Travel to Peru is more then just Machu Picchu.  See what adventures await when you travel to Cusco, Peru.

For first time travellers to South America, Peru is one of the best countries to start. Travel to Peru is relatively easy and in places like Cusco, you are surrounded by mountains, rivers and just a short distance past the mountains sits the massive Amazon Jungle. Here we are talking about all the adventure travel opportunities available in and around Cusco.

Jump to:
Cusco – The City
Hiking and Trekking
Rafting
Climbing and Biking

The Inca Capital of Cusco sits at almost 3400 metres.

Cusco – The City

Sitting at almost 3,400 metres, Cusco sits in the heart of the Andes Mountain range. What makes Cusco attractive is it’s close proximity to Lima (1 hour flight) and it’s proximity to the countries most well known attraction Machu Picchu. As close as 30 minutes away from Cusco you can find activities such as downhill mountain biking, rock climbing, white water rafting and of course hiking and trekking. The most popular times to visit are between May and September during the dry season, however most activities are still available in the rainy season as well. Whether you book an adventure in advance, or you show up with no plan, you can quickly organize an amazing adventure.

Hiking and Trekking

For those of you interested in hiking and trekking, you will know that the most popular trek in the area is the Classic Inca Trail. This 4 day hike begins in the Sacred Valley 1 hour and 30 minutes from Cusco and finishes in the Inca Ruins of Machu Picchu. This is one hike you need to book in advance as it requires permits to hike and only allows 500 permits. What most people don’t realize is that this number of permits will also include your guides and support staff during the trek which means that in reality, there is only 250-300 permits available for tourists each day. All companies provide tents, guides, meals and porters to carry your gear however the quality of equipment, food and knowledgeable guides varies, so do your research! One important thing to note is that during the month of February, the Inca Trail is closed for maintenance.  It is also recommend to be careful traveling during the peak rainy season of January and February as landslides are very common and can be dangerous. The Classic Inca Trail although spectacular is not the only great trek in the area and if permits are not available I urge visitors to consider other trekking options available in the region.

The Lares Trek is a fantastic alternative and much less travelled then the Inca Trail.

The Lares Trek, Choquequirao, Salkantay and Inca Jungle treks are also fantastic options for travellers. These treks offer great alternatives to the Inca Trail. The Lares Trek for instance visits the rural mountains just outside of the sacred valley. Very few companies offer trekking here and its a great mix of fantastic landscapes, challenging terrain and culture as here you will get to visit some of the communities that live in the mountains. If you are lucky, you may even be invited into a local communities home to see what Peruvian life is like in the highlands. The Choquequirao and Salkantay treks both longer at 5 days are also considered more challenging. One of the great things about the Salkantay trek is it takes you off the beaten path offering amazing views of the Salkantay mountain range, which is a massive snowcapped mountain range that you don’t often get to see on the Inca Trail. Additionally on the Salkantay trek, there are options to camp or stay in mountain lodges for those looking for some extra comfort. The Choquequirao trek also offers a challenging experience as you hike along the mighty Apurimac River(popular river for multi day rafting trips) and finishes at the Choquequirao ruins with mountains actually bigger then those found around the ruins of Machu Picchu. Along with being a fantastic ruins, you will not have the 1000 plus tourists you can expect to find at Machu Picchu, you will likely have the ruins to explore on your own! No matter which trek you choose, Cusco has something to offer everyone, and many people come back year after year to explore the many areas just outside of Cusco.

Rafting

If you love whitewater rafting, there are a number of different options available here in Cusco. The most popular 3 day trip is the Apurimac River expedition. This exciting 3 day adventure takes you through the massive 3000 metre deep Apurimac Canyon, also the source of the Amazon River. This trip is known as one of the most memorable river rafting journey’s in the world. Many companies offer rafting in the canyon, however, it is extremely important to do your research on which outfitter to use. Unfortunately their are many rafting companies in Cusco offering these trips and their safety and professionalism varies. Price should not be your first consideration when choosing a rafting operator. Other options aside from the Apurimac River include the Tambopata River expedition. Varying in days from 6 to 10 depending on the company, the Tambopata River rafting adventure is one of the most unique rafting journeys in the world starting in the high mountains of the Peru and Bolivian border, descending all the way into the Amazon rainforest. If you are looking for amazing views, adventure, challenge, excitement, culture, wildlife and variety of ecosystems all in one adventure, this might be the best way to experience what Peru has to offer. Need assistance choosing a rafting operator for your next adventure? Ask adventuredesk for advice!

Climbing and Biking

It’s almost impossible to list all the activities available in Cusco without writing a much larger book. Other special mentions include the 2 day downhill mountain biking adventure in the Sacred Valley. Starting just outside of Cusco,visiting several different ruins along the Sacred Valley all the while getting an adrenaline rush as you descend down into the valley. If rock climbing is your thing, there are several options for the advanced climber or the first timer. One of the most popular one day activities can be found in the sacred valley which includes climbing and a thrilling zipline offering different lines ranging from 100 metres to 500 metres. This is great activity for those with no experience, however in this same area you can find more technical options.

adventuredesk team rock climbing outside of Cusco

Cusco truly is an Adventure City and it’s one of the adventuredesk teams favorite places to visit over and over again! Need advice planning your first, second or one of numerous visits to this great part of Peru? Feel free to contact the adventuredesk for insider information!

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A typical day behind the lens travelling in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Along with South America travel articles and videos, we are also very excited to bring you some fantastic photo galleries from travellers in South America.  Todays travel photo gallery comes from traveller and professional tour guide Greg Snell capturing the best of Rio de Janeiro behind the lens.  Rio de Janeiro is full of culture, landscapes and colors.  A perfect place for a traveller and photographer.  

If you travel to Brazil, here are some of the sights you might expect to find.

If you liked this travel photo gallery, follow Greg Snell on twitter @gregorsnell he is always sharing his experiences and photos as he travels throughout South America.

Are you planning to travel to Brazil? Have you travelled to Brazil before? We would love to hear about it.  Don’t forget, if you like our travel photos and travel information, please share it by tweeting, liking on facebook, stumbling and +1′ing.

Our first adventuredesk tv Episode.

Lets talk about Travel to South America!

We are happy to provide you with our very first adventuredesk tv episode 1.  We are taking this time to introduce the team and talk about what adventuredesk tv is all about.  After watching the video, we would love to hear your feedback!

If you liked our video and want to help support adventuredesk and the travel community, we would really appreciate it if you would share it on facebook and tweet about it.

If you are interested in travel to South America, tell us what you want to see in the coming esisodes!

I love Travel, I want to travel to South America, I’m here…now what?

Welcome to the adventuredesk travel community.  We are really happy you decided to stop by.  If you are looking for the latest news, travel tips and information on travel to South America, you have come to the right place.  adventuredesk is a free adventure travel resource for those looking to travel to South America.  I would like to take some time to explain what it is we are all about, and how you fellow travellers can get started using adventuredesk.

Love to travel? Check out adventuredeskTV!

One of the special features of this website is going to be our adventuredesk tv episodes providing great information on travel to South America.  These will be regular video episodes usually around 10 to 15 minutes in length featuring the adventuredesk team and will providing South America travel information, interviews and more.  This is something new to us, and we are really having fun with it.  In future episodes we will have a variety of people working in the adventure travel industry and providing you with local destination information you aren’t going to find in guidebooks!  Check out our first episode and meet the adventuredesk team!

Travel Video: adventuredesk tv – Episode 1

After watching, learn more about the adventuredesk mission in the About adventuredesk Section!

We love travel and we love South America…Get to know the team.

The adventuredesk team is a mix of talented people passionate about travel to South America.  If you’re interested in learning more about them, see the team section of our website with a short bio on each of us.  Here, you can also follow us individually on twitter and connect with us as often as you like!

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Lets Talk about Travel to South America! @adventuredesk

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Start the conversation!

Now, don’t just sit back and simply follow us!  We want to hear from you!  Lets get the conversation started.  Do you have questions about adventure travel to South America?  Are you planning an adventure travel holiday soon?  We would love to hear about it, and we are here to provide travel advice and information to help you develop the same passion that we have for travel to South America.

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Stay tuned for more great South America Travel Information!