Our Colombian Trailblazer tour is all about the off-road – the dirt bikes enabling us to get far off the beaten track and explore Colombia’s backcountry routes.
Pricing
| For dates: | |
| January 8, 2024 - January 18, 2024 | |
| January 29, 2024 - February 8, 2024 | |
| February 19, 2024 - February 29, 2024 | |
| June 17, 2024 - June 27, 2024 | |
| July 8, 2024 - July 18, 2024 | |
| July 29, 2024 - August 8, 2024 | |
| per rider in shared twin/double room incl. rental motorcycle KTM 250 EXC-F or similar (Only available for a booking of two persons. Single travelers need to choose the single room surcharge.) | $5,859.00 |
| per rider in shared twin/double room with own motorcycle (Only available for a booking of two persons. Single travelers need to choose the single room surcharge.) | $4,489.00 |
| per person single room (surcharge, only available with an additional selection of the basic price "per rider in shared twin/double room") | $668.00 |
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| per person Motorcycle Damage Waiver | $479.00 |
Included
| Rental motorcycle: KTM 250 EXC-F or similar |
| Twin-share accommodation as per itinerary |
| Airport Pickup/Drop-off |
| Entrance Fees/Crossings |
| Expedition Leader |
| Financial Protection |
| All fuel |
| GPS Tracking |
| Meals |
| Mechanic |
| Medical Support |
| Part Profits Donated to Charity/Rainforest & Wildlife Conservation |
| Support Vehicle |
| Personalized Jersey |
| Welcome Pack |
| Everything not listed as included |
| International Flights |
| Motorcycle Damages |
| Other Expenses: Alcohol; Laundry; Souvenirs; Any meals that are not mentioned in the itinerary; Recovery, oil, spare parts, labor or other indirect costs resulting from the damage or repair of your motorcycle; Emergency transportation; Any other item, optional excursion, activity or entrance fee that is not specifically mentioned as being included. |
| Personal Travel Insurance |
| Riding Kit |
More details
| Max Group Size: 10 Riders |
| Pillion Friendly?: No |
| Terrain: 85% unpaved |
| Difficulty: 7/10 |
| Support: Local guide | Trip manager / 1st response medic | Support vehicle | Consulting doctor | Mechanic |
| Comfort: 7/10 |
| Average Daily Ride Hours: 6 - 7 |
| Total Distance km: 665 |
| Riding Type: Dirt Bike |
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| Accommodation: |
| Twin-share accommodation is included as standard – see ‘Prices’ for single room pricing. On this tour, we use 4* hotels in the bigger cities and the absolute best available in smaller towns & villages. Please see the daily itinerary info for more details on the accommodation. |
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| Airport Pickup/Drop-off: |
| You’ll be collected from Bogota International Airport (BOG) on the morning of the first day. (You are of course welcome to arrive a day or two earlier, but there will be an extra cost for airport pickup). At the end of the trip, we will arrange transfers from our final hotel to El Edén International Airport, Armenia (AXM). |
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| Entrance Fees/Crossings: |
| All boat fees for river crossings during the ride. |
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| Expedition Leader: |
| Your tour will be led and managed by a highly experienced member of our team (trained as a wilderness first response medic) |
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| Financial Protection: |
| We are committed to customer satisfaction and consumer financial protection. At no extra cost to you, all our passengers are fully insured, and subsequently the balance of monies paid as detailed in your booking confirmation form. The policy also includes repatriation if required, arising from the cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to insolvency. During the COVID-19 crisis, every rider that requested a refund was issued a cash refund. |
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| GPS Tracking: |
| This motorcycle tour is accompanied by a GPS tracker that displays our live location and tracks history on an online map. We will provide you with the link and login details which you can then share with your family at home so they can track your progress throughout the trip. |
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| Meals: |
| Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided on most days. Please see the daily itinerary to see what meals are included on each day. |
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| Mechanic: |
| A mechanic will be riding at the back of the group, ready to attend to any issues that may arise. |
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| Medical Support: |
| At least one member of the support team will have been trained as a Wilderness First Response medic. An extensive medical kit including a defibrillator (AED) & stretcher is carried in the support vehicle. We also have consulting doctors on call, 24/7, who are always ready to assist in the case of an emergency. Our doctors are fully briefed on all riders’ medical info prior to the tour, they know what we do, where we are riding, exactly what we have in our medical kit, and what training our medics have. Tours are accompanied by GPS trackers and a satellite messenger device so our doctor and office can see exactly where we are and can maintain communication. |
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| Part Profits Donated to Charity: |
| Part profits from every motorcycle tour are donated to M’Lop Tapang – a local Cambodian charity dedicated to bettering the lives of young children & their families. |
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| Support Vehicle: |
| This motorcycle tour of Colombia is accompanied by a 4×4 support vehicle with a trailer and spare bike, equipped to carry your luggage, an extensive medical kit + stretcher + defibrillator (AED), drinking water, snacks, tools, spare parts, and a satellite messaging device. |
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| Welcome Pack: |
| We’ll welcome you with a bag of goodies which will include a T-shirt, Baseball cap, Map, Stickers, Mug, Keyring, Neck tube. |
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| International Flights: |
| You’ll need to book a flight to arrive in Bogota, Colombia (BOG) on or before the morning of Day 1 of this trip. You will then fly out of Armenia, Colombia (AXM) on the last day of the trip. It is important you either: |
| Book a flexible flight ticket that allows you to make amendments or cancel without penalty; |
| Have travel insurance that will reimburse you for out of pocket expenses incurred by a canceled trip; |
| Do not book your flights until we have notified you that this departure is guaranteed. |
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| Motorcycle Damages: |
| Please be aware that you are responsible for all damage caused to the motorcycle. If you don't want the potential hassle of being charged for motorcycle damage at the end of the ride, we offer our own damage protection plan. If you book the Motorcycle Protection Plan (see under prices), all damage to the motorcycle is then covered by us. Please bear in mind that this excludes damage caused by irresponsible riding (for example, a failed wheelie attempt). |
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| Personal Travel Insurance: |
| It is a condition of booking that you obtain appropriate travel insurance that covers you for riding the same capacity motorcycle that you’ll be riding on this motorcycle tour. The insurance must cover emergency evacuation, medical bills, repatriation etc. |
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| Riding Kit: |
| Enduro/motocross style kit will be the way to go on this motorcycle tour, rather than an adventure/road riding kit. We recommend you bring an extra layer and waterproofs to keep out the wet stuff. You'll also want some decent armored protection and please do bear in mind that we will sometimes be riding on the road... 'dress for the slide, not the ride!' |
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| Motorcycle Hire (if selected): |
| If you have you your own suitable & reliable motorcycle at the start point, you are quite welcome to use that for this trip. If not, we will provide a rental motorcycle for you… Please see the Prices section for available bikes. The cost of shipping the motorcycle to and from the start and end destination is also included |
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| Language: This offer is usually suitable for English and/or German speaking participants. Please enquire for language options. |
| Mobility: The offer is not suitable for people with reduced mobility. Please contact us for more information. |
Description
Colombia is a stunningly beautiful, diverse, and vibrant country. Home to the northern tips of the Andes Mountains – the scenery, climate, and landscapes of Colombia differ massively from region to region.
On this Colombian motorcycle tour, we will ride at altitudes from 200m to 4,000m through jungle climates, alongside rice paddies and past snow-capped volcanoes. We’ll cross the ‘stone desert’ of La Calendaria, stay in traditional haciendas, and ride between two Andes mountain ranges. When we’re not in the saddle, we’ll cross the Magdalena River on a wooden canoe, relax in hot spring pools and taste the delights of the world-famous coffee region.
All of this and dirt biking too – this could be heaven!
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TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
Start your days with fresh Colombian coffee!
Stay in Villa de Leyva opposite the largest town square in Latin America.
Ride the disused railway alongside the Black River.
Stay in everything from luxury hotels to traditional Haciendas in the countryside.
Experience some incredible trail riding through the Andes mountains - the longest mountain range on the planet!
Off-road riding ranges from fast-paced dirt roads to tight forest singletrack.
Ride alongside the snow-capped Nevado Del Ruiz volcano.
Explore Colombia's beautiful coffee region and sample fresh organic coffee in the very plantation in which it has grown.
Cross rivers on small boats.
Experience some of the warmest hospitality in the world!
Wander the cobbled streets of colorful towns & villages...
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TOUR ITINERARY:
DAY 1: Arrive in Bogota - Welcome to Colombia!
Accommodation: 4* hotel with a pool.
Included meals: Dinner.
Arrive in Bogota, Colombia’s sprawling and exciting capital city. You’ll be met at the airport and brought to the hotel where you’ll receive a briefing of the adventure ahead.
We then head out to a lively restaurant for a welcome feast of traditional Colombian dishes.
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DAY 2: Bogota - Villa de Leyva transfer
Accommodation: Hotel fronting onto the largest town square in Latin America.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
To avoid riding in Bogota’s chaotic traffic we will transfer to Villa de Leyva by minivan where we’ll be greeted by our fleet of dirt bikes lined up ready to go. Perfect!
This town is simply beautiful – home to old colonial buildings, cobbled streets, and Latin America’s largest town square. We’ll enjoy lunch in the square before taking the bikes out for a short test ride on some nearby trails.
Our hotel overlooks the square and is conveniently located next door to an excellent little bar – how’s that for planning? Sit outside and enjoy a cold beer or gin & tonic whilst listening to classic rock music and watching life go by.
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DAY 3: Villa de Leyva - Ubaté 105km
Accommodation: Colonial style hacienda.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
An incredible day’s riding as we pass through a variety of tracks and over the hills of the ‘stone desert’.
We ride through wonderful scenery and small colorful towns on our way to Ubate.
We finish off at an old farm hacienda, surrounded by pine forests and trails.
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DAY 4: Ubaté - Pacho 105km
Accommodation: Guesthouse.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Stunning views today as we ride winding tracks and trails through the hills. We’ll stop in small villages and meet the locals that are growing fresh coffee in their back garden. We’ll stop for a picnic lunch along the way and finish at a small guesthouse with a pool.
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DAY 5: Pacho - Villeta 100km
Accommodation: Private villa with a pool.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Riding high up into the Colombian mountains you really begin to realize the enormity of the Andes – the longest mountain range on the planet. Winding dirt roads and single-track trails snake their way up and over mountain peaks, offering spectacular views over lush green forests and jungle.
In the afternoon we descend into the hot & humid conditions of the jungle. Here awaits amazing singletrack trails, plenty of river crossings, and quirky bridges. It’s a great day of riding that finishes up at a private villa with our own personal chef, swimming pool, and hot tub. Awesome!
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DAY 6: Villeta - Honda 95km
Accommodation: Centrally located hotel with a pool.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Today is an absolute corker! We kick off with a treacherous ride along with a (mostly!) disused railway that hugs a cliff edge alongside the Black River.
The locals still use the tracks for their ‘brujitas’ – tiny rickety cars powered by motorcycle engines. These adorable little train taxis double up as school buses for what is possibly the coolest and most beautiful school run ever!
We’ll ride through tunnels, pass alongside waterfalls and cross some nasty little bridges. It’s an exhilarating start to the day and man, is it fun!
It doesn’t let up either, after some beautiful tracks through the hills, we cut left and join a riverbed. Picking out our own trails, making some big splashes, and letting the back end out on the wet sand, this section will leave every rider grinning from ear to ear!
There’s a small farm at the end of the trail and the family will prepare us a freshly cooked lunch and cold beers. From here, it’s a short ride to the private boat that will be waiting to take us over to the other side.
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DAY 7: Honda
Accommodation: Hotel with a swimming pool.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Spend the morning relaxing by the pool or exploring this beautiful town and its markets. We’ll meet for lunch beside the river and in the afternoon we can take the bikes to explore some riverside trails.
We can finish off the day with a couple of games of billiards in town with the locals. Just let them win occasionally!
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DAY 8: Honda - Termales Del Ruiz 130km
Accommodation: Hotel with hot pools.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Starting the day at a very warm altitude of just 250m, it’s hard to believe that you’ll be riding past snow-capped mountains later this afternoon!
We hit the dirt and follow the Magdelana River to Beltran. We then board small wooden canoes with our bikes and finish the journey upriver to Ambala.
Awesome dirt tracks take us back up into the mountains and alongside Nevado del Ruiz, a 4,000m high volcano that conveniently heats tonight’s swimming pool!
We finish the day at an incredible hotel surrounded by hot springs, waterfalls, and hummingbirds. We’re staying at a very chilly altitude of more than 3,000m, so the hot swimming pools are the perfect place to finish the day!
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DAY 9: Termales Del Ruiz - Salento 130km
Accommodation: Country hotel.
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
We’re now getting into Colombia’s coffee region and we’ll ride mile after mile of rolling hills covered in coffee bushes and palm trees.
Salento is an achingly beautiful and colorful town, home to a vibrant mix of bars, restaurants, and shops.
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DAY 10: Salento
Accommodation: Private house.
Included meals: Breakfast, dinner.
Today we can explore the coffee park in an old Willys Jeep, ride horses in the Cocora valley or just wander the streets to do a spot of souvenir shopping. The choice is yours.
In the evening we’ll visit the Tejo hall for a game or two – Tejo is a traditional Colombian throwing game that’s best enjoyed after a beer or two as it involves hurling metal discs at small targets containing gunpowder! It’s not easy, but when you do ‘make a bang’ it’s a great feeling, if slightly unnerving!
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DAY 11: Departure - Transfer to Armenia Airport
Accommodation: Not included.
Included meals: Breakfast only.
It’s time to say our goodbyes, so we’ll transfer you to El Edén International Airport in Armeia. If time allows, why not take a short flight up to Cartegena to spend a few days relaxing on a beach on the Caribbean coast? It’s so close, it’d be rude to not too!
Bon voyage!