3 Unknown Parks to Mountain Bike in Ecuador: Cayambe Coca, Papallacta, Antisana

Guys! One of the things I got to do in Ecuador was go biking in the Andes mountains! During my five months of traveling through Central and South America, I’ve gotten to do a fair share of hiking, hanging out on beaches and some wild swimming. But I haven’t been on a bike in a while. Then I found the tours from Biking Dutchman in Quito. Seeing volcanoes, mountains and paramo landscapes by bike quickly jumped to the top of my “things to do in Ecuador” travel list.

I mean, how could it not?

I partnered with Yan at Biking Dutchman (based in Quito) to find a dream agenda for this post that would get a great view of the most iconic Ecuador mountains and parks: Cotopaxi, Chimborazo and Quilotoa. He provided high-end front-suspension track mountain bikes, an off-road-ready vehicle that would haul us up those mountains, lunches, ginger tea and the famous homemade Biking Dutchman brownies for dessert. Made from local cacao, of course.

I was all set for a 3-day mountain biking tour through Ecuador.

Unfortunately, our plans were derailed by country-wide protests and we were unable to visit some of the parks. But, being a car full of intrepid adventurers and feeling dead-set on finding the best downhill MTB trails in Ecuador, we changed our agenda on the fly and Yan still had us setting out from Quito right on time on Saturday morning.

Our new bike tour would take us through Parque Nacional de Cayambe Coca, Papallacta, and Reserva Ecologica Antisana, home of Antisana Volcano. We’d be above 10,000 feet (3,500 meters) all weekend, soak in Ecuador’s famous hot springs, see active volcanoes, hike through gorges and try some local food. Which are almost all the best things to do in Ecuador.

Riding Above the Clouds in Cayambe Coca, Ecuador

Elevation: 12,916 ft (3,937 m)
MTB Trail conditions: Gravel roads, single tracks and some paved roads to cross
Difficulty: Easy to medium, depending on the weather and visibility
Highlights: Pedaling through the cloud forest to see countless blue lakes high up in the Ecuador mountains.

Cayambe Coca is a National Park that’s a quick drive or day-trip from the capital city of Quito. It is home to Cayambe Volcano and is the third-highest Ecuadorian mountain at 18,897 feet (5,760 m) above sea level. But the mountain bike trails will keep you well below that altitude.

It’s also not a destination you’ll find on most tourist agendas for things to do in Ecuador. And that’s exactly why I loved it.

Aside from one other car of locals and a few cows, we had the place to ourselves. And it’s HUGE. Seriously, you could get lost for days in the Cayambe Coca wilderness area, pedaling from lake to lake while your heart pounds out of your chest from the excitement and elevation.

We rolled up on a day cloudy enough to make the opening scene of a horror movie, where I couldn’t see the MTB trail that was just a yard in front of me. The trails weren’t too tricky by themselves, but Mother Nature added a lack of visibility, curvy roads that drop into nothing-ness below and insane gusts of winds. So, well, it was a bit more than than a leisurely bicycle ride.

I thought it was perfect.

We’d pop around mountains to see intermittent breaks in the clouds that revealed the Paramo landscape and deep blue lakes below. And, when there was a flat, I’d huff and puff my way to the next downhill. This was officially the highest I’ve ever been, adding a few thousand feet of elevation to last year’s trip in the Rockies when we were camping and biking in Yellowstone. I was feeling it, too. Your muscles are less responsive, your limbs are heavier and your lungs just can’t seem to get enough air.

Thank goodness Yan had us following the old road, which crisscrossed the current 2-lane highway and only allows hikers and cyclists to pass. All I had to worry about was navigating the bumpy trail – and breathing.

Popping into Papallacta for a Relaxing Dip & Hike

Elevation: 10,600 ft (3,250 m)
MTB Trail conditions: Paved roads shared with cars and well-marked, well-maintained hiking trails.
Difficulty: Easy downhills.
Highlights: Walking along the river and seeing llamas out grazing.

After spending a few hours rocketing down the paved roads surrounding Papallacta, we rode our bikes right up to the natural-fed hot springs that are tucked in between two mountains. The icing on the cake? When the clouds cleared, I got great views of Antisana in the distance.

Right next door to Cayambe Coca, Papallacta has definitely come to be known as one of the things to do in Ecuador for those staying in or passing through Quito.

This was an improvised stop to our new agenda, but an area that Yan knew well because he often takes tours there. And, while we were soaking up the views and the steamy water, we were keeping an eye on the news of the current conditions in Quito. Apparently, the unrest that had been happening peaked during the day while we were up in the Ecuador mountains biking. We learned that the roads were blocked with fire barricades and that the government had enforced a 3 p.m. curfew. The riots were turning violent and major places in town – like the airport – were closed down.

We wouldn’t be making it back to town for the night.

Instead, we decided to stay safe right where we were and make the best of the situation. Yan found a great room for us with a warm meal and pointed us toward some hiking trails in the area.

The other woman on the tour and I decided to melt away some travel stress and forget about the troubles in Quito for a bit. After a traditional breakfast, I put on every single item of clothing I had to venture onto one of the trails in the chilly morning (hey, I’m not in California anymore). And I’m glad I did. The Ecuador mountains are a mix of being both cold because of the elevation but also warm with direct sunlight because of their proximity to the Equator. The only real solution is to dress in layers and bring a backpack for when you inevitably start shedding them.

We hiked over the river and strolled past over-saturated green fields full of goofy llamas that seemed surprised to see us. Hiking was another one of the things I wanted to do in Ecuador, but the protests that were going on hadn’t allowed me to do as much as I wanted. So, I savored my miles in the peaceful countryside.

After the hike, we stopped by the spa to see just what a chocolate wrap was all about. I mean, you just didn’t do Ecuador right if you didn’t try some of their world-class chocolate. And, we figured, if it was good in our mouth it’d be GREAT on our bodies. Right?!? Riggggght?

Spoiler: it was.

Really, no one should be surprised about that. Spas/hot springs and cycling are a great match. I soaked my sore muscles last year during my Yellowstone bicycle tour and had almost forgotten how good it feels. Maybe I’ll make a point to include them in all future bicycle travels.

Mountain Biking Past Antisana Volcano

Elevation: 18,713 ft (5,704 m)
MTB Trail conditions: Paved roads (not MTB exclusive) and rolling hills
Difficulty: Easy
Highlights: Wide-open views of Antisana volcano, a year-round snowy peak that towers over the whole park.

Antisana is another Ecuador mountain/volcano that I would never have found if it weren’t for Yan expertly showing us the best of the area around Quito. It’s one of the most difficult and technical mountains to summit if you are on foot. But the park offers medium trails for hikers and laid back riding for cyclists at much lower altitudes.

We started the morning acclimating to the new landscape by taking a walk up to a common viewpoint for Andean Condors, which is the largest flying bird in the world. That’s no small claim to fame. I don’t consider myself to be a big birding fan, but I admit that it was hard not to be impressed at the small airplanes that were flying around us.

As far as I could tell, we were the only people in the park. And we were definitely the only people on that particular trail. So, we got to move at whatever pace we damn well pleased and only moved on when our stomachs started growling for lunch.

After a quick refuel, it was back on the bikes, following the snaking roads over rolling hills. I don’t really know how to describe the vibe except to say it was magical. I heard only birds, the tires on pavement and the sound of wind passing through my hair. I had a goofy smile on my face. It’s the one I get any time I’m riding my bike on an open road that I can’t see the end of.

And then, just when I thought it was a perfect day, we bumped into a herd of wild horses. I’ve owned horses for longer than I’ve known how to properly walk. So, yea, I’m a horse girl. And one looked exactly like my first pony, Freckles. He just looked me right in my eyes (or was it my soul?!?) and walked up to me for belly scratches. I couldn’t deny him that. He reminded me too much of being a little girl again and discovering how cuddly horses can be. And it seemed fitting that an exact replica of the horse that introduced me to long, country trails was here on some mountain road in Ecuador with me 23 years later.

After a bit, he and his friends got bored us and we parted ways. Them, up toward Antisana. Us, down the mountain and back into the noisy reality of a South American town. Cars, tuks tuks, reggaeton music and street vendors loudly greeted us as we wove our way through the gridded streets and to a gas station for our meeting point with Yan, who was following a safe distance behind us the whole way.

And that was that. Back to Quito, back to reality. But with a totally different perspective of Ecuador.

If you’re looking up adventurous things to do in Ecuador when you’re in Quito, you’ll see that most cycling tours will take you to Cotopaxi. Is it a must-see? Yes. Does the park have the most exciting MTB trails in Ecuador? Certainly not.

My recommendation? Hike Cotopaxi so you can get the satisfaction of conquering one of the tallest active volcanoes in the world on your own two feet (bicycles aren’t allowed up it) and seek out some more off-the-beaten-path routes for your biking tour in Ecuador.

Like this:

I’m glad we had to mix up our tour agenda and go on the hunt for more far-flung places and unusual stops in the Ecuador mountains. It reminded me of why I love backcountry travel (even though we weren’t ever that far out) and just more adventurous travel in general.

Before I sign off, I’ll also just mention that this tour is definitely beginner-friendly. But, for the more advanced cyclists out there, I’d still recommend going with a tour group like Biking Dutchman, who can pair you with a trip that will match your experience level. Being in any foreign country can be difficult to navigate and the Ecuador mountains are very unpredictable. If you don’t know much about how to acclimate to altitude in general and the Andes specifically, you could get yourself in a tight bind.

Plus, high-end mountain bikes are hard to come by in South America.

If you do find them, you’ll end up shelling out a decent amount of money (usually starting at $80/day like I did in Puerto Rico). Add the cost of a rental car with a roof rack to haul them and a designated driver who’s ok with spending their vacation in the driver’s seat, and you’re probably spending more than you would for a private tour, quality bike, meals, and bottomless storytelling. I don’t often recommend a packaged trip, but this is going to be one of the things you do in Ecuador that you won’t regret even a little.