8 things you should know before going on a bike travel to Cusco & Machu Pichu

Cusco is on many travellers' bucket lists. South America’s oldest inhabited city and the capital of the Inca empire, Cusco is definitely a must-go destination. Here are 8 things you should know before bringing your road bike over there.

Prepare for the altitude

With an elevation of 3399m (11152f ft), make sure you plan a couple of easy days upon arrival to get acclimated. Go visit the beautiful historical center instead of going straight on your bike.

Changeable weather

You should plan for a variety of weather. Within the same ride, you can experience warm to very cold temperatures, so plan your clothing gear accordingly.

Exercise high caution when riding

Apply extra caution when riding. Although the city is not inherently dangerous, the pavement is often uneven, there are many dangerous manholes and there are many unleashed dogs. 

Bring the right gear

Although you can get away with 25mm tires, prefer to choose as wide tires as your bike allows. The city of Cusco has lots of cobbled streets and by having larger tires, chances are you will have a better time on the often rough or dirt roads. 

You will need more time

Peru is an incredible country and the city of Cusco is no exception. Cusco has tons of restaurants, markets, cafés, historical sites, colonial buildings to explore and one-day hikes nearby. Instead of a quick 1-2 days, a full week is definitely not too much time.

The best way to travel to Machu Pichu is by train

When debating whether to go by bike or take the train, the recent landslides on the roads going there eased our decision and it turned out to be the best one. The trip by train takes about 3.5h along the Urubamba river and it is amazing. 

Spend at least 2 days in Machu Pichu

As for cost & logistics, we recommend spending at least 1 night in the town of Aguascalientes. By planning your Machu Pichu visit the next day, you will be able to wake up early to catch the bus or ascend walking. Fun facts, we did not wake up that early and the lineup for the bus was already extremely long so we decided to climb on foot. Turns out, we arrived about the same time as the bus and then proceed to climb the Machu Pichu mountain trail to the summit. The trail is steep and at altitude, so be sure to bring hydration and take some pauses along the way.  Arriving first at the summit makes it a unique experience but if not, you'll still have chances to take great pictures and enjoy the moment.

The Aguascalientes thermal waters are overrated

The biggest deception from our trip to Aguascalientes was the Aguas thermals. Lukewarm water in overcrowded little stinky pools was not what we had in mind... To end up things nicely tough, we booked massages in town to help relax the legs after our 20km - 1800m hike and before our train trip back to Cusco.