The Inca built a road network that stretched some thirty thousand kilometres along the Andes, from southern Colombia to central Chile, and much of it still exists as stone paths, staircases and causeways through the mountains. The Qhapaq Ñan, as it is called, was listed by UNESCO in 2014 as a set of segments across six countries. The Kintama-Tawis segment lies in the mountains north of the Sacred Valley of Cusco, in the high country between the valley and the cloud forests that descend toward the Amazon and the Manú national park.
This is a land of Quechua-speaking communities who still farm potatoes and keep llamas and alpacas at altitudes of three to four thousand metres and more, and who weave textiles in bright, intricate patterns that tell stories of their villages. The Lares area, to the west, is known for its hot springs and for treks between villages that are an alternative to the busier Inca Trail. Below, the valleys drop steeply toward the jungle, and the vegetation changes from grassland to cloud forest within a few hours' walk, with orchids, ferns and hummingbirds.
Riding here is serious business. Roads are often dirt or gravel, with steep climbs, hairpins and passes above four thousand metres, where the air is thin and the bike loses power. Landslides are common in the rainy season, from November to March, and some roads become impassable. The dry season, from May to September, has clear skies, cold nights and dusty roads. Altitude sickness is a real risk, so acclimatise in Cusco for a few days before riding high. Expect trucks, buses and livestock, and do not ride after dark.
For fuel, the towns of the Sacred Valley, such as Calca and Urubamba, are the reliable places, and you should carry extra if heading into the mountains. Food in the villages is simple: potato soups, quinoa, corn and the occasional roasted guinea pig, a local delicacy. Coca tea helps with the altitude. The Inca road itself is for walkers, not vehicles, so leave the bike in a village and walk a stretch. The stones were laid five hundred years ago, and the path still runs straight up the mountain with Inca disregard for gradients.