Reset filter

South American Epic section 1

Summary

The Undiscovered Country This is the first section of the South American Epic. For many years the beautiful country of Colombia was avoided by travellers as it suffered through civil war. Times have changed for the better and we are excited to start the South American Epic Bicycle Expedition in this magical land. Mountains, jungles, waterfalls, coffee, beaches and thriving cities are just a few of this country's gifts.

Recreational, Road bike, Mountain bike

16 days

1270 km / 789 mi

$ 4,450.-

Price for this tour not available yet

Start in historical Caribbean- side city of Cartagena.
Colombia’s world- class cycling culture.
Endless climbs descents & vistas.
Explore Bogota’s centre of La Candelaria.

Gallery

Details

Type

Recreational, Road bike, Mountain bike

Duration

16 days

Level

Challenging

Support

Guided

Daily distance

100-120 km / 62-75 mi

Total distance

1270 km / 789 mi

Lodging

Camping, full board

Luggage transport

Daily luggage transfers

Bicycle

Not included

Dates

30 Jun 2024 - 14 Jul 2024

This section is fully booked. Please mail us to be added to our waitlist. Registration for 2026 is now open.

Start

Cartagena

Finish

Bogota

Airport at start

Rafael Nunez CTG

Airport at finish

El Dorado BOG

Prices Please note the prices are subject to change depending availability

Price per person / please note the prices are subject to change depending availability

The tour price per person

$ 4,450.-

Itinerary

Included / Not included

The Undiscovered Country
This 1,180 km cycling adventure begins in the stunning colonial jewel of Cartagena whose old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We bike down the coast, stopping for cervezas in Tolu's seaside bars. Turning inland, we'll then cross cattle pastures and rushing rivers before beginning to climb up into the stunning Sierra de San Lucas Mountains. Following little known backroads we emerge at 1500m above sea level in the city of Medellin, where the cyclists will enjoy a well-deserved rest day.

From Medellin, we spin east and spend a night at Guatape, next to a man-made reservoir, before speeding downhill and across the impressive Rio Magdalena, which drains about 1/4 of Colombia's area. Then it is a challenging climb up into the Cordillera Oriental, including one 2000m ascent over 50kms. Then the SA Epic riders will have the opportunity to join local Bogota cyclists as they enjoy their weekly Ciclovia, with many of the city's streets closed to motor traffic, a fitting end to this exciting and rewarding section.

* This is a general itinerary. Tour itineraries are subject to change based on the group, available accommodations and other unforeseen circumstances such as the weather, local conditions, government intervention, that may affect the quality of the trip and/or safety of the participants. Please view this itinerary as an outline as to what to expect on this tour.

Level: challenging

Longer days, harsher environments (temperature, winds) and terrain (rough dirt, gravel roads at times, more significant climbing) become a larger factor. More surprises await you.

Included:

Accommodation the night before first cycling day and the night of last cycling day are included in entry fee.
6 nights hotels, double occupancy rooms on hotel nights, we pair each rider with others of same gender
10 Nights of camping, bring your own camping gear
Most dinners, Most breakfasts, All roadside lunches, Afternoon soup on riding days
Experienced chef
Vehicle to carry your bags
Experienced tour leader
Sweep rider
Security as needed
Bike mechanic
Medic
Local support
Pre-tour information bulletitins
Pre-tour rider discussion forum

Not included:

Bring your own bike, For this section, we recommend a touring bike with 35-40c tires.
Airfare to and from the tour
Gratuity guides

We advise booking at least 1 additional night at tour accommodation before the tour, to be able to attend rider briefing and have assistance from tour bike mechanic in setting up your bike.

Map & Routes

Map

Satellite

Bicycle

Bring your own bike. For this section, we recommend a touring bike with 35-40c tires.

Make sure you bring a bicycle that is appropriate for your tour, and in excellent working order. If you intend to use your current bicycle, it needs to be fully tuned, cleaned and ready to go. Ideally, get your bike shop to do an overhaul of your entire bike three to four weeks before your departure. Have them inspect, and if necessary replace, the drive train, pedals and bottom bracket for wear.
For more information see PDF file below

Downloads

choosing a bicycle

km per day section 1 SAE