The best mountainbiking raid ever done in Colca Canyon

The Mallku Jaqe (Kondor Man 2005)

by the Colca Specialist

This mountainbiking raid took place in 2005 and it was a duel between two champions. Downhill champ vs Cross country champion.The participants were two notorious peruvian mountainbikers from Arequipa: Guillermo Rendón Cuadros, 3 times champion of the controversial event Kamikaze Nitro Downhill and Aldo Peña Altamirano , the 2004 national cross country champion. The dream team was called INKABIKERS.

The event was divided in two parts, and the first circuit started in Colca Valley, specifically in Sibayo village, located at 3880 meters above sea level . The arrival was in Costa Inka Camaná on the seashore of the Pacific Ocean, after three days of an incredible adventure. The circuit name was “From Heaven to the Ocean: the Collaguas Route”.

The locals of Sibayo village in the ancient times ,they use to do the Illakuy, a kind of trip in which they traveled from the mountains towards the Pacific Ocean. This trip was done by the preinca and inca people, and on the way, they bartered their products with people from lower places, trying to get what they didn´t have on the mountains. It had a religious purpose too.

The travellers collected the sea water and special seashells in order to use them in the rain ceremonials performed to the apus or spirits of the mountain,the protectors of agriculture.

The second circuit had as starting point the Condor Cross in the Colca Canyon. The cyclists visited Cabanaconde, Huambo, Lluta, Taya, Huanca and then they arrived to Yura in Arequipa. The trip was done behind the volcanoes Huallca-Huallca,Sabancaya, and Ampato . The circuit belongs to Ampato Corridor, which is a new touristic option and the landscapes are really impressive.

The cyclists baptised this circuit as “The Route of the Inca Princess”, and they dedicated this circuit to Juanita, the snow maiden of Ampato volcano. In the second circuit a local champion joined the dream team in their trip: Miguel Mamani Huanca, a mountainbiker of Chivay whose is actually considered one of the best mountainbikers in Arequipa.

This event was a real success and it was filmed by Destinos TV Program and Pureq Runa which are well known TV programs specialized in tourism and adventure trips.

This raid was so successful that it had to be repeated 15 times on TV and the cyclists received emails and phone calls of people from Colca Canyon and Colca valley, who are residents in other parts of Peru, thanking them for showing not only their homeland ,but also their traditions and culture. It became successful because of the mix of sports and culture. The creator of this raid is Guillermo Rendón Cuadros who is actually an events promoter,tour guide and an active mountainbiker famous for his feats.

The event was called Kondor Man or Mallku Jaqe in Aymara Language, because the kondors in the summer season they migrate to the Pacific Ocean. Don´t forget that condors are very special for people of the Colca Valley and Colca Canyon. Because the first circuit was dedicated to the people of Sibayo village who belong to the Collagua ethnic group,the name was put in Aymara language,as a tribute to the Collagua ancestors who traveled to the Pacific Ocean with their packs of Lamas.

The event Kondor Man was done before in 2003 and 2004 and Guillermo Rendón was present in all of them pedaling along with Dante Paz Bustamante , Manuel Vera and Jose Linares which are well known cyclists in Arequipa.

To participate in this event the main requirement was to be a mountainbiking champion. Pedaling on the Andes is not childs´ task and in order to reach the objectives, Guillermo Rendón decided to create the INKABIKERS with mountainbiking and road cyclist champions. Creme de la Creme. A “no retreat,no surrender team”.

Because of the success of this event Guillermo Rendón Cuadros and Aldo Peña Altamirano are members of the Hall of Fame of Cyclism in Arequipa, and they were invited to be part of the Hall of Fame in 2009. The “duo dinamita” (dinamite duo) are getting ready for new events and be sure that we are going to hear about them soon.

We would like to thank Planet X Adventures for providing us the pictures. Kodak Time my friends!!!!!!

Here we can see Guillermo Rendón in action.This picture was taken at 5;000 meters high in the area next to Huarancante Volcano.

Aldo Peña (left) and Guillermo Rendón (right) the mountainbikers who took part in the odyssey called Kondor Man 2005.


Guillermo Rendón and the one in charge of the broom car Williams Medina giving the last check to Guillermos machine. The mountainbike Guillermo Rendón used is an hybrid that could be used for downhill purposes and uphill.

The cameran was incredible in this trip,he was put on the top of the van to film all the way down.
The writer of Peru Press magazine smiling for the camera.

Aldo Peña Altamirano (national cross country champion 2004) giving his impressions to the cameras of Pureq Runa Tv Program. Here we can see him being interviewed and posing for the picture along with his all time partner cannondale mountainbike.

Guillermo Rendón Cuadros,3 times champion of the xtreme kamikaze nitro downhill events interviewed by the TV Program Pureq Runa.

This is one of the highets interviews Guillermo Rendón had. The altitude and the cold weather were going to be the main obstacles the cyclists had to overcome if they wanted to reach their desired goal.

Final instructions to the camera man before put him on the roof of the van. That is why he is so well covered with scarf and sweater included.

A wonderful view of Chachani volcano behind the antena.

Aldo Peña Altamirano and Guillermo Rendón going down to Chivay Village.

Aldo Peña (left) and Guillermo Rendón (right) enjoying the company of the recepcionist from one of the best hotels in Coporaque village in Colca Valley: Mamayachi Hotel. This hotel belongs to Giardino Travel agency which was one of the sponsors of this event of the decade!!!!

After and adventure of two days on the highlands ,the cyclists are moving towards the Pacific Ocean. This picture was taken in the desertic area close to Camaná which is one of the main towns on the coastal southpart of Peru.

Aldo Peña passing by the control located a few kilometers away from Camaná.

Guillermo Rendón passing by the control. Mission complete. Guillermo Rendón arrives to Camaná area. There is no doubt of his physical strenght. As a downhill mountainbiker he had superiority on the way down with his full suspension bike but on the way up he had to follow the non-stoping rythm of Aldo Peña and his Cannondale cross country mountainbike. Well done Guillermo!!!!

The desired goal.: The Pacific Ocean in Camaná. The path of the ancestors was done with lamas but with mountainbikes.This circuit is one of the best mountainbiking circuits in Perú

Naturaleza Activa´s Downhill Pichu-Pichu volcano

by the Colca Specialist

Naturaleza Activa
Downhill Pichu-Pichu Volcano

The best downhill mountainbiking in Arequipa.

Watch video in: http://youtu.be/StgtrpOq8SY

Because of its geography, Arequipa is one of the favorites destinies for mountainbikers. In other article I wrote about going downhill Colca Canyon but now I would like to write about mountainbiking in Arequipa. Arequipa has three impressive volcanoes that are the amusement park for arequipenian downhill mountainbikers.

In Arequipa there are three main downhill circuits and each one has the name of a volcano : Downhill Misti, Downhill Chachani and Downhill Pichu-Pichu. As you know there are many travel agencies in Arequipa who offer this kind of tours and their prices are cheap but the service is poor and the equipment quality is the same. So which one is the best? Checking different services with the help of the different guidebooks the best in the two-wheels business is Naturaleza Activa (naturactiva@yahoo.com).

Born in a family of cyclists, Eduardo “The Boss” Sánchez is the owner of Naturaleza Activa a travel agency which is the pioneer in this kind of service and their clients confirm their preference.http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/oosilnz/1/1288246583/tpod.html

Which is the secret of success of this company? Their passion for adventure , mountainbiking and professionalism. If you love adventure it´s difficult some times for you to find somebody who speaks and understands your language, but these guys do it. You are not just another gringo for them ,but a friend.

This way of thinking has lead them to success in this business. Another important component of their success are their mountainbiking guides: friendly, highly professional as tour guides and ex-downhill champions, experts not only in providing information but in having fun too. Another detail in their tours is the music.

They have more music than a deejay so you can listen the music you like in the trip instead of hearing the same boring tracks of peruvian music which are played in all the restaurants and gringo places you visit. Imagine listening Jimi Hendrix,The Doors, James Brown or your favorite music at 4,300 meteres above sea level watching nature in all its expression.

The prices are reasonable and the circuit which is the favorite of most of the tourists is Downhill Pichu-Pichu because the views are very impressive. In the first part, you can see the craters of Pichu-Pichu volcano surrounded by the andean landscape,covered with ichu grass and other plants adpated to high altitudes.

Then after some minutes you will arrived to a nice valley crowded of terraces of the inca period where the locals still cultivate broad beans, potatoes, lucerne among other traditional plants. At the end, you will see the desertic area close to the volcanoes, an area that because of volcanic eruptions , the fall of ashes and the lack of water, turned it into a desert ,forcing the incas to leave this place abandoned.

Downhill Chachani is a good option. You can go very high with the van and you can descend very fast but the problem is garbage and dogs on the way. The terrible smell of garbage and the presence of mosquitos and flies, make this place unpleasant. Dogs are another problem too. So that is why Downhill Pichu-Pichu is the best for the nature lovers.

Safety is another aspect which is important for Naturaleza Activa. All their tours are in areas far from Arequipa. Why? Because of the intense traffic and the erratic way of driving characteristic of peruvian drivers.

Mountainbiking in the downtown area of Arequipa is a risk, because there are no specific paths for cyclists like in Europe and of course there is no respect for the cyclists. Another reason is contamination. Arequipa is crowded of taxis and vans whose main combustible is petrol so if you are behind several cars exhaling the contaminating and toxic gases your nice mountainbiking experience will have a disgusting smelly end. Not recommended at all! I hope you enjoy the pictures and if you are interested in any article please write us to planet_x_adventures@hotmail.com and gladly we will answer all your questions. Thank you very much for your attention. Kodak Time my friends!

This a nice shot of Ubinas volcano here in Arequipa!

This a view of the backpart of Pichu Pichu volcano.The water mirror belongs to Salinas Lake in Arequipa.

The 4x4 wheel drive van of Naturaleza Activa:perfect for the trails of the area.

Rock and Roll girls ready for going downhill Pichu-Pichu.


Naturaleza Activa Tours are designed to have fun!

Naturaleza Activa is recommended by Lonely Planet´s guide book for one reason: Quality,safety and fun!

The views of the terraces are one of the main attractions of this circuit which is considered the best in all Arequipa.

Here in the countryside of Arequipa you will breath PURE AIR ! Pollution is the main problem in Arequipa so the best way to stay away from noisy groups and far enough from the smog of the city Downhill Pichu-Pichu is the best option.


If you are looking for something different Naturaleza Activa is the right option for you!

The Downhill Pichu-Pichu circuit was designed for having fun all the time!

After the adventure we go back to Arequipa againg to celebrate with some cold beers!