Mountain Bike Across The Andes

Discover the Andes

This fantastic journey will take you over and through the Andes Range, over the little-used Vergara mountain pass (2460m above sea level). You will share the road with the desert wind, condors soaring high above, and your fellow cyclists.

The tour begins in Malargue, a small city in the province of Mendoza, Argentina, bordering with the Northern edge of Patagonia. After 6 days of exhilarating cycling, we'll arrive in Curico, Chile. The challenging climbing is rewarded by long downhill rides once we enter Chile. We will camp under incredibly huge skies, involved in a magical setting of jagged peaks, snow-capped mountains and desolate desert landscapes.
Our experienced team of tour leaders, support staff and cooks work as an efficient team, always a step ahead of our guests´ needs. You will always have a team member nearby; if you prefer cycling alone, whether it be cycling strong at the front, or at your own relaxed pace in the rear, you will have this freedom. Our team members will greet you around the next curve with an encouraging word and a friendly smile, supporting you every step of the way.

We have been successfully running this tour for years, so you can be assured that every detail has been thought of, letting you concentrate on fully enjoying your journey across the Andes, and to deeply experience our country and culture. Live this once-in-a-lifetime experience with us!

+54 11 4788-1549

Itinerary / Highlights

Depart:(Friday)
Guests starting with us in Buenos Aires will depart in our van on Friday afternoon. Our meeting point is in Buenos Aires.

Saturday Day 1:
We'll arrive in Malargüe in the afternoon, giving you free time to stroll the town, visit a museum or rest. Tonight we'll be lodged at a local hotel. Dinner is on your own, so that you can visit the town and choose from the varied regional options. Malargüe is famous for chivito, the local name for goat. Of course, you will also find the famous Argentine grilled meat here.

Sunday Day 2: Malargüe - Bardas Blancas
After our detailed welcome and safety talk, we begin biking from the town's central square. The first stage involves leaving Malargüe heading south, over the famous Route 40, which stretches the length of Argentina along the spine of the Andes from the border with Bolivia in the North, to the edge of the continent in Ushuaia, in the South. We'll have the Andes Range in sight on our right, cycling over a paved road to the Chihuido Slope, climbing 550 ms (1804 ft) in the first 42 km (26 miles), and stopping for lunch after accomplishing this first stage. Our support team will prepare lunch and dinner every day we are cycling, welcoming guests at midday with a hearty outdoors lunch, and preparing dinner at our previously organized campsite in the evening.
Today's ride ends by the Rio Grande at Bardas Blancas, a small border settlement where we will spend our last night near civilization. This also marks the end of the pavement - we'll be on a dirt road from here on. During this first stage, the temperature will be around 30º Celsius (86º Fahrenheit) at day, and as low as 0ºC at night (32ºF).
67,5 km (42 miles) - 774 meters (2530 Feet) uphill/740 meters (2420 Feet) downhill

Monday day 3: Bardas blancas - Las Loicas
We'll begin cycling at our campsite, our goal being to reach Las Loicas, the last border control in Argentina. The road is still wide and will be paved for the next sixteen kilometers, with a river always snaking alongside it within site. As always, you can choose from cycling hard ahead of the pack, or at a relaxed pace, taking your time to snap pictures and marvel at the landscape. Our support vehicles will be used to move our equipment and baggage ahead as well as to give support to riders. Tonight we'll set camp at a local puesto, basically a hamlet where locals will treat us with the famous chivito of Mendoza.
37,5km (23 miles) - 330 meters (1080 Feet) uphill/160 meters (523 Feet) downhill

Tuesday Day 4: Las Loicas - Río Montañes
After leaving Las Loicas, we'll cross the Chico River and start biking along it's left margin, entering the Valle Grande. The scenery is amazing, with vast views of our desert landscape, strange rock formations and high snow-covered peaks all around us. The river is fed by snow-melt, and becomes clearer as we ascend. We will also cross large fields of sand, bike over long straight paths, and hopefully get a glimpse of the majestic Andean Condor, flying high above us near their nesting sites. Tonight we'll camp near the Río Montañés, in this arid, almost surreal mountain setting. We'll savour today's success at our campsite, with a hearty, replenishing group dinner. Temperatures will be near 0ºC (32ºF) tonight, but we'll sleep cozily in our warm sleeping bags.
49 km (31 miles) - 620 meters (2027 Feet) uphill/410 meters (1340 Feet) downhill

Wednesday Day 5: Río Montañes - Termas del Azufre
Today's challenging stage will see us begin early, getting us ever closer to our ultimate goal. Our objective will be the wonderful sulphuric hot baths under the Peteroa Volcano, which last blew ashes in the 90´s. We'll see this amazing smoking massif high above us. The ride involves plenty of climbing, getting us into the very heart of the mountains. We'll also see fields of volcanic stone and ash as we reach our campsite, which will be set up under a nearby glacier, with the hot baths at our reach. No better way to celebrate today's accomplishments!
48 km (31 miles) - 1145 meters (3745 Feet) uphill/455 meters (1488 Feet) downhill

Thursday Day 6:
Termas del Azufre - Río Teno
Emotion and excitement will abound us, as we finish our climbing and we leave Argentina across the border into Chile. This is the start of some amazing downhill riding! After 14 km we'll reach the border control, as well as the tour's maximum elevation of 2,465 ms above sea level (8,070 ft). The zigzag downhill path will get your adrenaline flowing; but be sure to stop for the amazing views. We'll arrive at our campsite near the famous Teno River, where Olympic kayak teams train. One more night to replenish ourselves with a nourishing meal, enjoying the company of our group, which will by now be a unified team!
39.5 km (25 miles) - 420 meters (1374 Feet) uphill/1620 meters (5298 Feet) downhill

Friday Day 7: Río Teno - Curicó
More downhill riding on this last stage of our High Andes Crossing. Still, there are plenty of challenges, as we must carefully steer our bikes over the winding dirt road. The temperatures will rise today as we near sea level, so we'll begin early to enjoy the swimming pool at the hotel this afternoon (well worth it!). The landscape will differ drastically, as we experience a change in vegetation in the more humid Chilean region. After crossing the town of Los Queñes, we'll once again cycle over a paved road, with 26 km to go before reaching Curicó. The support team will await at the hotel with lunch prepared, ready to celebrate the success of our tour with champagne! After loading our bikes, you'll have time for a relaxing shower, with a free afternoon to enjoy the pool, followed by a group dinner at our hotel.
68 km (42,5 miles) - 420 meters (1374 Feet) uphill/1420 meters (4644 Feet) downhill

Saturday Day 8:
We'll leave Curicó in our minibus, heading towards Santiago, where you can fly home or extend your travels in the amazing country of Chile. From the famous wineries of the Central Valley, to the deserts of the North and the glaciers of the South, Chile offers truly magical destinations. The van will continue from Santiago back to Mendoza, Argentina, travelling 600 km over a paved road, under the Aconcagua massif (the highest mountain in the Americas) and eventually back into the valleys of Mendoza Capital. We'll arrive in the evening, spending the night in cabins.

Sunday Day 9:
After an early start in Mendoza, we expect to arrive in Buenos Aires around 10pm, travelling over paved roads throughout the day.

Difficulty level: Advanced

Other Details

Accommodation Details

While camping, our comfortable 2-person tents (individual tents are available - please ask), with dining structural tent, latrine tents, and comfortable camping equipment including tables, chairs and dining ware.
13-18 person van equipped with tv & video.

Hotel in Malargüe: Double & triple base
Hotel in Curico: Double & triple base
Mendoza Cabines: 5 people per cabine
Please ask us for single supplement

Private tent: 130u$

Departure Dates, Options & Prices

Location:

The starting point is Malargüe, at the Argentinian province of Mendoza - in the heart of the Andes - and the destination point is Curicó, where we arrive crossing through Vergara Paso ( 2460m above sea level) in the Andes mountains.

It´s advisable to fly to San Rafael, the nearest city to Malargüe at 180km, stay one night in a hotel and wait for the group arriving by land from Buenos Aires. We can arrange for your transfer from San Rafael airport to Malargüe for a cost of us $67. If you choose to fly to Mendoza, you must arrive in Malargüe by Friday or Saturday.

At the end of the tour, if you don´t need to return to Argentina, you can fly back from Santiago de Chile.

Duration:
9 days/8 nights*. (*8 days for those flying home from Santiago, Chile)
The trip can be done only in January and February, due to the weather and path conditions. From March to December this dirt road is closed to transit.

-Bilingual Tour Leaders, equipped with two-way radios, and local guides.
-Daily Trip Information Notes, with maps, routes and detail on the region.
-Pre-trip information package with details on how to prepare, what to bring, and more detailed information
-Support vehicle equipped with two-way communication radio (everyday, with on-board service, including granola bars, fruits when possible, and other snacks and drinks)& Mountain bike transportation during the extent of the tour

Flight in: San Rafael, Argentina (Transfer from San Rafael airport to Malargüe: 70 u$ dollars)
Flight out: Santiago de Chile

+54 11 4788-1549