Andes to the Amazon Cycling Adventure
Cycle from the sierra of Cusco to the lush Amazon rainforest on a memorable Amazon Cycling Adventure!
Join us in Peru on an epic Andes to the Amazon cycling adventure! This unforgettable Amazon cycling adventure takes you from the Sierra of Cusco to the Amazon Rainforest in Peru known as Manu National Park, a World Heritage Site. On this once-in-a-lifetime mountain bike adventure you will visit the famous town of Paucartambo, camp in the iconic campsite of Tres Cruces, and watch the sunrise over the Amazon, in itself a truly magical experience. Manu National Park is located east of Cusco, and it is the only park in Latin America to cover the full range of climates and environments, from low, tropical jungle to cold, high grasslands at over 3500 m/12,000 ft of elevation. Peru is famous for being one of the most diverse countries on Earth as it covers 30 of the 32 world climates; there’s no better way to experience the incredible diversity of Peru’s climate, landscape, and wildlife than on a guided cycling holiday with Haku Expeditions, Peru’s adventure travel experts.
Ride Description: This ride is a long distance ride with sustained climbs and epic descents. We will be mostly on gravel or asphalt roads passing though Andean pueblos and diverse climates. Once in the Amazon we will tour mostly by foot or boat.
Day by Day
Hopefully you slept well, because your Andes to the Amazon cycling adventure begins at 8 a.m.! We will meet at the Haku Expeditions office, right in the Cusco city center, to grab our mountain bikes and gear. Then, we’ll begin our journey from Cusco to the Amazon and ride to the outskirts of Cusco, which will bring us past the Incan ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Puka Pukara, and Tambomachay, each a unique and stunning historical site. A short and necessary history lesson is included! The ride continues up to the pass and begins a nice curvy and scenic downhill to the towns of Corrao and, eventually, Pisac. Lodging tonight is nestled in the valley, and there may be some time to visit the ruins of Pisac. Supper is included and the stay is very nice. Sleep well — tomorrow is a big day!
Amazon cycling stats:
Distance: 32 km/19.88 mi
Elevation gain: 400 m/1312 ft
Lodging: Martina Wasi
Meals included: L, D
The village of Paucartambo, at 2900 m/9514 ft, is quite the place. Home to the colorful and famous Virgin of Carmen festival every July 16th, the 3 day processions and parties are always a sight to behold. Riding there will also be quite the accomplishment — it’ll take the better part of the day to get to this historic Peruvian town. Lunch is included on the way and after arriving in Paucartambo and looking around for a bit we’ll drive to Tres Cruces, our campsite. Tres Cruces is a truly special place; in the morning, we’ll rise early to experience the campsite’s perfect positioning for the sunrise over the vast Amazon rainforest. As we inch our way from the Andes to the Amazon in Peru, you’ll notice that the changes in the ecosystems are extraordinary.
Amazon cycling stats:
Distance: 75 kilometers/46.6 miles
Elevation gain: 1280 m/4199 ft
Lodging: Camping at Tres Cruces
Meals included: B, L, D
Have you ever dreamt of riding 1700m/5,000 ft of downhill that starts in the high grasslands of the Andean sierra and ends in the vastness of the Amazon?! If so, the next two days will achieve such a dream! While it’s a long ride we make sure to take breaks along the way and to appreciate the truly special Peruvian natural world. Andean bears, pumas, various species of monkey, and hundreds of birds have all been sighted on this incredible ride. Lunch is at an Amazon cloud forest lodge and we end the day in San Pedro, a neat village with a plethora of wildlife stalking around it.
Amazon cycling stats:
Distance: 45 km/27.9 mi
Ascent: N/A
Descent: 1760 m/5775 ft
Lodging: Local lodge
Meals included: B, L, D
Continuing our Peru Amazon adventure, we ride about 40 km/25 mi today to Salvación, a quaint little town on the border of the Amazon that is considered one of the gateways to Manu National Park. Rest up: tomorrow morning you will begin your 3-day Peru Amazon adventure!
Amazon cycling stats:
Distance: 40 km/25 mi
Descent: 1250 m/ 4100 ft
Lodging: Local lodge
Meals included: B, L, D
Salvación is literally on the edge of Peru’s Amazon basin. Here roads end and river travel begins. Today will begin with a canoe ride and then hike to Machu Wasi, a diverse area across the Madre de Dios river from the “Otorongo Blanco” campsite. We’ll get our first real, up-close-and-personal introduction to the verdant beauty of the Amazon. After a day of exploring, the evening will be spent enjoying the sounds of the Peruvian Amazon. We’ll also be going on a night hike, which is a great time to see a different side of the Amazon rainforest come to life.
Lodging: Camping or local jungle lodge
Meals included: B, L, D
Wake early and explore. Have a siesta and then ride in canoes to spot wildlife on the riverbank. There are eleven species of monkeys, many rodents, and even jaguars that we’ve spotted while canoeing. Take a bath to cool off in the afternoon and enjoy your final evening in the Amazon.
Lodging: Camping or local jungle lodge
Meals included: B, L, D
Your transport back to Cusco is around 11, so take some time this morning to soak in the magical beauty of the rainforest one last time. Back in Cusco, we’ll say our farewells — see you next time!
Meals: B
General Information
What’s the price of this 7-day Andes to the Amazon Cycling Adventure? And what’s included?
The price is 2295$ per person.
Price includes:
Not included:
Peru’s currency is called the Nuevo Sol. You’ll be able to exchange US currency for the Sol easily in Cusco. The exchange rate often fluctuates between 3.7 – 4 sol per US dollar.
We recommend you bring cash. Peru is still a cash society. Most people don’t have bank accounts as Peruvian banks charge up to $15 per month just to have the account open. So, services like Venmo, Pay-Pal, and Apple Pay aren’t used here. Most local stores, taxis, and local restaurants are cash only.
ATMS charge around $8 to take out $60-200. Banks only allow a small withdrawal daily. Thus, it’s probably a good idea to withdraw a good sum of cash before you come to Peru unless you have a bank that returns the ATM fees. You can also try the app called ATM hero and do a little research before you come to decide if an ATM card or cash is best for you.
The USD, EURO, CAD cash you bring should be non-ripped bills. Small rips or bills that are written on are not accepted for exchange.
Seeing as Peru is a cash society and it is difficult to withdraw large amounts of cash, we require your balance be brought in cash.
TIPPING: Local restaurants generally do not require a tip, however, leaving a few soles is a nice gesture. Tourist restaurants are generally a 10% tip.
Tipping your guide in Peru is generally 10-15% of the price you paid for the tour. Drivers are generally the same amount in soles. (If you tip a guide 200 USD the driver would get often 200 soles) Tips should always be based on performance and are never obligatory.
Each person is required to have a specific travel/trip insurance outside of your credit card or regular medical insurance.
You should get comprehensive coverage with trip interruption/cancellation and with personal liability. Mention all activities that you will be involved in such as mountain biking, hiking at high altitude and whatever other activities you may have planned.
We do not provide refunds. If you should get hurt or sick not only will travel insurance cover your medical expenses it will also cover the lost portion of the trip. Make sure you have trip interruption or trip cancellation included! South America is famous for people striking and shutting down all activities. If you miss your Machu Picchu trip, Galapagos or any other side trip, or even your flight due to strikes the insurance will cover the loss or additional costs that are incurred.
Check out our blog on travel insurance and why it is a must for any South America Vacation!
Part of making sure this is your mountain biking holiday of a lifetime is looking realistically at your ability level. We’ve rated the Andes to the Amazon Cycling Adventure at a fitness level of 3 and skill level of strong beginner to intermediate.
For us you need to be fit with the ability to pedal for longer periods of time. You can fit into our beginner to intermediate experience levels. Note that beginner for us does not mean someone with no experience on the bike. Read below to see how we categorize fitness levels and experience levels of beginner to intermediate.
Fitness level 3: You exercise one to two times a week but do not have a normal schedule that keeps you biking or doing other activities weekly. You don’t go to the gym or train for any specific sports but you lead a relatively active lifestyle by biking, hiking, skiing, or whatever it may be. For biking: climbs and long descents give you some trouble and you tend to get tired after about 2-3 hours on the bike.
Mountain biking skill level for this cycling adventure: beginner to intermediate
Beginner: You’ve been riding a mountain bike for a couple of years or less and you’re most comfortable on smooth single-track and wider, forgiving double-track. You like rides with scenic views; you like both ascending and descending on well-maintained, safe trails. You’re looking for an active but safe mountain bike vacation; you’re not into jumps, drops, super steep trails, rock gardens, roots or taking big risks on your bike.
Intermediate: You’ve got two plus years of experience mountain biking on single-track trails under your belt; you’ve gotten pretty confident behind the handlebars and are beginning to expand your mountain bike abilities. You like riding most types of terrain, and you’re comfortable both climbing and descending on single-track trails with smaller technical features such as rocky sections, small drops, and small steep sections. You aren’t trying to walk on most of the trail and are looking to take small risks with things like speed, jumps, rock gardens, and stair sets to improve your skills as a mountain biker.
We will pick you up from the airport on arrival to Cusco and take you to the hotel you have booked in Cusco. If you would like us to book a hotel for you we can do so. At check out you can purchase extra hotel nights.
Our driver will pick you up at the Cusco airport, he will have a sign with your name on it. He will not arrive early. Therefore, if your flight arrives early please wait until arrival time for him to pick you up.
Pick up does not include drop off outside of Cusco.
If you still have a balance we will make sure to bring you over to the office to pay the rest of your tour.
This Amazon Cycling Adventure begins and ends in Cusco, Peru. You will want to look for flights to Cusco (CUZ) which will always require a layover. Layovers are often in Bogota or Lima and arrivals in Lima are generally around 1-2 am. You can also fly into Lima and spend a night or two there.
IMPORTANT: Generally anytime you land in another country you need to get your luggage and rescan it or re-check it for customs. Every country is different so check ONCE YOU ARRIVE, so do not count on the front desk lady who checked you in at your first airport. In Lima you must re-check your bags. Make sure you have enough time during your layover for customs and the bag check.
Cusco is located at 11,350 ft/3500 m, you will need to arrive early in order to acclimatize.
Our Andes to the Amazon cycling adventure includes meals prepared by local restaurants. The delicious meals generally consist of a soup with fresh vegetables and potatoes with a main meal afterwards. The main meals are generally chicken or trout along with rice, potatoes and vegetables. Most lunches do not contain flour. Thankfully all of our meat is free range, grass fed and produced by local farmers with small farms. We do cater to both vegetarian and vegan diets.
We provide nutritious, locally made snacks for the hiking days. However, Peru does not have all of the same high calorie snacks that you may enjoy at home. Feel free to bring extra energy bars for the trail that you may find yourself craving.
We provide fresh water for the entirety of the ride. You will need a bottle or CamelBak to fill in the mornings.
Cusco has an amazing food scene and there are many places to choose from, take advantage before and after this amazing ride.
The accommodations are a perfect mix of campsite tents and hotels. The hotels are comfortable with hot water, wifi, breakfast and a helpful and accomodating staff.
What to bring:
The support car is with you for the entire ride. You can leave your extra gear inside. Each day you’ll carry your water, snacks, camera, rain gear, layers, sunscreen, meds, and bug spray.
Any changes to the itinerary after the ride begins can incur charges.
There is very limited cell service for most of the ride.
We cannot be responsible for acts of nature such as, but not limited to, earthquakes, landslides, flooding, etc. Nor can we be responsible for strikes by the people closing down roads and transport. We will do our best in these situations to get you to the necessary destination; however, you may need to depart earlier than expected or take a transport that is longer than stated in the itinerary or make changes to the itinerary
We’re super excited you’ve booked your Peru 7-day Andes to the Amazon cycling adventure with us! Now, we’ll need some information from you.
You will receive a couple of emails from us asking for specific information. Please get us that information as soon as possible to begin making reservations for your trip.
If you have added on any extras like a Machu Picchu tour or extra hotel nights we will begin planning that aspect of the trip with you as well.
Working out in a gym, running, or going on long extended rides will definitely help you out. Good rest, healthy eating and hydration is a good idea as well.
Talk to your travel clinic about any vaccines or medications you may want. You will be in the Manu National Park part of the Amazon along with Cusco. While there is currently no malaria or yellow fever outbreak in Manu National Park, you should consult your doctor about vaccines or medicines you may need.
While we don’t have a limit on the number of riders most of our trips are small and personal. In fact if you would like to create your own trip dates you can do so as long as two people are on the trip. We will then work to get others to join the Amazon cycling adventure with you!
The distances are noted for each day; time is biker-dependent.
Every meal from day 1 lunch to day 7 breakfast.
What to bring:
If you want a room to yourself, let us know and we can arrange that.
Price: $30 per person per night
6 nights: $180 per trip
All add-ons can be purchased at check out.
Reviews
I contacted Bill and Nicole from Haku when I was planning my month long journey to Peru. My Spanish is mediocre, so working with an English-speaking group was a must. Not only are they an American family living in Cusco, they know everything to do in Peru, how much it costs, and who is the most reputable. I planned my entire trip with them, including Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, Lake Sandoval in the Amazon, and a 5-day trek through the Salkantay Pass. All of my experiences were fantastic, safe, and affordable. Such a lovely family and reliable business. HIGHLY, highly recommended!
I have been referred to Bill by a friend who stayed in his house a year ago and had a great stay. So the bar was high but Bill exceeded all expectations. He set up a great itinerary for us that had a little bit of everything in it. We were able to get a good feel for Peru in just 9 days... a little of Cusco, Machu Picchu, Amazon, with hiking, ATVs, Zip lining, etc.
All logistics were done perfectly. I was surprised that with 4 different places to stay and almost daily transfers from one place to another (planes, trains, taxis) we never had to wait anywhere, everything was prepared and ready, everyone was waiting for us at all times/places. When our flight from Amazon was cancelled and we were left in the middle of nowhere without any Spanish he was my first call and he helped us get a taxi and find a place to stay. All this for a very reasonable price. when i go back to Peru, i would use him again for sure and of course I would suggest him to all my friends who will be interested in Peru.
This 7-day Andes to the Amazon Cycling Adventure in Peru is for avid cyclists who practice cross country cycling or road cycling and want to be challenged and amazed by world class scenery and high altitude pedaling. If you are looking for something easier or a one day trip, check out our Inca Legends downhill ride.
Our 7-day Andes to the Amazon cycling adventure is ideal for you if:
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What’s the price of this 7-day Andes to the Amazon Cycling Adventure? And what’s included?
The price is 2295$ per person.
Price includes:
Not included:
Our Cross Country MTB tours take you from one spectacular destination to the next. On these, you’ll cycle literally across whichever country you’re visiting. For instance, check out our Andes to the Amazon tour, where you travel from Cusco to the Peruvian Amazon.
Our current XC vacations are made up of long-distance rides on backcountry roads. If you are looking for XC singletrack, get in touch with us, and we’ll set up a one-of-a-kind MTB tour suited to your needs.
How we define XC: Anywhere from old logging or fire roads to rolling singletrack, Cross Country trails are generally long distances with both ascents and descents. While trails may be somewhat technical with rock gardens and tight switchbacks, they generally do not have intense steep rock gardens like those you might find in DH or Enduro racing.
An XC bike is often lighter with a slacker head tube angle for better climbing ability and tends to not have a dropper post although the trend is changing. Usually it will be a hardtail or a full suspension bike with a smaller amount of suspension — 100-130mm.
Most XC riders do not wear pads such as elbow or knee pads and wear a half-shell helmet.
Our MTB expeditions are multi-day trips that involve camping, hiking and/or local home stays in the mountains with cooks and porters. At the moment Haku Expeditions offers one complete mountain expedition and also two packages that combine an MTB vacation with a smaller expedition nestled in it.
The front travel for DH bikes is usually somewhere around 200mm with the rear measuring slightly less. Because they generally aren’t pedalled uphill, these bikes are rugged and heavy and usually have less gears. DH riders wear full-face helmets, goggles, and body armor.
At the moment we do not offer a 100% DH trip. Contact us and we can make a custom trip for you! Below, you’ll find our Enduro MTB tours listed that are mostly all downhill and can be done either with a DH bike or an Enduro bike.
How we define DH: DH riding – or Downhill riding — is regarded as an intense, extreme kind of cycling, made for advanced riders who love to navigate roots and rocks and huge drops with furious downhill speed. It requires a stellar sense of balance and technique and a bike with slacker geometry.
The front travel for DH bikes is usually somewhere around 200mm with the rear measuring slightly less. Because they generally aren’t pedalled uphill, these bikes are rugged and heavy and usually have less gears. DH riders wear full-face helmets, goggles, and body armor.
Our Enduro/All-Mountain MTB tours are by far our most popular trips to date. While some of them focus more on descent like Ecuador and Peru, others include plenty of pedaling such as those in Colombia and Nepal.
How we define Enduro/All Mountain: Enduro mountain biking, also known as All-Mountain biking, emphasizes technical ability. If you’re looking for a more adventurous ride, this is the kind of ride for you; usually, an Enduro/All-Mountain trail will involve adrenaline-pumping downhill mountain biking along with sustained climbs.
Enduro riders need bikes that can take burly drops and rugged technical obstacles efficiently while still being light enough to climb with; they almost always use full-suspension bikes with wide tires and longer rear and front suspension travel. Dropper post is a necessity and standard. The front suspension can be anywhere from 140mm to 170mm. Full-face enduro helmets and body amour are a must for Enduro racing.
1 – The Haku Christmas Drive, which includes yearly clothing giveaways, shoe drives, and a public hot chocolate panettone lunch.
2 – School supply giveaway for children of the High Andes.
3 – Bringing bread and fruit to kids living at elevations where none is available.
4 – Facilitating connections between local organic farmers and local restaurants.
5 – Affordable MTB classes for locals taught by professional coaches.
6 – Sustained commitment to hiring out locals to work as drivers, office workers, etc., allowing a great amount of flexibility for family commitments, and paying them fair, livable wages.
7 – Donating 1% of all profits to help educate children in a technical field such as carpentry.
8 – Helping young adults begin a small business working in their technical field or purchasing products from them to help them get started after high school.
1 – Getting your heart rate up isn’t really your thing, and you rarely (if ever) exercise. Your idea of a perfect vacation is total relaxation: sitting on a beach, sipping a mojito, and just generally vegging out.
2 – You don’t necessarily work out regularly but you aren’t averse to the idea of doing something active. Although you don’t exercise that often, you don’t necessarily consider yourself out of shape.
3 – You exercise one to two times a week but do not have a normal schedule that keeps you biking or doing other activities weekly. You don’t go to the gym or train for any specific sports but you lead a relatively active lifestyle by biking, hiking, skiing, or whatever it may be. For biking: climbs and long descents give you some trouble and you tend to get tired after about 2-3 hours on the bike.
4 – You exercise 3-4 times a week and enjoy physical activities such as biking, hiking, skiing. You are active. For biking: you enjoy climbs that are are moderately long and being on a bike for 3-5 hours in one day doesn’t get you too tired or fatigued.
5 – You exercise at least 4 times a week and are an avid athlete that is consistently in good shape. You’re more or less game for any kind of adventure. For biking: you’re comfortable with being on your bike for 5-7 hours a day.
6 – You live and die for exercise, sweat, and suffering. You only want to climb higher, go farther, and prove how much of an animal you are. Steep climbs, long descents and big days are something you are looking to do more of and you can’t wait for your next adventure.
Beginner:
You’ve been riding a mountain bike for a couple of years or less and you’re most comfortable on smooth single-track and wider, forgiving doubletrack. You like rides with scenic views; you like both ascending and descending on well-maintained, safe trails. You’re looking for an active but relaxing mountain bike vacation; you’re not into jumps, drops, super steep trails, rock gardens, roots or taking big risks on your bike.
Intermediate:
You’ve got two plus years of experience mountain biking on single-track trails under your belt; you’ve gotten pretty confident behind the handlebars and are beginning to expand your mountain bike abilities. You like riding most types of terrain, and you’re comfortable both climbing and descending on single-track trails with smaller technical features such as rocky sections, small drops, and small steep sections. You aren’t trying to walk on most of the trail and are looking to take small risks with things like speed, jumps, rock gardens, and stair sets to improve your skills as a mountain biker.
Intermediate Tech:
You’ve got three plus years of riding on singletrack trails of all sorts with features such as rock gardens, steep sections, rolls and drops, roots, and small jumps. You are confident on the bike in most situations. You’re constantly looking to improve your riding skills and enjoy riding for extended periods of time climbing and descending in terrain of all sorts.
Advanced:
Ten plus years of experience riding single-track, freerides and biking of all sorts. You live for steeps, jumps, rock gardens, techy trails, long descents, big ascents and discovering new terrain. Mountain biking is one of your passions and you are ready and confident to do what you love in a new and challenging place. You can handle anything we throw at you — jumps, rock gardens, steps, technical descents, tough ascents, etc. Biking is a central part of your life. For you, the bigger the challenge, the more excited you get.
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Bill and Nicole put together an amazing vacation for us. Everything was organized, from the time that we landed in Lima to the time that we went home. Accommodations, drivers, guides, flights, bus tickets, Machu Picchu logistics, all went off without a hitch. All we had to do was get up and go. Their biking gear is top notch and well maintained and Bill and Nicole have a great knowledge of the Inca trails around the area. You want technical riding, they can definitely test your limits. You want relaxing riding, that is there also. You want to visit the Amazon or kayak in Lake Titicaca, yup, they can set that up also.
On a more personal note it was great to see how Bill and Nicole have embraced the culture and spirit of Peru and this transferred to the experiences that we had. Highly recommended and I am looking forward to returning for another round of amazing downhill.