Cycle the highlands above the Sacred Valley

Loop around the highland rim of the Sacred Valley on a mountain bike, stopping to admire the Inca terraces at Moray, the salt pans of Maras and the village of Chinchero.

The Sacred Valley is an immensely scenic region of fertile plains stretching out from under the shadow of looming mountains. The highland plains fringing it are equally brimming with attractions. Zipping along its rural paths by bike is a fantastic way to drink in the valley region's beauty and to explore its diverse attractions.

Our cycling trip (which takes place at an altitude around 3,700m) begins in Chinchero, where there's a guided tour of the village, its church, market and ruins, before continuing on to Moray  This was the agricultural laboratory of the Incas, where the technique of terrace farming that has shaped Peru's rural landscape was perfected. It is visually striking too – shaped like an elaborate amphitheatre of specialised tracts of land arranged in neat levels, offering a variety of conditions to suit different crops.

Activity Rating: moderate