Join or Ride at Your Own Pace: Experience the Giro del Lago Route with Comfort, Convenience, and World-Class Bikes

Every November, 1,000 cyclists descend on Chile’s Lake District to participate in the Giro del Lago, southern Chile’s premier amateur cycling race. Whether you’re an avid cyclist ready to race the 163 km course around Lake Llanquihue, or a casual rider looking to bike scenic segments at your own pace, Hotel AWA in Puerto Varas offers the perfect home base for cyclists of all levels.

Situated directly along the Giro del Lago race route, Hotel AWA provides idyllic lakeside accommodations, bike rentals and e-bikes, and a dedicated cycling concierge service to help guests explore one of South America’s most beautiful cycling circuits.

About the Giro del Lago: Chile’s Ultimate Gran Fondo

The Giro del Lago is Chile’s most celebrated gran fondo cycling event, covering a stunning route that circles Lake Llanquihue, the country’s second-largest lake. This year’s race is scheduled for November 23, 2025, taking place during Southern Chile’s mild spring season.

Cyclists can choose between two routes:

• Full Gran Fondo: 163 km (101 miles) – A challenging circuit with hills, coastal roads, and scenic stretches through Llanquihue, Frutillar, Puerto Octay, Cascada, and Ensenada.
• Middle Distance Ride: 80 km (50 miles) – From Playa Venado to Saltos de Petrohué and back.

Both routes offer cyclists breathtaking views of the Osorno, Puntiagudo, Tronador, and Calbuco volcanoes, along with pristine lakeside roads and lush Patagonian landscapes.

Ride the Giro del Lago Your Way with Hotel AWA

With spot-on convenience, Hotel AWA invites every traveler to race the Giro del Lago – either as a competitor on race day, or on their own, any time of year. For the former, the hotel is in the center of the action, offering a special pre-race menu for cyclists at AWA Restaurant, as well as a sanctuary-like Spa with a team of expert therapists ready with recuperative massages and body treatments, plus sauna, steam room, and heated indoor pool looking onto views of the lake.

Travelers desiring a more personal approach can follow the course of Giro del Lago or choose from Hotel AWA’s selection of local cycling excursions, with many of which depart directly from the property and cover sections of the race. Among them:

• Hotel AWA to Saltos de Petrohué – Travel east toward the town of Ensenada along a bay of the same name, then north toward Saltos de Petrohué. Sights include Osorno, the volcano’s lahares (mudflow), ashes from the 2015 eruption of Calbuco, and the fast-flowing Petrohué river with stunning emerald-green waterfalls where the river drops over volcanic rock.
• Hotel AWA to Las Cascadas – Head east toward Ensenada and then slightly north to the small lakeside town of Las Cascadas, home of waterfalls that drop 50 meters into the Blanco River as well as the longest zip line in Chile featuring 14 platforms, 11 cables, and 2,000 total meters of pure adrenaline through the forest canopy and over amazing landscapes.

Bike Rentals and Equipment at Hotel AWA

Hotel AWA offers a full range of bike rentals, including:

• Specialized Rockhopper and Trek Marlin mountain bikes
• Specialized Sirrus X and Specialized Turbo Vado SL hybrid bikes
• Specialized Allez and Specialized Turbo Creo road and gravel bikes
• E-Bikes from Specialized, suitable for adults and teens (ages 12–14)
• Child seats for family rides

All rentals include helmets, lights, locks, repair kits, and support equipment. Guests may rent bikes or use them complimentary as part of select packages.

Bike model details: view