Recommendations
Always hire the services of companies with experience in rafting. Follow exactly the instructions of the guides and raft captains and always demand safety gear (helmets and life jackets). Do not insist on going to rafting areas that are excessively difficult or unknown, as this can lead to serious accidents.
Mountain Biking
This is the fastest-growing sport in the country. Thousands of bikers today take their light-frame bikes into every gully and trail they can find all along the country’s rugged geography. Biking took off in Peru in the mid-1980s, and since then has never looked back. The number of bikers and the quality of circuits have both grown by leaps and bounds.Actually, any part of the country, with the exception of the coastal desert and the jungle plains, is apt for mountain biking, an exciting sport that requires minimum gear and can be undertaken by either the novice or the experienced sports lover. Based on the degree of difficulty and logistical needs, however, biking circuits can be broken down into three major categories: (A) considered apt for beginners, involving routes with gentle slopes and hard, compact terrain; (B) for bikers with a degree slopes and imply a certain degree of risk for cyclists; and (C) reserved for experts because of steep slopes and extremely loose terrain (involving a great degree of risk and often at high altitude). So get your bike, and explore Peru.
Pachacámac
Located 31 km from Lima down the former South Pan-American Highway, this valley has become the most popular spot for Lima bikers. From the former San Fernando plantation, located east of the town of Pachacámac, one can reach a series of circuits that vary according to the degree of difficulty and types of terrain: La Chacra (A), on the route to Cieneguilla, El Manzano (B), El Cardal (B), El Chirimoyo (C), El Lúcumo (C), Las Lomas (B), amongst others. The area is open for biking between April and December.
Olleros-San Bartolo
Located in the upper reaches of the Lurín Valley, this circuit starts out by climbing up the desert gully of Tinajas up to the spot called Repartición (3.000 masl), from where one abruptly descends to the area of El Huayco, to end up crossing 30 km of practically flat land into the beach resorts of San Bartolo or Chilca, according to choice. The route is reserved for experts (C). Bikers would do well to take along plenty of water as well as a guide or an expert on the route. The trail is biked between May and October.
Los Platanales de Totoritas
For several years now, this has been the most popular biking route along the coast. Totoritas is a beach resort located near the town of Mala, 81 km south of Lima. The routes, which gather increasingly larger crowds of bikers every year, wind their way through fields of crops and form part of the international mountain bike rally circuits. Like in Pachacámac, there are several types of routes to be found: Los Platanales (A), El Mirador de Azpitia (A), La Antena (B) and El Canal Madre (B), amongst others. The area is cycled in the summer season (December-March).
Other Circuits in Lima
Other interesting areas near the capital include routes through the Upper Cañete Valley, especially those that run through the communities of Vilca and Alis; the area of Huarochirí, and the upper reaches of the Lima highlands, between the lake and town of Marcapomacocha, and the Santa Eulalia Valley.
Paracas
The Paracas Reserve, especially the peninsula and southern coast, is a vast playground for biking enthusiasts. The area features short and simple routes, like those that run along the beaches, or ones that are extremely difficult, weaving between sand dunes and climbing steep hillsides. As a rule, it is advisable to take along plenty of water and a map of the area. Preferably, bikers should tackle these routes accompanied by an expert.
