Ancient araucaria forests. Smoking volcanoes. Hidden lagoons at the end of trails no map will ever show you. On our journey through the Araucanía you'll feel like the last explorer on earth.
You'll ride your enduro bike through lava fields, dense native forest and along crystal-clear Andean rivers. We'll ascend to wild bivouac camps under stars so bright they seem close enough to touch — then descend on trails we've ridden for years but never grow old.
You'll experience the living culture of the Mapuche people, share their land and their fire, and leave with a piece of the Araucanía inside you.
Fill out the form and we'll confirm your place within 24 hours. A 30% deposit secures your reservation — the rest is due 60 days before departure.
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7 days through the wildest corners of La Araucanía — volcanic ascents, secret downhill lines, ancient araucaria forests, and a Patagonian asado under the southern stars.
Price scales with group size — the more riders, the lower the cost per person. International flights not included.
We want you to have the best possible experience in the Araucanía, so it's important to be sure this is the right adventure for your level. Be honest with yourself.
You are an experienced mountain biker who rides regularly throughout the season. You are comfortable on steep, loose descents — volcanic singletrack, rooty forest trails, off-camber lines and long gravity-fed runs. You don't need to be a professional, but you should genuinely love riding in demanding conditions and be prepared to earn every descent with your own legs.
If you're unsure whether this expedition matches your level, contact us before booking. We'll be completely honest — your safety and enjoyment matter more than filling a spot.
Skill level: Advanced
Fitness level: 5 / 6
Please note: the skill level reflects the overall character of the trails. You will encounter sections that push your limits — that's the point. A full training guide is sent after booking.
Trail surfaces vary with weather — you may encounter dry volcanic ash, mud after rain and river crossings. Conditions are always briefed each morning before riding.
To get the most out of this expedition you should plan plenty of training in advance. You will be riding at altitude — up to 1,800m — with significant climbing on consecutive days under your own power.
What to focus on in the 8 weeks before departure:
After booking, we send you a specific training guide tailored to the terrain and altitude of this expedition.
You are responsible for bringing your own riding kit and personal gear. We keep the list tight — everything on it matters.
Riding kit (your responsibility):
Personal items:
A full detailed kit list with specific recommendations is sent after booking. Do not bring large suitcases — luggage is transferred by support vehicle throughout the expedition.
The ideal bike for the Araucanía is a quality full-suspension enduro or trail bike with 140–160mm of travel front and rear, a dropper seatpost, and enduro-style tires with robust sidewalls. The terrain is abrasive — petrified lava and volcanic rock eat through soft compounds fast. Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR or equivalent is strongly recommended.
If you wish to bring your own bike, it must be fully serviced before the trip — fresh bearings, brake bleed, full suspension service. Contact us before booking to coordinate logistics and transport.
If you prefer not to travel with your own bike, we provide rental of a high-quality full-suspension enduro bike for the full expedition. All rental bikes are maintained to professional race standards between every tour by our in-house mechanic.
Rental fleet specs:
Rental bike cost is included in your tour price. Suspension is tuned to rider weight during the pre-trip bike fit. We carry a full spare parts kit throughout the expedition.
We only run small group expeditions to ensure that everyone has the best experience possible. There will be a maximum of 6 riders in each group. The minimum number of riders required to run a departure is 2. If you want an exclusive private experience, we offer private departures for groups of 2 to 6 at adjusted rates.
Our enduro expedition attracts riders typically between 28 and 55 years old. Regardless of age, every participant must have the appropriate level of physical fitness and mountain biking skills to take part. Age is not a barrier — fitness and technical ability are. If you have any doubts, get in touch before booking and we'll be completely honest with you.
This is a guided enduro mountain bike expedition, ideal for advanced riders who want to experience genuine volcanic terrain far off the tourist trail. Riding through active volcanic landscapes, ancient araucaria forests and Mapuche community trails, you'll encounter serious climbs under your own power, long technical descents and some of the most remote singletrack in South America. This is not a leisurely cycling holiday — it is a proper backcountry enduro adventure.
The distances covered each day range from 20km to 45km, depending on the technical difficulty of the trails and the elevation gain and loss on each stage. Days with extreme technical terrain will cover less distance but demand more from your skills and fitness. Each evening your guides will walk you through the following day's ride and anything you should be aware of. If there is anything you feel anxious about, your guides will discuss it with you openly.
No. You only need to carry a small pack of up to 10 litres while riding — water, snacks, a layer and your personal essentials. Our support vehicle transfers all luggage to your next accommodation each day, so it is waiting for you on arrival. You ride free.
Your guides will be happy to offer technical coaching throughout the trip to build your confidence and improve your riding on the specific terrain you encounter. If there is a section you'd prefer not to ride, simply get off and walk — you won't be the only one. This is not a competition in riding ability. It's a mountain bike expedition, and every rider has their own limits.
Your guides — Sebastián and Jeremías — are born and raised in the Araucanía. They are experienced enduro riders and passionate local experts who have spent years exploring every trail, volcanic approach and Mapuche community track in this landscape. They hold Wilderness First Aid certification and carry satellite communicators on every ride. Your safety is their absolute priority, closely followed by making sure you have the best possible time.
You will stay in a mix of accommodation throughout the expedition — small family-owned mountain lodges and refugios hosted by local landowners and Mapuche community partners, plus 2 nights of vivac under the stars at high altitude. Lodges are simple, warm and chosen for their location and their people — not their star rating. This gives you an authentic taste of how life actually works in this part of Chile, far from the standard tourist circuit.
6 breakfasts, 6 trail rations and 5 dinners are included in the price of your expedition. On Day 3 — your free evening in Pucón — dinner is on your own account. Budget approximately €40–50 for that evening. All included meals are planned around your energy requirements and dietary needs, discussed during your pre-trip nutritional interview.
The ideal bike for Araucanía terrain is a good quality full-suspension mountain bike with 29" or 27.5" wheels, a dropper seat post, and 130–160mm of travel front and rear. Enduro style tires with robust sidewalls — such as the Maxxis Minion with EXO+ casing — are ideal for volcanic terrain. If you are renting from us, your bike will already be spec'd and set up for exactly this environment.
A full detailed kit list will be sent to you after booking confirmation. In summary: bring your own riding protection (helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, back protector), technical riding clothing (jersey, shorts with chamois, gloves, waterproof jacket) and cycling shoes.
Yes — you will have the opportunity to do laundry at most of the lodges along the route. On vivac nights in the field this is not possible, so plan your kit accordingly. Your post-booking kit list will include specific advice on what to bring for multi-day riding without laundry access.
Unfortunately not. We work hard to deliver an exceptional riding experience on every expedition — one that takes years of local knowledge, trail relationships and planning to get right. A drone adds very real risk to the group's riding experience and the safety of everyone on the trail. Additionally, several of the areas we ride through are protected Mapuche territory where drone use is not permitted. We ask that all participants respect this policy without exception.
This is exactly why travel insurance is mandatory — your policy should cover trip cancellation for any reason.
The Araucanía can be unpredictable — that's part of riding in a living volcanic landscape. We plan every route with weather contingencies built in and rides are never cancelled for light rain. If severe weather makes a specific route dangerous, your guides will select an alternative for that day. In the rare case of a complete weather day, the time is used for cultural activities, rest or exploring the local area.
Chile's primary international airport is Aeropuerto Arturo Merino Benítez (SCL) in Santiago, with direct connections from Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. From Santiago you take a domestic flight to Temuco (ZCO) — approximately 1 hour 15 minutes — and we pick you up there on Day 0.
Domestic flights within Chile are operated by LATAM, Sky Airline and JetSmart. Travellers from North America may connect from Santiago the same evening. Travellers from Europe or Australasia should plan an overnight in Santiago before the connecting flight.
Visas
We recommend consulting your government's official travel advisory website before departure to confirm your specific entry requirements for Chile.
Arrival and departure
Your expedition begins at Temuco Airport (ZCO) on Day 0. We recommend arriving the evening before — we pick you up at ZCO and transfer you to your hotel in Curacautín, the base for Day 1. On the final day of the expedition we will be in Pucón, from where you can arrange onward flights from Temuco or connect via Santiago.
Sebastián and Jeremías are local to the Araucanía — born here, riding here for years and deeply embedded in the communities along the route. They are qualified in Wilderness First Aid, carry satellite communicators on every ride, and have the experience and local knowledge to lead a group safely through these remote, wild and beautiful landscapes.
Beyond riding, they bring the expedition to life — stories of Mapuche history, the local flora and fauna of the araucaria forest, the geology of the volcanic terrain underfoot, and the relationships with landowners and families that make access to these places possible. They are also genuinely good company, and their priority is making sure every rider in the group has the best possible time.
The majority of accommodation on this expedition is family-owned and operated — small mountain lodges, rural refugios and community-run guesthouses carefully selected for their location, warmth and local character. Two nights are spent under the stars on vivac at altitude. We have explored these areas extensively to select the best available accommodation along the route, and the itinerary is built around it.
Food in the Araucanía is locally sourced and honest — expect lamb, game, fresh fish, avocado, artichokes and baked goods made in the houses we stay in. All included meals are eaten together as a group. Your pre-trip nutritional interview ensures that your energy needs and any dietary requirements are planned for across every day of the expedition.
No vaccines or medical examinations are currently required for entry into Chile. Tap water is generally safe, though we recommend bottled water for the first few days. High-quality medical centres and hospitals are available in Temuco and other larger towns along the route.
The Araucanía sits in an active volcanic and seismic zone. In the event of an earthquake or tremor, remain calm and follow the instructions of your guide — people in Chile are experienced with natural events and your guiding team will always know what to do. Your safety is our absolute top priority at every point on the expedition.
Both guides carry full emergency kits including satellite communicators, emergency bivouac equipment and Wilderness First Aid supplies on every ride. We have detailed evacuation protocols for every route. We strongly recommend consulting your doctor before travel regarding any personal health considerations.
The official currency of Chile is the Chilean Peso (CLP). Most international credit and debit cards are accepted in towns and cities, but we recommend always having a cash backup of at least 10,000 CLP on hand for smaller establishments and rural areas along the route.
Tipping
Tipping is not compulsory in Chile but is genuinely appreciated. If your guides have delivered an outstanding experience, a tip of 5–10% of your tour price shared between the guiding team is a meaningful gesture. In restaurants, 10–15% is customary if the service has been good — it is never obligatory but always welcome.
Travel insurance is a mandatory condition of booking this expedition. Your policy must include cover for mountain biking activity, emergency medical treatment and evacuation. We also strongly recommend including cover for trip cancellation, curtailment and baggage — including your bike if you are travelling with one.
You will be required to provide confirmation of your insurance before departure. Do not book this expedition without appropriate cover — rescue from remote volcanic terrain is expensive and cannot be guaranteed without it. If you have any questions about what level of cover is appropriate, get in touch and we'll help you understand what to look for.
Want to ride with your own crew, as a couple, or solo? We offer private departures from just 2 riders on any of our tour dates, or we'll design a custom itinerary around your schedule. Perfect for those who want an earlier departure or a fully tailored route.
Get StartedThe Araucanía is our home. We've spent years riding, mapping and living these mountains. We know the people, the trails, the seasons and the stories that no guidebook will ever tell you. This land runs in our blood — and sharing it with you is what we do.
Before the riding begins, allow yourself a day to settle into the rhythm of southern Chile — shake off the journey, adjust to the mountain timezone, and let the anticipation build.
Fly into Temuco Airport (ZCO) — direct connections from Santiago (SCL) run several times daily on LATAM and Sky Airline. From the airport, it's a 35-minute transfer directly to the hotel. We'll provide full transfer details and a recommended shuttle service once you've secured your place on the tour.
We recommend checking in at Hotel Best Western Ferrat, where the whole group will gather on the morning of Day 1 for the welcome briefing. Central, comfortable, and close enough to the mountains that you can already feel them from the window.
This day is yours. Wander Temuco's streets, eat at a local restaurant serving southern Chilean cuisine, visit the city's galleries and plazas, or simply rest. The Araucanía rewards those who arrive with a clear head and fresh legs.
The adventure starts at the Hotel Best Western Ferrat. Your local MTB guides meet the group at 09:00 AM for a welcome briefing and coffee. Then we drive approximately two hours northeast toward Curacautín — the gateway to the UNESCO Kütralkura Geopark and the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve.
After a strategic lunch stop to fuel up, your guides will help you fit and fine-tune your bike. With everything dialled in, we begin riding toward the flanks of Volcán Lonquimay — a warm-up through volcanic soil that immediately immerses you in the raw geography of southern Chile.
The terrain here is unlike anything most riders have experienced: dark volcanic pumice underfoot, millennial araucaria trees overhead, the volcano's snow-capped cone visible at every ridge.
We transfer to our accommodation in the mountain village of Malalcahuello. Your first evening includes a cultural and gastronomic experience: regional dishes that celebrate the culinary identity of this volcanic corridor.
Late afternoon, the adrenaline kicks in. We ride our secret downhill spots on the outskirts of Malalcahuello — technical and flowing singletrack that only the locals know. Fast, natural, and surrounded by araucaria silhouettes against the fading sky.
Return to the lodge for a team dinner, equipment check for tomorrow, and the first of many nights falling asleep to the complete silence of the cordillera.
After a restorative mountain breakfast, we leave Malalcahuello and push deeper into the Andes toward Icalma — a remote lake town where time seems to stop among ancient araucarias.
The day's centrepiece is Batea Mahuida, a volcanic summit with panoramic views stretching from the Chilean lakes to the Argentine steppe. At the top, the reward is immediate: a natural, flowing freeride descent from the peak, surfing the volcanic terrain back down. No chairlifts, no shuttles. You earn this one.
We stop at a local restaurant to experience Pehuenche gastronomy — piñón-based dishes, hearty mountain food, authentic flavours from a community that has called this landscape home for generations.
The afternoon belongs to the Icalma Downhill: secret spots maintained by the local Pewenche community — off-radar, off-map, and technically demanding. Fast lines, natural jumps, forest corridors that open and close around you. This is the kind of riding that doesn't exist in any guidebook.
After breakfast overlooking Lago Icalma, we follow a scenic route south through Melipeuco, Cunco and the valleys flanking Volcán Villarrica — known as Rukapillan ("House of the Spirit") in Mapudungun — arriving in Pucón, one of Chile's most iconic adventure destinations.
We check in at our exclusive riders' hostal in Pucón and head straight to Sendero El Cerduó. The physical demand of the climb is immediately justified by the quality of the descent: natural lines built and maintained by the local community, weaving through native forest in a way that tests both your technique and your connection with the terrain.
The afternoon takes us to the flanks of Rukapillan — "House of the Spirit" in Mapudungun, known to the world as Volcán Villarrica — for a volcanic downhill session. Black lava rock, loose volcanic scree, and long gravity-fed lines with the smoking crater visible above you. Technical, fast, and unforgettable.
This is your night. Pucón has a lot to offer after dark — restaurants, bars, lake views. We give the group private time to relax, connect as riders, and explore at their own rhythm. Rest well: the next three days are the most physically intense of the entire expedition.
Today, the bikes stay behind. We pick up the group at 09:00 AM and transfer to a location we don't put on any public map — a remote refuge surrounded by millennial pewén forest, the sacred araucaria woodland of the Mapuche Pewenche people, far from the commercial trail network.
A climbing session on an ancient mountain rock formation — physical, technical, and deeply connected to the geological history of the region. No experience necessary, but a willingness to trust your hands and feet against stone that has been here for millennia.
We refuel with a lunch of traditional Chilean food prepared with local ingredients — a deliberate pause in the middle of wild terrain to celebrate the food culture of La Araucanía.
The afternoon opens into a trekking route through native forest toward lakes that rarely see visitors. The trail climbs to a 360° viewpoint — a natural mirador with unobstructed views of the Andean range. We time this for sunset.
As darkness settles, we reach our camp. No walls, no roof — just the open sky of the southern Andes, a forest that breathes around you, and the silence that only exists this far from the world. First vivac night of the expedition.
Waking up under an open sky after the first vivac night is its own kind of reset. After a proper mountain breakfast, we turn our attention to the bikes — and then to the summit.
In a private clearing deep within the forest, we run an intensive technical session focused on jumps, progressions, and advanced bike control — designed to unlock confidence before the final big day of descending. Small groups, patient coaching, your own pace.
We set off toward a high-altitude lake that barely appears on any map — accessible only on foot through demanding terrain. Every difficult metre is repaid in landscape. At the lake's edge, at the summit, we establish the expedition's highest camp.
Dinner is technically designed for recovery at altitude. After eating, we gather and trade stories from the trail. The sky above is infinite and south of 38°S, impossibly clear.
Waking up at the summit, with the Andes catching first light above the lake, is the image you'll carry home. This is what you came for.
We begin the day with a carefully prepared specialty coffee and the spectacle of the Andean sunrise igniting the peaks above the lake. Take this moment. It belongs to you.
Camp comes down under Leave No Trace principles. Then we ride. The descent from the summit through ancient trees is the technical centrepiece of the expedition: singletrack that serpentines through pewén araucaria and native woodland, long gravity lines, natural features that reward the skill built across six days.
One last mission. The afternoon sends us onto the zone's most hidden and exclusive downhill lines — trails that flow through the mountain's heart, fast and technical, as the closing chapter of six days of riding.
A whole Patagonian lamb, slow-roasted on the spit for four hours, paired with a curated selection of Araucanía regional wines. Around the fire, with music, embers and full glasses, you share the best moments of the week. A farewell worthy of the expedition you just completed.
After the last night in the mountains, we wake slowly. The rush is gone. We make coffee from freshly ground beans, sit together, and let the weight of the week settle properly before the return begins.
Breakfast as a group, stories still fresh, bonds forged somewhere between the first climb and the summit vivac. We pack equipment with the care and precision that seven days in the field teaches you.
We accompany the group to Temuco Airport (ZCO) to ensure a smooth departure. The transfer takes approximately two hours, giving you time to decompress, review photos, and begin figuring out how to explain what just happened to people who weren't there.
You won't just be leaving with photos. You'll carry a piece of the Araucanía: the strength of its araucarias, the intensity of its trails, the warmth of its people. The mountain always calls back those who've left their soul in it.
¡Buen viaje — nos vemos pronto en la ruta!
✈ Departure: Temuco Airport (ZCO)Limited spots per departure. Expeditions run October – April.