PERU
BIKE TOUR
CYCLING LAKE TITICACA TO MACHU PICCHU
& THE NAZCA LINES
May 31 - June 15, 2008
Breathtaking
Views * Spectacular Inca Ruins
Awesome Downhill Cruising * Hot Springs in the Andes
Get ready for
a world class cycling adventure in the Andes Mountains of Peru! Our fabulous
route takes us from Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable
lake in the world, to Machu Picchu, the most famous Inca ruin in South America,
then travels to the mysterious Nazca Lines, and finishes at the Ballestas
Islands, a bird and marine mammal wildlife sanctuary. This is adventure
cycling at its finest, with miles of awesome downhill cruising, charming
hotels and inns, a few nights camping under the stars, a hot springs and
lots of friendly smiles from the local people.
The tour
begins in Cuzco, Peru, the archaeological capital of South America.
After touring the city and visiting Sacsayhuaman, an enormous Inca fortress
shaped like the head of a puma, we depart by bike for a remarkable downhill
cruise to the colorful Sunday market in Pisaq. Next, we fly
south to Lake Titicaca where a boat will take us to the amazing reed
islands of the Uros Indians and then on to Taquile Island for a cozy
night in a wonderful native-owned inn. The panoramic view of the distant
snowcapped peaks across the lake in Bolivia is out of this world.
After returning
to the mainland, we hop on our bikes and pedal the magnificent shoreline
of Lake Titicaca to a camp overlooking the lake. Our next ride is to a
camp at the hot springs near La Raya Pass. The following day is a playful
descent through a magnificent valley surrounded by Inca ruins and snow-capped
peaks to our final camp in the Sacred Valley. (For these three nights
we provide deluxe camping accommodations as we pass through a remote region
where there are no hotels.) The next day's ride to Pisaq includes a guided
tour of the exquisite terraced ruins, and we overnight in a splendid hotel
in Urubamba. The following morning, after visiting the lively market in
Chinchero, we begin a scenic descent back into the Sacred Valley and end
our riding in Ollantaytambo.
Our
attention now shifts to visiting Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the
Incas. A morning train ride brings us to the trailhead where we begin
hiking to the dramatic Winya Wayna ruins and then on to the Sun Gate
where we enter Machu Picchu - what a fantastic view! From this vantage
point, you can see the entire Inca city perched high above the mountains
and dense jungle that hid this site for centuries. Our evening accommodations
are in a comfortable hotel in Aguas Calientes. The following day we
return to Machu Picchu for a comprehensive tour of the ruin and then
take the afternoon train to our overnight lodging in Urubamba. We finish
the journey in the charming city of Cuzco, a perfect ending to this
adventure.
The rides
for the next three days are what we call “rollercoaster riding.”
We will use our support van to shuttle us to the top of the mountain
passes, and gravity will propel us down a number of unforgettable 20-mile
descents into the scenic mountain valleys below. Next, we head for Nazca
and the mysterious Nazca Lines. A flight-seeing tour will give us a
bird’s eye view of gigantic 2000-year-old figures carved into
the desert. The tour finishes with a visit to the Ballestas Islands
that are home to penguins, boobies, sea lions and a wide array of birdlife.
Our Cycling Tour of Peru is filled with breathtaking vistas and heart-warming
memories of an ancient region that has proudly maintained its heritage
and customs.
ITINERARY
PLEASE
NOTE:
This tour is fully-supported and designed to accommodate riders of varying
levels. A support vehicle will accompany the tour for rider assistance,
and daily riding distances can be decreased if you prefer.
Day
1: (Saturday,
May 31, 2008) Meet in Cuzco, Peru, (11,000 ft.) in the early afternoon
in the lobby of our hotel for
a group orientation and city tour of Cuzco. We HIGHLY RECOMMEND arriving
in Cuzco a day or two before your tour to be fully acclimatized before
the tour starts. Hotel in Cuzco. (The day's schedule will be finalized
in a Pre-Tour Letter.)
Day
2: We begin with a morning bike fitting before departing for
a mostly downhill ride to Pisaq (8,700 ft.). After lunch, we will visit
the colorful Sunday market and then transfer by van back to Sacsayhuaman
(11,800 ft.), an enormous Inca fortress, for a guided tour. Ride: 16.5
mi. Hotel in Cuzco.
Day
3: A short flight from Cuzco takes us over the spectacular snow-capped
Andes to Juliaca on the Peruvian Altiplano (12,500 ft.). We will travel
by van to our hotel in Puno (12,000 ft.) on the shore of Lake Titicaca.
Hotel in Puno.
Day
4: We leave the mainland and take a chartered motor launch on
Lake Titicaca to the fascinating floating reed island community of the
Uros Indians. We will continue our boat trip to Taquile Island where we'll
spend the night (12,000 ft.). It is peaceful there and walking is the
only method of transportation - there are no roads or motor vehicles on
the island. Tonight's lodging is a rustic inn overlooking Lake Titicaca
that is run by a hospitable native family. Rustic inn on Taquile Island.
Day
5: After breakfast, we reboard our motor launch and head back
to
the mainland, reunite with our bikes and start riding a scenic route along
Lake Titicaca's shore that few tourists have ever seen. That evening we
will be greeted at our first camp (12,000 ft.) with a wonderful meal and
a fantastic starry canopy overhead. Ride: 21 mi. Camping
Day
6: After a morning van transfer, we start our ride to 14,300
ft. La Raya Pass (14,300 ft.). It is a gentle but steady climb, and llamas
and alpacas can be seen in the alpine meadows beside the road. The support
van will be following close behind for assistance. After a photo stop
at the top of the pass, we will enjoy a sweeping descent to our second
camp - one of the world's highest hot springs at 13,000 ft. - anyone ready
for a soak? Ride: 23 mi. Camping
Day
7: From the hot springs camp, we begin a long downhill cruise
that follows the spectacular Vilcanota River. During the descent, the
high alpine pastures give way to small farms with colorful crops growing
in harmonious patterns on the hillsides. We will stop for lunch and a
tour of Viracocha's Temple, an impressive Inca ruin in the village of
Raqchi. We continue riding until mid afternoon and then transfer by van
to our last camp in the Sacred Valley (10,000 ft.). Ride: 35 - 50 mi.
Camping
D ay
8: We cycle the winding Vilcanota River canyon as it passes through
a delightful countryside of small farms, cactus gardens and eucalyptus
groves en route to Pisaq. Birds are abundant, and the Andean hummingbirds
(some the size of robins) are fascinating to watch as they flit above
the cactus flowers. We will explore the magnificently terraced Pisaq ruins
that tower high above the valley before we continue riding to our charming
hotel in Urubamba (8,500 ft.). Ride: 48 mi. Hotel in Urubamba
Day
9: In the morning, we transfer by van up to Chinchero to visit
the colorful market and the weaver's co-op. Following a picnic lunch,
we ride a grand rolling 2,000 foot decent back into the Sacred Valley
and continue riding to Ollantaytambo. We'll tour this massive Inca fortress
where the Incas turned the Spaniards back. Our lodging tonight is in a
gorgeous hotel in Ollantaytambo (8,000 ft.). Ride: 29 mi. Hotel in Ollantaytambo.
Day
10: We board the train early for a dramatic 90-minute ride down
the rugged Urubamba River gorge toward Machu Picchu. Near Chachapampa,
we leave the train and begin our hike to Machu Picchu. After crossing
the river on a footbridge, we begin a moderately difficult trail that
climbs upward past a refreshing waterfall to Winya Wayna, a dramatic Inca
site overlooking the river. Winya Wayna is an exquisite terraced semi-circular
ruin with cascading ceremonial baths in the center of the site. After
a picnic lunch, we traverse through the cloud forest and emerge at the
Sun Gate for our first view of Machu Picchu (7,970 ft.) from high above
the city. We will then stroll down the Royal Inca Road for a suitably
regal entrance to the Lost City of the Incas. Overnight lodging is in
a comfortable hotel in nearby Aguas Calientes (6,500 ft.). Hike: 10 mi.
& 2,500 ft. ascent. Hotel in Aguas Calientes.
Day
11: In the morning, we return to Machu Picchu for sunrise (if
you wish) and a comprehensive tour of this remarkable archeological treasure
with our guide. Later, you might choose to explore some of the nearby
trails or simply wander back through Machu Picchu to sketch or photograph
this extraordinary site. Later in the afternoon, we will return to Ollantaytambo
by train and transfer to Urubamba for the evening. Hotel in Urubamba.
Day
12: This is the beginning of three days of “rollercoaster
biking,” where our riding will be interspersed
with van transfers so we can choose the most scenic stretches and best
downhills for cycling. Our first downhill begins near Vilcaconga Pass
with a grand descent into the dramatic gorge of the Apurimac River. On
route, we pass the Inca suspension bridge that inspired Thornton Wilder
to write “The Bridge of San Luis Rey.” Another thrilling downhill
leads us to our overnight lodging in the town of Abancay. Hotel in Abancay.
Day
13: We follow a winding road through a traditional Peruvian highland
landscape of small farms, isolated herders and the occasional village.
The highest elevation is Huashuaccasa Pass at 14,000 ft., and the surroundings
are dotted with small lakes. Our final descent of the day is into the
town of Puquio. Rustic inn lodging in Puqio.
Day
14: From Puquio, the route climbs through dramatic, boulder-strewn
moorland to the 14,400 ft. Condorkenqa Pass. We pass through the Pampa
Galeras Vicuna Reserve, where flocks of this small, undomesticated relative
of the llama may be viewed from the route. On the grand descent from the
pass to Nazca, we leave the green of the highlands behind and enter the
arid western slope of the Andes. This is our final day of riding on the
tour! Hotel in Nazca.
Day
15: In the morning, we board our flight-seeing planes for a scenic
flight over the Pampa de Nazca. From the air, we get the best view of
the astonishing array of lines incised in the desert floor. The highlights
of our flight are the zoomorphic figurines - condors, hummingbirds, a
whale, spider and many more. While archeologists remained divided, a leading
theory links them to worship of the Apus, powerful spirits residing in
the Andean peaks. In the afternoon, we drive to the Pacific coast and
explore the hypnotically beautiful Paracas Peninsula. This mass of rock
juts out into the Pacific Ocean and disturbs the northward
flow of the cold Humboldt Current. This action stirs up the water and
produces a particularly rich fishing area. The ancient Paracas culture
that once occupied this region left behind some of the world's finest
textiles. We spend the night at a seaside hotel. Hotel
Day
16: We travel in small boats out to the Ballestas Islands, small
volcanic outcroppings an hour offshore. These spectacular islands, eroded
into many caves and arches, provide shelter for over 150 species of marine
birds including the Humboldt penguin, cormorants, boobies and pelicans.
Even condors have been known to visit the islands. There is a large sea
lion colony, and it is possible to encounter dolphins and even whales
in the surrounding waters. In the afternoon, we return to Lima and proceed
to the airport to check in for our international flight home.
NOTE: NO HOTEL IS PROVIDED FOR THIS FINAL NIGHT AS MOST FOLKS CHOOSE TO
TAKE LATE FLIGHTS BACK TO THE US. Please let us know if you would like
hotel reservations in Lima, as reservations need to be made well in advance.
All
the services described above are arranged weeks or months in advance of
your trip. If airline schedule changes, unusual weather conditions or
other circumstances beyond our control prevent us from operating the services
according to the schedule described above, we will attempt to substitute
services of equivalent value. If we are unable to do so, passengers may
be responsible for additional costs due to circumstances beyond our control.
| DATES
& PRICES: BIKING LAKE TITICACA TO MACHU PICCHU |
TOUR
DATES: 16 days, May 31 - June 15, 2008
Can be combined with our Galapagos
Wildlife Tour.
TOUR
COST: $2,700 (double occupancy), requested single supplement
$500. Single tent only fee of $50. If you are traveling alone and willing
to share accommodations, you will not be charged the single supplement
if we can't provide a roommate.
TOUR
COST INCLUDES: Flight from Cuzco to Juliaca, 12 nights hotel
and rustic inn lodging (double occupancy), 3 nights camping, tent and
sleeping pad, meals where indicated on itinerary, guides, city and historical
site tours, park visitation fees, support van, bus and train to Machu
Picchu, Nazco Lines flight-seeing flight, boat ride to the Ballestas Islands.
All meals except for 2 dinners and one lunch in Cuzco.
TOUR
COST DOES NOT INCLUDE:
International round-trip flights to Peru, domestic flight from Lima to
Cuzco, airport taxes, tipping of local guides and drivers ($175/pp), beverages,
bicycle rentals ($220), sleeping bag rental ($30), 2 dinners and 1 lunch
in Cuzco.
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PERU TOURS:
Empire of the Incas Tour: 15 day hiking tour includes
5 day trek (with camping) on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Lake
Titicaca and Cuzco
Andes & Amazon Explorer: 15 day hiking tour (no
camping) includes Lake Titicaca,
Machu Picchu, Cuzco and the Amazon
Machu Picchu & Amazon Adventure: 10 day hiking tour (no
camping) includes Machu Picchu,
Cuzco and the Amazon
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