Welcome to Magdalena Moto Trail

[1] The Magdalena river, from its source to its mouth, and throughout its most important historic events, is closely related to the rise of Colombia as a nation. It was named by Rodrigo Bastidas in honor of Saint Mary Magdalena and by the Muiscas as Yuma, meaning…

Friendly country’s river

[1] Taken from Colombia’s National Museum

Our motto: To offer one of a kind motorcycle experiences throughout Colombia. We warmly welcome tourists to guide them through far away routes that belong to a unique, valuable and exotic Colombia very few have experienced.

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Why be a distributor?

With the utmost respect for our environment, we support responsible tourism. All our tours are based on practices with the highest safety and security standards, no matter how remote the area in Colombia, our guests are our top priority and can be confident that their safety is never at risk with Magdalena Moto Trail.

Our distributors find in Magdalena Moto Trail much more than a motorcycle tourism operator, here are some of the reasons tourism companies around the world ask us to become their allies:

  • Over 25 years of combined Motorcycle riding throughout Colombia
  • Exclusive routes with small groups (maximum 10 bikes)
  • Top-notch safety and security procedures
  • Logistics experience (guides, accommodations, food, mechanical services, road support, etc.)
  • Unique and exotic routes

    Why Colombia?

    Newest Routes

    Ciénagas del Magdalena

    Stages: 12

    Days: 14

    Total Kms: 3.340 Kms. - 1.040 Kms Off-road

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    Ciénagas del Magdalena

    Estrecho del Magdalena

    Stages: 10

    Days: 12

    Total Kms: 2.465 Kms. - 729 Kms. Off-road

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    Estrecho del Magdalena

    Estrecho del Magdalena

    Day 1 Arrival and welcome at El Dorado Airport Bogotá / The Orchids Hotel – La Candelaria Historic Center.

    Day 2 Stage 1 (230 km) / Welcome at Santiamén La Calera Magdalena Trail – Carmen de Apicalá. We start our adventure with a delicious breakfast by the mountains near Bogotá, then start our travel through the magnificent Sumapaz Páramo (mood) at 3.400 mts. above sea level, natural water factory and sponge. We will descend to 3.000 mts to reach the valleys of the Magdalena river at Carmen de Apicalá.

    Day 3 Stage 2 (170 km) / Carmen de Apicalá – Villa Vieja. At dawn, enjoying warm weather, we will leave to chase the waters of the Magdalena River between the towns of Suarez and Purificación and find the unique Tatacoa Desert, the second largest one in Colombia. This road includes lots of fun because of the sandy terrain that allows for an interesting amount of traction on our bikes. We will stay at a colonial house from the late XVIIIth century, where Simon Bolivar stayed during his trips. Our guests are welcome to go out at night and admire the starred desert sky.

    Day 4 Stage 3 (210 km) / Villa Vieja – Tierra Adentro. Through one of our country’s most beautiful roads, we will ride by the Betania Damn and border the Magdalena river. We will enter mountain dirt roads to reach Tierra Adentro at night, a magical place filled with mystery from our predecessors. We will enjoy an afternoon of archeology.

    Day 5 Stage 4 (180 km) / Tierra Adentro – San Agustín. We will leave a magical place to enter the Colombian Massif, source of the Magdalena river. We will enter the place where the Andes mountain range finishes through winding roads with exceptional views. We will then reach San Agustín with its immense and majestic mountains. A region of newer generations of Colombian coffee producers and exotic fruit, like lulo plantations.

    Day 6 Day off / San Agustín. A day off to visit the narrowest section of the Magdalena river, in the afternoon we will visit the archeological park of San Agustín, declared as a World Heritage site with its majestic and ancient monolithic sculptures built thousands of years before Christ.

    Day 7 Stage 5 (290 km) / San Agustín – La Cocha Lagoon. We will travel the Andes mountain range south through high mountains, green and charming views, ascending through winding roads. We will reach the high valley where we will discover the La Cocha natural Lagoon, second largest in the country.

    Day 8 Stage 6 (285 km) La Cocha Lagoon – Popayán. We will go on a 40 minute hike to the Flora Sanctuary at the Corata Island; our hotel is right in front of it. We will then head up north traveling down the Valle del Cauca mountains, through roads by the foothill, soothed by warm weather, enjoying every minute. Popayán offers great local food, our guests will be delighted by pipián empanadas and a chicken sancocho.

    Day 9 Stage 7 (390 km) / Popayán – Hacienda Castilla. A day of flat geography, we will go through valleys between vast sugar cane plantations and very hot weather. We will take a detour through dirt roads crossing Hacienda el Paraiso, the house – now a museum – where Jorge Isaac - a well renown Colombian writer - wrote his famous novel La Maria. From there we will head north entering the magnificent Risaralda prairies, bordering the Cauca river.

    Day 10 Stage 8 (190 km) / Hacienda Castilla – Nevado del Ruiz. After zigzagging through narrow coffee region roads we will visit picturesque towns like Finlandia, Salento and Valle del Cocora where Colombia’s iconic tree wax palm grows. After enjoying an exquisite trout with patacón we will start our ascent to the Nevado del Ruiz. Fog will be by our side at this point, but hopefully it will still let us admire the year round snow peaks. We will reach our day’s destination and relax while bathing in hot springs that come directly from the volcano.

    Day 11 Stage 9 (240 km) / Nevado del Ruiz – Mesa de Yeguas. We will border the nevado (snowy mountain) as the cold morning progresses and we will travel through volcanic soil where we will witness the great power of the volcano’s scars making us feel in a whole different planet. We will go down the mountain to find again hot weather by the Magdalena riverside at Ambalema. We will cross on wooden boats and then head up the Andes mountain range reaching a magical place filled with nature and unbelievable fauna.

    Day 12 Stage 10 (280 km) / Mesa de Yeguas – Andrés Carne de Res – Bogotá. To finish this adventure we will take one of our favorite roads. We will ride the highest border of the mountain where we will be able to observe from lookout spots the road where we came and enter the great Bogota Savanna. Our guests will then enjoy an unforgettable meal at the iconic restaurant Andrés Carne de Res, saying goodbye to our extraordinary adventure.

    For more information, pricing and tour calendar contact us.

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    Ciénagas del Magdalena

    Day 1 Arrival and welcome at El Dorado Airport Bogotá / The Orchids Hotel – La Candelaria neighborhood.

    Day 2 Stage 1 (318 km) / Welcome at Santiamén La Calera Magdalena Trail - Anapoima Cundinamarca. We start our great adventure with a delicious breakfast by the mountains near Bogotá. We will ride through the beautiful Bogota savannah, and through mountains we will descent towards the magnificent Magdalena river. Once we start feeling the warmer weather we will arrive to a unique hotel in Colombia, both because fo its exuberant nature and its beautiful geographical location.

    Day 3 Stage 2 (289 km) / Anapoima – Nevado del Ruiz Volcano. This is one of the most beautiful and unique stages in our adventure. It will have extreme cold and heat, between the exuberance and the serenity, dangling between euforia and retreat. Shifting from 200 meters above sea level and heading up bordering a beautiful and challenging road on an active volcano up to 4.000 meters above sea level is a privilege very few can experience. Tonight we will sleep by the volcano, protected by the mountain and enjoying a bath at hot springs.

    Day 4 Stage 3 (271 km)/ Volcán Nevado del Ruiz – Doradal. Early in the morning and depending on the generosity of the volcano we hope to see its year round snowy peak. From there we will ride through coffee farms and admire mountains filled with majestic coffee plants.  Following we will ride through cattle farms in order to reach a beautiful natural reserve park.

    Day 5 Stage 4 (274 km) / Doradal – Sutamarchan. We will leave the natural reserve heading towards Otanche, an emerald region. We will again border the mountain and go through the Quinchas natural park. This is a beautiful off-road, filled with waterfalls, nature and spectacular sights. Wonderful stage.

    Day 6 Stage 5 (206 km)Sutamarchan – Barichara. If this stage had a name it should be: beautiful town. We will ride through one of the most significant and dear towns for Colombians. The wonderful colonial town of Villa de Leyva. A stage always protected by the mountains with a little spice at the end.

    Day 7 Day off / We suggest to visit the Chicamocha national park. It is a beautiful region, the town is great to walk around or go rafting or hiking.

    Day 8 Stage 6 (184 km) /Barichara - Sabana de Torres. We will start the day going through a wild canyon, chasing the Suarez river waters and its mouth at the Sogamoso river. We will enter the last green mountains of the mountain range towards the fertile Magdalena valley.

    Day 9 Stage 7 (313 km) / Sabana de Torres – Mompós. Once at the fertile valley we will cross the river on wooden boats and reach the beautiful town of Mompos, the Colombian Venice. A place filled with history, artisans, and declared by the Unesco as World Heritage site. Most of the stage will be bordering the Magdalena river and will be quite challenging. Today's road is through the structure that protects the river from overflowing during rainy season.

    Day 10 Stage 8 (247km) / Mompós - Valledupar. We will say goodbye to Mompos and leave behind the Magdalena river to enter the Upar valley. A land of musicians to one of Colombia's most authentic music genre: Vallenato. Through off roads, farms, the east mountain range and the Sierra Nevada we will reach Valledupar.

    Day 11 Stage 9 (163 Km) / Valledupar – Riohacha.  Through the cattle savannah of Cesar and the lower Guajira, we will find the foothill or final hills of the east Andes mountain range to head up north between it and the Sierra Nevada, finding the Caribbean Ocean and the harsh terrains of Guajira.

    Day 12 Stage 10 (163 Km) / Riohacha – Cabo de la Vela. Through the harsh winds of the Caribbean Ocean and its sandy terrains we will head to the northern point of the southern lands, visiting the Salt Lagoons of Manaure and reaching Cabo de la Vela. We will walk to the dunes of Pilon de Azucar and there we will have the pleasure to see one of the most beautiful sunsets opening up a night of a million stars.

    Day 13 Stage 11 (153 km) / Cabo de la Vela – Palomino. Heading south and leaving the desert we will turn west from the Sierra Nevada to reach the virgin beaches of the Tayrona park. It is without a doubt one of the most wonderful spots in the world.

    Día 14 Stage 12 (330 km) / Palomino – Cartagena. We will go up through one of the sides of the Sierra Nevada and descent to the Magdalena river crossing towns like Aracataca, birth place of the Nobel Prize Gabriel García Márquez, founder of the “realismo mágico- magical realism”, and finishing our adventure at the walled city of Cartagena de Indias.

    For more information, pricing and tour calendar contact us.

    ¿More info about this route?