The Undiscovered Country This is the first section of the South American Epic. For many years the beautiful country of Colombia was avoided by travellers as it suffered through civil war. Times have changed for the better and we are excited to start the South American Epic Bicycle Expedition in this magical land. Mountains, jungles, waterfalls, coffee, beaches and thriving cities are just a few of this country's gifts.
The Undiscovered Country
This 1,180 km cycling adventure begins in the stunning colonial jewel of Cartagena whose old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We bike down the coast, stopping for cervezas in Tolu's seaside bars. Turning inland, we'll then cross cattle pastures and rushing rivers before beginning to climb up into the stunning Sierra de San Lucas Mountains. Following little known backroads we emerge at 1500m above sea level in the city of Medellin, where the cyclists will enjoy a well-deserved rest day.
From Medellin, we spin east and spend a night at Guatape, next to a man-made reservoir, before speeding downhill and across the impressive Rio Magdalena, which drains about 1/4 of Colombia's area. Then it is a challenging climb up into the Cordillera Oriental, including one 2000m ascent over 50kms. Then the SA Epic riders will have the opportunity to join local Bogota cyclists as they enjoy their weekly Ciclovia, with many of the city's streets closed to motor traffic, a fitting end to this exciting and rewarding section.
5-Jul - Cartagena - Maria La Baja 90 km
6-Jul - Maria La Baja - Tolu 87 km
7-Jul - Tolu - San Marcos 133 km
8-Jul - Rest Day - San Marcos
9-Jul - San Marcos - Caucasia 62 / 122 km
10-Jul - Caucasia - Ventanas 137 km
11-Jul - Ventanas - Via Lactea 108 km
12-Jul - Via Lactea - Medellin 50 km
13-Jul - Rest Day - Medellin
14-Jul - Medellin - Pipinta 92 km
15-Jul - Pipinta - Manizales 118 km
16-Jul - Manizales - Mariquita 117 km
17-Jul - Mariquita - Viani 99 km
18-Jul - Viani - La Vega 71 km
19-Jul - La Vega - Bogota 75 km
