Surf And Singletrack

Dec. - April

9 Days

Skill

Fitness

Ride Highlights

CAD

$2395

Spectacular scenery and riding in the Andes and coast mountain ranges of Chile
The charming and remote San Francisco Lodge in the San Esteban valley
The beautiful seaside town of Valparaiso, home of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda
Riding at Cerro El Roble, in the shadow of South America's highest peak, Mt. Aconcagua
Surfing and beach time on the Pacific Ocean
Jungle mountain biking in Maitencillo

A match made in adventure heaven.

Surfing and mountain biking... together at last! We've taken the best land sport on the planet and combined it with the best water sport, all in the best country in the world to do it in (where else do you find the world's 2nd-biggest mountain range within hours of one of the world's longest coastlines?).

Feeling in a rut? Spend a day mountain biking on the coast mountains, in the shadow of giant peaks like Mt. Aconcagua (the Americas' highest), followed by an afternoon of surfing in the Pacific Ocean and you'll feel like an adventure rockstar!

On this Ride we add 3 afternoons of surfing to an itinerary full of incredible mountain bike rides. No surfing experience is necessary - we'll provide the lessons, boards and wetsuits.

And did we mention you can get a top-notch bottle of wine for about $5/bottle?

Surf, singletrack, and syrah... does it get any better?

Is This Ride For You?

You can ride up to 5 hours a day at a moderate pace (with plenty of stops to enjoy some incredible views) You can handle moderately technical terrain: roots, rocks, moderately steep terrain, and obstacles up to 6" high (e.g. logs) You know how to swim and are game to try out something new (surfing) in a safe environment with qualified instructors (or you're experience and want to head to the bigger breaks) You like fine wine at a fraction of the regular cost in Europe or North America

"I just wanted to drop you a note and tell you how much Jane and I enjoyed mountain biking in Chile. The guides were absolutely the best we could imagine. Martin is both friendly and professional and Pancho was helpful throughout the trip. The trails were like no others we have ever seen. The country was spectacular and the meals excellent. It was a wonderful and challenging vacation - Thanks!"

Murray Baker, London, Canada
I had one of those life moments today. Todays ride was frikin excellent. I have never before achieved the things I did today - steep slopes, rocks, sand, switch backs. Martin and Pancho have really picked some great places to ride. I will be a better MTBer for the rest of my life because of today. Super impressed so far. (Lunch was outstanding).

Brendan Dwyer
"I am still buzzing from an amazing 8 days of riding and am tempted to turn around and head south again. What an incredible trip. I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that Martin and Pancho were incredible guides - in fact, i think they make the trip what it is! The riding was outstanding - i coulda used 4 more days of it!! Wanna send me back in the spring just cuz?!? HA!!"
-

Alexa Grivakes

Day 1. Arrive in Santiago

On your first day in Chile, you'll be checking in to your hotel in central Santiago and getting prepared for your Ride. From your hotel you'll have great views of the Andes, and will be within walking distance of great local restaurants and shops. Take the day to rest and explore Santiago. If you feel up to it, you can hop on the bike and ride up to a mountain in the center of town, where you'll have spectacular views of the city and the mountains. Tonight we'll meet for our first group dinner, and sample some of the local wines and drinks, including Pisco Sour, a national favourite.

Day 2. Santiago area riding

You'll start the day off with a delicious, hearty breakfast at the hotel, then meet with your guides for a pre-tour meet-and-greet and safety talk. Then it's time to ride! We'll hop in the van and head across town to the base of Huinginal mountain. This local playground features a challenging 2-hour climb along singletrack trails. Once we reach the top, we'll pause to soak in the amazing views before heading back down on beautiful, smooth and fast singletrack. We'll have lunch at the base of the trail, then hop in the van for an afternoon of shuttle riding. When we've had our fill, we'll head back to our hotel and another round of delicious Chilean wine.

Day 3. Cerro El Roble

After breakfast we hop in the van for a 1-hour drive high into the mountains. We'll ascend part of the way in the van, then climb the last hour to the summit of the El Roble trail on our bikes. At the top of the climb, we'll have breathtaking views of Mt. Aconcagua - the continent's highest mountain - and the Pacific coastline. The winding, technical descent takes us through pine forest, ending up in the charming town of Olmue where the van will wait to take us to a delicious local lunch. After lunch, it's off to Valparaiso, the oceanside home of famed Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, fascinating architecture and winding streets.

Day 4. Valparaiso urban riding and Pacific surf.

Valparaiso is built onto the side of a mountain, with narrow winding streets and colourful houses throughout. The alleys and back streets make for some incredible urban riding - we'll climb to the very top of town and enjoy the view before dropping in on this fun and unique urban descent along the same streets used for the Cerro Abajo Red Bull race every year. After lunch at one of our local favourites, we'll head up the coast to Maitencillo. After checking in to our beachside villa, we'll grab the surfboards and meet our instructor for an afternoon of surf instruction. When the sun sets, we'll bring in our boards and enjoy dinner in town.

Days 5+6. Jungle mountain biking and surfing in the Pacific Ocean.

You'll spend 2 more days enjoying some thrilling riding in the Chilean coastal jungle in the mornings, and surfing in the afternoons. The riding is fast and smooth, with some great climbs and views of the ocean. Maitencillo is a perfect place to practice your surfing, with breaks ranging from 2 to 10 feet. If you're feeling really keen, join us for a sunrise surf - totally magical! n.b. no surf experience is required to partake in the surfing.

Day 7. San Esteban and San Francisco Lodge

After a sunrise surf session, breakfast, and one more ride in the jungle, we'll hop in the van for the drive to San Esteban. This charming and picturesque town is surrounded by mountains and vineyards... and singletrack. We'll check in at the beautiful San Francisco Lodge, have lunch, and then hop on the bikes for a great afternoon of class cross-country riding. After returning to the lodge, we'll enjoy a soak in the hot tubs before enjoying a tasty dinner and sampling some of the local wines.

Day 8. San Esteban riding

We'll spend another day exploring the beautiful San Esteban valley, this time a gorgeous singletrack loop that takes us around the valley. We'll pack lunches for this amazing ride, and when we come back to the lodge, there's lots more to do, including hiking, horseback riding (included), and lots of other fun stuff!

Day 9. San Esteban and return to Santiago

We finish our last day of the trip with another spectacular ride, this time another beautiful cross-country singletrack ride. After returning to the lodge, we'll pack up the bikes, enjoy a few glasses of local wine to celebrate a magical week, and hop in the van for the return drive to Santiago, stopping for one last lunch along the way. If your flight home departs that evening, we'll take you to the airport. Otherwise, you can stay a few more nights in Santiago and explore one of South America's most beautiful cities - the shuttle will stop at our hotel after going to the airport.

Arrival and Departure Airport

You should fly into and out of Santiago International Airport (SCL). Please see the schedule page for the exact arrival and departure dates for your particular trip. You can, if necessary, arrive earlier - more information is available below.

Please note: we do not book international flights for our clients. Please contact your local travel agent for information on booking flights for this trip.

Getting to the tour starting point

Our trip starts at the Hotel Manquehue in downtown Santiago. There are a couple of options for getting to the hotel from the airport:

1) take a private taxi. Cost is around 7,500 to 10,000 CLP (Chilean Pesos), or $18 to $24 CAD.
2) take a shuttle in a private minibus. We recommend Transfers Vip. They will take you directly to your hotel, but you may have to make a stop or two on the way, depending on where the other passengers are going. Although you can just head to their counter upon arrival, you can also make a reservation by sending them an email or calling them at +56-677-3000 . Cost is 5,000, 7,500 or 18,000 CLP depending on whether you want group, semi-private or private service.

The hotel is located at Esteban dell'Orto 6615 in downtown Santiago. Here is a location map.

On the last day of the trip, we will be riding in San Esteban, and returning to Santiago by 7:30 pm. If you are flying out that night, we will be dropping you off at the airport.

For those of you staying longer in Santiago, we will be heading to the Hotel Manquehue from the airport.

Meeting Times and Places

We will have a meet and greet dinner on the first night of the trip (day 1 of the schedule, which is the arrival day). Please meet your guide in the lobby of your hotel at 7 pm.

Extending your trip

If you want to extend your trip by arriving early or staying on after your trip, there are a few things you should know:

You can book extra nights at the Hotel Manquehue in Santiago (where we will be staying during the trip) by visiting their website or calling +56-2-4301100 or emailing them.
We have a few excellent trip additions for extending your trip. If you want to stay longer in Chile, contact our office and we'd be happy to tell you more.
If you want information on places to visit and things to see in Chile after/before your trip, please visit the Chile Tourism website or contact our lead guide in Chile.

n.b.: if you are planning on travelling in Chile after your trip and would like to store your bike in Santiago, please contact the Hotel Manquehue. They will be able to store your bike while you travel (subject to space availability and within a reasonable time frame i.e. not for 2 months)

Travelling with your bike

If you've never traveled with your bike, don't worry - it's much easier than you think! If you don't have a case for your bike, then you can pick up a cardboard travel box for your bike at your local store. Some stores will also pack your bike up for you for a fee.

Alternately, if you are planning on traveling with your bike more than just this one time, we sell travel bags for bikes, handmade by Pikapackworks. These travel bags are specially made for bikes and can often go on flights without having to pay the extra charges incurred by cardboard boxes or hard cases. The bags cost $395, including shipping withing North America. Click here for more information on our bags.

n.b.: Due to space restrictions in the van and trailer, we will be storing everyone's bike bags in a secure room in our Santiago hotel during the trip.

FYI, we will have a separate room for bikes and bike bags at the hotel Manquehue.

Bike Rentals

Although most people prefer to bring their own bike, we have Giant Rainier front-suspension bikes with disc brakes available for rent locally, in size 17" and 18.5". Price is $400 CAD for the duration of the trip. If you require a bigger or smaller bike, please let us know and we'll do our best to locate on for you.

Ideal Bike for This Trip

We get asked this question a lot. Of course, there is no perfect bike (unless you've found a 20-lb, 9" travel bike that climbs like a mountain goat), but if you have a few bikes in your garage to choose from, we recommend a light all-mountain or beefy cross-country bike with 4-5" travel, under 30 lbs. There are some challenging climbs on this trip so you don't want something that's a bitch to pedal uphill; likewise, you don't want a 20-lb. cross-country race machine with 2" travel that will get thrashed on the more technical stuff. Lean towards the lighter side of things and you'll do fine.

Spare Parts for your Bike and other gear to bring

Although there are some parts available locally, we recommend you bring the following parts and gear with you to avoid problems in case of breakdown or broken parts:

rear derailleur hanger (at least 1, preferably 2)
extra set of front and rear brake pads
extra chain if your chain is more than 6 months old
minimum 4 tubes
4 extra spokes
shock pump for full-suspension bikes
chain lube
multipurpose tool for trailside repair (including chain break)

Clothing and Packing List

The weather in Chile is quite warm during the summer months (Dec. - Mar.), but can get chilly at night in the mountains. Bring warm clothes that you can wear at night (long pants, long-sleeve jacket), and a light insuating layer that you can wear while riding at higher altitudes. Bring

comfortable clothes for riding, such as biking jerseys (ideally short and long-sleeved) and padded shorts. 3 or more sets are ideal, 2 are a must, unless you feel like doing laundry every day or grossing out your fellow Riders)
lightweight, weather-resistant outerwear for riding in inclement weather
warm clothing such as sweaters and fleece jackets and pants for nighttime.
swimwear and towels
sport sandals (e.g. Tevas) or some sort of footwear that can get wet (for kayaking)
sunglasses or some sort of eye protection for sunny and/or muddy days.
helmet and some sort of hydration system (bottles and/or Camelbak)
toiletries i.e. toothbrush, shampoo, soap
camera
flashlight
sunscreen and insect repellant

Surfing

If you've never surfed before, not to worry. Most of the people who join us on this trip have never surfed before. The beach in Maitencillo offers a perfect learning break for beginners. Our first surfing sessions begins with a lesson with a qualified instructor. Subsequent sessions are on your own (we supply the wetsuit and board), but you can book additional lessons if you like. Surfing is a ton of fun, and something everyone should try at least once in their lifetime!

Please note: board rentals and wetsuits (and the 1st lesson) are included in the price of the trip. You do not need to bring your own equipment.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance, including emergency evacuation coverage, is compulsory for all our tours. We recommend that you purchase travel insurance that includes cancellation protection so that you will be covered in the event that you are unable to attend our tour (due to injury, illness or other unforeseen circumstances) or in the unlikely event that our tour must be cancelled.

You can purchase discounted comprehensive insurance from our partners at bikeflights.com via our insurance page.

Passports & Visas

All travelers require a valid passport (with a minimum of 6 months validity). Citizens of some countries will also require a visa. For more information, visit the World Travel Guide website.

Reciprocal Payment

Citizens of Canada, the U.S. and Australia will have to pay a one-time fee to enter Chile. This fee varies from $40-$132 depending on your citizenship. For more information, please see the Word Travels website.

Emergency Contact

If you need to contact us in an emergency, you can reach us during office hours at the following numbers:

Dialing within North America: 1 (888) 423-7849
Dialing outside of North America: +1 (647) 999-7955
If you do not receive an immediate answer when calling the above numbers, please leave us a detailed message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

If you need to give your family/friends back home a number to reach you at in Chile, you can provide them with our lead guide's cell phone number: +56-95195911

Food

Chile is South America's most developed, cleanest country. There is little risk in Chilean restaurants beyond what you would encounter in an North American restaurant.

Vaccination Requirements

Vaccinations are not required for the areas we are visiting in Chile.

Fitness Requirements

You should have a reasonable level of fitness and be able to bike for up to five hours a day in order to fully enjoy the spectacular scenery and riding on this trip. There will also be plenty of time for relaxation at our lodges or exploring the local shopping at a leisurely pace.

We recommend you train in advance of this trip, in order to get the most out of this trip. We have partnered with Fit for Trips to develop customized training programs for you in advance of your trip. We recommend beginning your training at least 2 months prior to your trip. For more information, please visit the Sacred Rides page at Fit for Trips.

Safety & Security

Chile is a very safe country, however certain precautions should be followed, as with all foreign travel. To maximize your safety during our tours you should exercise common sense and caution at all times. We recommend that you always stick to set travel arrangements, and avoid unknown areas. We also recommend that you wear minimal jewelry and that you keep valuable items safely stored. Always keep a copy of your passport, airline tickets, travelers checks and credit card numbers separate from where you keep the originals.

Currency exchange and spending money

The Chilean currency is the Chilean Peso (CLP). For the latest currency exchange information use the Yahoo! Currency Exchange Calculator

You will need Chilean spending money for dinners, alcoholic drinks and souvenirs. You should budget $10-$20 per dinner (depending on the quality of restaurants you choose).

How to access money

The easiest way to access spending money is via an ATM/bank machine; ATMs are widely available in most of the areas we visit and will dispense local currency. In rare situations, we have had customers' whose cards have been declined, so you may want to consider bringing some Chilean pesos with you.

Meals

On this trip, all breakfasts and lunches are included in the trip price. Dinners are taken in local restaurants.

Other expenses

Aside from meals and baggage charges on the internal flights, there are no required additional expenses for this trip, but you might like to take spending money for such things as souvenir shopping, nightlife and Internet cafes.

Tipping

Gratuities of 5-10% are common in Chile. We encourage you to tip your guides if you feel you have received excellent service and have had an enjoyable trip. A typical gratuity is $20 - $100 USD per guide.

Useful Links

For additional information about travelling in Chile, visit
Chile Tourism website

Our Guarantee

We're so sure you'll have an amazing time on this trip that we're offering satisfaction guarantee. View more information about our guarantee.

Pancho Bravo

Assistant Guide.

Pancho is the consummate mountain guide - he does it all: climbing, mountain biking, skiing, mountaineering, you name it. And he does it with class, style and a wide grin. His sense of humour will have your rolling in the aisles, and with Martin, makes an unbeatable Chilean guide team.