Beyond Andes Cycling Tours

Colombia has a rich cultural heritage and is both ethnically and ecologically diverse, the people here are friendly, curious and engaging. Colombia’s difficult past is now behind them. Today the countryside of Colombia is a safe, welcoming, culturally diverse and an inspiring place to travel. Our journey starts in a city known as the (South American Athens) on a high plateau called the Altiplano Cundiboyacense located in the Eastern Cordillera of the Colombian Andes. The capital of Colombia, Bogotá (2600m) is an important cultural and educational center, with many theaters, libraries, universities and museums. To the East, North and South of the city is the worlds largest continuous Paramo (Moorland) ecosystem.

Our Emerald Road’s tour starts and finishes in Bogotá, and takes us in 19 days into what we consider to be some of the best regions of Colombia. From the high altitude land of Boyaca to the lowerland Coffee Cultural (Cafetero region) of Quindio and the Green mountainous regions of Caldas and Antioquia. We explore the vibrant cities of Bogotá, Manizales and Medellin and visit a host of beautiful small friendly authentic villages such as Filandia and San Carlos. Join us for this incredible road cycling tour that will challenge and reward you in ways unimaginable, in a country that loves cycling and celebrates their champion world class riders with passion.

Highlights

• Riding the Ciclovia in Bogota..
• Riding the Best of Colombia through the Boyaca, Caldas, Tolima, Quindio and Antioquia regions.
• Sight seeing and visiting Bogota (including 2 walking tours).
• 3 Days at the Tour Colombia UCI Race (February Tour only)
• Riding around Colombia’s largest natural Lake, Laguna Tota.
• Riding the majestic Alto Letras (the 3rd longest paved climb in the world).
• Staying a night at a Mountain Hot springs resort at 3500m in the shadow of Nevado del Ruiz Volcano.
• Visiting a traditional Colombian Coffee Plantation and staying on a Finca (Farm).
• Hiking the Valle de Cocora.
• Staying in small authentic Colombian Mountain villages
• Climbing El Penol in Guatape
• Sight seeing and visiting Medellin.
• Feel Good Factor. Making a difference. A percentage of all Tour proceeds goes back to the local communities we visit. We invite you to change other peoples lives while experiencing a trip of a lifetime

A region called the Altiplano, a place where the Andes are the widest and a city that is set in a canyon created by a river. La Paz is the highest (administrative seat of government) capital city in the world at 3650m (11,975ft). This aptly named Sky roads tour is truly at the top of the earth and takes us from here to the Tropical Andes Yunga’s forests (1000m) and back again while riding through some of the most stunning landscapes in the Bolivian Andes. This road cycling tour will challenge you with some epic climbs and descents, and then reward you in spectacular fashion taking you to the largest Lake in South America, Lake Titicaca the birth place of the Incas.

Highlights:

• Sight seeing and visiting central La Paz, the Markets, Churches and Museums. Traveling La Paz on the amazing Telefericos
• Descending and ascending the New Yunga’s road (the 4th longest paved climb in the world).
• Staying a night in the Tropical Andes Yunga’s forest region at 1000m.
• 9 Road cycling days for 480k (60k per day average) plus 1 day MTB 66k. Total 546k in 10 days.
• Staying 2 nights in an Eco Oasis in a small valley village at the foot of a 6300m peak.
• Hiking to a high mountain lake in the Cordillera Real
• Riding around part of Lake Titicaca.
• Two nights in Copacabana
• A boat trip on Lake Titicaca, visiting and hiking the Island of the Sun and Island of the Moon.
• Visiting the ancient site of Tiwanuku.
• Riding the Famous Death Road on an MTB
• Making a difference. A percentage of all Tour proceeds goes back to the local communities we visit. We invite you to change other peoples lives while experiencing a trip of a lifetime

A city and region that exists almost in two worlds simultaneously, the past and present of today’s modern world. This is the Cusco region of Peru. Join us to discover this historical centre of the Incan Empire and the Sacred Valley of the Incas while riding through some of the most beautiful, stunning and challenging roads in the Peruvian Andes including the Legendary Abra Lares, Amazing Abra Amparaes and the Majestic Abra Malaga. This is a life changing trip starting in the World Heritage City of Cusco (3399m), blended with amazing sight seeing side trips that will amaze and enlighten you, eventually leading to an unbelievable finish at one of the seven wonders of the world, Machu Picchu.

Highlights:

• Sight seeing the World Heritage City of Cusco the historic center of the Inca Empire (including 2 walking tours).
• Guided Tours of Cusco City ancient sites (including Qorikancha, Qinqo, Saqsayhuaman and the San Pedro Market)
• Guided Tours of the Sacred Valley ancient sites (including Ollantaytambo and the Pisaq ruins and traditional market)
• Guided Tours of Moray ancient site and Mara’s Salt mines.
• Staying a night in a Tropical Andes Cloud Forest Bird watching Sanctuary Lodge.
• Soaking in incredible mountain and valley hot springs.
• A night in Aquas Caliente (Machupicchu pueblo)
• Guided Tour of Machu Picchu, the incredible ancient Inca Citadel.
• Feel Good Factor. Making a difference. A percentage of all Tour proceeds goes back to the local communities we visit. We invite you to change other peoples lives while experiencing a trip of a lifetime

A region with volcanoes, hot springs, geysers, deserts and mountains often described as the Salvador Dali Desert with its surreal landscapes. This is the Eduardo Abaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve and Southwestern Altiplano of Bolivia. Home to eighty species of birds, ten reptiles and three of the six flamingo species in the world. We start in the high desert town of San Pedro de Atacama in Chile at 2400m then begin the Lagunas to Uyuni de Salar route in Bolivia at 4000m where we explore and camp under the giant expansive sky in this unique and incredible landscape. The terrain of this MTB / Gravel Bike expedition tour will challenge you, the elements will test you and finally lead to a place that defies description, the Salar de Uyuni the Largest Salt Lake in the world.

Highlights:

• We start in Northern Chile and finish in Southern Bolivia
• Visiting the largest geyser field in the southern hemisphere
• Soaking in high desert hot springs
• Camping beside high altitude lakes with flamingos and llamas
• 506k for 11 Days, Riding 9 days in the Southern Bolivia High Altiplano
• Staying in a luxury Salt Hotel
• Riding and camping on the worlds largest salt plain, Salar De Uyuni
• Making a difference. A percentage of all Tour proceeds goes back to the local communities we visit. We invite you to change other peoples lives while experiencing a trip of a lifetime.