The Back Door to Machu Picchu 3d/2n

Check out this three-day multi-adventure trip to the breathtaking ruins of Machu Picchu while trekking and mountain biking! We promise you that you have never had an exhilarating experience such as this - the combination of the downhill mountain biking, trekking and exploration of Machu Picchu's ruins is simply fantastic! Plus you can also opt to try the most challenging zipline in South America in Santa Teresa or visit the beautiful waterfalls in the vicinity. Day one involves a 75km downhill bike ride to Santa Maria on top quality full-suspension Kona mountain bikes, with a private vehicle support and an English-speaking guide. Day two is a relaxing morning in Santa Teresa, where we have the option of doing the longest and highest zipline in South America, enjoying a trek to a local waterfall or just chilling out in the famous Santa Teresa hot springs. In the afternoon we make our way to Aguas Calientes at the base of Machu Picchu. Day three we spend visiting the incredible Machu Picchu ruins – and entrance to Machu Picchu is also included! In the evening we make our way back to Ollantaytambo by train where you can choose to spend a night or return directly to Cusco.

Many of the world’s top professional free rider and DH racers have taken this trip and they all loved it. What's not to like about it? It is all cruising down a curvy, smooth road a long way - from the icy start at the very base of a glacier (5700 meters or 18,600 feet Mt. Veronica) down a few hours to the upper Amazon jungle, where you can literally pick a banana or coffee bean from your bike seat at the end of the ride.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1
Cusco – Abra Malaga – Santa Teresa

Our biking day involves 75 kilometers and 3312 meters of vertical descent on an asphalt road, taking you from the Andes to the Amazon – the most adventurous way to get to Machu Picchu! From Cusco we head out to Ollantaytambo and then Abra Malaga where we start our biking. This is the same route that the Inca Ollanta took in the 16th Century when he fled with his people to escape from the Spanish. Our biking finishes in the small jungle village of Santa Maria. After arriving and enjoying a nice cold one, we jump into a local transport for the one-hour bus ride to Santa Teresa and then onto our hotel in St. Theresa for a comfortable stay (Dinner included).

Day 2
Santa Teresa - Zipline – Aguas Calientes

After a relaxed breakfast we have two options. Most opt for the famous Cola De Mono – one of the highest and longest ziplines in South America. This adrenaline-pumping ride consists of 6 sections of zipline totaling nearly 4 kilometers of high wire. Criss-crossing the valley, you begin the ride about 250 meters above the valley floor and finish at the bottom. The zipline costs $40 to do. The other option is to spend a relaxing morning in a town by the river and under the tropical sun, visit the famous hot springs a couple of kilometers from the town where there are various pools and the water is crystal clear (not included), or just hang out at the Cola de Mono Zipline area but not actually do the zipline.

After finishing our morning's activities, we take local transport to the Hydroelectric Dam. We then begin to make our way to Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of Machu Picchu. We now have a relaxing and scenic 3-hour trek along the railway lines where we will see our first views of Machu Picchu itself and some new parts of it being uncovered that are only viewable from this trek! We will spend the night in Aguas Calientes in a comfortable hostel.

Day 3
Machu Picchu - Cusco

We will wake up before first light to be among the first to arrive at the famous ruins. Machu Picchu, the "Lost City of the Incas," is located at approximately 2500 meters (or 8,000 feet, which is significantly lower than the city of Cusco). At 5:45 AM, we will take the bus up to the ruins and arrive around 6:20 AM. Machu Picchu is situated between two peaks, Mt. Machu Picchu ("Old Peak" in Quechua) and Wayna Picchu ("Young Peak" in Quechua). We will enjoy a 2-hour guided tour of the ruins in which we will learn about Incan architecture and uses of different structures, as well as visit the Main Square, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Sacred Sundial and the ancient burial grounds. After the guided tour, you will have free time to continue to visit the world-famous ruins. Some possible activities besides visiting the main ruins include: