Adventure tours
   

One Day
Pisaq and its ruins

 
  • Route: Pisaq - Taray - Calca - Huayllabamba - Sol & Luna Hotel
  • Biking distance: 34 km
  • Degree: M

We leave for the Pisaq archeological complex by bus in the morning, a trip of 45 km on paved road. This complex features examples of Incan architecture, revealing aspects of their religion, agriculture, housing and road building. It is situated on a hill overlooking the small town of Pisaq. Our guide will spend an hour sharing with us his knowledge of these ruins.

 

 
   

We have the choice of speeding down the paved road to Pïsaq itself or taking the van. Once in Pisaq we leave our bikes for about a half-an-hour and walk through its narrow stone-paved streets. In the center of town a large market displays a great variety of fruits and vegetables. The local merchants do not use money to buy their products but trade their goods with one another. The market is biggest on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. We will find a spot to have our snack and watch the activity.

To leave Pisaq we take our bikes and ride the paved road over the bridge and follow a dirt road along the Vilcanota river. We pass through the small colonial town of Taray, surrounded by maize and potato fields. Cycling on, we reach the large town of Calca in about two-and-a-half hours. Calca is the largest town in the Sacred Valley. It is also very near the gorge which is the entry to the Valley of Lares. Many agricultural products come from this valley and are sold in the market of Calca, which means a lot of hustle and bustle. We will have lunch on the riverbank.

After lunch we head on to Huayllabamba on the same road that borders the river. We pass some impressive rapids before riding through Huincho, a small community of farmers. In the afternoon they serve chicha, the indigenous corn beer-a great opportunity to sample the local cerveza and enjoy our refreshments.

Taking to the road once more we reach Huayllabamba after about an hour. In this town we visit one of the local families in their home. The bike ride back to the hotel takes about another hour on paved road.

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