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THE MOUNTAIN BIKE TOURS – WHAT IS THE TERRAIN/RIDING LIKE?
We expect to cover an average of 75km per day on the Mountain Bike Marathon and an average of 40km per day on the Mountain Bike Challenge. The terrain is hilly, but for every hill-climb, there’s always a good downhill to enjoy, especially by the adrenaline seekers! We will encounter technical parts, with rocks, gravel, sand, erosion and sometimes all of them together. Some parts of the trip are on single tracks, but most of the time we will be going through poor dirt track roads, many of them created for oxen carts a long time ago. Our trips are all about getting out and seeing nature and beautiful places that are well off the beaten track, and going by bike is a perfect way to experience the environment. Even in the winter months you will often be biking in hot sun which is why we’ve planned the route to take in many rivers and waterfalls to stop at, either for a leisurely lunch break at the hottest part of the day, or just for a quick cooling off. The Mountain Bike Marathon will be physically more challenging as it is a longer tour. The bike trips have vehicle support which means all your gear is carried for you, plus lunch and refreshments. If you need a break from cycling you can ride in the vehicle at any time.
WHAT WILL THE TREK-BIKE TRAVERSE BE LIKE?
We will cover on average 10km/7 miles per day, over hilly terrain, walking mainly on single tracks and small trails, sometimes over dense grassy terrain and along dirt-track roads. When trekking, there will be some scrambling over rocks, and crossing or walking through streams. The mountain biking days will include hill climbs, some technical paths and can be quite challenging in the hot sun. We are out most days by 8:30am to get started before the hottest part of the day (which is between 11am and 3pm in Brazilian winter time, and 9:00am and 6:00pm in summer time), and will finish around 5pm. One of the more demanding aspects of the trip can be the hot sun, so we will always have a refreshing lunch break by a waterfall or river during the hottest part of the day, and will arrive at another at the end of the day. We recommend that you are fit and used to walking and cycling outdoors to make the most of this trip. Taking into account the individual needs of the group, dips in waterfalls, lunch stops and photo opportunities, time and distance flies by.
WHAT WILL THE WATERFALLS TRAIL BE LIKE?
We will cover on average 10km/7 miles per day, over hilly terrain, walking mainly on single tracks and small trails, sometimes over dense grassy terrain and along dirt-track roads. There will be some scrambling over rocks, and crossing or walking through streams. We are out most days by 8:30am to get started before the hottest part of the day (which is between 11am and 3pm in Brazilian winter time, and 9:00am and 6:00pm in summer time), and will finish around 5pm. One of the more demanding aspects of the trip can be the hot sun, so we will always have a refreshing lunch break by a waterfall or river during the hottest part of the day, and will arrive at another at the end of the day. We recommend that you are fit and used to walking. Taking into account the individual needs of the group, dips in waterfalls, lunch stops and photo opportunities, time and distance flies by.
MOUNTAIN BIKE MARATHON COST – WHAT’S INCLUDED?
Transfer from Uberlândia airport to Araxá and from Serra da Canastra back to Araxá, as well as the return transfer to Uberlândia airport. Accommodation for 10 nights, consisting of hotel, pousada and local farmhouses. Food, consisting of 6 evening meals and all breakfasts and packed lunches. One English-speaking guide. Bike hire including helmet. Insurance for the duration of the trip. Complementary spa treatment. Support vehicle with us at all times. Entrance to Serra de Canastra National Park and to other private areas we will be going through.
MOUNTAIN BIKE CHALLENGE COST – WHAT’S INCLUDED?
Transfer from Uberlândia airport to Araxá and from Serra da Canastra back to Araxá, as well as the return transfer to Uberlândia airport. Accommodation for 7 nights, consisting of hotel, pousada and local farmhouses. Food, consisting of 5 evening meals and all breakfasts and packed lunches. One English-speaking guide. Bike hire including helmet. Insurance for the duration of the trip. Complementary spa treatment. Support vehicle with us at all times. Entrance to Serra de Canastra National Park and to other private areas we will be going through.
TREK-BIKE COST – WHAT’S INCLUDED?
Transfer from Uberlândia airport to Araxá and from Araxá to Serra da Canastra and the return transfer to Uberlândia airport. Accommodation for 10 nights, consisting of hotel, pousada, local farmhouses and camping. Food, consisting of 7 evening meals and all breakfasts and packed lunches. One English-speaking guide. 2 Man tents for camping (based upon two people sharing, no single tents available). Bike hire including helmet. Insurance for the duration of the trip. Complementary spa treatment. Back-up and support vehicle when required. Entrance to Serra de Canastra National Park and to other private areas we will be going through.
WATERFALLS TRAIL COST – WHAT’S INCLUDED?
Transfer from Uberlândia airport to Araxá and from Serra da Canastra back to Araxá, as well as the return transfer to Uberlândia airport. Accommodation for 7 nights, consisting of hotel, pousada, camping and local farmhouses. Food, consisting of 5 evening meals and all breakfasts and packed lunches. One English-speaking guide. 2 Man tents for camping (based upon two people sharing, no single tents available). Insurance for the duration of the trip. Complementary spa treatment. Support vehicle with us at all times. Entrance to Serra de Canastra National Park and to other private areas we will be going through.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED IN THE COST?
Flights, all drinks and meals out at restaurants in Araxá at the beginning and end of the trip. On the Mountain Bike Marathon trip, the meal on the eight night in Delfinópolis.
WHAT’S THE ACCOMMODATION LIKE?
We use a variety of accommodation from hotels and pousadas to farmhouses and camping. Accommodation at hotel is based upon two people sharing (you can opt to pay for a single room); accommodation at pousadas and farmhouses are based upon two to four people sharing. When not camping, all accommodation in Serra da Canastra belongs to local people. While we always aim to choose comfortable accommodation with local character, rural and simple but very welcoming, there are instances where choice is severely limited in this remote rural region; this all adds to the authentic experience of an adventure holiday, so an understanding of this is required. When camping, we will provide 2 man tents, for two people to share, there are no single tents available.
WHAT’S THE FOOD LIKE?
The food at the hotel, pousada and any local accommodation will usually be local traditional food, mainly consisting of meat (pork, beef or chicken), boiled rice, stewed beans, vegetables and/or salad (in Araxá there will be a wide selection of food, including diverse types of pasta, pizza, fish dishes and others). While there is not always a ‘vegetarian option’, there will be enough food apart from the meat for you to have a satisfying and nutritional meal. Breakfasts at accommodation will be quitanda – a selection which normally consists of bread, cheese-bread rolls, cakes etc, with fresh local cheese, some fresh fruit, plus coffee and fruit juices. While camping the food we will provide will be similar but with less options, always freshly cooked and nutritious (no dehydrated pouches with us!) Food provided for trekking will consist of sandwiches, and energy snacks such as dried fruit and nuts, cereal bars and natural sugar cane sweets.
WHAT ARE TOILET AND SHOWERING FACILITIES LIKE?
The unique aspect of our tours is that we will often have the opportunity to bathe in a beautiful fresh water pool and/or enjoy an invigorating ‘power-shower’ in a waterfall. We will provide you with biodegradable soap to enjoy these exceptional outdoors bathing facilities without harming the environment. On the nights when we camp, we will set up a basic camp toilet that will provide you with basic facilities, but amazing views! When staying at a farmhouse, or in a pousada, simple bathrooms are available with toilets and hot showers.
WHEN TO BOOK/VISIT?
To be sure of a place on your chosen trip, you should make a booking as soon as possible, ideally more than two months in advance. This is helpful to us, in order to arrange and confirm accommodation and transfers well in advance. All our tours to Serra da Canastra take place during the dry season, between April and October.
WHAT IS THE WEATHER/TEMPERATURE?
Our tours run from April to October, when the weather is mostly dry, hot and sunny. During these months the temperatures generally vary between highs and lows of 30 and 15 degrees Celsius. Winter months – mid June to late September – are dry and sunny, and as the area of Serra da Canastra is quite elevated, temperatures can feel chilly at night and early mornings, sometimes dropping below 10 degrees Celsius. Make sure you bring warm clothes for the evenings as the difference in temperatures between day and night can be quite significant, even as much as a difference of 20 degrees. Occasional downpours of rain can happen between April and May and between September and October, but generally throughout the dry season rain isn’t a problem.
HOW DO I GET THERE?
There are various connecting flights and coach services from São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte. The nearest airport is Uberlândia from where we will arrange a transfer to Araxá, or you may wish to travel directly to Araxá by coach. Please, bear in mind that Brazil is truly a massive country, where road structures and transport are all still being improved. Unless you speak some Portuguese and/or are really up for more travel experiences, we advise our customers to take a connecting flight from your airport of arrival – usually São Paulo Guarulhos airport, sometimes Rio de Janeiro – to Uberlândia, where we will have transport for the final transfer to Araxá. At the end of your trip it is easy to take a bus journey from Araxá, and get another connecting bus to your airport.
We will arrange pick-up in Uberlândia for all our participants. The transfer from Uberlândia airport to Araxá will leave at 4pm, so you will need to book a flight that arrives in good time before then (there are plenty of daily connecting flights to Uberlândia from Guarulhos and Congonhas airports. And, of course, we are flexible enough to make sure everyone will be transferred to Araxá). Please contact us if you need any help in sorting out your internal flights. For those of you who may be travelling in Brazil or wish to arrange other arrangements to get to Araxá, here are some other options. Please feel free to contact us for advice if you wish to travel within Brazil and arrange alternative onward journey connections. For further info on flights and good prices see the following:
http://www.tam.com.br
http://www.voegol.com.br/pt-br/Paginas/default.aspx
http://www.voepassaredo.com.br/empresa/site/default.asp
http://www.brol.com/brazilairpass.asp (TAM airpass for internal flights in Brazil)
If you need any help in searching for or booking these connecting flights, just contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
Via São Paulo
Guarulhos airport is the main and probably the easiest international airport to fly into, with connecting flights to and from Uberlândia. The companies offering these flights are: TAM, Passaredo and Gol. We arrange the transfer from Uberlândia to Araxá, which takes 2 hours. Flights from São Paulo are usually direct, and take between 75-90mins, depending on flight times/carrier. Costs are from approximately R$350 (approx. £150) for a return trip, when booked in advance. Alternatively, you can take an airport bus service from Guarulhos International airport to the city airport of Congonhas (it takes approximately 1 hour, and buses run every hour. You can buy tickets just outside the terminal of arrival, where buses are parked and leave from). Here you have many flight options to Uberlândia with TAM and Gol airlines (more options than from Guarulhos international airport). This is a good alternative and from Uberlândia we have arranged a transfer service to Araxá, which takes 2 hours. From Guarulhos International Airport, you can also take an airport bus to the main Tietê coach station in São Paulo (the second largest bus station in the world!), which takes one hour (You can buy tickets just outside the terminal of arrival, where buses are parked and leave from). From Tietê there are three buses that go to Araxá: 20:15; 20:45; and 21:00 (the one at 20:45 is the fastest one, but you should arrive few hours before so that you can get a ticket, as this one can be quite busy). The journey is made by Continental Bus Company and takes approximately eight hours to Araxá. As you will arrive in the early hours of the morning, you will then need to take a taxi from Araxá bus station to Previdência hotel.
Via Rio de Janeiro
Alternatively you can fly into Rio de Janeiro, which is 730 Km from Araxá. From here you can fly to Uberlândia with TAM and GOL airlines (there are many flight times available throughout the day). There are also daily coach services to Uberlândia, leaving Rio de Janeiro at 17:30 and arriving in Uberlândia at approximately 8am, and from there you will have to take another bus with the bus company Gontijo to get to Araxá.
Via Belo Horizonte
There are also flights from the UK to Belo Horizonte (with Tap Airlines), which is the capital city of Minas Gerais and is located 370Km from Araxá. From Belo Horizonte there are two connecting flights per day to Araxá, as well as many connecting coach services per day run by the company Gontijo.
WHAT DO I NEED/WHAT TO BRING? – Passport with photocopies – Insurance numbers (member number and telephone number) or photocopy of the insurance policy – Cash (in Brazilian Real), (travellers cheques, credit/bank card will be of little use in the area of Serra da Canastra) – Sturdy walking shoes/trainers – Suitable light clothes for trekking (e.g. T-shirt & shorts, although due to strong sun and insects it can be advisable to cover up with long sleeves and suitable trousers) – Suitable light clothes for cycling (e.g. T-shirt & shorts, although due to strong sun it can be advisable to cover up with long sleeves) – Swimsuit/bikini etc – Change of warm clothes for evening (Fleece or jumper plus long sleeves & trousers to prevent mosquitoes and to keep you warm) – Sandals – Rucksack/daypack (30 litres+) – Headlamp/torch & batteries – Sleeping bag (2 season is normally fine) – Sun-block (SPF 30 recommended) – Insect repellant (DEET or similar) – Personal pharmacy & bathroom kit – Sun hat/cap – Sunglasses
Optional – Gaiters – Walking Poles
WHAT VISAS DO I NEED?
General information on entry requirements for Brazil can be found at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1072.html Nationals from UK do not need a visa for a tourist visit of up to 90 days. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months after departure date from the country. For further info on travelling abroad see Brazilian Embassy in the UK http://www.brazil.org.uk/ Other nationals are advised to check with their embassies. You may also want to check any advice issued by the Foreign &Commonwealth Office. http://www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo
WHAT INOCULATIONS DO I NEED?
You should contact a travel clinic or your doctor for advice on travel medication before travelling to Brazil and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. General requirements for this area are Tetanus and Yellow Fever. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) www.nathnac.org/ds/map_world.aspx, Well Travelled Clinics www.welltravelledclinics.co.uk (who also run a clinic and have a useful online shop) and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel. www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk/home.aspx Or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.
DO YOU PROVIDE BIKES?
Yes, we provide top-brand mountain bikes and helmet.
CAN I BRING MY OWN BIKE?
If you wish you can bring your own bike to use for one of our trips, you will need to arrange this with your airline, which is usually straightforward if you check ahead in advance. Your bike will either be included within your check-in baggage allowance, or some airlines have an additional allowance for sports equipment, if requested in advance, but this cannot be relied upon, so please check your airline baggage policy in advance of travelling. Please remember it is your responsibility to ensure that your bike is well packed and insured. We will organise a suitable private transfer from the airport for you and your bike. Your bike is your responsibility on the holiday and must be in good mechanical condition. Should anything fail we will do our best to fix it, and if unable we can arrange for you to hire one of our bikes for the rest of the trip.
CAN I MAKE A CANCELLATION OR CHANGE MY TRIP?
A non-refundable deposit for each person is required at the time the reservation is made. The full cost of the trip must be paid no later than 8 weeks before the start of the trip. Once the full cost of the trip has been paid, if you cancel less than 4 weeks and more than 2 weeks before the start date, you will have a 50% refund of the holiday price. If the cancellation is made less than 2 weeks before the start date, no money will be refunded. A change in date will be permitted 8 weeks prior to the scheduled start date. Please see Booking Terms and Conditions for full information.
HOW CAN I PAY FOR THE TRIP?
On receipt of your booking we will email you an Invoice payable online via PayPal. You can pay using most credit and debit cards, and do not need a Paypal account. If you book more than two months in advance you will need to pay a deposit of £500. If you book less than two months in advance you will need to pay the full amount.
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