Cusco Mountain Bike Adventure 11-days
Enjoy shredding some of the most epic MTB trails in Peru on this Cusco mountain bike adventure in the Andes!
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Our Cusco mountain bike adventure in the Andes is crafted for avid mountain bikers looking for a serious MTB holiday on raw singletrack trails through Inca territory. On this bike tour, you can expect epic enduro-style riding, stunning scenery, and cultural immersion. You’ll tackle more than 15,000 m/50,000 ft of descent while cycling through ancient ruins on historic Incan trails that are over 500 years old. Seven of the ten days will be shuttle-assisted mountain biking; the three off days will be used to travel, rest, service bikes, or adventure to places like Machu Picchu.
Mountain biking in Peru is a bucket-list item for tons of riders around the world, and one of the most exciting South American tours available. Book with Haku Expeditions to bike Cusco, Sacred Valley, and beyond! Not for nothing did pro MTBer Brett Tippie call his ten day Cusco mountain bike adventure in Peru one of the best mountain bike trips he’s ever been on. Check out the itinerary below for this once-in-a-lifetime Cusco MTB adventure with the experts in South America tours. Peru is waiting!
Ride Description
Since this is an intermediate to advanced level mountain bike tour you’ll be hitting all kinds of terrain! We will be mountain biking Cusco and the Sacred Valley on multiple MTB single track trails on each ride day! If you are looking to add in the Apu Ausangate to your 11-day tour check out this similar itinerary. You can expect to hit all mountain, enduro style trails and lots of shuttle assisted DH runs on this epic trip of a lifetime. There will be varied terrain such as technical single track, high alpine trails, desert style dirt, rock gardens, scree fields and fast Inca flow sections! The mountain bike trails in Peru are raw and wild!
Day by Day
Welcome to the Imperial City! Your Peru mountain bike vacation will begin as we pick you and your gear up at the airport. Cusco is waiting! Today, you’ll be preparing for an intense week of high-adrenaline mountain biking. After loading the van we will take you to exchange money and do any necessary things in Cusco before heading to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
If the group arrives at different times you can head out and start exploring Cusco while waiting for the rest of the crew to show up.
The Plaza de Armas now exists over what was once Haukaypata, the Great Inca Square. Now, it is dominated by the towering Spanish architecture of the Cusco Cathedral as well as a charming collection of cafes and bars. Breathe in the history, acquaint yourself with Peruvian cuisine, and drink a cold Pilsen Callao or Pisco Sour as you mentally prepare for the mountain bike trip of a lifetime!
At night in your hotel we will come and give a short briefing about the upcoming week’s adventure!
We need to be clear that the following itinerary is an example itinerary, we will ride all or most of the trails listed but sometimes due to weather, logging, road closures, festivals, we may juggle the order or change trails out for new trails or trails that fit the groups riding style and dynamics. What we do promise is an epic trip with lots of downhill, super fun riding.
Lodging: Hotel in Sacred Valley AMAK
Meals not included
Get excited, because today is the first day of your epic Peruvian MTB adventure tour! In the morning, we’ll pick you up in our private shuttle and take you to the Sacred Valley, about 20 kilometers north of Cusco, to give you your first taste of the Andes. We’ll head to Lamay, a steep valley dotted with small adobe pueblos, and shred downhill singletrack for 13 km. We’ll take on ancient Incan trails, chunky Incan stairs, and natural hits with plenty of free-ride open sections at the top. The burly Inca stairs will be sure to get your blood pumping before finally dropping into Lamay village.
When we finish riding this first Lamay trail, we can either hit it again or ride any of the other many trails that are in Lamay Valley; one of our favorites is Lamay 3, where we’ll shuttle up through some breathtaking scenery to ride a fast and fluid MTB trail with switchbacks, a gnarly rock garden, and views of the famous Huchuy Qosqo. This one also ends in the town of Lamay. We will sleep in the Amak hotel in Huran.
MTB Adventure Tour Trail Stats:
Lamay 1
Distance: 16.78 km/10.42 mi
Max Elevation: 4334 m/14219 ft
Elevation descent: 1386 m/4547 ft
Ascent: 71 m/233 ft
Lamay 3
Distance: 7.22 km/4.5 mi
Max Altitude: 3542 m/11,620 ft
Ascent: 277m/908 ft
Elevation descent: 574 m/1942 ft
Lodging: Hotel in Sacred Valley AMAK
Food included: B, L, snacks
Today, we’ll hit the wide-open scree fields — check out pro MTBer Geoff Gulevich’s gnarly GoPro video from this part of his Haku mountain bike adventure. The shuttle will take us up to the Lares pass where we’ll hike our bikes up to 4462 m/14,600 ft. From there, we’ll rip free ride lines through the scree and ride down verdant mountainside down we hit an ancient Inca singletrack trail. We’ll pass high-Andean alpaca herds as we descend to the town of Calca, where we’ll finally have a chance to catch our breath after our dreamlike ride through the high country. There are many versions of the Lares trail. We can choose to ride it twice, or even a different version, if we have the time.
MTB Adventure Tour Trail Stats:
Lares with the scree field and waterway
Distance: 20 km/12.5 mi
Max Elevation: 4446 m/14,587 ft
Ascent: 184 m/603 ft
Descent: 1482 m/4862 ft
Lares Inca Trail section
Distance: 7.56 km/4.7 mi
Max Elevation: 4227 m/13,868 ft
Ascent: 55 m/180 ft
Descent: 566 m/1857 ft
Lodging: Hotel in Ollantaytambo or in another Sacred Valley Hot Spot
Food included: B, L, snacks
Time to rest up once again! After the Lamay and Lares rides, you’ll be ready for a day to eat, sleep, and rejuvenate. Or, if you’ve still got enough energy, you can visit places like the Temple of the Sun and the Wall of the Six Monoliths within it, or the Inca Granaries of Pinkulluna up on the hillside.
Today would also be a great day to visit the historical crown jewel of Peru, Machu Picchu — check out our optional Machu Picchu add-on. If you think you would like to explore the ancient Incan citadel, let us know and we’ll set up an excursion for you, complete with a tour!
Lodging: Hotel in Ollantaytambo or Sacred Valley
Food included: B
Today is, in a word, hardcore. We’ll hit Patacancha, which is famous for being one of the highest-altitude enduro races in the world at a whopping 14,500 ft, with rock gardens and narrow dirt switchbacks. As such, any bucket-list-worthy MTB adventure tour in Latin America wouldn’t be complete without it!
The course is split up into five stages, with tons of free-ride lines and cross-country-type terrain. There are multiple trails you can ride here — we’ll ride the section from the top all the way down past Patacancha and into Huilloc. There, we’ll have a home-cooked lunch with a local family. After that, we’ll ride a trail exclusive to Haku Expeditions though Huilloc alto before doing a local favorite Pumamarca. We will ride back into town and then pack up and head to Cusco!
MTB Adventure Tour Trail Stats:
Patacancha Enduro
Distance: 17.3 mi/27.9 km
Max Elevation: 4435 m/14,552 ft
Ascent: 138 m/ 452 ft
Descent: 1551 m/ 5089 ft
Lodging: Hotel in Sacred Valley, generally in Urubamba
Food included: B, L, snacks
Hopefully you slept well last night — today is, in a word, amazing!
The coveted number one trail La Maxima is on the itinerary for today.
We can ride La Maxima a seemingly endless enduro trail that takes us through 15 km of Andean single track. This highly demanding Enduro trail has punchy climbs, long beautiful traverses with stunning views, loose rocky switchbacks, and loose baby head sections that will give you Popeye forearms.
La Maxima MTB Route
Distance: 15 km/9.3 mi
Max elevation: 4407 m/ 14,456 ft
Ascent: 65 m/213 ft
Descent: 1,537 m/ 5,042 ft
Note: This trail is for advanced riders only. If the group can not ride this trail we will head elsewhere for the day.
Lodging: Sacred Valley
Meals included: B, L
After riding today we will head back to the city of Cusco where you can enjoy the night life and get to know the capital of the Incas!
Our routes today will depend on the riding abilities of the group or the style of trails that is preferred.
One option is to ride Pumamarca twice and Maras 2 twice before heading back to Cusco.
Maras 2 is a totally different style of terrain than we have seen so far. It has desert style dry trails that take you along cliff sides and down to the Urubamba river. This is a local favorite and can be ridden more than once today. Be ready for loose and steep!
Edge of the world Pumamarca ride. This ride begins at the Pumamarca ruins and passes over sequences of ancient Incan terraces — it’s always a highlight, with fast fluid sections interspersed with techy rock sections.
We can also check out the epic El Sapo trail that takes us past the magical Moray ruins before dropping us onto some fun singletrack.
Cold beers are a must after this long and intense ride!
A shuttle will then take us back to Cusco and your new lodging.
Peru Mountain Bike Vacation Trail Stats:
Maras 2:
From top to Pinchingoto
Distance: 10.23 km/6.35 mi
Max elevation: 3697 m/12,129 ft
Descent: 863 m/2831 ft
Maras 2 from the church
Distance: 6.48 km/4 mi
Max Elevation: 3360 m/ 11,023 ft
Descent: 521 m/ 1709 ft
Pumamarca:
Distance: 5.11 km/ 3.17 mi
Max Elevation: 3336 m/10,944 ft
Descent: 462 m/ 1515 ft
Lodging: In Cusco
Meals included: B, L
Get some rest today, you’ve earned it. Maintain your bike, eat, sleep, eat some more, sleep some more — all activities essential to the success of any MTB adventure tour. Riding at high elevation actually burns twice the amount of calories than at lower elevation, so load up on Peruvian superfoods like maca, tarwi, quinoa, and chia.
But if you aren’t too sore, there’s tons to do in Cusco. Visit the stunning ruins of Sacsayhuaman or experience the colorful authenticity of the San Pedro Market, just a quick 8-minute walk from La Plaza de Armas. There, you’ll find ladies in traditional dress at tiendas selling nectarines, nuts, and plantains, and other kiosks selling alpaca jumpers and pachamama dolls. Try foods like lomo saltado (stir-fried beef) and anticuchos (beef hearts) and indulge in local fruits like lucuma, granadilla, and chirimoya. If you have a soft spot for the arts, check out the contemporary tapestries at El Museo Maximo Laura or the ancient artifacts in El Museo de Arte Pre-Colombino. If the possibilities for today feel overwhelming, come by the shop, and any of our guides can give you tips on how to make the most of your day in Cusco!
Lodging: Hotel in Cusco
Food included: B
Today, we’ll hit some more trails without which your Peru MTB adventure tour would not be complete. The locals love these, so you’re in for a treat. Brujo is one of the sickest trails in the area — it’s an epic Enduro trail with some climbing and pedaling at over 3960 m/13,000 ft of elevation, boasting lots of rock gardens, ridge lines, and a few steep sections. The views are some of the best in the area and will leave you breathless for your last day of riding. When we finish Brujo, we can either ride the trail again, or head over to one of Cusco’s new trails, El Pastor. This trail has by far the most exposure of all the trails we have ridden and offers unrivaled views of the city.
MTB Adventure Tour Trail Stats:
Brujo AKA Milky Way
Distance: 8 km/5 mi
Max Elevation: 4225 m/13,860 ft
Ascent: 50 m/164 ft
Descent 846 m/2765 ft
El Pastor
Distance: 8 km/5 mi
Max Elevation: 4220 m/13,846 ft
Ascent: 141 m/462 ft
Descent: 954 m/3129 ft
Lodging: Hotel in Cusco
Meals: B, L, D, Snacks
Today we will have breakfast between 8-8:30. We will head out around 9 am to the Radar trailhead. Bill and Nic were the first to ever lay tracks on this crazy, seemingly never-ending enduro -style trail in the South Valley of Cusco, and from the moment they did it, they knew they’d have to share with other adventurous riders. After lunch at a local restaurant, we can either head back to Cusco or get one last Urban DH trail in before we call it a day.
MTB Adventure Tour Trail Stats:
Radar
Distance: 18.8 km/11.7 mi
Max Elevation: 4,468 m/14,658 ft
Ascent: 94 m/309 ft
Descent: 1367 m/4,487 ft
Urban DH MTB route
Distance: 6.52 km/4 mi
Max elevation: 3,770 m/12,368 ft
Ascent: 21 m/69 ft
Descent: 399 m/1,309 ft
Lodging: Hotel in Cusco
Food included: B, L, snacks
We will say goodbye and take you to the airport for your departure today.
Included: B, airport drop off
General Information
What’s the price of this 11-day Cusco Mountain Bike Adventure? And what’s included?
The price is $2,195 per person with guaranteed departures! Hop on one of our preplanned mountain bike trips or bring a friend and pick your own dates!
Included:
Not included:
NOTE: As this is South America, things like route closures, weather, labor strikes, and landslides can cause unexpected changes in plans, so your cooperation when our itinerary needs to be flexible is appreciated.
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!
For this 11-day Cusco Mountain Bike Adventure:
You should have a mountain biking skill level of 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.
Your fitness level should be at least a 3.5: You will want to be in between these two levels
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 moderately long and being on a bike for 3-5 hours in one day doesn’t get you too tired or fatigued.
We include airport pick up and drop off with your mountain bike.
A driver will be waiting at the Cusco airport for you with a sign with your name. He will not arrive early. If your flight arrives early please wait for him to arrive at the original scheduled time of arrival.
We offer to pick you up any date you arrive. Therefore, if you would like to arrive early we will pick you up and store your bicycle for you. We also offer to take you to the airport on any date you leave from Cusco. We do not offer this service from another area such as the Sacred Valley.
Before you book flights. Traveling to Peru with your bike:
This trip 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. Layovers are often long and arrivals to Lima are generally red eye. If you choose a flight all the way to Cusco then you will only pay once for your mountain bike, you will however need to recheck it.
You can also fly into Lima and spend a night there before flying out in the morning. If you choose that option let us know so we can help with your bicycle logistics. This requires that you pay a second time for your bike. Latam, as of 2024, charges 40 usd on national flights.
Check if you need a visa for any of the countries you may pass though such as China. Some countries require it even when passing though, others will allow you to stay in the airport in a special area without leaving. Be sure of your layover countries visa requirements.
Before booking flights look into how much baggage you are allowed and how much an oversized bag will cost you. All bicycles are oversized. The price ranges so check this before booking the flight. We recommend you call the airline beforehand.
IMPORTANT: Generally anytime you land in another country you need to get your luggage and rescan it or re-check it for security purposes. Every country is different so check ONCE YOU ARRIVE, do not count on the front desk lady who checked you in at your first airport. In Lima you must re-check your bags/bike. Make sure you have enough time during your layover for migracions and the bag check.
Cusco is at very high altitude so we suggest arriving early if possible to acclimatise.
We recommend you bring a full-suspension all-mountain, trail, or enduro bike.
These days, the trail bikes have become more like enduro bikes and the enduro bikes have become more like DH bikes. Therefore, what we recommend is a full-suspension mountain bike with 140mm or more of suspension in the front and rear.
We also recommend that you have a tubeless tire setup and tires such as Maxxis Minion, Highroller, or Assegai.
For the bike:
How to pack your bike for travel
Packing your bike for a trip like this requires either a bike bag or a bicycle box. Both work. If you do not have a bicycle box you can contact your local bike shop and generally get one for free or very cheap.
Steps to pack your bag:
Drop the seat post before you take off the wheels. It’s easier that way.
Take the pedals off, it is easier now while the bike is still whole.
You will need to take off the handle bars. Put the screws back into the stem so you do not lose them. Strap the handlebars to the side of the bike with padding. Make sure nothing moves so you bike does not get scratched. Zip ties can help with this.
Take out some of the air in the tires. This is a requirement for flying with the bike. Take off both wheels. We recommend you put the axle back into the bike so you do not lose it.
Take off the discs from the wheels. While this may seem tedious it saves your disk from getting bent and only takes a few minutes. Put the disks inside something like a folder to keep them safe. Put the screws inside a baggie and tape to the folder. Keep them with the bike. (If you lose your suitcase with clothes at least you still have your full bike together!)
Take off the derailer and derailer hangar. While this is optional it keeps both pieces from getting bent. Remember exactly how this goes back on.
If you have a bike bag like Evoc or Dakine there will be directions of what goes where. Make sure to tie up the chain so it does not move and scratch the bike. Tie up any loose ends with zip ties or string.
If you are using a bike box you will need to put in a tire or two first then the frame (and maybe the second tire) with the bars strapped to the bike. Make sure nothing moves. I usually use zip ties to make sure the tires are strapped in one place with the frame. Also make sure that the cog set is facing away from the bike. This will scratch the bike otherwise.
Once everything is packed you can often put a few extra items inside like your helmet, bike shoes and empty CamelBak. You will want to keep the bag at 23 kilos/50 pounds unless the company you are flying with allows for more weight without a price increase. (Calling to make sure is the best way to know)
Also, don’t forget to put your name, address, phone number and email on the bag or box.
Reviews
"I had the time of my life on Haku Expeditions' 10 day 4th of July mountain biking tour. Every day was perfectly executed. Bill and Nicole, the tour directors, are friendly, humorous, and hire the best support staff, and accommodation partners available in Cusco. They set me up with a wonderful hotel two doors away from where the tours departed from daily. So convenient!
The rides were shuttled to the top of the trail each riding session. Healthy, tasty, snacks were always provided, along with plenty of water for my Camelback. While, I was brave enough to bring my own bike to and from Perú, Haku Expeditions has a fleet of Kona full suspension bikes available for rent, too. Each trail we rode down ended in a charming little town, where we ate some of the he best Peruvian food I've ever experienced! (All included in the price for the 10 day trips.) The meal at the end of the trail on the 4th of July was extra special! After descending the trail "Lares," we were welcomed by a barbeque party full of expats. Lots of potluck sides, chicken wings, and the biggest, freshest, cut of beef tenderloin I've ever seen! (I'm from the Midwest, too!) After we ate, we all played a super fun game of wiffleball! It was so much fun that kids from the area joined in! That was such a precious moment! After the wiffleball game, the festivities weren't over. The masterminds at Haku Expeditions had more fun planned. Fireworks! Not simply bottle rockets and firecrackers. I'm talking about humongous mortars! The stuff great 4th of July memories are made of!
Every other day of the trip was just as awesome! Awesome views, challenging trails, and amazing food! Because I'm a cross country mountain biker, I was also interested in climbing themed rides. So, on the rest days, either Bill or Nic guided me up hills as long as I could handle! That's what I call going the extra mile!
My riding buddies are all super jealous, some are already excited to plan a trip for next year's 10 day 4th of July mountain biking trip.
Bottom line, look no further than Haku Expeditions for your Peruvian adventures!"
"The 10 day mountain bike trip was absolutely a trip of a lifetime. The owners, Bill and Nicole, are amazing humans who you can trust without a doubt in your mind to find the best trails suited for your group, to show you the local culture, and share their exceptional knowledge having lived in the country for 7+ years. Along with Bill and Nicole, we had a pro-mountain biker, Geoff Gulevich, and a Peruvian guide (who ripped) leading our rides. The trails are phenomenal and wide ranging, taking you through remote villages and ruins, allowing you to experience true Peruvian culture while taking you off the beaten path, or ending with an urban downhill riding the stairs and alleys of Cusco.
Lodging was always comfortable and convenient. Food was amazing (we even had a homemade lunch in a village with a local family). Laughs were endless. And the mountain biking may be the best I have ever experienced, flowy technical downhill shuttles from 14,500 ft elevation, while passing alpacas, dogs, pigs, cows, donkeys, and locals on their village trails. Haku also coordinated our trip to Machu Picchu, which made it a very easy excursion for the day. The small group size and maximized riding days made this trip stand out from others when we were originally researching our options. I couldn't be more thrilled with the entire experience, and will certainly never forget our Peruvian adventures. Anyone seeking international biking adventures should take this mind-blowing trip"
"We spent 10 days in Peru with Haku having the most exhilarating time of our lives. The focus was on the biking but we felt totally integrated with the culture and the environment of the Inca region. Nicole and Bill run a very informal, but totally professional adventure company. They are very ethically minded and have a great rapport with the local community. We joined in with the locals for travel and dining, and made sure we felt part of community.
The biking was epic. As novice downhillers we were treated as equals and were given great coaching by the guides. At the same time we were taken on the very best challenging trails, even for the professionals. Nothing was too much to ensure we all had a great time. Just looking at the pictures and the videos on the site does not do the experience justice. We came away trying to think how the expedition could be improved and couldn't find anything.
We were busy all the time and had the opportunity to visit Machu Picchu, which was also well planned in the week. If you are an experienced biker and want to see some of the world's best trails in a fabulous environment then this is the event for you. "
This 11-day Cusco mountain bike adventure in Peru is for avid, intermediate to advanced mountain bikers who want to be challenged and amazed with a world-class mountain biking trip in South America. Mountain biking in Peru is no walk in the park; given that this is a trip for even pro MTB riders to brag about, this isn’t a tour for beginners. Short on time? Check out this tour here!
Our 11-day Cusco mountain bike adventure is ideal for you if:
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What’s the price of this 11-day Cusco Mountain Bike Adventure? And what’s included?
The price is $2,195 per person with guaranteed departures! Hop on one of our preplanned mountain bike trips or bring a friend and pick your own dates!
Included:
Not included:
NOTE: As this is South America, things like route closures, weather, labor strikes, and landslides can cause unexpected changes in plans, so your cooperation when our itinerary needs to be flexible is appreciated.
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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"I had such a fantastic time riding with these guys. Haku takes care of all the logistics to make your trip easy peasy. Bill and Nic are quite possibly the friendliest and coolest people I know. The trails they bring you to are out of this world fun! The views are ridiculous!
If you are tired of those lame trips where you're herded through the views, look no further. These guys know how to plan trips and leave out all the BS. If you're a serious biker, book a trip now. The tech and the descents are legit! They also have a fleet of bikes to rent that are kept in awesome shape (Kona Process). All the guides are serious rippers on bikes (note to you advanced level riders).
If you're looking for more of a beginner/intermediate ride, that's cool too! They can adjust their rides to your abilities. I can't say enough great things about these guys. Communication is great and they'll do anything they can to help you out. I just returned from my trip and I'm already thinking about booking