Welcome from Lon Haldeman
This will be an energetic tour for physically active people who want to see a unique part of the world. We are offering several options of how you can combine these tours for your own travel schedule or interest. You can participate in one or all of these tours to best fit your needs. We will support each tour with the guides and equipment to make sure you have a fun adventure experience in Peru.
The first two days of our tour will begin by traveling to Lima, Peru and touring this beautiful city. On our third day we start our 475 mile bike ride from the Pacific Ocean over the Andes Mountains. During our 6 days of riding we will climb a 15,000' pass and spent a lot of time over 12,000'. We then descend into the Rain Forest and travel to the head waters of the Amazon River. According to local riders, no bicyclist has ever completed this entire trip from the Pacific into the Amazon Rain Forest.
After we reach the river we have two rest days of traveling by riverboat through the jungle. We will be able to go canoeing and view the Rain Forest wildlife.
We will then fly back to Lima to get ready for the hiking part of our tour. You will have a choice of a 5 or 8 day tour to Machu Picchu and Cuzco. The 5 day tour is by train and bus and stays at hotels each night. The 8 day tour includes four nights of camping on the Inca Trail and four nights in hotels. On the 8 day tour you will carry your packs and supplies over the staircase of paths that were cut into the mountains by ancient travelers (porters will carry your pack for an extra fee). We will camp above the clouds and visit the forgotten city of Machu Picchu and other villages.
This past November I visited Peru for two weeks and scouted the routes of our tour. I have made several friends in Peru who have been a big help in bringing all the details together. I was able to check our hotels and see the terrain we will be crossing.
I am enthusiastic to say that the route and landscape surpassed my expectations. The cycling roads are rural and safe. The hotel accommodations are clean and similar to European standards for beds and bathrooms. My brother hiked the Inca Trail section and said it is physically difficult, but a beautiful place to be tired.
My friend Rafael Belmonte owns the Peru Expeditions Company that will be supporting our group. Rafael is three time Peruvian National Cycling Champion and understands what good cyclists expect for services. His main business is organizing tours on the Inca Trail so he knows that area of Peru very well. Rafael and I have worked out a tour that is physically challenging, but also a safe and enjoyable way to see Peru.
Since this tour will take a little more logistical planning for all participants, we wanted everyone to be set and ready to go by next summer.
Here are some specific details to consider:
Tour prices include hotels, most meals, van support, camping equipment rental, airline flights across Peru, plus boat, bus and train fees.
10 Day Cycling and Riverboat $1,695
5 Day Cuzco and Machu Picchu Tour $895
8 Day Inca Trail and Machu Picchu Tour $1,595
Airline flights from Chicago to Lima cost $600 - $800 round trip on American Airlines. Many of you have free air miles, so travel to Lima is not included in the tour price.
Everyone in our group must be on the same flight that leaves Miami, Florida in late afternoon and arrives in Lima on Saturday night, November 3rd.
For the cycling part of this tour you will need your own bicycle and sleeping bag. Rafael is providing our cots and tents for camping as part of the tour. For the longer 8 day Inca Trail hike you will need a backpack (4,000 to 5,000 cubic inches), sleeping bag and a sleeping mat. For the shorter 5 day Machu Picchu Tour you will be staying in hotels so you do not need a backpack or sleeping gear.
I am recommending riders use a basic mountain bike. You should have high pressure street tires of at least 1.75 inches that can be pumped to 80 psi on the road and 50 psi on gravel. Most of the mountain grades are 4-6% so a triple chainring is nice but not required. Using aero bars or other touring handlebars would be helpful. These bikes will get bumped around and dirty while traveling across the country so don't bring your bike with the best paint job. Just bring a good basic bike with reliable wheels, shifting and brakes. Rafael will also have mountain bikes for rent for about $50 per day.
The most popular size bike wheel size in Peru is 26 inches. It is easy to find tires this size or even a new wheel in case you dented a rim. We will bring spare equipment in our support van, but for this type of desolate touring, usually simple basic equipment is better.
Detail Pages
What Kind of Bike to Bring to Peru
10 Day Cycling and Riverboat Tour
