Day 1 / Medellin→ Abejoral →Sonsón
Distance: 134km / 83 miles
Ride Type: ≈ 75% Paved, 25% Off-Road
Ride Time: ≈ 5 hours
Leave Medellín on paved mountain roads and ride into the green eastern highlands. Shortly after leaving the city, stop for lunch at the Tequendamita waterfall just outside the town of La Ceja. From there, continue along winding paved backroads toward the small mountain village of Abejorral.
Abejorral is known for its colorful houses, wooden balconies, and traditional Paisa design, with many buildings dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. After leaving town, the pavement gives way to off-road riding with expansive views of farmland and rolling hills.
Once you reconnect with the main road, make the final stretch to the historic town of Sonsón. The day ends in the colonial center, staying in a 200-year-old mansion-turned-hotel on the main square, followed by a local meal or pizza and a chilly mountain evening at 8,100 feet.
Day 2 / Sonsón → Nariño → Pensilvania
Distance: 100km
Ride Type: ≈ 35% paved / 65% off-road
Ride Time: ≈ 5 hours
Leaving Sonsón, we follow a paved but very winding mountain road through coffee and sugarcane country to the cowboy and coffee town of Nariño. Here we stop to stretch our legs before turning onto an off-road route that descends into a warm river valley. At the bottom, we stop at the Espíritu Santo Hot Springs for lunch and a quick dip in the river or one of the thermal pools. After lunch, we cross a bridge into the department of Caldas and begin the climb back into the Central Andes on rough off-road tracks through cloud forest. Along the way, take in big views of the surrounding mountains and valleys before arriving in the small highland town of Pensilvania.
Day 3 / Pensilvania → Salamina
Distance: 125km
Ride Type: ≈ 45% paved / 55% off-road
Ride Time: ≈ 5 hours
After a typical breakfast in Pensilvania, we leave town and follow a winding paved road to the mountain community of Manzanares. From here, the pavement ends and we begin a long off-road climb high into the Andes.
The route passes through wide valleys where wax palms rise in the distance, along ridgelines lined with tall eucalyptus trees. This region is known as the “wool route” because of its concentration of sheep farms and high-altitude pastures.
We stop for a typical local lunch in a small village before continuing to San Félix and its famous wax palm forest. Here, you can take a short walk among the palms, learn about Colombia’s national tree, and enjoy a cup of tinto coffee.
From San Félix, we finish the day on a winding paved road to the colonial heritage town of Salamina. We can stroll the main square with its bronze fountain which was imported from France.
Day 4 / Salamina → Manizales
Distance: 86km / 115km
Ride Type: ≈ 100% paved or ≈ 40% paved / 60% off-road
Ride Time: ≈ 5 - 7 hours
This morning gives us time for a relaxed breakfast, followed by a stroll through the main square or a chance to explore the colonial streets before starting the ride. Today’s route follows a winding paved road descending toward Manizales.
We stop for a great typical lunch at a local Colombian restaurant outside the town of Neira. From there, we make a short crossing of Manizales before finishing the day at the thermal springs just outside the city.
It’s a relaxed riding day with plenty of time to soak in the hot springs before dinner at the hotel. For those feeling more adventurous, there’s an optional, barely marked off-road route that takes us through remote backcountry before reaching Manizales.
Day 5 / Manizales → Jardín
Distance: 150km
Ride Type: ≈65% paved / 35% off-road
Ride Time: ≈ 5 hours
Today we take a morning ride from the thermal springs and climb the slopes of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano to around 13,500 feet, reaching the high-altitude ecosystem known as the páramo. Here we can make a short stop to experience this unique landscape, with open mountain views and hillsides covered in towering frailejón plants.
After exploring the mountainside, we descend back toward Manizales. Crossing the city, we drop into a warm tropical valley with a long paved straightaway. We then turn off the main road and head toward the town of Riosucio before taking an off-road route toward the colorful mountain town of Jardín.
Along the way, we stop at a family-owned hummingbird garden, where the tiny birds often land right in your hand. After the visit, we continue through cloud forest before descending into Jardín. In the evening, we can stroll the lively main square for a snack or coffee, followed by a great meal at a local restaurant.
Day 6 / Explore Jardín
Explore the colorful colonial town of Jardín, one of the most picturesque destinations in the Colombian Andes. Visit a nearby coffee farm to see the process from bean to cup or ride the rustic La Garucha cable car for sweeping valley views, and relax in a café on the lively main plaza beside the Basílica Menor de la Inmaculada Concepción, a towering neo-Gothic stone church that dominates the square. As the afternoon light fades, local cowboys often ride in on horseback at sunset.
Day 7 / Jardín → Jerico → Medellín
Distance: 150km
Ride Type: ≈85% paved / 15% off-road
Ride Time: ≈ 5 hours
Leaving Jardín in the morning, we begin the journey back toward Medellín. The day starts on a beautiful off-road trail leading to the colorful town of Jericó. From there, we descend an extremely winding mountain road into the Cauca River valley, with huge panoramic views stretching across the entire landscape.
At the bottom, we follow the Cauca River along the valley floor before climbing back into the cool, green mountains outside Medellín, finishing the ride in the highlands above the city.
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