Cusco Outdoors

Trekking in Cusco

A paradise for walkers. Scenarios from rainforest to high alpine environment with enormous mountain ranges. To trek Cusco is to journey through incredibly beautiful Andean countryside with a backdrop of everlastingly white mountains and crystal clear lakes, to walk along the Qhapaq Ñan (Inca Trail), that network of roads built by the Incas to unite their empire, and to see the culture of communities that adorn the pathways. There are trekking routes that take you on adventures through the Mountain Ranges in Cusco.

The best circuits for hiking and trekking are:

• Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

• Ausangate circuit
  Trip length 5 to 8 days, medium to difficult, part of the original Qhapaq Ñan

• Lares Route
  Trip length 3 to 5 days, medium to difficult, satarting in Sacred Valley of the Incas, Lares Valley. This trek usually starts at the tiny town of Lares, home to a famous hot spring, and passes through several villages. Along the way it provides close-up views of the 18,000-plus feet of Mount Veronica and several high-altitude lakes. It ends near the historic ruins of Ollantaytambo, and from there the train trip to Machu Picchu is only 90 minutes.
  

• Salcantay circuit

• Choquequirao circuit

Outdoor Tours in Cusco

Mountain Biking in Cusco

There are hundreds of routes depending on what you want to do, from superbly technical downhills to lung ripping cross country rides or just gentle day trips with beautiful scenery and stunning mountain ranges. Most of the best mountain biking opportunities exist around Cusco, where the abundance of mountains offer many paved and single track opportunities for all levels of expertise. There are rental bikes and tour operators with professionally qualified guides with support vehicles.

River Running - Rafting - White Water in Cusco

Urubamba River
Its torrential waters (Class I and II) run between the most spectacular landscapes on the Sacred Valley of the Incas, amid places that fuse the millennial of the Inca and the purest adventure emotion. Journeys can be carried out with a duration up of two days, having tracks for people without experience offering only a little difficulty, being always recommended to be attended by expert guides who can provide all the necessary equipment for its sure and exciting practice.

The recommended sections of Urubamba River are

• Huambutío - Písac

• Calca - Urubamba (Huarán)

• Ollantaytambo - Chilca. (Track that can be combined with the Inca trail )

The recommended season for the practice of river running in rafts or kayaks is from May to October. During the months of July and August the flow can diminish notably. During the months of December to April corresponds the season of rains, it offers bigger difficulty.

Apurímac River
The practice of rafting in this river is only reserved for the most experienced; it has rapids of classes I, II, III and IV. It is one of the best scenarios that attract sportsmen of all parts of the world. The Apurímac River is the Andean origin of the Amazon River; its bed is narrow and deep, forming one of the deepest depressions in America, with enormous cliffs. The highway that leaves from the city of Cusco to the Apurímac River is not in good conditions, but the emotion and high adventure dose justify this sacrifice. You can be provided with the services of guides and all the equipment from the city of Cusco beside logistics and terrestrial transport. This adventure demands a minimum of three days, and journeys can be done of 5 days by the Apurímac river.

Mountain Climbing in the Andes

Cusco has three mountain ranges, with numerous snowy peaks that constitute a beautiful natural scenario, offering you possibilities to share its beautiful landscape with ideal places for the practice of the mountain-climbing. The Mountain Ranges of Vilcabamba, Vilcanota and Urubamba, have imposing snowy peaks, among those outstanding the Ausangate (6,336 meters above sea level - 20,787 feet), the Salcantay (6,271 meters above sea level - 20,574 feet) and the Veronica (5,750 meters above sea level - 18,865 feet). The mountain-climbing in this area, is a sport that can be practiced by the most expert professional mountaineers who will be able to choose ascent routes of extreme difficulty, and it can also be practiced by less expert sportsmen by the classic ascent routes and conquer the summit of beautiful snowy peaks.

Rock Climbing (Mountrek)

In the lower part of the snowy mountains of the Mountain Ranges of Vilcabamba, Vilcanota and Urubamba, numerous rock walls exist, with enormous potential for the rock climbing. There are rock walls of almost vertical shape. The most expert ones will be able to find routes of extreme difficulty, also finding the ones of smaller level of difficulty for mountaineers with little experience. The season for the climbing practice in hard rock is during the whole year. The rainy season is between the months of December to April adding a bigger degree of difficulty.

Paragliding and Hang-gliding in Cusco

Soaring by the Andes Mountain Range. Paragliding tandem flights, paragliding over the spectacular scenery of the Sacred Valley with pilot specialist, professional paragliding instructors. The flights could be carry out until 19,000 feet (5,800 m.) and land near from the take-off area or in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Horse-back Riding in Cusco

This ride on the much-loved Peruvian Paso Horse is the best way to explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The grace, spirit and intelligence of the Pasos have been refined over centuries of careful breeding and adept handling.

Bird-watching in Cusco

In Cusco, the paradise route for birding is from Ollantaytambo to Quillabamba -the abra of Málaga-. Also you can found many species of hummingbirds in Machu Picchu Sanctuary.

Southern Route: The bird-watching route through the Southern region has always been the best known. This circuit is also known as the “Megadiversity Route”. It crosses the rich coastal waters of Paracas and the mysterious Nazca Lines; the Andes through Pampa Galeras (where vicuñas are protected), or through Arequipa and the Colca Valley, or Cusco, the so-called “navel of the world”; the high Andean plateau of Puno and Lake Titicaca until it reaches the plains of Manu and Tambopata National Reserve. This route is noted for having the best infrastructure of the three routes and for being the cradle of the Inca Empire. The main birds that can be seen along this route are those that live in the Polylepis or queñual forests, those birds that visit the clay licks (known as "Collpas"); bamboo specialists and ant-eating birds; as well as other specialist categories. The most emblematic birds are the Inca Wren (Pheugopedius eisenmanni), and the Andean Cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruviana).

Sport Fishing

In the waters of the Vilcanota or Urubamba River, in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, you will be able to fish exquisite salmon and rainbow trout, especially among the months of April to October.

Salcantay Trek (Play Video)

Choquequirao Trek (Play Video)

Travel to Cusco

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