DAY 7: Continuing our ride around Lake Llanquihue, we’ll pass through the small village of Ensenada on our way to the town of Petrohué and the glacier-fed Lake Todos los Santos. We’ll bike by the famous “saltos” or waterfalls. 43 miles.

DAY 8: If you choose to end your tour here, we’ll provide you with a shuttle after breakfast to the Puerto Montt airport by 1:00pm. Or, fly home from Bariloche, by taking the relaxing boat and bus trip across Lake Todos los Santos to Bariloche. The daily departures will get you back to Bariloche by 9:30pm.

Even better, extend your stay by continuing on to the island of Chiloé with us. We’ll say good-bye to our bikes and hike to a penguin colony. We’ll walk along the beach of the Chiloé archipelago to watch the Magellan and Humboldt penguins.

We’ll also explore the town of Ancud and its fascinating history. It was founded in 1767 by seafarers coming north from circling around Cape Horn and was the last stronghold of the Spanish in Chile. Much of the original city was also destroyed by a tsunami in 1960. 1.5 hour hike.

DAY 9: We’ll board kayaks and explore the fjords, islands and hidden coves of the protected sea among the islands of Chiloé. We’ll watch sea lions and black-necked swans before a picnic lunch and then spend the afternoon in Castro, the capitol of Chiloé. 0 miles.

DAY 10: Today we hike through the Chiloé National Park to explore its ancient and diverse forests, once described by Charles Darwin. You should see hundreds of species endemic to the area, such as picaflores, kingfishers and huillines. The Alerce forest is cousin to the redwood but found only in South America. We’ll end the day with a folkloric show depicting the legends of the indigenous community of Quilque while we have dinner on the banks of Cucao Lake. 4 hour hike.

DAY 11: We start our day with a visit to some fisherman villages full of colorful wooden churches, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch at the beautiful Tocoihue Waterfall, we’ll take a ferry back to Puerto Montt, arriving at the airport by 6:00pm to say our good-byes. 0 miles.

Bicycle across the mild Andes Mountains from Argentina to Chile. At this latitude, the gentle mountains lead us from the high plateau of Bariloche down through the valleys of the border region and into Chile’s Lake District. We lose elevation during this tour so the cycling will seem effortless at times, and if not, breathtaking. Extend your stay and visit the island of Chiloé for some additional kayaking and hiking through a penguin colony and a dense Alerce forest.

DAY 1: We meet in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina at 4:00pm for a rental bike fitting, an orientation meeting and dinner.

You may want to arrive early to enjoy this city in the heart of the Nahuel Huapi National Park, on the southern shore of a beautiful lake. The town is the perfect balance between the bustle of a modern city and the serenity of the surrounding landscape. It’s a well-known tourist resort because its mountains attract the skiers and hikers, its nearby rivers appeal to the rafters, and the lakes call upon the boaters and fishermen. 0 miles.

DAY 2: We begin our day by biking north on one of Argentina’s most scenic roads along Lake Nahuel Huapibike to Villa La Angostura. Nestled on the Quetrihué Peninsula, the village’s name means isthmus or narrows. 56 miles.

DAY 3: We cross the Andes today from Lake Espejo over the Cardenal Samore Pass. We’ll have a picnic lunch near the top before enjoying the descent into Chile. We’ll overnight at the thermal resort of Termas de Puyehue. Before dinner, be sure to soak in one of the thermal spa pools where the water naturally averages 98.6 degrees. 58 paved miles.

DAY 4: We leave the Andes and enter Chile’s Lake District. We’ll stop for a picnic lunch in Cancura and then shuttle to our overnight in Puerto Octay on Lake Llanquihue, Chile’s largest lake.

Like many of the towns in this area, Puerto Octay was originally a German settlement. Learn all about the lives of the early German settlers at the excellent regional museum. Our hotel is beautifully situated overlooking the lake. 58 miles.

DAY 5: We’ll pedal around the west side of Lake Llanquihue today with stunning views of Osorno and Calbuco Volcanoes. The snow-capped, classic shaped Osorno Volcano stands like a sentinel as we make our way to the charming small city of Puerto Varas. 41 miles.

DAY 6: We take the day off from our bicycles to enjoy the small but bustling Puerto Varas. You can walk lakeside to watch the sunrise and then browse among the craft stores after breakfast.

In the afternoon, we’ll enjoy some gentle whitewater rafting down the Petrohue River. The Class III rapids will be exhilarating without being too technical. Dinner is on your own. 0 miles.