10-Day Best of Biking Cusco: Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu

Cusco Biking Ruins – Half-Day Entrance included : 

Our half-day bike riding trip is a superb introduction to the Inca heritage of Peru, as well as being suitably flexible to suit everyone, from the beginner to the experienced rider. At 3,250 – 3,700m, this is also a perfect acclimatization trip to prepare you for your onward travels at altitude.

Leaving Cusco either morning or afternoon, we take a vehicle to Cusco’s most stunning ruin, Sacsayhuaman. Smaller stones of Sacsayhuaman were used to build modern-day Cusco, and the remaining stones are up to 8.5m high and weigh over 360 tons. The tour continues on to some lesser-known but equally interesting ruins of Kenko and Puca Pacara. The tour of the ruins ends at the finely carved Inca aqua ducts of Tambomachay, where your mountain biking adventure begins.

After being fully kitted up with gloves and helmets, and following a full instruction in the art of mountain biking, we start on an easy tarmac section. Your expert guide and mechanic will assess your group’s ability and then offer a variety of riding options, from easy, smooth road, dirt road, or harder single tracks. All trails are largely downhill as we wind our way back towards Cusco city, enjoying spectacular views of the valley and city itself. Your support vehicle is on hand or nearby for virtually the whole trip and can be used to carry any non-riders or weary clients and extra gear.

Distance: 16.8 Km (10.5 Miles)

Elevation Gain: 295 m (968 ft.)-Route mostly a gentle downhill

Length: Full Day

BTG General ruins entrance ticket – valid 10 days

Night at Hotel Ananay Quinta San Blas (Deluxe Room)

*Hotel upgrade can be quoted per request

Included:  English-speaking guide, water, transport, box lunch, Boleto Turistico, room & breakfast the next day

Biking from Huambutio to Pisac : 

Following a short bus ride out of the worst of Cusco’s traffic, we head to the town of Huambutio on a good tarmac road. Turning off the main road our adventure on bikes begins, riding an empty and scenic road that parallels the Rio Urubamba. During the ride, the group can choose to explore dirt roads or stay on the main road, while a support vehicle remains nearby.

For lunch, we will enjoy a picnic near the river, before heading on to the main event, the town of Pisac. Arriving into the quaint town of Pisac there will be time to explore its famous artisan market, perfect for picking up souvenirs or photographing a typical Andean market, before heading to our hotel for the night.

Distance: 50.1 Km (31.5 Miles)

Elevation Gain: 719  m (2,359 ft.)

Length: Full Day

Picnic Lunch

Night at the hotel Pisac Inn

*Hotel upgrade can be quoted per request

Included:  English-speaking guide, transport, biking gear, lunch, water, room & breakfast the next day

Biking in the Sacred Valley of the Incas : 

 This great ride is very versatile so it can be easily adapted to suit every level and age. It’s an incredibly scenic ride, combining Andean mountain passes, gentle descents, and a lovely amble through the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

We begin with a short drive to the Pisac ruins to explore the extensive site, perched high above the town on a spectacular promontory. Crossing the river, we arrive at the small village of Taray. Here we unload the bikes, kit up and begin our bike ride.

The lovely dirt track undulates between local villages and haciendas, where we can see traditional farming methods being used against the beautiful backdrop of glaciated mountains and Inca ruins. The support vehicle will be on hand for the final section, allowing us to carry on through the villages of Qoya, Lamay and Calca. If feeling strong we can then continue to Urubamba or return to our hotel by vehicle.

Distance: 50 Km (31 Miles)

Elevation Gain: 751  m (2,464 ft.)

Length: Full Day

Picnic Lunch

Night at La Casona Yucay

*Hotel upgrade can be quoted per request

Included:  English-speaking guide, transport, lunch, water, room & breakfast the next day

Biking in the Sacred Valley of the Incas :

In the morning you will be privately transferred to Lake Piuray, an emerald green lake that is the main water supply for the city of Cusco. Here we unload our bikes and set off on a gently undulating and rarely transited dirt road.

The gentle mountain roads take us to the indigenous village of Chincheros, most famous for having the best weavers in the Sacred Valley and colourful Sunday markets. Continuing on the scenic dirt roads our bike ride ends on the shores of Lake Huaypo where you will enjoy a traditional Pachamanca for lunch. For those with energy left, we can enjoy some or all of the mainly downhill road back to Urubamba and so to our hotel for the night.

A Pachamanca is a traditional cook-out where rocks are heated over an open fire, then meat, veg, and local herbs placed on top, before all is buried underground. forty minutes later the whole meal is “dug up” and ready for us to feast.

Distance: 34.6 Km (21.50 Miles)

Elevation Gain: 165 m (541 ft.)

Length: Full Day

Pachamanca Lunch

Night at La Casona Yucay

*Hotel upgrade can be quoted per request

Included:  English-speaking guide, transport, water, lunch, room & breakfast the next day

Biking in the Sacred Valley of the Incas:

Our ride today takes us along the shores of Lake Huaypo (famous for its UFO sightings!) and on a lovely and rarely used trail across the magnificent Anta plains to the small town of Huarocondo.

Huarocondo, built on top of Inca terraces boasts an impressive colonial church and a lovely Plaza de Armas. From Huarocondo, we follow a brand new tarmac road down into the Sacred Valley of the Incas, mirroring the train tracks and ending at Pacchar. We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch en route and for those with the energy, there is a lovely afternoon ride back up the Urubamba River to the town of Urubamba to the hotel for the night.

Distance: 40 Km (24.85 Miles)

Elevation Gain: 187 m (613.5 ft.)

Length: Full Day

Picnic Lunch

Night at La Casona Yucay

*Hotel upgrade can be quoted per request

Included:  English-speaking guide, transport, lunch, water, room & breakfast the next day

Maras Saltpans – Moray Ruins – Pacchar – Ollantaytambo : 

A short drive takes us to the pre-Inca salt pans of Maras. Still mined today and available at almost any local market!

We start today’s bike ride amongst the fields of the Chinchero plateau. Potatoes, beans, corn, kiwicha, and quinoa combine their colours to lend a patchwork effect to this traditional agricultural area. With a constant backdrop of the snow-capped Urubamba range, this is a photographer’s dream.

The ride starts on gentle trails to the concentric, agricultural rings of Moray, a unique Inca ruin. When you finish your tour of the site, lunch will be set up and waiting for you.

After lunch, we take a rarely used dirt road down into the Sacred Valley at Pacchar (where there just happens to be an award-winning Craft brewery!). For those with more energy, we continue along the beautiful Sacred Valley, passing Inca terraces and all the way to our hotel for the night.

Distance: 19.4 Km (12 Miles)

Elevation Gain: 447 m (1,467 ft.)

Length: Full Day

Picnic Lunch

Night at Hotel Pakaritampu (Standard Room)

*Hotel upgrade can be quoted per request

Included:  English-speaking guide, transport, lunch, water, Maras salt-pans entrance fee, room & breakfast next day

Royal Inca Trail (km104) to Machu Picchu 1D :

The day starts early with a transfer to the train station for your journey towards Machu Picchu. At km104 we alight, pass through the control and start our walk past the ruins of Chachabamba. Following the ancient Inca trail, we ascend through the tropical cloud forest and climb high above the roaring Urubamba River. Whilst walking all you need to carry is a daypack.

An initially challenging ascent is replaced by satisfaction as we reach Wiñay Wayna, where we will break for lunch before joining what is generally considered to be the most spectacular part of the Inca Trail. The contour path through the fascinating cloud forest leads to Inti Puncu, ‘the gateway of the Sun’ and our first glimpse of Machu Picchu.

The day finishes with the afternoon bus to Machu Picchu town and transfers to the train station, where you can catch a late train back to Ollantaytambo and onwards to your hotel.

Box Lunch

Night at Hotel Pakaritampu (Standard Room)

*Hotel upgrade can be quoted per request

Included:  trekking porter,  English-speaking guide, Train ticket down, guide’s train ticket down, km104 Inca trail permit, bus ticket, lunch, box lunch, snacks & water, Train ticket return, guide’s train ticket return, room & breakfast next day

Ollantaytambo – Lares Valley-Cusco:

Veering off the touristic route, today we explore the colorful indigenous villages of the Patacancha Valley.

Taking a seldom-used road, we climb by vehicle to 4,000m before setting off on our bikes into the beautiful and remote Lares valley. Passing the village of Huaca Huasi, we descend on a good dirt road to the hot spring town of Lares where we can enjoy a quick dip in the thermal baths before a nice lunch.

Lares is famous for its weaving and local traditions and is also where we work closely with several local communities in a native reforestation project that since 2007 has allowed us to help plant over 800,000 trees.

Another drive brings us to the Lares Pass at 4,461m for a 1,300m vertical descent “downhill of a lifetime” all on a good tarmac road with very little traffic. The day finishes in the main square of the town of Calca, known for its flowers and markets.

Distance: 24 Km (15 Miles)

Elevation Gain: 78 m (256 ft.)

Length: Full Day

Picnic Lunch

Night at Hotel Ananay Quinta San Blas (Deluxe Room)

*Hotel upgrade can be quoted per request

Included:  English-speaking guide, transport, hot-spring entrance fee, lunch, water, room & breakfast the next day

Ollantaytambo to Cusco Airport : 

We transfer you to Cusco airport in time for your onward flight.

Included:  airport transfer, breakfast