Kickstands up October 29-November 8
Andes Mountain 10-Day Tour
This is a benefit ride for
People of Peru Project
For every rider People of Peru Project sponsors an impoverished student for a full year in school.
We start in Cusco, taking in the grandeur of the Andes Mountain Range. Snow-capped mountains and primitive villages will be the mainstay as you experience Peru in a way that goes beyond the ordinary.
If you prefer the paved roads...there are plenty of them, connecting every major city and points of interest. If secondary roads and backcountry are what you want, you will be in the middle of it all.
NArrive IN CUSCO No later than October 27 for acclimation and prep. Kickstands up on November 29.
You can not arrive on the 29th, you need time to prep, and we depart Cusco first thing in the am on the 29th.
October 28 is a buffer day for missed flights, etc It just makes sense.
October 27 : Arrive in Cusco, Acclimate, relax, get fitted with gear, and prep for the trip. (It likely will take two days to get from the US to Cusco)
October 28: Acclimate and group meeting for protocol review.
October 29: Kickstands Up! Pick up bikes and tour the backcountry outside of Chinchero, heading down to Urubamba for a look around the Studio of Pablo Seminario, a world-renowned potter whose work is displayed in the Smithsonian, Chicago Field Museum, and the World Bank in New York. He is a friend of mine, and you will enjoy his warm welcome. Then, on to Laras for a soak in the hot springs and a night's rest in mountain cabins with local residents preparing our meals.
October 30: Enjoy a full day of riding in the mountains on primitive roads and creek crossings, interacting with curious local people and dodging the grazing Alpaca. We conclude the day in Ollantaytambo, where we leave our bikes and catch the train to Aguas Calientes the next morning for a tour of Machu Picchu.
October 31: Machu Picchu Tour, then back to Ollantaytambo to spend the night resting in this living Inca village.
November 1: Embark for Puno (Lake Titicaca), 7 hours of riding in the Alto Plano (high country)
November 2: Tour Lake Titicaca by boat, Uros (the floating Islands), then return midday for a half-day ride to the Sillustani Towers. This ancient burial site features the remains of large cylindrical and quadrangular tombs (chullpas), built by the Kollas and the Incas,
November 3: Puno to Chivay, passing over 16,000 ft. elevation along the way. Beautiful, rugged backcountry and snow-covered peaks will be the view of the day.
November 4: Chivay to the Colca Canyon "Condor observation point." Then, we spend the rest of the day riding in and around Colca Canyon, which is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, and visit a natural Steam Geyser 5 miles up a canyon by secondary roads.
November 5: Colca to Espinar. Primitive and paved roads wind up, down, over, and through this varied, breathtaking region. Some fantastic riding is an understatement.
November 6: Then, from Espinar to the Hanging Inca Bridge, "Q'eswachaka" is one of the most inspiring sights of the trip and some of the most beautiful roads you will ever encounter in this region. We finish the day in Cusco. Return the bikes and unwind with hot, showers, great food, and a look around this amazing city.
November 7: Enjoy the local sights in Cusco. There are many fantastic restaurants, a wealth of architecture, shopping, barber shops, and Inca Massages. You get the idea. This day also serves as a buffer in case we encounter any delays along the route back to Cusco. Don't plan to skip this day. We don't want to lose our one-day travel buffer.
November 8: Cusco/Lima/US flight
Included:
Motorcycle, Honda CB 500's Dual Sports.
Helmet, goggles/shield, though I can't imagine not bringing your own...
Heated gear is not required, but I highly suggest at least heated gloves for the high passes. We will talk about these things well in advance of the trip.
Essential spare parts and tools for regular roadside adjustments or tire repairs.
Tour guide, tickets to Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, and Colca Canyon, and all non-motorcycle transportation associated with the tour after arriving in Cusco, such as buses and trains for Machu Picchu, airport pickup, etc.
Breakfast in the hotel every day.
Hotels based on two-person occupancy
Transfer to and from the airport in Cusco
Notes:
The hotel rooms for this program are double rooms. Other arrangements can be made for single rooms with an increased fee. Please let me know in advance if you prefer to pay an extra fee for a single room. EVEN IF YOU COME EARLY OR STAY LATE, you will stay at our host hotel. We provide hotel pickup and drop-off. For logistics, we need to be in the exact location. You will love the hotel, it is in the heart of Historic Cusco.
Not included:
Airfare, Lunch, and dinner. We snack on the road for lunch and enjoy the local restaurants in the evening. Food is not expensive.
You will need to bring a dry bag/backpack, saddle bags, or soft bags, and possibly a tank bag, depending on what other gear you use. We will talk about that well before the ride. The bikes have back racks, but that is all. I have been using a soft bag system that I got from Marketplace about 8 years ago, along with a tail bag and a small magnetic tank bag.
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Check out our Facebook page for some photos and videos of recent tours. Peru VolunTours Or scroll back a bit on my Facebook page and see everything I posted from the rides.
Email: u4peru@gmail.com
There will be a ten-rider limit for this tour, and a minimum of 4.
A $250 deposit will hold your place and will be refunded IF, for some reason, the trip is canceled on OUR end.
A non-refundable $750 payment will be due September 15, and the balance of $1,900 will be due upon arrival in Cusco in Cash. Clean Crip $100 bills. We need to pay vendors there, and we avoid wire fees by you carrying the balance of your payment.
IF THINGS GO SIDEWAYS BECAUSE OF COVID-19 OR ANYTHING ELSE ON A GRAND SCALE, WE WILL ABSOLUTELY REFUND ANY MONEY THAT HAS NOT BEEN SPENT ON TICKETS OR FEES THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO RECOVER.
So, this is a fantastic adventure for $2,900 PLUS flights.
The international flight to Lima can cost anywhere from $500 to $1,000, depending on your departure city.
The in-country flights, Lima/Cusco/Lima, should cost less than $200. The previous groups have completed the project for less than $4,000. The flights are the variable component.
Kickstands are up on September 29, meaning you need to be in Cusco by September 27 or (28th) at the latest. We are starting from an elevation of 12,000 ft, so it is recommended that you arrive 2 days early to rest and acclimate. Hotel expenses before or after the 10-day tour are your obligation. You will still lodge at the same location, and we will still pick you up at the airport.
La Mochila Viajera Agency has booked hundreds of flights for our passengers and for the volunteers of our organization in Iquitos, People of Peru Project. Tell Vania that Paul from Peru Vpp oluntours/People of Peru Project, sent you, and that you need a flight all the way to CUSCO no later than September 27.
Her Whatsapp number is:
Vania PERÚ
+51 958 459 867
Agencia de viajes: “La mochila viajera EIRL” administradora de “La mochila de Vania”
She is very good and super responsive. She can book your international flight or just your Lima/Cusco/Lima flights if you need some assistance.
You will need WhatsApp on this trip to communicate with the group. There will be wifi in all the hotels in the evening for communication back home, group logistics, and picture sharing. If you don't have it on your phone...now is a good time. It is free and works very well.