Suitable for all abilities

SUMMARY

Salinas-Aguada Blanca Nature Reserve is situated to the northwest of Arequipa, centred around the Salinas salt lagoon. The lagoon itself is 4000m above sea level and has abundant wildlife including Deer, Chinchillas and a variety of birds including Eagles and big population of Flamingos (December to August). The land surrounding the lake is grazed by large numbers of Alpaca and Llamas and herders are seen following these animals back to the small communities dotting the shore. This piece of Alto Plano is spectacular as the rear of Misti is visible to the West and the spectacular Volcano of Ubinas is about twenty-five kilometres to the East with mountains surrounding it.

THE PROGRAM

7.00hrs Pick up from your hotel and travel in our 4x4 up the windy road to the Salinas Lagoon which takes approximately three hours. The road we follow is the old road to Puno and ascends 1700m up the North-East side of Pichu Pichu. On route we pass the village of Chiguata where pre-Inca terraces can be seen covering the hill side and we go through the protected forests of the Queñuales tree (see Ecology page) The faults of El Misti, deep canyons that branch out like roots toward the city, become clearer the high we drive. When we have reached altitude we will go through the Simbral tunnel and enter the Nature Reserve.

10.00 When we arrive at the lagoon we will follow it on the right side and observe up close the habits of the Alpacas and Llamas while they graze. This is also a prime spot for flamingos and they teem in the water on this side of the lake. Here we will give you safety instructions regarding the gears and brakes of our bikes, the protective gear and an outline of the route we are going to follow.

We then will embark on a two hour cycle ride that skirts the west side of the lake towards Misti following the edge of the water with sand dunes to our left. This is a flat cycle ride suitable for all people and is a tiring but rewarding ride. We have an hour lunch stop on the north side of the water. Then we pile back in the landrover and head back down the road toward Arequipa. We stop at 4200m at the cross of EL SIMBRAL and unload the bikes. From here on it is downhill all the way. This is a decent of 2000m over 70km and is suitable for people at all levels of experience. The unpaved serpentine road descends into the valley and can be taken at high speed or at a leisurely pace. The reason this is a versatile route for groups is that there are many technical short cuts between the switchback bends which enables the group to spit in two if needed. This can give the more adventurous people who want the opportunity to go off-road and the people who don’t want to can just follow the road around and regroup where the two trails meet. This is very suitable for families because of its flexibility and also good for people who just want technical downhill as there are lots of amazing single-track routes to take. We finish a few kilometres from Arequipa at the bridge of Infiernillo and return to the city in our 4x4. A fantastic day out!.

INCLUDED: Private Four wheel Drive + English Speaking Mountain Bike Guide + TREK Mountain Bikes + Gloves + Helmet + Snack + First-Aid Kit + Oxygen + Repair Kit/Parts + T-shirt.