Leaving home, your overnight flight will arrive into Peru bright and early the following morning.

On arrival in Juliaca airport you will be met by your tour guide and transferred to you first hotel in Puno on the shores of Lago Titicaca (journey time approx. 1hr 30 mins). As you are flying into an altitude of 3,800m you will need to spend the day relaxing and acclimatising.

In the afternoon you will be able to take a walk around Puno and your first opportunity to shop for alpaca goods and souvenirs.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Today we will take a shared motor boat cruise on Lago Titicaca to visit the floating reed islands of Uros. An expert guide will explain the local history, traditions and agricultural methods of the area. It is a unique opportunity to understand the lives of the Uros people and experience how they live.

We then journey to Llachon where we stay for the night in a traditional homestay. In the afternoon you will have the time to build bikes or if time allows go for a hike to a spectacular viewpoint overlooking Lake Titicaca for sunset.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Ascent: 52 Metres Approx.

Our first morning on the bikes is a gentle warm up on a good road from the lake shore to the lively city of Juliaca. This will be the last civilisation for a while, as we head into the countryside, largely on tarmac roads towards the town of Lampa. The riding today is fairly flat but at an altitude of approximately 3,800m.

Tonight is the first amazing experience of camping under the brilliant stars of the Milky Way which are seen in full glory through the rarified air of the altiplano.

Min Altitude 3820 Metres / Max Altitude 3872 Metres.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Ascent: 78 Metres Approx.

After a short few kilometres of tarmac we arrive into the Plaza de Armas of Lampa, a beautiful authentic colonial town. Lampa has an abandoned feel as most traffic was drawn away when the railway was built. We have the opportunity to explore the catacombs of the vast church, an eerie yet fascinating experience.

Leaving Lampa we head out on rarely used dirt roads across the altiplano. A gentle climb leads us towards Trapiche de Palca, a small Andean community with an interesting ruined mill that we can visit if time allows. Today’s ride ascends to around 3,950m. We’ll be camping outside the pueblo tonight.

Min Altitude 3,872m / Max Altitude 3,950m

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Ascent: 550 Metres Approx.

Our first 20km today undulates along remote dirt roads before passing the lake of Vila Vila. This signals the start of the first significant climb of the trip, but by now we will be well acclimatised. Over 12km we will climb to a bleak pass at 4,500m, the highest point on the tour. Our reward for the effort is a 10km descent to the Cañón de Tinajani! We’ll pass through the largest remaining forest of the Puya Raimondii, an amazing Cactus that grows up to 13m high and flowers just once every 100 years or so. We’ll have time to explore and photograph these amazing plants.

The Cañón de Tinajani is home to some of the most spectacular rock formations in Peru with towers of weathered stone creating a Grand Canyon like atmosphere. We will be camping nearby at around 4,050m and can spend the evening strolling around the canyon.

Min Altitude 3,950m / Max Altitude 4,500m / Camp 4,050m

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Ascent: 50 Metres Approx.

Continuing across the altiplano passing the villages of Humachiri and Llalli today’s ride is fairly flat, but stunningly remote riding.

We are making our way towards the Alpaca breeding and experimental station at Pacomarca. Here we’ll be staying at a small hacienda on the station and will spend the afternoon learning about Alpaca farming with plenty of opportunities to get up close and personal to these strange creatures.

Max Altitude 4,050m / Min Altitude 4,036m

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Ascent: 950 Metres Approx.

Today is an epic day of Andean riding, our first big challenge of the tour. Departing the Alpaca farm towards Llalli we take the side road heading for Macari. While there are no major changes in altitude there are many short steep climbs throughout the day totalling around 1000m of ascent. There are some interesting shortcuts that we can take and the rough roads surfaces make for a reasonably tough day in the saddle.

At around 55km we stop for lunch beside a mountain stream in the valley of Callarani. The afternoon starts with a long but gentle 20km climb to the pass of Layo at 4,500m. The climb is incredibly scenic with more rock formations on route. As always the pass signals the start of a great descent, this time bringing us to Lago Langui, one of Peru’s major inland lakes. Tonight we make camp at a local school at 3,980m.

Min Altitude 3,980m Max Altitude 4,500m / Camp Altitude 3,980m

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Ascent: 320 Metres Approx.

Another challenging day today. We start off along the photogenic shores of Lago Langui, an undulating ride of around 35km, before starting the steeper climb of 10km or so to the turnoff to San Pedro.

The climb is worth the effort as we have a 20km dirt road descent to our lunch spot just before arriving in the Urubamba valley. Our goal for the day is to make camp near the town of Raqchi. Here there is an impressive Inca ruin which is worth a visit if time allows.

Min Altitude 3,480m / Max Altitude 4,100m

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 100 Metres Approx.

Today is a long day, but with a significant amount of tarmac roads which allow faster travel. We’ll begin following the Rio Urubamba which leads all the way to Machu Picchu. At Urcos we head up a valley towards Lake Huarcarpay and lunch beside an Inca gate. Leaving the main road to Cusco we take another rarely used road that will lead us into the Sacred Valley of the Inca and our destination for today, the beautiful village of Pisac.

We’ll be staying at a hotel in town, allowing us to explore the thriving local market and practice our bargaining skills. The Pisac market is famous for ceramics and textiles and a great place to pick up a few souvenirs.

Min Altitude 2,985m / Max Altitude 3,480m

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

Our last day on our bikes takes us through the centre of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. While this region is busier than the last few days, our route takes us along quiet dirt roads and trails, passing by the villages of Calca, Huaran and Yucay before a short tarmac section into the larger town of Urubamba.

After lunch is an optional last blast to Ollantaytambo, before catching an afternoon train to Machu Picchu. We’ll be staying in a hotel in Machu Picchu Pueblo tonight and taking our evening meal at one of the many local restaurants.

Min Altitude 2,807m / Max Altitude 2,985m

• Meals: Breakfast

Today will be the highlight of the tour for many guests. We’ll be visiting the most famous Inca site, the mountain top city of Machu Picchu.

After years lost in the jungle, Machu Picchu was re-discovered in 1911 is now both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. It is a site that will exceed even your highest expectations.

The impressive location would once have required a strenuous climb by foot to reach, however we have the luxury of a short 20 minute bus ride to the site. Your fully guided tour of the residential, religious and agricultural sectors will take around two hours.

Returning to Machu Picchu Pueblo we’ll catch our return train along the scenic Urubamaba River, a chance to reflect on the last two weeks of adventure. We’ll be staying in a hotel in the thriving city of Cusco. The hustle and bustle will be a shock after our time in the wilderness; however the superb restaurants and vibrant nightlife offer an opportunity to celebrate the end of a fantastic journey.

• Meals: Breakfast

Sadly it is time to say goodbye to Peru. We’ll transfer you to Cusco airport to begin your journey home (transfer time to airport approx.30 mins). Alternatively you might choose to extend your time in Peru.