On a bicycle the Andes stop being a backdrop. This crossing climbs gravel passes on the Argentine side, rolls down into the wet green valleys of Chile under smoking volcanoes, and comes back across the range by boat on Lake Pirehueico. The days mix forest tracks, lakeshore roads and one hard stage on the Transvolcanic route, with a guide riding along and a support vehicle carrying the bags, the repairs and the lunch.
Day 1 · Villa La Angostura
Highlight · Bikes fitted in Villa La Angostura and the days ahead laid out by the guide.
The group meets at Bariloche airport and drives to Villa La Angostura, where the bikes are fitted and the guide goes through the days ahead.
Night · Villa La Angostura
Day 2 · The Seven Lakes road to Villa Traful
Highlight · A climb of about 900 m to a narrow pass, then the forested shore of Lake Traful.
From the Correntoso river and lake, some 20 km on the Seven Lakes road to a junction, then a gravel track that climbs about 900 m to a narrow pass. Beyond it, 25 more kilometres of ups and downs along Lake Traful, almost all of it through mountain forest. The night is in Villa Traful.
Night · Villa La Angostura
Day 3 · Paso del Córdoba to Filo Hua Hum
Highlight · Rock formations in many colours at the pass, then almost 12 km downhill to the Caleufu river.
A winding gravel track along Lake Traful to the meeting of the Traful and Limay rivers, then the Paso del Córdoba: ten flat kilometres, a first climb, a descent and a second climb to the pass itself, among rock formations in many colours. Then almost 12 km downhill to the Caleufu river for a break, and a last 10 km to the camp at Filo Hua Hum, where the night is in shared cabins.
Night · San Martín de los Andes
Day 4 · Lake Meliquina to San Martín de los Andes
Highlight · Along Lake Meliquina, out in the open and then into the shade of the forest.
About 28 km of wide gravel road along Lake Meliquina, first in the open and then in the shade of the forest, until the tarmac that drops into San Martín de los Andes.
Night · San Martín de los Andes
Day 5 · San Martín de los Andes
Highlight · Kayaking on Lake Lácar, or the mountain-bike circuit on Cerro Chapelco.
A rest day off the route, or a different kind of activity: kayaking on Lake Lácar, a hike, or the mountain-bike circuit on Cerro Chapelco.
Night · San Martín de los Andes
Day 6 · Into Chile to Pucón
Highlight · The smoking cone of the Villarrica appearing on the left above Pucón.
Drive · 100 km
A transfer of about 100 km to the national park entrance, where the riding starts again, with a stop for the border formalities. On the Chilean side, a long 30 km descent on tarmac, then quieter gravel roads through a wetter, greener country of wide rivers and meadows, until the smoking cone of the Villarrica appears on the left above Pucón.
Night · Pucón & Villarrica
Day 7 · The Transvolcanic route to Coñaripe
Highlight · Between the Villarrica and Quetrupillán volcanoes, the hardest stage, ridden without the support vehicle.
Twenty kilometres of tarmac, then south onto the Transvolcanic route, through the Villarrica national park between the Villarrica and Quetrupillán volcanoes. It is the most special stage of the crossing and the hardest, ridden without the support vehicle because of the terrain. The night is in Coñaripe, on Lake Calafquén.
Night · Pucón & Villarrica
Day 8 · Lake Calafquén to Panguipulli
Highlight · The shores of Lake Calafquén and Lake Pillingue, then a hotel on Lake Panguipulli.
An easier day on paved roads, along the shores of Lake Calafquén and Lake Pillingue and on through green meadows, to a hotel on the shore of Lake Panguipulli.
Night · Huilo Huilo
Day 9 · Huilo Huilo
Highlight · The Mocho-Choshuenco volcanoes growing ahead, then a lush track into the reserve.
The morning follows Lake Panguipulli with the Mocho-Choshuenco volcanoes growing ahead; in the afternoon a lush, winding track leads into the Huilo Huilo reserve, a private forest reserve with its own unlikely architecture, for the rest of the day.
Night · Huilo Huilo
Day 10 · Lake Pirehueico and back to Argentina
Highlight · Two hours by boat across Lake Pirehueico from Puerto Fuy.
A 5 km descent to Puerto Fuy and two hours by boat across Lake Pirehueico, then the Chilean and Argentine border posts, and the shore of Lake Lácar back to San Martín de los Andes.
Night · San Martín de los Andes
Day 11 · San Martín de los Andes
Highlight · The crossing ends where it came back into Argentina, on Lake Lácar.
The end of the ride, back in San Martín de los Andes.
