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The tour exceeded all expectations by a long way. I've done a lot of travelling, both with and without a bike, but this trip really stands out as being something special. The combination of the bikes used, the variety of terrain, the history, the culture, the excursions, the people and the food would be extremely difficult to beat, anywhere in the World" 

Dave King, UK, 2003

Also known as The Paracas/Cuzco Tour, this is our main motorcycle tour in Peru. Lasting 10 or 13 days, it is the ideal time to spend in Peru in order to ride through its three main regions and visit its most important tourist attractions. The tour has every ingredient to make an unforgettable ride. From the sealion and flamingo habitats in the Paracas National Reserve you ride along the virgin beaches, sand dunes and moonlike terrain of the Great Ica Desert and cross the coastal Pacific Desert. In less than 2 hours, climb from the Nazca Lines at 500 m (1640 ft) and observe the delicate Vicuña troops of the Pampa Galeras National Reserve at 4000 m (13,000 ft). Cross the deep and picturesque Andean valleys and highlands observing unique natural habitats and hidden Indian villages all the way to historical Cuzco and the famous lost city of Machu Picchu. From Cuzco, cross the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Urubamba and travel to the amazing Amazon rain forests of the Manu National Reserve.

Highlights

• Ica desert
• Ballestas Islands
• Nazca Lines
• Nazca – Abancay highway
• Cuzco
• Machu Picchu
• Manu cloud forest
• Pisaq
• Urubamba

Itinerary

DAY 1 DEPART UK, ARRIVE LIMA. Take our connecting overnight flight to Lima, And your Inca adventure begins. If you are travelling from outside the UK, please make your own flight arrangements. We will meet you at the airport and take you to our hotel. Meet the rest of the tour participants and crew at our briefing to cover the general aspects of the tour, followed by our Welcome Dinner. Hotel Senorial.

DAY 2 LIMA - PARACAS (20 km). After breakfast at the hotel, we travel south along the Pan-American highway by coach for 3-1/2 hours to our hotel in the bay of Paracas National Park. After lunch we’ll introduce you to your motorcycle, and take a short ride on the Paracas peninsula to get familiarised with the motorcycles and the riding conditions. Hotel Paracas.

DAY 3 PARACAS - ICA (140 km). After breakfast, we take a marine excursion to the Ballestas Islands, located 20 km from the coast and part of the Paracas National Reserve. You will be able to observe much of the fauna in their natural habitat, including sea lions, different bird species, and the unique 'Candelabro', an enormous sculpture in one of the biggest dunes of the reserve, probably made by the ancient Incas, and probably related to the famous Nazca Lines. Over a packed lunch, we’ll explain today's journey. Once on the motorcycles, we head south along the coast of the reserve following the solitary beaches of the Pacific Ocean for 80 km, before changing course and crossing the desert for another 60 km, until we reach the city of Ica. Hotel El Carmelo.

DAY 4 ICA - NAZCA (220 km). This is a challenging day not only for the distance covered, but also for the type of terrain. Departing early in the morning, we head south-west towards the Pacific, crossing through one of the most desolate areas of the Great Ica Desert, crossing different shaped and coloured hills, dry gorges and sand dunes, with a distinctly moon-like feel. Upon reaching the ocean and after a packed lunch, we head towards Nazca, crossing the desert once again, past villages and old haciendas along the Rio Grande. On this part of the route you can to observe closely the ways of life of the villagers. Tonight's accommodation will be an old hacienda specially converted into a hotel. Hotel Oro Viejo.

DAY 5 NAZCA (free day). After breakfast the day is yours. We recommend you book a flight over the world famous and mysterious Nazca Lines and Geogliphs. It is only possible to admire these enigmatic pre-Inca figures from the air, and we still do not know the purpose for which these animal, humanoid and geometric drawings were made. You can also visit to the pre-Nazca tombs of Chauchilla where it is possible to observe how the ancient Incas mummified and buried their dead, and the Antonini Museum. The rest of the day is yours to relax and enjoy, before tomorrow’s long day. Hotel Oro Viejo.

We can prebook flights at the time you book your tour, or you can book it yourself. Due to the unpredictable weather and high demand, flights are never guaranteed.

DAY 6 NAZCA - ABANCAY (460 km). This is our longest and most demanding day. After an early breakfast, we head off towards the Andes, ascending an impressive paved road for 110 km to reach an altitude of 4100 m in under 2 hours. The route crosses the Pampa Galeras National Reserve, where we can observe at close hand the vicuna, the most precious Andean cameloid. After a brief stop in the reserve, we descend to Puquio, at 3100 m. This ride from Puquio to Cuzco is considered one of the five most unforgettable short rides in the World by author and biker Mike Carter. We now travel along hard-packed dirt roads through the spectacular Andean scenery, crossing several mountain ranges and desert plateaux. We then descend into the deep and picturesque valley of Abancay, arriving at Abancay (2300 m) for a reviving hot shower and delicious dinner at our hotel, the Hotel de Turistas.

DAY 7 ABANCAY - CUZCO (200 km). We leave for Cuzco after breakfast, the first 60 km on packed dirt, followed by paved road to Cuzco. The Andean scenery is our constant companion - snow-capped mountain peaks, eucalyptus forests, steep valleys, deep gorges and interesting flora and fauna. We finally enter the Urubamba, or Sacred Valley of the Incas, and arrive at the archaeological capital of South America, and Imperial City, Cuzco. Our hotel is two converted merchants’ houses in a quiet backstreet just three blocks from the Plaza de Armas. Hotel Cusco Koricancha.

DAY 8 MACHU PICCHU. The excursion to the citadel of Machu Picchu starts very early. With a hotel pick up and 90 minute drive to Ollantaytambo railway station. Taking the train we follow the Urubamba River along the Sacred Valley of the Incas for nearly 110 km. We pick up our historical guide in Agua Calientes and they will show us round Machu Picchu and explain the world of the Incas and the secrets of this majestic and truly spectacular ruin. We return to Agua Calientes for lunch before heading back by train and coach to Cuzco. Hotel Cusco Koricancha. Farewell Dinner for 10-day tour riders.

DAY 9 CUZCO - MANU CLOUD FOREST (185 km). We say farewell to those on the 10-day tour (see also Day 12). From Cuzco we head southeast for 30 km along the paved roads of the Vilcanota Valley. After crossing hte river we head northeast on hard-packed dirt through picturesque terrain, surrounded by snowcapped mountains, through eucalyptus forests and typical Andean villages, before stopping for lunch at Paucartambo. We then begin our twisty descent to the Manu Cloud Forest. The change in fauna and flora is immediate as we cross the ridge dividing the Andes from the Amazon forests. After a 2-hour descent we arrive at our jungle lodge, situated beside a rushing stream and a 125-m high waterfall. Dinner is included tonight, a unique jungle experience.

DAY 10 MANU CLOUD FOREST - CUZCO (190 km). Before starting our return trip to Cuzco, we walk to the nearby observation platform for the visit of the Cock of the Rock, the Peruvian national bird. This crow-sized, flame-red bird gathers in small groups at their 'leks' to 'dance' gracefully to attract females. We will also see hundreds of different coloured butterflies that fly shyly with the first rays of the sun. For our return to Cuzco we take a different route, reaching the Indian market town of Pisac, also known for its Inca ruins. After a stop, we continue through the Sacred Valley on paved roads back to Cuzco. Hotel Cusco Koricancha.

DAY 11 CUZCO. After a late start to recover from the previous demanding riding, we board a coach for a city tour, which covers the most outstanding places in the city like the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, the temple of Coricancha, the ruins of Kenko and Puca Pucara, and the Inca resort of Tambomachay, among others. The afternoon is free so that you may walk around town and enjoy its charming main plaza, craftsman shops and pubs. This evening is our Farewell Dinner, a last chance to enjoy Inca culture. Hotel Cusco Koricancha.

DAY 12 CUZCO - LIMA. After breakfast in the hotel, we will transfer you to Cuzco airport to board the flight to Lima. If there is time between lfights, why not take e a walk to the nearby main plaza of Miraflores, visit the Gold or Anthropological Museum, or take a city tour of Colonial and Modern Lima. If you want to stay awhile, we’ll be happy to make the necessary hotel arrangements.

DAY 13 ARRIVE UK. After your overnight flight, you are back in the UK, and this breathtaking adventure is truly over ..... but what memories!

Total distance  c. 1650 km

Dates

We run what we call a ‘Latin’ tour calendar for Peru – we offer a few scheduled tour dates, but if you suggest your preferred dates we’ll run a tour as close to those dates as possible.

Inca Adventure       Tour Dates Rider Passenger Sgl rm suppl.  10-day 07 - 16 May 2010 £2,075 £1,825 £525 13-day 07 - 19 May 2010 £2,595 £2,225 £525 10-day 10 - 19 Sep 2010 £2,075 £1,825 £525 13-day 10 - 22 Sep 2010 £2,595 £2,225 £525  10-day 06 - 15 May 2011 £2,075 £1,825 £525 13-day 06 - 18 May 2011 £2,595 £2,225 £525 10-day 09 - 18 Sep 2011 £2,075 £1,825 £525 13-day 09 - 21 Sep 2011 £2,595 £2,225 £525

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Tour includes: Honda XR400 or XR600 with fuel and oil; bilingual riding guide, Toyota King cabin support/luggage vehicle for non-riders, daily maintenance, mechanic; mainly 3* hotel accommodation, twinshare/double rooms; Welcome and Farewell Dinners; airport transfers in Peru; tour T-shirt; Ballestas Islands tour, Machu Picchu lost city full day excursion, Cuzco city & ruins tour; biker’s rucsac.

13-day tour includes 11 breakfasts and 2 packed lunches, lunch at Aguas Calientes and 3 dinners

10- day tour includes 8 breakfasts and and 2 packed lunches, lunch at Aguas Calientes and 2 dinners

Optional items: All prebookable through H-C Travel, and not included in the price: Internationals and domestic flights; Nazca Lines flight (MUST be booked when you make your initial tour booking); travel insurance

Tour excludes: Most lunches; most dinners, visa fees (if applicable); riding gear (bring your own); $500 damage deposit (refunded if motorcycle returned undamaged); additional nights' accommodation and expenses due to flight cancellations; laundry; phone calls; radio calls or messages; any items of a personal nature, Peru airport tax

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