Incredible Ecuador Mountain Bike Trip
12-days of riding Andean volcanoes and long Andean descents: Ecuador’s Incredible Mountain Bike Trip!
On this incredible Ecuador Mountain Bike Trip you will feel like you are in the land of giants, riding your mountain bike down volcanic lahars at 4270 m/14,000 vertical feet, bounding into long descents that never seem to end, gaze at the CotoPaxi Volcano and stroll through the historic streets of Quito. All while experiencing the culture of the Incan peoples.
Our 12-day Ecuador Mountain Bike Trip focuses on large descents of up to 2,300 m/7,500 ft with minimal climbing, through a huge range of singletrack trail diversity. On this trip, you’ll encounter rock gardens, steep sections, flow, freeriding, drops, jumps, and almost any kind of mountain bike obstacle you can imagine. Our Ecuador Mountain Bike Trip also has a strong cultural integration component that provides clients with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the culture and history of Ecuador.
If you drool over big enduro rides through exotic and new terrain, you’re ready to mountain bike Ecuador!
Day by Day
Day 1: Welcome to Quito! Your Ecuadorian mountain biking vacation begins as we pick you up at the airport and help you build your bike and sort out your gear. Quito sits at 2,840 m / 9,350 ft above sea level, so we take it easy today and finish with an orientation meeting in the evening.
Included: Airport pickup, help with bike build, lodging in Quito
Not included: Meals
Day 2: Head north into Imbabura for a big first day on the bike. The Brutal trail lives up to its name: a long, demanding descent that drops through the Andes all the way down to the village of Peñaherrera, with changing landscapes and plenty of technical riding along the way.
Adventure level: Advanced
Terrain: Long descents, technical singletrack and mountain trails
Highlights: Brutal trail, the descent to Peñaherrera, northern Andes scenery
Included: Transport, guide, lodging, breakfast, lunch
Not included: Dinner
Day 3: A day of shuttle laps on the trail network around Pimampiro. Dry highland terrain, dramatic mountains and local communities make this one of the most fun riding areas in the north. Your guide will pick the best lines for the group and keep the laps coming.
Adventure level: Moderate to Advanced
Terrain: Dry highland trails, flowy and technical singletrack
Highlights: Shuttle laps, Imbabura landscapes, local riding culture
Included: Transport, guide, lodging, breakfast, lunch
Not included: Dinner
Day 4: A well-deserved rest day to recover after two big days in the north. Later, we transfer south toward Cotopaxi through some of Ecuador’s most impressive mountain landscapes, ready for the volcano tomorrow.
Included: Transport, lodging, breakfast
Not included: Lunch, dinner
Day 5: Ride the slopes of the iconic Cotopaxi volcano. We shuttle up close to the snowline for about 2,000 m / 6,560 ft of descent on loose, steep scree and open freeride lines, with the shuttle waiting at the bottom of every run.
Adventure level: Moderate to Advanced
Terrain: Volcanic scree, freeride lines, high-altitude descents
Highlights: Cotopaxi volcano, huge open freeride terrain, Andean views
Included: Transport, guide, lodging, breakfast, lunch
Not included: Dinner
Day 6: Ride Pilishurco, a varied mountain trail with big views over the central Andes, then continue to Baños, Ecuador’s famous gateway to the Amazon, with its hot springs, waterfalls and lush valleys.
Adventure level: Moderate to Advanced
Terrain: Mountain singletrack, descents and mixed terrain
Highlights: Pilishurco trail, arrival in Baños, Tungurahua volcano
Included: Transport, guide, lodging in Baños, breakfast, lunch
Not included: Dinner
Day 7: Relax in Baños: soak in the hot springs, service your bike, do some laundry or explore. Optional activities include the hike to the Pailón del Diablo waterfall or the famous swing at the treehouse overlooking the volcano.
Included: Lodging in Baños, breakfast
Not included: Lunch, dinner, guide, optional activities
Day 8: Ride the Hieleros trail, plus bonus runs chosen by your guide to suit the group’s energy and the conditions on the day.
Adventure level: Moderate to Advanced
Terrain: High Andean trails and long descents
Highlights: Hieleros trail, high-altitude scenery
Included: Transport, guide, lodging, breakfast, lunch
Not included: Dinner
Day 9: A day on Chimborazo, Ecuador’s highest volcano. The ride starts above 4,270 m / 14,000 ft and runs more than 20 km with about 1,550 m / 5,000 ft of descent, from the high páramo down into greener valleys.
Adventure level: Advanced
Terrain: High-altitude páramo, sandy and rocky descents, long singletrack
Highlights: Chimborazo volcano, vicuñas, one of the biggest descents of the trip
Included: Transport, guide, lodging, breakfast, lunch
Not included: Dinner
Day 10: Back near Quito, ride old Inca trails around Pambamarca, where history and great riding meet on ancient paths through the highlands.
Adventure level: Moderate
Terrain: Historic Inca trails, highland singletrack
Highlights: Inca trails, Pambamarca, views over the Quito valley
Included: Transport, guide, lodging in Quito, breakfast, lunch
Not included: Dinner
Day 11: Our last ride day: enduro trails in the hills above Quito that finish with an urban downhill right into the city. We celebrate the trip with a farewell dinner in the evening.
Adventure level: Moderate to Advanced
Terrain: Enduro trails, urban downhill
Highlights: Quito enduro trails, urban DH into the city, farewell dinner
Included: Transport, guide, lodging in Quito, breakfast, lunch, farewell dinner
Day 12: Time to say goodbye. We drop you off at Quito airport for your flight home.
Included: Breakfast, airport drop-off
Not included: Lunch, dinner, flights
General Information
What’s included in your 12-day Ecuador mountain biking tour:
Included
Not Included:
Ecuador’s currency is the American dollar but is still very economical — a beer costs about $1. It is mainly a cash-based society so it is recommended that you bring cash in smaller bills such as 20s and 10’s since change can be hard to come by.
ATMs are abundant in most towns and are secure to use, but they usually also have surcharges depending on the bank. Most credit cards can be used in large cities and large stores.
Each person is required to have a specific travel/trip insurance outside of your credit card or regular medical insurance.
You should get comprehensive coverage with trip interruption/cancellation and with personal liability. Mention all activities that you will be involved in such as mountain biking, hiking at high altitude and whatever other activities you may have planned.
We do not provide refunds. If you should get hurt or sick not only will travel insurance cover your medical expenses it will also cover the lost portion of the trip. Make sure you have trip interruption or trip cancellation included! South America is famous for people striking and shutting down all activities. If you miss your Machu Picchu trip, Galapagos or any other side trip, or even your flight due to strikes the insurance will cover the loss or additional costs that are incurred.
Check out our blog on travel insurance and why it is a must for any South America Vacation!
Due to high elevation, the weather in Ecuador is very fickle and hard to predict. Most trips will see rain, sun, heat, and wind; therefore, we suggest that people bring clothes for cold and warm weather. Most ride days will start at colder, windy mountain tops and end in warmer, more humid areas. Riders should always carry a rain jacket and a warm layer.
Temps will range from low 40s with an even lower windshield factor to high 70s.
For our Ecuador mountain bike trips we recommend guests purchase a round trip flight from their home airport to Quito Airport. Our team will take care of all transportation to and from the airport.
We recommend that our guests use trusted airlines (Delta, AirCanada, ect) and do not use an economy airliner due to the fact that you will be traveling with very important and expensive gear. American Airlines, Delta, and United charge $100+- usd to check a bike, and many other trusted airlines have similar prices as well.
Ecuador separates itself from other mountain biking destinations by offering riders with an endless amount of trail diversity within a very small geographical area. In fact, it’s the only place in the world where you can pass through 14 ecosystems in one ride! The trails are raw, long, scenic, flowy, and technical. Clients will mountain bike on active volcanoes and down into green valleys that were once the agricultural centers of the pre-Incan civilizations. Some trails even go through places where the local people graze their llamas in the same way their ancestors did over 2,000 years ago. The trails will transport you back in time as you and your friends ride through the history and meet the local people.
You will encounter obstacles that can be found on most black and double black trails, such as steeper sections, rock gardens, natural jumps, drops, and roots. Most of the trails are intermediate to advanced with sections that are easily walkable if the rider does not feel comfortable.
Reviews
My Girlfriend and I took a 10 day bike trip to Ecuador with Nicole and Bill from Haku Adventures in November of 2021. This was a trip of a lifetime! Our group was a total of 6 with 3+ professional guides every day. Trip catered to the rider types in our group and was very well organized. We stayed in some very unique farm houses and hostels throughout the trip. Over the 10 days, we got a lift day in Quito, 2 bike park days at Santa Rita and Cotopaxi, 2 long volcano rides on Cotopaxi and Chimborozo and some of the best downhills in Ecuador. I wouldn’t hesitate to take another trip with Nicole and Bill and am already trying to figure out how I can get more time off work and get down to visit them in Peru. If you are looking for a professional put together bike trip with super fun descending and super good times, I would recommend Haku!
Our 12-day Ecuador Mountain Bike Adventure has a focus on enduro and downhill mountain biking. We mainly conduct shuttle rides that have large downhills up to 2,300 m/7,500 ft of vertical descent and up to 500 m/1,500 ft of uphill.
Mountain bike trails in Ecuador are raw, long, scenic, flowy, and technical. You will ride on active volcanoes and down into green valleys that were once agricultural centers of the pre-Incan civilizations. You will descend on footpaths that are still used by local peoples, grazing their llamas the same way their ancestors did over 2,000 years ago.
Our 12-Day Ecuador MTB trip is perfect for you if:
What’s included in your 12-day Ecuador mountain biking tour:
Included
Not Included:
Our Cross/Gravel tours take you from one spectacular destination to the next, covering big distances on quiet gravel and backcountry roads. Check out our Andes to Amazon tour, where you ride from Cusco down to the Peruvian Amazon, or Crossing the Andes, which takes you from Lake Titicaca to Machu Picchu.
These trips are mostly long-distance rides on dirt, gravel and quiet mountain roads. If you’d like a more singletrack-focused cross country trip, get in touch and we’ll put together a custom MTB tour suited to your needs.
How we define Cross/Gravel: Long days in the saddle on old mining, logging and farm roads, gravel tracks and rolling singletrack, with plenty of climbing and descending. The riding is less technical than Enduro or DH, so it suits beginner and intermediate riders with good fitness.
A light, efficient bike that climbs well is ideal for these tours; you won’t need long-travel suspension.
Our MTB expeditions are multi-day trips that involve camping, hiking and/or local home stays in the mountains with cooks and porters. At the moment Haku Expeditions offers one complete mountain expedition and also two packages that combine an MTB vacation with a smaller expedition nestled in it.
The front travel for DH bikes is usually somewhere around 200mm with the rear measuring slightly less. Because they generally aren’t pedalled uphill, these bikes are rugged and heavy and usually have less gears. DH riders wear full-face helmets, goggles, and body armor.
At the moment we do not offer a 100% DH trip. Contact us and we can make a custom trip for you! Below, you’ll find our Enduro MTB tours listed that are mostly all downhill and can be done either with a DH bike or an Enduro bike.
How we define DH: DH riding – or Downhill riding — is regarded as an intense, extreme kind of cycling, made for advanced riders who love to navigate roots and rocks and huge drops with furious downhill speed. It requires a stellar sense of balance and technique and a bike with slacker geometry.
The front travel for DH bikes is usually somewhere around 200mm with the rear measuring slightly less. Because they generally aren’t pedalled uphill, these bikes are rugged and heavy and usually have less gears. DH riders wear full-face helmets, goggles, and body armor.
Our Enduro/All-Mountain MTB tours are by far our most popular trips to date. While some of them focus more on descent like Ecuador and Peru, others include plenty of pedaling such as those in Colombia and Nepal.
How we define Enduro/All Mountain: Enduro mountain biking, also known as All-Mountain biking, emphasizes technical ability. If you’re looking for a more adventurous ride, this is the kind of ride for you; usually, an Enduro/All-Mountain trail will involve adrenaline-pumping downhill mountain biking along with sustained climbs.
Enduro riders need bikes that can take burly drops and rugged technical obstacles efficiently while still being light enough to climb with; they almost always use full-suspension bikes with wide tires and longer rear and front suspension travel. Dropper post is a necessity and standard. The front suspension can be anywhere from 140mm to 170mm. Full-face enduro helmets and body amour are a must for Enduro racing.
1 – The Haku Christmas Drive, which includes yearly clothing giveaways, shoe drives, and a public hot chocolate panettone lunch.
2 – School supply giveaway for children of the High Andes.
3 – Bringing bread and fruit to kids living at elevations where none is available.
4 – Facilitating connections between local organic farmers and local restaurants.
5 – Affordable MTB classes for locals taught by professional coaches.
6 – Sustained commitment to hiring out locals to work as drivers, office workers, etc., allowing a great amount of flexibility for family commitments, and paying them fair, livable wages.
7 – Donating 1% of all profits to help educate children in a technical field such as carpentry.
8 – Helping young adults begin a small business working in their technical field or purchasing products from them to help them get started after high school.
1 – Getting your heart rate up isn’t really your thing, and you rarely (if ever) exercise. Your idea of a perfect vacation is total relaxation: sitting on a beach, sipping a mojito, and just generally vegging out.
2 – You don’t necessarily work out regularly but you aren’t averse to the idea of doing something active. Although you don’t exercise that often, you don’t necessarily consider yourself out of shape.
3 – You exercise one to two times a week but do not have a normal schedule that keeps you biking or doing other activities weekly. You don’t go to the gym or train for any specific sports but you lead a relatively active lifestyle by biking, hiking, skiing, or whatever it may be. For biking: climbs and long descents give you some trouble and you tend to get tired after about 2-3 hours on the bike.
4 – You exercise 3-4 times a week and enjoy physical activities such as biking, hiking, skiing. You are active. For biking: you enjoy climbs that are are moderately long and being on a bike for 3-5 hours in one day doesn’t get you too tired or fatigued.
5 – You exercise at least 4 times a week and are an avid athlete that is consistently in good shape. You’re more or less game for any kind of adventure. For biking: you’re comfortable with being on your bike for 5-7 hours a day.
6 – You live and die for exercise, sweat, and suffering. You only want to climb higher, go farther, and prove how much of an animal you are. Steep climbs, long descents and big days are something you are looking to do more of and you can’t wait for your next adventure.
Beginner:
You’ve been riding a mountain bike for a couple of years or less and you’re most comfortable on smooth single-track and wider, forgiving doubletrack. You like rides with scenic views; you like both ascending and descending on well-maintained, safe trails. You’re looking for an active but relaxing mountain bike vacation; you’re not into jumps, drops, super steep trails, rock gardens, roots or taking big risks on your bike.
Intermediate:
You’ve got two plus years of experience mountain biking on single-track trails under your belt; you’ve gotten pretty confident behind the handlebars and are beginning to expand your mountain bike abilities. You like riding most types of terrain, and you’re comfortable both climbing and descending on single-track trails with smaller technical features such as rocky sections, small drops, and small steep sections. You aren’t trying to walk on most of the trail and are looking to take small risks with things like speed, jumps, rock gardens, and stair sets to improve your skills as a mountain biker.
Intermediate Tech:
You’ve got three plus years of riding on singletrack trails of all sorts with features such as rock gardens, steep sections, rolls and drops, roots, and small jumps. You are confident on the bike in most situations. You’re constantly looking to improve your riding skills and enjoy riding for extended periods of time climbing and descending in terrain of all sorts.
Advanced:
Ten plus years of experience riding single-track, freerides and biking of all sorts. You live for steeps, jumps, rock gardens, techy trails, long descents, big ascents and discovering new terrain. Mountain biking is one of your passions and you are ready and confident to do what you love in a new and challenging place. You can handle anything we throw at you — jumps, rock gardens, steps, technical descents, tough ascents, etc. Biking is a central part of your life. For you, the bigger the challenge, the more excited you get.
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"So glad we found Bill and Nicole, this was by far one of the coolest and most fun DH rides we have done so far, Close second is heli biking in Canada.
Everything was as described, Great shuttle transportation had ample room for people and gear, fresh water on board.