If you love coffee as much as you love cycling, this tour is for you. Colombia is known globally for its premium coffee. And it is here in the Eje Cafetero region where much of it can be found. Year round warm climate and fertile hills has made this area one of the best places to grow coffee in the world. Eje Cafetero is found between the central and west branch of the Cordillera of the Andes. The Cauca River winds its way through this mountainous region which provides a backdrop to the rides. Everywhere you go you will feel the deep rooted pride amongst the people who have cultivated coffee fields for over 200 years. Colourfully painted towns are nestled in this mountainous region as they peer down to the valleys below. As you roll through these towns you will be hypnotized by the soft smell of coffee and the vivacious tones of varying green, yellow, blue and red. All your senses will be deeply touched. At the end of each day's ride you will welcome the rest in a traditional hacienda. The soft smell of wood and coffee, sun bathed valley views and the warm, gentle hospitality of the people makes riding in this region simply unforgettable.
January 28 - February 4th 2020
Any scheduled tour can be made private. Your group, your preferred dates.
We will pick you up at the Pereira Airport. A twenty minute drive will take you to a beautiful farm house which is situated in the middle of a coffee plantation. Here you will have your first glimpse of the astonishingly beautiful sunsets and the fresh, fertile smell of the land. At night we will cover the basics of the following days. This route is incrementally challenging that starts with a stage in the middle of the plains between the central Cordillera and the West Cordillera.
Early in the morning we will start a gentle downhill that will take us to the town of Montenegro. Placed in the middle of the valley between two major mountain ranges, the terrain is rolling hills with a small challenge in the middle of the ride which is just enough to test the legs for the upcoming days. By the early afternoon, we are expected to arrive to the town of La Virginia where we will spend the rest of the afternoon. Distance: 80 km Altitude gain: 800mts
The third day brings the first moderate climb. We will start from La Virginia in the valley bottom before tackling one of the first mountains of this trip. You will climb 10 miles up a quiet country road followed by 6 miles of rolling terrain. The reward will be breath taking views of the valley bottoms on either side as you ride along the ridge of this cordillera After a coffee break we will start our descent, and it’s fantastic. Long enough to gain some speed and plenty of small small turns to keep it quite interesting. Undoubtedly you will stop along the way because the views are just amazing. Our reward at the end of the day is relaxing at the swimming pool in an old hacienda and coffee plantation that has been transformed into a hotel. Distance: 70km Altitude gain: 2200mts
Chinchiná is a quintessential Colombian coffee town. Wherever you look you will see hills covered with these precious beans. We will start the day on a lightly traveled road while we gently ride up what feels like a hidden canyon. Our goal is the town of Marsella which sits on the top of this climb. The ride into the town of Pereira is one of the most thrilling descents in all of our tours. Our destination is an incredible farm house which has fantastic cuisine. Distance: 60km Altitude gain: 1600mts
The day will start by riding through undulating hills. After each small descent we will encounter a small river and a bamboo forest that create a green tunnel to ride through. After turning left and leaving Montenegro behind the gentle but constant 17 km climb will take us to Finlandia. This town lies just shy of 2000 metres in altitude and is one of the best preserved coffee hub towns. The heart of the activity is centred around a plaza where jeeps lumber in and out of the area weighted by coffee bags. Distance: 45km Altitude gain: 1300mts
This tour finishes in the most spectacular way. Our day’s destination is one the most beautiful places in Colombia: Salento. This town attracts visitors from far and wide who want to see Cocora Valley which is home to the 300 foot wax palm trees. By the end of the day we will ride amongst these tree giants. Distance: 45km Altitude gain: 1400mts
Today we will change cleats and lycra for hiking shoes and shorts so we can explore Cocora Valley. After almost a week of cycling, a change in the pace is always welcomed. In the afternoon, we will get you ready for the next day transfer to the airport.
Time to say goodbye. The guides will transfer you from the hotel to the airport so you can catch your flight back home.
This tour is incredibly photogenic. At every turn in the road you will see yet another amazing view of coffee fields, beautiful mountains and brightly painted farmhouse known as haciendas.
Our tours know this tour inside and out. We have carefully selected the best routes to make each day some of the most memorable riding you will ever have.
We have carefully selected the restaurants on this tour to take full advantage of the region's unique culinary tradition. Imagine fresh fruit and vegetables, healthy meat options and of course, world class coffee.
The riding in this area is unique in that the roads are super windy. This means traffic always moves at a slower pace and that every descent is super fun.
Choose from our comprehensive list of road and mountain bike guided cycling tours in Colombia
