Venezuela E-MTB Adventure 13-days
E-MTB adventure from 4,350 m Andean high-alpine trails in Mérida to tropical descents to the Caribbean: 13 days of enduro riding in Venezuela.
Haku’s 13-day Venezuela E-MTB adventure takes you from the historic streets of Caracas to the high Andes of Mérida and back down to the Caribbean coast. Riding full-suspension e-MTBs and based in Mérida, you’ll ride high-alpine singletrack at over 4,350 m, technical enduro descents of more than 1,800 m, and some of the newest trails in the Venezuelan Andes. Back in the capital, we ride the tropical mountains of the Coastal Range, the rocky Camino de Los Españoles in Waraira Repano National Park and Caracas’s bike parks, before a rest day on the beaches of Morrocoy National Park and a final day of fast descents at Cerro El Café.
Day by Day
We’ll be waiting for you at Maiquetía International Airport to welcome you to Venezuela’s capital. In the afternoon we’ll take a walking tour of the historic center of Caracas.
After breakfast we head to the airport for the one-hour flight to Mérida, followed by a one-hour transfer into the city. In the afternoon we’ll get on the bikes and acclimatize on the Pista La Pedregosa, right next to our hotel.
Mérida is our base camp for the next few days. We drive to the southern zone to ride three mountain trails that will warm up our legs for the high-mountain days ahead.
After breakfast we take a 1.5-hour shuttle up to 4,350 m (14,270 ft) for a 28 km ride across high-alpine terrain in the Venezuelan Andes. A fast trail with technical, challenging sections, ending a big day of stunning landscapes, lagoons and views.
After our high-mountain adventure we head back to the southern mountains for a new experience on the “Joya del Sur”, a mostly uphill ride to the village of Acequias, where we spend the night.
From Acequias we climb to Alto de las Lajas at 3,500 m (11,480 ft): 1,100 m of climbing over 10 km. From the top we drop down a narrow, technical trail to the village of La Providencia, a 17 km descent with more than 1,800 m (5,900 ft) of vertical. A physically demanding, intermediate-advanced route and one of the newest enduro gems in Mérida.
We’re back in the capital to ride some of the most beautiful trails around Caracas.
Anare is one of the most promising rides near the capital. After the high Andes we return to the tropical mountains for a descent from the highest point of the Coastal Range all the way down to the beach.
Fun bike park trails in the capital with great circuits of berms, jumps, rock and root sections: fast and playful riding.
An enduro route inside Waraira Repano National Park. The first descent is a fast, rocky trail down to the beach; then we climb back up the mountain to take a trail that brings us back to Caracas.
After breakfast we drive about 4 hours to Morrocoy National Park on the Caribbean coast for a well-earned rest.
An easy transfer day from Morrocoy National Park to Cerro El Café, an ideal spot for long descents with jumps, berms and some very fun rock sections.
One-hour transfer from Caracas to Maiquetía International Airport for your flight home.
General Information
What’s the price of this 13-day Venezuela E-MTB adventure? $3,830 USD per person. This trip runs with a minimum of 4 riders. Got a crew of 4 or more? Pick your own dates and we’ll make it happen. Included:
Not included:
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!
This trip includes long days at high altitude, up to 4,350 m (14,270 ft) in Mérida, with climbs of up to 1,100 m and technical descents of more than 1,800 m. You should be comfortable riding technical enduro terrain and be in good physical shape. Riding regularly in the months before the trip, including long climbs and descents, is the best preparation.
Fly into Maiquetía (Simón Bolívar International Airport, CCS), which serves Caracas. We’ll pick you up at the airport on Day 1 and take you back on Day 13. The trip includes a domestic flight of about one hour between Caracas and Mérida on Day 2.
This trip is ridden on full-suspension electric mountain bikes (e-MTBs), included in the price. The e-bikes make the big Andean climbs and high-altitude days far more enjoyable, so you can save your energy for the descents.
Just bring your helmet, shoes, pedals if you have a preference, and riding kit. Airlines generally don’t allow e-bike batteries on flights, so there’s no need to travel with your own bike.
Please check the entry and visa requirements for Venezuela for your nationality well before booking your flights, and contact us if you have any questions.
This 13-day Venezuela E-MTB adventure is for intermediate to advanced riders who are comfortable on technical terrain and fit enough for big days at altitude.
Giving back
Haku Expeditions donates 1% of all profits to support local education programs.
What’s the price of this 13-day Venezuela E-MTB adventure? $3,830 USD per person. This trip runs with a minimum of 4 riders. Got a crew of 4 or more? Pick your own dates and we’ll make it happen. 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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