Mountains to the Coast to the Mountains
(18th – 26th September 2010)
Join me on a mountain bike tour together with Endless River Adventures (http://www.endlessriveradventures.com/) for a week along the west side of the Andes Mountains to the Pacific Coast of Ecuador!
Biking through Ecuador is a must-do for everyone who enjoys traveling, doing outdoor activities and in particular mountain biking. Whether it is a casual interest or your passion this bike trip will be an unforgettable adventure!
Explore parts of the country you would not get to see on a usual Ecuador trip, biking through rain forest canopies or down snow-capped volcanoes like the Cayambe or Cotopaxi (picture). Enjoy beautiful scenery, see stunning places and meet the people. Traveling by bike is a different and intense experience to discover this wonderful country!
Day 1: Arrive in Quito, Ecuador. Transfer from airport to your hotel for the evening.
Day 2: After breakfast we will take time to get bikes set up and do a short ride in Quito. One of the main streets running through the heart of Quito is shut down for bike traffic only each Sunday.
This is a great way to make sure you bike is ready for the week. After lunch we will head into old town to do a city tour.
Day 3: We will be leaving Quito 8:00 am for Santa Domingo. This first day is pretty much all down hill with incredible cloud forest scenery. You will ride about 80 kilometers today, but remember it is down hill and paved. That night we will sleep in a Hospedaje near the Rio Blanco.
Day 4: This morning, we leave Santa Domingo for Pedernales on the Pacific Coast. Today, we will be passing through dry coastal forest. The ride today is a combination of flat to down hill riding.
Day 5: Today we ride along the beach from Pedernales to Canoa. Canoa is one of the best beaches in Ecuador. It is a small beach town. The route to Canoa is more mountain biking. Today a 4-wheel drive vehicle will follow the group for support. You will ride about 48 kilometers, crossing several small rivers and see lots of different species of birds as well as monkeys. We will spend the night in Canoa.
Day 6: We leave Canoa for San Vincente. The route again is a mix between pavement and back roads. The bus will follow the group again today. The scenery today is a continuation of day five with lots more birds and monkeys to be seen. Today you ride 16 kilometers. After lunch we return to the mountains. We will drive to Otavalo, arriving early evening.
Day 7: This morning you will have an opportunity to visit the Indigenous Market in Otavalo. This will be a great time to buy any gifts you might want to bring back home. After lunch, we will do a short ride off of Cayambe Volcano and then head back to Quito.
Day 8: This morning we leave early to visit Cotopaxi Volcano. Cotopaxi Volcano is the highest active volcano in the world. We will have an opportunity to climb to the Refugio at 15,500 ft. The view from the Refugio is spectacular. The down hill ride from the parking area is fast and exciting. The ride across the paramo that afternoon is a great way to end a fantastic week of riding in Ecuador.
Note: On the long rides, people always have the option to do as much of the ride as they want. The bus is always near at hand. Any day’s people don’t want to ride; no problem the ride in the bus is also awesome.
If you do not have enough and want to discover more of Ecuador we also offer extensions where you can learn more about the culture, do more biking or climb the highest volcano of Ecuador, the Chimborazo and/or do a Jungle Trip to Cuyabeno, relax on the beautiful beaches of the Galápagos Islands and see amazing endemic species or do some Rafting – there is something offered for everybody and no matter what you decide to do it will be a unique adventure that you will never forget!
All food and lodging is included in the price of the trip. Alcoholic beverages, snacks, gratuities and exit tax are not included.
Contact me at: Lena@adventure-travelling.com for more information!
