mountain bike peru
Unforgettable andes
DEtails:
2025 DATES: April 1-9, 2025 (Women's Skills)| April 19-27, 2025 (Jill Kintner Camp) | August 22-30, 2025 (Yoann Barelli Camp) | September 26-October 4, 2025 | October 17-25, 2025 | October 31-November 8, 2025 | November 9-17, 2025 (Co-ed Skills)
Duration: 8 Nights, 9 Days
Joining In: Cusco, Peru
Land Cost: $2995 USD/person | Currency Conversion
Single room supplement: $750 USD
Activity Level: Intermediate+ | more info »
Mountain biking in Peru has the ingredients for a trip of a lifetime; amazing riding, fascinating culture, spectacular historical sights, excellent guides, great cuisine & accommodation. We start in Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire with its Spanish colonial architecture and impressive main square, the Plaza de Armas. Then, we transition to the El Valle Sagrado (The Sacred Valley) for six days of Inca-built singletrack through remote traditional weaving villages, soaring mountains and some of the best riding in the world that reach Inca ruins that see few visitors, like the Huchuy Qosqo temple or the Moray archaeological site. Shuttle-assisted rides are mostly long descents peppered with challenging climbs at altitude, some technical sections and lots of fast sections; the riding in Peru is off the charts. We’ve included a once and a lifetime visit to Machu Picchu that’s accessed by a scenic train and privately guided tour of the site. What more could you ask for in a mountain bike holiday?
Looking for another trip in this region? Check out our Peru Skills Camp.
Photo: Leslie Kehmeier.
Trip Highlights:
- Having lunch mid-ride at a remote Inca ruin, high in the Andes, with no one around.
- Realizing every ride in Peru could make it into your top-10 best rides of all time.
- Watching the world go by in the Plaza de Armas square in Cusco, designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
- Exploring Machu Picchu feeling like you’ve gazed upon a true wonder of the world.
- Sipping a fresh pisco sour with friends after an amazing day of mountain biking.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
- Expert local leadership.
- Three-star hotel accommodation & deluxe private lodge (with pump track, bike workshop).
- All breakfasts, all lunches & seven dinners starting with lunch on Day 1, ending with breakfast on Day 9.
- Machu Picchu day: return scenic train (1.5 hrs. each way), return bus transfer and private guided tour of site.
- Snacks and water in the van.
- Airport pick-up and drop off at Cusco Airport on scheduled days.
- All transportation and shuttling during the trip.
- Detailed pre-departure information and trip planning assistance.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?
- One dinner.
- All extras like alcoholic beverages, coffees, etc.
- International airfare to/from Cusco (CUZ)
- Personal travel & medical insurance.
- Airport taxes and excess baggage charges.
- Your bike and related equipment to ride.
- Optional tipping to leaders and drivers.
- We recommend $25 USD (and up) per day for dinners and extras.
Bike and equipment
Very limited high-performance rental bikes are available. As it is on most of our trips it is recommended that riders bring their own bikes. A current full-suspension enduro bike with 150-160mm travel that’s capable up & down with a penchant for descending through rough terrain is suggested on this trip. Tires should be tubeless, 2.30” or above, aggressive tread designed for rocky terrain, one to two-ply casing for durability, puncture resistance and added control. Eye protection and knee pads that you can comfortably pedal in are highly recommended. Helmets are mandatory when on your bike. A 20L backpack is recommended.
Suggested bike
Trek Slash
Suggested pack
EVOC FR Trail 20
ACTIVITY LEVEL
The minimum technical ability required for Peru is Advanced. This trip is suitable if you have been riding consistently for three to four years and are confident on most types of singletrack and conditions. This trip is a Level 3/6 for fitness with some days 4/6. The altitude adjustment and accumulation of multiple long days of riding will add up, as it is on all of our trips the fitter you are, the more fun you’ll have.
THE RIDING
The trails are all remote shuttle-assisted rides on ancient Inca hiking trails on compact dirt with some sections of fixed rock and rock stair- cases that are best walked. Rides begin at higher altitudes in wide-open landscapes with very few trees, ever. Expect descents that last several hours and one or two shuttles per day. There can be thorns, pls use 2.35” (or 2.5”) tubeless tires with a ply-half or double-ply sidewall. Rides begin between 3,500m/11,482ft and 4,500m/15,765ft. and are mostly downhill from the start, but do have some climbs.
LODGING AND CUISINE
We’ll be staying at a comfortable three star hotel in Cusco which is a 10-minute walk from the historic center of the city. In the Sacred Valley we’ll be at a new private lodge with pump track, bike wash station, TV room and more. The cuisine is Peru is surprisingly great, from tasty ceviche to staples like potatoes, corn, rice and meat dishes, often with a spicy sauce. Please let us know if you have any dietary needs.
CLIMATE
Expect temperatures of 25-30 degrees Celsius (78-86 Fahrenheit) in the towns and valleys, and temperatures of 5-15 degrees Celsius (41-59 Fahrenheit) at the highest altitudes. Rain falls infrequently but riders should still be prepared for rain - and cold weather riding.
YOUR SAFETY
Our trips take place in remote regions with limited evacuation options available. Our guides have basic first aid training, if a serious injury is suspected they will call helicopter search and rescue at the cost of the participant. Personal medical travel insurance is mandatory for all riders. If you choose to participate in our trips it is up to you to ride well within your limits, to ride conservatively, to walk sections if needed and to be safe as mountain biking is a dangerous sport. There are always risks and hazards on all trails that we ride. It is your responsibility to inspect your bike or rental bike daily and keep it in excellent condition. Helmets are mandatory and alcohol and drugs are not permitted while riding your bike.
THE NEXT STEPS
Please read and understand our Terms and Conditions and our Waiver. Then, email or call us to make sure that your desired departure is confirmed and there’s still space available. We’ll then send you a short Rider Questionnaire to learn about your riding experience and ensure that you are suitable for the trip. The last step is to complete our secure online Registration Form and pay your 25% deposit, and we’ll send you detailed Trip Preparation Guide that includes steps on preparing for your adventure.
A Travel Protection Plan protects your travel investment, your belongings, and most importantly, you. We strongly advise travelers to enroll in a Travel Protection Plan in case an unexpected event causes you to cancel or leave your trip. Please review Big Mountain Bike Adventures’ Cancellation Policy:
A Travel Protection Plan should be purchased once a deposit or any payment is made for a trip. Insurance must provide coverage for personal accident, death, emergency remote evacuation including helicopter evacuation, medical expenses and emergency repatriation. We advise travellers to confirm that it covers trip cancellation, curtailment, personal liability and loss of luggage and personal effects. You will be asked for proof of insurance in lead up to your trip; you will not be able to join the trip without it. If you choose to travel without adequate insurance coverage, Big Mountain will not be liable for any losses howsoever arising, in respect to insurance coverage that would have otherwise have been available.
“There are few times in life when the euphoria of an experience allows one to float ethereally with your feet 12 inches off the ground. My feet haven’t landed yet.”
