WINE BIKE TOUR MENDOZA: OUR DAY OF CYCLING AMONGST THE VINES.
We love nothing more than visiting wineries and the opportunity to cycle and enjoy some wine was something we could not pass up on our recent visit to Mendoza.
If you’re visiting Mendoza, we can’t recommend booking a wine bike tour enough. Find out more below about how to book yours and what to expect from a wine bike tour in Mendoza.
Wine bike tour Mendoza: Why do it?
Mendoza has to be one of most outstanding and scenic places in the world to drink wine. Where sun-kissed vineyards sit next to the towering Andes mountains to create an other worldly experience. But of course, you’ve come to Mendoza to drink wine!
Taking a wine bike tour is the best way to experience a few vineyards in a day. Logistically, cycling is a great option. Argentina has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to drink driving.
With most of the vineyards being spread out over great distances, you will need a way to get around between them and driving isn’t the best way, unless you’re spitting out the wine you taste!
The other great thing about taking a self-guided wine bike of Mendoza is that the tour company can help you plan the best route and pick the vineyards to visit. They will even make reservations for you.
Find out more about our experience of taking a self-guided wine tour in Mendoza below.
Where to do in a wine bike tour in Mendoza?
Mendoza has three wine regions, the Uco Valley, Maipu and Lujan de Cuyo. Of the three areas, Maipu is most well set up for wine bike tours.
There are a number of companies offering self-guided wine bike tours in Maipu. The one we used was Wine & Ride (more on our experience below.) However, there is one company that we are aware of that offers wine bike tours in the Lujan de Cuyo/ Chacras de Coria area – Baccus Biking.
If you’re staying in Mendoza city, it’s best to either take a bus to Maipu or you can arrange a fully guided wine tour which includes transport from Mendoza.
A great wine bike tour in Mendoza: Our experience with Wine & Ride Maipu
We arrived in Maipu at around midday with no reservation for bikes. I contacted Wine & Ride on Whatsapp, and they immediately responded to confirm that they had two bikes ready and waiting for us.
Having parked up the car, we arrived at Wine & Ride to a warm welcome.
One of the friendly members of staff sat us down to talk through the options. We had expected to just pay to hire the bikes and be on our way heading for the vines. But, it was way better than that!
After being shown a map, they explained that we could choose a couple of wineries to cycle to. We also took up the option to get lunch in one of the wineries.
Our friendly tour guide called ahead to the wineries for us and booked everything. He then returned and drew us a paper map ,complete with allocated timing and sent us an electronic map to follow on our phones.
We were given the Whatsapp number for Wine & Ride and told we could contact for any medical or bicycle assistance. After paying, our bikes were waiting for us outside – already adjusted to our height.
There were lockers inside the shop to leave valuables, toilets and water to buy. Soon enough, we were being waved off and being told to stay hydrated and enjoy our day!
How much does a self guided wine tour in Mendoza cost?
The cost of bicycle hire in Maipu ranges from around 7,000 to 8,000 Argentinean pesos. At time of writing, Feb 2024, this is about £7 or £8.
On top of this, we paid around 8,000 pesos for each wine tasting and tour and 13,000 for a three course lunch with three glasses of wine.
As a bonus, Wine & Ride included three freebies for us – an olive oil tasting, an ice cream tasting and a glass of wine at a wine bar in town.
All in all, a day out for approximately £35 per person.
Fully guided wine tours are a little more expensive, at around £130 per person, but this includes transport from Mendoza and of course, a tour guide.
What is the cycling like on a wine bicycle tour in Maipu?
The furthest winery that we cycled to from Maipu was 12km away. All in all, we cycled 22km during our tour. The terrain was incredibly flat and easy to cycle. It helped that the bikes were in good condition.
Around Maipu and in the town, there are cycle lanes making it really easy and safe. Once into the countryside, we had to cycle on the road but only a few cars passed us.
Make sure you get a helmet for safety, cycle on the right of the road (and cycle path) and pay attention to road signs.
What are the wineries like in Maipu
During our day in Maipu, we visited three wineries. All three were quite different experiences and complimentary to visit in one day.
The first we visited, Essencia, was founded in 1870 and is one of the oldest vineyards in the area. Here we enjoyed a lovely three course lunch, with white, red wine and fizz and a wander around the vines.
The second was Bodegas Vistandes, a much more modern winery. We enjoyed a tasting of four different red wines, including a splendid Malbec Reserva.
Finally, we visited Trivento Winery, a large and modern winery with a lake and pleasant seating.
There were plenty of others in the area to choose from however. If time had allowed we would have loved to visit more! All the wineries we visited were welcoming, friendly and enjoyable experiences.
Where to stay in Mendoza?
Depending on the type of wine holiday that you’re looking for and how long you have in Mendoza, you may wish to choose one base for your entire trip, or to move around. With three distinct areas to choose from, it can be difficult to decide.
We’ve put together a guide to the best places to stay in Mendoza depending on the type of experience that you want to have.
FIND OUR GUIDE TO WHERE TO STAY IN MENDOZA HERE.
Where to next in Argentina?
You can find our guides to travelling in Argentina below:
- Buenos Aires – a three day itinerary
- Best things to do in Palermo, Buenos Aires
- Dining at Don Julio restaurant in Buenos Aires
- Where to stay in Buenos Aires
- Where to stay in Mendoza
- Our experience of staying in a wine hotel in Mendoza
- Wine cycling in Mendoza – a top experience
- Best hikes in Bariloche
- Best hikes & things to do in El Chalten
- Visiting Perito Moreno Glacier – a guide
- Driving in Argentina: A guide
Written by Emma
Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.
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3 responses to “Wine Bike Tour Mendoza Review: Cycling amongst the vines”
[…] there are many wineries that you can get to by bike, bus or on foot. You can also take a bus to Maipu for a cycle & wine experience. More on all of this […]
[…] especially in the towns around Mendoza city, such as Maipu. Here, we hired bikes from the well organized Wine & Ride team, and sucked the vines dry until our hearts were […]
[…] Wine bicycle trip in Maipu (Mendoza) […]