Gravel Bike Tour Chile


Duration
8 days

Difficulty
Intermediate

Location
Southern Chile

Date
From October to April

USD $3.835
Per person in DBL
8-Day Gravel Bike Tour in the Lake and Volcano District
Gravel Bike Tour Highlights
- Gravel cycling across Conguillio National Park with Llaima volcano
- Kutralkura Park, Chile’s first Geopark
- Meet the Mapuche people and learn about their ancestral culture
- Savor Chilean cuisine and taste the best wines and local microbrew beers
- Pucon city, Villarrica Volcano and Caburgua Lake
- USD $3.835 per person based on double occupancy
- Single Supplement: USD $475
- Tour departs with a minimum of 4 people
We process all tour payments with our technology partner WeTravel.
We kindly ask for a 20% refundable deposit fee upon booking to confirm your reservation.
- December 2nd, 2023
- March 16th, 2024
- April 8th, 2024
- BOOK NOW
- Tour departs with a minimum of 4 people
For private departures, please send us your contact information by email to info@amity-tours.com and we’ll call you within the next 24 hours.
- Small groups with up to 12 guests maximum
- Professional tour guide (5:1 guest-to-guide ratio)
- Private transportation with trailer & bicycle rack
- 07 nights’ accommodation at mountain lodges
- All activities: gravel and road cycling, hiking and ethnic visit
- Meals as per itinerary (7 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 6 dinners)
- Unlimited water and glass of Chilean wine, beer or soft drink during our group dinners
- Amity’s zero waste on-route snacks including: drinking water, local beer, isotonic drinks, trail-mix, fresh fruit and home-made energy bars
- Gratuities at restaurants and hotels
- Medical and accident insurance
- Gravel bicycle, helmets, pedals and water bottles
- Entrance fees to hot springs
- International and local flights
- Travel and trip cancellation insurance
- Other bicycle parts and components (derailleur, crankset, fork, etc)
- Extra beverages & cocktails
- SPA and Laundry services
- E-Bike rental available upon request – USD $400 for the whole tour
- Gratuity for local team. At the end of the trip, gratuity for the crew for a job well done is highly appreciated. We encourage you to use your discretion and tip according to the caliber of service you receive. As a guideline, the industry standard is $120 dollars per person, per guide
Itinerary
For flight quotes (international and domestic), please contact our partner Exito Travel.
Before we kick off our gravel bike tour in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District, you should take a day or two to adjust to local time and recover from your travels, and allow for any flight or luggage delays. You should fly into Temuco airport (ZCO).
In Chile, domestic flights are operated by 3 local airline companies: Latam, Sky Airline and JetSmart.
We recommend staying at Best Western Ferrat Hotel in Temuco city,which is well-located with lots of restaurants and other facilities just a short walk away.
Our meeting hotel address is: Juan Reusch #445, Temuco
Official Airport Transfer
The official shuttle company at Temuco’s Airport is called TransAraucania.
They are the only authorized shuttle company at the airport, and their staff wears a blue and green uniform.
By contract with the airport, they must have available transport based in the domestic flights arriving every day.
They have a counter at the airport, right next to the automatic doors (from the baggage carrousel). They offer regular and private shuttles to Temuco at $30.000 pesos (USD $40 per vehicle).
You don’t need reservations and you can pay in Credit Card or Cash. The ATM’s is on second floor.
All their shuttle services will drop you off at the hotel or address you are staying in Temuco. Driving time is approximately 35 minutes.
Our local staff will meet you at Best Western Ferrat Hotel in Temuco, and transfer you 2 hours to a small quaint village called Curacautín.
This village is part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve “Araucarias”. There, we’ll stop for lunch and then our guides will assist you to assemble and fit your bike. Once we are ready, we’ll start our trip with a 25-kilometer warm-up ride towards a national park, with the Lonquimay volcano at sight and surrounded by ancient araucaria trees.
We’ll pedal toward the old train station of Manzanar. There, we’ll take the old rail way that now has been turned into a bike trail that crosses a few short tunnels.
Afterwards, we’ll arrive at our mountain lodge and have a rest before the orientation and briefing session.
Finally we’ll have our welcome dinner together.
Accommodation: Suizandina Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Today’s ride distance: 78 kilometers / 15.5 miles
Today, we start biking from our mountain lodge. As we ride our bikes, the first 14 kilometers are paved as we’ll leave Malalcahuello village behind us.
Then, we enter the Malalcahuello National Reserve, pedaling a mix of dirt and gravel road until we arrive at the Navidad crater lookout point.
Afterwards, we continue biking, ascending into an old mountain road called “Cuesta Las Raices”. There we hit gravel and continue biking towards Lonquimay town. This mountain pass is surrounded by ancient monkey-puzzle trees and with amazing views over the Lonquimay volcano.
It is the heart of the Pewenche, one of the first nations of this part of Chile. Upon arriving at Lonquimay village, we visit the local brewery.
Finally, we head back on a bike lane that will take us to Las Raices Tunnel, the longest in Chile.
Accommodation: Suizandina Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Today’s ride distance: 78 kilometers / 48.6 miles (25% asphalt, 75% dirt/gravel)
Time cycling: 4-6 hours approximately
Time driving: 20 minutes after the ride
We’ll drive from Malalcahuello to Curacautín for about half hour. Then, we start biking from the city’s main square, towards the Conguillío National Park and Llaima Volcano.
This national park crossing will be one of your favorite rides. Its scenery has inspired BBC documentary series called “Walking with Dinosaurs.”
The first 22 kilometers are done on asphalt and then we switch to 30 kilometers of dirt and gravel all the way until we arrive to the lodge.
We’ll pedal alongside 4 beautiful volcanic lakes, such as Captrén, Conguillío, Arcoiris and Verde.
Our lodge, La Baita, is Chile’s first eco lodge, with many awards in sustainability.
Accommodation: La Baita
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner
Today’s ride distance: 52 kilometers / 32.3 miles (Mix of asphalt and gravel/dirt)
Time cycling: 4-6 hours approximately
Time driving: 30 minutes before cycling
After breakfast, we will have a short drive passing by two lakes: Verde (green) and ArcoIris (rainbow) and with us immersed in a jaw-opening landscape.
We’ll start hiking along the Sierra Nevada trail surrounded by native trees, including ancient monkey-puzzle trees or araucarias. We will hear and spot many endemic birds such as the chucao tapaculo, the Magellan woodpecker and the noisy slender-billed parakeet.
The trail is equipped with 3 view points and we’ll use them all. Each one of them with different angles to take-in the views of the Conguillío Lake, Llaima and Sierra Nevada volcanoes.
After spending sometime eating our packed lunch, taking pictures and enjoying the amazing view, we’ll hike back to the bottom of the trail and visit Playa Linda.
Later, we will go back to La Baita Lodge for a well-deserved rest.
Accommodation: La Baita
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner
Today’s hike distance: 14 kilometers / 8.6 miles
Time hiking: 4-6 hours approximately
Time driving: 40 minutes
Accommodation: Terraza Suite Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Today’s ride distance: 75 kilometers / 46,6 miles (20% gravel, 80% asphalt)
Time cycling: 5-6 hours approximately
After almost a week traveling in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District, you have probably realized that we are following a Scenic Road called “Ruta Escénica Lagos y Volcanes”.
Be ready for a long hard day, as it will be hilly and dusty, 100% worth it. We’ll start biking from Santa Amalia Ranch, to Pedregoso village at the west shore of the Villarrica Lake.
Here, we hit asphalt again and continue cycling towards the city of Villarrica, where we eat lunch by the lake. Later, we bike across the urban area of Villarrica, until we get to a road that follows alongside the slopes of the Villarrica Volcano, Chile’s most active.
Finally, we arrive at the National Park and enter towards the base of the volcano, where we finish the day at a fantastic lookout point.
Evening at leisure to explore Pucon. Ask our guides if you need some local knowledge about dining and good shopping.
Accommodation: Casa Solaria Hotel
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Today’s ride distance: 80 kilometers / 49,7 miles (30% gravel, 70% asphalt)
Time cycling: 5-6 hours approximately
Time driving: 20 minutes after the ride
We’ll cycle from your hotel in Pucón, towards Catripulli, a small Mapuche village located near the border with Argentina.
For our last ride, we’ll cycle alongside Trancura river, while enjoying views of three volcanoes: Villarrica, Quetrupillan and Lanin.
We’ll pedal a route that combines gravel and asphalt until we get to Caburgua Lake, with its pristine clear waters. Followed by lunch, we continue riding alongside Liucura river, until we finally end our ride at Quelhue, a Mapuche community in Pucón.
Here we’ll have dinner in a very special place with a Mapuche Family.
Accommodation: Casa Solaria Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Today’s ride distance: 76 kilometers / 47,2 miles (50% gravel, 50% asphalt)
Time cycling: 5-6 hours approximately
Time driving: 30 minutes after the ride
Sadly, it’s time to say good-bye to Chile’s Lake and Volcano District.
After breakfast, we’ll visit Pucón downtown looking for that special souvenirs to bring home.
Ask our guides about the local Markets with the best souvenirs, handcrafts and woolen clothing.
Later, we’ll ride in van and head to Temuco Airport (ZCO) to catch your flight home or wherever your travels take you next.
It’s been a trip you will always remember!
End of services.
Meals: Breakfast
Difficulty
Intermediate: You’re active on your days off, and recreational biking may even be your weekend sport of choice. You love to ride, and it shows in your endurance and strength.
Our intermediate bike tours offer a steady but active pace, with opportunities to push yourself. Expect some challenging climbs, with great descents over rolling terrain.
Average distance per day: 40-50 miles / 65-80 km.
Itinerary Modifications
Slight itinerary modifications might occur due to weather and or road conditions, or force majeure.
Helmets & Pedals
Most riders choose to bring their own helmets, but if you prefer, we have a small number of helmets available on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. Please let us know in advance if you’d like to use one.
All our bikes are equipped with Wellgo pedals and toeclips. We will be happy to substitute any pedals you choose to bring. Amity Tours also has a small number of Shimano SPD and SPD-SL pedals, available on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. Please let us know in advance if you prefer to use them.
Road Safety
Besides your own on-road safety gear (helmet, rearview mirrors, bright colored jerseys and gloves) we provide a support vehicle that drives at the rear of the group with a road-sign that alert other drivers the presence of bike riders on the road. Drivers in Chile are used to bicycles on the road, so they shouldn’t bother you while riding. All our staff communicates by radio at all times.
Weather notes
We suggest visiting the web for current conditions in Chile and doing your own research on this topic. www.meteochile.cl/ or www.accuweather.com
Generally the weather in this area is very similar to Northern California, specially the coast side.
Late October and November (spring time in the southern hemisphere) present milder temperatures (50°F / 77°F) with some scattered rain.
During December you can start feeling the beginning of the summer with temperatures around 50°F / 81°F.
In January and February temperatures range between 60°F / 95°F.
Remember that you are visiting the Lake & Volcano district, so always expect some rain!
Bike Rental – Specialized Diverge Elite E5 (2021)
Frameset | |
Sizes | 49, 52, 54, 56, 58, 61cm |
Frame | Specialized Diverge E5 Premium Aluminium |
Fork | FACT carbon, 12×100 mm thru-axle |
Wheels | |
Wheels | Axis Elit Disc, alloy rim, 14g spokes, 28h |
Tires | Specialized RoadSport, 700x38mm or 700x28mm |
Drivetrain | |
Shifters | Shimano GRX RX400, 2×10 speed, mechanical shifting |
Derailleur | Front: Shimano GRX RX400, braze-on |
Rear: Shimano GRX RX400, 10 speed | |
Crank | Shimano GRX RX600, 46/30T |
Cassette | Shimano CH HG50-10, 11-36T, 10 speed |
Pedals | Wellgo |
Components | |
Saddle | Body Geometry Bridge Saddle, steel rails |
Seat Post | Alloy, 2-bolt Clamp, 12mm offset, 27.2mm |
Handlebars | Specialized Shallow Drop, 31.8mm |
Stem | Specialized, 3D-forged alloy, 7-degree |
Brakeset | Shimano GRX-RX400, hydraulic disc |