The Lakes and Volcanoes of Chile.

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $100 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

Overview: This commercially assisted foreign tour in Chile’s Lake and Volcano District is a true gem for cycling enthusiasts, offering a unique combination of stunning landscapes, well-maintained infrastructure, and a welcoming cycling culture with over 600 miles of bike-friendly paved roads. Whether you’re are a seasoned pro or a casual rider, this region has something to offer everyone. Discover the most spectacular bike routes in Chile and ride among active volcanoes and glacial lakes. Together with friendly locals, you will go cycling alongside the Andes mountains, green rolling hills and through national parks, visit local ethnic villages, and relax in soothing natural hot springs.

Trip highlights include three climbs of the Andes Mountain spine.  On one climb we ride all the way to the border of Argentina as you keep an eye on the sleeping giants: Villarrica, Quetrupillan and Lanin volcanoes. Spend two nights at a thermal resort with natural hot springs in Malacahuello. Discover the UNESCO Geopark Kütralkura with its stunning volcanoes and national reserves. Take in the vibrant city of Pucón and the majestic Villarrica Volcano. Ride through the Alto Biobio National Reserve you can appreciate the Andean Steppe and ancient and truly unique Araucanía trees (Monkey Puzzle). Discover the rich cultural heritage of the Mapuche people and savor the flavors of Chilean cuisine paired with fine wines and local craft beers. For road cycling enthusiasts, the Seven Lakes Route is a must, offering breathtaking scenery and challenging climbs. We’ll explore the unique Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve and head to the picturesque city of Puerto Varas, with its stunning lake views, cascading waterfalls, and the imposing Osorno Volcano.

Many of the rides have remote starts or pick ups that require the van to shuttle to a drop off point or pick-up location.  Faster riders may need to wait at the finish and other riders may be picked up by the van along the route.

 Ride Rating: – This roaming tour is rated a 4C! depending on the options of the day with an average daily mileage of 49 miles and 3790 feet of elevation gain.  There are riding options to increase or decrease distance and elevations on multiple days.  Two days available for rest or other activities. Bicycles with at least 28 mm tires are needed with a recommendation of 32 mm tires or larger. The starting and ending points are generally near sea level so there are no elevation concerns related to altitude

Day 2- 51 Miles and 3864 ft of elevation, Lautaro - Curacautin- Malacchuello Village.

Day 3- 51 Miles and 4599 ft elevation, Kutralkura Geopark and The Andes Climb.

Day 4- 28 Miles and 2161 ft of elevation, Ride around Caburga Lake or Hike option.

Day 5- 47 Miles and 3748 ft of elevation, Villarrica National Park Ride.

Day 6- 61 miles and 5597 ft of elevation, The 7-lake route.

Day 7- 48 miles and 3079 ft of elevation, Loop around Calfquen Lake.

Day 8- 50 Miles and 2938 ft of elevation, Lake Ranco (west side)

Day 9- 70 Miles and 3733 ft of elevation, Futangue-Llifen-Lago Maihue out-n-back.

Day 10- 49 Miles and 2929 ft of elevation, German Settlers Route- Lake Llanquihue.

Day 11- 36 Miles and 4311 ft of elevation, Puerto Vara- Ensenada- Osorno Volcano.

Weather: Generally, the weather in this area is very similar to weather along the northern California coast. During December you can start feeling the beginning of the summer with temperatures around 50°F / 81°F. Remember that you are visiting the Lake & Volcano district, so always expect some rain, so riders should be prepared to ride in any type of weather.

Lodging & Meals: There will be 4 group dinners, 2 group lunches, 11 breakfasts, and 8 included social hours (one drink per person). We will stay in 6 different comfortable hotels over 11 nights, on average 2 nights in each hotel. Lodgings are in small local hotels each with its unique flavor and charm.

Logistics: This tour will start at Temuco Airport (ZCO airport code) on Dec. 4, 2025, and end in Puerto Varas (PMC airport), Dec 15, 2025. On Day 1 of the itinerary there will be a shuttle from the Temuco Airport to the Temuco Best Western Ferrat where we will spend the first night. The first meeting will be at our hotel at 3:00 pm for a bike fitting followed by a group welcome dinner. On day two of the tour, participants and their bicycles will take a shuttle from Temuco (2 hrs) then mount their bikes in Lautauro and ride to the small town of Malacahuello (51 miles). Luggage will be transported to our hotel in Malacahuello.

• The nearest major airport is the Temuco Airport which is approximately 20.0 miles from our hotel, Best Western Ferrat. There will be designated shuttle for the group or you can take an airport Shuttle (information to be provided) approx. 15 USD in a shared shuttle.
• Rental bikes are top of the line models and available through the tour operator.
• E-bikes are welcome. Tandems will be accepted on limited basis, please contact the ride leader for additional information and approval.
• Standard Road or Gravel Bikes= USD 420 (per bike per trip)
• E-road bikes/ E-gravel/E-hybrid = USD 610 (per bike per trip)
• https://www.amity-tours.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/BIKE-FLEET-2024-AMITY-TOURS.pdf
• Bike Boxes can be stored and transported to the end of the trip for a cost of 70 USD per box
• Amity Tours has a travel agent they work with and they highly recommend them to assist with travel plans to Chile.  Exito Travel can be contacted using the following link.  http://bit.ly/3CzOtTS

Cost & Administration:  All expenses are in U.S. dollars.

• Deposit $2000.00 due at signup.
• 2nd Payment of $2000.00 due 5/1/2025.
• 3rd Patyment of $400.00 due 9/1/2025

• The tour includes 11 nights of lodging, a shuttle from Temuco Airport on Day 1 and to the Puerto Montt airport on Day 12, luggage transport, and a fun time. Tips are included for group meals, shuttle, hotels, and tour guides. Basic Medical and accident insurance is also Included.

• Not included: Air travel and trip cancellation insurance, Spa services, Laundry services, and bike rental. 

Navigation GPX/RideWithGPS Files: A BAC RideWithGPS event will be provided 45 days before the start of the tour. If participants want paper cue sheets they will need to print them themselves.

Health and Safety: Vaccinations for Covid are recommended, but not required. Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride. Should someone's health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed in jeopardy, a plan will be developed by the ride leader(s) and communicated to all individuals. The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned. 

Singles & Solos Policy: It is recommended that singles who want a roommate try to find their own. However, after receipt of the initial deposit, a single rider without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until 6/1/2025 to find a roommate. If they are unable to find a roommate, they will have the option to receive a full refund (minus the BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fee) or pay the $1,300.00 Solo Supplement and stay on the ride. If a single person pays the supplement, they may continue to seek a roommate, but must plan to participate without a roommate if necessary. The Ride Leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride.

The solo supplement payment of $1300.00 is due by 6/1/2025 and can be paid by Zelle or check. To pay using Zelle: ● In your bank's website, add Bicycle Adventure Club as a new recipient, with email address treasurer@bicycleadventureclub.org ● Initiate a payment ● In the Message block, enter the name of your ride. If you have questions, contact Nancy Bohnett nbohnett@bicycleadventureclub.org or Ernie Coose erniecoose.bac@gmail.com. Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check and mailed to: Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193. 

Cancellation Policy: The BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled because the number of participants registered is less than the minimum established for the tour. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance. 

Tour Company will follow BAC cancellation policy and allow riders who cancel to be
substituted with another rider without additional charge. Amity Tours requires that the
final guest list be submitted no less than 15 days before the trip, with no changes to the
list after that time. Substitutions must be of equal value and room category and type.
The tour operator's policy applies to the fee to the tour operator and states:
If, for any reason, you are forced to cancel your trip, the following penalties will apply:
• Cancellations made with more than 46 days are 100% refundable.
• Cancellations made between 45 and 31 days before date of arrival, we will retain 25%
of the total deposit.
• Cancellations made 30 days before date of arrival, we will retain 100% of the total
deposit.
• If you make a deposit and cannot travel, you can always use that money as credit with
Amity Tours and use it within the next 12 months.

Ride Participant Responsibility: Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and cleanup. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you might have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions. 

Insurance Statements: Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. BAC maintains insurance that covers expenses related to accidents, medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected sickness, and repatriation. This coverage applies when touring outside the US and your home country, regardless of your nationality. It will cover you door-to-door for a maximum of 90 days but will expire if you make a side trip not related to the BAC tour for more than 7 days before or after. There is limited coverage for a family member to join a covered person in an emergency. The policy covers the cost of treatment for Covid and other unexpected illnesses, but not quarantine. You should ensure that your vaccinations are up to date. Coverage is subject to a $1000 deductible. 

****This tour also includes additional medical insurance provided by the commercial operator that is required by law in the country of Chile.****

Sign-up: To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you to go back to the BAC site to digitally accept the terms of the Release of Liability (ROL), and pay the Tour Deposit and the non-refundable $100.00 BAC Ride Registration Fee by credit card.. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Director by "clicking" the name at the top of this Ride Description.