Fire & Water: Volcanoes and lakes of Patagonia

Today we'll be crossing 4 national reserves; an intense programme of small, winding tracks through the national parks of the Araucania region. Between the great lakes of Patagonia and the active volcanoes, we're going to lose ourselves deep in the Andes to discover a pristine and protected natural environment. The scenery is as striking as if it had been frozen in time. At the end of the day we drive over the Llaima volcano, where the track is nothing but cooled lava. Overnight in a comfortable hotel.

Early in the morning, we take a track that crosses the great lava flows of the Llaima volcano in the Conguillio natural park. We return to the border with Argentina and cross back over to the other side of the Andes. We end our day on the shores of one of the country's most beautiful lakes, Lake Aluminé, the most northerly in Argentine Patagonia. Overnight in a comfortable hotel.

Today we're heading due south, taking the "Ruta 40" for a while before taking a small track that runs parallel to it to get as close as possible to the Andes mountain range. This rolling track will take us to one of the country's most legendary winter sports resorts. We sleep in magnificent chalets right in the heart of the snow-capped mountains! Night in a comfortable hotel.

We enter Chile once again, crossing an unusual border in the middle of the rainforest. Hidden in the mountains is this small customs post, which only opens 3 months of the year. The rest of the year, the winding track is snow-covered and impassable. We therefore take advantage of the Patagonian summer to use it and return to the Chilean side. Night in a comfortable hotel.

On this 9th day, we went in search of the Pacific Ocean and found it at the end of the pontoon. We descend from the mountains for a moment to touch the sandy beaches of southern Chile with our feet. We leave behind the fresh glacial waters of the great Andean lakes for the salty, salmon-coloured waters of the ocean. The narrow cliffside roads take us to Valdivia, the estuary of 4 major rivers flowing into the Pacific. An unforgettable sunset facing the ocean awaits us at the end of the day... Night in a comfortable hotel.

We take a day to rest our bodies, our minds and our horses... It's summertime and it's great to relax on the Pacific coast, where you can even go for a swim. The town of Valdivia welcomes us for this well-deserved day's break. Its historic town centre, covered fish market and promenade along the yacht harbour are just some of the attractions on offer. Overnight in a comfortable hotel.

Between beaches, forests and mountains, we take the track for 180 kilometres of small bends. We head back towards the Andes and regain some height. Our bikes, dusted off the day before during the break, are once again ready to take on the Chilean track and miles of mountain roads. The great Puyehue volcano, which dominates the region, gives us our bearings. At its foot, Lake Ranco and the small town of Futrono welcome us for the night in a SPA hut hotel.

Crossing the Puyehue Natural Park this morning, we're as close as we can get to the imposing volcano, which is still active. It's our last day in Chile, so we cross the border back into Argentina to reach the village of Villa la Angostura, which a few years ago was completely covered in volcanic ash due to the eruption of its Chilean neighbour. There are still over 600 active volcanoes in the region. Overnight in a comfortable hotel.

150 kilometres of track along the magnificent Lake Traful for this last day of riding. The turquoise waters make you think you're in the Caribbean. We picnicked at the Mirador Cordoba to admire the huge vertical rocks. Return to San Carlos de Bariloche in the late afternoon for a sunset over Lake Nahuel Huapi and a big Argentine meat barbecue, the famous Asados. Overnight in a comfortable hotel.

Bariloche En fonction de vos horaires de vols, vous avez le temps de profiter encore quelques heures du très beau centre ville de Bariloche et de son chocolat mondialement reconnu! Transfert à l’aéroport international. Fin de nos services.