Mountain biking in Peru, biking the High Passes
| country: | Peru |
| trip type: | Moderate to challenging mountain biking holidays |
| departures: | Tailor-made departures to suit your requirements available from May to October |
| price: | From £930 (13 days) excludes flights. We can arrange flights from the UK |
the amazing things you'll be doing
On our fully-supported mountain bike adventure through the heart of the Cordillera Blanca, we cross two of the highest road passes in the Andes. As well as taking in some of the great viewpoints of the range, this challenging, 7-day circuit traverses widely diverse landscapes and climate zones, and offers some awesome descents!
From Lima we travel by bus to Huaraz (3,090m), a bustling highland city ideally located at the foot of the giant peaks of the Cordillera Blanca. The Cordillera Blanca has over thirty peaks above 6,000m, making it the highest tropical range on earth.
After a period of acclimatisation in and around Huaraz, we set off down the Callejon de Huaylas, then climb eastwards into the Ulta Valley. Flanked by the towering snowpeaks of Huascarán, Chopicalqui and Ulta, we pedal up to and over the breathtaking Punta Olimpica pass (4,890m), then enjoy a long, thrilling descent to the town of San Luis.
We continue north along the temperate Conchucos Valley, through the farming communities of the eastern foothills, before starting the return ascent to the Amazon/Pacific watershed.
We re-cross the Andes at the Portachuelo de Llanganuco (4,767m), another pass offering outstanding views of awesome snowpeaks on all sides, including Huandoy (6,395), Chacraraju (6,112m) and the towering east face of Huascarán. From here it's a blast all the way back to the Callejón de Huaylas and the town of Yungay (2,500m). We return to Huaraz, then continue to Lima.
From Lima we travel by bus to Huaraz (3,090m), a bustling highland city ideally located at the foot of the giant peaks of the Cordillera Blanca. The Cordillera Blanca has over thirty peaks above 6,000m, making it the highest tropical range on earth.
After a period of acclimatisation in and around Huaraz, we set off down the Callejon de Huaylas, then climb eastwards into the Ulta Valley. Flanked by the towering snowpeaks of Huascarán, Chopicalqui and Ulta, we pedal up to and over the breathtaking Punta Olimpica pass (4,890m), then enjoy a long, thrilling descent to the town of San Luis.
We continue north along the temperate Conchucos Valley, through the farming communities of the eastern foothills, before starting the return ascent to the Amazon/Pacific watershed. We re-cross the Andes at the Portachuelo de Llanganuco (4,767m), another pass offering outstanding views of awesome snowpeaks on all sides, including Huandoy (6,395), Chacraraju (6,112m) and the towering east face of Huascarán. From here it's a blast all the way back to the Callejón de Huaylas and the town of Yungay (2,500m). We return to Huaraz, then continue to Lima.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive Lima. |
| Day 2: | Bus to Huaraz. Hotel. |
| Day 3: | Day ride around Huaraz. Hotel. |
| Day 4: | Free day. Hotel. |
| Day 5: | Bike to Carhuaz. Hotel. |
| Day 6: | Bike up Ulta Valley. Camp. |
| Day 7: | Over Punta Olimpica Pass. Camp near Cancaraca. |
| Day 8: | Bike to San Luis. Camp or hostal. |
| Day 9: | Bike to Huamas. Camp or hostal. |
| Day 10: | Bike to Morococha. Camp. |
| Day 11: | Bike to Yungay, vehicle to Huaraz. Hotel. |
| Day 12: | Bus to Lima. Hotel. |
| Day 13: | Tour ends. |
how this holiday makes a difference
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We keep group sizes small, use staff from local communities and locally owned hotels and restaurants on this tour.
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 aim to 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 our guide will hold informal talks to inform about and discuss with you 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 led 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. |