A mountain bike tour connecting the Andes of Cusco to the lush Amazon jungle.

Follow the old dirt road from Cusco to Quillabamba on a fully-supported adventure.

Outline Itinerary

Quillabamba is a busy market town which supplies the many tropical fruits found in the Cusco markets. We pass through remote mountain communities at 4100m, where herds of llamas and alpacas roam the hillsides, before reaching the steamy valleys and forest covered slopes close to Quillabamba, at an altitude of 1000m.

We return be a different route which allows us to downhill from the Malaga pass at 4350m to the town of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley of the Incas at 2850m. From Ollantaytambo we return to Cusco.

Alternatively you may wish to spend the night here before catching the train to Machu Picchu the following day.

You could trek the Inca Trail in full. Please contact us for more information.

Day 1

The day starts as the support vehicle, with the bikes stored on the roof, takes us from the hotel in Cusco to the lake at Huaypo at an altitude of 3600. Within three hours of relatively flat cycling we reach the Inca terraces of Moray, dating back 500 years. These enigmatic circular terraces created a protected climate for the cultivation of Andean grains and tubers. Enjoying breathtaking views of the peaks of Pumahuanca (53530m), Chicon (5530m) and Veronica (5850m), we start a gentle descent to the village of Maras.

Salt mines of Maras

The inhabitants here work the surrounding fields and are the community owners of the nearby salt mines. Our descent gets steeper as we near the mines and see this impressive series of salt pans for the first time. First worked by the Incas in the 15th century, the water from a salty mineral spring is allowed to cascade into a series of terraces. Here the water is evaporated off and the salt remains to be harvested by locals. All work is done by hand by the inhabitants of Maras, and the complex of crystal white terraces are an impressive sight for any visitor.

After stopping to explore, we continue to descend past the salt terraces to reach the valley floor at 2900m, following the Urubamba River to reach the main Sacred Valley road. This is the first tarmac road we have seen all day, as all the cycling is done on minor dirt roads and gravel footpaths. From this point, we board the support vehicle for the 90 minute journey along the Sacred Valley and descent into the Urubamba Mountains above the town of Calca.

At the Calca pass, we mount the bikes again at an altitude of 4100m, for a descent of 900m to the village of Lares, located at 3200m. The high mountain scenery is dramatic, as we descend on a dirt road through hillsides of herds of llamas and alpacas. Within 2 hours we should reach the thermal springs at Lares, where we will camp and soak in the hot waters after a great day in the saddle.

Day 2

We leave the thermal springs behind to continue our descent into the lower valleys of the Andes. Starting at 3200m, the views of the mountains are spectacular. We pass through remote rural communities, on this rarely travelled dirt road which takes us all the way to the upper Amazon jungle. Almost all of today’s ride is down hill, only interrupted by a few short climbs.

By mid afternoon we should arrive at our camp close to the village of Colca at an altitude of 1600m, a descent of 1600m in a single day.

Day 3

The descent flattens now as we have an undulating ride which takes us the fertile valleys of the Convencion region of Peru. We pass orchards of papaya, avocado, peach and bananas. The climate is now hot and humid, and the many streams which cross our route provide a refreshing shower along the ride.

After a total descent of 500m, we reach our camp close to the village of Quebrada, located at 1100m above sea level.

Day 4

Today, the ride is relatively flat, as we take it slowly through rolling valleys of Quillabamba. This region is rarely visited by tourists, and we will be able to enjoy fresh fruit sold at the roadside by surprised local inhabitants.

The temperature may rise above 25ºC, so the juices and the clear mountain streams are a welcome relief. By mid-afternoon we reach our destination close of the village of Quellono, where we camp nearby at an altitude of 850m.

Day 5

For the previous three days we have been following the Yanatile River as it flows from the high Andes to the Amazon. Now ave reached the union of the Yanatile with the Vilcanota River, the latter of which flows from the Sacred Valley past Machu Picchu to reach Quillabamba.

Now we must follow this river upstream to reach Quillabamba, a climb of only 250m, but the support vehicle may be a help in case the legs are not willing.

We should reach Quillabamba by early afternoon, where we will check into our comfortable hotel and have the rest of the day free to relax and explore this vibrant market town.

Day 6

After a good nights sleep in a comfortable bed, we leave Quillabamba in the support vehicle. We follow the Vilcanota River for an hour, along fertile valleys of fruit orchards, then we climb high into the mountains to reach the Malaga Pass, located at 4350m.

This is where we mount the bikes once more for the descent into Ollantaytambo town in the heart of the Sacred Valley. A thrilling last descent of 1500m in just 35km - an exciting cycling adventure to some of the least visited areas of the Cusco area.

We should reach Ollantaytambo by mid afternoon, where ther is time to visit the spectacular Inca ruins or explore this traditional village. Then we return to Cusco in the support vehicle, taking around 2 hours to the hotel.

Alternatively, Ollantaytambo has several good hotels and is an excellent place to stay the night and then continue to Machu Picchu the following day.

Included

All meals while on the biking expedition, all breakfasts elsewhere, support vehicle, mechanic, cook, camping equipment (tents, cutlery etc), bikes and helmet, English speaking guide.

Not included

International flights (we can look for these for you), insurance, other meals, snacks and drinks, personal items and expenses, airport taxes, extra entrance fees, tips, laundry etc.

You could extend your trip by trekking the Inca Trail or visiting the Amazon.

Check out our Peru group trips, or our many tailor made Peru options. You can always contact the office for more information on tailor made and group options.