Sitting behind a small Peruvian man on the back of a motorcycle was not exactly how I expected to start the day!
Luckily, Alejandro was a very skilled driver.
At the recommendation of a trekking mate, we signed up for an ATV tour to sightsee around Cusco with Peru Moto. We didn’t realize until this morning that the base camp was actually 40 minutes outside of the city and we would be riding on motorcycles to get there (thankfully we weren’t expected to drive). Apparently Sunday is a slower day for ATV / motorcycle excursions so we ended up having a private full-day tour with our guide, Juan. We could not have asked for better weather and the ride out of Cusco was beautiful (when we stopped gripping the seat - and driver - long enough to turn our heads). Once we reached base camp, we had a brief lesson with the ATVs before heading off-road and into the mountains.
We had a perfect day to be outdoors.
Taking in the blue sky views.
During the trip we had to look out for cows, sheep, dogs and donkeys!
After an hour or so of riding, we began heading to the first stop: Moray, an ancient site believed to be an agricultural "test ground" of sorts for the Incas. We quickly learned that ruins are scattered all over Peru, particularly near Cusco and the Sacred Valley, so we would be able to see more than just Maccu Picchu during our stay.
Standing in front of the ruins of Moray.
After a brief stop to explore the ruins, we were off again to Maras. Maras / Salineras is a town near numerous active salt mines, which comprised a pretty unique landscape.
On the road to Maras / Salineras.
Checking out the salt mines and the surrounding Sacred Valley.
We had a delicious and filling lunch at Maras so we could refuel and rest before the last part of our tour. Our next stop was a beautiful church nestled in the mountains, Tiobamba.
Stopping for a brief pose in front of the church.
Alex looking like a natural while snapping a few pics.
Some of our final views for the day.
After checking out the church we headed back to base camp where we could brush off the dust and catch our motorcycle ride back into Cusco. The tour ended up lasting from 9am - 5pm and covered over 50 miles! We had such a great experience and would highly recommend the team at Peru Moto for a sightseeing adventure while in Cusco.