South America Inca Trail Motorcycle Tour

You will be picked up at the airport in Salta and taken to the hotel from which the tour will start the next day. After a short introduction to the motorcycle tour and information about Salta, the rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you wish.

The journey takes us first along a winding asphalt road through forested mountains to Jujuy. There, the picturesque Quebrada de Humahuaca opens up, a gorge that has rightly been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its unique landscapes and cultural richness. We visit the picturesque village of Purmamarca, the Painter's Palette of Maimara, and the pre-Inca ruins of Tilcara, where we will spend the night.

First, we climb the winding Cuesta de Lipan pass at 4,200 meters and reach the high plain of the Puna. After visiting the salt lake Salinas Grandes, we continue over the high plains of the Puna towards the Atacama Desert and the border with Chile. To reach the San Pedro de Atacama valley, we must cross several passes with altitudes of up to 4,800 meters and pass by some lagoons with flamingos, vicuñas, and ñandus. In San Pedro de Atacama, an oasis in the driest desert in the world and a bastion of civilization at the foot of the 5,930-meter-high Lincancabur volcano, the Chilean border formalities are completed and we check into the hotel. Then we go on a round trip through the fairytale Moon Valley and watch the sunset in the Cordillera de la Sal.

Through the driest desert in the world, we first pass by the largest copper mine in the world, Chuquicamata, and then head down to the Pacific and into the town of Tocopilla. Afterwards, we drive along a winding paved road along the coast to the beach town of Iquique.

Furthermore, through the Atacama Desert, three deeply incised canyons are crossed on the journey north before we reach Arica. After lunch in Arica, the northernmost city in Chile, we will cross the border into Peru, where we will spend the first night in Tacna.

Through the Peruvian Clemesi Desert to Arequipa, also known as the White City.

From Arequipa, we first pass by the Misti Volcano and then continue up into the Andes to the Colca Canyon. There, we will spend the night in a lovely mountain village.

Early in the morning, we travel to the deepest point of the Colca Canyon to observe condors up close as they soar along the steep walls, catching the morning updraft. After this spectacular natural spectacle, we drive through mountainous landscapes to the higher regions of the Andes to Sicuani.

On the way to Cusco, there are several temples and ruins, the most important of which are the Viracocha Temple Raqchi, the Inca ruins of Pikillagta and Tipón, as well as the artificially created irrigation systems and gardens of Oéngo.

Today is fully dedicated to visiting Cusco, its ancient center, its Spanish churches, and the surroundings with impressive Inca temples.

Today, the long-awaited visit to Machu Picchu, the religious center of the former Inca Empire, is on the agenda. We start with an impressive train journey through several zigzags out of the Cusco Valley, then to Ollantaytambo and along the Urubamba River to Aguas Calientes, from where we take a bus up to the stunningly located ruins of Machu Picchu. After visiting the ruins, we take the train back to Cusco.

After the Machu Picchu experience, we are now heading towards Bolivia, through the valleys and plains of the Vilcanota Mountains, over the La Raya Pass to Juliaca and Puno on Lake Titicaca, where we will stay overnight. Very nearby live the Uru on their floating islands, which we can visit if we arrive in Puno on time.

Along Lake Titicaca, we head to the border with Bolivia, to the idyllic little town of Copacabana. There, the rest of the day is at leisure.

Along winding tar roads, we head to an adventurous boat crossing over a strait of Lake Titicaca and then continue to La Paz, the spectacularly located capital of Bolivia. The rest of the day is at your disposal for sightseeing in the city.

The adventurers will drive the 'Death Road' into the Yungas today. First, it goes over a pass almost 5,000 meters high, only to then dive into the wooded plains at the foot of the Andes at just about 1,000 meters. We will take the infamous 'Death Road' back. This road has left-hand traffic, and until a few years ago, there were still many accidents due to the narrow gravel road. Today, the Death Road is a very beautiful, hardly frequented road along a deep gorge.

Through the Bolivian highlands, we first travel over the plateaus of the Altiplano to the city of Oruro, then past Lake Poopó and further on excellent asphalt through spectacular mountain landscapes to the Uyuni salt flat, the largest salt flat in the world. The afternoon is entirely dedicated to the largest and perhaps also the most fascinating salt flat in the world. Admire the dazzling lighting conditions and the bizarre salt formations, and enjoy the carefree ride with the motorcycle over the almost endless expanses of the white sea of salt. A highlight is certainly the cactus-covered 'island' Isla del Pescador, which rises from the white plain. On the edge of the salt flat, we spend the night in a beautiful hotel completely built of salt.

We are going back to Potosí to visit the silver mines of Cerro Rico or the 'Casa de la Moneda' museum in the afternoon.

On good roads, it goes through colorful mountain landscapes first into the fertile valley of Tupiza, before ascending again to the high plains and the border to Argentina. Overnight stay in La Quiaca.

After a short ride over the high plateaus, we soon descend into the valley of Humahuaca (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003). There we visit the town of Humahuaca, the church of Uquia, cross the Tropic of Capricorn, and arrive in the town of Tilcara. From there, we make our way back to Salta via Hornillos, Jujuy, and a winding forest road.

Today you will be taken to the airport by us, where you will take only impressive impressions, many good memories, and our farewell gift with you on your return flight.