Surf and Singletrack: Additional Information

Required Forms

All of our Riders are required to complete the following forms:

Please download, print and complete the forms and bring them with you to your tour starting point. (note: the waiver is legal size - if you print it on 8 1/2 x 11, it will take two pages

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.

Bike Rentals

At present, there are no suitable options for bike rentals in Chile. If you would really prefer to not bring your own (e.g. if you are travelling onward in South America and don't want to carry a bike) , then we can arrange private rentals via friends of our lead guide. Please contact our office to arranage a rental.

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.

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.

Clothing

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.

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 World Nomads directly via our site at 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

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

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 US dollars with you.

Meals

On this trip, all breakfasts and lunches are included in the trip price. Dinners are taken in local restaurants. You should budget $10-$15 per meal (depending on the quality of restaurants you choose).

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

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