Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [186]
If you head off the other side of the pass, to the left of the road, you’ll find fast-flowing single track through a narrow valley – you won’t get lost – which brings you out on the highway in Ccorao. From here, follow the road through a flat section then a series of bends. Just as the valley widens out, turn left past a farmhouse steeply downhill to your left, and into challenging single track through a narrow valley, including a hairy river crossing and some tricky, steep, rocky, loose descents at the end, bringing you down into the village of Taray. From here it’s a 10-minute ride along the river to Pisac, where you can catch a bus back to Cuzco.
Many longer trips are possible, but a professionally qualified guide and a support vehicle are necessary. The partly paved road down from Abra Málaga to Santa María, though not at all technical, is a must for any cyclist and is part of the Inca Jungle Trail (Click here), offered by many Cuzco operators. Maras to Salinas is a great little mission. The Lares Valley offers challenging single track, which can be accessed from Cuzco in a long day. If heading to Manu in the Amazon Basin (Click here), you can break up the long bus journey by biking from Tres Cruces to La Unión – a beautiful, breathtaking downhill ride – or you could go all the way down by bike. The outfitters of Manu trips can arrange bicycle rental and guides. The descent to the Río Apurímac makes a great burn, as does the journey to Río Tambopata, which boasts a descent of 3500m in five hours. A few bikers attempt the 500km-plus trip all the way to Puerto Maldonado, which gets hot and sweaty near the end but is a great challenge.
The following bike operators are recommended:
Amazonas Explorer (25-2846; www.amazonas-explorer.com) Offers excellent two- to 10-day mountain-biking adventures; great for families, with kids’ bikes available.
Andean Xtreme Adventure (974-79-0386; www.axaperu.com) Offers a unique two-day Lares trip, as well as all the usual day trips.
Cusco Aventuras (984-13-7403; cuscoaventura@hotmail.com) Local legend of loconess Luchín will give you the ride of your life.
Gravity Peru (22-8032; www.gravityperu.com; Santa Catalina Ancha 398) Allied with well-known Gravity Bolivia, this professionally run operator is the only one offering double-suspension bikes for day trips. Highly recommended.
Loreto Tours (23-6331; www.loretotours.com; Calle del Medio 111) Runs half-day trips to the ruins around Cuzco, full day and overnight trips in the Sacred Valley, and four-day rides down into the Amazon jungle. Rentals available.
Horseback Riding
Most agencies can arrange a morning or afternoon’s riding from US$10. Alternatively, you can walk to Sacsaywamán, where many of the ranches are, and negotiate your own terms. Choose carefully, however, as many horses are in a sorry state.
Other horseback-riding options require more legwork. Select agencies will offer multiday trips to the area around Limatambo, and there are some first-rate ranches with highly trained, high-stepping thoroughbred Peruvian paso horses in Urubamba (Click here).
Bird-watching
Serious birders should definitely get a hold of Birds of the High Andes, by Jon Fjeldså and Niels Krabbe. One of the best birding trips is from Ollantaytambo to Santa Teresa or Quillabamba, over Abra Málaga. This provides a fine cross section of habitats from 4600m to below 1000m. Englishman Barry Walker, owner of the Cross Keys pub (Click here), is a self-confessed ‘birding bum’ and the best resident ornithologist to give serious birders plenty of enthusiastic advice. He has written a field guide, The Birds of Machu Picchu, and runs a