Get organised

Before we kick off our e-mountain bike tour Chile, you should take a day or two to adjust to local time, recover from your travels, and allow for any flight or luggage delays.

You should fly into Temuco airport (ZCO) and we recommend booking your pre-trip stay at Best Western Ferrat Hotel, as this is where your guide will meet you in the morning of Day 1. The hotel is a short 30min shuttle from the airport and it has restaurants nearby.

After meeting you in the morning at the Best Western Ferrat Hotel in Temuco, your guides will help load up luggage and you’ll make the 1hr transfer out of town. Once in Pumalal your guides will go through the pre-trip briefing, help set up bikes and ensure everyone is ready to ride.

Our first ride together in Chile is all about finding flow and getting set-up for the adventures ahead. With around 10km of purpose built descending trails that swoop and flow their way through the dense forest, this is the perfect way to shake off your travel and dial in your bikes.

After around 3hrs of riding, we will transfer further west towards the higher peaks of the Andes and our mountain lodge home for the next three nights. This evening we will gather together for a celebratory welcome meal and have time to slow down and relax.

After breakfast together, we will venture into the heart of the Araucanía mountain range for a day of riding like no other.

We’ll transfer out of town and deep into the araucaría forest where we will meet with a local from the Pehuenche community who has a love for e-mountain biking. We’ll pedal our way up through dense forest to reach a Ruka (traditional Mapuche dwelling) that the Huenchunao family have used for generations while moving their animals.

After sampling some local delicacies, we’ll turn our attention towards the real treat of the day – an 11km descent that traverses and carries us down into the neighbouring valley.

We’ll celebrate the day with a beer from the local brewery before making our way back to our lodge accommodation to freshen up. Dinner this evening will be at your guides’ favourite restaurant in town.

This morning, we’ll make the 2-hour drive to Icalma, where the landscape becomes more remote, rugged, and wild.

Batea Mahuida is an extinct volcano surrounded by high-altitude araucaría forest, where a unique network of trails winding through this spectacular landscape. Today’s ride will take us from Chile into Argentina where you can expect flowing singletrack, vast open terrain, and incredible views stretching across the Andes. We’ll spend the day exploring different lines and immersing ourselves fully in this remote corner of Patagonia.

After a full day on the trails, we’ll finish with a traditional Mapuche-style asado BBQ. It’s the perfect way to relax, share stories from the day, and connect with the local culture before making the drive back to our accommodation for our final night in the area.

Today, we pack up and travel onwards, with the slopes of Volcán Villarrica – one of South America’s most active volcanoes – firmly in our sights.

We’ll set off on the 3-hour transfer to Pucón, arriving in time for lunch. Once we’re fuelled up and ready to ride, we’ll head into this extraordinary landscape.

Here you’ll find sweeping views, flowing trails and a breathtaking landscape. With the help of our e-bikes, we’ll explore a series of trails at the base of Villarrica and ride multiple loops. The trails are moderately challenging, with plenty of opportunities to soak up the incredible scenery along the way.

After we’ve had our fill of singletrack fun, we’ll head back to our accommodation to shower and freshen up. The evening is then yours to explore Pucón at your own pace and choose one of your guides’ favourite local restaurants for dinner.

After breakfast at our hotel, we’ll enjoy the hard work of the local mountain bike community and ride some of the trails they’ve built around Pucón.

The riding starts with a double track climb through local forests until we are high above Pucón with a great view of Villarrica volcano in the distance.

We’ll arrive at el Cerduo Bike Park, where we climb alongside the river to a huge flow of petrified lava, the result of the 2015 eruption of Villarrica, which makes for some very exciting riding.

Get ready for steeper climbs and some more technical descents. These trails are very natural, having been walked and ridden in over time, although the Carrasco family ensures that the best lines are kept clear and well maintained.

After enjoying this amazing ride on Chilean soil, we’ll make our way back to our accommodation and freshen up for a very special cultural experience.

This evening we’ll visit a very interesting Mapuche woman – Mrs. Rosario Colipi. She will take us on a journey through the ancient traditions of her community. We will learn about cooking methods on the fire, how to use the local plants for beauty and health products, and much more.

This unforgettable experience will offer another genuine and enriching cultural connection, and will be topped off with a traditional dinner in the Ruka.

We’ll drive 15km to Palguín Bajo, where we start riding the road that leads us up the Palguín valley through the heart of the Villarrica National Park.

The views of scenic waterfalls and majestic snow-capped volcanoes such as Quetrupillan and Rucapillan will ensure that your camera in never away for long.

On this ride the vegetation changes from raulí (Nothofagus alpina) and hualle (Nothofagus oblicua) forests to araucarías as we ascend to Chinay, the highest point of the day at 1,250 metres above sea level. After a morning of mind-blowing vistas and climbing we will arrive at the Pichi Llancahue Glacier trail, where we’ll have lunch amongst the araucaría.

After lunch we’ll ride the trail that leads to a phenomenal glacier which is completely covered by the volcanic ash of Villarrica. We’ll then ride a short section of trail made up of ‘aa’ lava, covered in soft green mosses to experience this impressive natural wonder first-hand.

From the head of the glacier we will (depending on snow cover) descend a 10km trail that will lead us directly to the most picturesque geothermic hot springs in Chile.

There are 16 thermal pools, set sympathetically into the natural surroundings of waterfalls, native trees and ferns, where you can relax your muscles in blissfully hot water.

After an hour or so of soaking, we’ll have dinner in a local restaurant on the way to our unique hotel set amongst native forest at Huilo Huilo biological reserve, where we’ll enjoy the next two nights.

Today promises a big and varied day in the saddle, combining a high-altitude volcanic climb with some of the best hidden trails in the Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve.

We begin with a short shuttle before settling into a steady 7 km double track climb into the upper reaches of the Mocho-Choshuenco National Reserve. The gradient is consistent, giving you plenty of time to find your rhythm as you steadily gain elevation, climbing towards 1,800 m.

At the top, the effort is rewarded with spectacular views across the Andes. From this vantage point, you’ll have views of a chain of iconic volcanoes, including Mocho-Choshuenco, Quetrupillán, Lanín and Villarrica.

A long, flowing descent brings us back down before we return to Huilo Huilo for a second session on the bike. This afternoon, we explore some of our guides’ favourite trails around Neltume – quiet, raw and beautifully natural singletrack that sees far fewer riders.

After a short shuttle, we begin the final climb towards the Cerro Fuy area, before dropping into a fun descent on trails shaped over time by local riders. Expect a mix of double track climbing and natural singletrack, with some more technical sections that reward confident bike handling and add an extra element of challenge.

If you’d prefer to take the afternoon off, there are plenty of activities to enjoy within Huilo Huilo, including hiking, waterfall visits or simply relaxing and enjoying the hotel.

Sadly, today we must bid our farewells.

We’ll pack up our belongings and transfer you back to Temuco airport for around 11:30am, where you can catch your flight back to Santiago, or continue your travels in Chile.