13 Day Cycling The Lake District Of Chile & Argentina

Travellers on our group flights will arrive to Puerto Montt airport today after connecting in Santiago de Chile. There will be a group transfer from the airport to our start hotel in the nearby town of Puerto Varas.

For those people who have booked Land Only and made their own travel arrangements, you are welcome to meet the group transfer should you wish (and have informed us in advance) otherwise the meeting point is at the start hotel in Puerto Varas anytime in the afternoon/evening.

Our Lake District cycling adventure starts off today in scenic fashion as we navigate clockwise around the shore of Lago Llanquihue (the third biggest lake in South America) and stretch our legs for the more challenging days ahead.

From the lakeside road we will enjoy spectacular views of the volcanoes and the Andean mountain range that lie just to the east. Volcanoes Osorno (2652m), Puntiagudo (2190m), Tronador (3451m), Puyehue (2240m) and Calbuco (2015m) are all visible on a clear day. We’ll cycle to the picturesque lakeside village of Frutillar, a German influenced settlement which is home to the modern 'Teatro del Lago' theatre. The ride ends here and after lunch we’ll transfer back to Puerto Varas.

Today's ride will be mostly paved. (30 km paved and 4 km unpaved)

We follow the shoreline of Lago Llanquihue once more today but in an easterly direction past Puerto Chico and Ensenada, straight towards the imposing Calbuco and Osorno volcanoes. Gateway to the Andean Lakes, our journey from here across the mountain range takes us in to more remote and spectacular environments.

We cycle onwards, following the banks of the emerald-coloured Rio Petrohue towards the 'Saltos de Petrohue' waterfalls. Upon reaching 'Lago Todos los Santos' we are greeted by a beautiful view and we'll swap our mode of transport in order to board an exclusive private catamaran ferry. Cruising across the lake is a wonderful and peaceful experience as we keep our eyes peeled for Andean condors flying overhead (journey time approx. 1.5/2 hours).

Today’s ride will all be paved. It will consist of approx. 45 km on flat terrain and a climb for the last 15 km.

After breakfast, we start cycling towards the Argentinian border which involves riding 20km with a steady incline before taking on a challenging climb (approx. 700m over 7.5km) to reach the frontier. There is then a short descent into Puerto Frias.

Depending on how the weather has been in the proceeding days, the unpaved mountain roads can either be well compacted or sometimes loose and dusty. The final leg of today’s iconic journey across the Andes is a short ferry crossing on Lago Frias followed by a 3km ride to your hotel in Puerto Blest.

Today is the most challenging day. 31 km unpaved. The border crossing involves a long steep climb on gravel followed by a fast downhill section.

Puerto Blest is situated on the westernmost point of Lago Nahuel Huapi and from here we board a catamaran to take us to Puerto Pañuelo. Instead of cycling directly towards Bariloche, we will take a scenic route on a paved road that loops around via Punto Panoramico, a viewpoint that offers awe-inspiring panoramas of the Argentinian Lake District. As we approach Bariloche, we will board the bus for a short transfer (approx. 20 minutes), linking up with the lakeside main road.

Today’s ride will be 15 km paved and 9 km unpaved.

After several days of travelling, today is a free day allowing a well-earned chance to relax and take in the beautiful surroundings of the Lake District. You may wish to take a look around the centre of Bariloche, a ski and adventure sports hub with numerous chocolate shops.

There are plenty of adventurous activities available should you wish to indulge, such as guided ‘stand up rafting’ on Rio Limay, or the opportunity to independently trek up Mount Campanario to enjoy beautiful views from the summit.

Departing Bariloche, we will have a short transfer (approx. 30 minutes) to the Amphitheatre viewpoint. Here we will unload the bikes and start cycling along the Limay River. We will cycle through the Enchanted Valley with amazing views of the surrounding rock formations, which have been eroded over time by the intense Patagonian weather.

When we arrive at the Cuyin Manzano river, we will stop for a scenic picnic lunch prepared inside an old, converted school bus. Afterwards we have another short transfer (approx. 40 minutes) to the ‘Mirador del Viento’ viewpoint along a mountain road that transitions from the Patagonian Steppe into the Andean-Patagonian Forest.

At the viewpoint, we will enjoy beautiful views of Traful Lake. From here we have the option to either cycle the last 6 km (gravel downhill road), or we can jump back in the transfer vehicle to arrive at our destination for the night, Villa Traful.

Today’s ride will be 32 km paved and 4 km (+ 6 km optional) unpaved gravel.

Today we start the day with a transfer (approx. 50 minutes) to our starting point for another spectacular cycling route along the 'Camino de los Siete Lagos' (Seven Lakes Road). This is an incredibly scenic route that winds its way northwards past lakes and forests connecting the alpine towns of Villa La Angostura and San Martin de los Andes.

Depending upon the exact start point, today involves us riding a total distance of around 63km through spectacular and rewarding landscapes. We will break the ride up with a stop for lunch and should therefore arrive in San Martin de los Andes in the afternoon. Entering the picturesque small town of San Martin de los Andes involves a wonderful approach along the shore of Lago Lacar.

Today will be all paved. The last 17 km is a fast downhill section.

After breakfast, we take a transfer (approx. 2 hours) to Alumine village. From here we will start cycling along the Alumine river in what is known as ‘La Ruta del Pehuen’, which gets its name from the large number of monkey puzzle forests in the area.

We will also pass many Mapuche houses and farms along this route. After lunch we will carry on cycling around Alumine Lake crossing 3 rivers until we arrive at the small village of Villa Pehuenia. The next two nights are spent in the beautiful Posada La Escondida, located on the shores of Alumine Lake.

Today’s ride will be 40 km paved and 23 km unpaved gravel.

Today is at leisure for you to choose from doing organised activities or having some time out. Your tour leader will be able to advise which local agencies to use depending on what you would like to do.

For keen cyclists looking for a challenge, we can organise an optional day of cycling (34 km) to the Batea Mahuida Volcano. This will also include a short trek to the summit which on a clear day offers breath-taking views of the surrounding volcanoes and lakes.

($25 USD which covers the entrance ticket to the park, picnic lunch and includes a donation of $10 USD for the Mapuche community who manage the ski centre).

After breakfast we will say goodbye to Argentina and cross back into Chile via the Icalma International Pass. Once we clear immigration on the Chilean side, we will stop for lunch in Icalma Village. After a short transfer (approx. 40 minutes) to avoid a gravel road, we jump back on the bikes inside China Muerta National Reserve and cycle a 27 km stretch of paved road towards Conguillio National Park. From the entrance we will take a short walk to the Truful Truful waterfall. Afterwards we will carry on cycling for 7km until we reach our accommodation for the night.

The scenes that we encounter today are vastly different from the rest of the tour. Clouds rise up from surrounding valleys and quickly change form whilst passing over the volcanic lava. Llaima Volcano (3125m) dominates the skyline and we spend the night in a remote and charming eco-lodge. The property restricts energy use as part of its self-sufficiency, meaning that electricity and hot water are not available during the night.

Today’s ride will be 42 km paved and 9 km unpaved gravel.

It is our last day of cycling today as we continue riding further within Conguillio N.P. and see several beautiful lagoons (Laguna Arco Iris, Laguna Verde) and Conguillo Lake. We will also visit the parks interpretation centre in order to find out about how the park was formed. (Please note that this may not be possible as sometimes the centre is closed during our visit).

We will then walk for an hour through the native forest to see ancient monkey-puzzle trees. Tonight, will be the last evening all together with group and staff, so it is the perfect opportunity for a last meal and drinks to look back on what will have surely been a fantastic journey.

Today will be a loop ride which will all be unpaved gravel. The way out will be mostly going uphill and the return will be mostly downhill.

Our adventure ends this morning after breakfast. In the afternoon those on the group flight will be transferred to Temuco airport for their evening flight.

Land only bookings can join this transfer if flight timings are similar to the group flight timings (please see the Transfer Details section below). Please note that the accommodation inside Conguillo National Park is in a very remote location and not close to the city of Temuco.