Peruvian trails: In the Incan Footsteps

You’re already over a mile above sea level when your trip begins in Arequipa. Located on the edge of the amazing Peruvian Altiplano, this charming town is perfect for a little strolling and discovering the fantastic local gastronomy. Your discovery of Peru begins with a delicious Arequipeños cocktail to help perk you up. Enjoy the views of Misti and Chachani Volcanoes which surround the town. There’s no better beginning to your Peru itinerary than this stay in the incredible town of Arequipa.

We’ll zoom out of the city and soar into the mountains into vicuñas country—a cousin of wild alpaca on our second day of Peru travel. We’ll crisscross the Pampa of Toccara to reach the heart of the Andes. Enjoy the rugged and immense beauty of these incredible mountains. We’ll enjoy lunch near Abra Patampanpa which stands at over 4910 meters above sea level. Then we curve through the forests of the Colca Canyon—the world’s second deepest canyon and home to the famous Andean Condor.

If you missed the majesty of flying condors yesterday, now you’ll have your chance. We’ll ride nearly 100 kilometers of the paved road until we hit the dirt tracks into the Andean meadows. We’ll pass through beautiful villages and alpaca farms. Then we’re off into Suykutambo Canyon to discover its mysterious rock formations and the ancient city of Mamallacta to wrap up our motorcycle tours Peru for today.

We rise early on a short and amazing detour to the fascinating Pre-Colombian ruins of Kanamarka to continue our Peru itinerary. You’ll enjoy this superb road which winds across stunning mountain lakes. Best of all, there’s virtually no traffic on this perfectly smooth road. It’s a nice balance to the off road riding of yesterday! Then we’re back along the main route into Vilcanota River heading straight into the Incan Capital. We’ll arrive by early afternoon to discover the sublime city and the many treasures there.

Take some time in the morning to walk the ancient streets of Cusco to explore more of its charm on our Peru travel experience. Then we’ll cruise through the rich mountain country into the valley of Sacred Incan Ruins. We’ll travel in time as we cross beautiful haciendas, panoramic mountain vistas, and ancient ruins. Then we’re on the dirt track again rolling across the countryside across amazing scenery before we arrive in the town of Ollantaytambo—home to more ruins and a charming old village.

We’re headed towards Machu Picchu, but through the backroads to avoid the groups of tourists. This secret way into the sacred site will have us traveling on the stunning road to Santa Teresa along a sacred valley. We’ll ascend to the Abra Malaga Pass (4,320 meters) on a fantastic paved road that features some exciting hairpin turns. Then we descend into the forests along the basin of the Amazon. By nightfall, we’ll arrive at one of our lowest points of the trip—only 1,400 meters above sea level!

Now’s your chance to really dig into Machu Picchu. One of the most famous sites in the world, you’ll approach it in a totally unique way. Imagine the incredible creativity and hard work it took to make this city in such a place! We’ll walk along an old railway to reach the town on a relaxing hike. It’s the perfect way to really soak in the splendor of Macchu Picchu and its incredible surroundings. And if you’re feeling tired, you can always jump on the train or bus on the way back!

Time to climb back on our days for a long and thrilling day of riding on our Peru itinerary. We’re headed back towards Urubamba on a different route. We’ll be curving along three gorgeous rivers before we ascend to cross another pass (4,430 meters) over the jungle and into the high planes. The exciting changes of scenery, great roads, and small amounts of traffic make it a perfect driving day and the best way to discover the Machu Picchu region.

We’re headed downhill again along one of the nicest stretches of road in Peru on our motorcycle tours Peru. We leave the heights of the Andeans and dive right into the ocean of green in the Amazon. We’ll cruise through the town of Pisac then pick back up along the Urubamba River briefly before we climb back into the mountains. You’ll have to two amazing passes both above 4,000 meters to cross before we savor the nearly 100 km of perfect curves and perfect scenery.

After a relaxing night in the Amazon and its stunning nature, we’ll zoom back up to the Andean Plateau. Before we head out, we’ll soak up the warmth and nature of the Amazon before we ascend back into the chilly and fresh heights. Today’s an easy drive that will take us to Macusani and near Lake Titicaca. Here’ll we’ll enjoy a simple and delicious local meal in the charming town.

Just outside of Macusani, we’ll travel to a landscape very similar to the highlands of the Himalayan Mountains. Endless mountains ranges, stone reliefs, and snowy peaks dot the horizon while meadows filled with nearly infinite herds of llamas, vicuñas, and alpacas sprawl out in front of us. We’re headed to the shores of Lake Titicaca and the birthplace of pre-Colombian civilizations in Peru. When we arrive, it’s not a lake but a brilliant blue sea that greets us. We’ll enjoy the night in the relaxing towns soaking up the immense tranquility and peace of the environment

Today’s all up savoring the beauty of Titicaca. We’ll cruise around the lake and discover the Amyra small farms and the beautiful Chullpass or funeral towers of the ancient civilization. We’ll then enjoy an incredible lunch in Puno which sits right on the lake’s edge. Finally, we arrive in Chucuito for the end of the day to enjoy one of the best views of the lake and explore more of the ancient ruins. The entire day is dedicated to discovering everything on wild tracks and fun rides including a potential bonus ride along the volcanic rims along the southern banks of Titicaca.

Today’s our final day of riding on our unbelievable motorcycle tours Peru. Everything has been leading up to this as we push through all types of terrain and roads across landscapes, over mountains, and back towards Arequipa. We’ll ride across the immense Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve—a park of totally rare and wild beauty—-and even over a white sand desert where wild vicuñas roam. By evening, we’ll settle into Arequipa for a well-earned rest after such a great riding day.

Take some time to enjoy some more of eclectic Arequipa. Then we’ll transfer you to the airport according to your departure time.