Welcome to Cusco! We’ll meet you at 1pm for a traditional Peruvian meal at a local favourite restaurant. In the afternoon your guide will lead a relaxed walking tour around Cusco’s stunning historic centre – there’s plenty to see, but it’s important to take it easy if you’ve arrived from sea level today, as you need to acclimatise to Cusco’s 3,000m+ altitude.

Meals: Lunch included

Accommodation: Hotel Costa del Sol Ramada, Cusco

Day 2 Pisac

Let the fun begin! A half hour drive out of Cusco begins a long, gentle, sealed-road descent into the Sacred Valley that’s the perfect introduction to biking here. You’ll enjoy cruising down past farm animals and village life, then ever more spectacular scenery that eventually opens out into the stunning Sacred Valley.

Here there’s time to explore the famous Pisac handicraft market – the largest in the region, and a great place to get all your souvenir shopping out of the way! – before heading up to explore the huge Inca fortress that bristles on the range above the town.

Riding details: Up to 25 kilometres of pedalling. Choose tarmac ride or single track. The first 3km or so can be done on really nice easy single track through eucalypt forest and farmland. Full vehicle support so you can ride as much or as little as you wish.

Meals: All meals included

Accommodation: Hotel Royal Inka, Pisac

Day 3 Lares

This morning we’ll enjoy some scenic, easy bike path along the side of Urubamba River, through the gentle floodplain that defines the Sacred Valley. From the country market town of Calca, we’ll drive up to Amparaes Pass, then bike down into the remote Lares Valley, starting in high-altitude rock and cold, and ending up in a warm, green river gorge. The chance to enjoy a beer and barbecue at the surreal and beautiful water park that is Lares hot springs is worth a trip in itself. Naturally occurring hot springs are surrounded by lovingly landscaped terraces and lawns in a raging river gorge – it’s one of our favourite places in the world. There is no better end to a day’s riding than soaking in the springs and staring up at the stars.

Riding details: About 20 kilometres, mostly gravel road with some single track - easy riding. Full vehicle support so you can ride as much or as little as you wish.

Meals: All meals included

Accommodation: Basic lodgings at the Lares hot springs

Day 4 Ollantaytambo

This morning an incredibly scenic drive takes us up to the dizzying Amparaes Pass, and to the top of one of the world’s best off-road descents. Section follows section of llama track, gravel riverside, and eventually scenic river gorge. In the afternoon we’ll cycle through the beautiful, verdant Sacred Valley towards Ollantaytambo, one of the most beautiful villages in Peru, and our destination for the night.

Riding details: 42 kilometres of sweet sweet single track or unpaved road, suitable for all levels. Full vehicle support so you can ride as much or as little as you wish.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch included

Accommodation: El Albergue, Ollantaytambo

Day 5 Moray and Salineras

This is one of the most popular day trips in the region – a morning’s scenic, easy riding through rolling countryside, past lakes and ruins, then one of the best single track descents in Peru. In between we’ll visit the mysterious Inca site of Moray, and our favourite Inca attraction, Salineras – a surreal and beautiful patchwork of pools and paths that still produces salt using Inca technology. Late this afternoon we’ll take the train to Aguas Calientes where we’ll spend the night.

Riding details: 28 kilometres of cross country on gravel road, past lakes, small villages and farmland, and a fairly short downhill section at the end, from Maras down to Salineras. A dream day on the bike! Full vehicle support so you can ride as much or as little as you wish.

Meals: All meals included

Accommodation: Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo hotel

Day 2 Pisac

We’ll spend the morning exploring a little more of Cusco, the ancient Inca capital and one of the most beautiful and interesting cities in the Americas, before heading for the Sacred Valley in the afternoon.

Along the way we’ll visit Cochahuasi, a private animal-rescue sanctuary where we can get close to endangered local species like pumas, moneys and condors. In the afternoon there’s time to explore the famous Pisac handicraft market and wander the cobbled streets of this tiny town.

Meals: All meals included

Accommodation: Hotel Royal Inka, Pisac

Day 3 Lares

This morning there’s time to wander the grounds, swim in the pool, and feed the trout in the ornamental pond of our accommodation at the eccentric Royal Inka hotel and “country club”, before we head off to explore our first significant Inca ruin, the huge Pisac fortress that bristles on the range above the town.

Then we’ll enjoy a gourmet lunch at historic Hacienda Sarapampa where we’ll get to see caballos de paso – Peru’s unique dancing horses – in action, before driving to the Lares hot springs where we’ll meet the cyclists and spend the night.

Meals: All meals included

Accommodation: Basic lodgings at the Lares hot springs

Day 4 Ollantaytambo

There’s time for a last soak in the springs this morning before we head back towards the Sacred Valley. Along the way we’ll check out the little visited ruin of Ancasmarca and the fascinating Museo Inkariy, in between plenty of photo stops to take in the glory of the eternally sunny and spring-like farmland of the Sacred Valley.
In the afternoon we’ll explore Ollantaytambo - perhaps the most perfectly preserved of all Inca towns, a maze of cobbled alleyways and sun-drenched plazas presided over by a spectacular, llama-shaped ruin.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch included

Accommodation: El Albergue, Ollantaytambo

Day 5 Moray and Salineras

Today starts with Chinchero, a quiet little town best known for its outdoor weaving studios, terraced Inca ruin, and intricately-frescoed colonial church. Next is Moray – three massive Inca amphitheatres of incredible engineering precision and stern, magnificent beauty.

We’ll enjoy a luxury picnic lunch with million dollar views, then an easy stroll (or ride in the bus if you prefer) through rolling farmland to Salineras – a surreal and beautiful patchwork of pools and paths that still produces salt using Inca technology. Late this afternoon we’ll take the train to Aguas Calientes where we’ll spend the night.

Meals: All meals included

Accommodation: Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo hotel

An early start rewards us with sunrise at Machu Picchu – a peak moment for anyone. A spectacular stone city surrounded by incredibly steep, incredibly green mountains, Machu Picchu needs no introduction and is deservedly one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. Your trip leader will take you on a guided tour – a necessary start to orient you in this massive site – then you’ll have plenty of time to explore the site and some of the surrounding peaks on your own before we catch the train back to Cusco for our last night together.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch included

Accommodation: Hotel Costa Del Sol Ramada, Cusco

You can book your flight out of Cusco for any time today. If you’re staying on in Peru, we’re delighted to help out with suggestions and assistance for the rest of your time here.

Meals: Breakfast included