8 jours à vélo « L’esprit de l’Équateur »

Start and end in Quito. With the bicycle tour, you have an eight-day tour package taking you through Quito and five other destinations in Ecuador. Ecuador Biking Spirit Tour is a small group tour that includes accommodation as well as an expert guide, meals, transport, and more.

Daily itinerary

Day 1: Quito orientation meeting and briefing

This is the arrival day for all participants. Depending on your flights, you can have a day exploring one of the UNESCO heritage sites in the World (Quito's Old Town) or simply rest at the hotel before your tour guide meets you at the Lobby at 6:30 pm. During this meeting, you can clarify everything as you might be concerned or curious to know about the overall tour. Guide Ecuador can also assist you arrange a full day in Quito or the surroundings if you let them know in advance.

• Duration: 1 hour
• No meals included on this day
• Accommodation: Mercure Hotel

Day 2: Equator line tour or biking tour to Tandayapa Valley

Early in the morning, they will drive you to step each foot on the Equator Museum well known as INTI ÑAN or the Trail of the Sun. After this visit, you will drive back to Quito Old Town, where you will start the biking tour down to Tandayapa Valley. The starting of the biking will be at Nono town located at 9000 feet and just 10 miles away from Quito center. The total distance on the bike is 19 miles (three hours approximately) mainly downhill. The altitude at the end of the day will be 4260 feet. On the way back, you will stop in many places to admire nature and the wonderful landscapes.

Also, you will stop at the trout farm for a delicious lunch and rest a little bit. Then you will continue down to Tandayapa Valley where you will stay overnight in one of the best Bird Lodges of the area. This activity is being customized for guests who have little experience with mountain tours. However, if you do not have any record on bikes but you feel that you can do it, you are more than welcome to join them. You will always have your driver to assist you at any time of the journey.

• Duration: 7 hours
• Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
• Accommodation: Tadayapa Lodge

Day 3: Biking Playa Rica - Nangulvi Valley

Early in the morning before breakfast as an optional, you can walk through the gardens and spot a great number of hummingbirds flying around the vegetation, such a great starting to the day. After breakfast, you will continue by car towards Nanegal for your first hour on the bike on a scenery road, then you will arrive at a little community called Playa Rica, where you will rest trying local fruits. Then you will continue cycling up and downhill towards Garcia Moreno Road. Before the end, you will go across the Guayllabamba River and the province border through the magical cloud forest.

After this activity, it is time to relax at the local hot spring, well known as Nangulvi, and finally, you will enjoy the rest of the afternoon at the Hotel Gardens and views of the Western Andes. In summary, this is a long day on a bike and it will bring you a lot of adrenaline while enjoying nature. The total distance covered by bike is 38 miles and the altitude at the end of the day is 5000 feet.

• Duration: 7 hours
• Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
• Accommodation: Nangulvi Lodge

Day 4: Cuicocha Lake - Biking down to Cotacachi

Early in the morning, you will drive towards Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve, it is the second most visited national park in Ecuador, after the famous Galapagos Islands. This ride will take you one hour approximately from Intag Valley, so then you can enjoy the views of the mountains along the way. Then you will start your biking at the highest point of the road (11,000 feet) in a Community known as Urcuqui. This first part of the biking only will take you 30 minutes because you will have a stop at the Park to visit Cuicocha Lake and experience a nice hike for one hour above 10,000 feet above sea level.

After this, you will get ready for another one and a half hours of biking downhill through the bumpy roads and visiting local communities around the area. Finally, you will end up at a magic guest house in front of two big volcanoes called Cotacachi and Imbabura. Then you get ready to enjoy a nice cup of tea walking around the area. Cotacachi is also a town famous for all kinds of leather products and very good local cuisine. If you feel that you want to visit it, you can include it in the program at no extra cost.

• Duration: 7 hours
• Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
• Accommodation: Yellow House

Day 5: Otavalo Market and surroundings

You will visit the most famous Indian Market in Ecuador with more than 1000 years of history. It will not be a cycling day, it will be a sightseeing day instead to discover the wonders of the Northern Andes. So, you will start visiting the handcraft market where you can enjoy one hour of walking around the picturesque ponchos plaza, then you will visit Peguche waterfall and finally, you will enjoy the leather town on your own. You will have a delightful barbecue at the guest house and you might learn how to make a typical welcome drink in the Andes called Canelazo.

• Duration: 7 hours
• Meals included: Breakfast
• Accommodation: Yellow House

Day 6: Biking from Mojanda Lake to Tabacundo town

On this day, you will cycle at 12,000 feet. This is going to be the highest day in altitude and a very demanding one. However, this is not a problem after a few days of biking around on tour. You will drive from the hotel towards Las Lagunas de Mojanda. From there, you will start your biking. Most of the tour will be downhill. They recommend having at least two layers of clothes because at this altitude the temperature is always around 6C.

You will be cycling through unique sites in the Paramo area, well known as the Andean Grasslands. Finally, you will arrive at Tabacundo town located much lower than the starting point, 27 miles farther south of the lakes area. From this place, you will drive two hours back to Quito hotel overnight.

• Duration: 7 hours
• Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
• Accommodation: Mercure Hotel

Day 7: Quito biking tour

On this day, you will discover Quito City by bike through the steep streets and impressive monuments that are all over the town. You will start at the hotel area, well known as the tourist point or Mariscal Zone. As soon as you enter the Old Town, you will see the changes in the Architecture from the 16 and 17-century trapped in time contrasting with the new city lifestyle.

The places that you will visit are as follows: Ejido Park, National Congress Building, Alameda Park, Sucre Square, Main Square, Compañía Church, Garcia Moreno Avenue, La Ronda Street, Cumanda City Park, Santo Domingo, and Basilica Church. After this, you will return to the hotel for the last overnight on this tour. Optional you can visit Teleférico known as Quitos Cable Car (extra cost please confirm it with the tour operator)

• Duration: 7 hours
• Meals included: Breakfast
• Accommodation: Mercure Hotel

Day 8: Going home day

Unfortunately, you have to say goodbye and they invite you to see one of their other tours in the Galapagos and Peru Tours. However, if you desire to add one more night in Quito City or extend your stay in Ecuador, they can always help you out with free advice to make sure you optimize the time and continue exploring this paradise called Ecuador.