Discover the Lake and Volcano district in Chile. Cycling Chile’s south backroads is the ultimate green tour.

This well-supported gravel cycling adventure has been especially made for intermediate and advanced cyclists. 

For flight quotes (international and domestic), please contact our partner Exito Travel.  

Before we kick off our gravel bike tour in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District, you should take a day or two to adjust to local time and recover from your travels, and allow for any flight or luggage delays. You should fly into Temuco airport (ZCO).

In Chile, domestic flights are operated by 3 local airline companies: Latam, Sky Airline and JetSmart.

For the pre-night stay, we recommend staying at Best Western Ferrat Hotel in Temuco city,which is well-located with lots of restaurants and other facilities just a short walk away.

Our meeting hotel address is: Juan Reusch #445, Temuco

Official Airport Transfer

The official shuttle company at Temuco’s Airport is called TransAraucania.

They are the only authorized shuttle company at the airport, and their staff wears a blue and green uniform. By contract with the airport, they must have available transport based in the domestic flights arriving every day.

They have a counter at the airport, right next to the automatic doors (from the baggage carrousel). They offer regular and private shuttles to Temuco at $30.000 pesos (USD $40 per vehicle).

You don’t need reservations and you can pay in Credit Card or Cash. The ATM’s is on second floor.

All their shuttle services will drop you off at the hotel or address you are staying in Temuco. 

Driving time is approximately 35 minutes.

 Our local staff will meet you at Best Western Ferrat Hotel in Temuco, and transfer you 2 hours to a small quaint village called Curacautín.

This village is part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve “Araucarias”. There, we’ll stop for lunch and then our guides will assist you to assemble and fit your bike. Once we are ready, we’ll start our trip with a 25-kilometer warm-up ride towards a national park, with the Lonquimay volcano at sight and surrounded by ancient araucaria trees.

We’ll pedal toward the old train station of Manzanar. There, we’ll take the old rail way that now has been turned into a bike trail that crosses a few short tunnels.

Afterwards, we’ll arrive at our mountain lodge and have a rest before the orientation and briefing session.

Finally we'll have our welcome dinner together.

Accommodation: Suizandina Lodge 

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Today's ride distance: 78 kilometers / 15.5 miles

 Today, we start biking  from our mountain lodge. As we ride our bikes, the first 14 kilometers are paved as we’ll leave Malalcahuello village behind us.

Then, we enter the Malalcahuello National Reserve, pedaling a mix of dirt and gravel road until we arrive at the Navidad crater lookout point.

Afterwards, we continue biking, ascending into an old mountain road called “Cuesta Las Raices”. There we hit gravel and continue biking towards Lonquimay town. This mountain pass is surrounded by ancient monkey-puzzle trees and with amazing views over the Lonquimay volcano.

It is the heart of the Pewenche, one of the first nations of this part of Chile. Upon arriving at Lonquimay village, we visit the local brewery.

Finally, we head back on a bike lane that will take us to Las Raices Tunnel, the longest in Chile.

Accommodation: Suizandina Lodge 

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Today's ride distance: 78 kilometers / 48.6 miles (25% asphalt, 75% dirt/gravel)

Time cycling: 4-6 hours approximately

Time driving: 20 minutes after the ride 

 We’ll drive from Malalcahuello to Curacautín for about half hour. Then, we start biking from the city’s main square, towards the Conguillío National Park and Llaima Volcano.

This national park crossing will be one of your favorite rides. Its scenery has inspired BBC documentary series called "Walking with Dinosaurs."

The first 22 kilometers are done on asphalt and then we switch to 30 kilometers of dirt and gravel all the way until we arrive to the lodge.

We’ll pedal alongside 4 beautiful volcanic lakes, such as Captrén, Conguillío, Arcoiris and Verde.

Our lodge, La Baita, is Chile’s first eco lodge, with many awards in sustainability.

Accommodation: La Baita

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner

Today's ride distance: 52 kilometers / 32.3 miles (Mix of asphalt and gravel/dirt)

Time cycling: 4-6 hours approximately

Time driving: 30 minutes before cycling

 After breakfast, we will have a short drive passing by two lakes: Verde (green) and Arco Iris (rainbow) and with us immersed in a jaw-opening landscape.

We’ll start hiking along the Sierra Nevada trail surrounded by native trees, including ancient monkey-puzzle trees or araucarias. We will hear and spot many endemic birds such as the chucao tapaculo, the Magellan woodpecker and the noisy slender-billed parakeet.

The trail is equipped with 3 view points and we’ll use them all. Each one of them with different angles to take-in the views of the Conguillío Lake, Llaima and Sierra Nevada volcanoes.

After spending sometime eating our packed lunch, taking pictures and enjoying the amazing view, we'll hike back to the bottom of the trail and visit Playa Linda.

Later, we will go back to La Baita Lodge for a well-deserved rest.

Accommodation: La Baita

Meals: Breakfast, box lunch and dinner

Today's hike distance: 14 kilometers / 8.6 miles

Time hiking: 4-6 hours approximately

Time driving: 40 minutes 

Another day on our saddle, a very special one. We’ll start biking from our eco-lodge and exit the Conguillio national park. As we exit, we can visit the Truful-Truful canyon, one of the highlights of the Geopark.

Then, we hit asphalt again for the great part of the day, pedaling by old-fashioned towns such as Melipeuco and Cunco.

Afterwards, we'll transfer to Pucón where we'll spend the night.

Accommodation: Casa Solaria

Meals: Breakfast & lunch (dinner on your own)

Today's ride distance: 75 kilometers / 46,6 miles (20% gravel, 80% asphalt)

Time cycling: 5-6 hours approximately

After almost a week traveling in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District, you have probably realized that we are following a Scenic Road called “Ruta Escénica Lagos y Volcanes”. 

Today, we will ride towards the Villarrica National Park and pedal at the base of the volcano, where we finish the day at a fantastic lookout point. 

Evening at leisure to explore Pucon. Ask our guides if you need some local knowledge about dining and good shopping.

Accommodation: Casa Solaria Hotel

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Today's ride distance: 30 kilometers / 18.6 miles

Time cycling: 4 hours approximately

 We’ll cycle from your hotel in Pucón, towards Catripulli, a small Mapuche village located near the border with Argentina.

For our last ride, we’ll cycle alongside Trancura river, while enjoying views of three volcanoes: Villarrica, Quetrupillan and Lanin.

We’ll pedal a route that combines gravel and asphalt until we get to Caburgua Lake, with its pristine clear waters. Followed by lunch, we continue riding alongside Liucura river, until we finally end our ride at Quelhue, a Mapuche community in Pucón.

Here we’ll have dinner in a very special place with a Mapuche Family.

Accommodation: Casa Solaria Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Today's ride distance: 76 kilometers / 47,2 miles (50% gravel, 50% asphalt)

Time cycling: 5-6 hours approximately

Time driving: 30 minutes after the ride

 Sadly, it’s time to say good-bye to Chile's Lake and Volcano District.

After breakfast, we’ll visit Pucón downtown looking for that special souvenirs to bring home.

Ask our guides about the local Markets with the best souvenirs, handcrafts and woolen clothing.

Later, we’ll ride in van and head to Temuco Airport (ZCO) to catch your flight home or wherever your travels take you next.

It’s been a trip you will always remember!

End of services.

Meals: Breakfast