Road Cycling – 3 days, 2 nights
The goal every experienced cyclist wants to achieve: To have the privilege of reaching the longest climb in the world, Alto de Letras.
That’s right, Colombia has the longest mountain pass (54,68 mi / 88 km), with an impressive elevation gain of 14.754ft (4.500m). You will experience all the thermal floors in the tropic, starting almost at sea level and ending at 11.482ft (3.500m) above it, while riding a nice, paved road.
Why we love this route
Letras is a climb close to our hearts because it was the first bikepacking trip we organized with friends when we wanted to scout what our agency could do and how it could satisfy the needs of a cyclist coming to Colombia.
Besides being an iconic climb in our country, the ride to Letras starts in the historical town of Mariquita, Tolima. Not a lot of people in Colombia know this town was the headquarters of the Royal Botanical Expedition between 1783 and 1816. This was expected to be one the largest inventory of flora and fauna in the Americas, although its largest achievement was a collection of over 5.000 illustrations that you can actually explore at Spain’s Royal Botanical Garden website. Mariquita is also located at a strategic point where lots of agricultural products are gathered, so delight yourself with their famous salpicón, a fruit salad with orange juice and ice cream that will fill you with vitamins and calories for your epic climb on the third and last day.
Difficulty and activity profile
This route requires a good cycling level, you must be in optimal health and be prepared with frequent training before attempting this itinerary.
Day 1 riding segment: 122 Km (75,8 mi), 1,300m (4.265 ft) elevation gain; 100% Pavement
Day 2 riding segment: 78.3 Km (48,65 mi), 3.850m (12.6310 ft) elevation gain; 100% Pavement
Itinerary
DAY 1
Morning: We pick you up in your hotel in Bogota, for your first ride: Cycling acclimation descending to Cambao with our cycling advisor and support car (6am to 2pm).
After an on the road lunch in Cambao, transfer by car to Mariquita and refresh by the hotel’s pool.
In the evening your cycling advisor will go with you to a local store to prepare for an early rise tomorrow.
DAY 2
Today is the day! The climb to Letras will start at 6am and you will be at the summit at around 2pm, depending on your performance. Prizes in the summit await!
After having lunch in the summit, you will transfer back to Mariquita by car.
DAY 3
Before ending your trip, we organize a short historical walk to learn about Mariquita and the Botanical Expedition.
After the walk, you will transfer back to Bogota by car, having lunch on the road.
Prices and services
This package is only offered in our Full support version, including a support car and a local cycling advisor fluent in English riding with you at all times.
Included:
Preparation video call prior to your trip
Ride GPX files
Lodging: 2 nights, shared accommodation (up to 5 people)
Meals: 3 breakfasts; 3 lunches; 2 dinners; Snacks
Route bike rental 2 days
Support car available for the entire ride
Local, English speaking cycling advisor 3 days
This package can be adapted to a 2-day package to continue by car from Alto de Letras to Manizales on day 2. Please contact us for further information on this option.
Prices 2023 (USD total, including 19% VAT):
Size of your group | 2 people total | 3 people total | 4 people total | 5 people total |
Full support | $ 2.852 | $ 3.090 | $ 3.422 | $ 3.762 |
Notes: All expenses for your driver and local cycling advisor are covered.
Booking process
Our booking process is highly customized. For starters, fill our booking form available here and tell us about your needs and preferences. We are more than just travel planners, we are your friends in Colombia and we are here to help you navigate, so feel free to send us all your questions.
Please make sure to contact us at least 2 weeks before the start of your trip, so we can make all the arrangements. After we get in touch and confirm your desired itinerary and you agree with the quote, you will receive a Paypal link. To confirm your booking, a 50% payment must be made, while the rest can be payed up to the day before the start of your trip.
Once your booking is confirmed, we will start making all the arrangements with the service providers that will be part of your itinerary, and that’s it! We will keep close contact with you to make sure everything starts and goes on smoothly. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to write us an email to info@hiddenjourneys.co.