Incredible Ecuador Mountain Bike Trip
12-days of riding Andean volcanoes and lush jungle descents: Ecuador’s’ Incredible Mountain Bike Trip!
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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 lush tropical descents that never seem end, gaze at the CotoPaxi Volcano and stroll through the historic streets of Quito. All while experiencing the culture of the Incan peoples.
Our 10-day Ecuador Mountain Bike Trip focuses on large descents up to 4270 m/7500ft 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 will begin as we pick you up at the airport and help you with your gear and mountain bike. Quito is located at 2840 m/ 9350 ft above sea level. We will take it easy today and have an orientation meeting in the evening.
Included: Airport pickup, lodging in hotel or Airbnb style accommodations
Not Included: Meals
Day 2: Today, after breakfast, we will begin our journey and head south of Quito, first stop is to visit the Cotopaxi bike park. This gigantic park, located through a scenic drive in the middle of a pine forest, has tons of trails for all levels. You will have the chance to do as many laps as you want and try out some different lines and sample some of Ecuador’s dirt.
This bike park has delicious food! We will have lunch there and ride some more!
Included: Transport, guide, entrance into bike park, hotel, breakfast, lunch.
Not included: Dinner
Day 3: Cotopaxi volcano.
After a well-deserved rest and a delicious Andean breakfast, our transport will take us very close to the refuge at the skirt of snow near the Cotopaxi volcano. Here we will embark on an epic adventure of 2000m/6561 ft of descent. Our shuttle vehicle will be waiting for us after each ride. Today will give us some of our first freeride lines in deep steep scree. Let go of that front brake!
Once we have finished for the day we will head out on a 2-3 hour drive to Baños where we will sleep for the night.
Included: Transport, guide, lodging, breakfast, lunch.
Not included: Dinner
Day 4: After three-days of riding we will take a much-needed day off to relax our muscles and calm ourselves in the therapeutic, hot waters of Baños. We will stay in the Selina hotel right on the plaza; a great location to enjoy this fun city named especially after its main attraction – natural hot springs.
If you would like to do a bit of biking on this rest day, we can help you locate a truck-taxi to take you up to a nearby trail through a forest. This day will be unguided.
Additional options are visiting a famous treehouse with an enormous swing which swings out while overlooking a volcano!
Included: Lodging, breakfast
Not included: Dinner, guide, additional tours and transport.
Day 5: We will leave early today and head to Bolivar.
As we drive though Ambato you may get to see the mightly Tungurahua volcano. The views of this volcano are absolutely stunning!
Today we will do our highest and most iconic trail on our Ecuador mountain bike adventure, the Chimborazo mountain. The Chimborazo mountain is the closest point to the sun from the earth’s core – worldwide!!! (Don’t forget your sunscreen!)
Our drive will take us to the Chimborazo volcano and having us start at over 4270m/ 14,000 ft. This unique trail is more than 20 kilometers long with a massive descent of 1550 m/5000 ft to the Cochas valley in Guaranda. While we do a serious amount of descent we will also be climbing while at high elevation. Those red blood cells from yesterday will come in handy today!
Chimborazo happens to be the majestic mountain seen on the coat of arms of Ecuador.
We will end the night in Bolivar at a gorgeous, rustic farmhouse. These guys are part of the local biking community! With extra luxuries like a pizza oven and fresh milk you will wish this was home.
Not included: Dinner
Day 6: Today we will need to decide which route to ride. Our decision is generally based on weather, season, and trail closures.
Mama Rumi and Contrabando (a fairly new trail) will take you first through the clouds on a beautiful shuttle ride to a starting point that looks out above the jungle. Either of these two trails will take us on a long descent through the cloud forest for some real jungle riding and down into the heat of the valley floor. Because these trails are in the cloud forest they are often closed during the rainy season or until they have been maintained. Season and trail closures will decide if we can ride either of these two trails.
The Mama Rumi trail is 2000 m/6500 ft of descent over 12 km/ 7.5 mi
The Contrabando trail is 2100m/ 7000 ft of descent over 13 km/ 8 mi
La Caseria is a super fun ride beginning at the Chimborazo volcano. It starts with a traverse over the wild land of the volcano with views of vicuñas and sometimes a fox or two. We will begin to freeride on the sandy dunes that then take us to a super fluid and fast MTB trail though the Ecuadorian Andes.
La Caseria Trail Stats: 1000 m/ 3300 ft of downhill over 9.6 km/ 6 miles
We can ride this one twice!
Included: Transport, guide, lodging, breakfast and lunch
Not included: Dinner
Day 7: Today’s ride will depend on the energy of the group. If we have not yet ridden La Caseria that will be on today’s itinerary. It will allow us to sleep in a bit and have an epic half day of riding. If we have already ridden La Caseria we will have to decide which trails in Bolivar to ride. We want to save some energy for tomorrow as Alausi will put us to the test!
Included: Transport, guide, lodging, breakfast, and lunch
Not Included: Dinner
Day 8: Ride more of the goodness that the Bolivar area has to offer, today is a optional ride day as some in the group may want to do optional
Included: Transport, lodging, breakfast, lunch.
Day 9: Depending on the season we will either ride Alausi for the first time or get up and ride some alternative trails in the area before we head out to the classic town of Cuenca, a cultural gem!
Included: Transport, lodging, breakfast, lunch
Day 10: Today will be a much-needed rest day for us and the bikes! You can enjoy the ancient stone town of Cuenca – there is plenty to explore walking around the Cultural Capitol of Ecuador.
We have a good friend with a bike store here in case you need any maintenance on the bike, or any spare parts.
Included: Breakfast, Hotel
Not Included: Transport, Lunch, Guide, Dinner
Day 11: The dirt we will ride today is completely different to any other trails we have done this trip. It is high alpine, dry, loose, and rocky with lots of fluid and technical sections. There are plenty of steep, curves, and stellar, panoramic mountain views. This trail is at least 7,000 feet of downhill riding.
Tonight we will have our farewell dinner and pack our bike bags for tomorrow’s flights out.
Included: Transport, local MTB guide, breakfast, lunch, farewell dinner
Today we will take you to the airport and we will say our farewells.
It is always hard to say goodbye so instead we will say, “Till next time!”
Note: Please purchase national flights from Cuenca back to Quito for your flight home or a tri-city flight (Arrival Quito, departure Cuenca)
Included: Breakfast, airport drop off
Not Included: Guide, hotel, flights, lunch, and dinner
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 tri-city flight from their home airport to Quito Airport. On the way home you will want Cuenca airport to your home airport. Expect layovers. You can also choose a round trip from your home airport to Quito and purchase a national flight from Cuenca to Quito on day 11 before your flight out to your home town. 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 through sub-tropical jungles which 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 3970 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 into sub-tropical jungles which 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:
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What’s included in your 12-day Ecuador mountain biking tour:
Included
Not Included:
Our Cross Country MTB tours take you from one spectacular destination to the next. On these, you’ll cycle literally across whichever country you’re visiting. For instance, check out our Andes to the Amazon tour, where you travel from Cusco to the Peruvian Amazon.
Our current XC vacations are made up of long-distance rides on backcountry roads. If you are looking for XC singletrack, get in touch with us, and we’ll set up a one-of-a-kind MTB tour suited to your needs.
How we define XC: Anywhere from old logging or fire roads to rolling singletrack, Cross Country trails are generally long distances with both ascents and descents. While trails may be somewhat technical with rock gardens and tight switchbacks, they generally do not have intense steep rock gardens like those you might find in DH or Enduro racing.
An XC bike is often lighter with a slacker head tube angle for better climbing ability and tends to not have a dropper post although the trend is changing. Usually it will be a hardtail or a full suspension bike with a smaller amount of suspension — 100-130mm.
Most XC riders do not wear pads such as elbow or knee pads and wear a half-shell helmet.
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.