Peruvian Motorcycle Challenge: 9-Day Desert to Machu Picchu Motorcycle Tour

 Welcome to Lima, Peru’s vibrant capital. Upon arrival at Jorge Chávez International Airport, our team will transfer you to your hotel.

At noon, we’ll gather for a welcome lunch and a quick tour briefing with your guide and the Big Trail Cusco team.

In the afternoon, you can join an optional city tour to explore Lima’s historic center and cultural highlights.

📌 Summary

• Lunch: Not included

• Dinner: Not included

• Overnight: 3-star hotel (breakfast included)

After breakfast, we travel south from Lima to Paracas by private vehicle, where your dual-sport motorcycles will be waiting at our local base.

We start with a boat tour to the Ballestas Islands, often called the “Galápagos of Peru”. These islands are home to sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and thousands of seabirds — a must-see for nature lovers visiting Peru’s coast.

After free time for lunch in Paracas (not included), we gear up for an off-road motorcycle ride through the Paracas National Reserve — a dramatic landscape where desert cliffs meet the Pacific Ocean. The area is rich in biodiversity and offers one of the best coastal riding experiences in Peru.

We wrap up the day with dinner on your own and a comfortable night at a local hotel.

📌 Day 2 Summary

• 🛣️ Total Distance: 120 km / 75 mi

• ⏱️ Ride Time: ~2 hrs (with stops)

• 🌍 Terrain: Sand, dirt roads, beach tracks, paved segments

• 🐧 Highlights: Ballestas Islands boat tour, Paracas National Reserve motorcycle ride

• 🍽️ Lunch: Not included (Paracas)

• 🍴 Dinner: Not included

• 🛏️ Overnight: 3-star hotel in Paracas – breakfast included

We kick off the day with a scenic motorcycle ride through the Paracas National Reserve, soaking in surreal desert cliffs and coastal landscapes, a must for any motorcycle tour in Peru.

Next, we ride to the stunning Huacachina Oasis, a desert lagoon surrounded by giant dunes. Take time for photos, relax, or try optional sandboarding and dune buggy rides, popular stops on any Peru motorcycle adventure.

In the afternoon, the tour continues toward Nazca, with roadside stops to view the mysterious Nazca and Palpa Lines ancient geoglyphs that have fascinated travelers for decades.

We end the day in Nazca, with free time for dinner and a well-earned rest at a 3-star hotel.

📌 Day 3 Summary

• 🛣️ Distance: 220 km / 136 mi

• 🌍 Terrain: Paved roads + gravel/dirt sections

• 🏍️ Ride Style: Scenic & relaxed, with cultural stops

• 🏞️ Highlights: Paracas Reserve, Huacachina Oasis, Nazca Lines

• 🍽️ Lunch: Ica – not included

• 🍴 Dinner: Nazca – not included

• 🛏️ Overnight: 3-star hotel – breakfast included

Start the day with an unforgettable flight over the Nazca Lines, gaining a bird’s-eye view of these world-famous geoglyphs carved into the desert — a highlight of any motorcycle tour in southern Peru.

After landing, enjoy lunch in town (not included), then continue your Nazca cultural adventure with guided visits to the Chauchilla Cemetery and the Cantalloc Aqueducts  ancient engineering marvels that reveal the genius of pre-Inca civilizations.

In the late afternoon, we ride short sections through the desert, returning to Nazca for a relaxing evening at your hotel.

📌 Day 4 Summary

• 🛣️ Distance: 120 km / 74 mi

• 🌍 Terrain: Paved roads, gravel & sandy sections

• 🏞️ Highlights: Nazca Lines flight, Chauchilla Cemetery, Cantalloc Aqueducts

• 🏍️ Ride Style: Light exploration & cultural focus

• 🍽️ Lunch: Nazca – not included

• 🍴 Dinner: Nazca – not included

• 🛏️ Overnight: 3-star hotel – breakfast included

High-Andes Ride & Wildlife Encounters

Today is one of the most challenging and rewarding riding days of the trip. We’ll cross dramatic high-altitude landscapes as we journey deep into the Andes.

Our first major stop is Pampas Galeras National Reserve, where you’ll spot vicuñas, alpacas, and traditional Andean shepherd communities, a unique window into rural life in southern Peru.

We’ll stop for a picnic lunch in Puquio (included), surrounded by breathtaking mountain scenery. In the afternoon, we ride on to the remote village of Chalhuanca, where we’ll rest for the night.

📌 Day 5 Summary

• 🛣️ Distance: 377 km / 234 mi

• 🌄 Terrain: Mostly paved + some dirt stretches

• 🏞️ Highlights: Pampas Galeras Reserve, vicuña herds, high-altitude Andes

• 🏍️ Ride Style: Long-distance, high elevation, rewarding ride

• 🧺 Lunch: Box lunch – Puquio (included)

• 🍽️ Dinner: Chalhuanca – not included

• 🛏️ Overnight: 3-star hotel – breakfast included

Cliffside Adventure on Peru’s Legendary Motorcycle Route

Today we ride through the scenic Pachachaca Valley toward one of the most thrilling highlights of the tour: the Karkatera, also known as the “Peruvian Death Road.”

This iconic stretch features hand-carved tunnels, dramatic drop-offs, and jaw-dropping Andean views — a must-ride for adventure motorcyclists. Built by local communities in the 19th and 20th centuries, the Karkatera is not only a road but a testament to human resilience and ingenuity.

There will be plenty of photo stops before we continue to the city of Abancay, where we’ll settle in for the night.

📌 Day 6 Summary

• 🛣️ Distance: 160 km / 100 mi

• 🌄 Terrain: Paved roads & dirt sections

• 🏞️ Highlights: Karkatera “Death Road”, Pachachaca Valley, mountain tunnels

• 🏍️ Ride Style: Technical, scenic & unforgettable

• 🍽️ Lunch: Abancay – not included

• 🍴 Dinner: Abancay – not included

• 🛏️ Overnight: 3-star hotel – breakfast included

Epic Descent into the Canyon & Gateway to Machu Picchu

We begin the day riding through the lush Abancay Valley, gradually ascending to the Abancay Pass at 3,990 m. From there, prepare for a dramatic descent into the Apurímac Canyon, one of the deepest in the world, dropping to just 1,700 m.

We’ll pause to soak in the stunning canyon views before continuing toward Ollantaytambo, a living Inca town in the heart of the Sacred Valley.

In the afternoon, we park the bikes and board a scenic train to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Town), following the Sacred River through lush cloud forest and rugged terrain.

📌 Day 7 Summary

• 🛣️ Distance: 195 km / 121 mi

• 🏞️ Terrain: Paved mountain roads, dirt and gravel sections

• 🕓 Ride Time: ~6 hrs (including photo stops)

• 🚆 Train Ride: ~2 hrs (Ollantaytambo → Aguas Calientes)

• 🏔️ Highlights: Apurímac Canyon, Sacred Valley, Inca trail towns

• 🍽️ Lunch: Ollantaytambo – not included

• 🍴 Dinner: Aguas Calientes – not included

• 🛏️ Overnight: 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes – breakfast included

➕ Optional Extensions (Before or Post Machu Picchu)

Option 1 – 🏍️ Machu Picchu by Motorcycle
→ Extend your journey with 2-more riding days exploring the backroads around Machu Picchu – Hidroelectrica.

Option 2 – 🌿 Manu Jungle Ride
→ Head into the Amazon with a 4-day motorcycle expedition to the Manu Biosphere Reserve.

Machu Picchu Exploration + Andean Motorcycle Ride

After breakfast, we take a short bus ride to Machu Picchu, one of the most iconic archaeological sites in the world. With our expert guide, you’ll explore the Inca citadel in depth. For the more adventurous, an optional hike to Wayna Picchu offers breathtaking panoramic views (limited availability).

After visiting this UNESCO World Heritage Site, we return to Aguas Calientes for lunch and free time. You can relax in the hot springs, explore local shops, or visit the nearby museum before boarding the train back to Ollantaytambo.

Back on the motorcycles, we ride to the traditional Andean village of Willoq, a place known for its living culture, textiles, and Quechua heritage—offering an authentic cultural experience in the heart of the Sacred Valley.

📌 Day 8 Summary

• 🛣️ Distance: 50 km / 31 mi

• 🌄 Terrain: Dirt roads, gravel, and paved stretches

• 🚉 Train: Aguas Calientes → Ollantaytambo

• 🏞️ Highlights: Machu Picchu tour, Wayna Picchu hike, Andean culture in Willoq

• 🍽️ Lunch: Aguas Calientes – not included

• 🍴 Dinner: Ollantaytambo – not included

• 🛏️ Overnight: 3-star hotel – breakfast included

Your final day of this unforgettable motorcycle tour in Peru takes you deep into the Sacred Valley of the Incas, riding through breathtaking landscapes and ancient Inca sites.

We start the day in Ollantaytambo, exploring one of the most iconic Inca fortresses. From there, we ride scenic mountain roads to visit:

• 🧂 Maras Salt Mines – centuries-old terraces still in use

• 🌀 Moray – unique circular Inca farming terraces

• 🧶 Chinchero – traditional village known for textiles and ruins

Along the way, enjoy spectacular views, cultural experiences, and a tasty buffet lunch in Urubamba.

In the afternoon, we ride the final stretch back to Cusco, the former Inca capital and the perfect place to end this epic ride. In the evening, we’ll gather for a well-deserved farewell dinner to celebrate the adventure.

📌 Day 9 Riding Summary

• 📍 Route: Ollantaytambo → Maras → Moray → Chinchero → Cusco

• 🛣️ Distance: 195 km / 121 miles

• 🌄 Terrain: Paved roads, dirt and gravel sections

• 🕐 Estimated Riding Time: ~8 hours (with stops and visits)

• 🍽️ Lunch: Buffet in Urubamba – included

• 🍴 Dinner: Farewell dinner in Cusco – included

• 🚐 Drop-off: Hotel or Cusco Airport – included

• 🛏️ Accommodation: Not included