1 – 3 June, Quillabamba – Peru, Sonidos del Sistemas – La Mente
Although Mike and I were having a blast in Cuzco, we kind of felt like another couple of gringos on the dirty gringo trail. So, us being men of decree did something about it and undertook investigations to find a sweet off the beaten track adventure.
Plan A – Wilderness Camping
Get a map, tent, sleeping bags, booze food and head into wilderness to see what wonders and people we could find.
Great plan, will be away from everyone, and possibly find treasures in the hills like a new Machu Picchu
Cons, need to buy or hire gear, carry food water etc.
Plan B – Motoring across the Andes
Get some motorbikes and smash a path across the Andes into the Jungle
Great plan, away from people, riding motorbikes and we could still find some treasures. Also no need to take a lot of things
Cons……none!! And so…
Across the Andes and into the Jungle
We were to head to Quillabamba, a town that acts as the gateway to the Peruvian jungle. It is a 7 hour ride to get there, half the road is sealed and the other half is a dirt track. The trail will take us through the Sacred Valley, then up a pass and over the Andes at 4500 meters. Afterwards we descend to an altitude of only 1000m, 3.5km vertical drop WWWWAHHOOOO!
Our fixer Jesse helped us find a reputable motorbike shop, and we hired 400cc Honda Falcons. They were in fantastic condition, with only a few nics and scratches.
 A last photo in Cuzco before heading off. The guys at the shop were professional and thorough. |  It is winter in Peru, but this doesn’t mean bad weather at all. No rain, clear blue skies and unlimited visibility. |
 The road to Quillabamba is only open for 1 hour each day as road workers were dynamiting half way along it. We were going to need to race if we were to get through before 1pm, when the workers returned from lunch. |  The sealed section of the road was in magnificent condition. Mile after mile of hairpin corners to lean the bikes into. |
 And we rolled into town at dusk and set about finding accommodation. We lived like kings at the Miami Vice styled Hostal Quillabamba |  Quillabamba itself is a strange town. It is very pretty, modern with paved roads, yet for the last 3 hours of the previous day we had been riding a dirt track! |
 The town is surrounded by beautiful rivers, |  and has lots of tuk tuks |
 We hired a guide for a day of single trail riding. He had a small 250, which was perfect for the offroad trails. |  He took us places that were far beyond our experience levels. If we made one mistake we would be down into a gully, all bent and broken like a dropped meat pie. |
 I had a few issues riding in ruts and ended up in a grass bank pretty hard. Mike broke a few levers and bent the handlebars after being chased and bitten by a dog. Luckily the local garage was cheap and quick to fix all our problems. |  And after our big day on the bikes, our guide led us to a fresh stream. We got some beers and relaxed. It was an exhausting day forcing the bikes up trails and around hairpin corners that were designed for walking. |
The next day we needed to return to Cuzco, we wanted to be up and away around 9am. The riding was sweet and after out experience off road we had total control over the bikes.
The halfway point of Alfamayo, is the point we had to make it through while the road workers were on lunch break. It was also a good location to put on a few more layers as it was going to get colder when we ascended over the mountain.
Back on the seal, the road was brilliant. No traffic.
One of the few vehicles on the road. This was held together with glue and nails
Back up the pass, we did attempted more off road riding. The tundra was nice and soft, although random rocks poked out here and there.
It was hard to put into words the feeling of space and freedom of 2 wheel. A totally amazing day riding.
When we finally reached the top of the pass again, we had a moment to check out the road we had just been driving on. Absolutely stunning hairpins.
And late that afternoon we rolled back into Cuzco. Back at the shop, Mike was charged 80USD for the bent handle bars, which was the only problem we came across. All the people we met in Quillambamba were exceptional. Even the cheif of police who we had a beer with in the afternoon.
Yet unfortunately for us, we only had 1 day to chill in Cuzco before mike flew back to Aus. What a shame for him to be leaving, but by god damn, we had a blast in Peru. What an amazing country!
Laters x.brad
