Day 1 Cotopaxi National Park We leave Quito early in the morning. After a one and a half hour drive on the Pan-American Highway, we reach the park entrance of Cotopaxi National Park. We drive through the pine forest and soon reach the Visitors’ center of the park. We visit the Center before continuing the ascent in our 4-wheel drive vehicle. We’ll soon reach the highest point of the tour, 4.500 meters/15.000 feet. The view from this point is stunning as on a clear day we are able to see 8 volcanoes.
Afterward, we put on helmets, gloves, and protection pads and the bike adventure on the world’s highest active volcano can begin. The first 8 kilometers will take us down 700 meters on dirt roads through volcanic ash and páramo landscape. At 3.800 meters you actually have to do some pedaling, heading down another 8 kilometers between volcanic rocks and wild horses to our lunch spot by an Inca ruin at 3.700 m. With some luck, we might see a condor or a caracara. We put the bikes back on the jeep and head for the lake of Limpiopungo at 3.800 meters where we start the 16 kilometers downhill through pine forest biking on dirt roads. After two extra kilometers on a beautiful single track, the bike adventure is over for this time.
We trade mountain bikes for our support vehicle and travel down south along the “Avenue of the Volcanoes” to our night's retreat.
Overnight in Riobamba.
Day 2 Chimborazo to Banos Drive for just over an hour to Mount Chimborazo (6310m), the highest and most impressive of Ecuador's volcanoes. We park at the lower refuge (4800 m) and continue on foot to the Edgar Whymper Refuge. Located at 5000 meters this is the highest refuge in the world! From here, it's all downhill- first on foot and then by bike we descend all the way to Ambato (located at 2800 meters of altitude).
This is an amazing bike ride through the highlands, with vicuñas being the
sole inhabitants of these wild stretches. On this tour, cyclists enjoy a breathtaking 70 km ride through varying landscapes in just one day. This trip is by far a favorite ride of previous customers. It is seldom for one to have the chance to ride from the snow line of a volcano, through rural Andean patchwork fields, picnic with vicuñas, and at the end of the ride arrive in a modern city. In Ambato, we load up the bikes on the jeep roof and drive to Baños, a small town famous for its hot springs, and spend the night in a cozy Garden Hotel.
Day 3 Baños to Puyo and the avenue of Orchids We take a pre-breakfast dip in the thermal baths of Baños before pedaling east toward Puyo. On the way we will stop at The Pailon del Diablo which is approximately 100 feet high. This impressive waterfall is actually composed of three waterfalls that create a majestic whirlwind when they join forces.
It is the most imposing waterfall in the region, visited by domestic and foreign tourists alike, attracted by the power of nature. The road from Baños to Rio Verde is full of attractions: the Agoyan hydroelectric dam, the two tunnels, the natural landscape, the mini waterfalls that are used to wash cars, and sales of fruit from the area.
To observe more closely, you must descend along a path full of orchids, hydrangeas and green forest, which reaches a suspension bridge until you are at the very edge of the waterfall.
From this lookout point visitors can admire the waterfall race down in a series of cascades over a natural rock formation, the atmosphere will be covered in a dense cloud of droplets. With some luck, you can even see a variety of butterflies, a solitary cock of the rock, even tapirs or other exotic species, but they are shy and humans are always around! After a typical lunch on the Amazon, we drive to our next destination: Drive through quichua villages and tropical rainforest to Misahualli, a small town in the Amazon basin. Overnight with a community-owned initiative named Sinchi Warmi in Misahuallí, a women-led project in the Amazon. (Possibility to upgrade hotel)
Day 4 Amazon Basin Today we will hike to explore the verdant Amazon rainforest. On this hike, we will walk through a botanical reserve in Tena, where you can see exotic flora. In the afternoon we will visit Misahuallí and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere with an additional hike to the tallest Tree in the area. It is also possible for you to do a more expensive, yet very interesting jungle trip to a Community, with the canoe. You can decide the day before.
Day 5 Back to the Andes Papallacta We will begin driving by jeep up into the Andes (Guacamayos Pass). We cycle to the town of Baeza at the base of the Andes. We enjoy a picnic lunch and then drive up to the Papallacta thermal baths for a well-earned soak in the toasty hot springs. From the Ave Maria Pass (4200m), we then bike back towards Quito along the Chiche river basin. This is one of the longest downhill rides in the world, about 45 km. The last 12 kilometers will be on the famous railroad line going through five tunnels, one of which is 322 meters long. The spectacular ride takes us speeding through wide stretches of paramo and cloud forest, with the Andean sun illuminating the way. Some days can be chilled by occasional fog, so don't forget your mittens and fleece. In Tumbaco we pile the bikes on the jeep's roof and head back to Quito.
