Lares Downhill Biking: Two High-Altitude Descents
Two genuine high-altitude bike descents: Lamay’s hot springs, then Huacawasi Pass down to Patacancha.
Most bike tours give you one descent and call it a day. This one gives you two, with a soak in natural hot springs in between. The first drop takes you from the Calca/Lamay Pass down through rural paved road and cut single-track toward Lamay’s thermal baths. After resting, a second and genuinely more demanding descent begins at Huacawasi Pass — 4,450 m, among the highest starting points of any bike tour in the region — down an entirely unpaved rural track to the weaving community of Patacancha, past herds of llamas and alpacas, and occasionally the wide silhouette of a condor overhead.
This isn’t a gentle countryside ride. Both descents involve real technical terrain and genuine altitude, built for riders who want an actual physical challenge, not just Sacred Valley scenery from a bike seat.
| 💰 From | $169 USD per person (group of 10) |
| ⏱️ Duration | Full day (~7:30 AM–evening) |
| ⛰️ Altitude range | Lamay 2,934 m up to Huacawasi Pass 4,450 m |
| 🚶 Physical level | Demanding — two genuine high-altitude descents |
| 📅 Season | Year-round |
| 👥 Group size | Private, 1-10 travelers |
| 🎂 Minimum age | 18+ |
| 🚲 Bikes | Double-suspension mountain bikes, full-body armor available |
Two genuine high-altitude descents, with a soak in hot springs between them. – Descend from the Calca/Lamay Pass toward Lamay’s thermal baths. – Rest and soak for roughly an hour in the hot springs. – Descend again from Huacawasi Pass (4,450 m) toward Patacancha. – Return to Cusco via Ollantaytambo, Pachar, and Huarocondo. This is the Lares Downhill Biking tour, start to finish.
This route is built around two genuinely distinct descents, separated by real rest — not a single long ride, but two focused efforts with recovery built in between. Private transport carries you and the bikes up to the pass above Calca and Lamay, where the first descent begins: a route that mixes paved rural road with sections cut specifically for pedestrian and bike trail use, working its way down toward Lamay, at 2,934 m, known for its natural hot springs.
After roughly an hour resting and soaking in the thermal waters, the group returns to the vehicle for the drive to Huacawasi Pass, at 4,450 m — among the highest starting points of any bike route in the Sacred Valley region. From here, the second descent begins on an entirely unpaved rural track (trocha carrozable) down to Patacancha, a Quechua weaving community at roughly 3,750 m. This stretch is where the ride’s real character shows: open high-altitude terrain, herds of llamas and alpacas grazing freely, and — as on the first descent — the occasional Andean condor riding the thermals overhead.
From Patacancha, the group boards the vehicle for the return to Cusco, passing through Ollantaytambo, Pachar, and Huarocondo.
This route covers a genuinely wide altitude range across two separate descents — from Huacawasi Pass at 4,450 m, the day’s highest point, down to Ollantaytambo at 2,792 m on the return. Between the two descents, the rest at Lamay’s hot springs (2,934 m) marks the day’s lowest point before climbing back up by vehicle to the second pass.
Private transport carries you and the bikes toward the pass above Calca and Lamay, where the first descent begins.
The first descent follows a route that mixes paved rural road with sections cut specifically for pedestrian and bike trail use, working steadily downhill toward the town of Lamay.
What to expect:
Distance & elevation drop: (pendiente confirmar cifra exacta — ver nota más abajo)
A well-earned break at Lamay’s natural thermal baths, known locally for their mineral content — time to soak, recover, and refuel before the second, more demanding descent of the day.
Private transport carries the group and bikes up to Huacawasi Pass, at 4,450 m — a genuine climb in vehicle altitude, setting up the day’s most demanding descent.
The second descent is entirely different terrain: an unpaved rural track (trocha carrozable) the whole way down to Patacancha, a Quechua weaving community at roughly 3,750 m.
What to expect:
Distance & elevation drop: Approximately 12.4 km / 7.7 miles, dropping from 4,450 m to roughly 3,750 m — an elevation loss of about 700 m / 2,297 ft across the descent.
From Patacancha, the group boards the vehicle for the return journey, passing through Ollantaytambo, Pachar, and Huarocondo before arriving back in Cusco.
Day 1 stats
Box Lunch
Intense
Downhill mountain biking
Going downhill on a road bike
Lares Pass: 4,461m (14,635 ft)
Totora: 3,700m (12,139 ft)
Corao Pass: 3,800m (12,467 ft)
Splitting the ride lets you recover at Lamay’s hot springs between efforts, and lets each descent focus on genuinely different terrain — Descent 1 mixes paved road with cut trail, while Descent 2 is entirely unpaved and more technical.
Genuinely demanding — Descent 2 starts at 4,450 m, among the highest bike route starting points in the region, on unpaved terrain. This isn’t a beginner-friendly countryside ride.
You get in — roughly an hour is set aside specifically to soak and recover between the two descents.
Double-suspension mountain bikes, suited to the more technical terrain of Descent 2, with full-body armor available given the demanding nature of the route.
Llamas and alpacas are common throughout, especially on Descent 2’s open high-altitude terrain, and Andean condors are occasionally spotted riding the thermals on both descents.
18 — given the technical difficulty and altitude involved, this tour isn’t recommended for younger riders.
Yes — unlike our other Sacred Valley bike tours, this route is built for riders with genuine experience, particularly for Descent 2’s more technical unpaved terrain.
Given the day’s highest point (4,450 m), we recommend at least two days of acclimatization in Cusco beforehand, and bringing altitude medication if you’re prone to symptoms.
From Patacancha, private transport takes you back to Cusco via Ollantaytambo, Pachar, and Huarocondo — a scenic drive through the Sacred Valley.
Yes, a box lunch is included.
We recommend this route for riders with prior mountain biking experience, given the technical terrain of Descent 2 and the altitude involved throughout the day.
Private — arranged specifically for your group, with pricing scaling down as more travelers join.
| Persons | Price (p/p) | |
| 1 | $ 597.00 USD | |
| 2 | $ 359.00 USD | |
| 3 | $ 279.00 USD | |
| 4 | $ 239.00 USD | |
| 5 | $ 219.00 USD | |
| 6 | $ 202.00 USD | |
| 7 | $ 190.00 USD | |
| 8 | $ 181.00 USD | |
| 9 | $ 174.00 USD | |
| 10 | $ 169.00 USD |
Lares Downhill Biking
Lares Downhill Biking
Lares Downhill Biking
