WHY THIS TRIP
E-mountain bike the highlights of Cusco, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and Machu Picchu, exploring ruins, small towns, beautiful mountain valleys, and hot springs.
You also hike the one day Royal Inca Trail, arriving at Machu Picchu on foot through the Sun Gate, just like the Incas did. This trip is a fun, active, low carbon way to explore the area.
TRIP DESCRIPTION
If you’ve never ridden an E-bike, imagine having your best friend running along beside you, offering to give you a push every time you feel a little out of breath or encounter a hill. With an E-bike, you still have to pedal, but it is so much fun and easier than traditional mountain biking.
The state of the art, German Haibikes are full suspension, electrical assist mountain bikes. There are sizes extra small to extra large frames, making this trip perfect for keen bikers of all ages and sizes.
On this trip, you go way off the beaten path to rarely visited and little known Inca and pre-Inca ruins by e-bike, we’ll hike into Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate on a part of the original Inca trail, and relax in hot springs high in the Andes.
On your first day in Cusco, you’ll have a local’s walking tour of the city. It’s an easy walk, as you’ll still be adjusting to the high elevation. Your guide will show you around this bustling city, from the Plaza de Arams, to Qoricancha Temple, to the local markets.
The next day you hop on your e-bikes to explore the incredible Inca ruins surrounding Cusco: Sacsayhuaman, Puca Pucara, and Tambo Machay. It’s a flexible day, perfect for helping you adjust to the elevation, and get used to your e-bikes.
From Cusco, you spend the next three days e-biking in the Sacred Valley. You’ll get off the beaten path, biking through small towns, visiting little known Inca and pre-Inca ruins, and passing through farmland, all with the stunning Andes mountains as your backdrop.
It’s an incredible way to take in the history and culture of the area. You’ll also visit some more well-known ruins, such as Pisac and Moray, but always at different times than the busloads of tourists.
Then you’ll head to Machu Picchu! You’ll take an early-morning train towards Machu Picchu, but instead of taking the trail all the way like most people, you get off at km104, the trailhead to final stretch of the trek along the world famous Inca Trail.
You hike past restored Inca ruins, overlooking the Urubamba River, and eventually arrive at the Sun Gate. Here you have your first sight of Machu Picchu! The view from the Sun Gate is stunning, taking in Machu Picchu ruins, the river far below, and the surrounding mountains.
You finish your hike down to the ruins, and your guide takes you on an in depth tour of the ruins. The afternoon is the best time for exploring Machu Picchu: there are fewer people, and the light is lovely.
The next day you’re back on your e-bike. Now that you’re full acclimatized, you can really get off the beaten path and head up further into the mountains to the Lares Valley.
The people of the Lares Valley are famous for its weaving and very traditional way of life. In addition to amazing biking trails, stunning mountain scenery, and hot springs, you also experience traditional rural life in the Andes.
On the last day of your trip, you have free time to explore Cusco before heading to the airport and onwards.
LOCAL OPERATOR
For more than 30 years Amazonas Explorer has used a different approach in leading high-quality trips and adventures in South America. While the company had its beginnings in adventure tourism, its success in building a strong team of knowledgeable guides has enhanced its ability to offer a range of innovative cultural tours.
By raft, bike, foot, horse and even paddleboard, travelers are immersed in their surroundings to explore in unique ways the highlights of southern Peru, the company’s home turf. Every adventure with Amazonas Explorer is treated with impeccable care and top-notch services, all focused on the client’s comfort and safety.
The current owners, while originally from the United Kingdom, have lived and played in the Cusco region for more than 20 years. The itineraries they’ve crafted are based on places they love and activities they enjoy.
Their obvious love for Peru shines through in the company’s efforts to maximize benefits to local economies and to promote responsible tourism across the country.
Beginning in the home office, its professionally trained guides, cooks and support crew are well cared for as they build rewarding careers for themselves within the hierarchy of the company.
With more than 20 office staff and a Peruvian team total of nearly 200, Amazonas Explorer prides itself on being a great place to work. On an Inca Trail hiking trip, for instance, it is likely you will have the support of porters who have been with the company more than 10 years.
Amazonas has a porter protection policy in place and all employees enjoy the provisions of proper working conditions, fair wages, quality gear, and insurance.
Dedicated to sustainable tourism projects in alliance with local communities, Amazonas Explorer purchases local food and, when available, local equipment and gear.
Its exceptional cultural experiences include engagement with local people and opportunities for travelers to purchase local crafts and weavings directly from their source.
The largely paperless company takes significant steps to further reduce its carbon impact by minimizing its impact to the environment with small group sizes, smart transportation choices, recycling whatever it can, cooking with gas not kerosene or firewood and carefully disposing of all waste generated on trips.
Above all, the entire crew of experts holds collective focus on safety and on providing memorable experiences that are equal to none. Amazonas Explorer is also a member of One Percent for the Planet, donating annually its time and money to reforestation efforts in Peru’s Lares Valley.
