ECUADOR MTB

What’s included in your 12-day Ecuador mountain biking tour:What’s included in your 8 day MTB vacation in Ecuador

• 5 Days of epic singletrack mountain biking
• Shuttle vehicles for 4 of the 5 ride days and transportation in between cities
• A professional driver and all of his expenses (hotels, meals, etc.)
• Airport pick up and drop off on the days specified in the itinerary
• Professional, bilingual MTB guides on every ride day and all of his expenses
• 7 nights of lodging between Quito, Baños, and Bolivar
• 24-hour attention and support
• Breakfast and lunch on ride days
• One farewell dinner
• Signature “Haku Expeditions” bike jersey

Not Included:

• Anything not listed in the “included” list
• Flights
• Airport pickup or drop off on days outside of the itinerary (60-70 USD to set this up)
• Dinners (other than the farewell dinner)
• Lunch on non-ride days
• Trip insurance
• Bike gear and safety gear
• Tips for guides and drivers
• Bike rental

Ecuador’s currency is the American dollar but is still very economical — a beer costs about $1. It is mainly a cash-based society so it is recommended that you bring cash in smaller bills such as 20s and 10’s since change can be hard to come by.

ATMs are abundant in most towns and are secure to use, but they usually also have surcharges depending on the bank. Most credit cards can be used in large cities and large stores.

Each person is required to have a specific travel/trip insurance outside of your credit card or regular medical insurance.

You should get comprehensive coverage with trip interruption/cancellation and with personal liability. Mention all activities that you will be involved in such as mountain biking, hiking at high altitude and whatever other activities you may have planned.

We do not provide refunds.  If you should get hurt or sick not only will travel insurance cover your medical expenses it will also cover the lost portion of the trip. Make sure you have trip interruption or trip cancellation included! South America is famous for people striking and shutting down all activities. If you miss your Machu Picchu trip, Galapagos or any other side trip,  or even your flight due to strikes the insurance will cover the loss or additional costs that are incurred.

Check out our blog on travel insurance and why it is a must for any South America Vacation!

For our Ecuador mountain bike trips we recommend guests purchase a tri-city flight from their home airport to Quito Airport. On the way home you will want Cuenca airport to your home airport. Expect layovers. You can also choose a round trip from your home airport to Quito and purchase a national flight from Cuenca to Quito on day 11 before your flight out to your home town. Our team will take care of all transportation to and from the airport.

We recommend that our guests use trusted airlines (Delta, AirCanada, ect) and do not use an economy airliner due to the fact that you will be traveling with very important and expensive gear. American Airlines, Delta, and United charge $100+- usd to check a bike, and many other trusted airlines have similar prices as well.

We recommend you bring a full suspension All-Mountain, Trail or Enduro bike.

These days the trail bikes have become more like Enduro bikes and the Enduro bikes have become more like Downhill bikes. Therefore, what we recommend is, a full suspension mountain bike with 140mm or more of suspension front and rear. We also recommend that you have a tubeless tire setup. We also recommend tires like Maxxis Minion, Highroller or Assegai.

For the bike:

• Bleed kit or ask if we have the one you need
• Bring a well maintained bike for Enduro, All-Mountain Style Trails: Check that the chain is not stretched, cables are clean or new, the headset and pivots are moving nicely or cleaned and greased
• You will need extra bike parts, please don’t expect to buy much on this trip
• Extra brake pads
• Derailer and shifter (Optional)
• Spare Tire (Optional)
• We recommend tires like Maxxis Highrollers, Assegai, Minions or something similar
• Tubeless is your best bet. Bring extra sealant and an extra valve
• A derailer hanger, a multi-tool and a tube are essential
• Extra Screws for the bike and for clip-less shoes if you use them. Zip ties are great too
• Any kind of liquids you may need, Reverb oil, brake oil, tubeless sealant, chain lube in small bottles. Pack in sealed baggies so they don’t explode in transit.

Our Mountain bike tours include breakfast from your hotel or finca and lunch on ride days.

Our MTB rides include lunches at local restaurants and also in the homes of locals who live on the trail. Most meals are a large bowl of soup followed by a main meal. The main meals are generally meat or chicken with rice, beans and plantain. In the case that you do not eat meat you can get a plate that has rice, eggs and fried plantain.

If you have dietary restrictions please let us know so we can help you plan for the trip accordingly.

We provide snacks for the ride days. Feel free to bring extra energy bars for the trail if you think you may want snacks you know you already enjoy!

We provide water for the rides. You will need a bottle or camepack to fill.

Ecuador separates itself from other mountain biking destinations by offering riders with an endless amount of trail diversity within a very small geographical area. In fact, it’s the only place in the world where you can pass through 14 ecosystems in one ride!  The trails are raw, long, scenic, flowy, and technical. Clients will mountain bike on active volcanoes and through sub-tropical jungles which were once the agricultural centers of the pre-Incan civilizations. Some trails even go through places where the local people graze their llamas in the same way their ancestors did over 2,000 years ago. The trails will transport you back in time as you and your friends ride through the history and meet the local people.

You will encounter obstacles that can be found on most black and double black trails, such as steeper sections, rock gardens, natural jumps, drops, and roots. Most of the trails are intermediate to advanced with sections that are easily walkable if the rider does not feel comfortable.

Only the meals mentioned in the itinerary.

Our Ecuador mtb tours generally have anywhere from 4 to 8 riders. Our Ecuador trip will never have more than 10 people max. We have a guide for every 5 riders.

Our clients generally range in age from 25-55. However, all ages from 18 up are accepted if the mtb level and skill fit the trip.

We do not recommend that you bring a drone for this trip as much of the trip is in forest where you will not be able to see the footage very well.

Your luggage will remain at your accommodations while we ride, and then will be put into the van when moving from one overnight destination to another. Bike bags will be stored in Quito and then brought to guests at the end of the trip.

How to pack your bike for travel

Packing your bike for a trip like this requires either a bike bag or a bicycle box. Both work. If you do not have a bicycle box you can contact your local bike shop and generally get one for free or very cheap.

Steps to pack your bag:

Drop the seat post before you take off the wheels. It’s easier that way.

Take the pedals off, it is easier now while the bike is still whole.

You will need to take off the handle bars. Put the screws back into the stem so you do not lose them. Strap the handlebars to the side of the bike with padding. Make sure nothing moves so you bike does not get scratched. Zip ties can help with this.

Take out some of the air in the tires. This is a requirement for flying with the bike. Take off both wheels. We recommend you put the axle back into the bike so you do not lose it.

Take off the discs from the wheels. While this may seem tedious it saves your disk from getting bent and only takes a few minutes. Put the disks inside something like a folder to keep them safe. Put the screws inside a baggie and tape to the folder. Keep them with the bike. (If you lose your suitcase with clothes at least you still have your full bike together!)

Take off the derailer and derailer hangar. While this is optional it keeps both pieces from getting bent. Remember exactly how this goes back on.

If you have a bike bag like Evoc or Dakine there will be directions of what goes where. Make sure to tie up the chain so it does not move and scratch the bike. Tie up any loose ends with zip ties or string.

If you are using a bike box you will need to put in a tire or two first then the frame (and maybe the second tire) with the bars strapped to the bike. Make sure nothing moves. I usually use zip ties to make sure the tires are strapped in one place with the frame. Also make sure that the cog set is facing away from the bike. This will scratch the bike otherwise.

Once everything is packed you can often put a few extra items inside like your helmet, bike shoes and empty CamelBak. You will want to keep the bag at 23 kilos/50 pounds unless the company you are flying with allows for more weight without a price increase. (Calling to make sure is the best way to know)

Also, don’t forget to put your name, address, phone number and email on the bag or box.

This trip begins in Guayquil and ends in Quito.

We recommend that people get tri-city flights, arriving to Guayaquil and leaving from Quito. 

Another option is to purchase a national flight from Quito to Guyaquil on day 10.

Using trusted airlines is recommended to ensure safety of your bike and trip. Before buying your flight look into luggage restrictions and the cost to bring your bike.

Do not overstep your limits. Please walk any section of the trail that you are not comfortable riding.

We require that you purchase travel/ trip insurance outside of cc or medical insurance from home. This insurance is much more broad than just medical insurance in case you get hurt. These insurances also cover, trip interruption, trip cancelation and many other good benefits. If something happens and you miss part of the trip these insurances will return the lost portion of the trip to you.

We do not do refunds for missed trips, trips that are cut short due to an injury or trips that are interrupted due to natural causes such as weather, strikes by the people, etc.

Ecuador is a tropical country and can rain at any time. However, we pick dates that are considered the driest time of year.

Our guides are local men and women who are have at least three years experience as a mountain bike guide and are excellent companions on the trail.

They have a keen knowledge of both their history and their surroundings — it’s a pleasure to be with them.

As in any foriegn city you should be extra cautious at night and in general. Crossing the streets has a golden rule of not running or not stopping, walk at a normal speed and cross.

In Ecuador bike rentals are hard to come by. It is preferable if you bring your own bike. If you would like a rental bike please inquire personally and we will let you know what is available.

Generally bike rental is 70-80 USD per day with a 1000 cash deposit. The bikes are considered rented each day they are with the client even if there is no ride planned that day, such as rest days.

If a guest is coming alone or in an uneven group number and is not comfortable sharing hotel rooms with other guests, they can pay an extra 35-45 USD per night to have their own room.

Guests need 2+ people to charter a private trip. Private trips can have custom dates and make changes to the itinerary.

The cost pp for a private trip is:

750 USD pp with 2 people

600 USD pp with 3 people

500 USD pp with 4+ people

Please inquire for custom Galapagos trip add ons!