Machu Picchu & Atacama Adventure

Machu Picchu & Atacama Adventure

Highlights of the Andes

Our Machu Picchu & Atacama Adventure encompasses a lot more than just a visit to the “Lost City” of Machu Picchu and a view of the Atacama Desert. This three-country Adventure provides the ultimate experience of South America.

We have taken riders to Machu Picchu more than two dozen times since 2006. Over this period, we have incorporated improvements in our tour to create the best possible itinerary for exploring this region. The Adventure includes visits to a carefully selected collection of South American attractions, which is a “must-do” for any trip to this part of the world.

This tour might aptly be referred to as a trip through the “Empire of the Incas” because it explores the Inca civilization in more depth than other typical motorcycle tours do.

The highlights of this adventure include the following:

• A journey through the spectacular mountain pass roads across the high Andes.
• A ride along the Pan American Highway to “The White City” – Arequipa: This beautiful city is surrounded by
  spectacular mountains, the most famous of which is the volcano El Misti.
• A visit to the Colca Canyon: At almost 10,000 feet deep, which is twice the depth of the Grand Canyon, the Colca Canyon is one of the deepest canyons in the world. From the depths of the canyon, you can watch the giant Andean condors (with wingspans up to 10 feet) circle in the rising air.
• Three nights in Cuzco with one free day for a visit to the archeological ruins at Machu Picchu and a second free day to explore other nearby Inca ruins: Machu Picchu – the Lost City of the Incas – is South America’s most popular archaeological site.
• A trip to Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake, in Puno, Peru. You can visit the floating islands of the Uros Indians, who live on the islands fabricated entirely from local reeds, followed by a visit to the beach resorts of Arica and Iquique, Chile.
• A ride through the Atacama Desert with a free day in San Pedro de Atacama, complete with stunning scenery, dunes, bizarre rock formations, and geysers. There will also be time for a quick ride through the nearby Valley of the Moon.
• A spectacular riding day into Argentina, including salt flats and twisty roads winding up the 14,000-foot-high Jama Pass and a descent to Purmamarca’s “Seven Colors Summit” (Cerro de los Siete Colores), including a visit to the village’s adobe-style center and its beautiful handicrafts market.
• A ride through the colorful Argentinian wine region of Salta and Cafayate.
• A visit to Paso San Francisco: with a height of 15.505 feet, this is one of the highest pass roads in the Andes.

At a Glance: An Itinerary of Your Machu Picchu & Atacama Adventure

DAY 1 – ARRIVAL IN ARICA, CHILE

Welcome to Arica, Chile – the city of eternal spring!

The tour leaders will meet you at the airport and arrange your transfer to your hotel. Later in the afternoon, we will meet for the motorcycle handover, followed by a group briefing to provide in-depth information about the tour. After the briefing, we will enjoy our first dinner together.

If you arrive in Chile early, you can explore the city with its beachfront, shops, restaurants, and bars. Those with a little extra time can explore the viewpoint El Morro with its military museum, the San Marcos Cathedral, the train station, and the archeological museum or admire the maritime fauna and flora on a boat excursion.

DAY 2 – ARICA TO AREQUIPA, PERU ~270 MILES

Shortly after leaving Arica, we will cross the border into Peru! In Peru, we will ride on the world-famous Pan-American Highway through the Peruvian coast desert. Later in the day, we will leave the coast behind, make our way inland, and climb from sea level to just over 7,000 feet to Arequipa, the “White City,” which is surrounded by volcanoes almost 20,000 feet high.

DAY 3 – AREQUIPA TO CHIVAY ~110 MILES

From the 7,000-foot level, we will climb to over 13,000 feet, heading to the Colca Canyon. With a depth of over 10,000 feet, the Colca Canyon is one of the deepest canyons in the world. Once we reach it, we will take a stop and enjoy one of the greatest attractions of the area — watching the giant Andean Condors as they circle in the rising air from the valley below. The entire day’s ride will be on very twisty roads.

DAY 4 – CHIVAY TO CUZCO ~310 MILES

A full day of very twisty roads lies ahead, as we will make our way across the Andes and head to the former Inca capital of Cuzco. We will ride at altitudes of over 13,000 feet until we reach Cuzco in the late afternoon.

DAY 5 – FREE DAY IN CUZCO

The highlight of our Machu Picchu excursion awaits! An early morning start from the hotel will have us on a bus to the train station, where we will enjoy a spectacular train ride to the hidden Inca city, Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most popular tourist attractions of South America. After reaching the ruins, we will have several hours to explore the Inca ruins, which offer spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. This excursion will take the entire day.

Please note that based on availability, the excursion to Machu Picchu may take place either on the first or second free day in Cuzco!

DAY 6 – FREE DAY IN CUZCO

This is a day for exploring the city and its surroundings! We will have a guided tour of Cuzco — formerly the capital of the Inca Empire and now known for its archeological remains and Spanish colonial architecture. The tour will showcase local attractions, including Sacsayhuaman on the outskirts and Coricancha, the Temple of the Sun, and take you through the central square, Plaza de Armas. In the afternoon, you will have plenty of time to relax and enjoy this beautiful and historic city.

DAY 7 – CUZCO TO PUNO (LAKE TITICACA) ~250 MILES

Leaving Cuzco, we will ride south to the town of Puno on the shore of Lake Titicaca. This will be a day’s ride on beautiful twisty roads to get to Puno. Lake Titicaca is the world’s highest navigable lake at 12,500 feet above sea level. In the afternoon, we will take a guided boat tour to visit the Uros — indigenous people living on floating islands.

DAY 8 – PUNO TO ARICA, CHILE ~290 MILES

After an early start, we will have to climb one more major pass road, and then it will be all the way down to the coast again! The road from Puno to Arica is beautiful and very twisty, as it makes its way from 14,500 feet down to sea level. Once we have crossed the border to Chile and are back in Arica again — the city of eternal spring — we will take a deep breath and enjoy a wonderful dinner at a local restaurant to celebrate the end of our loop in Peru and the beginning of our ride to the Atacama Desert!

DAY 9 – ARICA TO IQUIQUE ~200 MILES

Leaving Arica behind us, we will head south, crossing several spectacular canyons, the deepest of which, Canyon de Camarones, is more than 3,000 feet deep. About 30 miles before our final destination of the day, we will stop for a look around the ghost town of Humberstone, a former saltpeter processing factory town. From there, it is down to the coast to Iquique; from our beachside hotel, you can watch the sea lions bathing in the sun and enjoy a wonderful sunset over the ocean!

DAY 10 – IQUIQUE TO SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA ~300 MILES

Leaving Iquique to the south, we will have a wonderful ride for about 150 miles along the coast on the Pan American Highway. Spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean will make you stop for a picture every now and then. In Tocopilla, we will turn inland and start climbing towards the Atacama Desert. On our way, we will pass Chuquicamata, the world’s biggest open-pit copper mine. San Pedro de Atacama, an oasis in the desert, is a popular destination with a lot to offer — the incredible starry sky at night being one of the many highlights!

DAY 11 – FREE DAY IN SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA ~40 MILES

San Pedro is an interesting little town filled with numerous art and craft shops, which are great places to walk around to take in the sights and sounds of this intriguing town. In the afternoon, we will visit the famous “Valley of the Moon,” where we will enjoy stunning scenery with dunes, volcanoes, and bizarre rock formations, as the sun sets.

DAY 12 – SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA TO PURMAMARCA (ARGENTINA) ~280 MILES

Leaving San Pedro de Atacama, we will be in for an incredible day of riding. After the Chilean border post, the road will lead us uphill towards the 14,000-foot-high Jama Pass, where we will cross the border to Argentina. On the way, we can stop at the Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos, where you will get to see huge flocks of pink flamingos. After crossing into Argentina, the high-altitude road is twisty and mostly stays that way for the rest of the day. Purmamarca, with its adobe style center, is nestled in the lush valley and is a great place for those who want to explore the surrounding mountains.

DAY 13 – PUMRMAMARCA TO SALTA ~110 MILES

Look forward to a short, but twisty riding day! If time didn’t allow us to have a look at Purmamarca and the Hill of the Seven Colors on the previous day, we will be able to do it this morning before take-off. The 110 miles between Purmamarca and Salta can be covered in about three hours, allowing us to arrive early enough in Salta and enjoy the historic city center and the conveniences of our hotel.

DAY 14 – SALTA TO CAFAYATE ~130 MILES

The 130 miles between Salta and Cafayate include one of the most beautiful roads in Argentina, the so-called Quebrada de las Conchas. The ride through this canyon and along the river fascinates with its surrounding colors and scenic formations –one of the highlights of this trip, with plenty of Kodak moments! The small town of Cafayate (translation: “where you bury your sorrows”) has a beautiful main square with surrounding restaurants and markets. The town is “the” place to taste some regional wines like the “high altitude wines” (such as Torrontés).

DAY 15 – CAFAYATE TO REGION OF FIAMBALÁ ~290 MILES

We will cover most of the distance on this day on the famous Ruta 40! As we will not be crossing any high mountain ranges on this day, riding will be easy and relaxed with some straightaways through semi-desert-like landscapes. For the first 100 miles or so, we will follow the River Santa María. Afterward, we will begin the slow climb towards Fiambalá, a small village with a couple of overnight places. The next day will be challenging and long, so you’d better take the night easy!

DAY 16 – REGION OF FIAMBALÁ TO COPIAPÓ ~300 MILES

An early start will prepare us for one of the most challenging riding days of this tour! The long distance of 300 miles, the highest pass road of our trip (Paso San Francisco at 15,500 feet), a fairly long unpaved road section, and the border crossing back to Chile, will take all our breath, concentration, and time. We will pass by Nevado Ojos del Salado, which, at 22,615 feet, is the highest volcano on Earth and the highest peak in Chile. After a long descent, we will arrive at our final destination, Copiapó – a major mining city for copper and iron in the Atacama Desert.

On this night, we will enjoy our final grand dinner together.

DAY 17 – DEPART COPIAPÓ, CHILE

Your tour leaders will arrange for rides to the airport for you. We hope that you enjoyed the tour and look forward to riding with you again!

Total distance: ~ 2880 miles