Offroad Ecuador ADVenture Self-Guided Tour

You’ll begin your six-day “Offroad Ecuador ADVenture" from our shop in Quito, Ecuador - 2850 meters (almost 2 miles above sea level) in the Andes Mountains, on the Equator, in South America.   Quito was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the 1970s for having the best-preserved and least altered historic center in all of Latin America.  We recommend you arrive a day or two in advance of the tour to experience this majestic city and acclimate yourself to the high altitude.

On the morning of the tour departure, you’ll be outfitted with the offroad-capable motorcycle of your choice and given a thoughtful presentation that will answer all your questions concerning the route, local customs, rules of the road, and other tips to make sure you enjoy the road and have the information you need to make this ride a success.  We provide you with a GPS that has been programmed with a route for each day.  A "Road Book" will provide you with information for each day's route, including points of interest, interesting facts, suggested lunch stops, and advice on travel and departure times. We will provide you with a fully adventure-ready motorcycle with luggage and accessories to safely and securely complete your trip.

The first day's ride is intended to give you a sampling of the different types of roads you will be riding. You will ride on a combination of asphalt, dry gravel,  cobblestone, and unimproved dirt roads.

The first stop will be in the middle of the world. The Inti-ñan museum is situated right on the Equator.  Inti-ñan means "path of the Sun" in Quechua, a native language of Ecuador.   Be sure to take a tour of this magical site, a place that the indigenous peoples have revered for thousands of years. 

You will learn how the ancient people came to understand that this was the center of the world, centuries before "modern" geography or GPS devices.  You can play with gravity here and perform some experiments to learn about the Coriolis effect caused by the Earth's rotation. See the water spin different directions down a drain, depending on which hemisphere it is sitting in.  You will also get to know how the indigenous populations of Ecuador live and visit some typical homes of a few different cultures you will find in Ecuador. This tour will give you excellent background information on Ecuador and its people so that you will better understand the cultures as you pass through the various regions of Ecuador over the next six days.

After the visit to the Inti-ñan museum, you will be riding in the Northern Hemisphere.  You will first pass through a desert canyon on a dusty dirt road that will bring you into a deep gorge. This area resembles the landscapes you would find in Arizona or the California desert. Then ride out of the canyon into a lush green patchwork of fields of vegetables, roses, and dairy cattle. Stop in the charming little town of San José de Minas with its beautiful stone church and well-manicured central park.

From San José de Minas, climb in altitude on spectacular dirt back roads giving grand vistas of the serene farmlands and forests below.  The wonderful aromas of eucalyptus and pine forests will waft into your helmet.

Stop to add a layer of clothing as you ride up to a height of over 12,000 feet (3714 meters) to view the majestic Mojanda Lake surrounded by the Fuya-Fuya volcano, which stands guard over it. This high road will be the first time you will be in the high-altitude paramo climate on this ride.

From there,  ride down through the colonial city of Otavalo, famous for its expansive indigenous market. Otavalo is known to have one of the most highly concentrated Native American populations in all of the Americas.  You should stop here to view the various crafts, textiles, and other unique colorful items for sale at the Plaza de Los Ponchos.

You will finish the day's ride along the calming shores of Lake San Pablo and settle in for the night in a private lakeside cabin at the Hosteria Cabanas del Lago.  Have a delicious dinner (included) alongside the lake and return to your cabin, warmed by a wood fireplace.

After a full American-style breakfast on Lake San Pablo's shore, you will head to the town of Cotacachi, just north of Otavalo. Cotacachi is known for its leather artisans. You can stop here at the market in the center of town - this is an excellent opportunity to get a new belt, wallet, or even a leather jacket at fantastic prices.

From Cotacachi, you will ride through picturesque small towns and have another stop to visit Cuicocha Lake.  This lake, a crater, lies at the foot of the extinct Cotacachi Volcano (16,300 feet or 4968 meters). The volcano's eruptions in the past created the lake and produced the minerals that make the surrounding valley one of the most productive agricultural regions in the Andes.  The lake is over 600 feet (300 meters) deep, and the native people believed it had no bottom but was a tunnel to the Pacific Ocean.  

Today's ride is one through very remote sections of Ecuador, on unimproved dirt roads with very little traffic.  It will have incredible views of farmlands and natural forests.   You will pass through remote villages that are rarely visited by outsiders.

You will descend into the scenic region of the Intag river. This region is becoming famous for its outstanding coffee, thanks to a local coffee growers association.  The Intag farmers use the broad leaves of other plants like bananas, naranjilla, and guayaba to give a natural shade to the coffee bushes.   These other crops also provide the farmer with his food and give him his independence.  The result is a vibrant, organic, robust coffee that is exported around the world. 

Be sure to stop in the friendly town of Apuela. You can visit the Rio Intag Coffee Growers and see how they select the beans by hand and how they roast coffee.  You may want to buy some of the local Rio Intag coffee to bring home to your friends and family.

After lunch, continue the descent into the Intag valley and stop for a swim in the warm thermal waters at the Nangulvi thermal baths.  This place is a perfect stop for lunch along the roaring Intag river. This area of Ecuador is known for its abundant wildlife and bird species.

You'll turn onto a road that goes deep into the cloudforest and the Nono Biological Reserve, known as one of the world's most biodiverse regions.  Have a refreshment break at the Bellavista Bird Lodge, a world-famous bird watcher destination.  You'll have a fantastic show of many multi-colored hummingbirds, toucans and several other species of bird.  

You will arrive in the cloudforest town of Mindo, known for its natural surroundings and fun atmosphere.  The town offers many outdoor activities, tours, and museums.  You'll check into the luxurious, award-winning Septimo Paraiso Cloudforest Lodge, which has a jacuzzi, heated pool, regular swimming pool, billiards room bar, and a fantastic restaurant where you will have a country-style dinner (included).

Once you leave Mindo, you will be riding on some of the most scenic paved roads in Ecuador.  Passing through the cloudforest town of San Miguel de Los Bancos, you will take a newly paved road full of incredible switchbacks and hairpin turns. After crossing the roaring Rio Blanco (a popular white-water rafting destination), you'll turn onto a windy unpaved road and through a friendly town.

Then you'll do a series of climbs back into altitude and into the cloudforest again, this time in an even more remote part of it, where ornithologists from around the world visit every year on the lookout for new species. You'll descend again, back into the rainforest, to an altitude of about 2,000 feet. The warm air will tempt you to jump in one of the many crystal waterfall lagoons in this area for a refreshing swim. You'll continue through several coffee, chocolate, and "exotic" fruit farms.  Then you'll begin a climb again that will last the rest of the day.

There are times when this road can get a bit muddy, but the views and scents are out of this world.  You pass through lush jungle, rainforest, and then reach the small village of San Francisco de las Pampas. This town is in a very remote and secluded area of Ecuador, and we are usually warmly greeted by the friendly townsfolk.   We will stop here for lunch before continuing your climb.

From Las Pampas, you will continue your climb, eventually reaching an altitude of about 13,000 feet in a completely different climate than just a few hours before  Its chilly here, and the views are stunning.  Wild alpaca and guinea pigs run freely.   You will cross over a high altitude pass, and you will feel like you are in an airplane in its final descent as you roll down switchbacks with the town of Sigchos below you. Sigchos has been around for many centuries and was an Indigenous settlement and trading post long before it became a Spanish town in the 1530s.

From Sigchos, continue on Incan cobblestone that becomes an unimproved dirt road, which is among the most scenic roads in Ecuador.   This stretch of road is known as the "Quilotoa Loop" and draws backpackers and adventurers from afar for the idyllic pace of life and scenery.

You will finish your ride this day at the comfortable Mama Hilda's.  This family-run bed and breakfast will immediately make you feel as though you belong in the family. Enjoy a homestyle Ecuadorian dinner of pots and pots of food (included).  

After a hearty breakfast at Mama Hilda's, you will leave the village and take a dirt road down the side of a cliff and into the deep canyon.  The scenery is stunning, and the varying landscapes of rocky precipices, dry forests, and lush farmlands will amaze you.  After a climb out of the canyon, reach an altitude of over 12,000 feet and arrive at the awe-inspiring Quilotoa Crater Lake, which was formed after a catastrophic volcanic eruption about 800 years ago and still has a strange, unusual blue-green color due to the minerals that bubbled in from the earth's core.

The ride to Zumbahua will give great views of a fertile valley. Zumbahua is a farming town and on Saturdays has a farmers' market in the mornings, so this would be a great place to stop and get some fresh fruits to snack on as you head towards the more remote regions of Ecuador. You'll notice that most people here speak the language of the Incan Empire still - Quechua - and the townspeople are super friendly and welcoming.

After Zumbahua, you are again on unpaved dirt and gravel roads and through some of Ecuador's most picturesque regions. You will rise through the cloud forest, then into highlands pampa, where wild alpacas and llamas roam free.  You will get to a height here of about 13,500 feet.  Be prepared as the weather can change here quickly.  You'll see traditional mud homes here.  Inside, residents use guinea pigs to heat their homes in these cold, high elevations. Potatoes and lentils grow here, and it's the staple food for the people up here.

Then, you pass through the quaint, charming little town of Angamarca.  Angamarca means "Condor's Nest" in the native language, Quechua.  This town will give you insight into Ecuador's traditional life as things haven't changed much over the centuries.  You will be met with lots of curious townspeople as few people ever pass through this town.

You'll ride along sheer cliffs that give astounding views of a valley several hundred feet below.   The dirt road has a few small river crossings and very little traffic.  You will make another deep descent on the Western Slopes, into the town of El Corazon - where they brew and bottle their unique brand of strong liqueur - an aquadiente that they flavor like bubblegum, coconut, pineapple, or chocolate - this is pure alcohol that is quite good yet inexpensive. El Corazon is a very friendly town and a good place to stop for lunch.

From El Corazon, we will again face challenging dirt roads that wind through thick jungles and arrive in the picturesque, isolated village of Simiatug, a place that seems like it hasn't changed much in the past 100 years. The town is usually full of horses with not a single car to be seen.  You will feel as though you have ridden into a time warp.

Taking the dirt road out of Simiatug, you will continue to ride and gain altitude on a series of switchback cobblestone and dirt trails.  The air through this section of the cloudforest is scented with wild orchids and tropical plants and will get cooler and cooler as you continue the climb.

You will cross a high mountain pass at around 13,000 feet before arriving in the village of Salinas de Guaranda. This town is unique in Ecuador as it has a Swiss heritage.   You will find a warm bed and friendly welcome at the new Cachi Yacu hotel, which opened in November 2018.  The night will be chilly as you will be sleeping at an altitude of about 11,500 feet, but you can warm yourself at the hotel's giant fireplace.

You'll probably be a little worn out from yesterday's long ride, and so we have designed a little more relaxing morning to enjoy the clean mountain air and interesting sights of the village of Salinas de Guaranda. Salinas has a fascinating and inspirational history. A little over 40 years ago, most of its residents were in extreme poverty and making pennies by selling milk and other produce to large producers.  They got together and decided to form a cooperative town economy with the goals of full employment, keep the young people from leaving town to the cities, and to better the standard of living for its residents. They learned to make cheese and chocolate from a Swiss philanthropist and began making a profit by selling high-quality cheese in Quito and other cities. With the success of their cheese and chocolate production, they no longer live in mud huts, their quality of life has improved dramatically, and they have, over the years, expanded into other areas, with the townspeople voting on what investments they should make and to share the profits. They now make hand-made soccer balls, wool yarn, herbal remedies, and several other natural products. 

Take some time to enjoy a tour to show you the salt fountains (why Salinas has its name) and all of the diverse economic activities in this small town.  It is a fascinating and inspirational tale of success that these enterprising and optimistic residents will tell you in more detail. 

Back on the bike, you'll head into the deep wilderness.  It is a ride along the edge of a steep precipice that will give you 100-mile views of the clouds and coastal plains below.  You'll ride among small family farmers with their pigs, donkeys, and cows along the roadside.  Chickens will cross the road for no apparent reason.  

You will pass through high altitude Andean villages such as Arrayanes, a hamlet of about eight houses, where the villagers make a savory, ripened Andean Mountain cheese. Stop to get a taste and see the small operation. Other villages make Parmesan, Mozzarella, and other cheeses milk from healthy and happy dairy cows. Here, the townspeople are very friendly and welcoming, as we motorcycle adventurers are the only ones ever to visit their villages. We encourage our riders to bring small gifts of pencils, crayons, toothbrushes, or other goodies for the kids here, as part of our Pack for a Purpose community initiative.

The air will get warmer as we descend once again deep into the rainforest.  Lemon, orange, and mandarin trees fill the air with new scents.  There are several clear rivers where you can cool yourself off with a quick swim. 

As you get to sea-level, you'll be riding through expansive chocolate, banana, teak, and palm groves on a twisty, exhilarating road. Quevedo is an agricultural center and was the first Chinese settlement in Ecuador, and many of the Chinese restaurants date back to the 1920s. Be sure to try Ecuador's best Chinese-Ecuadorian cuisine before settling into the Hotel Olimpico for a great swim in its Olympic-size pool with waterslides and high dives, and get a sound night's sleep in one of their well-appointed suites.

You will climb back into the tropical rainforest region from Quevedo, first passing grand palm, banana, and cacao plantations and then into coffee country. From the town of Velez, you will continue gaining in altitude and into another seldom-visited part of Ecuador, including the villages of Guasaganda and Pucayacu, with dairy and cattle farms.  Pucuyacu has an exciting animal market, and the town square usually has vendors selling a variety of fresh fruits of all types.  Have an energizing snack to propel yourself into the upcoming fun; soon, you will be faced with some of the most challenging portions of this ride (we saved them for last). On tight unpaved switchbacks, you will climb about 6,000 feet in just a few miles!

You will have incredible views all along the way of this fantastic region as you get higher and higher in altitude. This stretch of road is in the Illiniza National Forest, and the beautiful forests and small farms in this remote, isolated pocket of the country will have you pulling out your camera over and over.

Then, you will cross back into the town of Sigchos to complete the scenic "Quilotoa Loop," riding amazing roads of cobblestone and unpaved dirt roads with tremendous vistas in all directions. Dropping into a deep valley on an unimproved dirt road, you can visit a Capulin cherry grower and winery to taste these favorite berries.  In the town of Isinlivi, you can meet the skilled carpenters that are teaching children of the region how to design and build high-quality wood furniture.  It is then more hardcore riding as you cross over a 13,400-foot pass overlooking the several volcanoes in one of the most dramatic sections of the Andes mountains.

Riding past vast rose and cut flower farms; you'll turn onto the Panamerican Highway and head back to Quito, taking one of the most famous stretches of this intercontinental highway, known as the "Avenue of Volcanoes." Here you'll be surrounded by several volcanoes, including Cotopaxi - the world's tallest active volcano.  Enjoy lunch at the Café de la Vaca, serving some of the country's best Ecuadorian soul food.

You'll end the day where you started, at our shop in the upscale La Carolina neighborhood of Quito.  Here you can enjoy a hot shower, hot tub, and a drink at our honor bar before heading out for a night on the town or catching your flight home.