Inca Adventure Freeride

April-June, Sep.-Oct.

10 Days

Skill

Fitness

Ride Highlights

CAD

$2595

More than 50,000 total feet of downhill
The Olleros ride - 11,000 vertical feet of awesome
Downhilling on 1,000-year-old Inca trails
Riding with local guides, including the former national DH champion
Opportunities to experience vibrant Inca culture firsthand
The sacred Stone Forest at Marcahuasi
World-renowned Machu Picchu, one of the 7 Wonders of the World (not included in price)

Big. As in super-humongous-holy-cow-that's-big.

That's the riding on our Inca Adventure trip - big, massive, epic downhills and lots of them. There are few words that can match the grand scale of the mountain biking in the Andes. From the world's-longest-downhill dropping 11,000 feet to the Pacific Ocean, to the Lares trail starting at 14,500 feet, Peru mountain biking dwarfs anything else on the planet. Get ready to wipe some serious drool off your full-face helmet.

Stand on top of a massive downhill like the Olleros trail and you'll feel pretty big too, with every worry you've ever had in life drifting away into the clouds, replaced by that in-the-moment feeling of pure bliss as the mountains play host to your wildest mountain bike fantasies. Ever experienced a 3-hour downhill? The feeling will stay with you forever.

In addition to the spectacular geography, Peru has an incredible cultural heritage centred around the ancient Inca culture. On this trip you'll ride through remote villages where Quechua is still the main language spoken, visit spectacular Inca sites and discover the way they lived hundreds of years ago.

More than just a mountain bike trip, this is a life-changing experience.

Come get big in the Andes...

Is This Ride For You?

You love freeriding and downhill and have at least a 6" travel full-suspension bike. You can handle technical terrain, with rocky sections, steeps, and terrain features such as old stone steps. You're not afraid to get out of your cultural comfort zone and experience something different, like a meal of roasted guinea pig or meeting the elders at a remote village. You like to give back to local communities when you go travelling

"This trip was an amazing adventure! We were immersed in the real culture of Peru and got to see parts of the country most tourists would never get to see including some amazing Inca historical sites! The traditional Peruvian food was excellent and our guides were truly outstanding!"

Ken Willoughby, CAN
"...one of the longest, most balls-out-fun downhill trails I have ever had the privilege of riding."

Dan Barham, Bike Magazine
"The Peru trip was incredible! Was well worth it on every level and Wayo is an amazing guide and cool person all around. Not only did we experience some of the best trails I'd every biked.. but we got to see parts of Peru that practically no one gets a chance to see. Definitely eye opening."

David Lesso

Day 1. Arrive in Lima

A shuttle from Lima airport will take you to your hotel in Miraflores. If you have time, feel free to explore Lima's beaches and history.

Day 2. Pachacamac

We will build our bikes in the morning and after a light lunch we will be transferred to Pachacamac. This little town is located 40Km. South of Lima and it's famous for its food, Inca sites and their awesome downhill trails for mountain biking. This is the place where ALL the mountain bikers from Lima go to find some cool singletracks! We will ride The Prado, Amancaes and Chirimoyo trails, all full of jumps and fun sections. At the end of the day we will return to our hotel in Lima.

Day 3. Olleros Epic DH

Santo Domingo de los Olleros, or simply 'Olleros' is located 150 Km. east of Lima on the Lurin Valley at an altitude of 3,150 masl (10,356 ft.). The start of this trail is located at an altitude of 3,450 masl (11,319 ft.) and 4 hours away from Lima. The trail is 54 Km. long and is Peru's most famous mountain bike trail. From the start of the trail, on a good clear day, it's possible to see the Pacific Ocean, where we will end our ride! It's 3,500 meters of epic vertical descent that will take us directly to the Pacific Ocean. We'll end near San Bartolo beach, enjoying a relaxing view of the Pacific Ocean. We plan to return to Lima approximately at 7:00 pm.

Day 4. Marcahuasi Stone Forest

Marcahuasi is a mountain top plateau located on the Santa Eulalia Valley at an altitude of 4,000 masl (13,123 ft.) and 150 Km. east of Lima. It takes approximately 3 1/2 hours to reach the town of San Pedro de Casta (3,150 masl / 10,355 ft.), the entrance of Marcahuasi. This place is special for many reasons: On top of the mountain is an incredible 'stone forest' with lots of zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figures carved in the rocks; the place is considered a point where you can make contact with other worlds and it is a place where the Shamans and 'curanderos' make their rituals.

We will pick you up from your hotel at 6:00 am to start our tour to one of the best downhills in the world. Our first stop is the town of San Pedro de Casta, where we will start with a one-hour horse back ride to the Marcahuasi plateau. We will visit the pre-Inca graves, the fortress, the lake and all the rock formations at the top of the mountain and are going to take a snack before we start with the downhill trail. After our visit at Marcahuasi, we'll start a demanding downhill ride that will take us down to the town of Huinco at the Santa Eulalia Valley. This trail has a vertical descent of almost 3,000 meters (9,842 ft.) and will take us three hours to complete. We plan to return to Lima approximately at 6:00 pm.

Day 5. Transfer to Cusco & Saphi Downhill.

Early in the morning we will fly to Cusco, the center of the Inca Empire. The rest of the morning is free to rest and get our bikes ready. After lunch we will have our first ride on an Inca trail descending from the village of Salkantay at an altitude of 4,000 masl (13,123 ft.) and finish in the middle of the main square of Cusco at an altitude of 3,350 masl (10,991 ft.). The rest of the afternoon is free to walk around the Inca streets of Cusco and enjoy the nightlife of this Imperial city.

Day 6. Chinchero, Urquillos & Moray - Maras Downhills

We will transfer early in the morning to the town of Chinchero at 3,750 masl (12,327 ft.), the start of one of the most demanding downhill trails in Cusco. We are going to cross the Inca site of Chinchero with its incredible stone architecture and infinite rock steps to then enter into a deep canyon that will take us directly to the Sacred Valley at the village of Urquillos (2,950 masl / 9,697 ft.). This is a one hour downhill with more than 750 meters of vertical descent. After we take lunch at a nice restaurant in the Sacred Valley, we will transfer to Maras to ride another impressive Inca site that will take us first to the town of Maras and then to the ancient salt mines. Our third ride today starts near the Inca site of Moray at an altitude of 3,650 masl (12,000 ft.). It's a one hour downhill that will leave us near Ollantaytambo. Finally we will be transferred to the town of Ollantaytambo where we will stay for the next 3 nights.

Day 7. Machu Picchu (optional) or Huchuy Cusco ride

This day is supposed to be a rest day, but in Peru we have so much to see that there's no time for rest. We suggest you to visit Machu Picchu as an option for this day. The tour starts with a train ride from Ollantaytambo to the town of Aguas Calientes. From there we take a private bus up to the Citadel. Machu Picchu (like most of the Quechua names of towns and different sites in the region) is a compound word that comes from Machu = old or ancient, and Picchu = peak or mountain; therefore, Machu Picchu is translated as "Old Mountain". The famous mountain that is seen in front, and appears in most of the classical views of the site is named Wayna Picchu (Young Mountain). We will have practically all the day to explore the entire citadel and know all of its well preserved secrets.

N.B. the trip to Machu Picchu is not included in the trip price. The cost to visit Machu Picchu is $250 Cdn/person, which includes return train ride to Aguas Calientes, bus to Machu Picchu, admission and guide.

Day 8. Megavalanche Downhill Course.

This day we will ride the Megavalanche downhill course where top ranked racers like Steve Peat, Cedric Gracia and Brian Lopes have raced, challenging the mountain, the altitude and the weather conditions. We start with a one hour bus drive to the Mountain pass of Malaga at 4,350 masl (14,300 ft.), the start of this trail and where we can have great views of the glaciers like the Veronica Summit at more than 5,000 meters (16,500 ft.). The trail starts with a wide singletrack on top of the mountain and then it turns to a narrow trail with many obstacles like rock steps, jumps and close turns. It will take us approximately one hour to complete the trail until we reach the village of Tanjca on the Sacred Valley at an altitude of 2,850 masl (9,370 ft.). We plan to ride this amazing trail twice.

Day 9. Lares Inca Trail.

We will be transferred early in the morning from our hotel in Ollantaytambo to the town of Calca in the Sacred Valley and then climb to the mountain pass of Lares located at 4,350 masl (14,300 ft.) where we will start another epic ride going through an impressive Inca trail that follows a narrow valley with big walls of granite. We will pass maybe one of the most impressive landscapes of all the tour, crossing a deep canyon where it is only possible to make it walking or on our bikes. We will pass different terrains, from flat rocky surfaces on top of the mountain to fertile valleys at the middle and end of the trail. We will finally end this epic ride at the town of Calca on the Sacred Valley at an altitude of 2,900 masl (9,533 ft.). After lunch, we will be transferred to Cusco where we will end our day riding another Inca trail that descends to the center of the city.

Day 10. End of trip

We have reached the last day of our amazing trip in Peru and its time to say goodbye to Cusco and its wonderful Inca Trails. Flights depart every hour during the morning and there are some afternoon flights too, making it possible to do some shopping in the Indian markets of Cusco or a morning ride in the Cusco area.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance, including emergency evacuation coverage, is compulsory for all our tours. We recommend that you purchase travel insurance that includes cancellation protection so that you will be covered in the event that you are unable to attend our tour (due to injury, illness or other unforeseen circumstances) or in the unlikely event that our tour must be cancelled.

You can purchase discounted comprehensive insurance from our partners at Bikeflights.com directly via our site at our insurance page

Arrival and Departure Airport

You should fly into and out of Lima International Airport (LIM). Please see the schedule page for the exact pickup and dropoff times for your particular trip. You can, if necessary, arrive earlier - we will arrange a pickup for you.

Pickup & Drop-off Information

Included in the price of your trip is a free shuttle from the airport to our hotel in Lima, the El Tambo hotel. Upon leaving customs and heading into the main passenger pickup area of Lima airport, turn right and head to the Super Shuttle counter. We will have a pre-arranged shuttle booked for you to take you to the hotel. n.b.: You will need to notify us in advance of your flight number and arrival time.

On the last day of the trip, we end up in Cusco. There are multiple flights per day heading back to Lima, starting at 6:00 am, ending at 3:30 pm (this is included in the tour price). The flight takes about an hour, and the airport shuttle to Cusco airport is included in your tour price, provided you are flying out on the last day of the trip, or the following day. If you are staying longer in the Cusco area, you will need to book your own shuttle or taxi to the airport (this is not expensive and is quite easy to arrange).

Since most flights back to North America, and some European flights, depart late at night, it's best to take the last flight back to Lima, and then either check your bags in for your flight home if possible, or check them in at the baggage storage area. You can then head into Lima for dinner if you prefer not to stay at the airport.

Flights

We do not book international flights for our clients. Please contact your local travel agent for information on booking flights for this trip.

Machu Picchu and extending your trip

Machu Picchu is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and a can't-miss destination in Peru. We offer an excellent one-day visit to Machu Picchu for $250 CAD. This includes return train trip through the Sacred Valley, bus to Machu Picchu, admission, and guide. [click here for more information on this trip and other trip extensions]

If you want to extend your trip by arriving early or staying on after your trip, we have several excellent trip extensions:

1) Colca Canyon/Arequipa trip (4 days, 3 nights): $1050 CAD

2) Tambopata National Reserve/Amazon Jungle trip (4 days, 3 nights): $1200 CAD

3) Puna + Lake Titicaca (3 days, 2 nights): $650 CAD

For more information on these side trips, please click here to download the pdf.

These trips can be booked online when making your original booking or can be added to your booking at any time. n.b.: There is a single supplement fee for solo travellers if there is no one that we can pair you up with.

Extra Hotel Nights

If you are staying longer in Lima or Cusco and wish to book extra nights at our hotels there, please call or email using the information below:

Hotel El Tambo, Lima
email: eltamboperu@speedy.com.pe
phone: +51-446-6733

Hostal Loreto, Cusco
email: loretohostal@yahoo.com
phone: +51-84-226352

Fitness Requirements

You should have a moderate level of fitness (yes, downhilling is physically demanding too!) and be able to bike for up to five hours a day in order to fully enjoy the spectacular scenery and riding on this trip.

We recommend you train in advance of this trip, in order to get the most out of this trip. Our instructors have developed a pre-trip training program for Riders interested in a professional, supervised training program. Visit http://sacredrides.com/pre-trip-training for more information.

Travelling with your bike

If you've never traveled with your bike, don't worry - it's much easier than you think! If you don't have a case for your bike, then you can pick up a cardboard travel box for your bike at your local store. Some stores will also pack your bike up for you for a fee.

Alternately, if you are planning on traveling with your bike more than just this one time, we sell travel bags for bikes, handmade by Pikapackworks. These travel bags are specially made for bikes and can often go on flights without having to pay the extra charges incurred by cardboard boxes or hard cases. The bags cost $395, including shipping withing North America. Click here for more information on our bags.

n.b. you will need to pay an extra fee for traveling with your bike on the flights within Peru. Cost is about $10-$20 USD in each direction.

Bike Rentals

Although we strongly recommend you bring your own bike on this trip (you will ride better on your own, familiar bike), we offer beautiful 2012 Pivot Firebird full-suspension bikes for rent. Price is $500 CAD for the duration of the trip.

What type of bike should you bring?

We recommend you bring a high-quality freeride or beefy all-mountain bike with you on this trip, with at least 6" of travel and front & rear hydraulic disc brakes (8" rotors are preferable). A bike with at least 2 rings up front is recommended as there are a few short climbs on this trip, so you will appreciate being able to ride your bike rather than pushing.

Armor and Helmet

We recommend you bring at least arm and leg protection with you. Full-body protection is not mandatory, but if you have some it certainly wouldn't hurt to bring it. Full-face helmets are required for this trip, and we recommend goggles to go with your helmet.

Spare Parts for your Bike

Although there are some parts available locally, we recommend you bring the following parts with you to Peru to avoid problems in case of breakdown or broken parts:

rear derailleur hanger (at least 1, preferably 2)
front and rear brake pads
extra chain if your chain is more than 6 months old
4 tubes
4 extra spokes
shock pump

Packing List

comfortable clothes for riding, such as biking jerseys and padded shorts. 2+ sets are ideal, 1 is a must.
helmet
bike gloves (2 sets is ideal)
lightweight, weather-resistant outerwear for riding in inclement weather.
warm clothing such as sweaters and fleece jackets and pants for nighttime.
sunglasses/eye protection for sunny and/or muddy days.
hydration system that can carry at least 2 litres (bottles and/or Camelbak)
toiletries i.e. toothbrush, shampoo, soap
camera
sunscreen and insect repellent

Weather and Clothing

The weather in the Peruvian lowlands can be quite warm, with highs between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius. However, it can and will get quite cool in the mountains, especially at higher altitudes where it can get as low as 5 degrees Celsius (41 Fahrenheit). We recommend you bring layered clothing that you can wear while riding and in the evenings (e.g. start your ride with a long-sleeve jersey in the morning and then take off a layer once you warm up). You'll want to bring long pants and a light jacket for the evenings spent up in the mountains.

Although rain is rare in the winter months, it isn't unheard of, so we recommend you bring some sort of rain gear or shell.

Passports & Visas

All travelers require a valid passport (with a minimum of 6 months validity). Citizens of some countries will also require a visa. For more information, visit the World Travel Guide website.

Altitude

Much of the riding on this trip occurs at moderate to high altitude (2,000 m/6,600 ft to 4,500m/14,000 ft.). If you are in decent shape without any lung conditions, the acclimatization we do at the start of the trip should be more than sufficient. If you are concerned about your ability to deal with altitude we recommend arriving a day or two early and doing some extra riding in the Lima area. Please contact our office to enquire about additional riding/acclimatization days. So far we have had no clients experience anything more severe than a mild headache or sinus congestion.

We do recommend you bring Diamox, just in case.

Emergency Contacts

If you need to contact us in an emergency, you can reach us during office hours at the following numbers:

Dialing within North America: 1 (888) 423-7849
Dialing outside of North America: +1 (647) 999-7955
If you feel that you need to contact us outside of office hours, our Peru operations manager Wayo Stein can be contacted at +51-1-99511-7026

If you do not receive an immediate answer when calling the above numbers, please leave us a detailed message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Food

We take care to select restaurants that are well-regarded for their cleanliness, in order to avoid food-borne illness. We also supply you with bottled water for drinking for the duration of your trip. However, there is always some risk of contracting a food-borne illness when traveling in a developing country. We recommend you exercise caution when purchasing food, and avoid unwashed fruit and vegetables and improperly cooked meals.

Vaccination Requirements

Vaccinations are required for Peru. In general, you will require typhoid, Hepatitis A, yellow fever, measles/mumps/rubella, and tetanus vaccinations for this trip. However, for the most up-to-date information, please visit your local travel clinic.

Safety & Security

Peru is a very safe country, however certain precautions should be followed, as with all foreign travel. To maximize your safety during our tours you should exercise common sense and caution at all times. We recommend that you always stick to set travel arrangements, and avoid unknown areas. We also recommend that you wear minimal jewelry and that you keep valuable items safely stored. Always keep a copy of your passport, airline tickets, travelers checks and credit card numbers separate from where you keep the originals.

Meals

On this trip, all breakfasts and lunches are included in the trip price. Dinners are not included and are typically taken in local restaurants. You should budget $10-$15 CAD per dinner (depending on the quality of restaurants you choose).

Other expenses and best ways to get/use money

Other expenses include souvenirs, alcoholic beverages, and optional activities such as massage. The best way to pay for these services is to withdraw money from an ATM in Lima or Cusco with your bank card - you can withdraw local money and will usually be charged the best rate by your bank at home. However, you will typically be charged about $5 per transaction, so we recommend withdrawing enough for 2 or 3 days at a time to avoid paying bank fees every day.

Tipping

Gratuities of 5-10% are common in Peru. We encourage you to tip your guides if you feel you have received excellent service and have had an enjoyable trip. A typical gratuity $20 - $100 per guide.

Currency exchange

The Peruvian currency is the Nuevo Sol. For the latest currency exchange information use the Yahoo! Currency Exchange Calculator

Useful Links

For additional information about travelling in Peru, visit the Peru Tourism website

Our Guarantee

We're so sure you'll have an amazing time on this trip that we're offering a satisfaction guarantee. View more information about our guarantee.

Eduardo (Wayo) Stein

Lead Guide.

Since a little kid I was always involved into sports. My mom was a professional tennis player and I tried to keep her pace but the two wheels caught me soon.

Raced BMX until 18 years old. This sport took me almost to all South America to race in every competition I can go. Then I started riding mountain bikes. First cross country and then downhill. Again, I did another trip or two to all South America and Central America racing the Panamerican Championships with some good results.

At the same time I enjoyed traveling and visiting new places, always with my mountain bike of course. THis made me know each corner of Peru very well.

Now I have a beautiful family, 3 kids and still biking a lot. Soon I will be riding with them!