- Cycle around much-loved Andean lakes including Lago Llanquihue and Lago Frías
- Ride the scenic Seven Lakes Road cycling route to San Martin
- See ancient monkey puzzle trees in Conguillio National Park
- Enjoy free time in Bariloche to hike or go rafting
- Visit the Batea Mahuida volcano crater in Villa Pehuenia
![Cycling the Lake District of Chile & Argentina](https://res.cloudinary.com/enchanting/q_80,f_auto,c_lfill,x_w_mul_0.45,y_h_mul_0.4,g_xy_center,w_360,h_270/exodus-web/2021/12/25846.jpg)
Cycling the Lake District of Chile & Argentina
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- Cycling the Lake District of Chile & Argentina
Reviews
Add your own reviewGood
Inspirational, beautiful, very well supported and organised, wonderful lodgings, good healthy food and moderate to challenging for active multi-sport persons. Highly recommend.
Most Inspirational Moment
Achieving the Andes crossing to puerto blest and cycling camino de Los siete Lagos and in Conguillio national park
Thoughts on Group Leader
Tai was super professional, very informative, fun to be with, supportive and conscientious and always in a good mood.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take good quality hot, wet and cool gear even if like us you are super lucky and don’t have to face torrential rain or strong wind. Prepare to swim in cool unspoilt lakes.
Beautiful trip, great leaders
There is some stunning scenery on this trip, and a good mix of tarmac and gravel riding. Some of the gravel is harder going than others but the team really looked after us – no pressure on pace, and lots of options to hop on the bus or walk a little. Coffee stops and lunch were well paced. I highly recommend this trip which also included a nice amount of chill time in the evenings, and a couple of free days.
Most Inspirational Moment
The conguillio national park. The volcano, gravel tracks, lagoons, monkey puzzle trees, and eco lodge were all amazing!
Thoughts on Group Leader
An amazing team!!
Cycling the Lake District of Chile and Argentina
Thoroughly enjoyable, wonderful scenery, great guides, excellent food and beers (reminiscent of Belgian style). The cycling is physically demanding.
Most Inspirational Moment
Looking out over the Andes from window of Hotel Alma Del Lago in Bariloche. It was the most impressive view from a window that I have ever seen.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Taiel was completely excellent. Skilled, knowledgable, competent and affable.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take your own bike saddle!
great holiday with fantastic scenery
I did this trip October 2022. It was great fun, with amazing views and interesting cycling. There were 2 long tarmac downhills which were exhilerating. I took the bus rather than do the long steep dirt road section over the border crosing – the other 7 in our group all managed that uphill, but the bus followed the same route. Our guides were great; father and two sons team, as well as the yellow school bus. I was very glad I took walking boots for the two free days, (volcano climb and ski resort climb near Bariloche) although more sure footed people could have done it in trainers. Food was very good; hotels a mix of quirky and luxurious. Do not miss the chocolate factory in Bariloche. We had a very sociable group, lubricated with local wines and beers. Bring your best camera and cycling shorts.
A fabulous trip … we’ll worth the wait
A fabulous cycling trip around the Los Lagos region of Chile & Argentina – gorgeous scenery, plenty of lakes, mountains, rivers, volcanoes, roads, gravel, dust, lava, monkey puzzle trees, sand, sunshine and a couple of border crossings.
Most Inspirational Moment
Difficult to single out a single moment, but cycling amongst volcanoes is something I don’t get to experience at home. The descent into St Martin de Los Andes was wonderful too, especially after all the hard work of the previous few days.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Diego, Karina and Mateus were all great. The group leader, Diego, was very friendly and helpful throughout, as were Karina and Mateus. Diego always stayed behind the group to ensure our safety, and was good company whenever I was at the back .. which was quite often!
Advice for Potential Travellers
The trip was rated moderate to challenging which was a fair rating. There was a lot of climbing but no more than expected based on the ride details in the trip notes. The gravel sections were more gruelling than I’d anticipated, and were quite long (in terms of time if not distance). Many of the early reviews refer to the gravel and now I can see why. However, even though I usually ride on roads rather than rough gravel, I’m so glad I didn’t let the gravel put me off. Yes, it was challenging, but the scenery was fabulous and I had a huge sense of satisfaction when I’d finished, so don’t let it out you off. Also, don’t worry unduly about day 3 … short in distance but lots of climbing. There are options, including being able to put the bike in the truck and walking up the steep bit, which meant I could do the whole day under my own steam.
Beautiful Scenery Tough Gravel Roads
The volcanos and the snow covered mountains are incredible. The guides were great and helpful in every way. But the “gravel” roads were tough, from river stones in Chile to washboard roads in Argentina. The pace on the gravel roads is very slow which meant that we spent lots of hours on arm and butt pounding roads.
Most Inspirational Moment
The views are unbelievable. From the first volcano to the last, I cannot describe. the beauty.
Thoughts on Group Leader
They were fantastic. Even when we gave up riding the gravel roads, they took great care of us.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Just be ready for very rough gravel roads.
A memorable journey
This was our first adventure with Exodus, but we are not new to cycle touring having used several other tour companies in the past. This was also our first time in South America and it was memorable for many reasons – the stunning scenery, the excellent guides and the surprising amount of rough surfaces we had to ride on.
Most Inspirational Moment
Waking up in the mornings and looking out at exceptional views in so many locations. The scenery in this part of the world is part Alps, part Dolomites, part Rocky Mountains, part South Island New Zealand. Then add perfect volcanoes and you've got the Lake District of Chile and Argentina! Riding the valley between Peulla and the border pass was my most breathtaking memory, partly because we saw our first condor, and partly because it was such joy not to be in yesterday's pouring rain! Conguillio National Park is the icing on the cake - so stunning it's hard to describe, and so different from the rest of the experience. On day one, because of the rain, our guides arranged a tour of Teatro del Lago. This should be part of the tour, it was an outstanding experience.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader was Alejandro and he was exceptional. His side-kicks Yal and Diego were too. The three made such a great team. We've never been disappointed with tour leaders, and these three were top-notch, and so much fun to be around.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Yes, plenty. There was so much good about this tour from the leaders to the scenery to the hotels to the food, but if you are a road cyclist then you might be in for a surprise. I know the trip notes say there's 26% of unpaved tracks but that doesn't even begin to describe how rough some of the cycling is. It's more like 30% anyway, and given the time it takes to navigate we reckon we may have spent 50% of our riding time on unpaved surfaces. You need to be prepared for this. There are only two days out of the nine riding days that are entirely spent on paved roads - and they are both heavenly rides, listed as day 7 and day 9 in the trip notes. There are also two days that are entirely unpaved from start to finish, that's day 4 and day 12. Strange there's no mention of this in the trip notes regarding individual days! These days were difficult, and yet they were also the must stunningly beautiful. The advice from our leader to lower your saddle when negotiating steep unpaved downhills with rocks and boulders was extremely helpful and made us feel safer. Quite a bit of walking was happening too. Everyone was in the same boat, but those with off-road experience obviously fared better. There's considerable elevation gain on this tour too. Funny that's not mentioned in the trip notes either. Cycling trip notes with daily distances but without daily elevation gains seems incomplete to us. We made enquiries and eventually got the daily elevations sent to us. Suggest you do the same. They are anywhere from 230 m to 984 m. It is hilly, every day!
Cycling in Argentina and Chile Lake District
Overall a good trip with generally good accommodation throughout. Exceptional level of support from the brothers Ti and Yal together with the driver Mathias. There is more ‘down’ time than on previous Exodus trips of all sorts which is something to note. The focus is very much on scenery rather than a different culture which you are likely to get in Asia, for example. Compared with some grade 4 trips that I have done recently, this tends to be on the lower end of the scale (in my view), but please be aware of the amount of cycling on gravel.
Most Inspirational Moment
The first few days cycling were pleasant enough but the first day that provided a satisfying ride was on the '7 Lakes route'. However, cycling into the final National Park, amongst the lava flows and alongside the stunning volcano was without doubt the best day. The final lodge was also in a lovely setting.
Thoughts on Group Leader
As mentioned above, Ti was one of the best leaders that I have had. I am usually at the back of the group and spending time with both Ti and his brother Yal was always interesting and enjoyable.
Advice for Potential Travellers
It is unusual to have one day off let alone two as is the case here, on an Exodus holiday. If you want to do one of the typical trips (water rafting, kayaking, hot springs etc) then you are OK. If you want to walk, then it is more challenging to get the right level / accuracy of information. This is a notable surprise for the Refugio Frey walk which is mentioned in the trip notes. If you do not use WhatsApp, then it is more difficult to get the information on the route, options for days off etc. You will need to spend more time with the leader to obtain this information.
Cycle Lake District of Chile & Argentina : Great trip through stunning scenery
Another terrific Exodus cycle trip comprising a mix of on & off road riding, flat & hilly sections in scenery that is simply beautiful. Enthusiastically led by Tai, ably assisted by his younger brother Yal, & side-kick Mattieu (the quiet one), our group of 16 bonded on the first evening, were buddies by lunch on the second day and firm friends thereafter. Excellent sea food and of course, steaks to be had and at bargain prices in Argentina due to the devaluation of their peso. Chile was more UK priced. Turquoise lakes & snow capped volcanoes were the centrepiece, topped off with the two day stay at the Eco lodge in the Conguillo National Park. We simply did not want to leave.
Most Inspirational Moment
As ever there were so many. Day 1: the view from the plane window as we flew alongside the Andes in the final run into Santiago. Day 2 : The sight of not one but three snow capped volcanoes from the lake shore by our first night's hotel set the tone for the superb scenery to come : a mix of Norwegian fjord, Scottish loch & English Lake with added volcano. Day 4: the first ferry ride and the discovery of an excellent hotel in the wilderness close to the frontier post - we were expecting a youth hostel given the remote location. Day 5: the off road climb to the frontier, and the supportive way in which all those at the top cheered on those further back as they arrived. Plus the rapid downhill that followed. Day 6 : The coastal ride round to Bariloche, passing Tai & Yal's house en route. Day 7 : the largest & tastiest steaks ever at Don Alberto's in Bariloche - not to be missed, plus lunch atop the view point at Cerro Campanario. Day 8: Racing along the downhill section of Route 40 (Argentina's Route 66) into San Martin. Day 10: the impromptu detour to spend the afternoon at the Termas (hot springs) en route to Pucon. Days 11 & 12 riding into and through the landscapes of the Conguillo National Park (volcano on my left, emerald lake on my right, monkey puzzle forest ahead of me - where do I look ?).
Thoughts on Group Leader
With perfect English, Tai & Yal (despite their youth - mid twenties) were experienced, enthusiastic and capable leaders. Tai, in particular, managed well the different personalities on the trip which comprised five couples, three pals and three singles aged from late thirties to early seventies. He made sure everyone was comfortable riding their way depending on fitness, terrain & general inclination. His restaurant & even individual dish recommendations were consistently excellent. He was confident in his role and thus able to flex the itinerary as circumstances (weather or indeed our whims) dictated. As a strong cyclist he readily earned the respect of those who tried to take him on. Fortunately, his skills as a qualified paramedic did not need to be tested.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The November weather was mixed - Take layers so as to be able to cater for hot, cold & in between - plus rain. On some days there was much adding and removing of kit, with Yal or Mati magically on hand at the right moment to deliver to or collect it from you. This is also true off the bike with cool winds from Patagonia belying bright sunshine at times. The road sections are straightforward with drivers polite, separate cycle tracks on larger roads and wide verges to ride on minor ones. Off road sections are not particularly technical (I'm no mountain biker) and, taken at whatever pace you feel comfortable, readily ridden on the new Specialized hard-tail mountain bikes supplied. Food-wise the emphasis is meat and fish with pasta/pizza available but vegetarian food is a bit limited. Good range of beer and wine to be had and we rekindled our love of Pisco Sour developed on last year's Peru trip.
One bike - two countries.
The snow-clad volcanoes and emerald lakes of the Andes mountains.
Gravel tracks, black lava fields and ancient forests of monkey puzzle trees.
Most Inspirational Moment
Crossing the Andes by bike: not once but twice!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Tai and his younger brother Yal worked tirelessly to support the group. They gave a clear briefing on each day's itinerary and generated Stava maps to show the route. On the road they shepherded us through the traffic and managed to control both those keenest to reach our destination and those more content to just enjoy the scenery and walk the hills. They coped very well with the inevitable problems which occurred: our punctures; occasional falls; late transfers; variable accommodation; wet weather; etc, etc. They were always ready to chat with the group and explain about the local people, their history and culture .
Advice for Potential Travellers
The trip notes are not always updated and itineraries may well change. Our mountain bikes were very good but with limited space for carrying spare kit or a camera. Although the support vehicle was close at hand, you might consider a ruck-sac or handlebar bag useful. Research beforehand. More options are available for your free days than may be advertised. We really enjoyed excursions to Mount Tronador from Bariloche and later to Huerquehue National Park from Pucon. Take a good camera with a wide angle lens as the landscapes are stunning. And it also pays to get up early for the dawn light. Breakfasts are sometimes meagre but expect your waistline to expand: portions for lunch and dinner are huge! ATM's in Argentina restrict you to 4,000 ARS and cost a lot to use. Santander Rio have branches in all the towns we visited. If you have an account, it gives you a much better rate. Spend a few days in Buenos Aires if you have the chance. It's pretty safe and easy to get around. There's some lovely Art Nouveau architecture, a lively café-culture, craft markets at the weekend, fine Opera and bookshops, tango dinner dances and lots of urban art. We would recommend a 5-hour cycle trip: Hidden Graffiti And Urban Art Tour.
Start
Finish
Availability
Land Only Trip Price
Optional Single Supplement
Sunday Saturday
03 Nov 2024 02 Nov 2024
Friday Saturday
15 Nov 2024 16 Nov 2024
Availability
Sold Out
Land Only Trip Price £ 3999 £ 5499
Optional Single Supplement
+£ 690
Available upon Request
Availability
This departure is guaranteed to go ahead and is now fully booked, although we may have people holding spaces without payment. Please contact our Sales team for further information.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
17 Nov 2024 16 Nov 2024
Friday Saturday
29 Nov 2024 30 Nov 2024
Availability
Sold Out
Land Only Trip Price £ 3999 £ 5499
Optional Single Supplement +£ 690
Availability
This departure is guaranteed to go ahead and is now fully booked, although we may have people holding spaces without payment. Please contact our Sales team for further information.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
22 Dec 2024 21 Dec 2024
Friday Saturday
03 Jan 2025 04 Jan 2025
Availability
Sold Out
Land Only Trip Price £ 3999 £ 5899
Optional Single Supplement +£ 690
Availability
This departure is guaranteed to go ahead and is now fully booked, although we may have people holding spaces without payment. Please contact our Sales team for further information.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
05 Jan 2025 04 Jan 2025
Friday Saturday
17 Jan 2025 18 Jan 2025
Availability
Available
Land Only Trip Price £ 4199 £ 6249 Book with £ 1049 deposit Book with £ 1562 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 730
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
19 Jan 2025 18 Jan 2025
Friday Saturday
31 Jan 2025 01 Feb 2025
Availability
Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 4199 £ 6249 Book with £ 1049 deposit Book with £ 1562 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 730
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
09 Feb 2025 08 Feb 2025
Friday Saturday
21 Feb 2025 22 Feb 2025
Availability
Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 4199 £ 5799 Book with £ 1049 deposit Book with £ 1449 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 730
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
02 Mar 2025 01 Mar 2025
Friday Saturday
14 Mar 2025 15 Mar 2025
Availability
Available
Land Only Trip Price £ 4199 £ 5799 Book with £ 1049 deposit Book with £ 1449 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 730
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
30 Mar 2025 29 Mar 2025
Friday Saturday
11 Apr 2025 12 Apr 2025
Availability
Available
Land Only Trip Price £ 4199 £ 5799 Book with £ 1049 deposit Book with £ 1449 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 730
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
12 Oct 2025 11 Oct 2025
Friday Saturday
24 Oct 2025 25 Oct 2025
Availability
Available
Land Only Trip Price £ 4199 £ 5999 Book with £ 1049 deposit Book with £ 1499 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 730
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
02 Nov 2025 01 Nov 2025
Friday Saturday
14 Nov 2025 15 Nov 2025
Availability
Guaranteed (Available)
Land Only Trip Price £ 4199 £ 5849 Book with £ 1049 deposit Book with £ 1462 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 730
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
16 Nov 2025 15 Nov 2025
Friday Saturday
28 Nov 2025 29 Nov 2025
Availability
Available
Land Only Trip Price £ 4199 £ 5849 Book with £ 1049 deposit Book with £ 1462 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 730
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
30 Nov 2025 29 Nov 2025
Friday Saturday
12 Dec 2025 13 Dec 2025
Availability
Available
Land Only Trip Price £ 4199 £ 6099 Book with £ 1049 deposit Book with £ 1524 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 730
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesSunday Saturday
21 Dec 2025 20 Dec 2025
Friday Saturday
02 Jan 2026 03 Jan 2026
Availability
Available
Land Only Trip Price £ 4199 £ 6199 Book with £ 1049 deposit Book with £ 1549 deposit
Optional Single Supplement +£ 730
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesWould you like to include flights with your booking?
- ATOL protected
- Competitive flight prices
- Full refunds in the event of FCDO cancellations or major disruption at your UK departure airport
- Specialist support to rearrange flights and transfers
- Regional flights available from many UK airports
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