Inca Treasures in the High Andes

After three days’ riding, we have a much-needed break from the road today. We recommend an early start for a morning walk through Cusco. Get lost in the maze-like narrow streets of San Blas neighbourhood and be sure not to miss Qorikancha (sun temple) or the beautiful Plaza de Armas. You are free to visit the Inca capital.

This morning, we head towards the Sacred Valley of the Incas. This region has so much to offer, especially the Maras salt mines and the mysterious Moray Inca ruins, believed to have been agricultural terraces. Plenty of tracks in store today, some even as smooth as a motorway: a fantastic action-packed leg.

And we couldn't come this far and not take a peek at the most famous and most visited place in South America! We are first transferred in Ollantaytambo to visit its ruins and from there we take a train to Aguas Calientes … Machu Picchu is getting closer! What imagination and toil it must have taken to build a city at such height! At the top, there are fewer crowds and you can enjoy getting lost among the ruins and marvelling at the amazing natural backdrop.

A long leg today, which is easily done on superb roads, which are tarmacked for most of the way. We leave the Andean heights and delve deep into the Amazon's ocean of greenery. We say farewell to the Sacred Valley with a visit to Pisac, another picturesque village. We briefly shadow the Urubamba River before cruising along the Interoceanic Highway, a newly built road that goes as far as Brazil and the Atlantic coast.

After a quiet night in the Amazon Basin we set off to tackle the Andean highlands, offering us another difference in altitude (3,700 m this time). An easy-sailing leg on wonderfully smooth roads. We use Macusani as a stopover, simply because once we are high up on the vast pampas between the Sacred Valley and Lake Titicaca, the available accommodations are quite scarce.

Not long after we leave the small town of Macusani, we find ourselves surrounded by pampas, reminiscent of the Himalayan highlands. Teeming with little mountain ranges, beautiful landscapes and snow-covered ledges, we cross never-ending meadows. Today serves up a good mix of tracks and well-tarmacked main roads, which lead us to the shores of the largest lake in South America: Lake Titicaca.

A well-deserved rest from riding is on the books today. You can walk around Lake Titicaca or take a trip to its surrounding islands, including the most authentic one: Taquile Island.

The grand finale! Our last day is by far one of the most spectacular of the trip as we make our way back to Arequipa. We take long main roads to gain some time with a handful of off-road detours surrounded by breathtaking landscapes. Long before we reach the large southern city, the imposing volcanoes appear on the horizon: a real feast for the eyes! We also cross some sections of the Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve, an extraordinary, extremely wild natural area, and ride through its white sand desert where groups of vicuñas frolic!

Depending on your flight schedule, you may be able to spend a few hours in Arequipa. You're transferred to the international airport.