14-day e-bike adventure in Peru

Arequipa

Day 1: Welcome to Peru!

Welcome to the White City of Arequipa, where upon landing, you will take a short car transfer to the city center. Arequipa is located at an altitude of 2,325m above sea level, which makes it the perfect place to start getting used to the altitude smoothly. After check-in, you will have the morning free to relax in your hotel or take a light lunch.

In the afternoon, you'll have a short briefing to discuss all the details of your e-bike journey. Run through some general guidelines about the e-bikes, including safety instructions for the trip. Once the e-bikes are assigned, your guide will ensure you're comfortable enough with them before your adventure begins the next day.

Arequipa

Day 2: Ride through Arequipa’s countryside

Head to Huanca, a small town in a beautiful valley dedicated to farming and livestock. The drive will take about two hours, after which you will start oyur biking adventure.

The first 14km will be across almost-flat terrain - the perfect way to start getting used to your bikes and equipment. Then, take a 15km uphill route through a gravel road until you reach a beautiful natural lookout. There, pause for a short break and enjoy the scenery, with fuming volcanoes on the horizon. From the highest point of the route, take in a beautiful view of the valley, featuring terraces of different colors.

From there, continue 15km downhill to Huanca, where a delicious lunch will be ready for you. Since today is the first day of biking, the route and distance may vary depending on your group's overall physical condition. Afterwards, drive back to your Arequipa hotel to rest and relax.

Arequipa - Colca Canyon

Day 3: Cycling to the Colca Canyon

Get ready to begin your journey towards the Colca Canyon, located 160km from Arequipa. En-route, enjoy beautiful views of the Misti, Chachani and Pichu Pichu volcanoes as well as pre-Inca "Andenes”. Drive through the Pampa Cañahuas National Reserve, where it's quite common to see wild vicuñas and other camelids, and take a detour to reach a less-traveled road. Your destination will be the Upper Colca Canyon, namely the picturesque villages of Callalli, Sibayo, Tuti, and Canocota.

Your biking excursion will begin just before you've reached the viewpoint of La Ventana, about 20km before Sibayo. Today's cycling route (65km long, extendable up to 80km) will be along an unpaved road that will reward you with beautiful countryside landscapes. Upon completing it, you'll spend the night in a hotel in the Colca Valley, overlooking the Sabancaya and Ampato volcanoes.

Colca Canyon

Day 4: See condors from Chimpa Fortress

Set out early this morning to an off-the-beaten-path viewpoint known as the Chimpa Fortress, one hour away down an isolated road along the right-hand side of the Colca Valley. Chimpa is a castle-like Collagua fortress with amazing views of the canyon. It is located almost in front of the Condor's Cross viewpoint, on the opposite side of the valley. To reach it, you'll need to hike uphill for up to three hours - but if you are lucky, you may be rewarded with the sight of majestic Andean condors in flight.

After exploring the archaeological site, begin your hike back downhill. Get back on your bike to peddle through Madrigal, Lari, Ichupampa and Yanque, all small Andean villages with beautiful views. The route ends in Yanque, where you'll stop for lunch before returning to your hotel, enjoying the scenery as you go - views of volcanoes, terraces, and local farmers abound.

Colca Canyon - Lake Titicaca

Day 5: Biking around Sillustani

Today, you will begin your journey to Puno. On this scenic route, enjoy views of huge lagoons, stone forests, and small Andean farmhouses. You'll also see the surrounding volcanoes, snow-capped mountains, and region's wildlife along the way.

Shortly after passing the town of Cabanillas, start your biking journey through Mañazo, Vilque, and then Sillustani. You'll be covering around 65km across the Altiplano, probably spotting some South American camelids en-route.

Visit the impressive funerary tombs of Sillustani, on a hill above Lake Umayo where compasses don't seem to work; the Colla culture constructed these huge cylindrical tombs as graves for their leaders and nobility. Take a guided excursion in the area, before heading on by car to your hotel in Puno, arriving in the late afternoon to spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Lake Titicaca

Day 6: Lake Titicaca & the Chucuito peninsula

This morning, journey towards Lake Titicaca. Begin with a private car transfer for about one hour, until you've reached the rural area around the community of Ilave. From there you'll begin biking to the shores of Lake Titicaca.

Pass by small traditional villages before sitting down for either a picnic in a scenic spot, or a traditional lunch cooked in a huatia oven. Then, arrive at a lookout on the Chucuito peninsula with panoramic views of Lake Titicaca and the islands of Taquile and Amantani.

Leave your bike and hike for about two hours through a well-preserved pre-Hispanic route and pristine beaches, towards the community of Karina. From there you'll be driven to Luquina Chico, where your host family will be waiting for you. Enjoy a lovely sunset on the lakeshore and get to know the locals as you spend some time with them.

Lake Titicaca

Day 7: Sailing on Lake Titicaca

In the early morning, join the locals for a boating adventure on the lake in traditional sailing boats. You might help them collect their fishing nets or just enjoy the scenery, filled with the deep blues of the sky and the lake. If you don't like sailing, you could stay on solid ground and join the locals in their daily activities, mostly related to agriculture and livestock, or simply relax and enjoy your surroundings.

After an early lunch, get ready to ride your e-bike along the other side of the peninsula, on the shores of the lake to Plateria, from where you'll continue to the museum of Inca Uyo. At this point, board a vehicle and continue to Puno.

Lake Titicaca - Sector Kunurana

Day 8: Explore Lampa & the Andean high plains

Leave Puno in the early morning and journey to the village of Lampa, stopping en-route in the city of Juliaca. Rest and take in some of its colonial buildings, before continuing your scenic drive.

Pass through a narrow valley, up to its highest point, from where you’ll start your descent by bike. Along the way you'll come across puya raimondii, a peculiar endemic plant that only grows in very remote areas of the Andes. You'll then enter the Tinajani Canyon area, filled with plenty of unique rock formations.

Afterwards, board a private vehicle to continue towards today’s final destination, Tambo Queque Norte - a charming country manor in the middle of the Andean high plains, between Puno and Cusco. You'll have the afternoon free to explore its surroundings and enjoy the facilities: the manor has horses and, if time allows, you could enjoy an afternoon ride through the high plains.

Sector Kunurana - Sacred Valley

Day 9: A scenic route to the Sacred Valley

Today, continue your journey to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, taking lesser-known trails to explore more hidden gems. First you'll pass La Raya, the division point between the provinces of Puno and Cusco. Then, after crossing Sicuani, take a more isolated side road to begin today's biking adventure.

The route spans a beautiful landscape of calm waters full of Andean geese, flamingos, and different types of birds. You'll be riding down a paved road for almost the entire journey, except for a gravel path that loops the Pomacanchis Lagoon. From there, you'll hop off the saddle to continue to the Sacred Valley by car.

Sacred Valley - Santa Teresa

Day 10: The Malaga Pass, a coffee farm & hot springs

Drive to Ollantaytambo today, where you could enjoy an optional hike to the Qolqas of Pinkuylluna, agricultural storehouses located on the hillside, with great views of Ollantaytambo's fortress. Then, journey on to the Malaga Pass (4,230m) to embark on a downhill biking route, taking you from the high mountain pass into the lower jungle areas of Huayopata and Santa Teresa.

The journey of appoximately 60km is beautiful; however, bear in mind that today’s route is through a busy main road. Once in Huayopata, you'll visit a coffee and cacao farm to taste the different fruits of the area and learn about coffee production. From Huayopata, continue by car to the village of Santa Teresa, with the option of visiting the nearby hot springs of Cocalmayo in the afternoon.

Santa Teresa - Machu Picchu

Day 11: Discover the spectacular Machu Picchu

Today is the big day! After an early breakfast, head to the nearby hydroelectric plant, the starting point of your 10km hike to Aguas Calientes. This is a straightforward trail, along flat terrain through the cloud forest. It usually takes between two and three hours to complete, meaning you'll arrive in the late morning, with time to check into your hotel and refresh before continuing to Machu Picchu.

Around midday, when most people are already leaving this iconic site, you'll take a 20-minute bus ride up a steep zigzagging road to the ancient citadel, located in an impressive mountain setting. Explore the site for the rest of the afternoon, until around 4.30pm when it closes. Finally, return to Aguas Calientes to spend the night at leisure.

Machu Picchu - Cusco

Day 12: Journey to Cusco

This morning, after breakfast, get ready to enjoy a scenic train ride back to Ollantaytambo. The train journey is a spectacle in itself as you'll be able to appreciate the changing landscape from lush jungle to green fields and eucalyptus forests, always traveling beside the meandering Urubamba River. Upon arriving at Ollantaytambo, your driver will be waiting to take you back to Cusco city, where you'll have the rest of the afternoon to relax and enjoy on your own.

Cusco

Day 13: A day at leisure in UNESCO-listed Cusco

Cusco is one of the most exciting cities in Peru and South America. You'll have the day to explore the streets, plazas, and markets of this UNESCO World Heritage Site at your own pace.

We'd recommend visiting the Main Square, San Francisco Church, Koricancha temple, and San Pedro Market. If you're into arts and crafts, you could take a walk around Cuesta San Blas and visit the local workshops and galleries. Cusco has something for everyone, it's up to you to discover it!

Cusco

Day 14: Goodbye, Peru!

This morning, you'll have some free time to explore the city at your leisure, maybe taking a last walk around Cusco’s shops and markets.

At a coordinated time, head to Cusco’s airport to begin your onward travels back home. Hopefully, you will be heading back full of happy memories, new friends, and great pictures of your time in Peru!