International Yeti Gathering Chile

We want you to have the best experience in Chile, so it’s important to be sure that this is the perfect mountain bike adventure, with the right level of challenge, for you.

You’re an experienced mountain biker, riding at least twice a week through the season and comfortable on: long climbs on double track; steep, loose descents on volcanic ash; very rough, petrified lava trails; forested, rooty singletrack; muddy trails. Read more on our intermediate+ skill level.

Does this sound like you? Your vacation time is precious and we want to be absolutely sure that you’re making the most of it. Be honest with yourself, if this adventure isn’t right for you, we have other MTB tours that may be a better fit for your mountain biking ability.

Please note: The skill level required reflects an overall rating for the trails on the trip but you should expect to find sections and obstacles that push your ability levels.

Skill level: Intermediate+

• You are generally comfortable riding most types of terrain in different conditions: singletrack, double track, muddy, dry, loose, bedrock…
• You can brake, use gears and corner instinctively
• You’ll have a go on moderate technical features, such as small rock gardens, small drops and steeper sections, but may get off and walk certain technical features
• You mountain bike two or three times a week throughout your biking season
• And the ‘+’ part of ‘Intermediate+’ means that you will be aiming to tackle more of those moderate technical features

Fitness level: 6/7

• You have an excellent level of bike fitness, exercising four or five times every week throughout the year, for at least an hour at a time
• You are comfortable mountain biking up to six hours a day at a moderate pace, with snack and photo stops, for four or more consecutive days
• You can tackle several serious climbs a day, up to 600 metres each

Typical trails you’ll be riding

• Double track: undulating and sometimes very steep forest roads made up of hard-packed dirt, and loose tracks with golf ball- to fist-sized rocks
• Singletrack: purpose-built and natural singletrack, at times very loose, with golf ball- to head-sized rocks, roots, volcanic ash and petrified lava (smooth and rough) sections
• Forest trails: dirt tracks crossed with roots and sometimes very narrow through the trees
• Trail surfaces on our mountain bike tour Chile and Patagonia may be dry and sandy, for example on volcanic ash, or muddy, depending on the weather, and you will encounter river crossings

Training for the International Yeti Gathering

To get the most out of the Yeti Gathering Chile you should plan plenty of training in advance of your tour.

You will experience altitudes of up to 2,500m when mountain biking in Chile and northern Patagonia, and lots of climbing, so be prepared for that!

The ideal bikes for the trails is Chile are the Yeti MT, LT, SB140, SB150, SB135, SB120 LunchRide edition or similar.

To join the International Yeti Gathering you must ride a Yeti. As we do not have access to a fleet of Yeti bikes for rent, you must travel with you own bike. If you haven’t done this before, have some handy tips on how to do this.

To ensure you don’t have any downtime, make sure that your bike has been properly serviced before the trip.

The 2027 International Yeti Gathering in Chile will bring together a maximum of 25 Yeti Freaks, including representatives from Yeti Cycles.

The International Yeti Gathering in Chile caters for a wide age range of Yeti fans; typically between 30 – 65 years old.

Regardless of age, you must have the appropriate level of physical fitness and mountain biking skills to participate in this adventure. Please refer to clause 14 of our terms and conditions of booking to find more information on rider age.

This International Yeti Gathering Chile is a guided mountain bike adventure, ideal for intermediate+ mountain bikers. Riding here, amongst active volcanoes, lava fields, and bamboo forests you’ll experience some long, tough climbs and descents, as well as some lovely flowing singletrack and double track.

The distances we cover each day range from 20km to 45km, in accordance with the technical difficulty of the trails and height gain/ loss on each stage.

Each evening your guides will chat with you about the following day’s mountain biking and give you an idea of the sorts of trails you can look forward to. If there’s anything you feel anxious about, your guides will be happy to discuss it with you.

No, you only need to carry a 16 litre back pack with you whilst riding.

You will have a support vehicle and driver who will transfer your luggage to your next accommodation when transferring onwards to your next accommodation.

Your guide will be very happy to give you some bike skills help during your trip to help improve your confidence and your enjoyment of your mountain bike tour in Chile.

If there is a section that you would prefer not to ride, then you can simply hop off your bike and walk. You won’t be the only one to walk certain sections and it’s not a competition in biking ability; it’s a mountain bike holiday!

Your mountain bike guides are local to the Lakes and Volcanoes region and experienced professionals who have a real passion for mountain biking and for the culture and landscape of Chile and Northern Patagonia.

Your safety is their number one priority, closely followed by your enjoyment of the International Yeti Gathering. They will always be on-hand to answer any questions or requests you may have throughout your trip. 

Throughout the International Yeti Gathering we will be staying in a range of accommodation, including small, family-owned lodges and hotels. This will give you a flavour of real life in these areas. 

All meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 8 are included in the price.

Read the full kit list to find out what you need to pack for your mountain bike adventure in Chile.

Yes, you will have the chance to have laundry done at most of your accommodations.

Unfortunately not. We are working hard to provide each and every customer who rides with us an unparalleled mountain bike experience in every destination we ride. This takes years of experience, riding and planning to get right, and a drone adds a very real danger to the group’s riding experience and health & safety. 

Chile’s primary airport for international travel is Aeropuerto Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) in Santiago, and there are many airlines flying to Santiago from Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.

From Santiago you can then take an internal flight to Temuco, which is where our guide team will meet you on day 1.

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

Travellers from North American/Canada may be able to catch your onward flight from Santiago the same evening, but if you are travelling from Europe/ Australasia you will need to book a night in a hotel in Santiago to catch your connecting flight the following day.

Here are some handy tips and video on how to pack your bike for travel.

Visas

No advance visa application is needed for entry into Chile. South American countries and EU member countries don’t need a visa for Chile, and there is no reciprocity fee.

Australian and New Zealand citizens entering Chile for tourism purposes will be charged a processing fee payable on arrival. Cash and credit card accepted.

US and Canada citizens no longer need to pay the reciprocity fee to enter Chile. A valid USA or Canada passport is required for travelling as a tourist for 90 days.

Upon entering the country, visitors receive a 90-day tourist visa that can be extended for another 90 days.

All travellers should consult the relevant government website to satisfy themselves of their requirements for entering and leaving Chile.

Arrival and departure details

Your mountain bike tour Chile starts in Temuco, which sits between Santiago and Pucón.

You should arrive in Temuco the day before the start date of the International Yeti Gathering Chile to allow yourself time to recover from your journey and adjust to local time, so that you’re ready to commence your trip early on day 1.

You should stay at the Best Western Ferrat Hotel in Temuco, as this is where our guides will meet you the following morning.

On the final day of your adventure we will aim to arrive at Puerto Montt airport by 11am to catch your onward flights.

If you wish to spend extra time in Chile, we have this handy guide to spending 24 hours in Santiago.

Our mountain bike guides in Chile are of the highest level.

They are qualified in first-aid and they have the knowledge and experience to lead a group safely in these remote, wild and beautiful parts of Chile and Northern Patagonia.

Our guides have years of experience in the saddle on the trails of Chile and will be able to enhance your holiday with facts and fables on local history, flora and fauna. They’re also genuinely nice people and will do their best to make sure that everyone in the group has a great time.

The majority of accommodation that we use on this mountain biking adventure in Chile is family-owned and operated guest houses, lodges and small hotels. We have researched these areas extensively to select the most comfortable accommodation in the region, and have planned the itinerary accordingly.

Please note that single rooms are not available on this International Gathering. You will share a room with another rider of the same gender. 

The food you’ll enjoy in Chile and Northern Patagonia is locally-sourced and home-made, and includes favourites such as lamb, wild boar, venison, salmon, avocados, artichokes, and plenty of cake!

Currently, no vaccines or medical examinations are required for entering Chile.

The water in Chile is generally safe for consumption, however, it’s recommended that you drink bottled water for the first few days.

There are high-quality medical centres, clinics and hospitals, especially in bigger cities like Temuco, Puerto Montt and Santiago.

In the event of an earthquake or strong tremor, remain calm and follow the instructions of your guide or driver. People in Chile are used to natural disasters and know how to behave and what to expect in each situation, so stick with your guiding team and do as they say.

Your health and safety on tour is our top priority and when you travel with us you will be covered by Global Rescue emergency medical and evacuation services.

You should always consult your own doctor or physician before travelling to new countries to seek their advice on matters concerning your health abroad.

The official currency of Chile is the Chilean Peso, with bills of 1,000, 2,000, 50,000, 10,000 and 20,000 pesos. Most international credit cards are accepted, but we would recommend having a cash backup of 10,000 pesos on hand at all times.

Tipping

It is not compulsory to tip your guides or drivers in Chile, but it is much appreciated. We suggest a tip of 5%-10% of the cost of your tour could be paid to your guiding team, if you feel that they have provided an excellent experience and service on your mountain bike tour Chile with us.

It is not compulsory to tip in restaurants, however should you wish to tip your servers, 10% – 15% of your meal cost would be acceptable.

You are required as a condition of booking to be insured against medical and personal accident risks. In this policy you must include cover for mountain biking and we recommend that you take out a policy which covers trip cancellation, and baggage loss/ damage, including your bike.

The minimum fee for cancelling your tour with us is your deposit, so it is essential that you take out suitable travel insurance to cover you should something happen that prevents you from taking part in your tour with us.

We work with Global Rescue whose policies are specially designed for adventure travel and you can arrange your insurance cover directly with them.