Trekking and mountain biking in Peru
| country: | Peru |
| location: | Inca Trail, Peruvian Amazon |
| trip type: | Moderate to challenging mountain biking holidays Strenuous trekking holidays |
| departures: | Tailormade departures available throughout the year |
| price: | From £1490 (21 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK |
the amazing things you'll be doing
4 spectacular days of mountain biking take us from Cuzco over the mountains into the eastern cloud forests of the Andes and on into the Amazon Jungle. We spend 6 days in the wildlife paradise of the Manu Biosphere Reserve before returning to Cuzco for a 4 day trek along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
We fly to the highland city of Cuzco (3400m), ideal setting for a two-day acclimatization period. Here there is time to visit lively local markets and Inca ruins before setting off on our mountain biking expedition.Stage one takes us out of Cuzco and into the Sacred Valley.
Here we visit the impressive Inca citadel of Pisac, before heading into the mountains to cross the watershed of the eastern Andes. We travel, by mountain bike and bus, to the small town of Paucartambo (famous for its festival of the virgin of Carmen in mid July).
We continue to Tres Cruces (3700m). From here we will see (weather permitting) the spectacle of sunrise over the jungle. (Tres Cruces was a sacred spot for the Incas because of the uncanny optical effects seen at dawn in the middle of winter.)The final day of our bike trip takes us ever downwards to the jungle village of Pillcopata (600m). From here we travel by bus to Atalaya, the starting point of our expedition into the Manu Biosphere Reserve. This unique jungle reserve protects some of the Amazon's most important wilderness.
By boat and on foot, we spend the next five days exploring the virgin rainforest. There are many opportunities to observe a wide variety of flora and fauna. Some of the animal species we might see are giant otters, monkeys (e.g. woolly monkeys, black spider monkeys, and red howler monkeys), giant anteaters, black caiman, and (who knows?) even the elusive jaguar.We return to Cuzco by bus, and prepare for our four-day (55km) trek to the mystical Inca city of Machu Picchu.
We fly to the highland city of Cuzco (3400m), ideal setting for a two-day acclimatization period. Here there is time to visit lively local markets and Inca ruins before setting off on our mountain biking expedition.Stage one takes us out of Cuzco and into the Sacred Valley.
Here we visit the impressive Inca citadel of Pisac, before heading into the mountains to cross the watershed of the eastern Andes. We travel, by mountain bike and bus, to the small town of Paucartambo (famous for its festival of the virgin of Carmen in mid July).
We continue to Tres Cruces (3700m). From here we will see (weather permitting) the spectacle of sunrise over the jungle. (Tres Cruces was a sacred spot for the Incas because of the uncanny optical effects seen at dawn in the middle of winter.)The final day of our bike trip takes us ever downwards to the jungle village of Pillcopata (600m). From here we travel by bus to Atalaya, the starting point of our expedition into the Manu Biosphere Reserve. This unique jungle reserve protects some of the Amazon's most important wilderness.
By boat and on foot, we spend the next five days exploring the virgin rainforest. There are many opportunities to observe a wide variety of flora and fauna. Some of the animal species we might see are giant otters, monkeys (e.g. woolly monkeys, black spider monkeys, and red howler monkeys), giant anteaters, black caiman, and (who knows?) even the elusive jaguar.We return to Cuzco by bus, and prepare for our four-day (55km) trek to the mystical Inca city of Machu Picchu.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive Lima. |
| Day 2: | Fly Cuzco. |
| Day 3: | In Cuzco. |
| Day 4-7: | Mountain bike to Paucartambo and Tres Cruces, final day travel by bus to Atalaya. |
| Day 8-13: | 6-day expedition in the Manu rainforest, final day return to Cuzco by bus. |
| Day 14: | In Cuzco. |
| Day 15-19: | Inca trail to Machu Picchu, final day return by train to Cuzco. |
| Day 20: | In Cuzco. |
| Day 21: | Fly to Lima, tour ends. |
how this holiday makes a difference
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It is our policy to carefully dispose of all waste. All non-organic waste is carried out and organic waste is buried at a suitable depth. Food is purchased locally and we use food products with as little packaging as possible, and encourage cooking with Andean products. We cook with gas and use recyclable glass as opposed to plastic wherever possible.
When out on tour we encourage learning about the country we are travelling in, the local culture of the teams we work with and the areas we pass through. Our guides hold informal talks with groups to inform about and discuss with them all aspects of local life. This helps understanding of the area and appreciation of the people who live there. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |