Riding Ecuador's Avenue of Volcanoes

It is not often in life that you can say you've cycled up, down and around several volcanoes in just 10 days. But that is exactly what happens on this Ecuador tour! Stretching from the capital Quito to the edge of the Amazon basin, the "Avenue of Volcanoes" is a high-altitude world of giant cones, wind-swept ridges, sheer canyons, green valleys and indigenous villages. This is a bucket-list mountain bike tour designed for those who want to go remote without sacrificing comfort in the heart of the Ecuadorian Andes.

The tour begins in Quito with an acclimatisation ride on a traffic-free Sunday to discover Latin America's best-preserved Spanish colonial old town. Then it's into the great outdoors for six back-to-back riding days on a mix of dirt, gravel, singletrack and rural roads. Early highlights include the mighty Cotopaxi Volcano, lush Andean patchwork farms clinging to the mountainsides, and the sacred crater lake of Quilotoa.

Riders then unwind in the colourful highland town of Salinas de Guaranda before an epic descent from Chimborazo Volcano, the closest point on the planet to the sun. A final transition leads into the subtropical cloud forests surrounding Baños, the "Gateway to the Amazon", before returning to Quito for a final night. No rest days are built in, though afternoons are free throughout, and a Galápagos Islands extension can be added on request.

Highlights:

• Ride through Cotopaxi National Park beneath one of the world's highest active volcanoes
• Descend from the sacred crater lake of Quilotoa along the Toachi River Canyon
• Ride high ridges of the Central Sierra to the artisan town of Salinas de Guaranda
• Descend from Chimborazo Volcano, the point on Earth closest to the sun
• Transition from high páramo to subtropical cloud forest riding into Baños
• Explore Quito's UNESCO-listed colonial Old Town on a car-free Sunday cycle

Surface and terrain:
Roughly 25% paved, 75% unpaved (dirt, gravel, singletrack), often at altitudes up to 4,000m. Terrain is mountainous throughout, with sustained climbs and descents daily. Average climbing is 922m/day. Mountain bike handling skills are essential; no rest days are scheduled.

Weather:
Andean highland climate shaped by altitude more than season. Dry season June–September, wetter October–May with possible year-round afternoon showers. Temperatures typically 8–22°C, colder mornings and evenings. Fog is common on the Avenue of Volcanoes; layers are essential.

Suitable for:
Rated "Active" difficulty. Requires good physical fitness, mountain bike experience and comfort riding at altitude (up to 4,000m). No overly technical sections, but sustained concentration is needed on unpaved terrain. Group size 4–14, minimum age 18.