Dirt Deluxe Guided Motorcycle Adventure Tour

You'll begin this 6-day "Dirt Deluxe" guided tour from our shop in Quito, Ecuador. In 1978, Quito became the first place on the planet to be designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for having the best-preserved historic center in all of Latin America. Quito is high on the Altiplano Plateau (the highest capital city in the world) in the Andes at 9,350 feet.  We suggest that you arrive a day or two early to experience our magnificent capital city while getting acclimated to the high elevation before beginning the tour. 

During the first morning of the tour, you’ll be outfitted with the motorcycle of your choice and given a thorough orientation answering all questions concerning local customs, rules of the road, riding signals, Ecuadorian driver courtesies, and more. 

We head out of Quito, rising in elevation as you climb the Pichincha volcano's foothold, getting spectacular views of the city below. Soon we are on the  "Route of the Hummingbird" or "Ecoruta del Quinde." 

 

This route is famous for its incredible natural beauty. It has won several awards from the Audubon Society for the large number of bird species that can be seen. Although the area is relatively small in size, it is one of the most bio-diverse on the planet, counting thousands of species of butterflies, plus hundreds of different reptilian, amphibian, and bird species - including several types of toucans and hummingbirds.

Once over the pass, your surroundings will go from "urban" to "country" instantly. The sounds of rolling brooks, mooing cows, and chirping birds replace the city's sounds, and green pastures now surround you.  You will descend into the small village of Nono.- a quaint, friendly little place that feels a world away from Quito.   The road is now an unimproved, hard-packed dirt road that will take you deep into the Nono Biological Reserve - one of the most biologically diverse places on the entire planet.

We may stop for a swim in the beautiful Guagrapamba Waterfall, which is just along the route and can be reached after a short hike.

The ride will continue along these country roads with virtually no traffic, bring you high into the elevations and bring us to the "Virgen de Camino Mirador" overlook.   We will stop here and get some great views of the valleys below.   Then we descend along a rolling river of cold, clear water and into the rainforests for a completely new biological habitat.   You may catch a glimpse of some wild toucans or brightly colored frogs.

Back on the road, the aromas and sounds of the cloud forest you will experience will be something that stays with you long after this ride is over.

We will stop for lunch in the Bellavista Cloudforest Bird Lodge. This lodge has a beautiful restaurant and a pleased staff to share its knowledge of this reserve's wildlife.

We descend onto the Western Slopes of the Andes and through the hamlet of Santa Rosa -  a farming community from Bellavista.   You'll enjoy the scents of the wild orchids and other flowers that line the road here.

Then we rejoin the paved road and turn onto the road that takes you to even lower elevations and into the warm microclimate of the town of Mindo.  This funky, eclectic town offers excellent restaurants, bars, and activities such as zip-wire canopy tours and innertube rides down the white water river.  Other attractions include a butterfly sanctuary, a tarabita (hand-powered cable car over a waterfall), and an orchid garden.

We visit Yumbos Chocolatefor a tour that will educate and entertain you.  Yumbos is an organic chocolate factory, and they provide tours to learn about how cacao is grown, harvested, fermented, and turned into chocolate.  The tour (included) includes a chocolate bar and a tasting of different chocolates.   Please ask your tour guide for more information if you want to learn more about coffee growing, harvesting, processing, roasting, and proper coffee preparation.

 Then we'll ride deeper into the cloudforest and check into a private cabin at the Terrazas de Dana Boutique Lodge.

Day 2
Mindo - Rio Intag Coffee Region - Lake Cuicocha - Otavalo
Distance Covered :  188 km / 117 miles

After a hearty breakfast of fresh, exotic fruit juices, home-baked bread, pancakes, and eggs, we head out of the cloud forest reserve and take a dirt road leading north. We pass the region's rolling bright green hills, tomato, avocado, and fruit orchards.  We'll go for a short 5-minute hike into the rainforest and a refreshing swim in the Cascada de la Piragua - a swimming hole popular with the locals.

We pass through the town of Nanegal with its friendly residents and manicured town square, heading down in elevation and further into the lower hills using unpaved farm roads.  The weather is warm, and you'll cross other rivers with children playing in waterfalls along the way.   We enter the Rio Intag valley -  known for the premium coffee grown in this region.  We will stop at the Nangulvi Hot Springs.  The small complex offers several pools at varying temperatures and a fantastic fixed-lunch restaurant at the edge of the roaring Intag River.

The town of Apuela is home to the Rio Intag Coffee Growers' Association, and we will have a quick tour of their coffee drying, sorting, processing, and roasting operations here.  You'll want to take a few bags of coffee home with you.  From Apuela, the cobblestone road climbs in elevation, then descends, then rise again, achieving great views of 100+ foot cascading waterfalls and fragrances of pine, eucalyptus, and something that smells like an artificial "rainforest fresh" air freshener - only this is the real thing and so so much better!  You will arrive at the Cotacachi-Cayapas National Forest and the Cuicocha (guinea pig) lake - a crater lake thought by the indigenous people to be a tunnel to the Pacific Ocean. 

Dirt and ancient cobblestone roads take us peacefully into the city of Otavalo.  Otavalo textiles are famous for their history and quality. The Otavaleños were skilled weavers even before the Incan rule. The Spanish set up workshops to employ the already skilled weavers, and soon, through technological advancements, the Otavalo weavers supplied textiles to most of Latin America.  Today the area has several wool mills and looms and produces high-quality textiles.  A visit to the Indigenous market at the "Plaza de Los Ponchos" in the center of Otavalo is a feast for your eyes and an opportunity to bring back some great gifts for your friends and family.

Tonight, we are in for a treat!  We will stay in the renovated 17th-century comfortable and luxurious Hacienda Cusin.  The prominent Luna family purchased Hacienda Cusin at an auction from Philip III, King of Spain, in 1602. The purchased estate, an abraje or sheep farm, comprises two valleys of Gualaví and La Rinconada. All the land between the valleys and the lake, approximately 100,000 acres/50,000 hectares, was held until Land Reforms in 1945 and 1964. Hacienda Cusin was named for the mountain at the head of the valley of La Rinconada.  Today, it is owned by a wealthy American and her English husband, and they have put millions of dollars into its restoration.

The mountain’s name is uncertain, although three possibilities are likely. First, Cusin was the name of an indigenous chief who fought against the Incas in the early 16th century, just before the Spaniards’ arrival. Secondly, a type of white beetle, a cuzo, cut-zo, (Quechua), a delicacy that appears briefly in November.  Cusin’s coat of arms, found on dishware and stationary, is a cuso’s carapace.

We'll enjoy a dinner featuring traditional, local culinary flavors with a glass of wine in their elegant dining room before you settle into your room appointed with high-quality textiles made in Otavalo.

After a lovely hacienda breakfast, we ride along the shore of Lake San Pablo, where the locals still cultivate the reeds to make baskets and other items.   We ride to the town of Cotacachi, at the base of the Cotacachi Volcano.  Cotacachi is famous for its high-end leather goods and leather tanneries that still use traditional, vegetable tanning leather methods.  We'll meet a local leather tanner that uses traditional vegetal (not chemical) techniques to create high-quality hides.   There are many quaint shops in the center of town where you can get fantastic prices for jackets, belts, wallets, and boots.  The city also has a thriving American and Canadian population where the local coffee and pastry shops serve as meeting places.

We take the back roads out of Cotacachi, which are timeworn, serpentine cobblestone roads leading past grandiose farms producing long-stem roses and other cut flowers - one of the major exports of Ecuador.  The roads will cross through a series of small colonial towns with truly authentic fading pastel adobe buildings, iron street lights, and cobbled sidewalks.  Each village will take you further back in time.  We will stop for a soak and a bite to eat at the Chachimbiro Hot Springs - some of the most healing waters in Ecuador. The chemical composition is high in iron, copper, iodine, and other minerals. The water regulates the digestive system and stimulates the cardiovascular and central nervous systems.

After the last little town of Cahausqui, we enter Cotocachi-Cayapas Park again.  This time it will be a dramatic entrance.  We have 30% grades on unimproved dirt roads that will immediately bring you up and over the clouds gaining over 5,000 feet in under 2 miles.  In your rearview mirror, you'll catch glimpses of the snow-capped Cayambe Volcano, far in the distance.   The road leads first through a magnificent pine forest, and then, once over the tree line, you'll be riding on a ride at over 13,000 feet in elevation.  You'll have tremendous views of the fertile valley below.  It can be a bit chilly up here, so be sure to add another layer.

From the peak, we'll ride down rocky switchbacks, back onto the Western Slopes of the Andes, and back into the green, mossy cloudforest.  We cross a few rushing brooks and waterfalls with more opportunities for a swim.  After passing the beautiful mountain pastures, we arrive in the small village of La Merced de Buenos Aires.  Here is one of our favorite places to eat - in the little wooden restaurant that serves undeniably fresh trout, fished from the icy mountain streams surrounding the town.  The people are amicable here and are always surprised to see visitors from other lands in their small town.

Say adios to our friends in La Merced de Buenos Aires, and we will continue towards the west on unimproved dirt farm roads.  We'll ride through a series of small mountains that look like pyramids, passing trout fisheries, fruit, and coffee growers. Along this road are two schools that are part of our Pack for a Purpose community initiative.

We briefly join the E10 paved road at the ranger station checkpoint and then continue to descend in elevation, taking a small way out of the village of Limonal that leads deep into the fertile mountainous farmlands of the western Andes.  Following a small roaring river with waterfalls will bring you through the hamlet of Primavera, and just outside, you will find the entrance to the Hacienda Primavera Wilderness Lodge. 

We will spend the night in what we believe is one of the unique lodges in the entire country.  Its location is truly in the wilderness, and this is a secret hideout for birdwatchers.  

 The lodge is located within the El Choco cloud forest reserve, which has primary and secondary forests, and guests can see various tropical birds such as parrots and toucans. The lush forests surrounding the hacienda contain the most significant flora and fauna per square meter than anywhere else in the world. The tropical forests are abundant in endemic species, epiphytes, and orchids.

The Ecolodge has large rooms, spacious suites, a gourmet restaurant, a beautiful spring-fed pool, and a working horse and cattle ranch.  The staff will be happy to show you around, including the coffee plantation on the premises.

The ride out of the rainforest and jungle on the dirt roads out of Primavera is outstanding.  We will pass several waterfalls and rolling brooks before climbing over a mountain pass in the Golondrina Protected Forest.  We come into another valley and the small town of El Chical.  We're now on the border with Colombia, and the communities here grow coffee, cacao, exotic fruits, and other crops.  It is an idyllic part of the country nestled in a beautiful setting of mountains.

From El Chical, we head east, following the Colombian border, and ride into the town of Maldonado.  Maldonado is home to the Golondrina Coffee Growers' Association. Here too, you can get a taste of the coffee and a quick tour of how they grow, process, and roast their coffee grown throughout this region.  In Maldonado, many people pick coffee or raspberries with red-stained fingers.  The coop’s members have created reforestation programs with the local communities, and its members are encouraged to utilize organic practices to prevent further erosion and soil depletion.  If you want to bring back coffee, that is the rage of coffee snobs around the world - here is your chance!

Once past the town of  Maldonado, we begin a climb into the highland moorland (land with low-growing shrubs and acidic soil) of the El Angel National Park.  Huge Frailejones (Espeletia pychnophyla), which grow as high as 20 feet and feature a flower similar to the sunflower, fill the Humid Moorlands of El Angel. The leaves are hairy and protect this exotic plant from the frigid climate that hits this region. Other beautiful flowers in this area are the El Angel Flowers, which look very similar to the Frailejones with their hairy leaves and yellow flowers.  You will go over the Volcan Chiles pass at about 13,500 feet in the park and then ride next to the green volcanic lakes.  It is a fantastic landscape that you will always remember.  There is no place on Earth like it.

Once down from the Volcan Chiles pass, we follow an ancient cobblestone road to Colombia's border.   Right precisely on the border is the Tufiño Hot Springs - as we approach them, you will smell the sulfur from the higher source pools that are fenced off because they can be overpowering.  But below, the water is hot in the springs, and a 10-minute soak will significantly reduce your blood pressure.

We'll take some curvy paved roads into Tulcan - the capital of Carchi Province, which is a border town, just 7 km from Colombia.  Tulcan is famous for its Topiary cemetery - have a stop here to see all the fantastic shrubs carved into animals and figures.  It is amazing.  We'll sip the local drink called "norteña" at the newly remodeled central market, which serves up other local culinary delights.

From Tulcan - we take the old Panamerican highway through the picturesque town of El Angel.  You'll see a considerable change in the climate - you're now in the very arid desert.  We turn off the Panamerican highway onto an ancient cobblestone road - this is the original highway between Colombia and Ecuador - the one that Simon de Bolivar once traveled.  The road is lined with various cactus, and you'll see herds of goats shepherded by people in the traditional indigenous dress.

This stunning landscape is the setting of the magnificent Hacienda Piman  - a place we chose for its unique location and luxurious rooms.   The setting is stunning - in the desert surrounded by silver mountains.   The pool and dining facilities are top-notch.  You'll enjoy a room with magnificent private views.

Today will be another significant change in climate, culture, and terrain. We'll head out of the desert and around the tranquil shores of Laguna Yaguarcocha (Blood Lake). In 1495, Inca leader Huayna Capac inflicted the final defeat on the local Cara people. Between 20,000 and 50,000 Cara were slain and their bodies dumped into the lake, turning the waters crimson.  The Cara were such highly respected warriors that the surviving were employed as Royal Incan Bodyguards. Today's lake is much more tranquil and lined with Tortora reeds, which are woven to make mats and canoes. The wide road around the lake is also the racetrack where races occur yearly. 

We'll then ride through the historic center of Ibarra - founded in 1606 and known as the "White City" for its whitewashed colonial buildings.  Here are stately squares overlooked by grand churches and colonial buildings sheltering garden courtyards.  Ibarra's most delicious treats are helados de paila.  This sorbet rivals anything you will find on Rome's streets or in gourmet restaurants in any part of the world. The only ingredients are ice, sugar, salt, and fruit.  The original shop of Rosalia Suarez - the originator of helados de paila - is a stop on the tour. You'll want to find your favorite flavor.

We'll ride on beautiful curvy roads south of Ibarra through a patchwork of green fields.  You'll pass through the town of Zuleta - famous for their needlework.   Also in Zuleta is the

Hacienda Zuleta cheese-making facilities that make a variety of delicious ripened Andean cheese. An excellent place to stop for a snack!

The Volcano of the same name is towering over the town of Cayambe - the only place on Earth where the Equator passes over snow.  Cayambe is the regional center of Ecuador's flower industry and is well-known for its bizcochos - rich buttery cookies.  Once past Cayambe, you will have a chance to stand in two hemispheres simultaneously at the Quitsato equator monument. The monument is a giant sundial, 54 meters across, with a 10-meter high cylinder, placed precisely on the Equator.  With this sundial, you can tell the time and the year's date.  The guides on the site will show you how to do it.  The monument is in honor of the ancient regional cultures who well understood these techniques of charting celestial movements and knew the Equator's position, long before "more advanced" civilizations.   The museum on site will explain how they were able to do this.

Once in the southern hemisphere, we turn onto a cobblestone road that will take you up the Cayambe Volcano slopes and into the Coca-Cayambe National Ecological Reserve.  This park is one of Ecuador's most protected natural areas, and a special permit is required for entry.  We've got the license, so we'll be some of the lucky few visiting this park every year.

The park contains some 900 species of birds, and we have personally seen wild puma and bears in the park.

We then descend into the town of Oyacachi, where the descendants of those who fled the massacre at Laguna Yaguarcocha (see above) settled. The town has beautiful hot springs with pools at various temperatures where you can soak and relax. We will have lunch at one of the simple restaurants that can prepare the local trout - from the crystal clear waters that run through here. They cook the trout over a wood fire. Their special traditional cooking techniques will probably make you say that this is the best trout you have ever had!

From Oyacachi, we pass through the more remote regions of the park, through the high paramo terrain. You should stop to see a few beautiful glacial lakes here. Many people say this resembles the highlands of Scotland. You may catch photos of the condor or mountain toucan in this area.

We end the day's ride soaking your limbs in your private hot spring bath outside your private adobe thatched cabin at the Termas Papallacta  Hot Springs Spa & Resort. There is no better way to relax than staying at this award-winning luxury resort, high in the Andes. After a full day of riding, you will deserve the pampering!

Today is a day for relaxation.  You'll enjoy your luxurious cabin and take some time to explore the resort's trails and surroundings.  
They offer many special spa treatments and horseback riding in the area.  

Our ride back to Quito starts by riding over the Papallacta pass - the continental divide at 13,400 feet.  You'll ride back into Quito on the same cobbled road that Francisco de Orellana walked on his famous trek to the Amazon to find the fountain of youth for the King and Queen of Spain.  On the way back up to Quito, have a stop to see the Guapulo Church and stop in the art galleries of this bohemian neighborhood, which hangs perilously off the side of the cliff.

For those looking for additional riding on this last day, we can provide an alternate route to visit the Laguna Muerto Pungo - a beautiful unpaved road through highlands paramo.