You cannot call this a “normal” bike trip, but rather “the bike trip of a lifetime”. Where else can you cycle for days on an old Inca trails?
DURATION
15 days 720 mi /1200km
DIFFICULTY
Epic-Challenging
GROUP
min 14 riders to max 30
To eventually bike up to a short hiking distance of Machu Picchu and again for days on single track to above an altitude of 16500ft / 5000m?
The first week we cycle in the area of Cuzco and the Sacred Valley between the Inca ruins. We increase the difficulty of the trails and take the time to acclimatize: we start high and end down in the valley (train high, sleep low). This first part is the perfect acclimatization for the more serious work later.
Afterwards we cycle the Salkantay trail, which is a less touristy variant of the Inca trail, to get to the foot of Machu Picchu in an original way. We load our bikes on horses for the climb to the Salkantay pass 15200ft / 4630m), from there we cycle in two days to an altitude of 5250ft / 1600m and 7mi / 11km (walking distance) from Machu Picchu, which we will of course also visit! Then we move for “a night on the town in Cuzco”. Then we look for some tough trails near Cuzco.
Because to top it all off, we cycle the Ausangate trail in three days, including along the Vinicunca (the rainbow mountain), with often hot springs in the evening to loosen our stiff muscles. Probably the most beautiful trail in all of South America. With cols up to over 16500ft / 5000m and almost entirely on single track.
All stages can be ridden at your own pace using GPS (the devices are provided). The itinerary as described in the planning can still be adjusted depending on the weather conditions.
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Unforgettable experiences and
great time guaranteed
This trip is for adventurers who are not afraid of hike-a-bike sections and are confident on tough riding trails. Fullies with minimum 140mm travel recommended. Limited number of participants!
LEVEL Strenuous tour that requires good fitness and riding technique, fully recommended with at least 140mm suspension travel
You stay in a mixture of hotels, hostels, and log cabins – sometimes luxurious, sometimes simple – but always in a bed, never camping.
Daily distances vary between 30Mi/48km and 70mi/115 km.
Meet and greet in Cuzco and putting the bikes together and briefing about possible high altitude sickness
We spend these days getting used to cycling at altitude, we start just below 13200 ft / 4000m altitude and end 3300 ft / 1000m lower under the “train high, sleep low principle”. The difficulty of the trails also slowly increases.
Overnight stay in a mountain hut at the foot of the pass.
We cross the Salkantay pass on foot, the pass itself is at 15200ft / 4640m. Spectacular high mountains and the “less known” access to Machu Picchu.
The Salkantay mountain itself is well over 20350ft / 6200m high and is a constant presence during the trek, with a bit of luck we will see glaciers calving on the flanks on the other side of the valley! We climb up with a daypack, the bikes are transported on horseback to the top of the pass. At the top of the pass we thank our four-legged friends, exchange them for our steel, aluminum and carbon horses and cycle further down the Salkantay trail to Chaullay 9500ft /2900m. The luggage is being transported around.
Today we tackle Chaullay – Aguas Calientes (departure point for Machu Picchu). From Chaullay we cycle further down. You can follow a dirt road almost completely downhill for almost 19mi /30 km, or after a few kilometers you can choose a tough single track variant that runs for 12mi / 20km on the other bank on the other side.
The dirt road stops at a large hydroelectric power station on the Urubamba River. There you can (optional) take a train to Aguas Calientes or (recommended) walk along the tracks to the foot of Machu Picchu. The walk is almost horizontal and is 7mi /11km or 2h30 long. You take a daypack with you with your toothbrush and some clothes for the next day. The bicycles and main luggage are transported around and we will not see them again until two days later in Ollantaytambo (you cannot go to Machu Picchu by car and cycling along the railway is unfortunately prohibited). We will spend the night in a good hotel in Aguas Calientes.
You can either go up on foot (about an hour) and back down (45 minutes) via a stair path, or by bus (in 2023 12$ per ride, not included). In the later afternoon we take the train to Ollantaytambo. Subsequently transfer to Cuzco.
We bike a few more super trails & descents southeast of Cuzco, in preparation for the Ausungate trail.
At 20797ft / 6336m, the Ausungate is one of the highest mountains in Peru and we will cycle all the way around it the following days: one of the most beautiful trails in all of South America! So now we have to be completely acclimatized because the peaks are around 16500ft /5000m altitude! We start cycling up in Tinqui on a dirt road and then on single tracks towards Upis, where we spend the night in a mountain hut at 14600ft /4450m. We enjoy the thermal bath close to our overnight stay. An overall quiet day in anticipation of tomorrow…
We hike & bike 4 peaks today, in an upward trend: first one of 15600ft / 4750m, then 16300ft / 4950m and then two of just over 16500ft / 5000m. Finally, a descent along the flanks of the Vinicunca, the “rainbow mountain”. A total of 18mi / 28km and 4300ft + / 1300m+. Overnight stay in mountain hut/tent camp.
Overnight stay in a mountain hut in Pacchanta, where we can also enjoy welcome hot springs in the evening.
From Upis we simply cycle further down the slopes to Tinqui, where we get into the minibus and return to Cuzco. We pack the bikes for the return journey and in the evening… fiesta!
INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
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