April 1, 2025 - April 9, 2025
Free
Join Sweet Skills and Big Mountain Bike Adventures on a trip to Peru! A ‘Bucket List’ trip that you’ll never forget! Ride incredible trails from the high alpine to the valley floor passing through ruins, villages, and Inca trails. Soak up the culture and hospitality of the Peruvians, as you bike and eat your way through this vibrant country. 7 days of incredible riding and 1 day visiting the amazing Machu Pichu,
You’ll experience 2 different riding areas on our 8 day adventure. We’ll start and finish riding and exploring the high mountain town of Cusco, then transfer over to a private lodge in the Sacred Valley, which is aptly named for this beautiful part of Peru. Enjoy a private and secluded lodge in the lush Sacred Valley with private chef, garden, hammocks, large beautiful rooms, and an outdoor dinning area. The absolute best place to relax after our daily adventures in the mountains.
Did you know that Peru is rated top 10 in the world for their food & cuisine? It’s some of the best we’ve ever had! One one special day we’re invited into a local’s home to enjoy a traditional home-made meal just for us. So many incredible days you’ll never forget… from meeting local women in the hills selling their crafts, riding next to Alpacas at 4300m, exploring ancient ruins mid-ride, and oh so many incredible views along some really fun trails!
INCLUDED
Every day starts with a shuttle up through the mountains and villages. There may be 1-3 shuttles throughout the day. If you’re not a fan of shuttles… you will be here! The elevation is between 3500-4500m and it’s quite hard to put in any effort to say the least. Some days will still have some minor uphill components. The terrain vary from technical and rocky to flowy and smooth, sometimes on ancient inca trails with stairs to ride and through pasture lands and eucalyptus forests in the valley. Many of the trails were old walking paths linking villages so they are quite ‘raw’, not mountain bike specific and in this way they can be a bit more challenging than manicured North American trails. The terrain is ever-changing as we descend through different climate zones.
Video from Elladee Brown’s 2020 trip
Skill Level: IA-A Fitness Level 4-6 This camp is a great fit for strong intermediate to advanced riders who love descending and technical trails. The riding will take us along some exposed trails, old chunky stairs, steeper sections with off-camber, along with lots of traversing around hillsides and some flow. In total we’ll be descending over 12,000M, this is a lot of descending in a week! Experience riding long technical downhills for consecutive days is a great asset. Riders should be comfortable riding black diamond trails (BC rated). If you are unsure if your fitness level and ability match this camp, please call Sylvie to discuss: 604-966-8330.
PRICE**We are not taking deposits at this time, please fill in waitlist form below to request your spot: we are filling up the November trip first, then will start taking deposits for this April camp.**
$3395 USD *25% deposit required to book. All payments go to Big Mountain Bike Adventures (our partner for this trip)
Maximum 10 riders with 1 Sweet Skills coach and 2 local guides
Step 1: Fill out the Sweet Skills Registration by clicking +1 tickets below
Step 2: You will receive a confirmation email from Sweet Skills within 24hrs with instructions on how to complete the rest of your registration with Big Mountain
Step 3: PAYMENTS ARE DUE TO BIG MOUNTAIN: 25% Deposit to Big Mountain via credit card info on their booking link.
9 days (7 days of riding), 8 nights
Day 1
Welcome to Cusco! Meet the guides and group, then hop in the shuttle to be whisked up the hillside to start our first ride of the trip. A nice warm up ride climbing up on farm roads past Inca ruins then down through winding singletrack with some fun flowy sections finishing with a steep descent into a Eucalyptus forest and a blast through Cusco town back to the hotel.
16 Km. 340m, 525m Time: 2-3 hrs. Max Elevation 3690 m.
Day 2
Early start today with a 1hr drive to Sacred Valley to settle into the Lodge then ride the Lamay trails all day. Get ready for a full day of epic riding in the lush Lamay Valley that features amazing shuttled all-mountain rides. The first shuttle drops us off high in the mountains next to a stunning alpine lake. Wind your way through animal trails, flowy sections and creek crossings to end in the small village where the school kids have received bikes on donation from Pink Bike, Big Mountain, and our guides in 2018. Continue along the trail past the village where it gets steeper with rocky sections and old inca stairs. Our last shuttle will bring us back up the mountain for a super fun flowy trail with technical sections and amazing views. So many trails in this valley with never any other bikers in sight.
20km. 83m ascent, 1792m descent. Max Elevation 4335 m
Day 3
Ride a stunning high mountain pass all the way to the valley – epic day! Today you’ll experience more of the best mountain biking trails in the Andes. This morning we shuttle an hour and a half to an amazing ride on an ancient Inca trail to the lush and green Lares Valley. After lunch we’ll head up for one last ride that starts high at Lares Pass at 440m. Epic views of big snowy peaks as we ride along mossy alpine meadows on a super fun trail that keeps going and going to the vibrant town of Calca.
27km. 60m ascent, 2070m descent. Max Elevation 4400 m.
Day 4
Visit ancient Inca sights and a unique salt mine. This morning we’ll shuttle to the village of Misminay for a
scenic and easy ride that passes through farm fields to the impressive archaeological Inca site, Moray. Pass through a small town with narrow streets and friendly villagers to reach some more fun and flowy trails before descending switchbacks to the Maras salt ponds which have been in use since pre-Inca times. Enjoy a buffet lunch in town and back to the guest house for our final night of celebration.
29km. 200m ascent, 1130m descent. Max Elevation 3830 m.
Day 5
A new discovery in the Sacred Valley, an amazing enduro trail with unreal views at Racchi. Second lap is pure DH, where you’ll surely get ‘the photo’ of the trip!
Distance: 17km, 402m+ 1930m-, Max Elevation: 4600m
Day 6
Visit Machu Picchu – an all-day adventure and a well-deserved day off the bike. Wake up early and board the shuttle to be transferred to Ollantaytambo for a 1.5hr scenic train ride to the town of Aguas Calientes. Here we meet our guide and hop on a short bus ride on a windy trail up the mountain to the gates of Machu Picchu. Learn all about this incredible ‘wonder of the world’ with our own private guide. Walk around town after the guided tour, enjoy lunch in Aguas Calientes then it’s back on the train to Ollantaytambo.
Day 7
Ride Patacancha Valley & Pumamarca. Enduro Day. Today’s ride is a journey that you’ll never forget, from a remote high pass at 4450m all the way to the town of Ollantaytambo via a stunning valley, mostly on singletrack that once hosted a Peruvian Enduro race. Have a chance to buy traditional tapestry from the locals alongside the trail. We’ll stop in the small traditional village of Huilloc for lunch and to witness life in rural Peru.
35 km. 120m ascent, 2020m descent. Max Elevation 4460 m.
Day 8
Ride the best of Cusco… downhill special! Today we’ll ride a few of the best trails in the Cusco area.
Our first shuttle is to 4,240 m (13,911 ft.) to the Occoruro Pass. You will be blown away with the scenery on the way up! The Milky Way trail has some technical steep sections, banked curves, switchbacks and rock gardens. Then we ride Yuncaypata trail which is a short but fun jump trail. Practice your air on the small jumps with views of town! Our last ride starts in an abanded village and flows down the mountain through some smooth and rocky sections. Stop and check out some ruins and an ancient cave. Then get ready for our final dinner out in Cusco!
19km. 28m ascent, 1625m descent. Max Elevation 4240 m.
Day 9
Bike packing and back to Cusco airport for your flight to Lima and home.
*Trip itinerary is subject to change due to weather, rider abilities or other circumstances. No refunds for changed itineraries.
Within 1 week of registering, you’ll be emailed a ton of information including details on pack list, bike prep, directions, and FAQ sheet.
GETTING THERE
All guests must arrive to Cusco, Peru and ready for pick up the morning of the first day. Flights are not included. Any accommodations prior to Day 1 are not included. We recommend arriving at least 2 days in advance to acclimatize to the altitude and environment.
LODGING AND CUISINE
We’ll be staying the first night in Cusco where you’ll have time to explore the town by foot and explore the historic sites, world class cuisine, shops and bustling markets. The following 6 nights will be at a private and secluded lodge in the lush Sacred Valley. This lodge is a dream come true! Lovely gardens to relax in with hammocks, beautiful rooms, a private chef, outdoor eating area and pizza oven, and new for 2024 a hot tub. Our last night will be back in Cusco again where you can finish up any shopping or sites you didn’t get to before the trip. Peru’s food is fresh with almost everything produced and grown within the country. Lots of salads, seafoods, meats and unique variety’s of corn, beans and of course the opportunity to try alpaca at some fine restaurants. You’ll be amazed by the quality and variety of food in Peru!
CLIMATE
As the equator runs through Peru, temperatures are generally quite warm. Altitude, however, decreases the temperature considerably, and you should anticipate daytime temperatures as cold as 5-15 degrees Celsius (41-59 Fahrenheit) at the highest altitudes, with nights dipping towards 0 Celsius (32 Fahrenheit) in the high mountains.
Dry season runs from March through late October. Rain is infrequent but possible especially in November, so as per the included pack list – bring raingear. When riding in the mountains riders must be prepared for quick changes in weather and temperature. Due the proximity to the equator and the altitude, the sun is intense.
NOT INCLUDED
TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE
Our guest cancellation policy is firm and we recommend you purchase a trip interruption/cancellation insurance policy to avoid disappointment should you need to cancel your trip last minute. Travel insurance can be purchased through World Nomads, or your travel agent. Ensure your travel insurance covers you and your equipment and that your current health insurance covers the unforeseen like medical flights and back-country emergency rescue.
WAIVERS
Each guest will be required to sign a Release of Liability, Waiver of Claims, Assumption of Risks and Indemnity Agreement at time of registration, prior to start of trip from both Big Mountain Bike Adventures and Sweet Skills. Participants are required to inform Big Mountain and Sweet Skills of any allergies, medical conditions or injuries that might affect their riding or health and any medications taken.
AGE
Minimum required age is 18 for our camps and clinics. Requests can be made on a case-by-case basis. It’s recommended for youth between the ages of 14 and 18 to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
This trip is run in partnership with Big Mountain Bike Adventures. As they are taking payment, cancellation policy will be with Big Mountain. Please read their Cancellation Policy HERE
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