MOUNTAIN BIKE PERU

What’s the price of this 5 day Ausangate bikepacking trip? And what’s included?

$1195 USD per person for a group of 3 people or more

$1495 USD per person for 2 person group

The Ausangate Bikepacking Trip includes:

• Airport pick up and drop off
• Entrances and fees into the park
• Local homestay for two nights
• English speaking guide
• All food, water, and snacks from day 1 lunch to day 5 lunch
• Cook and cook tent
• Horses and arrieros (men who wrangle the horses) to carry the gear and food. You are only carrying water, snacks, protective clothes and personal items (camera, sunscreen, etc.)
• Porters to help push the bikes where necessary (2 porters per 3 people)
• Transport to and from Cusco
• Tents
• Entrance into the hot springs
• Farewell dinner
• Haku jersey

Not Included:

• Meals not mentioned
• Bike rental
• Sleeping bag and mattress
• Tips

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.

For this 5-day Weekend Warrior MTB Getaway:For this Ausangate Bikepacking Trip:

You should have a mountain biking 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.

On this 5 day itinerary you can arrive on day 1 and leave on day 5 unless you would like to come early or stay longer.

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.

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 around 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. If you choose a flight all the way to Cusco, then you only pay once for your mountain bike on the first flight you take.

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 charges $35 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, any time 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; don’t simply count on the person at the front desk 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 migrations and the bag check.

Also, Cusco is at a very high altitude, so we suggest arriving early if possible to acclimatize.

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:

Bleed kit or ask if we have the one you need

Bring a well maintained bike for Enduro, All-Mountain Style Trails: Check that the chain is not stretched, cables are clean or new, the headset and pivots are moving nicely or cleaned and greased

You will need extra bike parts, please don’t expect to buy much on this trip

Extra brake pads

Derailer and shifter (Optional)

Spare Tire (Optional)

We recommend tires like Maxxis Highrollers, Assegai, Minions or something similar

Tubeless is your best bet. Bring extra sealant and an extra valve

A derailer hanger, a multi-tool and a tube are essential

Extra Screws for the bike and for clip-less shoes if you use them. Zip ties are great too

Any kind of liquids you may need, Reverb oil, brake oil, tubeless sealant, chain lube in small bottles. Pack in sealed baggies so they don’t explode in transit.

Our Peru mountain bike tours include breakfast from your hotel and lunch on ride days.

Our MTB rides include lunches at local restaurants and also in the homes of locals who live on the trail. All of the food we eat for lunch is produced locally and more often than not organic. Most meals are a large bowl of soup followed by a main meal. The main meals are generally meat, chicken or trout along with rice, potatoes, and vegetables. Most lunches do not contain flour. If you don’t eat meat, you can get a plate that has rice, eggs and fried plantain. All of our meat is free range, grass fed and produced by local farmers with small farms.

If you have dietary restrictions please let us know so we can help you plan for the trip accordingly.

We provide snacks for the ride days. However, Peru does not have the same high calorie snacks that most developed countries have. Feel free to bring extra energy bars for the trail if you think you may want snacks you already enjoy!

We provide water for the rides. You will need a bottle or camel pack to fill.

This Peru mountain bike trip does not provide dinner (except the farewell dinner of course!) We have chosen to do this so that you can explore Cusco’s amazing food scene on your own!

Although we do provide statistics as to the amount of miles/kilometers the rides are, vertical descent is a much more informative metric; for instance, a 9 mile ride that descends 800 feet is a lot different than a 9 mile ride that descends 8,000 feet.

Peru is one of the very few places where you can get more than 8,000 feet of descent per ride day. Many of the rides are between 8 miles to 18 miles long with most around 10 or 11. Many days we ride more than one. Our 7-day Peru mountain bike vacation will generally have about 25,000 feet of descent over the 4 ride days.

Breakfast each morning, lunch on ride days (4 lunches)

Each group should have at least 2 people with a max of 8 riders. If you are alone and have specific dates outside of our trip dates, contact us — we are flexible and will make sure we can get you out biking in Peru.

Our clients generally range in age from 25-55. However, all ages from 18 up are accepted if the mtb level and skill fit the trip.

The laws here are always changing. We have had no problems in the past with drones, although this is at your own risk. Furthermore, if you are jumping in with an already-formed group, we can’t promise that we’ll be able to stop to do drone footage for you as it can significantly cut in on riding time.

If you are in a private group and the group doesn’t mind, then we are happy to stop to film.

On each ride you should have a Camelbak with water, snacks, rain jacket and whatever bike tools you need for the trail. Since we sleep in a hotel each night, we do not need to carry any additional gear with us.

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.

Luggage remains at the hotel or comes with us in the shuttle vehicle when we move to another location. As for bike bags, they can be stored at the Haku shop with bikes while in Cusco.

In the Sacred Valley the bikes are stored at the hotel. We can provide smaller duffel bags for you if you should need one for excursions to the valley.

Do not overstep your limits. Please walk any section of the trail that you are not comfortable riding.

We require that you purchase travel/ trip insurance outside of cc or medical insurance from home. This insurance is much more broad than just medical insurance in case you get hurt. These insurances also cover, trip interruption, trip cancelation and many other good benefits. If something happens and you miss part of the trip these insurances will return the lost portion of the trip to you.

We do not do refunds for missed trips, trips that are cut short due to an injury or trips that are interrupted due to natural causes such as weather, strikes by the people, etc.

In short: Our dry season is between mid-May and late September. The shoulder seasons are April and October, and the rainy season is between November and March with the heaviest rains in December and February.

The weather in the mountains changes quickly. Be prepared always for both cold, hot and rainy weather.

Basically, this is true year-round: if you’re in the sun, you’re hot; if you’re in the shade or the clouds are out, it’ll be chilly.

The cloud forest area can be very warm. You can use shorts and short sleeves but may choose not to due to the bugs.

Our guides are local men and women who are have at least three years experience as a mountain bike guide and are excellent companions on the trail.

They have a keen knowledge of both their history and their surroundings — it’s a pleasure to be with them.

This trip is based on shared room and shared tents.

Brining more gear means bringing more horses and horsemen.

Price: $200 USD

All add-ons can be purchased at check out.

Save yourself the hassle of bringing a bike!

We have a full fleet of rental bikes.  We provide Kona Process 153 full suspension mountain bikes.

Price: $60 USD per ride day

7 ride days: $420 USD

All add-ons can be purchased at check out.

Seeing this iconic 15th century Incan citadel is a more than worthy bucket list item for most people that come to Peru. If you’d like, we’ll organize a tour of the site that includes a round-trip train ticket, entrance to the sanctuary, and an English-speaking guide.

Archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as a palace for the Incan emperor Pachacuti in the 15th century. They abandoned it after roughly a century, during the Spanish conquest, and it then remained virtually unknown until 1911, when American historian Hiram Bingham made Machu Picchu’s existence public. In 1983, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and since then it has captured the imagination and awe of the millions of people who travel to experience its magic.

Price: $350 per person. (Normally $389 pp when purchased separately) 

Included:

• Entrance into Machu Picchu
• Round-trip train ticket on Peru rail
• An English-speaking guide
• Two-hour tour
• Taxi to the train station in Cusco

Not included:

• Bus up to the ruins ($24 USD, available to purchase at checkout)
• Entrance into Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain
• Taxi to train station in Ollantaytambo

All add-ons can be purchased at checkout.

Add on a full day of mountain biking to your trip.

We will take you out on some of our epic Andean singletrack or on a backcountry road ride! Don’t miss the chance the shred 2600 m/8000 ft of downhill MTB!

Price: $180 USD

All add-ons can be purchased at checkout

Make your vacation even easier! Let us book a hotel or airbnb for you!

We make sure to book you a place that has a central location in Cusco with in walking distance to the Plaza de Armas.

We also make sure you have a place that has real hot water as many places in Cusco only offer cold water or luke warm showers at best!

Hotels include breakfast. Private apartment airbnb do not.

Price: $60-80 USD for 1-2 person group

All add-ons will be offered to you at check out.

On this trip we provide porters to help us push our bikes. However, we do not provide one porter per person. It is often a ratio of one porter per 3 people.

If you believe that you will need a personal porter for you specifically then please add on a personal porter. If have asthma or any debility that might make it hard for you to help push a bike, you have this option.

Price: 200

All add-ons can be purchased at check out.

Sleeping bag rental

Price: $25 USD

All add-ons can be purchased at checkout.