BLOOD, SWEAT, AND LOTS OF FUN

1/5/2006

After going with www.perubikingtours.com down the front side of El Misti volcano I wanted to try something else in the area that was a full day out and different terrain so I did the “Salinas salt lake mountain biking” and I was not disappointed. Saúl our guide was really humours and kept the group laughing all day. There was a Canadian family of five and me, the dad and the youngest son were pretty crazy and were quite into the idea of throwing themselves down any track that we came across. It was good though as first we did a one hour ride at 4000 meters around the lake Salinas. The scenery up there is seriously breathtaking with fabulous view of the active volcano Ubinas, which was erupting and was quite a humbling experience. Before we started biking though we go taken Alpaca searching in the four by four. We found lots and they were all grazing in big herds, This was wicked as they let us get really close and they had lots of cute baby Alpaca running around (we weren’t allowed to take any home as a souvenir though!). When we were biking around the lake we saw loads of flamingos but cycling on the flat is really tough at 4000 meters and everyone was shattered by the time we stopped for lunch at the land rover. It was worth it though as the flamingos were so graceful and dazzling. They looked a bit like ballerinas!
The lunch break was well welcomed and I was quite impressed with our Avocado and Cheese sandwiches that Saúl and our driver Denis made (Denis was quite a character).
After lunch we drove part of the way down to Arequipa and then stopped to unload the bikes. I was a bit apprehensive as I have not done a lot of mountain biking but it was on a wide road (the old road to Puno apparently) and we could go as fast or as slow as we wanted. It was cool as every so often Saul would shout “short cut” and there would be a short cut slicing down the hill between the switchback bends. I did some and they varied in difficulty. Its fun trying to dodge the boulders and it was some of the best bits though as I could feel all ideas about a nice slow ride in the Peruvian countryside fade into distant memory as I catapulted down the side of the mountain. It was good thought as there was always the option of not going down the short cuts so some people in the group chose to go around which still had the potential of serious speed. There were one or two falls but everyone kept on smiling. I couldn’t believe it but we carried on biking all the way to Arequipa. It was about 100km or something (I had a break in the 4 by 4 part of the way) and we carried on biking until it got dark as everyone wanted to keep going. It was ace! And there was an uphill bit at the end which I was determined to do and had the four by four driving next to me with Denis and the mother and daughter of the family laughing as I was nearly collapsing on the bike but in the end I was then was rewarded with a long smooth, downhill tarmac road for the last few kilometres. This was a brilliant day out and was well worth it.
Catherine Pudner
electrolyte40(a)hotmail.com

BIKING TOUR IN AREQUIPA - MISTI DOWNHILL

25/4/2006
I had the best time excellent guide, very professional with great English. You will get whatever you are looking for!.
Ran Segall
ransegall(a)gmail.com
ransegall(a)hotmail.com

Mt. Biking trip to Andagua and Chuquibamba / Colca Valley

Nov/2005
This trip consisted of 2 days of downhill Mt. Biking, along with the bus rides before, between, and after.
The first bus ride is around 8 hrs. Long and drops you off in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere, to get a half night of cold sleep camping at 4,800m. But the reward is in the morning, a long scenic bike ride (all leisurely downhill on a dirt road) on a serpentine road to Andagua, without meeting any other tourists, or vehicles for that matter, but you’re sure to see llamas and local people. You can eat lunch in Andagua and then hike around the valley a bit, observing the extinct volcano cones and rims and a great waterfall from above, before catching the return bus to Chuquibamba to sleep in a hostel and shower.
The next day from Chuquibamba thru the Colca Valley is again downhill (with some short uphill sections) but is mostly paved, more populated, so there’s more traffic, but I never felt in danger on the road, other than a few barking dogs. This day is not necessarily as scenic or natural as the first, but the scenery changes more and it’s a little more exhilarating with the speed and curves of the flat pavement. This day is much warmer also. At the end of the biking part, there are some good lunch options and an interesting tour of Toro Muerto for some ancient stone carvings in a desolate place. The bus that night gets back to Arequipa in the evening.
The two days of biking complement one another well, but as an alternative, one could just do the second day alone, meaning a shorter bus ride there, spending only one night (in a hostel and not having to carry camping gear or cold weather clothes). This seems like the saner option, but the downside is missing out on the rustic road and scenery into Andagua and the Valley of Volcanoes.
Saul is a very good guide in both quality gear and knowledge of the local area and people. If you’re looking for a non-typical tour off the gringo circuit, he’s a great person to consult with. Even if you’re not in for a more remote bus & bike trip and only have a day or half day, there are some good biking routes just outside of Arequipa for you.
Isaiah Mosteller, Washington DC, USA
tisaiahm(a)yahoo.com

DESCENTE DE CHACHANI EN VELO DE MONTAGNE

Montreal Juin 2005.
Après un départ plein d'espoir tôt le matin de l'agence PERU BIKING TOURS on s'est arrête a un petit dépanneur pour quelques provisiones. Sur la route le monde desguste quelque friandises et autres spécialités péruviennes mais plus qu'on montais plus que le paysage devenais intéressant. Entre 2 et 3 bouchées on s'arrêtais pour des photo du spectaculaire volcan Misti qui ns. a accompagne pendant tout le trajet. Quelque Vicuñas avec leurs bébés broutaient paisiblement. A notre arrivée a la station de communication a environ 4700 m. D'alt. Saul notre guide d'un grande savoir et gentillesse ns. A donne quelques bonnes explicationes des règles très importantes du cyclisme extrême et on a entamée notre descente suivi par la jeep qui ns. a monte. Un périple plein d'adrénaline pour les plus fou mais le yang et yang fait qu'en pleine action j'ai perdu le boulon et l'axe de ma roue avant même en aillant le meilleure velo car j'avais simplement oublie de les serer avant mon départ. A ma grande surprise après 15 minutes d'atente la jeep ma rejoin et le guide avais tout ce qu'il faut pour le remplacement des pièces perdues. La descente a été superbe et en arrivant a Arequipa on s'est tous ramasses pour un souper, ou chacun avais au moins 3 anecdotes a raconter. Notre espoir est devenu réalité descendre le volcan Chachani en bike de montagne. Quelle merveille.
Merci Peru Biking Tours, merci Saul
Tincau sebastian et Karina
karinam20(a)hotmail.com

CLIMBING + TREKKING + CYCLING 7 Days / 6 Nights

September 2, 2004
After searching all day for a good agency, I found Peru Biking Tours. I was lucky. I used three of they services, climbing, trekking and cycling. The excursions were well organized, professionally handle and full filled expectations agreed upon. I recommend this agency highly, it stands for value, quality and integrity. I could not be any happier with my choice. You go elsewhere, they sell reservations with guarantee, here they sell spectacular trips that they administer themselves. Thanks so much Saul and the great Inca tours Peru team.
Amer Bazzi