beautiful landscapes. Whether you want to hike up glaciers, explore mountains or paddle down rivers, the Chilean territory has it all! As well as its natural beauty, it also has a rich cultural history and many interesting things for travelers to do and see.

Indeed, with the Andes on one side and the Pacific on the other, there exists a world-class list of adventures to do. It’s more, in the Lake and Volcano District, Chile’s top destination, you can witness a blend of indigenous culture and European heritages that combine for a welcoming embrace.

Here are five reasons to travel to Southern Chile in 2022!

1. Adventure Tourism in Chile

Can you guess what country has won the World Travel Awards Leading Adventure Tourism Destination for 5 consecutive years? Yes, Chile. It’s more, Chile has won the same title in South America for no less than 6 consecutive years.

To point out a few of Chile’s dazzling array of adventure experiences, you can:

Get your adrenaline working on a bike in the beautiful foothills, valleys and scenic routes
Hike the stunning national parks surrounded by ancient forests
Ascend some of the most active volcanoes in the world
Raft on the gorgeous and thrilling rivers and take on the heart-pounding runs of class 4 and 5 rapids
Kayak the pristine lakes
Skiing in the austral winter
And the list goes on and on…

2. Unexplored Travel Destination

Chile is a wonderful country full of contrasts and outstanding extremes. It is the largest and narrowest of South America. 4329 kilometers in length and 177 kilometers wide. Viewed from the map, it looks like a thin line drawn between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountain range; the longest and second highest of the planet.

As a result, Chile has been relatively cut off from the rest of the world due to its remote location. Therefore, the number of overseas tourists is not as overwhelming as in many other places, and there are areas in the country where you can find yourself to be the only visitor. People are friendly and there is no imminent danger.

Regarding the sanitary situation due to the global pandemic, Chile has become the first country in South America to inject the 4th dosis, and the second in the word after Israel. Consequently, Chile has positioned as one of the most effective countries worldwide to fight the covid crisis. Thus, ensuring a safe territory to visit.

3. Diverse Culture

Chile has a rich cultural heritage stretching back over 500 years. The Incan civilization was well established in the area when Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia arrived in 1540 with soldiers and indigenous laborers. So, after independence from Spain in 1810, Chile began developing its own unique traditions and customs. Therefore, this reflects its complex history as an amalgamation of European culture with influences from the indigenous communities who have inhabited this territory well before the Europeans.

Under those circonstances, it’s hard to pin down a single cultural identity for Chile. Since the country opened up immigration to the Germans in the 1800s, entire towns in the Lake and Volcano District have been taken over by German settlers. There, you can find traditional homes, churches, and schools that will transport you to Bavaria.

Check out our gravel bike adventures around Llanquihue Lake, a magical place with a strong traditional German-style architecture!

4. Best Travel Adventures

From Santiago de Chile to Puerto Montt (the gateway to Patagonia), we find a wide variety of landscapes with lands covered with forests of araucarias and dotted with lagoons, rivers or lakes. Moreover, here and there, we can admire the active volcanoes of the Lake & Volcano District. Not without mentioning the northern beauties of the Atacama, the world’s driest desert in the world. Or even the Chilean Patagonia, a region of immense untouched beauty, where you will find some of the most jaw-dropping natural wonders in the world.

All in all, they are the perfect spot for nature lovers who enjoy outdoor adventures. Here’s a few suggestions of the best adventure travels you can experience when visiting Chile in 2022.

Hiking the most stunning national Parks of the Lake and Volcano District

In this 8-Day hiking tour, you will explore the most beautiful trails located in the national parks located in the unmissable Lake and Volcano District. Surrounded by mountains, pristine lakes and active volcanoes, you will explore the best hidden corners of Southern Chile, including UNESCO Kütralkura Geopark and Biological Reserve Araucarias.

The group departure dates are already available for the 2022-23 summer season!

Gravel biking the dirt roads of Southern Chile

Discover and pedal the hidden off-the-beaten routes of Chile’s Lake and Volcano District with the new gravel modality. During 8 days, you will explore the most famous national parks of the Lake and Volcano District, witnessing the most volcanic landscape between ancient forests and pristine lakes.

Moreover, you will also connect and share with the Mapuche communities, an authentic cultural encounter with the first inhabitants of this ancestral territory.

2022 group departure dates are already fully booked, save your spot for the 2023-24 summer season!

Explore by bike, by foot and kayak the northern and southern Patagonia

This multisport travel adventure is a true authentique experience, during which you explore the best hidden gems of both the Lake and Volcano District and Patagonia. In other words, this exclusive program covers and connects the wild and diverse landscapes of the Torres del Paine National Park, to the lush and exuberant temperate rainforest of the Pumalin Park. Not without mentioning a stunning starting at the foot of active volcanoes covered by unique forests of giant araucaria trees of the Conguillío National Park.

During 14 days, you will:

Bike between surreal lagoons, horseback ride through the wilderness, kayak pristine rivers and lakes with the best views of Torres del Paine Massif
Ride on the most scenic routes of the Lake and Volcano District, between snow-capped volcanoes
Discover the Patagonian Route of Parks and explore the Pumalín Park, an area run by the Tompkins Conservation.

Group departure dates are available for booking, don’t miss your chance!

5. Traveling with a local tour operator

When you travel, it’s important to support local businesses. One of the best ways to do this is by choosing a tour operator based in Chile. As a matter of fact, we are better able to provide a unique experience than the big foreign companies.

When visiting southern Chile with Amity Tours, our friendly team will allow you to explore this fascinating territory in a much more personal way. Plus, you’ll get to connect with the local communities, see how they make their living and respect their ancestral traditions. Thus, we are better able to provide you with a more authentic experience.

On the other end, we are fully commited to a responsible tourism. In effect, in 2019, we started our journey towards sustainability with our Zero Waste Challenge. This ambitious project aims to reduce the general waste generated during our travel adventures, creating a local circular economy and reinforcing a close connection we have with our local partners who share the same future vision of implementing a sustainable tourism in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District.

Not only we are working every day to minimize our impact on Planet Earth, we also taking part of an another ambitious project. Thanks to the Wiñolfe Anumka reforestation project, we recently manifested our wish to offset our 2019 carbon footprint in addition to our upcoming round trip to Switzerland to the Adventure Travel World Summit.

Together, with this local community based in Curarrehue, we planted 198 native trees and gave back to earth. It goes without saying that we plan on planting more and more each year that goes by.

Spring and summer seasons are getting closer. So, this means that a great high season will soon take place in Southern Chile! Follow our adventures on Instagram, and start planning your next travel plans in Chile by contacting us and we will provide you with the latest updates!

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The best national parks in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District

Stretching from Temuco city in La Araucanía Region, down to Puerto Varas in Los Lagos Region, traveling through this world-class destination is a must-do when visiting Chile. Indeed, the famous Lake and Volcano District is a fascinating territory thanks to its biodiversity and exuberant nature.

If you consider yourself a true nature lover, you will find there a unique paradise on Earth. Ancient evergreen forests, crystal-clear lakes, active volcanoes, whitewater rivers, ancient glaciers and eternal snow peaks of the Andes mountain range. The wild, lush and exuberant nature of southern Chile is home to the most memorable and eco-friendly travel adventures like hiking or cycling.

In this article, we made you a list of our favorite national parks in the Lake and Volcano District. There, you will be able to experience the true identity of Chile’s top destination.

Conguillío National Park

The Conguillío national park is located 148 kilometers north-east of the city of Temuco. It covers a total area of 60.832 hectares. In Mapundungun, the word “ko-nquillio” which means “pine nuts in the water”. The name is based upon the abundance of the araucaria trees and the surrounding lakes shaping the landscape of the park.

conguillio park arcoiris lagoon — The Conguillio National Park features a rich and unique biodiversity

Among its main attractions, the Llaima volcano (3.200m) stands out the most. Dominating the landscape, the volcano is surrounded by its lakes of volcanic formation and its forests of ancient araucarias.

Consequently, the Conguillio national park receives an average of 100.000 visitors a year, making it one of the most visited parks of Chile. Recently, it was designated by the BBC as one of the last places on earth protecting the landscape where once lived the dinosaurs.

conguillio park araucaria tree — The Sierra Nevada trail hike passes through ancient forest with thousand-year-old araucaria trees

Our favorite hike to do is the Sierra Nevada trail with amazing views over the Conguillío Lake, Blanco River and the Llaima Volcano. With an area covering approximately 60.883 hectares, the park is part of the Araucaria Biosphere Reserve. Least but not last, it is also the heart of Chile’s first geopark: the Kutralkura, which has been part of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network since 2017.

You can visit the Conguillio National park in the following travel adventures:

Villarrica National Park

Located in The Andes mountain range, the Villarrica national park is a protected wildlife area. The impressive volcanoes, stunning endemic tree forests, rivers and lake are the top components of the landscape. The Villarrica Volcano (2.847 m.) is the main touristic attraction.

In addition, you can also appreciate the Quetrupillan (2.382 m.) and Lanín (3.776 m.) volcanoes. During winter, it is possible to ski the Villarrica volcano. The ascent to the top is also available all year long, depending on the weather conditions. At the foothills, there are various hiking trails leading to amazing lookout points.

Finally, The park boasts a total of 63.000 hectares of endemic tree forests such as araucaria, raulí, lenga, etc. The forested areas allow the existence of a diverse fauna like puma, chilla fox, pudu deer, and the small native marsupial monito del monte, among others.

You can explore the Villarrica National Park during the following travel adventures:

Huerquehue National Park

Equally important, the Huerquehue national park is located in the foothills of the Andes mountain range, in La Araucanía Region of Chile. It has a an area of 12.500 hectares composed of hills and moutains surrounding small lakes and lagoons of cristaline water.

In Mapundungun, the Mapuche’s native language, it means “place of messengers”. This park was created in 1967 with terrains unoccupied by the colons.

There are 2 main hiking trails available in the Huerquehue. First, los Lagos Trail, is an easy 12-kilometer long in which you can visit waterfalls, lagoons along with stunning views over the Caburgua Lake and the Villarrica volcano. The second, is the San Sebastian Trail, of an intermediate level of difficulty. The hiking trail is approximately 13-kilometer long. The final reward of the hike is the panoramic views over the surrounding volcanoes (Lanín, Villarrica, Quetrupillan, Llaima) and the Tinquilco and Caburgua Lakes.

Vicente Perez Rosales National Park

The Vicente Perez Rosales National Park is the oldest park in the country. A key component of the Temperate Rain forests of the Austral Andes Biosphere Reserve, it is located in an area where volcanism has been, along with tectonic processes and glaciers. Therefore, they represent the main factors that shaped the Andes mountain range.

Geographically, It covers an area of 251,000 hectares (619,970 acres), incorporating the park’s centerpiece: Todos los Santos Lake, Petrohué Waterfalls, Osorno and Puntiagudo Volcanoes.

There, we particularly love to hike featuring the great beauties of Los Lagos region. The first one is the “Paso Desolación” trail, which crosses the national park from the North face of the Osorno Volcano towards the South-East, all the way to the Petrohue sector. Originally, it was a cattle trail used for animal transportation between the Todos Los Santos Lake and the Llanquihue Lake via the Desolación pass.

vicente perez rosales park chile — The Paso Desolación trail hike, Vicente Perez Rosales National Park

Moreover, we love to hike “El Solitario Trail”. Indeed, it is a simple, short and fairly flat route that allows its visitors to appreciate the Osorno Volcano from the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park. First you start hiking through a native forest with the volcano at sight during the entire route. Then, you pass by a valley covered with lava flows formed by old eruptions. Finally, you arrive at the road leading to the Osorno Volcano.

You can visit the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park during the following travel adventures:

When to visit the national parks in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District

If you consider visiting this incredible part of Chile, we highly suggest you to come in spring/summer. Indeed, during winter (June to September), it rains and snows in the region. So, it makes the use of raquets mandatory, since the snow covers all of the hiking trails.

weather chile lake volcano district — Weather and average temperatures in the Lake and Volcano District

On the other hand, during spring and summer (october to march), the weather provides an ideal time and perfect conditions to visit the national parks.

Finally, during fall season (april to may), the parks shine with a true spectacle of colors. The leaves of the endemic trees lose their green color and slowly switches to yellow and red colors.

If you loved this post, don’t forget to share it with your friends travelers. Also, when interested in visiting the Lake and Volcano District, don’t hesitate to contact us! We will provide you with all the information regarding the greatest travel adventures you can live in southern Chile.

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Gravel Cycling Chile – Llanquihue Lake Loop Ride

The Llanquihue Lake is located in the heart of the famous Lake and Volcano District. Geographically, it belongs to the Los Lagos region and has nationally positioned as one of Chile’s top destinations thanks to the historic backgrounds of the area mixed with the incredible natural wonders. The most famous town around the Llanquihue lake is Puerto Varas, along with quaint little villages such as Frutillar, Ensenada, Las Cascadas and Puerto Octay.

The Llanquihue Lake is located approximately 1,000 km south of Santiago de Chile, in the heart of the famous Lake and Volcano District. Geographically, it belongs to the Los Lagos region and has nationally positioned as one of Chile’s top destinations thanks to the historic backgrounds of the area mixed with the incredible natural wonders. The most famous town around the lake Llanquihue lake is Puerto Varas, along with quaint little villages such as Frutillar, Las Cascadas, Ensenada and Puerto Octay.

Indeed, what makes the Llanquihue lake an interesting cultural destination to visit is the cultural identity that defines the Los Lagos region. In fact, the Huilliche Mapuche indigenous group along with the European settlers compose the social and cultural legacy of the area.

From 1852, the Spanish and German colonists began to arrive in the area of the lake. As a result, they contributed to the territory in various ways.

Until today, the arrival of the German settlers has left a strong influence over the architectural style of the area. Thus, when visiting the Llanquihue lake, sometimes it can feel like a journey to History as we get to appreciate the original large houses, sheds and churches built by the German pioneers. Interestingly, some of them are now restored and turned into boutique hotels.

TYPICAL HOUSE LLANQUIHUE LAKE — The traditional German architecture around Llanquihue lake (Puerto Octay)

Lago Llanquihue Circuit

At Amity Tours, we love this destination. Since 2003, we have visited and cycled the iconic Llanquihue lake every spring and summer season with our international friends. It’s more, we truly believe that cycling is the best eco-way to appreciate its deep blue waters, wonderful landscape dominated by the Osorno volcano, hills and natural reserves.

With the new gravel bikes, we said goodbye to summer season by cycling the Llanquihue lake loop ride. In this post, you will follow the gravel bike adventures we lived.

specialized diverge e5 gravel bike — Specialized Diverge gravel bikes ready to pedal around Llanquihue lake

Well-known as the bike-friendly destination in Chile, thanks to the presence of Chile’s largest bike lane (82 kilometers), gravel cycling the Llanquihue lake is an authentic adventure to live when visiting the Lake and Volcano District. First, we get to appreciate the imponent presence of the Osorno volcano (2.652 meters) whose conical shape seems to emerge from the water of Llanquihue lake.

Second, the intense green of the Austral forests surrounding the lake, especially in the east side where the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park remains.

Gravel Cycling Llanquihue lake

We started our gravel bike adventure from the small town of Frutillar. Located on the northwest shore of the lake, and 45 km from Puerto Varas, it is the other attraction of Llanquihue. Both towns stand out for their well-preserved German-style houses.

In 1856, Frutillar emerged as a shipping dock with the arrival of the German pioneers. They settled around the lake and then dedicated themselves to agricultural and livestock work. For this, they installed different types of farms such as dairies, mills, breweries, along with emporium stores.

gravel cycling llanquihue lake — The countryside of the Llanquihue lake

In addition to the Historic heritage, Frutillar enjoys the presence of the unmissable Teatro del Lago. There, the famous “Frutillar Music Week” festival takes place every year. Thanks to the strong musical activity, UNESCO designated Frutillar as part of the Creative Cities of Music Network in 2017. This network integrates another 180 cities around the Planet.

Leaving from Frutillar, we cycled towards Los Bajos area on a road that mixes asphalt and gravel. Always bordering the Llanquihue lake, the route passes by various gastronomic ventures from elegant tea houses to farm-style restaurants. They have become one of the great attractions of the area.

gravel biking llanquihue — The rain showered us during our gravel bike ride

Puerto Octa

After another 17 km, we finally reached Puerto Octay on the northeast end of the Llanquihue lake. Watched over by the volcanoes around, this quaint little town never ceases to surprise us with the German architecture and heritage. That’s why in 2010, the CMN (Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales, or National Monument Council), declared Puerto Octay as a Traditional Zone since it is one of the most picturesque and best preserved towns of the Llanquihue basin.

Wandering through Puerto Octay to admire its typical large houses is like a journey to the 1800-1900 century. Indeed, the population increased in these years as a connection point with Osorno and reached a certain economic boom.

gravel bike llanquihue — Cycling under the rain is a unique experience, even better with gravel bikes.

Our bike adventure continued on a gravel road towards Playa Maitén where we took a break for some photos on the beach. Playa Maitén received the first 21 German families who settled around Llanquihue lake.

Unfortunately, due to the rainy weather, we weren’t able to appreciate the Osorno volcano nearby. Nonetheless, during a bright summer day, we can easily admire this imponent volcanic element.

playa maiten llanquihue gravel bike — Amity Tours at Maitén beach, Llanquihue Lake

Finally, the last kilometers led us to our final destination of the day: Las Cascadas village. This part of the Llanquihue lake is a beach resort of fine sands, where the last German immigrants arrived between 1870 and 1880. Interestingly, this area is full of various waterfalls immersed in abundant green nature.

What’s more, Las Cascadas is also the starting/ending point of the largest bike lane in Chile, with no less than 82 kilometers from this sector to Puerto Varas, with another stretch from Ensenada to Petrohue.

There, we were well-received in our favorite lodge located at the shores of the lake.

llanquihue amity tours — Amity team ready to kick off the second day of gravel cycling around Llanquihue lake

On the next day, after a good breakfast, our gravel bike adventure continued and we started cycling from Las Cascadas lodge towards Puerto Varas. It goes without saying that this part of the Llanquihue lake is fascinating. Indeed, we get to cycle through the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park, one of the highlights of the Lake and Volcano district.

With 253,780 hectares of evergreen forests, this national park is located in an area where volcanism has been the main factor that shaped the Andes mountain range, along with tectonic and glacier processes. Moreover, it is part of the Temperate Rainforest Biosphere Reserve of the Southern Andes.

From the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park the bike lane takes us through the forest, always with the Osorno volcano at sight. And after 65 km of cycling around the Llanquihue lake, we finally arrived at the quaint city of Puerto Varas. Along with Pucón, Puerto Varas is the other capital of tourism in southern Chile. With remarkable views of the Llanquihue lake and the Osorno volcano, this city is also a reflection of European colonization in the late 1700’s thanks to the strong German architecture.

There we stopped for lunch to gain some more strength before the last 33 km of our gravel bike circuit. After leaving Puerto Varas we quickly reached Llanquihue. This urban and industrial center started to develop with the arrival of the first colonists, and afterwards the rail.

Besides, Llanquihue is where the lake drains and the course of the Maullín river starts.

llanquihue gravel bike chile amity — Last stop before heading north towards Frutillar

Finally, we reached the last point of our gravel bike adventure, back to Frutillar. We cycled the last 20 km passing through the countryside on a winding road surrounded by small lake beaches flanked by large trees, churches and ancient harbors.

In Frutillar, we visited our friends of Cancagua, a spa where the hot tubs are located in a natural ravine of native forest overlooking the Llanquihue lake.

Cycling the Llanquihue lake circuit is an incredible experience to live when visiting Chile’s Lake and Volcano District!

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Active adventures in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District

We’ve just said goodbye to summer season full of adventures in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District. After 2 years of global uncertainty around traveling, we felt beyond thankful to receive our international friends again.

tourists cycling the lake and volcano district of Chile — A pause for a pose while cycling around the lakes of southern Chile

From december to march, we cycled between pristine lakes and hiked the stunning trails around active volcanoes.

WHAT DO WE DO IN THE LAKE AND VOLCANO DISTRICT

Geographically, Chile is part of the Ring of Fire. Indeed, there are no less than 3.000 volcanoes from small cinder cones, to huge boilers of various kilometers in diameter located all along the Andes mountain range. In the Lake and Volcano District, we find 17 active volcanoes. Among them, the Llaima and Villarrica volcanoes are South America’s most active volcanoes.

lake volcano district chile map — Map of the Lake and Volcano District

Traveling throughout the southern region, the giant cones dominate the landscape. What’s more, we can appreciate how their shape and silhouette change radically. Thus, many of them present large glaciers on their summit.

In addition to the active volcanic activity, we can also find the largest lakes of southern Chile. Many of them are interconnected by a hydrological system consisting of 26 large rivers, and thousands of small ones. As a result, these water sources are the main actors in conserving the rich biodiversity of the Lake and Volcano District.

llaima volcano conguillio park chile — View of the Llaima volcano, Sierra Nevada trail hike. Conguillio National Park

It goes without saying that, given the natural elements composing the landscape of the southern region, we are blessed with stunning and remote places to explore.

Below, you will find out the best attractions to visit when traveling to Chile.

Kütralkura UNESCO Geopark

kutralkura geopark unesco chile — Map of the Kutralkura Geopark

More than just a park, the Kutralkura geopark is 8.000 square kilometers that includes 6 protected areas located in La Araucanía. In Mapudungun, the native tongue of the area, Kütralkura means “stone of fire”. Indeed, there we can find one of the most active volcanoes in the world.

mountain bike chile — Mountain biking surrounding by ancient araucaria tree sand volcanoes in Malalcahuello

But also, the territory has a strong human and cultural importance. As a matter of fact, the pehuenche mapuche, first inhabitants of the area, have their ancestral cosmovision that stands out the divine essence of the volcanoes, and every element of nature in general.

mapuche chile — Sharing a cultural encounter with the Mapuche community is the best way to connect with the human face of the Lake and Volcano District

Conguillío National Park

With the Llaima volcano as the main attraction of the Conguillio national park, we can also find other natural beauties such as the Captrén lagoon, the Conguillio lake and the Truful-Truful canyon. There, the area offers a lot of active adventures to experience through beautiful hiking trails.

conguillio park sierra nevada — Sierra Nevada trail, always with the Villarrica volcano at sight

In Amity, we particularly love the Sierra Nevada trail hike. Surrounded by ancient trees, the starting point of the trail is near the lake. The ascent is progressive and passes through a beautiful forest of native trees like lengas, colihue and araucarias. Until reaching the first two look up points, the trail is quite easy.

sierra nevada trail conguillio — Ancient tree forest

Afterwards, when reaching 1.600 meters above sea level, the views get really magnificent. In fact, we can admire the Llaima volcano exhibiting its cone-shaped silhouette. At its feet lies the Conguillio lake.

Admiring the Llaima volcano alongside the araucaria trees

In addition to the many stunning hiking trails available in the park, crossing through the national park by bike is the best eco-friendly way to visit the area. From Temuco airport, our supported bike route offers a well-paved section, cutting through farm lands in the rolling hills of La Araucanía region.

gravel bike chile conguillio — Amity guide Baudio leading the way towards the Conguillio National Park

Riding alongside the Llaima volcano, we get to enjoy the landscape of the Mapuche land with smooth hills and scenic nothofagus tree forests in the middle of green meadows.

llaima conguillio park — The Llaima volcano greeting us when arriving at Conguillio National Park

When entering the park, we easily witness how the high volcanoes have shaped the landscape of the Conguillio national park.

Check out this great adventure in our Multisport Tour in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District and Patagonia.

Malalcahuello National Reserve

Another natural treasure of the Kutralkura Geopark is the Malalcahuello National Reserve. Interestingly, this territory might be one of the most outstanding attractions to visit in Chile. Geographically, the landscape is deeply marked by volcanic and glacial activity. The main natural actor is the Lonquimay volcano (2.820 meters above sea level).

mountain bike lonquimay chile — Mountain biking around the Lonquimay volcano

Not without mentioning the presence of the “Cráter Navidad” that ended its last eruptive process in 1990. As a result, the Malalcahuello National Reserve features a unique surreal landscape that blends recent volcanic slags with ancient forests of araucaria trees.

In summer, our favorite outdoor adventure is mountain biking at the foothills of the Lonquimay volcano, passing through pristine forests of araucaria trees. On top of it, we get to connect with the pewenche Mapuche community. During this cultural encounter, they share with us their cosmovision and ancestral knowledge, and why their relationship with the araucaria tree is very close.

Watch the great adventures we had with our international partners H+I Adventures and Evoc in the Malalcahuello National Reserve.

Chile’s Capital of adventure tourism: Pucón

The strong omnipresent figure of the Villarrica volcano is without a doubt the highlight of Chile’s Lake and Volcano District. At his feet, the quaint mountain cities of Villarrica and Pucón stand around the Villarrica lake. The latter is actually the capital of adventure tourism thanks to the many outdoors activities it offers. Actually, Pucón is consolidated as a world-class destination.

pucon villarrica volcano — Pucón and the Villarrica volcano

Around Pucón, exploring the crystalline lakes and rivers, in addition to the incredible trails located on the foothills of the Villarrica and Lanín volcanoes are surely the best adventures to experience in this area. Moreover, you are always surrounded by ancient forests and get to connect directly with the roots of the Mapuche, the first inhabitants of Chile’s Lake and Volcano District.

Either by bike or by foot, we love to visit the best attractions around Pucón.

Villarrica volcano hike

Located near the Andes mountain range, the Villarrica national park is a protected wildlife area that is characterized by the majestic volcanoes, native tree forests, rivers and lagoons.

Dominating the landscape, the imposing Villarrica volcano (2.847 meters) is the greatest attraction. In the Mapuche culture, they call it the Rukapillán, which means “house of the spirits”. From the open crater, we can see flowing lava.

Hiking up to the summit of Chile’s most active volcano is definitely a must-do.

Cycling around Pucón

On the other hand, pedaling through this ancestral territory might be what we love to do the most. In fact, given the huge variety of trails, Pucón is actually the perfect place for every kind of biker.

Indeed, if you fancy more paved terrains, road cycling towards the Andes mountain range between volcanoes, lakes and the quaint countryside is definitely an authentic experience. What’s more, we love to relax at natural hot springs after spending an active day on our bike.

road cycling chile pucon — Road cycling towards the Andes mountain range between volcanoes and araucaria trees

But if you are more into dirt and gravel roads, mountain or gravel cycling through Pucón’s nature is for you. For mountain biking, our favorite spots to pedal are between the Lanín and Villarrica volcano, an incredible territory of ancient forests and lagoons.

And because sometimes videos speak louder than words, check the mountain bike adventures we had with our international partners H+I Adventures and Specialized Bicycle.

Furthermore, we also added a new modality to our bike tours around Pucón. Indeed, in Amity Tours, since the pandemic, we’ve been actively exploring new routes to gravel bike. With our team of nature lovers, we’ve been gravel cycling the blow-minding trails that Pucón’ surroundings feature.

villarrica volcano gravel bike chile — gravel biking at the feet of the Villarrica volcano

Check out our new gravel bike tour that blends adventure, ancestral culture all together with outstanding nature.

Seven-Lake Circuit

This circuit might be the most representative of Chile’s Lake and Volcano district. As indicated, there are no less than 7 lakes of extraordinary beauty: Calafquén, Panguipulli, Riñihue, Pullinque, Pellaifa, Neltume and Pirihueico.

As you cycle the Seven-lake circuit, you can enjoy and feel the presence of the Valdivian Rainforest and the Mocho-Choshuenco volcano, the main figure. With a strong Mapuche cultural identity, exuberant nature and also natural hot springs, this circuit has developed as a major tourist destination in Southern Chile. One of the natural attractions is the famous Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve, an important center of biodiversity and endemism.

Every summer, we enjoy cycling the incredible seven-lake route with the imposing nature surrounding us.

Llanquihue Lake

Located in the Los Ríos region, the Llanquihue lake is Chile’s second largest lake and is characterized by the strong blue color of the water. Depending on the weather, it is possible to appreciate the reflection of the Osorno volcano. The cities of Puerto Varas and Frutillar settle at the shores, famous for their beaches and a strong German architecture.

Truth to be said, the area is a true paradise for every cyclist. In fact, thanks to the presence of Chile’s largest bicycle lane that borders the Llanquihue lake (82 kilometers). It starts from Puerto Varas and reaches Ensenada, where it forks towards the Petrohue waterfalls up to Las Cascadas.

We give thanks to each moment shared with our friends from all over the world. During this great summer season, we loved to connect again to share beauty of the Lake and Volcano District.

Stay tuned for our next active adventures!

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Scouting the Pacific coast of La Araucania Region, Chile’s Lake and Volcano District

Home of the Mapuche indigenous people, Chile’s Lake and Volcano District has a wide range of natural and cultural highlights. At Amity Tours, we are always exploring new routes or beautiful sites, and yet we still get surprised about the great diversity. Recently, we went on to discover the Pacific coast of La Araucania region for our newest gravel bike tour.

gravel bike chile mapuche — Amity team working on finding new gravel bike routes to explore in La Araucania.

During our last scouting trips, we focused more on the mountain part of La Araucania Region. Indeed, we travelled to the amazing Conguillio National Park for some gravel adventures alongside Llaima volcano, in addition to biking alongside the Araucaria trees (Monkey Puzzle Trees) towards Mamuil Malal pass, the border with Argentina.

gravel chile — Pedaling alongside Lanín Volcano

bike conguillio park — Cycling the volcanic soil of the Conguillio National Park with the Llaima volcano at sight

In this instance, we wanted to get to know more in depth the Pacific coast side of La Araucania Region. Thus, we started at the Temuco Airport (ZCO) and drove towards the west, passing through the town of Freire. There, we visited a very charming lady with their famous handicrafts.

After a nice lunch at Teodoro Schmidt, we went on the gravel roads until arriving at the famous Budi Lake.

Lago Budi Wampo Pacific Coast — Lago Budi traditional Wampo (wooden canoe)

Facts about Budi Lake

In Mapudungun, “Budi” means “salty” and it is the only salted lake in Chile. The Budi Lake is located near the Pacific coast of La Araucanía , and is part of the county of Puerto Saavedra.

Comprising a total area of 65 square kilometers, the lafkenche (“men of the sea”) communities inhabit around the Budi Lake. As one of the last biodiversity reserves of La Araucanía Region, it is home to almost 200 native flora, in addition to 156 species of endemic fauna.

Throughout history, the steady raising of the ocean and tidal cycles have been sculpting the lake. But in 1960, a huge earthquake permanently shaped the Budi lake since wide areas of low altitude were flooded forever.

During our stay at Llaguepulli at Budi Lake we got to know a few families of the Mapuche Lafkenche community. We had a nice chat around the bonfire at their typical ruka and enjoyed a tasty home made dinner.

Typical Ruka Lafkenche at Lago Budi Araucania — Typical Ruka Lafkenche at Lago Budi

Mapuche Lafkenche

The Lafkenche group mainly lives by the Pacific Ocean and around the Budi Lake. Their traditional house is a ruka lafkenche, whose construction is mainly covered by the kuna, a plant of the territory. The main feature of the typical housing is the stove located at the center of the house where the family and invited guests meet.

Regarding the lafkenche gastronomy, we find a strong association with the sea. Indeed, the main typical dishes are based on seafood products, fish and seaweed. In addition, the Lafkenche Mapuche also incorporates wild fruits to give the dishes a unique flavor.

Among the cultivable products in the lafkenche cooking, the potato stands out. Actually, the Lafkenche territory supplies a large part of the potato demand of Chile.

Fresh Seafood Mapuche lunch — Fresh Seafood lunch

Local handicrafts

One of my personal goals when travelling to the Budi lake was finding one of the famous pilwa bags. I have been looking for it for a long time, but wanted to buy it directly from a local producer.

On our way around the Budi lake, I found a very friendly Mapuche woman offering me one of her bags. Of course I did not doubt any second and bought one of her self-made treasures.

What makes these bags so unique?

The pilwa is part of the identity and craft tradition of the Mapuche Lafkenche who live around the Budi lake. They are made from the plant known as “chupón” (Greigia sphacelata), a vegetable fibre that grows around the lake. This specific plant is giving rise to basketry products such as bags, baskets and key rings. A 100% biodegradable material which offers a great alternative to the plastic products generating a vast amount of waste.

As part of my own Zero Waste philosophy, I love finding local, climate friendly products and contributing to the local circular economy. Something that is also reflected in our company’s values like the Zero Waste Challenge. Also check out our Sustainable Practices.

Mapuche pilwa bag — Traditional Pilwa bag

After a very unique night spent in one of the traditional Rukas, we woke up with the sound of the singing birds and the mooing cows, in addition to the familiar smell of the bonfire that provided us with heat during the night.

The generous breakfast gave us the energy to continue our adventure in the Pacific coast of La Araucania.

Puacho Beach

playa puacho chile Pacific coast — Seashells on volcanic rock in Puacho beach, Puerto Saavedra

Only 11 kilometres from the small village of Llaguepulli, we reached the beautiful Puacho beach. Several installations give evidence to the ritual ceremonies (Nguillatun and Traditional Horse Racing) taking place at this beach.

Bordering the Pacific Ocean we enjoyed great unpaved roads and spotted a Lile cormorant colony (Phalacrocorax gaimardi) on the northern side of the beach. The lile, or red-legged cormorant is an endangered bird and one of the most beautiful cormorants in Chile. We could observe their spectacular flights and hunting activities while enjoying the nice ocean breeze.

cormorant lile — The Cormorant Lile inhabit the Pacific coast of Chile

On the northern end of the Budi lake and turning west to the Pacific Ocean we got to the city of Puerto Saavedra.

Puerto Saavedra

Puerto Saavedra is the main urban center of the Saavedra county. This place, which in Mapudungun means “The melody of the river when it sounds” is located in front of the river mouth of the Imperial. In addition, here the waters of the Pacific Ocean, Budi lake and Imperial river converge.

The city was founded by the sea in 1887 by Cornelio Saavedra. However, the 1960 tsunami devastated the town, which later had to be rebuilt behind the dunes of the sector.

There, we enjoyed a tasty and fresh seafood lunch looking at the riverside. Afterwards, we continued our journey passing by the city of Carahue and Nuevo Imperial.

On our way to the nice little town of Capitan Pastene, the pine plantations predominated the landscape and gave evidence to the importance of the wood production in this area.

Capitan Pastene Araucania — The landscape around the village of Capitan Pastene

Capitán Pastene: the little Italy of Chile’s Lake and Volcano District

Museo Jamon Serrano Capitan Pastene Araucania — Cured ham production in Capitan Pastene

The Italian and Chilean traditions blend together in a unique way in Capitán Pastene. Indeed, the original recipes have been transferred from generation to generation as well as its inhabitants’ hospitality.

Capitán Pastene is the village that illustrates and represents the Italian migration, specially those italians from the Emilia-Romagna region. In fact, its tradition has remained unchanged as of now. There, we can visit the pasta factories and buy artisanal sausages and hams. But above all, you can also taste the original recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation.

The smell of fresh pasta, real prosciutto and Espresso transferred me to one of my beloved little italian towns visited during all the holidays in my childhood. Nothing prepares you to dive into this little Italian oasis.

Capitan Pastene is surrounded by pine plantations, small traditional towns and Mapuche communities, that is why you would never expect an italian town in the middle of that surrounding. We stayed at an Italian-Family owned Hotel L’Emiliano.

Hotel and Restaurant LEmiliano Capitan Pastene Araucania — Hotel and Restaurant L’Emiliano, Capitan Pastene.

L’Emiliano is one of the first tourist businesses of the area. Besides offering accommodation for families and couples, this warm and spacious place also provides a rich and varied gastronomy. Indeed, its unique flavors and food combinations will take you straight to Italy.

As a result, the menu features delicious fresh homemade pastas stuffed with meat, cheese, vegetables and seafood. Not without mentioning the desserts delighting the palate with tiramisu or strawberry panna cotta.

Prosciutto Factory in Capitan Pastene Araucania — Prosciutto Factory in Capitan Pastene

Unmissable sites at Capitan Pastene

Walking around the nice little town, we could feel the efforts of the Italian immigrants due to the beautiful buildings and unmissable sites, such as:

The church of San Felipe de Neri, located in front of the main square. Since 1943, the church has been commemorating Saint Philip Neri, who was born in Florence, Italy.
Cinema Pastene. As the oldest movie theater in Chile, this cultural heritage belongs to the Viani Family. And what’s more, the place has maintained its original structure and design since its construction (year 1016).
The Prosciutto de Don Primo Cortesi museum. This typical Italian character reflects in a special way the settler from Emilia Romagna.
The Molino Rosatti. Built in 2016, this mill has ever since been keeping secrets and anecdotes of the new village Capitan Pastene.

I enjoyed visiting this authentic village a lot, but at the same time feeling curious about the other interesting places of La Araucania region to visit.

Leaving little Italy behind, and only driving a few kilometers we immersed ourselves into a total different surrounding: the Kuel valley.

Kuel Mapuche Araucania — Kuel is similar to a pyramid, made by the Mapuche people.

Kuel Valley

From ancestral times until the 19th century, the Mapuche communities constructed artificial and sacred earth mounds with the shape of a volcano. According to the anthropological study of Tom Dilehay, these mounds were used to bury the important persons and to serve the machis to feed the relationship between the ancestors and the living population. Moreover, the local family members used them as a map or as a reference physical node for families and lineages in the community.

In Purén-Lumaco valley, we can find the highest concentration of earth mounds in Chile. In effect, there still exist more than 300, which are more than 1,500-years-old. Thanks to them, we can learn more about the oldest monuments and rituals of the Mapuche people.

Inside the kueles, there is soil and material which come from other parts of the valley. This means that this work would have required the effort of many people. Some kueles are several meters high, which leads to presume that the ones who built the kueles were dedicated to this activity.

With this new knowledge I really got curious about the local Mapuche traditions, which vary depending on the geographic conditions in which each Mapuche group is settled. Indeed as people of the land (Mapu Che) they adapted their traditions due to the local conditions. That is why we can find differences between the Mapuche Lafkenche, Wenteche, Pewenche and Nagche.

**Mapuche Nagche, the human identity of the Nahuelbuta mountain range**

In Mapudungun, Nag Mapu means “Land of the plains”.

The territory of the Nagche group skirts the southeast side of the Nahuelbuta mountain range. At first sight, the differences between the other territorial identities are hard to distinguish. One of them is the way to speak the native tongue Mapuzungun. Indeed, there are phonetical differences in how the Wenteche and Lafkenche speak Mapuzungun.

Another different aspect is the clothing. For example, the Nagche women decorate their clothes and plait with bright-coloured wool, or with silver inlaid wrappers. Also, they wear one-coloured aprons with breastplates, just like the blouses. In other territories, the women wear blouses and floral aprons.

Moreover, we can notice distinctions in their ancestral housing. Actually, the traditional Nagche “ruka” has an oval plan, the roof is made with straw bundles and the side walls are made with wood.

Whereas the Lafkenche ruka has a circular plan and both the roof and sides are covered with straw. Finally, the Pewenche ruka has a square plan, and the roof is made with a structure resistant enough to support the weight of the snow.

ruka lafkenche mapuche araucania — Traditional Lafkenche ruka

In their spiritual realm, the Nagche have been integrating the accordion to traditional music instruments in their prayers when praying or performing healing rituals such as Machitún or We Tripantu.

Another difference in the spiritual part of the Nagche culture, the integration of the cinnamon tree as an element of great importance during the spirituals prayer and healing rituals. Unlike the nagche, the wetenche and lafkenche groups in La Araucanía Region commonly use the maqui, colihue and laurel trees.

In addition, it is worth noting as they live by the Nahuelbuta mountain range, the nagche easily have access to the pine nut, the fruit of the ancient monkey puzzle trees that grow in the region. But more importantly, they also have access to countless medicinal plants.

Mapuche Museum at Purén

Mapuche Museum Puren Araucania — Mapuche museum in the city of Puren

Another great place to learn about the history of the Mapuche is the very interesting Museo Mapuche de Purén, located in the historical park of Purén overlooking the town. There you can find archaeological pieces, textiles and crafts.

The threats of the forestry plantations

Nowadays it is quite hard to distinguish the kuels or other important mapuche sites in this area. That is why you will always have to be accompanied by a local Mapuche leader, who can explain to you the historical and actual use of the ceremony spots.

Unfortunately, as a consequence of the forestry plantations and the agriculture, the ecosystems of the area have been heavily degraded and fragmented. Thus, the native vegetation has reduced to small sectors such as the Nahuelbuta National Park and the Contulmo Natural Monument.

From an environmental point of view, the forestry plantations are the major contributor to the drought currently present in La Araucania region. Indeed, the planted trees by the industry like pine and eucalyptus are high water consumers. As a result, this has not only caused the social and economic poverty of the area, but the drought has also affected culturally. A clear example of this: the decrease of the plants ancestrally used as natural medicines.

That is why it is so important keeping as much protected area as possible. One very good example is the beautiful Nahuelbuta National Park.

Nahuelbuta National Park

Founded in 1941, the Nahuelbuta national park is located on the highest zone of the Nahuelbuta mountain range, in La Araucanía Region. One of the last strongholds where the araucaria araucana lives, it has beautiful hiking trails and natural lookout points.

nahuelbuta mapuche people chile — Nahuelbuta national park

The park covers an area of 6,832 hectares, characterized by big forests of araucaria trees, most of them are thousands-year-old. As as specie native to the Andes mountain range, the Nahuelbuta national park is responsible of its protection.

You can hike 2 main walking trails in the Nahuelbuta national park. The first one is Piedra El Águila located 1.460 meters above sea level. There, you can find a lookout point with a spectacular view over the Andes mountain range, the valley, the Pacific coast and ocean. Second, the Cerro Anay (1,450 m.) offers a 5-kilometer hiking trail with stunning panoramic views over Los Nevados de Chillán, and the Villarrica volcano.

Back home I felt so grateful for the amazing opportunity to learn about the Lafkenche and Nagche culture and to enjoy the great trails on the coastal side of the Budi Lake. Not to forget the short excursion to little Italy, which stayed in an interesting contrast to the Mapuche culture and invited me to learn about the colonial history of Chile.

Pacific coast Mapuche La Araucania — Pacific coast in La Araucania

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What to do around Pucón

Elected Chile’s capital of adventure tourism, and highlight of Chile’s Lake and Volcano District, Pucón has so much to offer and lots of outdoor activities to do. Find out the 5 things to do in this beautiful Lake City!

Pucón, the dream town of southern Chile, is located at the shores of the Villarrica Lake and at the foot of the Villarrica volcano. 700 kilometers south from Santiago de Chile, it belongs to the La Araucania Region.

Lately, this lake city has been recognized world-wide for its ski center, water sports and hiking trails, among many other outdoor activities. Beaches, forests, valleys and the generous nature of Pucón also invite you to dive into the natural hot springs of the area. Between more than 30 excursions you can do around Pucón, you can also access Argentina through the border crossing Mamuil Malal. Thus, it connects the Araucania Region with the Lanín national Park of the Argentinean Republic.

In this post, you will discover what to do in Pucón, and realize why every nature lover and aventurous travelers should add this destination in their bucket list.

1) The Villarrica Volcano ascent

The Villarrica Volcano (2.847 meters) is Chile’s most active volcano, and one of the most actives in South America. The idea of climbing it might sound surreal, but is definitely possible to do. It does require a certain level of fitness, but the hike is not technical at all.

You don’t need to bring with you all the mountain gear needed for such activity, since this excursion includes the full equipment. Also, it is very important to know that the weather is very weather-dependent. Indeed, in order to reach the summit, the weather conditions must be optimal: minimal wind and clear sky.

The route of ascent, starting at the foothills of the volcano, allows the most adventurers to reach the open crater. After approximately 4 to 5 hours of hiking, the final reward is the surrounding landscape made of lakes, volcanoes and valleys. If you’re lucky enough, you will get to see some lava flows.

It is worth noting that it is absolutely a hike you cannot miss in Pucón. It is possible to do it all year long, however it is easier to reach the top during spring and summer. In winter, the volcano is totally covered in snow, making the excursion of difficult level.

If you want to climb Chile’s most active volcano, read more about our hiking program around Pucón!

villarrica volcano ascent — Villarrica Volcano Climb

2) Geométricas Hot Springs

The Geométricas hot springs are a thermal center, composed of 20 stone pools from 35°C to 45°C. Moreover, they are immersed in the amazing landscapes of native forests of Villarrica Volcano National Park located near Coñaripe.

In addition to enjoying the thermal water and contemplating the landscape, the design is truly unique. Indeed, the facilities were designed by the distinguished national architect Germán del Sol, who subtly intervened the environment, through walkways made of red coigüe wood that connect the different swimming pools.

In Amity, we love to have a good physical activity and then dive in the hot springs!

geometricas hot springs — Waterfall at Geometricas hot springs

3) Rafting – Trancura River

Lower Section

This outing holds no great dangers and is perfect if you are after a less extreme adventure. It could be a family day-out, a beginner’s introduction to rafting, or a warm-up for the upper river rafting trip. Although it is still exciting and fun!

We invite you to glide through calm stretches of water, admiring the beautiful nature around Pucón.

The rafts drop-off point is only a 30-minute drive from Pucón and the road goes through a countryside landscape surrounded by the Andes. Once we arrive at the river, you receive and put on the rafting gear. Your guides will be giving out all necessary safety instructions concerning correct rowing techniques and the “way the river works”. Once on the Trancura River, you will experience the full flowing effects of the raft passing over class 3 rapids, along with the sound of the rushing waters with waves crashing against the raft.

After approximately 1½ hours of excitement we will reach the end of the descent and head back to Pucón.

Upper Section

This exciting trip is suitable for the ages of 14 to adult and for those looking for lots of excitement without great dangers. Be prepared for 2 hours of pure adrenaline, tackling Class 4 rapids with several drops. The rapids’ names speak for themselves: Last Laugh, Devil’s Throat and Rapid of Fear. There are spectacular views of Villarrica Volcano and smaller Quetrupillán Volcano up the valley.

Once on the Trancura River you will experience straight away the full flowing effects of class IV & V rapids along with the booming sound of the rushing waters with waves crashing against the raft. Here you will need to row hard to pass over the torrents.

After approximately 1½ hours of excitement we will reach the end of the descent and head back to Pucón.

4) Huerquehue National Park

The Huerquehue national park is located in the foothills of Los Andes mountain range. 35 km (22 miles) from Pucón. The park covers 12.500 hectares (30.890 acres) with various lagoons, dense vegetation and gigantic trees that are the habitat of several endemic birds.

The best way to explore the park is by foot. Indeed, you can choose between various hiking trails crossing the whole territory in which you can observe the local fauna and flora.

The easiest hike is Los Lagos Trail. It is the most popular of the park. The main attraction are the forests of ancient monkey puzzle tree surrounding the lakes on the high area. Observing them might be an overwhelming experience as they make you think about how small and ephemeral the human being can be in front of nature.

In summer, the bravest hikers can swim into the cold water of the lakes. Moreover, you will be able to observe a huge variety of birds like ducks. if you’re lucky, and patient, you might be able to spot the woodpecker and its impressive red head.

5) Villarrica National Reserve

Dominating the scene, the Villarrica Volcano (2.847 m.) is the main touristic attraction. In addition, you can also appreciate the Quetrupillan (2.382 m.) and Lanín (3.776 m.) volcanoes. During winter, it is possible to ski the Villarrica volcano. The ascent to the top is also available all year long, depending on the weather conditions. In the foothills, there are various hiking trails leading to amazing lookout points.

The park boasts a total of 63.000 hectares of endemic tree forests such as araucaria, raulí, lenga, etc. The forested areas allow the existence of a diverse fauna like puma, chilla fox, pudu deer, and the small native marsupial monito del monte, among others.

If you are looking for some wild adventures when visiting Chile, Pucón is the place for you to be!

Contact us for more info about Chile’s Lake and Volcano District!

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Scouting New Gravel Bike Routes – Conguillio National Park Chile

Last week, we celebrated the re-opening of Conguillio National Park by exploring new gravel bike routes. With the Llaima volcano always at sight, we explored the park across colorful ancient monkey-puzzle tree forests.

Since 2003, Amity Tours has been the leading adventure travel operator of the Lake and Volcano District, Chile’s world-class destination. Among our main domains of expertise, cycling the incredibles routes of southern Chile is our main specialty, and the year 2021 marked a milestone in the history of Amity Tours.

gravel bike chile — Specialized Diverge E5 and the Villarrica volcano

Indeed, we decided to renew our bike tours with the new gravel modality. As we all know, the gravel bikes are buzzing in the world of cycling, and we certainly could not stay apart. Since the arrival of our new gravel bike fleet, we have been working on the best cycling way to explore the off-the-beaten routes of Chile’s Lake and Volcano District.

gravel bike tour chile — Designing new gravel adventures at Amity Headquarters.

What is a Gravel Bike?

A gravel bike is a drop-bar bike designed to let you ride over many different surfaces. The drop handlebar and road bike-like design mean that you can make good progress on the road, but with wider tyres, lower gearing and stable handling you can also head off-the-beaten tracks.

A gravel bike will typically give you a more upright riding position than road bike geometry, with a longer head tube and shorter reach. That should result in more comfort on long rides and also lets you shift your weight around to tackle obstacles and off-road descents.

Scouting new routes in the Lake and Volcano District

Finally, we could change the office seat for a bike saddle and explore the routes we previously designed at our desks with a bike route planner software. Armed with a bunch of zero-waste snacks, bicycle tools and good mood we hit the road towards Conguillio National Park.

gravel amity chile — Amity team about to hit the gravel roads of Chile’s Lake and Volcano District

Travelling in times of COVID-19 is a big privilege. Thus, after 1 month of lockdown, we felt so grateful to be able to visit again one of the most beautiful parks of Chile. Starting from our operation center based in Pucón, Chile’s capital of adventure travel, we initiated the road trip on our pickup.

During the first 70 kilometers, we tracked routes on GPS, searching the most beautiful roads and trails, in addition to enjoying the spectacular views over the Villarrica lake and volcano. Moreover, we took advantage of the moment to stop by our beloved and exclusive Santa Amalia Polo Lodge.

colico lake chile — Colico Lake at Santa Amalia Lodge

Gravel Biking in Conguillio National Park

Conguillio National Park is located in La Araucania Region, approximately 110 kilometers from Temuco city. Without a doubt, Conguillio is one of the highlights of Chile’s Lake and Volcano District, and part of the Kütralkura Geopark by UNESCO. Indeed, with 60,831 hectares and altitudes ranging between 700 and 3,125 meters above sea level.

More importantly, the unparalleled beauty of Conguillio National Park is mostly expressed in the native thousand-year-old Araucaria tree forests and also the remarkable lava flows like long black scars drawn in the landscape. Truth to be said, the landscapes are impressive: the active Llaima volcano (3,125 meters), the extinguished Sierra Nevada volcano and the pristine Verde, Captrén and Arcoiris lagoons.

llaima volcano conguillio — Llaima volcano

Upon arrival at the park, we could immediately observe the presence of the Llaima volcano on our left-hand side. This volcano is the highlight of Conguillio National Park. Historically, the Llaima volcano is one of the most active in South America, and one of the most voluminous in the southern Andes.

gravel cycling chile — Cycling alongside Truful Truful Canyon

Afterwards, we kept pedaling until arriving to the famous Truful Truful Canyon. There, we could observe the fantastic 20-meter waterfall, along with the geological and eruptive history of Conguillio National Park. In other words, standing in this special part of the park is like a trip to the past. Indeed, it reveals how the Llaima volcano and the effects of the ancient glaciers deposited in the valleys haven been shaping the landscape for the last thirteen thousand years.

These surprising changes are projected in layers of land that were eroded and cut vertically by the effect of the Truful-Truful River.

gravel conguillio truful truful — Impressive Truful Truful Canyon in Conguillio

Following our adventures, we kept gravel cycling towards the andean volcanic lagoons. We first arrived at Laguna Verde (green lagoon) that connects with the Truful Truful river and through which it drains. At this time of the year, the water level is at its lowest point and the lagoon seems to be very small. During the rain season, and especially in spring, we can appreciate the full size and greenish color of the lagoon.

laguna verde conguillio — Laguna Verde in autumn with the lowest water level

Right after, we entered the extensive colorful temperate-rain-forests of ancient and native Nothofagus trees. On the way, we stopped by the Arcoiris Lagoon. Formed by the damming of the waters of a estuary, the lagoon is product of lava flows from the Llaima volcano, the great sculptor of the landscape of Conguillio.

Following the smooth gravel road, we finally reached the impressive Araucaria trees. These monkey-puzzle trees with the Sierra Nevada Volcano in the background let you feel like reaching another world. We even spotted two Condors overflying the forest. What a majestic animal, flying through the wind with its enormous wings.

araucaria tree conguillio chile — Under the araucaria trees, spotting the flying condors

Finally, we reached our last point of interest: the Captrén Lagoon. The Lagoon doesn’t cease to surprise us with the dozens of trees submerged in the water, which can be easily seen.

The water is a mix of green, deep blue and transparent color, making this lagoon a unique place. There, we can also admire the contrast between the volcanic remains surrounding the Captrén, and the lush forests of intense green color.

captren lagoon conguillio — Final stop of our gravel adventures in Conguillio National Park

Visiting the Conguillio National Park in autumn is just a blast. The golden-colored native forests and stunning sunsets invite to fill your camera with unforgettable pictures, and fill your heart with strong energy from Mother Nature.

Amity’s best choice of accommodation: La Baita Conguillio

la baita conguillio chile — Aerial view of La Baita Lodge during autumn season

La Baita Conguillio is Chile’s first ecolodge. Pioneer in the area, with a recognized prestige for the quality and warmth of the services delivered. La Baita Lodge is equipped with 6 comfortable rooms designed with native wood and looms, added to large windows that overlook a ravine from where the wonderful araucarias hang.

double room la baita — Double room in La Baita lodge

The restaurant offers a healthy and organic menu with products from local suppliers, while its SPA offers great relaxation with a massage room and several hot-tubs amomg the native forest.

hot tub la baita — Hot tub at La Baita Lodge

And not to forget the famous hot-tub under the open sky! Can you imagine a better way to relax your muscles after a challenging biking day? We felt so lucky! Arriving at the lodge and immersing ourselves into the warm water, watching the starry sky and chatting about the beautiful day we just spent together!

llaima volcano — Amity Team at Conguillio lake with the Llaima volcano in the background

Contact us for more info about our active trips in the Conguillio National Park, and check out Instagram and Facebook to follow our adventures in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District.

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Gravel Bike Tours in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District

Road or Gravel Bike Tour in the Lake & Volcano District of Chile, that is the question.

gravel bike amity — Amity’s bike fleet: Trek Domane 7 SL model and Specialized Diverge Elite E5

Gravel has been almost on every cyclist gathering over the past couple of years, with everybody talking about wheel sizes, flared drop bars, tyre width and tread pattern, but for the most of the people, the road bike vs gravel bike question might seem strange at first, as they may not look all that different on the surface.

But riding a bike designed for multi-terrain excursions means you can link together gravel routes in new ways, taking in sections of gravel roads, forest tracks, trails, byways and bridlepaths. Or you can load up your gravel bike with camping kit for multi-day bikepacking adventures, what means more miles to get lost and enjoy.

chile lake volcano district — Lanín Volcano (3.747 meters), the tallest peak in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District. Villarrica National Park

Road bike vs gravel bike: What are they supposed to do?

As you can probably work out from the name, road bikes are designed to be ridden on routes with a tarmac bias, while gravel bikes can be taken off-road, on gravel paths, dirt roads, fire trails, and even singletrack (if you are brave enough).

Road bikes ultimately fall into two camps, race bikes, and endurance bikes. Race bikes are what you see the pros pushing to the absolute limit, or your wealthy friend trying to look like these pros but clearly with more body fat, or those friends that come with Amity Tours to the Lake & Volcano district and we need to assign the strongest guide (probably Ruben or David) so he can follow them and not get lost!

road cycling chile — Road cycling the German Settlers’ Route alongside Llanquihue Lake

Instead, endurance bikes are a bit more upright, feature more stable handling, put a premium on comfort, and most probably the profile of the rider that will use this bike with us will take more than 1000 pictures…per ride!

You can definitely use a gravel bike as a road bike. However, there are a few small limitations you might run into if you do this. Depending on how you like to ride, it could be important, or not important at all.

If you are a road bike racer, or your wealthy friend dressed in Rapha outfit with a Colnago C64 with Campy components, then a gravel bike probably won’t work as your primary bike. Many gravel bikes these days have a single chainring set up in the front. You’ll still get plenty of gears for most road riding, but you won’t have quite enough high gears for when the speeds get very fast, over 25 mph. You’ll probably spin out because you can’t pedal fast enough, and what is for sure, nothing can be worst to see than how the rest of the peloton leaves you behind, alone and talking to yourself for the rest of the ride.

But if you’re mostly riding by yourself, or with friends who keep a more reasonable pace during our bike tours here in the Lake & Volcano district, then a gravel bike works just fine. In many ways it’s a lot more comfortable than a road bike, because you can use wider tires at lower pressure to give yourself some nice cushioning. You’ll also get better stopping and turning power from more rubber on the road.

Gravel bike tours in the Lake & Volcano district

Amity Tours, as a national leader in the development of road bike and MTB tours, we are sure that being able to include our new gravel tours in our offer ensures that we can satisfy the needs of these new customer segments seeking to get out of the paved route and look for more inaccessible attractions difficult to reach either by other kind of bike.

Coming soon in 2021: Gravel bike tour in one of the most outstanding parks of Chile

The Conguillio National Park is without a doubt one of the most appreciated parks in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District. It covers a surface of 150.319 acres, and ranges from 2.296 to 10.253 feet above sea level. It must be said that the landscape are spectacular:

Llaima volcano (3.125 meters)

llaima conguillio — The Llaima volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in Chile.

Conguillio Lake

Arco Iris Lagoon

The lagoon was formed by the damming of the waters of an estuary, product of the lava coming from the Llaima volcano. This water reservoir flooded part of the nothofagus forest, which can be seen through the crystal clear waters of the lagoon.

Truful Truful Canyon

Stay tuned for our next cycling adventures in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District, and get ready to discover the best of the Chilean territory on a gravel bike!

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Gravel Bike in Chile

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Gravel Bike en Chile

2021: Todo un mundo nuevo por explorar.

Todos hemos sufrido en estos tiempos duros por el Covid-19, ya sea por tener personas cercanas que han perdido la vida, familiares enfermos, encerrados sin poder salir de casa por meses y meses, los niños sin poder jugar con sus amigos, y por que no decirlo, muchos perdiendo sus trabajos y sus ganas de vivir.

Si bien Amity Tours no ha estado ajeno a esta desgracia, que sin duda ha golpeado a la empresa en varios aspectos, el equipo no ha perdido las ganas de seguir peleándola con todo lo que tienen disponible, viendo con entusiasmo una vacuna en el horizonte cercano que permitirá retomar sus vidas y el trabajo, sin ninguna duda de una manera diferente y operando bajos protocolos sumamente rigurosos.

Amity Tours no baja los brazos y renueva su oferta de Bike Tours

Dentro del ADN de Amity Tours, liderado por su CEO Cristián Levy, está el gen permanente de la exploración, un gen que es más fuerte que cualquier virus o bacteria, que está recubierto por una densa capa de aire y naturaleza, y protegido por volcanes, lagos y mares que golpean y batallan a todo quien intente dañarlo. Es así como no hemos perdido el tiempo en nuestra empresa, y hemos decidido ampliar nuestra oferta de bike tours creando el primer gravel bike tour de Chile.

Gravel bike, la nueva tendencia que llegó desde Estados Unidos

Los gravel bike tours eran una necesidad real para muchos: la tendencia finalmente llegó (como ocurre tan a menudo) desde Estados Unidos, donde pedalear por caminos sin asfaltar en una bicicleta “gravel” es parte de la realidad cotidiana.

En Estados Unidos, de hecho, debido a los altos costos de mantenimiento, casi todas las carreteras secundarias no están pavimentadas. Esto ha generado un nuevo tipo de ciclista que busca nuevas rutas, cansados de circular por carreteras con mucho tráfico motorizado y perdiéndose gran parte de los atractivos situados en áreas rurales.

Amity Tours tiene un requerimiento explícito por este nuevo tipo de experiencia, hoy inexistente a nivel nacional, manifestado por nuestros principales clientes extranjeros, para lo cual hemos puesto todo nuestro esfuerzo en hacerlo realidad.

La logística experta requerida para un tour inédito de gravel bike en Chile

Nuestros diseños de experiencias para gravel bike tours consideran un uso extensivo de servicios locales de pequeños emprendedores y comunidades de pueblos originarios dispuestos a colaborar y hacer negocios con nosotros, generando un efecto de distribución de la riqueza entre varios stakeholders del destino, lo cual en la era post Covid-19 es la mejor vacuna que nosotros podemos aportar como empresa a nuestros partners locales.

Dentro de estos colaboradores podemos mencionar alojamientos, principalmente hoteles emplazados en la región y cabañas, pequeños restaurantes característicos de la región, comunidades de pueblos originarios (Mapuche), guías de turismo locales, choferes y emprendedores en venta de alimentos orgánicos, artesanía y souvenirs, todos ellos impactados positivamente por la operación de los bike tours que Amity Tours desarrolla.

Para que ustedes sepan, si tomamos como ejemplo un tour de 10 pasajeros por 1 semana, el servicio y empleo a contratar se desglosa de la siguiente manera:

2 o 3 hoteles
2 0 3 cabañas
6 a 10 restaurantes
1 o 2 comunidades Mapuche
2 guías locales
2 conductores
3 empresas locales proveedoras de alimento orgánico (para proveer de alimentos durante el tour mientras está en ruta)
1 mercado de artesanos

¡Son estos partners locales que están esperándolos recibir nuevamente durante el 2021!

Modalidad gravel novedosa en el mundo del ciclismo en Chile

Por otro lado, la bicicleta de gravel otorga más posibilidades a la hora de conectar tramos y zonas tanto de tierra como de asfalto. Y aquí es donde vemos una gran oportunidad de desarrollo de nuevos tours de cicloturismo en modalidad gravel, y por cierto una extraordinaria oportunidad para el destino Lagos & Volcanes, pudiendo sumar rutas en todos los circuitos donde hoy no se operan bike tours por falta de rutas asfaltadas.

Por ejemplo, nuestro primer tour de gravel que irá desde el Océano Pacífico a la Cordillera pasará por territorios cien por ciento Mapuche, donde cohabitan diferentes grupos: Nagche, Lafquenche, Wenteche y Pewenche. ¡Este territorio es el corazón del pueblo Mapuche!

territorio mapuche — Todos nuestros tours en bicicleta se conectan con las comunidades Mapuche de La Araucanía.

Esperamos poder recibirlos la próxima temporada en nuestros nuevos gravel bike tours, recorriendo el maravilloso destino Lagos & Volcanes, pero ahora adentrándonos por un Chile más auténtico, el Chile alejado del pavimento y urbanidad, ese Chile profundo que enamora y sorprende.

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Mis Aventuras en Mountain Bike por Chile

Así como Violeta Parra le canta a la Vida, yo puedo cantarle a la bicicleta “que me ha dado tanto”.

No me considero ni cerca un ciclista, pero llevo casi dos décadas viviendo de este deporte maravilloso. En la forma de tours de cicloturismo, en Amity Tours me ha tocado vivir momentos inolvidables, realmente épicos, todo gracias al mountain bike.

Aquí te voy a contar tres historias que vale la pena recordar e inmortalizar en este blog de mtb tours en Chile, específicamente en el Destino Lagos & Volcanes. Todas tienen un denominador común: están relacionadas a marcas líderes de la industria del mountain bike mundial, todas ocurren entre volcanes y araucarias, e involucran a un grupo humano de riders de lujo. Y lo que se me pide es siempre lo mismo: una experiencia inolvidable en mtb, extraordinaria, memorable, épica.

Comencemos diciendo que en estas tres historias los personajes se repiten: Euan Wilson y Ernesto Araneda.

Amity and H&I Adventures team — El equipo de Amity Tours y H&I Adventures, Paso Desolación, PN Vicente Pérez (Ernesto der. y Euan izq.).

Euan es un escocés experto en viajes en mountain bike. Literalmente ha recorrido todo el mundo a la cabeza de su empresa H&I Adventures, diseñando y guiando tours de mtb para fanáticos y expertos. En 2015 lo invitamos a conocer Chile y se enamoró en un día del país, de la gente y del terreno que hay para andar en mtb.

Ernesto, por su parte, es un destacado atleta nacional, oriundo de Temuco, multicampeón nacional de XC, vice campeón panamericano de MTB XC y medallista en el mundial de mtb cross-country. Además de ser un atleta de elite, Ernesto se especializó en turismo aventura y lleva más de una década guiando tours de mtb y ruta en Chile y Europa.

Con estos dos personajes me ha tocado vivir estas tres aventuras que llamaremos: YETI TRIBE, TRAIL HUNTER y EVOC SPORTS.

1. YETI TRIBE

Seguramente has escuchado hablar de las bicicletas Yeti, una mountain bike de alta gama diseñada en el estado de Colorado, Estados Unidos.

Euan llevaba trabajando con ellos por un buen tiempo, específicamente en uno de los eventos más importantes de la marca: “el viaje de la tribu”, o en inglés “Yeti Tribe”. Es marzo 2016, cuando recibo una llamada de Euan que me dice: “get ready Cristián, the tribe is coming to Chile weón”.

Y sabiendo lo que esto significaba, le conté a Ernesto para que apuntara la fecha: Enero 2017 – Yeti Tribe International Gathering.

Yeti Tribe International Gathering en Chile — El grupo del Yeti Tribe en Chile, base centro de ski Pucón.

El Tribe de Yeti es un viaje anual que organizan los dueños de la marca Yeti: Mr. Conroy y Mr. Hoogendoorn. Dos gringos con pinta de hippie, pero ultra exigentes con el destino, pues también han recorrido los mejores senderos del mundo en mtb. A este Tribe, solo pueden venir personas que sean dueñas de una bicicleta Yeti y que sean lo suficientemente fit para llevarle el ritmo a los dueños de la marca.

Amity Tours y Yeti Tribe en Chile — Si vas a bajar disfrutando un sendero, debes ganártelo después de subirlo. Camino antiguo refugio centro de ski.

El Tribe ya había pasado por Escocia, Colorado y Nepal, por lo que la vara que se nos imponía era muy alta. De todas maneras, estábamos confiados en lo que Chile tiene para ofrecer, así que sólo nos dedicamos a dejar afinada la logística, ver que los hoteles del tour estaban bien, y preparar alguna que otra sorpresa para estos viajeros experimentados del mtb enduro.

Dentro de los invitados VIP del Tribe – además de los dueños – estaban dos personajes de la industria, Berne Broudy y Joey Schusler. La primera una escritora especialista en viajes en bicicleta, y el segundo un ex rider dedicado a la filmación y fotografía de aventura.

Yeti Tribe en Chile con Amity Tours — Ernesto liderando al grupo en la base del centro de ski Pucón, ingresando a sendero Lengas.

El itinerario del Yeti Tribe es muy similar a los tours de mtb que ya hacemos, que combina senderos en volcanes, bosques de araucarias, termas naturales y conocer la cultura local. Para esa ocasión, y junto a 20 gringos simpáticos, partimos en Pucón, con varios rides por los senderos en torno al Volcán Villarrica, nos tiramos un piquero en las termas Geométricas, probamos merkén y jugamos palin con los Mapuche, recorrimos Huilo-Huilo, pedaleamos en el centro de ski Antillanca y terminamos cruzando el paso Desolación junto al Volcán Osorno. Aquí puedes ver las mejores fotos de ese viaje: Yeti Tribe Chile

Yeti Tribe jugando Palin — El Tribe jugando Palin en la casa de la familia Colipi en Pucón.

Mi recompensa fue escuchar de los dueños de Yeti dos cosas: 1) sus felicitaciones por un tour con un servicio impecable, que los hizo volver después con sus familias, y 2) que a pesar de haber estado pedaleando en tantas partes increíbles del mundo, Chile los había dejado impresionados por su belleza natural y por las condiciones ideales que tiene para andar en mountain bike.

Yeti Tribe Amity Tours en termas Geometricas — Después de hacer la ruta transvolcánica por el PN Villarrica, llegamos a las termas Geométricas.

2. TRAIL HUNTER by Specialized

Estamos a mediados de Enero 2017, el Tribe ya había sido todo un éxito, y una nueva aventura se nos aproxima.

Esta vez, Euan lleva un buen tiempo hablando con su amigo Dan Milner, un súper conocido escritor y fotógrafo inglés, famoso por sus fotografías de naturaleza y aventura. Dan había cruzado de Pucón a Junín de Los Andes hacía ya 30 años, y había quedado impresionado con el paisaje que se tiene del volcán Lanín y de los bosques milenarios de araucarias.

Euan conocía también a Matt Hunter, un rider profesional de Canadá, que bajo el auspicio de las bicicletas Specialized, tiene un programa en Youtube llamado Trail Hunter. En este canal, muestran sus videos de aventura en mtb por todo el mundo, y Matt andaba en búsqueda de un nuevo destino para su canal. Con esa conjunción de astros, Euan une los cabos sueltos y llama a sus amigos para que vengan a Chile a recorrer el destino Lagos y Volcanes en mtb.

A este grupo se le suman dos riders profesionales más, ambos auspiciados por RedBull: Matty Miles de Canadá y el suizo René Wildhaber.

Sin embargo, justo en Chile estábamos viviendo uno de los incendios forestales más brutales del último siglo, con focos por todo el país, pero los más intensos y destructivos en las regiones de O’Higgins, el Maule y del Biobío. Con ello, gran parte de los parques nacionales estaban cerrados por orden de la CONAF, y en nuestro destino todos estaban en alerta roja (sin incendios, pero cerrados).

Euan había regresado a Pucón el 23 de enero y no podía creer lo que salía en las noticias, un desastre natural de grandes proporciones y los parques nacionales cerrados. Todos los preparativos estaban listos, y los riders ya tenían sus pasajes a Chile. Fue en ese escenario cuando entre todos decidimos seguir con lo planificado y esperar un milagro. Los distintos focos de incendio tuvieron una extensión gigante, provocadas por una alta velocidad del viento y unas olas de calor inéditas. El 26 de enero de 2017, se registró la temperatura máxima de la historia de Chile: 44,9°C en Quillón.

Es el 31 de enero, 7am y los riders extranjeros han arribado a Santiago desde distintos rincones del mundo, nos mandan un texto diciendo que está todo bien y que esperan aterrizar en Temuco por la tarde. Con Euan y Ernesto salimos al patio a tomar aire fresco junto a nuestro tazón de café, y al mirar al volcán Villarrica y verlo “con sombrero” se nos dibuja una sonrisa y creemos que ocurrirá el milagro.

Cuando nubes lenticulares se forman junto a la cima del volcán (en forma de gorro), es casi seguro que en Pucón lloverá en las próximas 12 horas. Y así ocurrió. Al momento de llegar los riders a nuestro centro de operaciones en Pucón ya ha comenzado a llover, y con Ernesto sabemos que esto es una muy buena noticia. Les damos la bienvenida con el clásico asado de cordero al palo y les contamos todos los planes que tenemos para los siguientes días.

A la mañana siguiente continúa la lluvia, y escuchamos por la radio que CONAF ha levantado la restricción en los parques de La Araucanía y Los Ríos. Tenemos LUZ VERDE para nuestra aventura.

Subimos nuestro equipo a las 4×4 y salimos rumbo al volcán Lanín. Una fina lluvia de verano crea una cortina densa que impide que nuestros amigos puedan apreciar el paisaje. Nosotros sabemos lo que está detrás de ese manto gris, pero preferimos guardar silencio y concentrarnos en el armado de nuestro campamento base-1, ubicado en un punto secreto a los pies del Lanín y protegidos por un bosque de gigantescas araucarias.

Dan y los dos Matt se concentran en organizar y chequear su equipo audiovisual, René, Ernesto y Euan preparan las bicicletas para dejarlas a punto, y a mi con José nos toca sorprender al grupo con un rico risotto de cena y música de fondo (esa misma que escuchas al inicio del video del Trail Hunter en Chile). La lluvia no ha parado, y eso nos tranquiliza mucho, pues reduce el peligro de incendio y así los parques se mantendrán abiertos. (José es el multifacético que toca el Hang en el video)

A la mañana siguiente, la ansiedad me despierta al alba y al salir de la carpa no puedo evitar decir un WOW que despierta a todos. Si bien este paisaje es familiar para mí, verlo a primera luz del día, con el imponente volcán Lanín cubierto de una fina capa de nieve me deja boquiabierto. Las carpas y bicicletas también están blancas, con una capa de escarcha que comienza a irse rápidamente a medida que vemos los primeros rayos del sol al amanecer.

Amity y Trail Hunter by Specialized — Nuestro campamento base-1 en las faldas del volcán Lanín a 1.200m de altitud.

Ciabatta con huevos de campo, tocino y palta, bowl de frutas y un buen café de grano es el menú del primer “desayuno de campeones” que producimos con José. El aire está frío para ser una mañana de febrero, pero estamos en la montaña a 1.200 metros de altitud. El cielo no tiene ni una nube y el suelo humea a medida que el sol lo calienta y evapora la lluvia de la noche anterior.

Ernesto vaticina un día perfecto para andar en mountain bike, pues se levantará muy poco polvo y tendrán un grip ideal en el sendero. Como buen guía, reúne al grupo en torno a la cafetera y comienza con su charla técnica para el día que se nos viene.

Así pasamos los próximos cinco días, filmando, fotografiando, asombrándonos y pedaleando en las mtb, teniendo como telón de fondo a los volcanes Lanín, Quetrupillán y Villarrica. Recuerdo que Matt Hunter una tarde se emociona y nos dice: “no puedo creer que existan lugares así en la tierra y que se puedan recorrer en mtb; primero estás en medio de un bosque milenario con distintos tonos de verde, y después pasas por un terreno sacado de la película Lord of the Rings, con valles gigantes cubiertos de lava de antiguas erupciones”.

El resultado habla por si mismo, y aquí lo puedes ver:

3. EVOC SPORTS

Cuando conocí a Euan le vi usando muchos accesorios de la marca EVOC. No me tomó mucho tiempo comprender que son una marca muy innovadora, con productos muy bien pensados y de excelente calidad. Y con el antecedente de las otras marcas que ya habíamos atendido en Chile, asumí que era otra marca de Estados Unidos.

Amity y Evoc en Chile — Una de nuestras camionetas cargada al máximo camino al volcán Tolhuaca.

Después de otro exitoso tour de mtb que hicimos en Chile para clientes de Euan, él me comenta que lleva tiempo hablando con los dueños de EVOC, persuadiéndolos para que vengan al destino Lagos y Volcanes de Chile. Y me envía un correo de un tal Holger Feist que le pide a Euan una locación que tenga un terreno volcánico y un árbol milenario que había visto hace unos años en Argentina en un viaje de ski (refiriéndose a la Araucaria araucana). Los directores de EVOC buscaban un paisaje único para ser de fondo del catálogo 2019 de los productos nuevos de la marca, que serían expuestos como primicia en la feria EuroBike (la más importante del mundo en la industria).

Euan no quería repetir las misma locaciones que ya habíamos utilizado para asombrar a Yeti y Specialized, y con toda tranquilidad le dije que no se preocupe, porque esta vez con Ernesto teníamos en mente concentrarnos en el Geoparque Kütralkura, un territorio con sello UNESCO, lleno de volcanes y bosques de araucarias ubicado en la punta norte del destino Lagos y Volcanes.

Sabiendo ya qué buscan este tipo de marcas y que siempre traen a un team impresionante de expertos audiovisuales y riders, el itinerario que creamos incluía lugares como: Laguna Blanca y volcán Tolhuaca, Cañón del Blanco y Sierra Nevada, volcán Lonquimay y Cordillera Las Raíces, Quinquén y lago Galletue, lago Conguillío y volcán Llaima, y como guinda final a Pucón y el volcán Villarrica. Todo esto combinado con termas, geiser, cabalgata, comunidad Pewenche, y una mezcla de hoteles pitucos, lodge de montaña y camping.

Amity Tours y EVOC en Chile — Jan Sallawitz de EVOC Sports probando el sendero junto a la laguna Blanca y volcán Tolhuaca.

Es el 1 de diciembre de 2018 y en el aeropuerto de Temuco es fácil identificar quienes serán nuestros mejores amigos por los próximos días. Son 5 gringos con gorra, polera, mochila y maletas EVOC. Los primeros en salir son Sebastian Bender y Benedikt Ruf, que por su equipo deducimos que son los expertos en audiovisual. Después sale Jan, Holger y Bernd (estos dos últimos los fundadores de la compañía). Junto a Ernesto y Euan les damos la bienvenida a La Araucanía y nos distribuimos rápidamente en nuestras dos camionetas, no sin antes hacer la primera sesión de fotos con las maletas Evoc World Traveler en el frontis del aeropuerto (las puedes ver en el catálogo).

evoc equipaje aeropuerto — Maletas EVOC en el Aeropuerto de La Araucanía

Nuestra primera parada es en Curacautín, donde pasaremos una noche para hacer las últimas compras y distribuir la gran cantidad de equipo y accesorios que han traído a Chile para probarlos en terreno. Uno de los accesorios EVOC que no tenemos permiso de fotografiar son los de bikepacking (por temas de secreto industrial), que serán la novedad de la marca para la feria Eurobike.

Y es en esta primera conversa-reunión con una cerveza Lonquimay en la mano que noto un acento extraño en los cinco extranjeros. Su inglés no es nativo, y yo sin rodeos les pregunto: ¿no son ustedes de USA? Los cinco sueltan la risa y me dicen “no Cristián, somos de Alemania, pero no te preocupes, somos unos alemanes especiales, más relajados”, y vuelven a soltar otra carcajada.

A la mañana siguiente ya tenemos ambas camionetas cargadas al tope, con carro de arrastre incluido. Salimos rumbo al fundo Laguna Blanca donde la familia Knust nos espera. Desde su lodge y centro ecuestre ponemos la marcha 4L y subimos por un camino de montaña áspero, que nos lleva a los pies del volcán Tolhuaca junto a la laguna Blanca. Aquí el entusiasmo es total, la sonrisa de la cara es imposible borrárselas a estos 5 alemanes atípicos. Nos pasamos todo el día en el lugar, siendo uno de mis spots favoritos el valle inter-volcánico que se forma entre el volcán Lonquimay y el Tolhuaca, es como el altiplano de Atacama, pero con sendas araucarias.

Amity Tours con H&I Adventures y EVOC — El grupo de riders de EVOC en el valle inter-volcánico de la RN Malalcahuello.

Luego de noche hacemos la transición hacia el “barrio de Manchuria” y nos internamos por el cañón del Blanco, donde mi amigo Cristián Parra nos espera con un asado criollo. Llevamos recién un día y el grupo está eufórico con lo vivido. A la mañana siguiente salimos a caballo hacia los geiser de la Sierra Nevada, y finalizamos la jornada en un pozón de agua termal.

Esta mañana amanecemos en Corralco, haciendo un vuelco en 180° desde la cultura criolla a un ambiente moderno y sofisticado. Muy temprano ya están todos en la terraza del hotel, fotografiando la cara sur del volcán Lonquimay. “This is unbelievable, amazing, crazy landscape” son algunos de los adjetivos que reiteradamente me dicen nuestros huéspedes de EVOC. Y con Ernesto nos reímos porque sabemos que todavía queda muchísimo más para sorprenderlos.

Cargamos el equipo en las camionetas y salimos en las mountain bike rumbo al cráter Navidad. Nuevamente resuenan diversas expresiones de asombro y felicidad. ¿Cómo es posible que hayamos salido de un bosque verde y milenario junto al hotel, y 10 minutos más tarde estamos en un paisaje que parece sacado de la Luna o de Marte?, me preguntan Holger y Bernd. “Así es el destino Lagos y Volcanes” – respondo cada vez que la misma pregunta se asoma.

Amity Tours MTB en Chile — Ernesto guiando al grupo en un “free-ride” hacia el cráter Navidad, de fondo el volcán Lonquimay.

Recorremos extensivamente los alrededores áridos del cráter Navidad y le explicamos a nuestros amigos como se formó este cráter para la navidad de 1988 en una erupción que duró 1 año. Después Ernesto los anima a regresar al hotel haciendo un free-ride por las faldas del volcán, llegando a la terraza donde unas cervezas heladas los esperan junto a la piscina y el SPA.

Hoy nos toca conocer a los Pewenche, la gente que salvó a la araucaria de ser cortada, y para eso nos vamos a pedalear a Quinquén, donde la familia Meliñir nos espera en su comunidad. Un asado de chivo con puré de piñón es parte del menú que nos tiene preparado Joaquín, el hijo del Lonko de la comunidad. Recorremos senderos con vistas al Batea Mawida y al lago Galletue, y sumamos más escenarios en nuestras mtb con los accesorios de Evoc. Al caer la noche, junto al fuego en la ruka, y con un mate compartido, escuchamos atentos la historia de como esa comunidad logró que se declare a la araucaria un Monumento Natural, prohibiendo así la tala.

Amity Tours Mountain Bike Pewenche — Joaquín Meliñir recibiendo al grupo en la comunidad Pewenche de Quinquén.

Nuestro viaje ya ha llegado a la mitad y todavía nos queda lo mejor. Ahora toca acampar y poner a prueba todo el equipo de bikepacking. Armamos campamento en el sector el Hoyón junto al lago Conguillío y con la Sierra Nevada de fondo. La noche está muy estrellada y sin luna, ideal para esas time-lapse nocturnas. A la hora del desayuno, Holger y Bernd nos cuentan más sobre los inicios de la compañía, y lo significativo de este viaje para ellos, pues cumplen 10 años como empresa.

Amity mtb tours Chile — Preparando la cena para el grupo en sector El Hoyón del PN Conguillío.

Teniendo como campo base al lago Conguillío, Ernesto nos lleva a recorrer caminos y senderos del parque y una aventura un poco más extrema hacia el volcán Nevados de Sollipulli, en donde llegamos en mtb al cono Chufquén y al mismísimo glaciar del Sollipulli.

Amity Tours en Conguillío — La Sierra Nevada y el lago Conguillío son el telón de nuestro “bikepacking camp”.

Finalmente, y ya un poco más cansados, nuestro tour llega a Pucón, donde concluimos el viaje por los senderos del centro de ski del volcán Villarrica, con las pistas Lengas, Flow y El Clásico. Por la noche vamos a uno de esos bares imperdibles del pueblo y hacemos incontables salud por el éxito del viaje y por haber coronado en mtb el destino Lagos y Volcanes.

Mira aquí el video de este viaje épico y profundo a La Araucanía.

Que tres reconocidas empresas del ciclismo de montaña del mundo te digan los mismos comentarios positivos de Chile como un paraíso para el mountain bike, no solo me llenan de orgullo, sino que me ratifican que tenemos todo para seguir desarrollando este deporte, en la naturaleza y con todo el respeto hacia ella.

¿Y tú, cuándo te animas a viajar con Amity y tu mtb?

Aquí algunos tours para inspirarte:

Aventuras en Mountain Bike – Corralco 4 Días 3 Noches.

Aventuras en Mountain Bike – Pucón 4 Días 3 Noches

Mountain Biking Chile MTB Chile MTB Enduro Tour MTB Pucon MTB Tours Tours Mountain Bike en Chile

Women Tour in the Atacama Desert

During this unique bike and hike tour in Chile, especially designed by women for women, we will immerse ourselves into the ancestral culture of the Likan Antai people. In addition, we’ll explore the most beautiful spots around San Pedro de Atacama, by foot and by bike.

We will enjoy tasty local food, get to know local traditions. As well as discovering the open skies, and relaxing in natural thermal hot springs. Our very unique accommodation offers us perfect moments to relax and enjoy the yoga sessions and other well-being moments.

A tour for adventure women and nature lovers!

The Atacama desert is the highest and driest desert in the world. San Pedro de Atacama is surrounded by the Andes Range, the Salt Range and the Domeyko range. The main highlights are the Moon Valley, the Mars Valley, the Atacama Salt flat, the Altiplano, the geysers and the Andean lagoons (4000 meters above sea level). Thanks to the volcanic activity it is possible to find hot springs and active volcanoes such as Lascar and Putana. It has a variety of endemic bird species and flora species that makes it a unique place on earth. The indigenous people, who inhabits the charming villages are the Likan Antai people which culture has been alive for 12.000 years.

Likan Antai people

The Likan Antai or Atacameños communities maintain traditional ways of living alongside the oases and streams of the Loa River and the Salar de Atacama, without losing contact with the urban centers and current Chilean society.

Upon their arrival in the 16th century, the Spanish named the Andean population „Atacama“.During the centuries before the European invasion, the Atacameños used an unwritten language to name the local geography and the different ecological landscapes. According to the first linguists and travelers of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the Atacameño communities used the Cunza as their main language and called themselves, along with their territory, the compound word Licán-Antai.

The arid climate limited settlements to small and isolated oases. Each village was autonomous, made up of a group of related families under a chief working collectively. These villages or Ayllus were usually located on high ground, surrounded by defensive walls. The Ayllu is a form of extensive social community originating in the Andean region.

Weather in the Atacama Desert

The Atacama Desert is commonly known as the driest place in the world. Although the almost total lack of precipitation is the most prominent characteristic of the Atacama Desert, exceptions may occur. The Invierno Boliviano or Altiplano Winter is a phenomenon, which can produce rain and abundant electrical storms and occurs in January and February. The average rainfall is about 15 mm. (0.59 in) per year. Moreover, some weather stations in the Atacama have never received rain. This desert is so arid that many mountains higher than 6,000 meters (20,000 ft) are completely free of glaciers. Indeed, only the highest peaks have some permanent snow coverage.

In San Pedro de Atacama, the local climate is extremely dry and mild, with daytime temperatures between 25ºC to 30ºC (77ºF–86ºF) in the summer (December to February) and 18ºC to 25 °C (64 to 77 °F) in the winter (June to August). Nighttime temperatures routinely drop below 0 °C (32 °F) and can reach as low as −10 °C (14 °F) in the winter.

The best season for hiking and biking in the Atacama Desert runs from mid June through mid November.

Special features just for women

cejar lagoon atacama desert — Cejar Lagoon, Atacama Desert

During our unique Bike and Hike Tour in the Atacama Desert we will focus on the incredible nature, landscapes and take a closer look of the local culture, especially by visiting local women.

On day one for example we will first pass by Solcor, Sequitor & Tulor. Here we will make our first stop in order to visit the archeological site Tulor. One of the oldest archaeological sites in northern Chile, that was excavated by the famous archeologist Ana Maria Baron, a very inspiring woman.

Afterwards we will met a friendly Likan Antai woman and her family at the Ayllu of Coyo. She will share with us some of her daily activities and ancestral cosmovision. She has worked on emphasizing the ancestral caravan with llamas.

Then we will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in Coyo, where we will be able to taste typical food prepared with local products. Finally, we will bike back to the hotel, rest from the sun and get prepared four our afternoon excursion.

Local women and traditions

women chile — Sandra and the traditional ancestral caravan

The third day of our trip also includes a great visit of the local women and their traditions. We will travel south towards the Altiplanic Lagoons, gaining altitude to enter the puna highlands and surprise ourselves with its particular vegetation: wildlife, lagoons and salt flats. It is where, without any doubt, the Miscanti Lagoon stands out: the largest in the entire Antofagasta region.

Later, we visit the town of Socaire, where the indigenous community still preserves part of the traditional Atacameñan way of life. In this small town, we will pay another great woman and her family a visit. The women of the family still keep alive the tradition of weaving, carrying out the complete process, from the spinning of wool to the production of the most traditional items in the area such as clothing and others.

We will enjoy lunch at the Guest House of the Indigenous Community of Socaire. After lunch, we will go to the town of Talabre, in the middle of the prepuna. There, accompanied by a local guide (mostly women) from the Talabre indigenous community, we will walk through Kezala, one of the gorges, that connects the high Andes Mountains with the Salar de Atacama basin. That treasure’s an invaluable archaeological heritage in rock art.

Later, we can enjoy a tasting of Lican Antai products before driving back to our hotel in San Pedro de Atacama.

Yoga session and hotsprings

Yoga women tour — Yoga session at Atacama Loft and Glamp

Have you ever experienced a yoga session in the driest desert of the world? If not, it is time to do so during our Women tour. We will enjoy a relaxing yoga hour with a professional teacher in a safe and protected area. It is a perfect activity to enjoy the splendid sunset and to feel the magic of the desert.

Depending on the lunar cycle we might even join a full moon women circle on one of the evenings during our trip.

In addition to the soul treatment during the yoga session we will also relax at the amazing and natural hot springs of Puritama. Immerse yourself into the unique landscape and relax your muscels in the natural pools after a nice hike.

Star-gazing and the Andean cosmovision

The night in the Atacama Desert, its starry sky and the presence of ancient fire, give life to a unique and unrepeatable experience. Here, the knowledge of the Andean cosmovision of the skies meets the scientific understanding of the stars.

We will combine traditional scientific astronomy with the ancient Andean vision of the first astronomers of the place. They have been long before the first telescope. As a complement, we will also have the possibility to observe the stars through a modern telescope.

Local handicrafts and shopping

Accompanied by our guide, we will walk through the streets of San Pedro. The focus will be to learn a little more about its history and formation. And to finish familiarizing ourselves with some of the challenges that characterize and influence social organization, politics and life in this place. We will visit the nicest shops with local handicrafts. That is when we will have time to find some souvenirs and gifts for our family and friends.

Our accommodation: Atacama Loft and Glamp

women trip atacama — Glamping double tent

For this unique trip we chose a unique accommodation. The Atacama Loft & Glamp is a woman owned and managed accommodation with a very special atmosphere. Just a few car-minutes away from the busy center of San Pedro de Atacama. It is the perfect place to relax, enjoy the spectacular views or chat with a nice pisco sour at one of the cosy corners around the pool.

Interested in this tour? Check out our fixed departure dates until April 2022 and contact us for more details! Don’t miss out our top travel adventures in Chile for women travelling together!

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Multisport Tour Route of Parks of Patagonia in Chile

Multisport Tour – Route of Parks of Patagonia in Chile

A few years ago, we started dreaming about a new epic and transformational tour. This dream tour should connect Chile’s iconic scenic routes: the incredible Lake and Volcano Route with the stunning Route of Parks of Patagonia. Today we are happy to present our co-operated Multisport Adventure Route of Parks of Patagonia.

route of parks patagonia — Kayaking Grey Lake in Torres Del Paine National Park, Patagonia Chile. © ChileNativo

An exclusive and carefully crafted adventure led by three of the most iconic adventure companies of Chile: Amity Tours, BirdsChile and Chile Nativo Travel. A lifetime experience exploring on foot, bike, raft and kayak the most spectacular landscapes of northern and southern Patagonia. This exclusive program covers and connects the wild and diverse landscapes of two Scenic Routes: The Lake and Volcano Route + Route of Parks of Patagonia.

In this tour you will discover Conguillío National Park, starting at the foot of active volcanoes covered by unique forests of giant Araucaria trees, explore the lush and exuberant temperate rainforest of Pumalin Park (Douglas Tompkins legacy), and finish with a stunning finale in Torres del Paine National Park

Nature, diversity, local communities, and interaction with the culture of Patagonia, while giving back and supporting rewilding experiences led by our local experts. This is a featured program in some of the best parks that make up the Route of Parks of Patagonia and The Lake and Volcano District. An unforgettable multi-sport adventure where you can be sure to discover new paths in Patagonia!

lake and volcano route — Lake and Volcano Route. © Amity Tours

Different sustainable concepts in one tour

We have been strategizing on how to develop a product which benefits are given back to local communities, supports conservation, and that the trip integrates the REWILDING concept. All of which posed to be the biggest challenge incorporating these exact concepts into a multisport program.

Cristián, Raffaele and Gonzalo – the CEOs of the three adventure companies – went together on a creative retreat, laying out the first draft itinerary and agreeing in the key factors to success with an epic and transformational multisport tour in Patagonia.

As a result, they came back with a unique itinerary connecting the Lake & Volcano Route and the Route of Parks of Patagonia, covering 1.400 miles (2.300 km) between Conguillío National Park and Torres del Paine.

Raffaele, Cristián and Gonzalo, in the making of the Multisport Tour Route of Parks of Patagonia during a creative retreat.

The trip was ready to launch for the 2020/2021 season but it was postponed due to Covid international travel restrictions. However, this amazing trip was officially launched during the AdventureELEVATE virtual event and now 2021-22 dates are already confirmed.

Before we dive deeper into the highlights of the trip, we want to introduce these two iconic scenic routes with a short video:

Lake & Volcano Scenic Route

Route of Parks of Patagonia

The efforts of conservations in these lands were skeptically accepted at the beginning, provoking a controversy among Chileans, politicians, and part of the population.

Here another video to show the controversy:

Now, an especially important detail of this topic of conservation is Rewilding and the adaptive form of Rewilding in Tourism, which is a new way to power the art of traveling, transforming it from a high consumption product of tourism to a real and genuine act of empathy. Let’s talk a little more in depth about REWILDING.

Pudu deer at Route of Parks of Patagonia — Pudu deer – Route of Parks of Patagonia. © BirdsChile

What is rewilding?

We like to separate the two concepts: Ecological Rewilding and Tourism Rewilding. While ecological rewilding means “to return an ecosystem to its original state”, we have to understand that Tourism Rewilding is “adapted to tourism because we cannot erase the human impact completely”.

The Patagonia National Park has a rewilding concept with one of the highest global standards. If you want to know more about the rewilding process in the Patagonia National Park, you can take a look at this video. The story of Douglas Tompkins is intimately related to this park that became part of the largest donation of private lands ever made, and the first step for the creation of the Route of Parks of Patagonia.

Two women working in a field of young trees — Rewilding in Patagonia. © BirdsChile

During our multisport trip we are part of a Tourism Rewilding concept. This is not the only reason why we talk about a sustainable project. Moreover, we operate the tour only in small groups (8 guests max.), trying to focus on low-impact activities. That allows us to have a traceable and measurable trip. So, between the three companies we can collect data and publish exact numbers about the real social, economic and environmental impact. Furthermore we support local NGO’s for educational and conservation programs such as Fundación Legado Chile, and Torres del Paine Legacy Fund.

More about our Zero Waste concept

In all of our self-operated group departure tours we do focus on our Zero Waste Concept. First of all, we reinvented our picnic tables and box lunches. Wherever possible we changed to local suppliers and focused on organic processes. We eliminated single use plastic products and separated all unavoidable waste for recycling. During the last season we visited our most important local partners such as hotels and restaurants to involucrate them into the Zero Waste program. At the moment we are working on our Climate Emergency Plan. And we are part of the Climate Action Leaders Community.

Gourmet Picnic — Zero Waste picnic table. © Amity Tours

How do we incorporate the local community?

Our brand-new Multisport Tour focuses also on the local communities, their culture, habits and history. We want to give our international guests the opportunity to learn more about the ancestral heritage of the Mapuche People. This proud nation has a huge influence in the Lake and Volcano District. We are able to get to know a friendly family, who shares with us their way of life between the actual progress and the ancestral heritage.

In our rewilding work on day 6 of the tour, in the city of Llanquihue, we will combine this regeneration effort to work with local communities, creating a virtuous circle where nature gets restored and communities get benefits.

Furthermore we meet the friendly Kawésqar women. They started and initiative to rescue their culture. Valuing the ancestral heritage that they inherited from their canoe ancestors of Kawésqar. The vision of this project is to generate, in a collaborative way and through the dialogue between indigenous communities and interested people, the best strategy to value the culture and ancestral Kawésqar heritage. Through initiatives that benefit the original people, its members, culture, and the ancestral territory.

We will learn about the traditional basket weaving. This local art of mainly Kawésqar women has been transmitted by their grandmothers, mothers, aunts, and sisters. They kept alive the beautiful handwork with a thin vegetal fiber known as jonquil.

basket weaving kawesqar women — Basket weaving Kawesqar women. © ChileNativo

Multisport activities on the Route of Parks Tour

We love the adventure and want to share this feeling with you. We kick-off the trip hiking among volcanoes and ancient Araucaria trees. Then we jump on our bikes and travel southbound Pedalling the Lake and Volcano scenic route is a great way to appreciate the stunning nature with the perfectly cone-shaped volcanoes, pristine lakes, and beautiful national parks.

Afterwards we leave the bikes behind and continue by water, rafting the turquoise rapids of Petrohué river. Then we follow Carretera Austral by foot. Exploring active volcanoes, hidden waterfalls, and the Northern Fjords of Patagonia. Finally, one of the highlights of the trip is definitely the day kayaking in Torres del Paine. Paddling in between floating icebergs and descending the Grey River is something you will remember forever!

Cyclimg in the Lake and Volcano Route — Cycling in the Lake and Volcano Route. © Amity Tours

A trip of your lifetime

The Route of Parks, a Patagonia Collection Program, is a lifetime experience for the traveler seeking the awe and wonder that Patagonia provokes in all of us. This multisport journey exploring on foot, bike, and kayak connects some of the most spectacular landscapes of northern and southern Patagonia.

This exclusive program takes travelers to the base of active volcanoes covered by unique forests of giant Araucarias of Conguillío National Park. To the lush and exuberant temperate rainforest of the Pumalin Park. Last but not least, a stunning finale at the wild and diverse landscapes of the Torres del Paine National Park.

White-water rafting - Petrohue river — White-water rafting, Petrohue River. © BirdsChile

Travel must be an act of empathy

During the last ATTA Elevate event we had a wonderful, and educational session filled with great conversations from participants from Australia, New Zealand, Chile, and Argentina.

The result? Conservation is not enough anymore. Travel must be an act of empathy. Travel must regenerate communities and ecosystems, and as a leader in our trade, and as travelers ourselves, we must make conscious decisions to transform. Transform our programs, our products, and ourselves into something greater – even if that means making certain sacrifices such as smaller group departures and lower-impact travels. The effects of travel must be measurable and traceable.

We are convinced that travel MUST regenerate our public and private lands, environments, ecosystems, and communities.

ATTA AdventureELEVATE 2020 Conguillío National Park Lake and Volcano District Lake and Volcano Scenic Route multisport adventure chile Pumalin National Park rewilding chile route of parks of patagonia Torres Del Paine National Park

Guias expertos de Amity Tours

En Amity Tours, no tenemos ninguna duda que nuestros guías son el principal capital que tiene nuestra empresa, con quienes hemos desarrollado una relación fraterna de amistad y preocupación mutua. Nuestros guías son los mejores guías del Destino Lagos & Volcanes, conocen cada rincón del territorio, y lo más importante, están involucrados en las raíces de las comunidades locales.

guías amity — Los guías expertos en Mountain Bike de Amity: Peter, Pancho y Ernesto

Sabemos que la primera y última cara que ven nuestros clientes es la de nuestros guías. Tenemos un equipo pequeño, pero estamos seguros es el mejor. Y no son solo palabras, pues cada año tenemos unos 20 postulantes y usualmente nos quedamos con 1 o 2.

¿Qué buscamos?

Personas que por sobre todo sientan pasión por lo que hacen, sepan trabajar en equipo y tengan un gran corazón.

mtb chile — Equipo Amity en preparación de tour de Mountain Bike

En este blog, presentamos a 3 de nuestros guías más queridos: David, Rubén y Francisco. Todos tienen historias de vida diferentes, pero que comparten su pasión por las actividades al aire libre, el deporte, la competencia, el humor y los trabajos comunitarios.

Todos nuestros guías deben pasar un riguroso proceso de selección y tener al menos la certificación “Wilderness First Responder”, curso certificado que entrega las herramientas técnicas necesarias para responder de buena forma en casos de accidentes en terrenos complejos como montañas, ríos o bosques.

DAVID JOOS, 7 años guiando en Amity Tours

David guiando en la Reserva Nacional Malalcahuello

David, el con más experiencia (por no decir el más viejo ), es rescatista del Cuerpo de Bomberos de Chile, montañista, reconocido instructor de kayak, con varios triatlones en el cuerpo y certificado en WFR. Quienes han tenido la mala fortuna (o buena suerte) de tener un accidente durante sus tours, han visto cómo responde un verdadero profesional ante estos dramáticos eventos, que varias veces han requerido su gestión experta.

Ir en tour con David es un constante reír y disfrute, pues él siempre se las ingenia para conquistar a los viajeros a través del humor. David es muy entusiasta, siempre alegre y con una actitud positiva ante la vida.

Nombre: David Joos

Edad: 40

Lugar de Nacimiento: Dendermonde, Bélgica

Lugar de Residencia: Pucón, Chile

Tours guiados las últimas temporadas: Bike Tours, Volcán Villarrica

Años guiando: 20

Q&A

¿Cómo te llaman tus amigos y compañeros de trabajo?

Gringo Loco

¿Cuál es el tour que más te gusta guiar?

Bike and Hike tour alrededor de Pucón

¿Cuál sería el peor trabajo que podrías tener?

Hacer lo mismo todos los días

¿Cuál es tu deporte favorito para practicar?

Kayak y triatlón (ya son 4)

¿Cerveza o pisco sour?

Cerveza, ¡y mucha!

¿Rutera o MTB?

Ambas bicicletas me encantan

Si pudieras ser un animal ¿cuál serías y por qué?

Pato correntino, se mueve tan elegante entre el agua y el aire

¿Carne o pastas?

Pasta con carne

¿En una escala de 1 a 10, cuan “cool” eres?

¿Qué te hace reír?

Las tallas chilenas con doble sentido

¿Qué te hace enojar?

Los celos de mi señora

¿El cliente siempre tiene la razón?

NOOO !!

¿Cuánto tiempo te toma estar listo en la mañana antes de un tour?

5 minutos

¿Comida que menos te gusta?

Erizos

¿Qué es mejor para ser guía, la experiencia o un diploma?

Experiencia, por sobre todas las cosas

Si pudieras vivir en otro lugar ¿dónde vivirías?

Patagonia, Carretera Austral

¿Qué es lo que más te gusta y lo que menos te gusta de tu trabajo como guía?

El contacto con la gente; tener problemas en el tour fuera de tu alcance para arreglar

Si ganaras 1 millón de dólares ¿qué comprarías?

Una casa rodante “filete”

¿Dónde estarás en 3 años?

En Pucón con una pequeña empresa de poda

RUBEN PAILLALEF, 8 años guiando en Amity Tours

Rubén, orgulloso descendiente del pueblo Mapuche, fue uno de los primeros guías que tuvo Amity Tours para sus viajes de cicloturismo. Triatleta destacado, montañista, con certificado WFR y capacitaciones en USA y Europa, pasa su tiempo “libre” subiendo al volcán Villarrica, sacando fotografías y trabajando en su huerta, siempre en contacto con la tierra, su familia y comunidad.

Rubén reconoce todas las plantas y animales del bosque, es buenísimo avistando e identificando especies de flora y fauna para que nuestros visitantes conozcan más de la naturaleza que están viendo. Es un ciclista muy fuerte, que seguro te acompañará si quieres exigirte en la bicicleta.

Nombre: Rubén Paillalef Luengo

Edad: 36

Lugar de Nacimiento: Pucón, Chile

Lugar de Residencia: Pucón

Tours guiados las últimas temporadas: Multisport, Bike Tours, Volcán Villarrica

Años guiando: 16

Rubén haciendo la charla técnica y de seguridad a clientes de Francia y USA

¿Cómo te llaman tus amigos y compañeros de trabajo?

Indio, Rubén, Kapurra (chivo)

¿Cuál es el tour que más te gusta guiar?

Bike tours en rutera.

¿Cuál sería el peor trabajo que podrías tener?

Un trabajo que no me complementa y que no me valoren

¿Cuál es tu deporte favorito para practicar?

Triatlón y todo lo que se desarrolle al aire libre

¿Cerveza o pisco sour?

Cerveza

¿Rutera o MTB?

Ambas me gustan

Si pudieras ser un animal ¿cuál serías y por qué?

Un lobo, porque le gusta trabajar en equipo y son fundamentales en el ecosistema que viven.

¿Carne o pastas?

Ambos

¿En una escala de 1 a 10, cuan “cool” eres?

¿Qué te hace reír?

Humor con mis compañeros

¿Qué te hace enojar?

La deslealtad y el mal trato

¿El cliente siempre tiene la razón?

No, pero no tiene por qué saberlo 🙂

¿Cuánto tiempo te toma estar listo en la mañana antes de un tour?

1 hora

¿Comida que menos te gusta?

Mariscos con yodo

¿Qué es mejor para ser guía, la experiencia o un diploma?

Definitivamente la Experiencia

Si pudieras vivir en otro lugar ¿dónde vivirías?

Donde existan volcanes activos

¿Qué es lo que más te gusta y lo que menos te gusta de tu trabajo como guía?

El contacto con la naturaleza y conocer gente nueva; la fragilidad económica de nuestro trabajo

Si ganaras 1 millón de dólares ¿qué comprarías?

Tierras y un buen viaje junto a mis queridos.

¿Dónde estarás en 3 años?

Probablemente en el mismo lugar igual de feliz

FRANCISCO DUATH, 5 años guiando en Amity Tours

Pancho posando para las cámaras de los clientes de Yeti Tribe en tour de MTB

Juan Francisco, el más joven de nuestros guías y el último en integrarse al equipo, lo conocimos cuando tenía 23 años en Huilo-Huilo y supimos en ese mismo momento que tenía el ADN que Amity Tours busca en sus guías.

Trail-runner por excelencia (o por su costumbre de andar por los cerros de Neltume), fue invitado a correr a una de las principales pruebas de esa modalidad en Santiago, lugar donde había estado pocas veces, y considerado un principiante aún, se corono campeón, todo gracias a su determinación por superarse. Allí la prensa especializada lo bautizó como el “bagual de Neltume”.

En los tours que Francisco va de guía, los viajeros siempre le toman un gran cariño, por su carisma, humildad y gran capacidad física.

Su principal preocupación es su comunidad, en especial los niños de Neltume, por esto lidera el proyecto Bagualito Bike Park donde dedica su tiempo a enseñar a los niños locales sobre la importancia del deporte, el mountain bike y la determinación para salir adelante en la vida.

Nombre: Juan Francisco Duath Fuentes

Edad: 28

Lugar de Nacimiento: Neltume, Chile

Lugar de Residencia: Neltume, Chile

Tours guiados las últimas temporadas: Mountain Bike

Años guiando: 5

Pancho concentrado en el cuidado de las mtb de nuestros clientes

¿Cómo te llaman tus amigos y compañeros de trabajo?

Panchito

¿Cuál es el tour que más te gusta guiar?

Mountain Bike tours

¿Cuál sería el peor trabajo que podrías tener?

El que no me guste

¿Cuál es tu deporte favorito para practicar?

Mountain Bike

¿Cerveza o pisco sour?

Cerveza Cero Alcohol, jajajaj

¿Rutera o MTB?

Mountain Bike

Si pudieras ser un animal ¿cuál serías y por qué?

Un Puma, por su habilidad y destreza

¿Carne o pastas?

Carne

¿En una escala de 1 a 10, cuan “cool” eres?

¿Qué te hace reír?

Bromas con los amigos

¿Qué te hace enojar?

La injusticia sobre otra persona

¿El cliente siempre tiene la razón?

No, en el Mountain Bike eso no pasa

¿Cuánto tiempo te toma estar listo en la mañana antes de un tour?

Depende de cuanto motivado este, 1 hora quizás

¿Comida que menos te gusta?

La comida fría

¿Qué es mejor para ser guía, la experiencia o un diploma?

La experiencia

Si pudieras vivir en otro lugar ¿dónde vivirías?

Me gusta Neltume, no lo cambiaría, aunque no he viajado mucho la verdad

¿Qué es lo que más te gusta y lo que menos te gusta de tu trabajo como guía?

Lo que más me gusta es compartir experiencias, cuando los clientes me cuentan sus aventuras; lo que menos me gusta es cargar las bicicletas después de un día extenso

Si ganaras 1 millón de dólares ¿qué comprarías?

Muchas tierras, ampliaría Bagualito a otras disciplinas como snowboard, ski y kayak…y ayudaría a niños vulnerables

¿Dónde estarás en 3 años?

Quizás en el Monte Everest

Conoce nuestros 3 programas más solicitados por el público nacional en el Destino Lagos y Volcanes, diseñados para los amantes de la naturaleza:

Programa de 4 días/3 noches – Aventuras MTB – Pucón, Destino Lagos y Volcanes

Programa de 4 días / 3 noches – Road Cycling en Destino Lagos y Volcanes

Programa de 8 días / 7 noches – Aventuras en Familia, Destino Lagos y Volcanes

Luxury Nature Tours in Chile defined by Amity Tours

Relaxing hour at Corralco Mountain Resort

One traveler’s luxury is another’s ordinary.

For us at Amity Tours, a luxury nature tour is all about the experience, the disconnection and the unique feeling of freedom in a trip throughout Chile.

We’d love to share with you our definition of luxury!

The philosophy of Amity Tours

First of all, we are proud to call ourselves a boutique adventure tour operator from Chile, where luxury nature tours are our standard.

We are specialized in active travel experiences, with biking, hiking, skiing and multisport tours. What’s more, we understand that active travel goes along with excellent service, comfortable hotels and delicious great local food, wine and beer.

Our definition of Luxury

As George Morgan-Grenville once said: “Luxury travel today is defined less by thread count and Michelin stars and more by access to the people, places and experiences that represent all that is authentic about a destination. There’s no denying that comfort factors still apply and high standards of accommodation and dining will always feature on the luxury traveler’s wish list. However, today’s luxury traveler seeks more depth of understanding and immersion into local culture than ever before. People don’t just want to see – they want to participate. The sales process is also critical and whilst the online proposition can be an asset in terms of booking more simple arrangements, clients looking for luxury experiential travel require a deep level of sophisticated knowledge and confidence during the sales process.”

There is no better way in explaining our definition of luxury tours at Amity.

We definitely do not support luxury tourism without considering the impact it might have for the natural environment. Luxury tourism should never compromise nature, such as helicopter trips over national parks or high speed boat trips on pristine lakes.

To us, comfort doesn’t come in a “heli”. The negative impact of these kind of exclusive adventures for the wildlife is huge. There are many case studies, which prove the negative impact of helicopter flights for the natural surroundings. That is why we don’t think it is worth enjoying a short flight in a fragile environment while there are so many other great ways of connection to special places in the world.

We think that the real luxury on an adventure trip are the unforgettable experiences we make during the voyage. Experiences, which will leave a mark in our memories – as we learn more about a local place and culture.

Here are the luxury moments you can find during our nature trips in Chile:

Reaching natural thermal hot springs after a great cycling day over green rolling hills with the view of three volcanoes. No better luxury moment than relaxing our tired muscles in the thermal waters and listening to the sound of the cold river next to us. Check out this and much more unforgettable experiences in our bike tours.

Getting to a pristine beach after hiking through a thousand-year-old forests together with local indigenous guides. After the challenging hike in an almost unknown trail, a friendly local family is waiting for you in their typical housing, and offering freshly seafood – from the sea directly to the table. Interested in their ancestral seafood gathering? Join them during an afternoon on their simple wooden boats.

Mapuche family at their local housing on the pacific coast — Mapuche Huilliche Indigenous community at Mapu Lahual Reserve

Enjoying a private Yoga session in Atacama, the World’s driest desert, with a professional instructor. After a mystical highlands tour that includes hiking around geysers, we will get back to our very special accommodation. Here we can enjoy a deep connection with the nature and our spirit. This unique Yoga session is one of the many highlights of our Bike and Hike Women Tour in the Atacama Desert.

Yoga on our women tour — Yoga session in Atacama Desert, the driest in the World.

Have you ever dreamed about Backcountry Skiing on an active volcano? When traveling with Amity Tours, you get the opportunity to spot lava after a challenging climb and then enjoy the unforgettable off-piste downhill skiing. A real once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Backcountry skiing on the Choshuenco Volcano — Summer Skiing at Choshuenco Volcano, Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve

Having a private Polo field, an exclusive lake front Lodge and stables full of polo horses to choose from. Santa Amalia Ranch is one of the most exclusive polo getaways in Southern Chile. It is situated next to the pristine Lake Colico, and immersed in the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve.

Lake boat pier — Santa Amalia Ranch – Colico Lake

Ready for an exclusive luxury experience?

Learning how to make an ancestral recipe from a famous Mapuche chef, while collecting the ingredients as we hike in the forest.
Embarking with local fisherman to birdwatching among the sunken forest in Chiloe Island. Feel the untouched nature and listen to the singing of the native birds. Our Conservation Tour is full of magical moments.
A great dose of adrenaline during the whitewater rafting on the Trancura, Fuy, and Petrohue rivers. No better way to experience the force of the water and the importance of good teamwork. We are sure that these are one of the luxury moments during our Family Adventures.

Rafting Rio Petrohue — Petrohue River, Puerto Varas

Horseback ride with panoramic views of the Paine Massif in Patagonia. A truly luxury moment for every nature lover during our Multisport Tour in Patagonia.

Horseback riding Tyndall Torres del Paine — Horseback Riding in Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia Chile

In all of our luxury nature tours in Chile you will experience several “wow” moments.

Our bespoke team of travel designers are experts in curating the best tailor-made luxury travel experience for you. We know how to surprise you with details that make the difference.

What about a cold local brewed beer under an ancient Araucaria tree after an Andes climb?

Or what about a five-star picnic after an unforgettable mountain bike descent on an active volcano?

Or a Chilean folk-dance lesson in bicycle jerseys just because we passed by a traditional trade fair with live music?

Protection of the Environment – Sustainable Tourism

We are not only trying to minimize our negative impacts. We even maximize benefits to the environment and local community through different practices such as:

Being part of the expert team while creating the first UNESCO Geopark in Chile, Kütralkura (Rock of Fire, in native language).
Implementing sustainable tourism practices for the local indigenous communities in Chile.

All this is part of our Responsible Travel Policy, which is defined as following:

We believe and work in the universal standards put forth by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (Based on the UNWTO’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism), and we adopted the criteria specifically in these four areas:

Demonstrating effective sustainable management
Maximizing social and economic benefits to the local community and minimizing negative impacts
Maximizing benefits to cultural heritage and minimizing negative impacts
Maximizing benefits to the environment and minimizing negative impacts

As an organization, we formally adopted the Values Statement declared by the Adventure Travel Trade Association – ATTA – of which we are a member.

This is an organization that nurtures and professionalizes the responsible and sustainable development of the adventure travel industry.

Are you ready to experience real luxury nature tours in Chile with us?

Hotpot La Baita Ecolodge — Hot Tub at La Baita Ecolodge, Conguillio National Park

Adventure Travel Chile Amity Tours Chile Backcountry skiing Chile Bike tour chile boutique tour operator Cycling Tours Chile Family Trips Chile Hiking in Chile Luxury Nature Chile Luxury Tours Luxury Travel Nature travel Chile

The History of Amity Tours

The History of Amity Tours

By Cristian Levy, CEO & Founder

During all these years, many clients, guests, friends and colleagues have asked me the same question: “How did Amity begin?“

The answer is a long story and I will share it with you in this blog.

The story goes way back to 1948. My grandfather, Hector Levy, was an adventurer and his greatest passion was exploring the mountains of Chile’s central valleys. Together, with a group of friends and the Grez Family, they organized trips to the mountains near Santiago.

Only people with a deep love for the mountain could go on these journeys, as they were not easy nor comfortable. They used adapted livestock trucks to get to the foothills of the Andes. From there, they continued by mule-back and finally hiked or skinned up the last snow-capped section until they arrived at the mountain refuge. One of these refuges was the famous Refugio Gaston Saavedra.

the andes mountain — Hector Levy (first on the left) and his family visiting the mountains circa 1948.

My grandfather was a travelling salesman. He traveled across the country in his Citroën 2CV, selling shoes made by his family’s shoe factory. In his free time, he would venture to the mountains or go on bike rides with his relatives.

Hector Levy and Brothers — Hector Levy (first on the left) and his brothers-in-law circa 1950.

1954

At a young age, my father Alejandro started to come on these trips to the mountains. For a little kid, the trip was even harder, but getting dizzy with the winding road was not a reason to miss out on the adventure. He became close friends with the Grez family, skiing all over the mountain in La Parva, El Colorado and Farellones.

Alejandro Levy Amity Tours — Alejandro Levy posing with his ski gear circa 1956.

1960

My father joined the Boy Scouts at the Jewish Center in Santiago. His exceptional athletic skills made him stand out among the other kids. Thus, he was offered to go to Israel and join a sports program, but his family objected to his going.

1968

At the age of 18, my father was a very talented football (soccer) player, playing during his childhood at school and on the streets with neighborhood kids. In his last year of high school, he was awarded goal scorer of the inter-school football tournament.

Alejandro Levy Amity — Alejandro Levy (on the right) at school circa 1968.

1970-75

My father studied engineering at the Universidad Tecnica de Santiago, where he met Paty, my mom. Here he once again stood out for his athleticism. While he was playing football on the university team, he was recruited to play on Chile’s National Football team (amateur division). For 5 years, he traveled in Chile and Argentina playing for the Chilean Football team and played at the qualifiers for the Olympic Games.

Chilean Football Team — Alejandro (first on the front left) at the Stadium circa 1974.

Football Player Alejandro Levy — Alejandro in football jersey at the Stadium circa 1974.

1978

This is the year I was born. My father’s love for the mountain continued as he volunteered as a skiing instructor at El Colorado Ski Resort. As soon as I could walk, he took me skiing in the mountains and taught me to love and respect Nature.

Cristian Levy Amity — Cristian in ski gear, Farellones circa 1983.

1982

My father Alejandro continued with his sports activities, joining the bicycle club of CDUC. Then in 1983, he biked from Santiago to Mendoza with the club, riding and climbing the Andes mountains from Chile to Argentina.

Cyclist Alejandro Levy — Alejandro in bicycle jersey crossing the Andes (Portillo Hotel, circa 1983)

1986

I followed in my father’s and grandfather’s footsteps and grew into a highly active boy, joining the swimming team at CDUC. This club became my second home during my childhood.

1990

My father continued teaching skiing at El Colorado Ski Resort, mostly to friends and colleagues. On the weekends, I joined him as much as I could.

This year, my grandfather Hector planted the seed of entrepreneurship within me by lending me twenty dollars for a little business. He didn’t tell me what to do, only that I had to return the money. Then, with that money I went to buy candy and started selling it at school. Within a week, I sold all the candy and returned the loan to my grandfather. I remember feeling so proud of paying back my grandfather, and so I continued with the side business until my commercial activity was banned at school.

This same year, I joined the Boy Scouts movement, where I remained actively involved for a decade. In this group. I learnt the values of friendship and teamwork, and my love for the nature deepened.

1995

I graduated from high school and almost immediately searched for a seasonal job at a local retail store (wrapping Christmas presents), so I could generate my own income and be more financially independent. My parents encouraged me to do that just as much as my grandfather did. With the money I made, I went on my first self-supported trip to Pucon. I took my brother, Jano, with me.

Later, my Boy Scouts friends joined us as they became aware of my travel plans. At the time, I never imagined that Pucon would become my home and the headquarters of my adventure travel company.

1997

I enrolled at the SEK University in Santiago to study Tourism Planning. I didn’t totally understand the exact reasons for my decision to study tourism, but felt that this had been part of my whole life. Actually, since I was a young boy, I had always wanted to be a doctor, but it was clear that life had chosen a different path for me.

1998

My father Alejandro moved by himself to southern Chile for a job as an engineer at a mattress plant. There, my father discovered and fell in love with the landscapes of the Lake and Volcano District.

Meanwhile, the rest of the family stayed in Santiago. My mom’s love and support was key during this year. Reinforcing her teachings about how to be kind, self-sufficient and responsible.

The Levy Father and Sons — Alejandro with his children discovering their new home in La Araucania. Kutralkura Geopark, Quinquen.

In the summer of 1998, my grandfather once again encouraged me to continue gaining experience in the business world and lent me 300 dollars. With this money, I opened a beachfront kiosk called La Ruka (the house) in Guanaqueros, in Northern Chile. That summer, our kiosk was awarded the sales point with the highest ice-cream sales in the region. At the end of the summer season, I paid back the loan to my grandfather and with the profits and my mom’s help, traveled to Rapa Nui, Easter Island.

La Ruka Salespoint — Cristian and his brother Jano in the La Ruka kiosk. (Summer of 1998)

1999

My father finally felt settled in Temuco, and my mom and brothers went to live with him in southern Chile. I stayed in Santiago to finish college. This was a very hard decision for my family, but it turned out to be a great change of lifestyle.

The summer of 1999 I applied for an internship at the regional Tourism Board, SERNATUR Araucania, and just like my father did, fell in love with the nature and people of the region. I fondly remember my first visit to Conguillio National Park, where I was completely amazed by the Araucaria forest.

Alejandro and Cristian Levy — Alejandro and Cristian during his internship. (Summer of 1999)

2001

I graduated from University with honors and my Tourism Planning degree. Shortly thereafter, my classmate, German Pino, and I started to work as junior tourism consultants at EuroChile Foundation (German later joined Amity as partner in 2011).

This foundation specializes in promoting and consolidating economic, commercial and technological links between public and private institutions from Chile and the European Union. Tourism is one of their main pillars. Our mission there was to create and develop Chile’s first inbound ecotourism operator.

Cristian Levy Eurochile — Cristián working for Ecoaustral (Chile’s first ecotourism operator, circa 2003)

2002

The Asian economic crisis hit Chile hard and my father lost his job at the mattress plant. Despite many attempts to find a job in his field, he couldn’t find one. My mother became the family’s primary breadwinner, working as a financial advisor at a local bank in Temuco.

I couldn’t stop worrying about my father’s situation, so I mentioned this to my boss and friend Gerd Walther. He suggested we start a tour company with my father in southern Chile, but I didn’t take him seriously. However, I told my father about my boss’s idea and he only smiled quietly.

History Amity Tours — My boss and dear friend Gerd Walther (RIP)

2003

While working at EuroChile developing the inbound ecotourism operator, we received a particular request by email: a family of four from Brazil wanted a 12-day trip to Chile with skiing lessons included. They didn’t want to visit the classic ski resorts in central Chile. Instead, they wanted to explore the small and less known ski centers located around the southern volcanoes. I immediately told my boss about this request and he didn’t hesitate to put me in charge of the request and organize the whole trip. He told me to ask my father to work as a ski instructor during the tour and run it on behalf of the company.

The month of July arrived, and my father and I went to greet the Esteves Abreu Family from Rio de Janeiro. We delivered a 2-week guided skiing trip visiting the southern volcanoes: Llaima, Lonquimay and Villarrica. The tour ended up being a total success, with Eder, Mônica, Beatriz and Eduardo learning how to ski and promising that they will return the next year for more skiing lessons. This family became Alejandro’s first client, repeating their skiing trip to Chile for the next 10 consecutive years. To this date, the Levy and Abreu families remain great friends and continue seeing each other.

It was after this first trip that Alejandro realized that he could do what he loved most and earn a living at the same time. Here, my father made an important decision, selling the family’s house in Santiago and partnering with me to create our family-owned tour company in August of 2003.

By then, I was working in Santiago on a project with a travel book writer from the USA named Pete Nelson, with the goal of writing a new edition of a Chile travel guide. Pete was a senior marketing expert who had worked for important world-wide hotel chains such as Hilton and Intercontinental. It was here that I saw an opportunity to validate a list of potential names for our tour company.

But Pete didn’t pay attention to that list and instead gave me a great piece of advice: “if you want people to find you first pick a name that starts with the letter A, and make sure anyone can easily pronounce that name no matter which country they are from”. So, I took out my pocket Spanish/English dictionary and found the word “amity”, which means friendship, friendly, concord, good vibrations. And with this meaning as a central value, we began our tour company.

Finally, as an established tour company, in September 2003 we received the first group of foreign travelers. The group consisted of seven guests from the UK coming with Phil Smith, an international all-mountain skiing instructor and director of the skiing company Snoworks.

Snoworks is one of the UK’s leading providers of all-mountain ski courses to destinations around the world. This group of British skiers represented Amity’s first business account, and remains one of the Levy family’s favorite and dear clients.

Ski Chile Amity Snoworks — Our first B2B group with Snoworks (Pucon, September 2003)

If you liked this story, please share it! Maybe someday my father will tell it to you in person as you go on a chairlift with him or while hiking on the trails of our beloved country, Chile.

Lonquimay Volcano Chile — Alejandro and Cristian summiting Lonquimay Volcano.

Chile Tour Operator History of Amity Tours responsible tourism

Confirmed Bike Tour 2020 Chile

We are pleased to announce that our top Bike Tour in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District is confirmed. It will start on December 20, 2020, thus making it an ideal trip after the total solar eclipse.

Nothing compares to the outstanding sense of journey you experience on a Bike Tour. It’s the excitement of discovering under your own capacity, riding from one amazing place to the next. It’s the freest way of travel you’ll come across, giving you the chance to choose how your day unfolds. You can pedal at your own speed, discovering and experiencing amazing natural areas in Southern Chile.

Have you thought about where your next adventure on your bike will be ? If biking is your passion, then this travel experience is the best for you!

Experience cycling the back roads located in Southern Chile

This upcoming spring and summer (from November 2020 to April 2021), cycling the scenic routes of the Lake and Volcano District will be the best eco-friendly way to discover the region. Moreover, it is the best time of the year to ride around lakes, ancient forests and little quaint villages.

During eight days, you will…

Visit Kütralkura UNESCO Global Geopark, Lonquimay Volcano and Malalcahuello National Reserve

Climb The Andes Mountains at the Alto Biobio National Reserve

Discover Pucon and best attractions: the Villarrica Volcano, Caburgua Lake and natural hot springs

Ride Chile’s famous Seven Lakes Route & discover the Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve

Explore Puerto Varas and surroundings: Llanquihue Lake, Petrohue Waterfalls and Osorno Volcano.

Riding Chile’s Lake and Volcano District

Our bike tour starts at Temuco Airport, where our friendly team will be expecting you. First we’ll leave the city, driving towards the Malalcahuello National Reserve, where your hotel is located. You’ll meet the first of the many natural companions of the tour, with a striking view of Lonquimay Volcano from hotel. Following up the check-in, we’ll do a warm up ride through Curacautín.

Then, on the second ride, we will travel alongside the Lonquimay River and visit the Kütralkura Geopark. We’ll pass through the territory of the local Pewenche indigenous communities.

The third day will be dedicated to enjoying great views of three different volcanoes : Lonquimay, Llaima, Sierra Nevada and Villarrica). Indeed, we’ll go for an amazing hike starting from hotel. We’ll pass through an ancient forest of araucaria trees, some of them dating over 2.000 years old. Afterwards, we’ll leave the Malalcahuello National Reserve, and travel to the second destination of this bike tour: Pucón. This quaint city, located between pristine lakes and the active Villarrica volcano, is Chile’s capital of adventure tourism.

When cycling Pucón and surroundings, we will enjoy great views and volcanic landscapes. Throughout the ride, our guide will help us identify several species of birds and trees as we cycle next to beautiful farms and enjoy views of the Villarrica volcano. With a little good luck, we will see smoke coming out of this active volcano.

Our bike tour continues as we will bike through Chile´s 7-Lake Scenic Route. We’ll pedal alongside the shores of two beautiful lakes, Calafquén and Panguipulli, and cover three-quarters of the way around the majestic, snow-capped active Villarrica Volcano. This road is smooth and quiet as almost no vehicles drive here. At one point, we will be striked by the stunning views of five volcanoes.

The last stage of this unforgettable trip will be the Llanquihue Lake. This area is great for bike tours and it is considered Chile’s first Bike Friendly destination. We will pass through small towns such as Frutillar, Llanquihue and Ensenada. Finally we’ll arrive at Puerto Varas, dominated by the Osorno Volcano. If you want to challenge yourself, you can do some extra pedaling and ride up the Osorno, the steepest climb in South America.

Lastly, we will visit the local Market, which is the perfect place for wonderful souvenirs, handcrafts and woolen clothing. Afterwards we will drive you the airport where this adventure ends.

Cycling Southern Chile is a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience in which you get to discover the beautiful landscapes of the Lake and Volcano District!

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Helpful tips for an easy bike care

The bike season in southern Chile just finished. We are now taking care of a good after season – maintenance to get our bikes ready for the next trips. We are happy to share some tips about a self-made bike care.

Bike care made easy

Those who maintain their bikes will have more fun with them! With the right care, you can reduce wear extremely. This way, you can avoid costly consequential damage and you are even safer on the road. We show you how to do it – in six easy steps.

Prepare all you need before you start:

Brush, sponge, rag
Bike cleaner
Chain oil
small tool box (with Torx bits)
Air pump with nanometer
small torque wrench (up to approx. 12 Nm)
for bikes with suspension: damper pump and suspension lubrication

Bike mechanics bike tires men woman — Changing tires at Amity’s Headquarter

That is how it works

Basic cleaning

To start, first wash your bike with a sponge and a bike cleaner detergent. This is how you get rid of coarse dirt such as sand and dust. Then, dry thoroughly with a rag.

Caution: You should not use a high-pressure cleaner – it can damage the bearings and seals!

Suspensions

Clean the fork and damper with a clean cloth. You can spray a suspension lubrication on the stanchions to lubricate the scraper rings. Then, use a damper pump to check the air pressure in the fork and damper. A negative suspension travel of approx. 25 percent is recommended for a mountain bike.

Bicycle drive

Clean the sprocket, chain ring, chain and gear thoroughly with a small brush and a cleaner. Apply chain oil sparingly. Then shift through all the gears a few times and wipe off the excess oil with a rag. If your circuit is hooked, you can adjust it using the adjusting screw.

Tires

Check the profile. Are the tires worn? If yes, new ones are indispensable as worn tires are a safety risk! Are they still okay? Then check the air pressure. Proper tire pressure lets your bike roll quickly, ride smoothly, and avoid flats. Narrow tires need more air pressure than wide ones: Road tires typically require 80 to 130 psi (pounds per square inch); mountain tires, 25 to 35 psi; and hybrid tires, 40 to 70 psi.

Brakes

Check the brake pads, blocks and discs. The covering on the brake pads should be at least one millimeter thick (check the manufacturer’s instructions!). If the rubbers are worn, new ones have to be found. If your brake no longer grabs properly, it may need to be bled. Then, contact an experienced bike mechanic.

Screws

Check all screws (e.g. saddle clamp etc.) and tighten them with a torque wrench. The Nm specification is often written on the components. If not, you can find them in the official instructions.

Ready is your bike for some new adventures!

*Please note, this list does not claim completeness and we recommend contacting a professional bicycle mechanic in case of uncertainty.

Check out our confirmed bike departure date for December 2020

Where to buy good bike tools and maintenance.

*Source

bicycle bike care bike maintenance chile

Total solar eclipse in Pucón on December 14, 2020

Where will the phenomenon take place?

Chile is the perfect place for star gazing. On December 14th 2020, the focus will not be on stars but on the total solar eclipse.

Pucón is going to be the center of attention during this special day. The solar event is going to last 2h 50min. The eclipse will start at 11:41am with a total darkness at 1:04pm.

This very special phenomenon occurs 884 years after a similar astronomic event in the area. The Araucanía región is the territory where mainly resides the indigenous Mapuche community.

Map Chile Solar Eclipse — Foto credit: http://eclipseschile.gob.cl/index.html

Signification of a solar eclipse in the Mapuche cosmovision

Mapuche Ruka Woman — Señora Rosario, member of the Mapuche community
Foto credit: Jonatha Jünge

Many centuries before modern astronomy and its sophisticated telescopes, Mapuche people were already related to the cosmos. It was an important tool to predict the weather and influences on the land.

In Mapudungun, the Mapuche’s native language, a total solar eclipse is called “lai antü” or “lan antü”, which means “death of the sun”. This phenomenon is also known as “malonji ta antü” (they came to cover the sun or attack the sun) or “zumiñii antü” (the sun darkened).

This event is expected with respect, since the sun represents the way of understanding time. The „lai antü“has a strong content, so designating the death of the sun implies the suspension of time, a change of cycle for the star, a change in the process. Faced with this phenomenon of time suspension that affects nature.

A partial eclipse usually means a good year for the community. But a total eclipse is a bad omen for humanity, including the possible death of a dear and respected chieftain.

Despite the negative interpretation of the event by the Mapuches, in the occidental culture this natural phenomenon is a true once in a lifetime experience. In addition of being the capital of adventure tourism in Chile, Pucón will be the lucky host of the total solar eclipse 2020.

Safety recommendations during the eclipse

Do not look straight at the sun without proper eclipse glasses (certified ISO 12312-2)
Do not stair at the sun using your camera, telephone or binocular
Kids have to be supervised by an adult during the whole event

Pre and post travel options around Pucón

Do not miss your chance of getting to know the best travel options around Pucón. Take a look at our top travel experiences especially designed for active nature lovers.

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8 places to visit in San Pedro de Atacama in Chile

The driest desert in the world offers a great variety of places to visit. With beautiful landscape composed of salt flats, natural hot springs and geysers, the Atacama Desert has a lot to explore.

This is why we wrote this interesting articles of the the 8 places to visit in San Pedro de Atacama in Chile

Geysers del Tatio

The Tatio is a geothermal field located in the Andes mountain range at 4280 meters above sea level. At the foothills of Tatio and Linzor volcanoes, 90 kilometers from San Pedro, it is the world’s third largest geyser field.

It was named El Tatio after “Tata iu”, which means in Quechua “The Crying Elder”. It is a reference to the geysers and the mountain shaped like a lying man. The site has approximately 80 active geysers, making it South America largest geyser field. It is also surrounded by hills reaching up to 5900 meters above sea level.

In the early morning hours, the fumaroles activity takes its toll due to the craters’ high temperatures. They can reach up to 85°C. They erupt with pressure from the earth with heights ranging from 7 to 8 meters. The air temperature fluctuates between 15°C / 22.5°F during the day and 2°C / 3°F at night.

During the ride, it is also possible to observe local fauna and flora. You will be able to spot vicuñas, llamas, ñandues and vizcacha. Giant cactus, llaretas and coirón will be part of the flora.

The highlight of the geyser field is the thermal pool in which you can bath. You’ll absolutely be amazed by the snow-covered mountain peaks around while relaxing in the water filled with minerals.

With its spectacular scenery, the Tatio geysers are clearly Chile’s one of the most impressive attractions. Check out our 7-Day Hiking Tour in the Atacama Desert.

Laguna Chaxa (Chaxa Lagoon)

The Chaxa Lagoon, central point of the Atacama Desert, is located 7 kilometers from Toconao. And less than 50 kilometers from San Pedro. It belongs to Los Flamencos National Reserve, and is under the CONAF protection system of the wilderness areas. It is probably one of the best places in Chile for flamingos sighting.

The Chaxa Lagoon is an altiplanic lagoon and has no great depths. It allows the proliferation of microscopic life forms and micro invertebrates. They constitute the basic food of the flamingos and other birds living in Chaxa. You can observe up to 3 different types of flamingos: Parina Grande, Parina Chica and Flamenco Chileno.

Because of the intense heat, difference of temperatures between day and night and the high quantity of salt, there is not much flora and fauna surrounding Chaxa. Only some herbs and grass at the edge of the lagoon.

The reason why the Chaxa Lagoon is highly protected is because of its birdlife existence. The unit protecting the area aims at the conservation of the local biodiversity and the protection the birds’ food chain habitat.

Lagunas Altiplánicas (Highlands Lagoons)

The Highlands Lagoons, or Lagunas Altiplanicas, are located 115 kilometers from San Pedro de Atacama. The ride goes through Toconao and Socaire small towns and runs along the side of the Atacama Salt Flat.

Intense blue waters and and whites shores welcoming great variety of birds, the Miscanti and Miñiques Lagoons are a gift from nature. They are located inside the Los Flamencos National Reserve, at over 4000 meters above sea level. Both lagoons constitute a magical contrast with the surroundings snow-capped hills.

Mixture of desert, mountain and ice, it is the perfect place for bird watching and photography activities. The geological formations of the hills and terrains around demonstrate Ojos del Salar volcano eruption activity of the past years. The last eruption ocurred in 1956.

lagoon desert hill person — Highlands Lagoon, Atacama Desert

Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley)

It is one the most visited places around San Pedro de Atacama. It is located 17 kilometers / 25 miles from the village, in the heart of the Salt Mountain Range. The area, mainly composed of rock and sand formations, is mainly famous for its lunar aspect.

From the great dunes, you can observe the astonishing and surprising surroundings. During full moon, the valley also features an indescribable aspect filled with majesty and silence, coldly beautiful and imposing.

It is possible to visit the “Tres Marías” rock formations, and the “Duna Mayor” offers an excellent spot to observe the sunset. You can also hike this natural wonder through the diverse trails available.

Valle de la Muerte (Death Valley)

Also known as Mars Valley, the Death Valley is in the middle of the Salt Mountain Range and located 2 kilometers / 3 miles from San Pedro.

In the past, those who dared to cross the Valley would die trying. Reason is why we call it Death Valley. Moreover, this is the perfect example showing how dry can be the Atacama Desert. Indeed, there’s any plant or insect living in the area.

The Death Valley is categorized at the most inhospitable place of the world. However, it is the perfect spot if you want to hike or practice sandboard.

Laguna Cejar & Tebinquinche

The Cejar Lagoon is located 5 kilometers from San Pedro de Atacama, in the Atacama Salt Flat. The Lagoon is known for the high amount of salt condensed. You can enjoy swimming and floating very easily. Also, the beautiful turquoise color will amaze your eyes.

The landscape is one the most stunning of the Atacama Desert. Indeed, it is a mix of the blue color of the sky, the white color of the salt, the turquoise color of the water and finally the pink color of the flamingos.

It is highly recommend the visit of Cejar Lagoon during the afternoon. And end up visiting Tebinquinche Lagoon for an incredible sunset filled with stunning colors.

Star-gazing Experience

stars laser sky night — Astronomic Tour, Atacama Desert

San Pedro de Atacama is a privileged place for star-gazing. In fact, the Atacama Desert has very little luminous pollution and humidity in the air.

The experience usually begins with a basic introduction speech of astronomy, followed by an open terrain guided tour. There you’ll be able to observe objects such as the craters of the moon, the rings of Saturn, the galaxies and others wonders of the universe.

During full moons and the Bolivian Winter (January and February), this activity is very compromised because it relies 100% of the weather conditions. The clouded skies and the light of the moon don’t allow observing properly the stars.

Star-gazing is usually available from end of March to November.

Valle del Arcoiris (Rainbow Valley)

hills desert colors people — Colored Hills of the Rainbow Valley, Atacama Desert

The Rainbow Valley, or Valle del Arcoiris, is an area composed of various hills of green, black, purple and blue color. It is located 90 kilometers / 135 miles from San Pedro de Atacama, 3.500 meters above sea level. The area belongs to the Domeyko mountain range.

While there, you can also visit the Yerbas Buenas sector. It is an archeological site with ancient rupestrian art. In additional, you can also observe very important petroglyphs of the region.

Follow us on Instagram & Facebook to see more adventures in the Atacama Desert

Altiplanic Lagoons Atacama Desert Cejar Lagoon Chaxa Lagoon Driest Desert in the world Mars Valley Moon Valley San Pedro de Atacama Star-gazing Tatio Geysers Tebinquinche Lagoon

Travel experiences in Chile with Amity Tours

In this article, you will find out why Amity Tours is the leading tour operator in Chile’s Lake & Volcano District. Moreover you will understand why our core values will make travel to Chile an unforgettable experience!

Amity Tours is a Travel Company based in Pucón. Since 2003, we specialize in travel experiences in Chile such as hiking, trekking, skiing and cycling. More than just a simple trip to Chile, we make the best of it when visiting this amazing and fascinating country.

ADVENTURE

As an adventure travel company we understand “adventure” as and experience where culture and nature are the main pillars. Adventure is a key concept when defining and creating our trips in Chile and Argentina..

Active explorations in remote areas surrounded by nature will free our visitors to become part of the place. Adventure trips by Amity Tours will unfold meaningful experiences. We will enable our guests to discover and explore hidden corners, meet local communities and immerse themselves in the local culture.

Imagine yourself cycling Chile’s southern back roads, or discover a beautiful Geo park with pristine lakes and rivers. In addition to share with local indigenous communities while learning about their ancestral knowledge.

Moreover, you will envision yourself discovering Chile’s most impressive sights. Throughout the territory, the variety of landscape is fascinating. Mainly composed by ancient forests, glaciers, fjords, rivers, old shepherd trails, huge dunes, salt flats, lakes, etc. Not to mention the impressively surprising loca fauna & flora.. With species like flamingos, vicuñas, condors, foxes, guanacos, pumas and endemic birds inhabiting the forests.

Finally if you love skiing or snowboarding, visualize yourself slowing down and speeding up at will, controlling your descent on ice, knowing how to cope with fresh snow, handling uncrowded slopes and narrow paths in the most beautiful ski centers of Chile and Argentina.

We believe that experiencing adventures trips will enhance your attachment to nature and enhance your world view. Travel actively with Amity Tours will make you experience a fun cultural exchange.

PEOPLE

mapuche community — Lady Rosario, member of the Mapuche community, sharing the mapuche cosmovision

You’ll find a true friend in our experienced and professional team of guides and drivers. They will show you the best of Chile and Argentina. You’ll get to know our country and meet local people at every destination.

A commitment made to our travelers, it is also a conservation mission for us to help the local and indigenous communities present in the Chilean territory. We believe encounters with local communities can be life changing as a travel experience.

palin mapuche game — Our travelers enjoying a game of Palín, the traditional game in the Mapuche culture.

NATURE

lanin volcano chile — Majestic Lanín Volcano (3,747 m.a.s.l), the tallest in the Lake and Volcano District.

The best part is how grateful we are to be in a country with amazing nature. We’ll make sure you see the best of it exploring the breathtaking hidden corners.

Nature, as a concept, has been socially constructed as an object and a subject providing people with meaningful experiences. Accordingly, leisure activities in nature enhance the interaction between people and natural environment. Thus, increasing their attachment to it.

People will become more conscious about the conservation of protected areas and become more sustainable as travelers.

Concept in our experiences

Each of our trips has been planned with the idea of providing tranquility and spiritual well-being. We love to provide invaluable memories by hiking through a native forest, kayaking on pristine lakes and rivers, or biking through rolling hills and skiing in active volcanoes…

We operate our most popular tours in Chile’s Lake & Volcano district. Recently labeled as Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. it is home of stunning National Parks such as Conguillio, Villarrica, Huerquehue, …

Share this article if you identified yourself in our values! Contact us for an unforgettable trip in beautiful Chile!

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5 cultural celebrations in Chile

Here’s a list of 5 cultural celebrations happening in Chile every year !

This special post will help you learn more about the top cultural celebrations taking place every year throughout Chile.

The main traditional festivals are associated with natural and productive cycles. Whereas others are usually a mix of indigenous feasts with the Christian tradition imposed since the colonial times. Indeed, it is very surprising the amount of festivals celebrated throughout the country. Either religious or popular, they combine typical dances, music, traditional songs and rituals of diverse origins.

In Northern Chile, a great part of the traditional festivals usually occur in the altiplanic towns. Meanwhile, Central Chile is strongly influenced by the heritage of the Spanish conquerors, but also by the old farming traditions.

Finally, in Southern Chile, the traditional celebrations are highly influenced by the Mapuche culture & cosmovision.

Fiestas Patrias (Independence Day or National Holiday)

The most popular celebrations in Chile happen in September. Commonly called “El Dieciocho” (“the 18th”), it is a direct reference to the First National Governing Broad occured in 1810. Most of the celebrations occur around the days 18 and 19, and can last up to one full week.

The great majority of the Chileans celebrate this day enjoying barbecues, eating traditional food like empanada and drinking Chicha. They also usually go to the “fondas”. Fondas take place in towns and cities all over Chile and often include various aspects of Chilean folkloric culture, such as traditional music, a traditional dance called the Cueca, and a Chilean rodeo, which takes place in an arena called the ¨Media Luna¨.

It is common to see people dressed as Huasos, with a straw hat and poncho. Traditional foods and drinks include Mote con huesillo, anticuchos (a meat skewer), and terremotos (earthquake), a drink made of pipeño wine, grenadine, and pineapple ice cream.

La Tirana

La Tirana is Northern Chile’s most popular and religious celebration. It is also the one that most attracts visitors. Every July 16, the Virgen del Carmen (considered as the Patroness of Chile) is comemorated.

In reality, the celebration has an Andean origin and is highly related with the Pachamama cult, which is the Mother Earth for the Aymará and Quechua ethnic groups. In other words, La Tirana celebration is a clear demonstration of the fusion between the Native American and European cultures.

The event happens in the town of the same name, located 90 kilometers from Iquique. The festivity, usually lasts one week, and is composed of a serie of rituals, songs and dances with Altiplanic costums. The most famous typical dance is the “Diablada”. The dancers wear colorful and demoniac masks and confront the forces of good lead by the Archangel Miguel. In addition, all along the week, the celebration is always accompanied by music made with tambors and bronze instruments without stopping.

As of result, visitors from whole Chile and even from Peru and Bolivia attend the celebration, a clear unification of the Andean countries.

Virgen de Guadalupe

The Virgen de Guadalupe celebration takes place in the Atacama Desert, most specifically in Ayquina town (80 kilometers from Calama). This is the most important celebration in the Antofagasta Region.

As of today, the Ayquina religious and cultural event occurs to worship La Virgen de Guadalupe. It takes place every year and usually lasts one week. The main celebration days are September 7 and 8. During these days, thousands of worshipers get together and perform a lot of typical pagan-religious dances. For example the Diablada, Tinku or Caporal-type dances.

On September 7, they all gather to wait for the 8th. At midnight, the sky illuminates with spectacular fireworks which welcome the commemoration of the “Patroness of Ayquina”. On September 8, thousands of pilgrims arrive at Ayquina town. they participate in religious dances all day long to thank La Virgen.

Every pilgrim has their particular way to thank La Virgen de Guadalupe for her miracles. Some of them do it dancing, other through Christian services. And finally there are also those who walk the whole 74 kilometers separating Calama and Ayquina during almost 24 hours.

ayquina chile atacama — Devil’s Head at Ayquina, Atacama Desert

The Mapuche We Tripantu Celebration

mapuche member sharing culture — Lady Rosario sharing the Mapuche cosmovision & culture

For those living in the Southern Hemisphere, June 21st is the shorter day of the year. Moreover, it is the longest night and the beginning of winter. The solstice marks the greater distance between the Earth and the Sun.

For the Mapuche, it means the end of the harvest season, and the beginning of the planting season. From their cyclic vision, the sun is the main driving force of life. As of result, they believe that this special day marks the beginning of winter season. Spring season is young, summer is adult and autumn is old. This is when the tree leaves fall and the animals change their skin.

“We Xipantun”, in Mapundungun (their native language), it means New Year or the release of the new sun. It is an important celebration coinciding with the Inca ceremony called Inti Raimy. During the Mapuche New Year, the members perform a Nguillatún, during which they expressed special thanks to the sun. Considered as source of wisdom and renewal, they intend to pay homage to the sun.

On the night of June 23rd, the rituals held by the different families belonging to the Mapuche community begin. Around the bonfire, they share and eat typical food and the elderly tell their tales.

During the early morning of June 24, all the members of the gathering leave the heat of the bonfire. They do so be in contact with the cold water of the closest rivers. Before the new sun coinciding with the new year comes out, they purify their body and spirit in the river streams.

As part of the ceremony, they pray with music and songs of traditional instruments. Some communities include popular games, execute baptism and rituals to assert their beliefs and strengthen bonds.

If you liked this article and are eager to know more about the Chilean culture, check our travel experiences!

We’ll explain to you in details all of our programs that will make you fully discover the traditions of this amazing country!

Ayquina Atacama Cultural celebrations in Chile Independence Day in Chile La Tirana Mapuche Indigenous Community Religious celebrations Virgen de Guadalupe We Tripantu

Why you should travel to Chile in 2019

Below you will find the 5 main reasons why Chile should be in your travel plans for this year 2019!

In this article, we made you a list of the reasons why you should definitely travel to Chile.

In other words, you will find a huge diversity of climate within Chile as well as breathtaking landscape. Thanks to this, it allows the worldwide travelers to visit it all year long, and explore the amazing natural wonders Chile has to offer.

Santiago de Chile

The Chilean capital city is full of natural charms and easily enjoyed by travelers from all over the world. Thus, you will find a perfect mix of the both Latino-American and the European culture, through the arquitecture, vibes and historical monuments.

In some neighborhoods, such as Lastarría or Bellavista, are important cultural centers, libraries, galleries, coffees and restaurants. All of them with both innovating and interesting concepts. Of course, the city center concentrates some of Chile’s most important historical monuments and museums.

Moreover, Santiago has ample and diverting green spaces. Biking around the various parks of the city is an excellent eco way to get to know the Chilean capital.

Around the city, you can easily connect with nature if you are an avid hiker, or a nature lover. Indeed, located 80 kilometers South-East Santiago, the Cajón Del Maipo is the best place to explore. This canyon offers various types of outdoor activities such as trekking, horseback riding, rafting and even natural thermals.

Central Valley of Chile

Internationally, Chile is considered one of the world’s main producers of wine. Mainly because of the rich grapes produced in the Central Valley and the sunny weather all year long. These elements allow the existence of excellent wineries located in the different valleys: Maipo Valley, Casablanca Valley, Aconcagua Valley, Colchagua Valley and San Antonio Valley.

If you are a wine lover, you will definitely enjoy the tastings in some prestigious and world-class wineries located in the different Valleys. Definitely an unique experience not to be missed. Moreover, where you’ll understand why the Chilean wines have earned such many prices. As well as earning a great worldwide reputation.

Also a bike lover ? Ask us for the bike tours available in the region!

casablanca valley chile — Casablanca Valley

Valparaíso

The colorful coastal city of Valparaíso, is very well appreciated by Chileans and international travelers.

The incredible street art movement has made the city famous. Wandering around the various streets filled with incredible graffiti is definitely a must-do. You can observe the art of many local artists, writers and international musicians who have been adding their work to the hills of Valparaíso.

The hills are precisely one of the reasons why the city is unique and amazing. Cerro Concepción and Cerro Alegre are the most incredible and famous hills. From there, you’ll be able to enjoy a 360° panoramic view over the bay. In order to make easier walking these steep streets, you can use funiculars around the city. Since 2013, they are part of the Historic Quarters of the Seaport City of Valparaíso in the World Heritage Site.

Along with the street wonders, you’ll find one of the best boutique hotels in Chile. Valparaíso has maintained a small town charm seducing every visitor. The small hotels are located in the heart of the colored hills with stunning views over the bay.

The Lake and Volcano District

villarrica volcano pucon — Villarrica Volcano – Pucón

This district is also well-known for being the hikers’ paradise. Indeed, it is filled with National Parks and natural wonders. You’ll enjoy hiking among endemic tree forests between volcanoes and lakes composing the main landscape. Along with the local and diverse flora, you’ll also be able to spot an incredible flora.

Pucón, the Lake and Volcano District’s capital of adventure travel, will surely give you a lot to explore. You’ll find a diverse offer of outdoor activities to do such as hiking, biking, skiing, horseback riding, rafting and kayaking. Among much more!

In addition, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy the exceptional volcanic activity of the region. Around Pucón, there exists one the best hot springs of Chile. The Geometricas Hot Springs are the most natural of Chile, and it is the perfect spot after an active day. They are naturally heated by the Villarrica Volcano’s lava; and the water contains all the minerals the body needs to relax.

Read more about our hiking, mountain bike and road cycling tours in the Lake and Volcano District.

The Atacama Desert

tebinquinche atacama — Tebinquinche Lagoon – The Atacama Desert

The Atacama Desert extends from Northern Coquimbo Region, up to Arica and Parinacota Region. It covers an area of 105.000 km2 and it is one of the best known places in Chile. Accordingly, it is also considered one of the biggest deserts in the world. Not to mention that it is the driest.

In addition, the Atacama Desert is very rich in minerals. You might have heard about the famous Atacama Salt Flats around San Pedro de Atacama. In effect, copper, iron, gold and silver are one of the many minerals composing the Andean salt flats.

In addition, from San de Pedro de Atacama, you can visit some incredible natural attractions that will take your breath away.

For the astronomy lovers, the Atacama Desert is the perfect place for star-gazing. The reason why is the geographic situation. First, there’s almost no humidity in the air and the sky is completely clear. Second, the light pollution is non-existent. All these elements make the Atacama Desert the perfect spot to observe the sky.

On the other hand, you will find stunning landscape in the Atacama Desert. Because of the geographic situation and chemical composition, the formed scenery gives the impression to be from a completely different world. The Moon Valley and the Death Valley will definitely fascinate your eyes and will make you feel like you’re on Mars planet.

Check out our active trips available in the Atacama Desert. Don’t miss your chance to explore San Pedro and surroundings!

If you are still wondering if Chile is going to be your chosen destination for this year 2019, send us a mail and we’ll make sure you get the best advices!

Nature Travel in Chile With Amity Tours

NATURE TRAVEL IN CHILE

OUR KEY ELEMENTS: ADVENTURE. PEOPLE. NATURE.

You’ll find these key elements in all of the travel experiences we create.

NATURE: We feel blessed to live in a country with amazing nature. We’ll make sure you see the best of it and discover the hidden corners that will make you hold your breath in awe.

Nature, as a concept, has been socially constructed as an object and a subject that provides people with meaningful experiences. Accordingly, leisure activities in nature will enhance the interaction between people and the natural environment, and will increase their attachment to it. People will become more conscious about conservation of protected areas and will be more sustainable in the way they travel.

Since the birth of Amity Tours, we’ve dedicated ourselves to develop nature-based experiences. Most of them in Chile, and some parts of Argentina. We’ve planned each of our travel experiences with the idea of providing tranquility and spiritual well-being to our travelers. By walking and hiking through a native forest, kayaking in pristine lakes and rivers, biking through rolling hills and skiing in active volcanoes, we provide significant and invaluable memories to our guests.

Indeed, Some of our most popular trips occur in the Chile’s Lake & Volcano District. The UNESCO labeled this area as Biosphere Reserve. National Parks such as Conguillio, Villarrica, Huerquehue, Alerce Costero, and Vicente Perez Rosales had been stages for our trips providing hiking and biking trails to develop the aforementioned experiences. Our goal is that our guests learn more about our endemic species through these meaningful experiences. Thus enhancing their connection with nature in wilderness areas.

Imagine yourself hiking through an ancient forest where you can observe a 2,000-years-old Araucaria trees, or climbing up to the summit of Chile’s most active volcano. What’s more, you can also bike around lakes on remote roads meeting local people and enjoying amazing landscapes.

Nature is one of Amity Tour’s defining concepts when designing trips. We believe in sustainable tourism. Accordingly, we also believe that this type of tourism helps people to be more conscious about the environment. We invite you to experience nature with us!

Adventure Adventure People Nature Atacama Desert lake volcano district Nature Nature travel Chile People southern chile Travel Experiences

Bike Tour Chile

Bike Tour Chile, Lake & Volcano District

Confirmed Departure January 2017

We are pleased to announce that our Bike Tour Chile 8 Days has been confirmed. It will be starting on January 21^st, 2017. During eight days, you will have the chance to experience riding the amazing southern back roads of the Lake & Volcano District. Summer is the best time to ride around lakes, ancient forests and little villages.

Our trip starts in Temuco, where you will meet our friendly local team. The adventures starts with a warm up ride towards our hotel located in the Malalcahuello National Reserve. On the second ride, we will travel alongside the Lonquimay River: Also we’ll visit the Kütralkura Geopark where you can meet the local Pewenche indigenous communities. The third day will be dedicated to enjoy great views of three different volcanoes (Llaima, Tolhuaca and Lonquimay) on our bikes.

Afterwards, on the next day we will cycle around Pucon, the Lake & Volcano District’s main tourist destination. We will enjoy great views and landscapes such as the Caburgua Lake and the Huife Hot Springs. On day five we will bike through Chile´s 7 Lakes Route. We’ll pedal alongside the shores of two beautiful lakes, Calafquén and Panguipulli, and cover three-quarters of the way around the majestic, snow-capped active Villarrica Volcano. This road is smooth and quiet as almost no vehicles drive here. At one point we might even be able to see five volcanoes.

The last stage of this unforgettable trip will be at the Llanquihue Lake. This area is great for bike trips and it is considered Chile’s first bike-friendly destination.

frutillar bike chile — Llanquihue Lake and Osorno Volcano

We will pass through small towns such as Puerto Varas and Ensenada. We will eat some amazing food and if you want to challenge yourself, you can do some extra pedaling and ride up the Osorno Volcano.

Vicente Perez Rosales National Park – Osorno Volcano

Finally, we will visit the local Market, which is the perfect place for wonderful souvenirs, handcrafts and woolen clothing. Afterwards we will drive you the airport where this adventure ends.

For more information about this trip or any of our other trending tours check out our website!

Bike tour chile Chile's Lake and Volcano District chilean lake district Cycling Tour Chile Road Cycling Chile Road Cycling Tour Chile southern chile

New travel experiences in the Atacama Desert

This coming season, Amity Tours is launching new travel experiences in the Atacama Desert

During the past weeks, we went scouting to San Pedro de Atacama in order to re-design incredible experiences in the Atacama Desert. We hiked through amazing ravines in the Salt Mountain Range and in an ancient cacti valley. Moreover, we were able to witness amazing sunsets in the Atacama Salt Flat and enjoy the clearest sky while stargazing.

sunset atacama desert — Sunset at the Chaxa Lagoon, Atacama Salt Flat

Furthermore, we were able to visit Andean villages such as Socaire, Toconao, Caspana, Machuca, Rio Grande and Ayquina. We also shared with the local Lickan Antay communities and become impressed with the amazing landscape that surround the quaint village of San Pedro de Atacama.

likan antai atacama desert — Encounter with Likan Antai Indigenous community

We are designing a great 7-day hiking tour in the Atacama Desert. Our hikes will cover all of the ecological features around San Pedro de Atacama:

The Salt mountain range and its magnificent geological formations
The Atacama Salt flat and its different lagoons (located 2.400 meters over the sea level)
The ravines (located between 2800 – 3400 meters above sea level) where we will discover great flora species
The Altiplano, where we will discover particular ecosystems composed by birds species, plants, mammals and bacteria. Here, over 4000 meters over the sea level we will hike through the Tatio Mallku geothermal field and trough high salt flats immersed in the Andes Mountain Range.

This trip will be a great experience that will connect you with the silence and spaciousness that only exist in the desert.

Moreover, we are designing a cultural bike trip. This experience will be perfect for those travelers that love to bike, and learn about an ancient culture. During this tour, you will discover how the indigenous communities are try to bring their traditions back.

cultural atacama desert likan antai — Encounter with the Likan Antai community

The goal of this trip is not to use vans. All of our activities will start and finish in your hotel using only bikes. We will discover great archeological sites with our specialized guides. Also, we will learn from the Lickan Antai people as they share their traditions, cosmovision and typical food. We will be able to bike towards the salt flat discovering an amazing landscape and biodiversity. We will learn the most hidden secrets that exist in the tiny oasis located in highest and driest desert of the world.

To learn more about our travel experiences please check out our website

Bike and Hike the Atacama Desert Bike the Atacama Desert Chaxa Lagoon Driest Desert in the world Hike the Atacama Desert Likan Antai Indigenous Community Northern Chile

Bike Tours Chile December 2016

December is a great month to travel in Chile’s Lake & Volcano District. It is possible to experience the flowering season and the days are longer and warmer. These attributions are great when on a road bike and mountain bike tour. We can still have a little of snow in the Andes Mountain Range, which makes the landscape look awesome. Forests will be covered by green, and river water will be clear and fresh. Pack your suitcase, gather your friends and family, and come enjoy one of the best experiences in nature.

road bike chile — Road Cycling towards the border with Argentina

Amity Tours has designed well supported, guided Bike Tours especially made for intermediate and advanced cyclists. Upon your arrival, our friendly staff will meet you and the journey will begin. We would be happy to help with bike rental, tools and helmets. All our bikes are equipped with Wellgo pedals and toeclips. You can also substitute any pedals you choose to bring. Amity Tours also has a small number of Shimano pedals, available on a first come, first served basis.

Mountain biking and road cycling with Amity tours will take you to great national parks such as the Conguillio, Villarrica and Vicente Perez Rosales. In addition, we will spend some nights at the magnificent Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve. In these settings, you will be biking and hiking through ancient Araucaria and Nothofagus forests, experiencing great views of amazing active and non active volcanoes.

villarrica volcano climb — Summit of the Villarrica Volcano (2.847 meters)

For instance, you will be able to climb the Villarrica Volcano (one of the most active volcanoes on Earth) as well as the Bateamavida Mount. From their summits you will experience great panoramic views, and feel like you are on the top of the world. Don’t miss the chance to connect with nature, escape from the routine and make new friends. These mountain bike trips are not to be missed!

Book now and enjoy the best bike tours South America can offer. For further information and requirements, visit our website.

bike tours chile Chile Bike Touring Chile's Lake and Volcano District chilean lake district lake volcano district Mountain Biking Chile MTB Chile Road Cycling Road Cycling Chile southern chile

Bike Tours Chile 2016

Bike Tours in Chile

October and November 2016

Nothing compares to the outstanding sense of journey you experience during a Bike Tour. It’s the excitement of discovering under your own capacity, riding from one amazing place to the next. It’s the freest way of travel you’ll come across, giving you the chance to choose how your day unfolds. You can pedal at your own speed, discovering and experiencing amazing natural areas in Chile.

Bike season in southern Chile

biking southern chile — 7-Lake Route Ride

This upcoming Spring, (October and November 2016) we will be launching our bike programs at Amity Tours! We have designed the best experiences for those who want to discover and ride through The Lake & Volcano District and the Atacama Desert. Check out our 8-Day Road Cycling Tour, where you will be able to bike along the Lake and the German Settlers route. Moreover, you will experience riding alongside rivers and valleys, enjoying unique views of volcanoes and discovering the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park and the Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve.

bike tour southern chile — Lanín Volcano in the Villarrica National Park

Bike experience in Northern Chile

If you want more adventure in Chile, try out our 7-Day Bike and Hike Tour in the Atacama Desert. This special tour will take you off the beaten path, and into areas not accessible by vehicle and trodden only by local natives and their llama or goat herds.

bike tour atacama — Cultural encounter with the Likan Antai indigenous community in the Atacama Desert, Northern Chile

We will encounter small villages, geysers, altiplanic lagoons, valleys, archaeological remains, Andean wildlife along with the most spectacular desert and mountain landscapes, always crowned by high dormant volcanoes.

cycling atacama — Cejar Lagoon ride – San Pedro de Atacama, Northern Chile

We also have designed a 7-Day Mountain Bike Tour in the Lake & Volcano district. You will ride through protected areas such as the Conguillio National Park and the Villarrica National Park. In this area, you will discover magical places like Las Raices range and the Ojos del Caburgua waterfalls.

biking caburgua — Ojos de Caburgua, Pucón

Our Bike & Hike Tour has been especially made for intermediate and advanced road bikers and hikers. This is a perfect blend of activities that bring the Lake & Volcano district to life. You will experience thousand-year-old Araucaria and Nothofagus forests with an intimacy that is only possible when you travel on foot or bike. You will be able to connect with local communities and natural history.

The most astonishing sightings await you when you bike & hike with Amity Tours! Check our website for further information.

Confirmed fixed departure date for Bike & Hike Tour Nov 26th 2016

Bike Hike Tour NOV 2016 Confirmed Departure

Hiking Lonquimay Volcano

Confirmed fixed departure date for our Bike & Hike Tour November 26th 2016.

Amity Tours is announcing a confirmed fixed departure for our Bike & Hike 6 day Tour on November 26^th, 2016. We have our first guests confirmed and we will be happy if other enthusiastic people want to join them on a great adventure in the Lake & Volcano District. This tour has been planned with the perfect blend of activities, including biking and hiking in a unique place in Chile surrounded by volcanoes and ancient forests.

We will visit the amazing Sierra Nevada, travelling alongside the Lonquimay River and the Kutralkura Geopark. We’ll bike the Geopark territory through the lands of different Pewenches communities. What´s more, we’ll hike towards Cerro Coloradito (Red Hill), which is a natural lookout point of 4 volcanoes: Lonquimay, Llaima, Sierra Nevada and Villarrica. The hike has amazing views and almost no other people on the trails. We’ll be surrounded by an ancient forest of araucaria trees, some of them dating over 2,000 years old. Moreover, we will be able to bike towards Pucon´s famous hot springs and relax in warm thermal pools.

We also will be ascending the active Villarrica Volcano. This is without a doubt a once in a lifetime experience. The climb is not technical, but you need to be in good shape to reach the summit. After 4 or 5 hours we’ll reach the live crater at 2847 meters above sea level. The views from the top are absolutely mind-blowing, overlooking five lakes and several volcanoes in the distance such as Llaima and Lanín. The descent is quite fun, especially when we can slide down the snow on our rear ends.

If you need further details about this and other Amity Tours bike & hike programs, feel free to visit our website. We look forward meeting you in November 2016.

Hiking in Chile early bird discount up to 300 USD

Hiking Tour Patagonia Experience Torres del Paine Chile

Hiking in Chile 2016-2017

Hiking in Chile Early Bird discount up to 300 USD.

If you are one to get connected with nature through hiking experiences you must visit Chile and try what Amity Tours had prepared for the coming 2016-2017 season. Imagine yourself hiking through ancient forests, desert trails, glaciers, lakes, rivers and volcanoes. You will be able to discover amazing places, getting the chance to learn about ancient cultures and about flora and fauna native species. You will discover Chile with an experience that will surprise you day by day. Chile is home to some of the most impressive sights in the Southern Hemisphere and to some of the world’s most classic trekking routes.Continue reading

Chile Tours Hiking Chile Hiking tour chile Lake and Volcano District

Bike Tours 2016 – Early Bird discount up to USD$ 350

Bike Tours 2016 Chile Early Bird Discounts. Safe up to USD $350 in your next bike tour to Chile during 2016 and 2017. Road Cycling Tours Chile.

Nothing compares to the outstanding sense of journey you experience on a Biking Trip. It’s the excitement of discovering under your own capacity, riding from one amazing place to the next one. It’s the freest way of travel you’ll come across, giving you the chance to choose how your day discloses. You are able to pedal at your own speed discovering and experiencing amazing natural areas in Chile.

This upcoming spring we will be launching our bike programs at Amity Tours! We have designed the best experiences for those who want to discover and ride through The Lake & Volcano district and the Atacama Desert Backroads. Check our Bike Tour Chile 8 Days and our Bike Tour Chile 12 Days programs were you will be able to bike along the Lake and the German Settlers route. Moreover you will experience riding alongside rivers and valleys enjoying unique views of the Volcanoes and discovering the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park and Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve.

If you want more adventure on your trip try our Mountain Bike Atacama Desert Tour that will take you off the beaten path, into areas not accessible by vehicle and trodden only by local natives and their llama or goat herds. We will encounter small villages, geysers, altiplanic lagoons, valleys, archeological remains, Andean wildlife along with the most spectacular desert and mountain landscapes, always crowned by high dormant volcanoes. We also have designed a Mountain Bike Tour at the Lake & Volcano district were you will ride through protected areas such as the Conguillio National Park and the Villarrica National Park. In this district you will discover magical places like Las Raices range and the Ojos del Caburgua waterfalls.

Our Bike & Hike Tour has been specially made for intermediate and advanced road bikers and hikers. This is a perfect blend of activities that bring the Lake & Volcano district to life. You will experience old Araucaria and Nothofagus forests with an intimacy that is only possible when you travel on foot or bike. You will be able to connect with local communities and natural history. The most astonishing sightings await when you bike & hike with Amity Tours!

We have Early Bird discount up to USD$ 350 and Free bike rental if you book now. Check our web site for further information. www.amity-tours.com

We have set dates starting on October 2016 for our Bike Tour Chile 8 Days

October 29th to November 05th 2016,
November 12th to 19th 2016
December 03rd to 10th 2016,
January 21st to 28th 2017
February 25th to March 04th 2017
April 01st to 8th 2017

Bike tours Chile November 2015 and April 2016

Confirmed Departures – Chile 8 days Bike Tour, November 2015 and April 2016

Discover the Lake & Volcano District cycling Chile’s southern back roads and the brand new Lake & Volcano Scenic Way. Explore this fascinating part of the country dominated by clear-water lakes and amazing live volcanoes. Together with friendly locals, you will pedal alongside the Andes mountains, green rolling meadows and through national parks, visit local ethnic villages and relax in soothing natural hot springs.

Click here to access the detailed itinerary: Bike Tour Chile 8 Days

Highlights

During 8 days you will visit the following places:

Chile’s first Geopark Kütralkura and the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve
Bike alongside Lonquimay Volcano, Malalcahuello and Altos de Bio-bio National Reserves
Climb The Andes Mountains on a brand new road bike, Cannondale
Pucon city; Lake Caburgua and Huife Hot Springs
Bike alongside Chile’s Seven Lake Route
Bike around Llanquihue Lake and climb the road up Volcano Osorno … if you can!!!

Price per person USD $3,350, based in double occupancy.

Single supplement USD $750
Bike rental USD $250 for the whole tour, Cannodale CAAD-8 105
Confirmed Departure Dates: November 16^th to 23^rd 2015 and April 4th to 16th 2016

Climbing the Andes - Kütralkura Geopark — Climbing the Andes – Kütralkura Geopark

Bike Tours

Bike Tours in Chile 2015 and 2016

Have you thought about where you are going this year on your bike? If biking is your passion and the weather at home is not ideal, here in South America the Sun is shining for you!

Whether you have one or two weeks saved for vacation time during your winter, we invite you to join us in one of our bike tours in Chile between November 2015 and April 2016.

Get your friends together and visit The Lake and Volcano district in Chile. Amity Tours can tailor-make any tour for you and your fellow riders. Tell us what you want and we will make sure you get it. For now, until we hear from you… this is what we have with confirmed departure:

Lake Panguipulli - Chile's 7 Lake Route — Lake Panguipulli – Chile’s 7 Lake Route

Confirmed Departure Chile 8 days Bike Tour, November 2015 and April 2016

Click here to access the detailed itinerary: Bike Tour Chile 8 Days

Highlights

During 8 days you will visit the following places:

Chile’s first Geopark Kütralkura and the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve
Bike alongside Lonquimay Volcano, Malalcahuello and Altos de Bio-bio National Reserves
Climb The Andes Mountains on a brand new road bike, Cannondale
Pucon city; Lake Caburgua and Huife Hot Springs
Bike alongside Chile’s Seven Lake Route
Bike around Llanquihue Lake and climb the road up Volcano Osorno … if you can!!!

Price per person USD $3,350, based in double occupancy.
Single supplement USD $750
Bike rental USD $250 for the whole tour, Cannodale CAAD-8 105
Confirmed Departure Dates: November 16^th to 23^rd 2015 and April 4th to 16th 2016

Villarrica National Park Ride - Lanin Volcano at sight — Villarrica National Park Ride – Lanin Volcano at sight

Confirmed Departure Chile 12 days Bike Tour, December 2015 and February 2016

Discover the Lake & Volcano District cycling Chile’s southern backroads and the brand new Lake & Volcano Scenic Way. Explore this fascinating part of the country dominated by clear-water lakes and amazing live volcanoes. Together with friendly locals, you will pedal alongside the Andes mountains, green rolling meadows and through national parks. You’ll also go hiking surrounded by ancient monkey puzzle trees, visit local ethnic villages and relax in soothing natural hot springs.

Click here to access the detailed itinerary: Bike Tour Chile 12 Days

Highlights

During 12 days you will visit the following places:

Chile’s first Geopark Kütralkura and the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve
Bike alongside Lonquimay Volcano, Malalcahuello and Altos de Bio-bio National Reserves
Climb The Andes Mountains on a brand new road bike, Cannondale
Enjoy Chile’s Adventure Travel capital: Pucon city; Lake Caburgua and Huife Hot Springs
Hike in Huerquehue National Park, Pucon’s most popular hiking trails.
Spend New Years’ Eve in Pucon and party with a great fireworks show
Bike alongside Chile’s Seven Lake Route
Hike in the awarded Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve and support its conservation
Bike around Llanquihue Lake and climb the road up Volcano Osorno … if you can!!!

Price per person USD $4,950 based in double occupancy.
Single supplement USD $1,200
Bike rental USD $350 for the whole tour, Cannodale CAAD-8 105
Confirmed Departure Dates: December 28^th 2015 to January 08th 2016; February 21^stto March 3^rd 2016.

Bike and Hike in Chile - Pucon area. — Bike and Hike in Chile – Pucon area.

Bike and Hike Tour Chile 8 Days.
Confirmed departures every Saturday in January and February 2016

Discover the Lake & Volcano District hiking and biking Chile’s southern backroads. Explore this fascinating part of the country dominated by clear-water lakes and amazing live volcanoes. Together with friendly locals, you will pedal alongside the Lake & Volcano Scenic Way, including the Andes mountains, green rolling meadows and through national parks. Likewise, you’ll hike in one of Chile’s best National Parks, climb Villarrica volcano, visit villages and relax in soothing natural hot springs.

Click here to access the detailed itinerary: Bike and Hike Tour Chile 8 Days

Highlights

During 8 days you will visit the following places:

Climb The Andes Mountains on a brand new road bike, Cannondale
Enjoy Chile’s Adventure Travel capital: Pucon city; Lake Caburgua and Huife Hot Springs
Hike in Huerquehue National Park, Pucon’s most popular hiking trails.
Climb Villarrica Volcano, Chile’s most active volcano.
Bike across Villarrica National Park and reach the base of Lanin Volcano.
Bike alongside Chile’s Seven Lake Route

Price per person USD $2,220, based in double occupancy.
Single supplement USD $675
Bike rental USD $100 for the whole tour, Cannodale CAAD-8 105
Confirmed Departure Dates: Every Saturday in January and February 2016

Bike & Hike Bike Tours

Schon bestätigt: Rennradtouren in Chiles Vulkan- und Seengebiet, Winter 2015/16

Dem Winter in Deutschland entfliehen und einen einzigartigen Urlaub verbringen geht ganz einfach: und zwar mit unseren Rennradreisen in einer der schönsten Regionen Chiles, dem Vulkan- und Seengebiet.

Entdecken Sie das Vulkan- und Seengebiet Chiles auf die bestmögliche Art und Weise – auf einem Cannondale Rennrad. Unsere einzigartigen Touren führen Sie zu den schönsten Orten im grünen Süden Chiles. Auf Strecken von durchschnittlich 50-80 km am Tag fahren Sie entlang glitzernder Seen und Flüsse und haben dabei einen atemberaubenden Blick auf die gewaltigen Anden. Und werden außerdem schnell merken, dass an jeder Ecke ein aktiver Vulkan darauf wartet von Ihnen bestaunt zu werden! Diese einmaligen Touren werden Ihnen noch lange in Erinnerung bleiben.

Folgende Termine sind bereits bestätigt:

8-tägige Rennradtour, 16.-23. November 2015
12-tägige Rennradtour, 28. Dezember 2015 – 8. Januar 2016

Diese Highlights warten auf Sie:

Unterbringung in 3-, 4- und 5-Sterne-Hotels
Professioneller Guide, der die gesamte Zeit an Ihrer Seite ist
Begleitfahrzeug bei allen Fahrten
Die Fahrten können individuell erweitert werden
Typische Mahlzeiten in familiengeführten Restaurants, immer begleitet von exzellenten chilenischen Weinen
Fahrt entlang der 7-Seen-Route und

Und zusätzlich auf der 12-tägigen Tour:

Besuch des Huilo Huilo Naturreservats
Silvester-Special: Menü und Feuerwerk in Pucón

Buchen Sie jetzt und erleben Sie einen einzigartigen Urlaub mit uns!

Activity Bike tour chile Bike tour Chile december 2015 Bike Tours Cycling Lake and Volcano District news Rennradfahren

6 Days Tour Bike and Wine in Colchagua Wine Valley 2015-2016

Colchagua Valley is one of the most up raising wine valleys worldwide. Amity Tours Bike and Wine tour will take you to ride the Apalta Area, the area towards Peralillo, Lolol, Pichilemu and Bucalemu villages on the Pacific coast.

Our tour is very exclusive, so we invite you to contact us for private departures and cycle the Colchagua Wine Valley.

with very little hassle for us and everything was perfect on the honeymoon, we cant thank him enough for what he did.

Highlights

During 6 days you will visit the following places:

Visit top wineries in Colchagua Valley: Viu Manent, Casa Lapostolle, Neyen, Montes, Laura Hartwig and La Playa.
Amazing cuisine paired with Colchagua Valley wines
Bike a hybrid bike on quite and small roads, next to vineyards; you can ride inside wineries too !
Biking from wine country to the Pacific Ocean and visit Pichilemu, Chile’s Surf paradise
Make your own wine and take it with you back home
End the bike tour with lunch and wine tasting at the most prestigious winery in Colchagua valley
Great Hotels next to vineyards
Support vehicle while biking and English speaking guides with great knowledge on Chilean wines

Here you can take a look at the ITINERARY

Book now and enjoy Chile’s best Wine Valley, we are looking forward to ride with you!

Colchagua Wine Valley

Chile 8 Days Bike and Hike Tour, October, November and December 2015

Discover the Lake & Volcano District hiking and cycling Chile’s southern backroads. From hot springs to rivers, lakes and volcanoes, this Bike & Hike Tour has a little bit of everything. The rides are amazing and with 50-90 km per day, you will experience nature in every ride. You will visit some of Chile´s most charming little villages

Highlights of our Bike and Hike Tour Chile

During 8 days you will visit the following places:

Pucon city; Lake Caburgua and Huife Hot Springs
Go hiking in Huerquehue and Villarrica National Parks, including Pichillancahue Glacier
Bike Chile’s Seven Lakes Route and across the Villarrica National Park

View Tour

Bike & Hike chile

Chile 6 days Bike and Hike in the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve Tour 2015 2016

Amity Tours invites you to discover the Lake & Volcano District hiking and cycling Chile’s southern backroads. Explore this fascinating part of Chile dominated by beautiful lakes and amazing live volcanoes. You will pedal alongside the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve, including the Andes mountains, green rolling meadows and through national parks, visit villages and relax in soothing natural hot springs.

Highlights of our Bike and Hike In the Araucarias Biosphere Tour, Chile.

During 6 days you will visit the following places:

Chile’s first Geopark Kütralkura and the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve
Bike alongside Lonquimay Volcano, Malalcahuello and Altos de Bio-bio National Reserves
Climb The Andes Mountains on a brand new road bike, Cannondale
Pucon city; Lake Caburgua and Huife Hot Springs

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Araucarias Biosphere

Confirmed Departure Chile Bike and Wine in Colchagua Wine Valley 6 days Tour October and December 2014

Colchagua Valley is one of the most up raising wine valleys worldwide and the most develop valley focused towards tourism industry in Chile. Amity Tours Bike and Wine tour will take you to ride the Apalta Area, the area towards Peralillo, Lolol, Pichilemu and Bucalemu villages on the Pacific coast. On some days, we’ll cycle towards different wineries, touring on them, doing wine tastings and being able to ride inside wineries. Our tour is very exclusive, so we invite you to contact us for private departures and cycle the Colchagua Wine Valley.

Confirmed Departure: Bike and Wine in Colchagua Wine Valley 6 days tour, October and December 2014

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Confirmed Departure Chile Argentina 12 days Bike Tour December 2014

Discover the Lake & Volcano District cycling Argentina and Chile’s southern paved roads. Explore this fascinating part of both countries dominated by clear-water lakes and amazing live volcanoes. Together with friendly locals, you will pedal alongside the Andes mountains, green rolling meadows and through national parks, visit local ethnic villages and relax in soothing natural hot springs. This is the perfect way to spend New Years Eve in South America.

Confirmed Departure: Road Cycling Chile and Argentina’s Lake & Volcano District 12 days tour, December 2014

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Special Departure Chile 7 days Bike and Hike in the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve Tour December 2014

Amity Tours invites you to discover the Lake & Volcano District hiking and cycling Chile’s southern roads. Explore this fascinating part of the country dominated by clear-water lakes and amazing live volcanoes. Together with friendly locals, you will pedal alongside the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve, including the Andes mountains, green rolling meadows and through national parks, climb active volcanoes, visit villages and relax in soothing natural hot springs. This is the perfect way to spend New Years Eve in South America.

Special Departure: Bike and Hike in the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve, Chile 7 days tour, December 2014

Bike tour chile bike tour chile december 2014 Biking Chile Hiking Chile Road Cycling Chile Villarrica Volcano Climb

Special Departure Chile 6 days Bike and Hike in the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve Tour November 2014

Amity Tours invites you to discover the Lake & Volcano District hiking and cycling Chile’s southern backroads. Explore this fascinating part of the country dominated by clear-water lakes and amazing live volcanoes. Together with friendly locals, you will pedal alongside the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve, including the Andes mountains, green rolling meadows and through national parks, climb active volcanoes, visit villages and relax in soothing natural hot springs.

Special Departure: Bike and Hike in the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve Tour Chile 6 days , November 2014

Bike tour chile Bike tour chile november 2014 Hiking tour chile Volcano climb chile

Confirmed Departure Chile 8 days Bike and Hike Tour October and December 2014

Discover the Lake & Volcano District hiking and cycling Chile’s southern backroads. Explore this fascinating part of the country dominated by clear-water lakes and amazing live volcanoes. Together with friendly locals, you will pedal alongside the Andes mountains, green rolling meadows and through national parks, climb an active volcano, visit local ethnic villages and relax in soothing natural hot springs.

Confirmed Departure: Chile 8 days Bike and Hike Tour, October and December 2014.

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We Invite You To Travel Across Chile, All At Once Or In Severall Stages, But Always Riding A Bike

You can travel Chile in many ways, starting out in the Atacama Desert and finishing an epic journey in Patagonia. Or you can begin your trip in Easter Island, then indulge yourself while wine tasting in Colchagua wine valley and finally climb the great Andes Mountain Range.

Depending on the route you choose, it will always be best to do it on a bike tour and, of course, with Amity Tours.

Chile Tours

Sommer Abenteuer, Backcountry Skiing in Chile, September 2014

Sie wollten schon immer mal auf einem Vulkan Ski fahren?
Erleben Sie mit uns dieses einzigartige Abenteuer! Sie werden auf 7 aktiven Vulkanen Skifahren, deren Krater erreichen und daraufhin die Off-piste mit Skiern oder Snowboards hinunterfahren.

Wenn Ihnen jemand sagen würde, dass Sie auf einem aktiven Vulkan stehen können, in dessen Krater in die Mitte der Erde mit brodelnder Lava blicken können und danach den Vulkan mit Skiern hinunterfahren können und dabei auch noch perfekten Schnee haben, würden Sie wahrscheinlich denken er sei verrückt. Aber genau dieses Erlebnis bieten wir – Amity Tours- Ihnen an. Möglicherweise kennen Sie schon die chilenischen Hauptskiorte Valle Nevado und Portillo, wir jedoch möchten Ihnen eine ganz andere Seite des Skifahrens in Chile zeigen.

Corralco, Araucarias, Pucón, Huilo Huilo, Antillanca und Osorno sind Skigebieten von denen nur wenige Skifahrer je gehört haben. Sie sind wahrscheinlich nur die 3 Täler mit hunderten von Skilifts gewöhnt, die sich in alle möglichen Richtungen ausdehnen, aber bei unserer Tour reisen Sie halb um die Welt zu Skigebieten mit nur ein oder zwei Skilifts.

Wieso sollte man einmal halb um die Welt reisen nur um an einem Ort Ski zu fahren, den man auch vor seiner Haustür haben könnte?
Die Tour, die wir Ihnen anbieten ist etwas ganz außergewöhnliches und eine ganz neue Erfahrung des Skifahrens! Sie erwartet bei dieser Tour eine spektakuläre Landschaft, überwältigende Gastfreundlichkeit, eine ganz andere Art des Skifahrens und die Möglichkeit von der Spitze eines aktiven Vulkans Ski zu fahren.

Diese ultimative Skierfahrung in Chile ist sowohl für Skifahrer mit geringer oder gar keiner Erfahrung auf sogenannten Off-pisten (Abseits der Piste, Tiefschneepiste), als auch für Off-piste Experten geeignet. Die Verlockung der Vulkane auf unserer ultimativen Reiseroute ist überwältigend. Freuen Sie sich auf 12 Tage, in denen Sie 7 Vulkane besteigen und von der Spitze hinabfahren!

Die 7 Vulkane sind:

Lonquimay
Llaima
Villarrica
Mocho
Choshuenco
Casablanca
Osorno

Und falls Sie denken sollten, dass alle Vulkane gleich sind, haben Sie sich geirrt. Jeder ist anders. Alle haben unterschiedliche Formen, Landschaften, Gipfel und eine andere Geschichte.

Einige der Highlights der Ski-Tour auf den Vulkanen im Süden Chiles:

– Unterkunft in gemütlichen Berghütten

– Professionelle Berg-Führer

– Privater Chef, der jeden Tag für die Gruppe kocht

– Erleben Sie das Backcountry von Chiles Vulkanen im Süden

– Fahren Sie von der Spitze von 7 aktiven Vulkanen Ski

– Genießen Sie lokale Thermalquellen

Daten:

vom 31 August bis zum 11 September 2014 und vom 15 September bis zum 26 September 2014

Schwierigkeit:

Fortgeschritten (bis zu 7 Stunden körperliche Aktivität pro Tag) Sie sollten auf allen Bergen Ski fahren können, müssen aber kein Olympischer Skifahrer sein. Sie kommen rote und schwarze Pisten in einem guten Tempo hinunter. Es ist vom Vorteil Bodenwellen und Off- Pisten gewöhnt zu sein. Sie wollen zu dem Modus: ” Ich kann auf allen Bergen Ski fahren” und ich bin der beste “Skifahrer, der auf allen Bergen Ski fahren kann” kommen? Unsere Berg-führer und Skilehrer werden Ihnen helfen dieses Level zu erreichen. Sie werden das Backcountry von Chile in seinem vollen Glanz erleben. Sie kennen ihr genaues Ski Level nicht oder sind sich nicht sicher? Kein Grund zur Sorge! Eine grobe Schätzung reicht vollkommen. Wenn Sie am ersten Abend im Skigebiet ankommen werden wir es herausfinden.

Abfahrt bestätigt, Chile 8 Tage Rennradtour, 15. April 2014

Entdecken Sie das Vulkan- und Seengebiet auf unserer Chile 8 Tage Rennradtour. Diese wunderbare Tour bringt Sie zu den bezauberndsten kleinen Dörfern im Süden von Chile. Sie werden an schönen Seen und Flüssen vorbeifahren, während Sie gleichzeitig von Bergen umgeben sind. Bei einer durchschnittlichen Entfernung von 50 bis 80 km pro Tag erleben Sie Chiles Süden auf die beste Art und Weise… auf einem Cannondale Rennrad!

Sie werden inmitten schönster Landschaften fahren und feststellen, dass man in fast jeder Ecke einen aktiven Vulkan entdecken kann. Im April feiern wir den Herbst! Zu dieser Zeit erscheint unsere Landschaft in prachtvollen goldenen Farben.

Diese 8-tägige Rennradtour ist ein Erlebnis, das Sie nie wieder vergessen werden!

Schauen Sie sich die Bilder unserer letzten Rennradtour an! Chile Rennrad Tour 2014

Einige unserer Highlights auf der Chile 8 Tage Rennradtour:

Unterkunft in 3-, 4- und 5-Sterne Hotels
Professionelle Reiseführer
Begleitfahrzeug
Touren können je nach Belieben verlängert werden
Essen bei lokalen Familienbetrieben, immer begleitet von den besten chilenischen Weinen
Fahren Sie auf Chiles Sieben-Seen-Route
7 Rennradfahrten in 8 Tagen!

Datum: 15-22. April 2014

New Departure Chile 8 days Bike Tour, April 15th-22nd, 2014

Discover The Lake and Volcano District on our Chile 8 Days Bike Tour. This awesome bicycle tour takes you to the most charming little villages in the south of Chile. You will ride alongside amazing lakes, rivers and mountains all around you. With an average distance of 50-80 km per ride, you will explore the south of Chile the best way you can….on a new 2014 Cannondale Road Bike. You will ride among the most beautiful landscapes and discover that there is an active volcano in just about every corner. In April we celebrate Fall where all our landscape dresses in golden colors. This 8 days bike tour is an experience you will never forget.

Check out pictures from our latest bike tour! Chile Bike Tour 2014

Some of the highlights of our Chile 8 Days Bike Tour.

• Accommodation at 3 *, 4 * and 5 * Hotels.
• Professional guide with you at all times.
• SAG Wagon for every ride.
• Rides can be extended.
• Meals at local family owned restaurants, always with the best Chilean Wines.
• Ride Chile´s Seven Lakes Route.
• 7 rides in 8 days!

Dates:
April 15th- 22nd, 2014

Bike Tours

Confirmed Departure Chile 8 Days Bike Tour, March 7-14, 2014.

Discover The Lake and Volcano District on our Chile 8 Days Bike Tour. This awesome tour takes you to the most charming little villages in the south of Chile. You will ride alongside amazing lakes, rivers and mountains all around you. With an average distance of 50-80 km per ride, you will explore the south of Chile the best way you can….on a Cannondale Road Bike. You will ride among the most beautiful landscapes and discover that there is an active volcano in just about every corner. This 8 days bike tour is an experience you will never forget.
Check out pictures from our latest bike tour! Chile Bike Tour 2014
Some of the highlights of our Chile 8 Days Bike Tour

• Accommodation at 3 *, 4 *and 5 * Hotels
• Professional guide with you at all times
• SAG Wagon for every ride
• Rides can be extended
• Meals at local family owned restaurants, always with the best Chilean Wines.
• Ride Chile´s Seven Lakes Route
• 7 rides in 8 days!
Dates:
Mar. 7st- 14th, 2014

Bike Tours Chile Tours

Chile and Argentina 12 Days Bike Tours

Coming up in just a few months, we are very excited about our Bike Season 2013-14 Chile-Argentina. Discovering these 2 beautiful countries on your bike is an experience you will never forget. Our Chile-Argentina 12 days Bike Tour is one of our favorite Bike Tours of the season. Not only do we take you down the best back roads of Chile and Argentina, you experience different cultures of two neighbor countries on your bike.Continue reading

Bike Tours Chile = Happy Riders

For the past 10 years we have been giving the best quality service to our clients in all of our tours. Our Bike Tours Chile have always been our most memorable tours of the season. We have always met extraordinary people and have always ended each tour with a big smile.

During our last Bike Tour around Chile, we met an amazing group. They came to Chile for our Chile 8 Days Bike Tour. We knew they loved to ride and that they were excited about coming to Chile for the first time. But we didn’t know how good they were! Not only were they good riders…they were amazing people that made the tour, one of our best Bike Tours Chile of the season!Continue reading

Testimonials

January 12-19, 2014 Bike Tour Chile-Argentina

One of our best bike tours of the season this 2014 has only 3 spots left! This amazing Bike Tour around Chile and Argentina is a must on your list of places to ride around the world!

If you are already planning your next Bike Tour…why not a Bike Tour around Chile? Even better, a Bike Tour around Chile and Argentina! Coming to Chile can be a long way from home so might as well ride to Argentina while you are here.Continue reading

Bike Tours bike tours argentina bike tours chile

Bike Tours around Chile and Argentina 2013-14

Have you thought about where you are going this year for a bike tour? How does a bike tour around Chile and Argentina sound? Visit The Lake and Volcano district in Chile and Argentina and discover this beautiful area on a bike.

This 2013 and 2014 Bike Season starts in November. We have bike tours running from November 2013 until April 2014. Let us know what you are looking for on your next Bike Tour in South America and we will even tailor-make the tour you have always dreamed of.Continue reading

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Chile-Argentina 8 Days Bike Tour Confirmed

Chile – Argentina 8 Days Bike Tour Confirmed!

One of our best bike tours of Chile and Argentina has been confirmed for Jan 12^th -19^th, 2014! This awesome bike tour will take you down the most beautiful back roads of Chile and Argentina. In just 8 days, you will discover nature like you have never seen before, active volcanoes in just about every corner and beautiful lakes that you will ride along side for miles!Continue reading

Bike Tours bike tours chile

First time Asian clients on one of our 12 days Bike Tour!

January 2013 went by quickly. The beginning of the year brought along our first group of friends from Thailand! We had the pleasure to take our first time clients on our Chile- Argentina 12 Days Bike Tour. Our clients arrived in Santiago, and after a couple of days, they were back on a plane to come even more south to our favorite little touristy city of Pucon. The tour started and our clients were on their bikes and when they weren´t riding, they were hiking some of Chile´s and Argentina´s most beautiful National Parks. In 12 days, they were able to see these two beautiful countries, experience a different culture and accomplish the most amazing bike rides they could have imagined!Continue reading

Bike Tours Chile Tours clients

Bike Tour Season 2012-13 in Chile and Argentina Has Arrived

After a wonderful Ski season, we have packed our skis and now we´re back on our bikes. Our Bike Tour Season is here and we are looking forward to meeting and making new friends!

It´s already October and the sun is shining, flowers blooming….spring is here! If you didn´t get enough cycling the last few months, no worries, here in the South, it has just begun. We are getting ready to jump on our bikes and enjoy the best views, food, wine, hotels and company this Bike Season is coming with!Continue reading

Bike Tours Cycling

Cycling Colchagua Wine Valley

Ever think about making your own bottle of wine? This Luxury Wine tour gives you the chance to visit some of Chile´s most beautiful Wine Valleys where you will be able to make your own wine, bottle it and take it home with you. Continue reading

Chile Tours Cycling

Patagonia and Estancias Bike Tour Chile

Looking to explore Chile´s Patagonia? This exclusive Bike Tour is just what you are looking for.

In this 5 days Bike Tour, you will be visiting the remote valley of Las Chinas, where you will enjoy the beautiful view of Torres del Paine, one of the most breathtaking views in the Patagonia.

This Bike Tour comes with a little bit of everything. You will horse ride to a condor´s nesting, ride by a Laguna inhabited by Flamingos and black-neck swans and just ride off the tourist circuits into the most beautiful landscapes with the purest air on Earth!!

8 Days of Road Cycling in The Lake & Volcano District of Chile & Argentina

Summer time is passing by way too fast and before you know it, your cycling days will soon be over in the northern hemisphere. If you didn´t get to cycle this summer or you didn´t get enough, planning a trip to Chile is something you should be thinking about. Our cycling season starts in October, the beginning of spring time here in Chile.

This year´s 8 days cycling tour is just what you are looking for. You will have the chance to discover The Lake and Volcano District in Chile and Argentina in just 8 days on your bike!

Chile Tours Cycling

Amity Tours & Eurosport Coverage of L2P

Clients Testimonial: David & Ricka, bike trip Chile and Argentina.

See what our clients are saying!

Testimonials