Leaving from home, your overnight flight will arrive into Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM) situated in Lima (the capital of Peru) or Cusco, bright and early the following morning.

If flying via Lima you’ll have time for a coffee and snack at the airport, before taking a spectacular early morning flight over the Andes to Cusco Airport (CUZ). Alternatively you may fly direct to Cusco today. On arrival we take a short transfer (30 minutes approx.) to our hotel in Cusco (3 star) and start acclimatising to the rarefied air of this beautiful city (3326m).

Mid-afternoon, we’ll take a short walking tour of the city to get our bearings and also help us get used to the altitude. The beautiful historic centre was declared a World Heritage Site in 1983 with Inca and colonial architecture evident all around.

In the evening we’ll head out to the centre of Cusco, where we’ll take our evening meal at one of the many superb restaurants, and your guide will give a full briefing for the adventure ahead.

Overnight altitude: 3,400m Approx

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 34 Metres Approx.

A day of sightseeing and cycling that showcases the rich Inca heritage of Peru combined with a great acclimatisation ride.

Leaving Cusco we’ll transfer to its most stunning ruin – Sacsayhuaman. Although the smaller stones here were used to build modern day Cusco, the remaining ones are up to 8.5m high and weigh over 360 tons. This major centre obviously had many functions with storehouses, administration buildings, a reservoir and a play area. It was also site of a crucial battle between the Incas and the Spanish.

Next is Kenko, a huge rock outcrop with interesting zig zag channels carved into it. We’ll also spend time at Puca Pucara, a delightful ruin that is believed to be a ‘tambo’, a rest house for travelling animals, goods and travellers.

Finally we’ll visit Tambomachay, this is popularly called the Inca’s Bath due to its finely preserved waterfalls, carefully diverted through fine stone channels. The Incas acknowledged water as one of the principal elements of life and revered it accordingly.

Tambomachay is also where we’ll start our biking part of the day. In order to get used to the altitude (we’ll be at between 3,250–3,650m today) its a mainly downhill affair as we wind our way back to Cusco and enjoy spectacular views of the valley and city itself along the way. (If you enjoyed the descent, you can always go back up and do it again!)

Our evening meal will once again be taken at one of the excellent restaurants close to the Plaza de Armas (Main Square) of central Cusco.

Altitude Gain 34m / Altitude Loss 494m

Max Altitude 3780m / Min Altitude 3320m

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 122 Metres Approx.

Following a short bus ride so as to avoid a busy traffic section in Cusco we are soon on our bikes and heading to Huambutio on a decent tarmac road. Once here we’ll turn off the main road and take a beautiful and rarely used smaller road beside the Rio Urubamba.

From here on in we can choose to stick on the tarmac or explore the dirt trails of this mainly flat and gently undulating ride. Following a picnic lunch we’ll continue on to today’s goal, the town of Pisac, situated on the Vilcanota River

We plan to arrive in time to explore its artisan market, perfect for picking up souvenirs or photographing a typical Andean market before continuing on to our nearby hotel.

Altitude Gain 122m / Altitude Loss 349m

Max Altitude 3212m / Min Altitude 2985m

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 80 Metres Approx.

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

We’ll begin with a short drive above Pisac where we’ll visit its amazing ruins, perched high above the town on a spectacular promontory.

From here we’ll transfer to, and start riding today at the small village of Tarayand on a lovely dirt track that undulates between small villages and haciendas, where we can witness traditional farming methods against the beautiful backdrop of glaciated mountains and Inca ruins.

Following our picnic lunch the afternoon ride will take us through the villages of Qoya, Lamay and Calca. If we’ve a few miles left in our legs we can continue to Urubamba or head to our hotel here via the support vehicle. Set in tranquil grounds it’s a great place to base ourselves for the next few days.

Altitude Gain 80m / Altitude Loss 205m

Max Altitude 2985m / Min Altitude 2860m

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 149 Metres Approx.

Today we’ll start with a transfer from Urubamba to the far side of Lake Piuray, where we’ll set-off on a gently undulating and rarely used dirt road that borders this emerald green lake which serves as the main water supply for Cusco city.

We’ll join a tarmac road briefly into the Inca town of Chinchero, which boasts a colourful Sunday market and is famous for its traditional weavings. If time permits, we can visit one of the weaving cooperatives and an interesting colonial church. Hopping back on our bikes, we’ll follow a good undulating dirt road across the plains before a gentle downhill to our lunch spot on the shores of the beautiful Lake Huaypo.

Time to enjoy a Pachmanca, a traditional way of preparing food in the Andes. In the absence of a stove an oven is built out of stones, which are then heated with a wood fire and brought to a very high temperature. The meat and vegetables are then carefully covered with the rocks. Herbs are added next before the whole mound is covered by wet sheets and finally earth. After around thirty minutes the Pachmanca is ready and we’ve the pleasure of digging up our delicious potatoes, yams, corn, fava beans and meat. For those interested we can enjoy some or all of the mainly downhill road to our hotel in Urubamba.

Altitude Gain 149m / Altitude Loss 374m

Max Altitude 3743m / Min Altitude 3518m

(If riding the additional 19 Kms back to Urubamba)

Altitude Gain 118m / Altitude Loss 843m

Max Altitude 3585m / Min Altitude 2860m

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 388 Metres Approx.

Following a brief transfer, our ride today will take us along the shores of Lake Huaypo (famous for its UFO sightings!) on a lovely and rarely used trail across the awesome Anta Plains to the town of Huarocondo.

Built on top of Inca terraces it boasts an impressive colonial church (built from stolen Inca carved rocks) and a lovely Plaza de Armas where we’ll be able to sample the local delicacy Chicharonnes de Chancho (deep fried pork).

From Huarocondo, we’ll follow a freshly surfaced tarmac road down into the Sacred Valley of the Incas, mirroring the train tracks and ending at Pacchar. For those with the energy, there’s a lovely afternoon ride back up the Urubamba.

Altitude Gain 388m / Altitude Loss 1095m

Max Altitude 3534m / Min Altitude 2827m

(If riding the additional 13 Kms back to Urubamba)

Altitude Gain 180m / Altitude Loss 147m

Max Altitude 2860m / Min Altitude 2827m

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 218 Metres Approx.

A short drive will take us to Maras and the impressive salt pans. Still mined by hand it’s an interesting place to spend some time and check out this ancient process.

We’ll 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 very traditional agricultural area. With a constant backdrop of the snow-capped Urubamba range it makes for a photographer’s dream.

The riding starts gently on mainly flat trails with a few small uphills punctuating the route to Moray. Here we’ll jump off the bikes and visit these unique Inca ruins. Very different to anything else you will see, the concentric circle terracing is thought to have been used as an early agricultural laboratory. The different depths and aspects allowed by the circular terracing helped the Incas predict what crops might grow where.

After lunch here, we’ll take a quiet dirt road down into the Sacred Valley at Pacchar – where there just happens to be an award winning craft brewery… Cheeky half anyone?? Suitably refreshed we continue along the beautiful Sacred Valley, passing Inca terraces and all the way to our hotel in Ollantaytambo where we’ll stay for the next two nights.

Altitude Gain 218m / Altitude Loss 802m

Max Altitude 3394m / Min Altitude 2810m

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 500 Metres Approx.

No cycling today, so time to grab your daypack and walking footwear. Starting early in the morning we’ll take a short walk to the train station in Ollantaytambo for the beautiful journey towards Machu Picchu.

At km104 we’ll alight, pass through the control and start our walk past the interesting ruins at Chachabamba. Following the ancient Inca trail, we’ll then ascend through tropical cloud forest and climb high above the roaring Urubamba River.

An initially challenging ascent is rewarded by satisfaction as we reach Wiñay Wayna, a lovely Inca ruin bursting with swallows and orchids. Here we’ll enjoy a picnic lunch and, time-permitting, visit these impressive ruins before joining what is generally considered to be the most spectacular part of the Inca Trail. Our contouring path leads through the fascinating cloud forest to Inti Puncu, ‘the Gateway of the Sun’ and our first glimpse of Machu Picchu.

We savour the moment, take photos and then once in the ruins themselves, your guide will give you an extensive walking tour of Machu Picchu and explain the fascinating history of the Incas.

In the afternoon we take the bus down to Machu Picchu Town and then transfer to the train station, from where we’ll catch a late train back to Ollantaytambo.

Today’s walking distance is 11 Km / 7 Miles and takes between 4 to 6 hours. We will then spend around 1.5 Hours at the main site of Machu Picchu.

Ascent 500m / Descent 300m

Altitude 2200m – 2700m – 2400m

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch

We end our riding in Peru with an absolutely spellbinding day on the bike. A real adventure well off the beaten track!

Today’s route will take us from Ollantaytambo up into the valley of Huilloc and Patacancha, (where many of the colorfully dressed porters come from). Using a brand new road (that gets virtually no traffic), we climb by vehicle to a height of around 4000 metres before setting off on our bikes into the beautiful and remote Lares Valley.

Passing the village of Huaca Huasi, we’ll descend on a good dirt road to the hot spring town of Lares, where at lunchtime we can enjoy a quick dip in these medicinal waters. Lares is famous for its weaving and local traditions and it’s also here that our local operator works closely with several local communities in a native reforestation project. Since 2007 this has resulted in the planting of over 800,000 trees.

Another short transfer from Lares brings us to Abra Lares at 4100m for a 1300 metre vertical descent “downhill of a lifetime” on a well-surfaced tarmac road that sees very little traffic.

On reaching the central plaza in Calca, we will have completed an epic day of adventure cycling through stunning scenery and beautiful villages and all untouched by mass tourism. We then head to our Cusco hotel for a well-earned rest.

Morning Distance 15km

Altitude Gain 30m / Altitude Loss 1237m

Max Altitude 4583m / Min Altitude 3376m

Afternoon Distance 32km

Altitude Gain 80m / Altitude Loss 1509m

Max Altitude 4360m / Min Altitude 2931m

• Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy a free day in Cusco for some rest and recuperation.

Whether your interest is exploring Inca ruins, visiting colonial churches, bargain hunting for souvenirs in artisan markets, museums or just relaxing over a coffee whilst overlooking the Plaza de Armas and taking it all in, Cusco has lots of options.

Overnight altitude: 3,400m Approx.

• Meals: Breakfast

Today we’ll take you back to Cusco airport (transfer time 30 mins approx.) for the one hour flight back to Lima.

If there’s time you can store your baggage and head downtown for some of the best seafood in the world, a bit of culture and maybe a bit of shopping too – check-in to international is 3 hours before so do make sure you‘re back in time!

Next day arrival back to the UK / Europe.

This itinerary is a guide to our Sacred Valley of the Incas tour, with the actual events of each day varying depending on progress of the group. It is important to note that it may be subject to change in relation to trail, road and weather conditions.

We always do our best to stick to this itinerary as closely as possible but please be aware that we can’t guarantee to follow this schedule exactly.

Very occasionally events that are out of our control mean we have to make some changes. Needless to say we’ll ensure you still have an amazing time in this incredible country!

Altitude: 3,400m Approx.