7 Lakes MTB · Patagonia

For entry into and to stay in Argentina, you will generally require a passport with 6 months of validity after the end of your stay. No visa is required for a short-term stay in Argentina for the purposes of visiting or tourism.

This tour is led by an experienced English-speaking guide.

There are no compulsory vaccinations for Argentina. The tropical institutes recommend vaccinations against tetanus, and diphtheria (possibly hepatitis B, hepatitis A, typhoid, rabies, measles, yellow fever). If travelling from Argentina to a third country, the yellow fever vaccination may be required.

As some vaccinations have to be given several times, you should plan as much time as possible before you travel. We recommend visiting your GP or a tropical medicine specialist at least two months before your trip for more detailed advice.

We reserve the right to make changes to the itinerary due to organizational necessities and accommodation availability.

MTB level 2

Daily tours in hilly terrain at distances of 18 – 37.5 mi./30 - 60 km and trails according to Single trail classification up to S1. The fitter you are the more you will enjoy your trip. We suggest that you adopt a sensible weekly exercise routine, gradually increasing your distances and/or terrain difficulty as the travel date approaches. We also recommend a number of long rides in hilly terrain to ensure you are physically capable of taking part in this tour. Biking is obviously the best activity to prepare for this trip, but running, squash and swimming are also good for developing aerobic fitness and stamina.

The hilly terrain with some steep climbs, as well as long downhills, requires good physical condition. The terrain is very diverse and variable: technical and demanding single trails alternate with wide gravel and volcanic roads and sometimes asphalt stretches. This tour takes place at relatively high altitudes but does not involve any significant adaptation to altitude. We would not expect any altitude issues on this trip but still recommend listening to any instructions given.

During the southern hemisphere summer, you can expect daytime temperatures of approx. 18 °C - 20 °C / 64 °F - 68 °F. November to April is the dry season in northern Patagonia, but rain can occur at any time of year in the Lake District. For most of this holiday, we can rely on the support of our vehicles. Each morning, when moving to a different overnight accommodation, the majority of the luggage will be loaded into the support vehicle, which will follow the group during the day ride.

The support vehicle will pick up any group members who wish to take a break from biking. Helmets are mandatory on all bike tours. Please bring your own helmet. Furthermore, we recommend participants bring arm and leg protectors on the bike tours.

To ensure that you are well prepared for your bike tour with Islandhopping and know what technical difficult level to expect, we have created a classification for all single trails that could be ridden on our tours. The difficulty levels included in our classification coincide with the Single Trail Scale which can be found here

Blue (easy, S0 – S1): small obstacles such as small roots, small stones, some erosion, gradients of up to 40 %, loose surfaces, tight corners but no hairpins, obstacles can be rolled over. Skilful braking and weight shift required, riding while standing.

Red (medium, S2): loose surfaces, larger stones and roots, steps and shallow stairs, gradients of up to 70 %, light hairpins. Constant readiness to brake, shift of centre weight to overcome obstacles, accurate braking, consistent body tension required.

Black (heavy, S3 – S5): blocked single trails, many large boulders, and roots, smooth/slippery surfaces, loose scree slopes, large steps/drops, extremely steep gradients of over 70 %, tight hairpins. Expert level of bike control/handling required.

Helmets are mandatory on all bike tours. Please bring your own helmet. Furthermore, we recommend participants bring arm and leg protectors on the bike tours.

The daily catered meals are listed in the tour itinerary above. Vegetarian meals can be accommodated for during the trip, albeit with a more limited choice. Other dietary requirements and intolerances cannot be accommodated for on this tour due to organisational reasons.