Peruvian Jungle Mountain Bike Descent

Ollantaytambo · Peru

Challenging3 daysSouth America~£400 est.

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Overview

From the prayer-flagged crest of the Abra Malaga at 4,316 metres, the road to the Amazon simply falls away: some 3,000 vertical metres of hairpins dropping from puna grassland into cloud forest dripping with orchids, on the same axis Inca runners used between Ollantaytambo and the jungle. Operators in Ollantaytambo and Cusco run supported descents on full-suspension bikes; the Lares valley variants add hot springs and ridgeline singletrack far from any traffic. Back in the Sacred Valley you spin between Moray's concentric Inca crop terraces and the glittering salt pans of Maras, worked by hand since before the conquest. Altitude is the trap: the descent starts higher than most Alpine summits, so acclimatise in Cusco or the valley for two or three days first, and pack a windproof -- it can be near freezing at the pass and 25 degrees two hours later. April to October is the dry season with the most reliable trails. Three days with bike hire, guide and transfers runs about 400 pounds; carry soles for market lunches and site entry fees.