CYCLING

IMAGINE HAVING YOUR ROUTE BLOCKED BY LLAMAS…

Cycling in the Andes, the puna and high rain forest means climate changes, the diversity of the countryside, the colors, aromas and unlimited emotions, an experience cyclists will want to repeat again.

Challenging cycling trips begin at Pampa de Junín (4200 meters) and end in San Ramón (800 meters), Villa Rica (1500 meters) or Oxapampa (1800 meters). The routes are on paved roads or alternatively dirt roads or secondary routes of the Inca Trail. Local guides are essential to help riders find the proper routes through roads or paths with little or no signage. Besides the changes in temperature that can go from 0ºC to 28ºC, there are many surprises along the trail. For example, at times cyclists stop just to contemplate the impressive, gentle herds of domesticated llama and wild vicuña that block the road and seemingly are in no hurry to move on.

From Lake Junín or the surrounding pampa, there are several cycling options. The shortest to longest are a two-day trip to San Ramón; a three-day trip to Oxapampa; or a four-day trip to Villa Rica. All offer terrain that is taxing and breath-taking, unlike the routes most cyclists ride in the northern hemisphere. In a couple of days the cyclists go from treeless puna at 4,200 meters to high cloud forest at 1,500 meters.

Villa Rica (1500 meters /10°C – 28°C) is a town designed for cycling. There are loops around Oconal Lagoon (1 hour), loops around the town (2 hours), three challenging full day loops just outside of town through beautiful rainforest and one really full day to Perené. The three one-day rides go through tropical forest in Ñagazú, Cedro Pampa and Alto Cacazú. Those who really have plenty of energy ride to Perené.

Outside of La Merced (720 meters) there are several options. San Ramón is 10 K through high hills that go up and down 500 meters. Capelo Bridge leaves the Central Highway and takes cyclists to country roads lightly traveled along the Paucartambo River. The hanging bridges at either Baja Kimiri or Pampa Michi take you to beautiful areas, ideal for full-day exploratory cycling along the Chanchamayo River.

If you are a cyclist visiting Oxapampa (1800 meters) there are at least three appealing cycling routes. The route to Villa Rica is 3-hour ride down to 1500 meters passing by the beautiful Bosque Sho’llet, a forest that houses 96 species of orchids, including endemic species, and the highest number of identified bird species in the region according to eBird. The trip to Huancabamba (1900 meters) takes 2 hours on the highway. Pozuzo (800 meters) takes 6 hours, but it is a downhill ride through beautiful countryside.

Enchanting is the description of the rides from La Florida (3000 meters) 5 km to the north of Tarma via Acobamba to either San Pedro (4000 meters) or Huasahuasi (3200 meters). One day is all that it takes to enjoy this splendid experience. The temperatures in Huasahuasi can drop from 18ºC to 5ºC, so dress accordingly. The ride to San Pedro is uphill and over high terrain, but the ride to Huasahuasi is largely level, although it is along the busy central highway for about 5 km.

The front of Mercado de Mayoristas Señor de Muruhuay in Hualhuas (3000 meters) - the departure point to and from Puma Huayín (4000 meters) is a regular ride for local cyclists and takes about a half-day.

Cyclists in the Tarma region (3000 meters) should not miss the round-trip via Vista Alegre to Casa Blanca through terraced flower farms and historic communities. It is a level ride through a beautiful valley with high mountains on both sides and particularly beautiful and enjoyable when the flowers are in bloom.

For the mixed group of riders, one longer option is to leave from Jauja (3050 meters) and ride to San Ramón (850 meters) via Monobamba and Uchubamba, where you can take in the thermal baths, then continue to Vitoc to enjoy several waterfalls and ultimately to San Ramón. This is a two-day trip from Jauja (3350 meters) via Monobamba, Uchubamba and Vitoc, but the route not terribly challenging, given that it is downhill virtually the entire route.

A few kilometers from San Ramón via an improved dirt route through Pampa Hermosa and subsequently over a path in reasonably good shape, the riders can do a round-trip to two waterfalls, La Encantada (three hours) and Shimayacu (half-day). At either entrance riders may leave their bicycles, and there is a half-hour walk to the waterfalls.

CYCLING GUIDE
José Luis “Pepe” Muedas
+51 961 018 889
lamyauri@hotmail.com
Calle los Halcones 207, Surquillo, Lima 34

Raúl Estrada
+51 935 445 762
Panau, Peru

https://ciclismodemontaaperu.blogspot.com/

Ciclismo de Aventura
Carlos Romero
+51 963 604 796
Villa Rica