OUTDOOR and EXTREME are words on everybody´s lips these days in Chile. Whether or not people know what they really mean doesn’t really matter but they are everywhere - in adverts for jeans and SUVs and even political candidates trying to convey the idea of being hard working down-to-earth people.
But leaving aside misuse of these concepts, the fact that Chile is starting to transform itself into a “country of outdoor sports” is a truth most people are happy with.
Chile’s natural geographical characteristics, its remoteness and the huge areas of almost unspoiled wilderness make the country an ideal destinations for those travelers setting out in search of thrills and adventure. The number of Chileans practicing adventure sports is also increasing rapidly. This has had several consequences. The need for good equipment resulted in more local outdoor stores although choice remains limited and prices relatively high. More importantly there are an increasing number of trained guides and instructors ready to lead groups in activities which are still unknown to most Chileans: mountain climbing, whitewater rafting, sea-kayaking, mountain biking and fly-fishing to mention just the most popular examples. This new trend has also led to the rise of outdoor sports companies in Chile, something that was hard to imagine just a decade ago. The rise of outdoor sports in Chile has also given visitors the chance to see a different and more exciting side of the country.
Spectrum of Chile’s diversity of landscape and lifestyles
Seeing Chile over the handlebars
Tourism in Chile has often implied large groups of foreigners in big, comfortable buses following the “gringo trail,” eating traditional food and drinking plenty of excellent Chilean wine. For visitors wanting to get out and see the real Chile, there have been very few alternatives. Today this is changing as people with a different view of what tourism could be have entered the business. There have been challenges, combining the quality of service with good transportation, language, properly trained guides and decent equipment as well as finding the best locations.
While in other parts of the world, mountain biking as a business dates back to the nineteen seventies, in Chile, barring a few exceptions, cycling trips have become available during in the last five to six years.
Their programs are normally excellent good although practices may differ slightly from what visitors are used to in their home country. But for people who like to be active, cycling in Chile, whether on back-roads in the north, south or center of the country can be an excellent way to meet local people and see a side of the country most visitors miss out on.
While other outdoor sports in Chile are limited to specific seasons, cycling in Chile is possible all year round. Whether you are in Chile on holiday or on business, cycling trips are a recommendable option.
Below we look at some of the most popular circuits in and around Santiago.
From Santiago for the Day:
a) La Campana National Park: Leaving from Santiago in a private minibus, the trip starts in the small town of Ocoa and takes in country roads and trails around the La Campana National Park.
- USD$ 65 p/ person (groups of 4 - 5 people)
- Services provided: Transportation, bikes, guide and lunch
b) Cycling & Wine Tasting: Leaving from Santiago in a private minibus, we will cycle along amazing trails on the largest vineyards in the San Antonio Valley about an hour from the capital. Includes lunch and a visit to winery and a chance to sample their fine wines.
- USD$ 80 p/ person (groups of 4 – 5 people / All levels)
- Services Provided: Transportation, bikes, guide and lunch. Tour of winery and wine tasting.
c) Colonial towns of the Aconcagua Valley: Leaving from Santiago in a private minibus, this easy and pleasant trail takes through the small and narrow paved streets and roads of the valley´s colonial towns. We will see plenty of Chile´s traditional adobe houses and make special visits to the town of Almendral and to a well-known local vineyard for a tasting.
- USD$ 80 p/ person (groups of 4 - 5 people / All levels)
- Services Provided: Transportation, bikes, guiding & lunch. Tour of winery and wine tasting.
Multi-day trips from Santiago:
d) Wine Valleys and the Ocean: An interesting two-day cycling trip through Chile´s wine-producing valleys and coastal roads. We spend the first day cycling along trails in a major vineyard before lodging at a pleasant coastal resort. We spend the second day wheeling along back roads to the small fishing village of Quintay.
US$ 250 p/ Person (groups of 4 – 5 people / All levels)
Services Provided: Transportation from Santiago, lodging, all meals, bikes and tour of vineyard.
e) Coastal Route from Pichilemu – Rural Tourism (2 days): Leave from Santiago in a private minibus. After enjoying a pleasant lunch at an ocean-side restaurant, we cover twenty miles along country roads to spend the night at a private seaside home. On the second day, we visit the fishing town of Bucalemu 25 miles away. After lunch, we drive back to Santiago through Colchagua valley, a center for wine production.
USD$ 200 p/ Person (groups of 4 – 5 people / All levels)
Services Provided: Transportation from Santiago, lodging, all meals, bikes and guide.
f) Cycling in the Hurtado and Elqui valleys (Valle de Elqui 3 days):
Leave from Santiago in a private minibus although air travel is possible.
Day 1: Leave from Ovalle along the Hurtado Valley. Lodge in Hurtado.
Day 2: Cycle through Tres Cruces pass to reach Vicuña. Night in pleasant hotel.
Day3: Driver back to Santiago via La Serena, stopping at seaside restaurant for lunch.
USD$ 350 p/ Person (groups of 4 – 5 people / All levels)
Services Provided: Transportation from Santiago, lodging, all meals, bikes and guide.
Cycling in Chile´s regions
- The Lake District, visiting the Araucaria Forests and the world of the indigenous Mapuche people (7 days)
- Cycling along the Southern Highway (7 days)
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