Bike touring in Ecuador can be somewhat challenging! If you're planning to go cycling in Ecuador, hopefully my travel experiences and blogs can help you out a little.
Cycling Ecuador
There is a touch of the ‘are you half sharp?' when it comes to cycling in Ecuador. Basically, the country is one gigantic mountain, as most of it lays at over 3000 metres.
I wouldn't want to start Day 1 of a long distance bike tour here, but having built up some fitness over the previous year cycling down to here from Alaska, I felt pretty good.
Ecuador was the 11th country I'd entered since beginning my Alaska to Argentina bike tour. This was way back in June 2010, which perhaps gives you some indication as to how long I've been blogging here at Dave's Travel Pages!
During this bike tour, I wrote a blog post a day, mainly in diary form as much as for me to remember the trip as to share it with others.
As such, you might find each day's blog entry a bit rough around the edges, but that's what you get when you write after cycling up massive mountains for 8 hours a day, day after day!
Memorable Moments Cycling in Ecuador
- Cycling over the Equator
- Big portions of warming food
- Dirt roads and rain
- Mountains… lots and lots of mountains!
Bike Touring Route in Ecuador
I entered Ecuador by cycling from Colombia. The route I took through Ecuador, was designed to simply get me from one end to another.
Due to a lack of funds and visa restrictions (2 months in the case of Ecuador), I didn't have time to cycle down every dirt road to see if it was a good route or not. As it turned out, some of the route was on dirt roads regardless!
Additionally, information for cycling in Ecuador was scarce at the time. The availability of good maps and internet access, something we take for granted nowadays simply wasn't there. Neither was the time to spend on researching.
As such, the route I took was roughly the one shown above. I created this Google map in 2019, and it was fun to look back to see where I'd cycled!
After over a month cycling through Ecuador for about 1200 kms give or take, my next destination would be Peru.
Ecuador Bike Touring Blogs
Below are the links to the blogs I wrote each day of the bike tour through Ecuador. They aren't particularly polished, but I think they're enough to give you a feel for what it was like cycling in this challenging country.
- Cycling from Ipiales to San Gabriel (Colombia to Ecuador)
- Day off in San Gabriel
- Cycling from San Gabriel to Ibarra
- Cycling from Ibarra to Cayambe
- Cycling from Cayambe to Quito
- Day off in Quito
- Cycling from Quito to Machachi
- Cycling from Machachi to Latacunga
- Cycling from Latacunga to Ambato
- Day off to watch England play football
- Cycling from Ambato to Banos
- Day off in Banos
- Cycling from Banos to Puyo
- Cycling from Puyo to Macas
- Day off in Macas
- Cycling from Macas to Logrono
- Cycling from Logrono to Limon
- Cycling from Limon to Indanza
- Cycling from Indanza to Gualaquiza
- Day off Gualaquiza
- Cycling from Gualaquiza to El Pangui
- Cycling from El Pangui to Yantzaza
- Cycling from Yantzaza to Zamora
- Cycling from Zamora to Loja
- Day off in Loja
- Another day off in Loja
- Cycling from Loja to Vilcabamba
- Day off in Vilcabamba
- Vilcabamba to Valladolid
- Cycling from Valladolid to Zumba
- Cycling from Zumba to Namballe (into Peru)
Bike touring tips
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Masssimo says
Ciao, vorrei percorrere in bici dal Texas(vicino a Dallas) fino alla Patagonia, sapresti darmi qualche consiglio?
Grazie mille.
Massimo