EPIC ADVENTURES
This adventure gives the traveler a nice contrast between authentic ‘no frills’ (backcountry MTB experience) to the comfortable luxaries of the city of Oaxaca. It is truly a culturally diverse adventure experience that brings travelers into the heart of the land, community and diverse cultures of the locals and Zapotec Indigenous Villages. If you are looking for an authentic experience away from the resorts of Mexico and the traditional all inclusive luxary resorts, we bring to you an exciting and unforgettable adventure of the road less traveled!
- Duration: 8 Days
- Level: Advanced – Expert (see skills assessment here)
- Type: All-Mountain/Enduro
- Dates: 2019 FULL – 2020 TBA
GALLERY
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS TRIP ITINERARY
Trail routes subject to changes due to weather and trail maintenance!
We will provide complimentary airport pick-up from the Xoxocotlán International Airport. There are flights arriving during the afternoon and early evening. If you are arriving earlier than the scheduled trip date, we are happy to help you find transportation and make arrangements. At the airport, your guide will be waiting for you with a sign that says, “Women’s Radical Pursuits,” to help you find your way!
You will be transported from Xoxocotlán International Airport to the charming Casa Chicatana located in the city central where we encourage you to unwind, settle in and rest up for the week’s amazing adventures!
Due to the late afternoon/evening arrivals, we will wait until the morning to formally start our introductions, yoga and mindfulness practice and gear up for our journey together! After your arrival to the hotel, there will be food available for you to have a nice light meal and rest up for the incredible journey awaiting you!
Rise and shine to the beautiful city of Oaxaca! We will start our day with a light breakfast and early morning yoga/mindfulness practice, introduction to our week together, and get to know the amazing women we will share this adventure with. Today will be a day to get acquainted to the colonial city, explore the vibrant colorful markets, enjoy the delicious food of Oaxaca and get accustomed to the beautiful culture, warmth of the city, and delightful people that will surround you. We will go to meet the crew at Pedro Bicicleta to get our gear ready and bikes outfitted for the 3 day MTB segment of the trip. To finish off our day, we will be dining on the rooftop patio at the Praga Restaurant with and impressive view of the Santo Domingo Cathedral After dinner, we will head back to our lovely hotel for an early rest to gear up for our three day back-country mountain bike adventure!
Mountain Bike Day 1: La ruta de “Las S’s & Camino Real”
After an early yoga/mindfulness practice and breakfast at the hotel, we’ll gear up for our trip to Los pueblos Manocomunados where our three day backcountry mountain bike trip begins! We will head to the mountain bike outfitter of Pedro Martinez Bike Company. Pedro is a native to Oaxaca and has been in the mountain bike guiding industry since the 1980’s.
We will go by van from Oaxaca City to the first of the eight villages called Benito Juarez. It is about an hour and a half drive up into the spectacular Sierra Juarez (Northern Mountains of Oaxaca). Here, we will start our journey escaping into the wilderness with an up-close communion with Zapotec village life.
Today, we will cover 18 unforgettable miles of mixed single-track and dirt road riding. We will start the ride taking a wide dirt route and riding through the forest in route to a day filled with lots of singletrack adventure! There will be some highly technical single track sections and along this part, riders might have to walk; however, the vegetation and beauty is worth it. Next, we will climb up a hill in route to the village of Lachatao and eat and sleep in the cabins with a spectacular view of the landscape and tranquil place to rest up for Day 2 of our MT adventure. The average altitude of our days in the Sierra Juarez Mountains fluctuates between 9,000 to 10,000 ft.
Mountain Bike Day 2: La Cumbre, Cabeza de Vaca, Cerezo, 204 to Oaxaca
Shortly after rising, we will greet the spectacular views with a yoga/mindfulness practice followed by a delicious breakfast at the community restaurant. Afterwards, we’re off to “La Cumbre” via our support vehicle. We will embark on more exciting riding and beautiful mountain views. We start out on a fun and flowy trail called “Cabeza de Vaca” and then finish that stretch on “Cerezo” which will give a little challenge due to some technical features. To top it off, we will ride from the top of the Sierra all the way down to the city on trail “204” which is a nice combo of fast, flowy, and technical! We will ride to a restaurant to cheers an excellent day and enjoy some traditional Oaxacan food and then head back up to Cuajimoloyas for the night to rest up for our final day!
Mountain Bike Day 3: Mil Rios to Oaxaca!
Rise and shine to our last day Mountain Biking in the Sierra Norte. We finish today with the grand finale, my favorite ride, “Mil Rios.” After a nice Yoga and Mindfulness Practice and delicious breakfast we will head to La Neveria to embark on our biking adventure which will take us right down to the outskirts of the city! Mil rios offers more technical challenges but a nice balance of challenge and flow to make it all fun and giggley! Our shuttle van will be there to scoop us up at the bottom and return to the bike shop in Oaxaca to finish off our amazing singletrack adventure! Afterwards as we will head back to Casa Chicatana to rest up and get ready for the start of dia de los muertos! After some down time at the Hotel, we will embark out into the city to see the events, festivities and parades to celebrate the dia de los muertos tradition. Salsa & Cumbia dancing is always an option for those who love latin beats!
Today will be a nice and restorative day after our expedition in the Sierra! We will start the day with a nice morning Vinayasa Yoga Class followed by breakfast in Cosecha Market! The rest of the day is yours to explore the city, the markets, or to treat yourself to a massage or whatever interests your! We can arrange other cultural activities or workshops to your interest! There are options for Salsa Lessons, Cooking Classes, Art Workshops, and the Ruins of Monte Alban; all of which we can help you arrange! (These extra activities are not included in trip cost)
The evening will be filled with a nice dinner on the rooftop of Mezquite and dia de los muertos festivities!
Today we will wake up to our final day at the lovely Casa Chicatana with a short yoga practice followed by breakfast. Afterwards We will head back into the mountains and go to Hierve el Agua. Here we will have the chance to take a short walk to see the Petrified Waterfall and soak in the mineral springs. This is a not to be missed destination in Oaxaca followed by a visit to the house of Josefina in Teotitlan del Valle to see how they weave the beautiful traditional Zapotec rugs of Oaxaca. On the way back to the city, we will take a tour to see how Mezcal is made and do some taste testing!
After a nice afternoon spending time exploring, we will re-unite for our last dinner together and a final night celebrating dia de los muertos. Get ready for parades, fireworks, music, & dancing!
We have reached the last day of our amazing trip in Oaxaca, Mexico and it’s time to say goodbye to its beautiful mountain landscape and amazing cultural experiences.
High five your new riding pals before heading back to the airport.
A complimentary airport shuttle to the Xoxocotlán International Airport will be provided to get you to your flight with plenty of time in advance.
Important Information
This adventure gives the traveler a nice contrast between authentic ‘no frills’ (backcountry MTB experience) to the comfortable luxaries of the city of Oaxaca. It is truly a culturally diverse adventure experience that brings travelers into the heart of the land, community and diverse cultures of the locals and Zapotec indigenous villages. If you are looking for an authentic experience away from the resorts of Mexico and the traditional all inclusive luxary resorts, we bring to you an exciting and unforgettable adventure of the road less traveled!
Aside from lunches and dinners (only in the city), there are no required additional expenses for this trip, but you might like to take spending money for such things as souvenir shopping or nightlife. As for lunches and dinners, you can spend as little as $5/meal up to $50+/meal depending on your food preferences and budget! There are many markets and shops if you are looking for souvenirs to bring back!
We will stay at the charming Chicatana Bed and Breakfast for 5 nights while exploring the beautiful city and surrounding areas. This beautiful bed and breakfast is located only 6 blocks from the central square and offers a quaint accomodation with personal service and quality.
You will have your own private room. This accomodation will include:
- Complimentary breakfast (coffee, fruit, organic yogurt, and granola and on M, W, F a Oaxacan breakfast)
- Spacious living/dining area and kitchen
- Free wi-fi
- 2 outside patios
- The most lovely hospitatility!
You will fly into and out of the Xoxocotlán International Airport of Oaxaca, Mexico. We will be there to greet you and provide you a complimentary shuttle ride to the hotel. There will be plenty of places to exchange US dollar to Pesos and we can help you find the best rate!
Travel insurance is mandatory for all of our trips. If you have your own travel medical insurance it needs to:
1. cover evacuation (e.g. air evacuation) and hospital costs while in other countries.)
2. cover mountain biking trips (some policies include mountain biking in their list of ‘extreme’ sports that are not covered.)
We strongly recommend also getting insurance that covers the following:
- Trip cancellation up to 100% of trip cost
- Equipment protection for delay, loss, theft and damage. (if traveling with your bike and equipment)
- Trip interruption up to 100% of trip cost
- Medical expenses up to $50,000
- Emergency medical transportation up to $1,000,000
For travelers from around the world, we recommend getting your insurance through World Nomads.
For Canadian travelers, we recommend going through The Northman.
For travelers from the US, we recommend getting your insurance with Travelex.
Oaxaca is a very tourist friendly city and you will see people visiting from all around the world. With any foreign travel, excercise common sense and caution at all times. The general rule of safety is to not walk alone at night and to keep close watch of your belongings and valuables. We recommend that you wear minimal jewelry and keep your valuables safely stored at the hotel. Always keep a copy of your passport, travel insurance and airline tickets with you.
There is a laundry service located near the Bed and Breakfast. They provide a pick up and drop off service.
Wi-fi is available at the accommodation, although likely to be slower that you are used to. While in the Sierra Juarez mountains there will be no access to wi-fi or cell-phone service. Hallelujia!
You are welcome to bring your own bike! The techs/guides at Pedro Martinez Bikes are more than happy to assemble your bike upon arrival. If however you don’t bring your own, mountain bikes are provided at the shop. If you prefer clipless pedals, you will have to bring your own. The bike techs/guides will put them on for you. Pedro has all single suspension bikes with either 27.5 or 29 inch wheels. He carries the Orbea MX30 bikes all of which are in excellent condition.
Oaxaca has a hot desert climate and is located at 5,000 feet above sea level. Summer temperatures average 80 degrees Farenheit during the day and drop to a cool 60 degrees Farenheit during the evenings. The mountain bike segment of this trip is located up to 9,000 to 10,000 feet above sea level in the Sierra Juarez Mountains with significantly cooler temperatures. Daytime temperatures range between 70 to 80 degrees Farenheit with evenings ranging from 40 to 50 degrees. Bring a light jacket or sweater for evenings in the city! And extra layers for the mountains.
We will stay in little cabins with bunks located in the villages. All sleeping necessities are provided. (Sleeping bag and pillow) If you are generally more cold than normal, bring extra layers for the evenings!
We will eat at the village restaurants where the local zapotec residents are excited to prepare delicious food from their farms. All food is organically grown and prepared by hand. You can expect delicous coffee, hot chocolate or poleo tea served throughout the days. Breakfast entails farm fresh eggs cooked to your liking with handmade corn tortillas, fresh salsa and beans. The menus vary from village to viallage, but all serve typical food from the reigon consisting of organic meat (beef/chicken), yellow potatoes, fresh vegetables and Chichilo; one of the famous seven moles of Oaxaca and quesadillas made with the famous Oaxaqueno cheese. The cooks prepare all food with much delight to ensure you have an amazing experience in their sacred land.
On the bike:
- jersey tops
- cycling shorts with a quality chamois (padding)
- bike gloves with padding under the palm
- cycling socks (synthetic or lightweight wool)
- arm warmers
- leg warmers
- helmet (available at the shop if you don’t want to bring it)
- cycling shoes
- energy bars and electrolytes
On and off the bike:
- rain jacket (Gortex with pit-zips)
- wind jacket (lightweight and form fitting)
- sweater (fleece and form fitting mid layer)
- top and bottom base layer (synthetic or lightweight wool)
- sunglasses
- backpack with hydration system (2-3L water capacity)
- camera
Chill time:
- flip flops
- small camp towel
- comfortable, casual clothes for relaxing in (cotton attire, such as jeans, t-shirt, hooded sweater will be welcomed after a day in synthetics or wool)
- down-filled coat
- stocking cap
- trail shoes or hiking boots
- backpack (for day hikes)
- flashlight or headlamp
Personal
- toiletries i.e. toothbrush and toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, soap, feminine hygiene products etc.
- sunscreen (oil-free for sport)
- insect repellent (with Deet)
- anti-bacterial wipes
- anti-bacterial gel
For the city
- summer style clothes (day time temperature averages 80 degrees Farenheit)
- light jacket for the evening (temperature cools off between high 50’s and 60’s Farenheit)
- comfortable walking shoes
- dresses and skirts!
OPTIONAL for festival!:
- Day of the dead attire! (You can look online to see the style of dresses if you want to be festive!)
- Flowers for your hair! (I hot glue bright colorful flowers to clips!)
YOGA/MINDFULNESS
- yoga mat
- personal writing journal
- comfortable clothing for practice
You will need a valid passport and Mexico Visitor’s Permit (FMM) to enter Mexico. The FMM can be filled out on the plane before landing. Mexico charges a fee to all tourists and business visitors arriving in the country. The fee is approximately US$22, and the money collected is passed to the Tourist Ministry to promote Mexican tourism.