Peru Mountain Biking

The biker

7 Days
Cusco, Peru

$2,095

From

USD

The Ultimate Mountain Biking

Experience some of the best gravity-fed mountain biking in the world, swooping down foot trails hundreds of years old; ride singletrack in and around numerous Inca sites; mingle with the locals and children in high Andean villages; finish each day with locally sourced organic dinners, and of course a visit to one of the 7 Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu.

*intermediate-advanced skill required

7 days, 6 nights of pure stoke

Basing ourselves in the oldest continually inhabited town in all of the Americas, Ollantaytambo, we will spend the week doing mostly shuttled riding. Meaning we drive to the top, and then ride down the trail. There are some climbing opportunities for those who prefer, but the mountains here are incredibly steep and climbing them often takes all day. Small groups in our van and local Peruvian mountain bike guides bring the highest level of authenticity and connection to this fascinating culture.

Reach Out to Us

Is Airfare Included? What is the best way to get to the trip start location?

No, airfare is not included. This trip begins and ends at the Cusco, Peru airport (CUZ). You should aim to arrive between 8AM to 10AM on Day 1 (Sunday), and depart between 3PM - 5PM on Day 7 (Saturday). Our team will pick you up at the airport in Cusco and drop you off there at the end of the trip. Upon booking, we will send you a complete packet that goes into this and other aspects of your trip in great detail.

Do I need to be in good shape?

A common concern for people doing a group mountain bike trip is whether they will be able to “keep up”. We want to stress that will not be an issue. First of all, the vast majority of the riding is, well, going downhill. Gravity fed so to speak by our shuttles. That is because the mountains are so big it would take all day to climb up them, so we don’t. This also means the group stays together much easier. No one is in a hurry and the scenery and culture tends to shock even the most jaded of travelers, meaning that frequent stops for photos, talk to a local farmer, etc are common and enable us to move around each day without any stress.

How difficult is the mountain biking?

This trip is rated intermediate skill level and above. That means a solid comfort level while riding a mountain bike off road on singletrack, and a fair amount of experience doing so. It is not an expert rated trip. There are no mandatory jumps or drops, or extreme steeps. There are, however, a lot of rocks in the trails, and exposure (riding near the edge of a long fall or dropoff) is definitely part of the trip. Our guides are experts and trained to warn of these ahead of time, prepare, etc. Walking around obstacles is totally okay too, so someone with the right attitude of patience and common sense can overcome skill level to a certain extent. If you have any further questions about if your skill level is appropriate, just let us know.

What are the accommodations like?

All rooms are double or triple rooms, all of them with private in-room bathrooms and hot water 24/7. Your hotel in Ollantaytambo is very nice - bright, sunny, outdoor gardens and lots of space. Spend one night in a jungle ecolodge that everyone loves. And one night in Aguas Calientes, where the hotels are a bit more basic due to no road going to the town, but still nice, clean modern and private baths.

Do I need travel insurance?

While it is not required, we always recommend purchasing travel insurance for all trips. Travel insurance allows you to seek reimbursement if you are forced to cancel your trip for unforeseeable reasons, or if you need to cover medical help, emergency transport, and/or theft or accidental damage while traveling. We recommend World Nomads.

How much extra money should I budget?
Figure on $25 a day to eat lunch and dinner at the local restaurants, not including alcoholic beverages, which tend to greatly increase costs so factor that into your budget based on your preferences. Most people like to spend $50-100 on gifts for friends and family - textiles, ceramics, paintings, etc. And maybe a few hundred dollars for discretionary / emergency spending.

Trip Package Includes

Airport transfers
Private transportation throughout the week
English speaking guide all week, door to door
6 nights of hotels (double occupancy)
All bike shuttles
All bike guiding
Breakfast on days 2 through 7
Machu Picchu basic entrance ticket
Roundtrip train ticket to Aguas Calientes
Roundtrip bus ticket to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes
Entry to every Inca site visited during the trip
Box lunch to take to Machu Picchu Day 5

Not Included

Round trip air to/from Cusco
Travel insurance (we recommend World Nomads)
Mountain bike
Lunches (except day 5) or dinners
Optional, $20 add-on ticket to climb Huayna Picchu (pending availability)
Guide and driver gratuities

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Your Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive to Cusco airport, where our private vehicle, driver, and English speaking guide will all be waiting for you! Beautiful, two hour drive transfer to your hotel in Ollantaytambo with a few photo stops along the scenic drive. Check into your hotel, relax, and get your bike set up. We’ll go for a sweet ride in the afternoon, right from our hotel up into the surrounding hills and then blast back down into town.

Day 2

After breakfast of local fresh fruit, coffee, breads and eggs, let the riding begin! We’ll begin this morning continuing our progression by riding the trails in the Urubamba and Salt Mines of Maras region. We will have time for 2 or even 3 different full shuttled rides today, and one of them has some pedaling involved so you won’t feel too guilty haha. We’ll ride some trails exclusive to the KB Tambo team, and overall this zone is dry and fast and makes for a really great day of riding.

Day 3

More of the best of mountain biking Peru has to offer. We pioneered and/or built many of the trails around Ollantaytambo and the Sacred Valley, and we know all of them like the back of our hand. We will be able to assess your riding skills (and preferences!) the previous days and based on that evaluation and with your assistance, come up with a custom plan today that best suits your individual needs.

Day 4

More biking! Your guide will give you all the details of where we are going but we know all the Peru bike companies check our page to see what we are up to, so we don’t publish our actual itinerary. Less crowds on the trail is better for you!

Day 5

Today there is a full day of scheduled down hilling scheduled, and opportunity to visit Machu Picchu, one of the 7 Wonders of the World! By now you will be fully acclimated, and settled in to the rhythm of Peru culture, familiar with Inca stonework, and ready to fully appreciate its splendor. Make no mistake, no matter how many pictures you have seen or how crowded you might worry that it is, a visit to Machu Picchu remains one of the most spectacular days one can spend anywhere. We never get tired of it, its amazing! Take the train through the jungle to Aguas Calientes, and the bus up to the site itself, visit as long as you want, then back down and train back to Ollantaytambo. The tickets and transport for this visit are not included with the package, but we are happy to help you arranging all the (somewhat complicated!) logistics. Or, for those who may have already visited Machu Picchu, there is the regular day of riding scheduled. Same hotel and lunch for whichever option you choose, is also included.

Day 6

We have one last day to explore the beautiful mountains and culture of the Sacred Valley of Peru. Most folks are pretty tired by now – over a week of traveling and biking and hiking at altitude with not as much sleep as would be ideal! So today we have a slower start if you want, and many options depending on how your group feels. We can certainly continue the biking, we have many trails and by now you will know what you like, and what you don’t.

Sometimes clients opt to repeat one of their favorite trails from the week; other times they prefer to ride something new, and sometimes they are ready to get out and hike for a change or even an optional horseback ride! Whatever you want to do, we will go over with your group your personal preferences and let you decide!

Day 7

After breakfast, depending on the time of your departing flight we will have time for a final walk around Cusco to do some more people-watching, take photos in the impressive early morning light, or pick up some last minute souvenirs. Transfer to the airport with your guide in private transportation for your flight back to Lima.