|
Itinerary:
ONE-DAY TRIPS:
COTOPAXI One day downhill bike tour
Longitude (on bike): 50 km/34 miles
Max. Altitude: 4.500 meters/15.800 feet
Min. Altitude: 3.200 meters/11.300 feet
At 08:00 AM we leave Quito and after driving south for 1,5 hours on the Pan-American Highway we reach the park entrance of Cotopaxi National Park. We drive through pine forest and soon reach the museum of the park. After visiting the museum and savouring a cup of ginger tee we continue the ascent in our 4-wheel drive vehicle until we reach the highest point of the tour, 4.500 meters/15.000 feet. The view from this point is stunning and on a clear day we are able to see 8 volcanoes. We then put on helmets, gloves and protection pads and the bike adventure on the world's highest active volcano can begin. The first 8 km will take us down 700 m. on dirt roads through volcanic ash and páramo landscape. At 3.800 m. you actually have to do some pedalling heading down another 8 km between volcanic rocks and wild horses to our lunch spot by an Inca ruin at 3.700 m. With some luck we might see a condor or a caracara. We put the bikes back on the jeep and head for the lake of Limpiopungo at 3.800 m. where we start the 16 km downhill biking on dirt roads through pine forest. After another 2 km on a beautiful single track the bike adventure is over for this time and around 16:30 PM we are back in Quito again.
NONO-TANDAYAPA
Longitude (on bike): 34 km/21 miles
Max. Altitude: 3000 meters/10.500 feet
Min. Altitude: 1800meters/6.400 feet
Drive westwards from Quito towards the coast, over the Andes using the old road Quito-Mindo until 3100 m of altitude. At this point, we switch to our mountain bikes and start the descent towards the cloud forest located on the West slope of volcano Pichincha until we reach the cross roads to Tandayapa (2000 m of altitude) This is a 40 Km bike ride on a dead road, void of traffic. You'll enjoy a picnic lunch before we continue biking until reaching the small birding paradise of Tandayapa. Watch the vegetation change from paramo to cloud forest to low mountain forest as you whiz down the mountain. Keep one eye on the road and the other peeled on the sky: there's a good chance to see parrots, hummingbirds, toucans and caciques. On our way back to Quito we stop for a 40-minute-hike among verdant forest. We intern ourselves in the cloud forest to visit a waterfall. We return to our 4-wheel drive jeep and continue on the Calacalí-La Independiencia road towards Quito. This is a very scenic loop enjoying the views. The landscape is diverse with patchwork fields of lush vegetation and the high sierra plains. We stop for a visit to the rim of crater Pululahua. Before we reach Quito, we pass the monument to the Mitad del Mundo
GUAGUA PICHINCHA – LLOA
We start our biking journey near the top of still - very active Guagua Pichincha Volcano. The views are spectacular. Look east one a clear day and you’ll see the sprawling metropolis of Quito back- dropped by numerous snow- capped volcanoes. Look towards each of the other three compass points and you will de awed by great expenses of paramo (thundra like vegetation). We will trek to the edge of the crater to peer over its rim and into the throbbing heart of this rumbling, belching sulphuric beast, after which, we mount our bikes and race downwards to Lloa on an abandoned dirt road. At Lloa we head west into the cloud forest, where the verdant forest awaits you. Packed lunch en - route. By late afternoon we return to Quito.
Price per Person 2008:
They all cost USD 95.00 per person.
Minimum 2 People.
Included:
Box lunch, 21-speed mountain bikes, all transportation, all protections (helmet, hand gloves, elbow and knee pads) and veteran guides.
Not included:
Entrance fees to National Parks (e.g. Cotopaxi) and tips.
Departure time:
08h00 in the morning. In each we'll ride approximately 50 kilometres on bike (5 - 6 hours) and 4 hours on jeep. Clients can choose to do more biking, if desired!
Departure days:
EVERY DAY! With 2 or more clients.
If you need any additional information please write us:
Mountain Biking in Ecuador - Mountain Biking in the Ecuadorian Andes
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | | |
| 
South America 
