The Mayan Heartland. Bordered to the west by the 3200m+ pine forested summit of Maria Tecún and to the east by the high, rocky summits of the Cuchumatánes. Quiché is pitted with deep, dry canyons and loaded with trails to explore.
Mountain biking in Quiché Guatemala is just beginning to explode. The area is home to cool weather, light pine forests, and deep canyons connected by a dense web of ancient Mayan paths – still in use to this day. Locals here are among the most enthusiastic riders in the country practicing a form of cross country mountain bike riding that is really more Adventure MTB with long days and epic 4000m+ days on the bike.
Mountain Biking in Quiché
The style mountain biking in quiché is as broad as the department. Connect ancient acuaducts in the 3100m+ pine forests of María Tecún. Cross deep canyons of Chichicastenango and observe steep, terraced agriculture. Explore the frontier of mountain biking in the towering Cuchumatánes mountains, and Nebaj to the north. Quiché is full of micro climates including cold forests, tropical pockets of fruit and banana and and inland desert.
Remote 4×4 roads and ancestral Mayan trails spider through the department crossing ripping chains of mountains that define the Chixoy-polochic geological fault.
Santa Cruz Del Quiché
Capital of the department – located in the heart of the Guatemalan mountains Santa Cruz serves as the trading post for the numerous indigenous villages throughout the department. Seldom visited by tourists the town is a mixture of dense urban markets, and and cattle pastures. The terrain in Quiché is incredibly steep, split by 300m deep deep barrancos (canyons).
Los Escarabajos Quiché
(The beetles 🙂 This local cycling group has grown substantially in the last couple of years, mapping hundreds of miles of trails in the region and promoting the sport with yearly events and races.
Our Mountain Bike Tours in Quiché
Mountain Bike Guatemala operates several tours that visit Quiché including our Chichicastenango Market day tour. Quiché is also a stopover point on many of our multi-day epics.
Chichicastenango by Bike!
Fall Highland Tour
Guatemalan Highland Tour
Travesía Campanabaj
Attractions in Quiché
Upcoming Events in Quiché
BEFORE YOU GO
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Most of Quiché is over 9,000ft. Which means the weather here is cool. Morning fog fills the valleys and the temperatures here can drop around freezing. Average daily temps range from 10-20°C (50-65°F)
Dry Season (Sept – May)
The dry season here is characterized by hardened adobe like soil – that prevents much undergrowth from developing in the forest. Pine forest here are thin and make for great bike riding.
Rainy Season
During the rainy season (May – September) afternoon storms engulf the area around 3pm – and the rains go through the night. Trails get quite muddy and that adobe type soil can be very slippery.
Recommended Bike
XC Hardtail or Full suspension 80-100mm of travel.
Maximum gear ratio for climbing. 28×42 or 32×50
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