Biking Peru From The Andes To The Amazon

Itinerary Details

1. Day 1Meet in Cusco

   Welcome to Cusco — once the heart of the Incan Empire and now your gateway to adventure! Perched at 3,300 meters (11,152 feet), this city is one of the highest in the world. To help your body adjust to the altitude, be sure to arrive at least a day before the tour begins. 
   
   On the first day of your journey, you’ll meet the group at our tour hotel in the morning, then head out on a relaxed walking tour through Cusco’s charming cobblestone streets. You’ll explore landmarks like the Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral, and the awe-inspiring Coricancha temple. A local restaurant hosts your lunch, giving you a taste of regional flavours. Later, we’ll handle bike fittings and go over the trip details before capping off the day with a warm welcome dinner.

   Please arrive at least one day prior to the start of the tour as living at this altitude takes some getting used to – let us know if you would like assistance with a pre-tour hotel and airport transfer.

   • Casa Andina Premium Cusco
   • Lunch and Dinner

   • 

     Antigua Casona San Blas Hotel

     Centrally located in historic Cusco, this lovely hotel will bookend the tour at the start and end

   • 

     Antigua Casona San Blas Hotel

     Centrally located in historic Cusco, this lovely hotel will bookend the tour at the start and end

2. Day 2Cusco - Pisac

   This morning, you’ll take a short 30-minute transfer out of Cuzco to avoid the city traffic. You’ll saddle up near the small town of Husao and begin cycling downhill on a smooth tarmac road toward Huambutio. From there, you’ll veer off the main road and follow a scenic, lesser-travelled path that runs alongside the Urubamba River. This first ride is all about immersing yourself in the breathtaking Andean landscape—soaring peaks, green valleys, and ancient Incan terraces cascading down the slopes. Midway, you’ll stop for a picnic lunch before continuing to the picturesque town of Pisac, known for its colonial charm set against a mountain backdrop. If all goes to plan, you’ll arrive in time for Pisac’s vibrant artisan market—perfect for picking up unique souvenirs or soaking in the energy of an authentic Andean marketplace.
   
   
   

   • 26.7 miles
   • -587.3 ft
     859.6 ft
     1,446.9 ft
   • Pisac Inn
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
3. Day 3Pisac - Cloud Forest

   From Pisac, you’ll take a 45-minute transfer uphill to a mountain pass at 4,100 meters above sea level, in the heart of the Peruvian Altiplano—a dramatic high-altitude plateau of rugged peaks, rolling plains, and serene lakes. From there, you’ll enjoy an exhilarating 50 km descent by bike to the village of Paucartambo, surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty. This village is famous for its annual Virgin del Carmen Festival with its colourful dance troupes.

   After a 30-minute transfer uphill, you’ll reach the edge of Manu National Park—one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. After lunch, you'll hop back on the bikes to experience one of the most striking visual shifts of the tour: dropping off the edge of the Andes and into the cloud forest of the Amazon Basin. You'll cycle downhill all afternoon, surrounded by spectacular jungle views and hopefully glimpsing rare wildlife en route. You'll arrive at the lodge near the small jungle hamlet of San Pedro.

   
   

   • 60.9 miles
   • -10,961.3 ft
     3,326.8 ft
     14,288.1 ft
   • Cock of the Rock, Cloud Forest Birding Lodge
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
4. Day 4Cloud Forest - Manu National Park

   After breakfast, you'll take some time to try and spot the famous Cock-of-the-Rock—a beautiful, unique bird known for the male's striking bright orange plumage and fan-shaped crest, that inhabits this area—as it performs at a nearby lek (a communal display ground where males gather to attract mates). Continuing your downhill ride, you will enter the rainforest and pass through various small villages, where you can see the daily lives of the people and how they coexist with nature and the forest. Stopping along the way for cold drinks and a chance to cool off in pristine jungle streams, you will end the ride at Pilcopata: the gateway to Manu. This is where the biking ends, and you'll transfer to the jungle lodge. Be warned: if sunny, this ride can be very hot and sweaty; however, if wet and muddy, the biking becomes quite an adventure!

   • 21.1 miles
   • -2,864.2 ft
     410.1 ft
     3,274.3 ft
   • Manu Biolodge
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
5. Day 5Manu National Park Free Day

   Today is a very special day inside Manu National Park. Being based at the unique Amazonia Lodge you'll have one of the world’s most incredible, diverse and fragile ecosystems literally at your doorstep. You’ll give the bikes a break for the day and you have several options to get out into the jungle and explore on foot. The jungle is usually alive very early in the morning so try to get out pre-dawn as this will be your best chance to see wildlife.

   It's a day dedicated to learning about the rainforest from our guide, going out in search of monkeys, birds (among which is the spectacular and prehistoric hoatzin), and other animals. If you are lucky, you may also spot the black caiman in the nearby small lake. There is an option to cycle or drive to the small village of Atalaya, visiting a hummingbird and animal sanctuary en route and from the port at Atalaya enjoy a short motorised dugout canoe ride to experience a boat trip on a tributary of the mighty Amazon river.

   
   
   
   

   • Manu Biolodge
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

   • 

     Amazonia Lodge

     Stay in this remote and special location for 2 nights of the tour

6. Day 6Manu National Park - Pisac

   Hopefully today's dawn chorus is the unique sound of Howler monkeys. We then return to the vehicle for the journey back of about 2.5 hours to Pisac and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Although the road back is mostly uphill there are two exhilarating and extremely tempting downhill sections and you'll get the option to get back on the bikes and enjoy some unforgettable free-flowing descents. Both descents are about 25km and they are entirely optional. You will arrive in Pisac late in the afternoon, in time to check-in, wander the fascinating street stalls and enjoy dinner.

   • 31.1 miles
   • -5,797.2 ft
     636.5 ft
     6,433.7 ft
   • Pisac Inn
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
7. Day 7Pisac - Ollantaytambo

   Setting off directly from your hotel in Pisac, you'll cross the Urubamba River and embark on a picturesque back road, tracing the contours of the Sacred Valley. Just beyond Pisac, you'll transition onto a lesser-travelled dirt track winding through local villages and haciendas (agricultural estates) set against the beautiful backdrop of glaciated mountains and Incan ruins. You'll pause for a picnic lunch along the way before passing through the villages of Qoya, Lamay, and Calca.

   Crossing the Urubamba River once more in Huayllabamba, you'll continue on a well-maintained road through Yucay and Urubamba, eventually reaching Pacchar. Here you'll cross back for more dirt road riding as you head to the end of the Sacred Valley and the charming village of Ollantaytambo. You will be based here for the next 3 nights.
    

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   • 37.9 miles
   • -551.2 ft
     1,555.1 ft
     2,106.3 ft
   • Hotel Pakaritampu
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

   • 

     Hotel Pakaritampu

     In the heart of Sacred Valley, you'll stay in this beautiful hotel for 3 nights of the tour

   • 

     Hotel Pakaritampu

     In the heart of Sacred Valley, you'll stay in this beautiful hotel for 3 nights of the tour

8. Day 8Moray - Maras Salt Pans

   From your base in Ollantaytambo, you set out for an unforgettable ride along the fringes of the Sacred Valley. To skip a challenging ascent, you begin with a short transfer that takes you to small village of Pacchar and the remarkable Incan site of Moray. Its dramatic circular stone terraces showcase the ingenuity of ancient Inca agriculture. From there, you ride across the highlands on a gently rolling trail that leads to the scenic shores of Lake Huaypo, where you pause for a relaxing picnic lunch.
   
   Refuelled, you hop back on your bike and follow a little-known dirt road toward the stunning Maras Salt Pans—gleaming white pools that have been mined since Inca times and offer a dream setting for photography. You'll then transfer back to Ollantaytambo where you'll enjoy a well-deserved dinner.

   
   

   • 19.9 miles
   • -1,000.7 ft
     1,036.7 ft
     2,037.4 ft
   • Hotel Pakaritampu
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
9. Day 9Machu Picchu Exploration

   Today is off the saddle as you set out to visit the most splendid Incan mountaintop ruins of all: Machu Picchu. Referred to as the “Lost City of the Incas”, this incredible sanctuary is simply a must-see when visiting Peru. To get there you will take a train journey that follows the impressive Urubamba River down through the cloud forest and to the base of Machu Picchu mountain itself. Once there, you will participate in an extensive walking tour of the ruins, delving into the intricacies of Machu Picchu's construction techniques, its purpose as a sanctuary and ceremonial center, and gaining insights into the daily life of the Inca civilization that thrived within these breathtaking stone walls. You’ll enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant before heading back to the train station for the return journey along the Sacred Valley to your base in Ollantaytambo. Dinner is on your own tonight.
   
   
   

   • Hotel Pakaritampu
   • Breakfast and Lunch

   • 

     Machu Picchu

     Spend a day exploring iconic Machu Picchu

   • 

     Hotel Pakaritampu

     In the heart of Sacred Valley, you'll stay in this beautiful hotel for 3 nights of the tour

   • 

     Hotel Pakaritampu

     In the heart of Sacred Valley, you'll stay in this beautiful hotel for 3 nights of the tour

10. Day 10Ollantaytambo - Calca - Cusco

    Your final day is an epic adventure deep in the Sacred Valley, far from the usual paths. It kicks off with a scenic vehicle ride up to 4,000 meters above sea level in the Andes. From there, you’ll hop on your bike and coast down into the stunning and remote Lares Valley. As you pass through the village of HuacaHuasi, you'll continue your descent on a smooth dirt road that leads to the hot spring town of Lares—perfect for a quick dip in the soothing, mineral-rich waters before enjoying a relaxing picnic lunch.
    
    Another short transfer takes you even higher, to Abra Lares at 4,400 meters. This marks the start of a thrilling descent—your “downhill of a lifetime”—on a well-paved road that sweeps down from the mountaintops to the valley below. You’ll roll into the historic main square of Calca, where your ride ends and a vehicle awaits to bring you back to Cusco.
    
    In the evening, you'll gather for a farewell dinner.

    • 32.9 miles
    • -8,622 ft
      738.2 ft
      9,360.2 ft
    • Casa Andina Premium Cusco
    • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
11. Day 11Departure from Cusco

    Time to say goodbye! If you are departing from Cusco today you will be transferred to the airport. Feel free to extend your stay in Cusco or venture onwards to discover more of incredible Peru.
    
    

    • Breakfast