Inca Royal Roads Self-Guided Tour

You’ll begin your self-guided motorcycle adventure tour from our shop located in Quito, Ecuador - 2850 meters (almost 2 miles above sea level) in the Andes Mountains, on the Equator, in South America. Quito was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the 1970s for having the best-preserved and least altered historic center in all of Latin America. We suggest you arrive a day or two early to experience this amazing town and get used to the altitude before your ride.  Quito was the second capital of the Inca Empire after Cusco, Peru.

On the morning of the tour departure, you’ll be outfitted with the motorcycle of your choice and given a thoughtful presentation that will answer all your questions concerning local customs, rules of the road, and how to operate your pre-programmed GPS. We'll provide a "Road Book" with details on the route and details on each day's points of interest. We will provide you with an "emergency kit" containing a pre-paid cell phone, first aid kit, tools, and other items to ensure your ride goes smoothly.

The first day's ride is intended to give you a sampling of the different types of roads you will be riding. You will have a chance to ride on asphalt and just a few miles of ancient Incan cobblestone roads. This uneven road surface is not to challenge you or to push you - it is so that you become accustomed to your motorcycle quickly.

Your first stop will be in the middle of the world. The Inti-ñan museum is situated right on the Equator. Inti-ñan means "path of the sun" in Quechua, a native language of Ecuador. Take a tour of this magical site, a place that the indigenous peoples have revered for thousands of years. You will learn how the ancient people came to understand that this was the center of the world, centuries before "modern" geography or GPS devices. Play with gravity here and perform some experiments to learn about the Coriolis effect caused by the Earth's rotation. You will also get to know how the indigenous populations of Ecuador live and visit some typical homes. This tour will give you some excellent background information on Ecuador to better understand the cultures as you pass through various regions of Ecuador over the next ten days.

After the visit to the Inti-ñan museum, you will be riding in the Northern Hemisphere. First, pass through a desert canyon that will bring us into a deep canyon. You will then ride out of the canyon into a lush green patchwork of fields of vegetables, roses, and dairy cattle. Stop in the charming little town of San José de Minas with its beautiful stone church and well-manicured central park.  This abrupt change in scenery will be your first taste of the remarkable diversity of terrains and climates that you will experience on this ride.

From San José de Minas, climb in altitude on back roads giving grand vistas of the serene farmlands and forests below. You will experience great aromas as you pass through eucalyptus and pine forests.

You might want to stop to add a layer of clothing as you ride up to a height of over 12,000 feet (3714 meters) to view the majestic Mojanda Lake surrounded by the Fuya-Fuya volcano, which guards the lake. 

From there, ride down through the colonial city of Otavalo, famous for its expansive indigenous market.

You will finish today's ride enjoying the local music and delicious local fare at the 300-year-old Hacienda Pinsaqui - one of the oldest haciendas in Ecuador and famous as the site of the Pinsaqui Treaty, which brought lasting peace with neighboring Colombia. Simon Bolivar was a frequent guest of the Hacienda. Dinner is included with the tour.

Day 2
Otavalo - Papallacta - Baeza - Puerto Misahualli
Distance Covered :  295 Km / 183 miles

After a hearty breakfast of fresh juices, baked loaves of bread, and eggs, you'll start the day by riding to the indigenous market in Otavalo. For hundreds of years, the indigenous people have brought their animals, crafts, and produce down from the surrounding hills to sell in the market here. Don't worry - this market has very little to do with typical knick-knacks and tourist dollars. This market is the real thing.  You'll witness the frenzy of the animal market - one of the most authentic experiences you'll find anywhere.  Take some time to explore the Plaza de Los Ponchos- a maze of hanging tapestries, weavings, and handmade garments.  A second animal section of the market deals with fowl, cuyes (guinea pigs), rabbits, puppies, and kittens.

From Otavalo, head down the Panamericana Highway, rolling past pastoral green dairy farms and through dense forests.  To your left, catch a glimpse of the Volcan Cayambe, the highest point in the world on the Equator, and the only place where the line between the hemispheres crosses snow. You will ride across the equator once again and continue your ride in the southern hemisphere, passing warm valleys bursting with orchards and rose plantations.

Turn east off the Panamericana and stop to add a layer of clothes. You'll be riding steeply up to the Papallacta Pass at 4064 meters (13,350 feet).  From here, cross the Paramo de Papallacta grasslands and view the high altitude, trout paradise, Lake Campucocha. Here, you have passed the continental divide, and now you'll start descending onto the Eastern Slopes.  Grandiose waterfalls of several hundred feet tower over the road in several spots and will inspire pure awe.  See the four peaks of the Antisana Volcano peep through the clouds to the south as the air begins to warm, and the humidity begins to rise.

Once in the cloudforest town of Baeza, rolling rural landscapes take over, which are banked by steep hillsides.  The road becomes a series of twisty curves that float above the roaring Papallacta river - whose waters are heading briskly towards the Amazon, just like you are.

The road drops again in elevation.  The vegetation gets thicker and greener while the air becomes more substantial with occasional wisps of steam.  You're now in the Amazon basin, and an area is specifically known for its abundant condors and rare birds, such as the black-billed mountain toucan.

Further along, we'll pass through the whitewater kayaking capital of Tena and cross a narrow bridge at Puerto Napo.  We'll follow the Rio Napo eastward and stop in the town of Puerto Misahualli. This jungle town is the western-most navigable port in the Amazon network of rivers.  It is possible to take a boat from here to the Atlantic ocean.  Have a little fun with the town's most famous residents - a congress of monkeys that love to tease the local tourists and dogs.

Just outside of Misahualli, you will park the bike for the night in the jungle at the El Jardin Misahualli Lodge, where you will enjoy a comfortable private cabin with its own private veranda and plunge pool.  You will be surrounded by the sounds of the jungle and the roaring Napo River. You'll enjoy a delicious gourmet dinner here (included) before falling fast asleep to the cacophony of the insect world outside.

You'll wake up to the scents and sounds of the Amazon jungle and enjoy a buffet breakfast before setting out in a canoe for an expedition in the wilderness with a native guide.  You will learn about the many different species of plants, birds, insects, and animals in the jungle, as well as their traditional and medicinal uses.  You float back to the lodge in innertubes enjoying the tranquility of river life before you pack up and return to your motorcycles via canoe.

You will skirt alongside the jungle's dense vegetation and continue to the town of Puyo, where we will turn west to begin our climb back up the Eastern Slopes.  You'll be riding in a deep gorge cut out by the mighty Rio Pastaza (a tributary to the Amazon), which will get narrower and narrower as you ascend.  This road has been dubbed the "Ruta de las Cascadas" for the many waterfalls that tumble from the green valley walls.  Many of them fall right overhead from overhanging rocks.  

The vegetation is luxuriant and exotic, with the scent of many wild orchids that will fill your helmet. Stop to visit the Paillon del Diablo (Devil's Cauldron) falls, a thundering set of waterfalls that we will view from a beautiful set of steps.  It is an impressive display of mother nature's awesome power. 

You continue your climb up the eastern slopes on the bikes and stop next for a real thrill.   Tie into a zip line and cross a 200-foot chasm head-first across for about a half a mile canyon straight into the Agoyan waterfall.  It feels like you have grown wings and become a bird.  There is also a cable car if you want to do this at a slower pace!

Once you have reached an altitude of about 6,000 feet (1850 m), you will be in the adventure sports town of Baños, at the base of the active Tungurahua Volcano.  Baños was settled in 1553 and enjoys a warm, subtropical climate and is nestled among soaring green hills lined with waterfalls.

Volcan Tungurahua (meaning "throat of fire") rises above the town at 5053 meters (about 16,500 feet). Its relatively frequent eruptions provide an exuberant display of pyroclastic flows and ash, which we can view from the hills above the town.  

You'll check into the cozy and friendly Posada del Arte and walk a block up the street to soak ourselves in the volcanic baths that make this town famous.  There are various pools of different temperatures and sizes. One is so hot that it will leave a red mark around you like a cooked lobster once you get out.   These baths are a great way to relax after a day of excitement and great riding.  You can have dinner in one of the town's international restaurants.

You may want to linger a little in the beautiful town of Baños, but you've got a lovely day ahead of you. You'll head out of town, taking the route that crawls around the base of the mighty Volcan Tungurahua.

There, follow the Chambo River valley, and the landscapes will alternate between deep green pastoral lands and dense eucalyptus and pine forests. You will pass several orchards and scenic agricultural villages as you climb out of the valley and into the city of Riobamba.

Riobamba is a colonial city with pastel buildings and well-groomed parks and squares.  Ride through the city's cobblestone streets and head out on a back road leading to breathtaking pastoral lands tended by shepherds and dairy farmers. The winding road leads past a region of green pastures and cool waters flowing in rivers dropping from the mountains above.

You'll re-join the Panamericana Highway again in the town of Guamote and ride in the fresh air of the altiplano at 11,500 feet.  To the left is the high-altitude Palmira desert, which was once the fastest-growing desert globally, but has been contained thanks to an effective environmental campaign and reforestation efforts.   It is a stunningly beautiful yet rare landscape.

You will be downshifting as you enter a series of switchbacks that lead to the town of Alausi. Alausi is in a round valley and encircled by steep hills.  The town has an old-world feel to it, much like a southern European town, with narrow cobblestone streets and colorful adobe houses.  The town's activities center around the railroad tracks you'll see why tomorrow) and settle into the town's most comfortable hotel, the Hosteria La Quinta, which has lovely balconies overlooking the city below.

Today is full of fantastic experiences and amazing riding, so you should start with a filling breakfast.  First, walk two blocks to the train station and board the train bound for the "Nariz del Diablo" (Devil's Nose).  We will provide you with your boarding pass and ticket (included)

When the Ecuadorian railroad was built in the early 1900s, this section was known as the  "most difficult railway in the world."  It is a fantastic feat of engineering indeed.  At one point, the train will descend over 3,000 feet, having to move backward and then forwards as it descends the steep switchbacks.  The train will let us off in the town of Sibambe, where we will visit the condor museum there,  and see these powerful birds close -up.  Then ride the train back to Alausi and get ready for an astounding ride through the southern Ecuadorian Andes.

As you head south down this lonesome stretch of the Panamericana Highway, you will see profound changes in the landscape.  The rugged, sharp peaks and snow-capped volcanoes of the North will give way to softer, greener, and tamer lower elevations.  The climate and terrain are also a little drier here.  Until just a few years ago, this stretch of the Panamericana Highway was in deplorable shape, which isolated this section of the country for many years.  We can still witness these effects as we ride through the virtually uninhabited countryside. The whole region feels very far away and strikingly different from the North of Ecuador.  The motorcycle-riding here is some of the best you'll find on the entire Panamericana (which stretches from Alaska to Ushuaia in Argentina).  This section of the international highway is brand-new pavement, and the seemingly endless curves and vistas will be an afternoon delight for sure.

The little town of Tambo was an ancient Chasqui (Inca courier) way station on the Inca Royal Road between Cusco and Quito. We'll turn off here from Panamericana Highway and into the traditional lands of the Cañari people.  The Cañari are particularly noted for their resistance against the Inca Empire.  Eventually conquered by the Inca shortly before the Spanish arrival, the Cañari would later ally with the Spanish against the Inca.  The landscapes here are astounding with rolling patchwork fields that are still tended to by animal - not machine - power. In many ways, a ride through this region is a throwback to another simpler, healthier time. You will see many Cañari dressed in brightly colored ponchos, and white felt bowlers.

The meandering road leads to Ingapirca, which is the best-preserved Inca site in Ecuador.  Constructed during the Inca expansion into Ecuador in the late 15th century, the Cañari people had previously occupied the site for more than 500 years. The vast ruins here include the Temple of the Sun and remains mostly intact. It is composed of an immense oval-shaped platform whose slightly inward-tapering walls are made of superbly carved stone blocks, fitted together with enigmatic precision.  The site exhibits other architectural emblems of the Inca empire, such as trapezoidal doorways and exquisite stonework that are usually reserved for ceremonial temples.  We will get a brief tour of the site to reveal the fascinating history of this region and the ancient empire.

From Ingapirca, continue down this magnificent stretch of the Panamericana, through the towns of Cañar, Biblian, and Azoques, which all feature gothic temples and churches that sit righteously above the highway. And although the Inca defeated them, the Canari culture lives on.  Passing through paramo and then thick forests, the road brings us to the city of Cuenca.

Cuenca is Ecuador's most beautiful and charming city.  The UNESCO World Heritage City features narrow, cobblestone streets, melodious houses with balconies and flowery interior courtyards, and lots of churches and monasteries built of precious stone.  The Spanish founded it in 1557 on the site ofTomebamba - a city established by the Inca in 1470, which was said to have rivaled Cusco in Peru with its pomp and majesty.

Check into one of Cuenca's most luxurious and prestigious hotels, the Hotel Victoria- right in Cuenca's colonial center.  Then, stroll around the center of this city, visiting the Catedral Vieja - a cathedral built in 1557 and the Parque Calderon, as well as the famous flower market.  Cuenca offers an outstanding choice of excellent restaurants to end a fantastic day of riding in style.

Day 6
Rest Day in Cuenca

Today is a day for relaxation and activity.  You'll be staying in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cuenca's colonial center - voted as the #1 place for retirement by International Living Magazine.  You'll have a chance to get to know this beautiful city.  There are fantastic restaurants, hot spring inexpensive luxury spas,  museums, zoos, and several markets to explore.  Click here for a guide of things to do in Cuenca on your rest day.

If you want more riding, we can set up a self-guided motorcycle tour of the Cajas National Park (pictured above) - one of the most exhilarating rides in South America (included with the tour).

You'll have an amazing day, no matter what you choose to do!

After a delightful buffet breakfast, pack up the bike and ride through Cuenca's cobblestone streets and depart the city, heading east.  The road will first bring us past fantastic rock outcroppings and then drop down into a warmer, greener valley.  The valley is replete with fruit orchards, flower plantations, and orchid nurseries.  This is a newly paved road, and this beautiful valley is becoming a popular place for Cuencanos to buy their weekend homes.

You'll be riding on what is known as the "Guitar Road" because the region is known for its hand made guitars made by several craftsmen with shops along this scenic mountain road.  The guitars made here have ended up in the hands of many famous musicians, including Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, and Andrés Segovia. 

Ride along the pleasant Rio Cutilcay, which brings you to the town of Paute.  Paute is a beautiful town with a well-manicured central park.  The town is famous for its fruit, and you can pick up a great jar of jam from the town to bring home.

From here, climb again in altitude before descending into the Amazonian town of Sucua, the major home and center of the Shuar people.  "Shuar" in the Shuar language means people. But the Shuar refer to Spanish-speakers as apach and non-Spanish/non-Shuar speakers as inkis. Europeans and European Americans used to refer to Shuar as jívaros or jíbaros; this word probably derives from the 16th-century Spanish spelling of "Shuar" but has taken other meanings, including "savage"; outside of Ecuador,  The Shuar were largely left undisturbed by the Inca for good reason.

The Spanish, in their quest for gold, tried to colonize them.  When they tried to impose taxation and laws, they became deeply angered and attacked a Spanish outpost, killing thousands of settlers.  The Spanish Governor was then killed by having molten gold poured down his throat until his bowels burst - their attempt at poetic justice.  Most recently, the Shuar continued their culture of being great warriors in the war with Peru in 1995, where they consistently outwitted the Peruvians.  They have only recently been integrated into Ecuadorian society. This area of the Amazon, protected by the Shuar, is one of the most pristine parts of the jungle in Ecuador.

The Shuar are famous for shrinking the heads (Tzantzas) of their enemies, which ceased just 2 generations ago; the process evolved to take revenge from the bewitchment of the enemy over others serving as a warning to any would-be future attackers and predators. Don't worry and have a stop in the center of town. Members of the older generation can still be seen with their facial tribal tattoos, although the younger generation has taken to wearing jeans and t-shirts...

Continue your ride, passing a display of waterfalls on all sides, and arrive in the town of Macas. Macas is a very orderly and clean town with very friendly people.  Settle into the luxurious and friendly Arrayan y Piedra Lodge for a stay full of relaxation and fun (the place is WAY better than their web site would lead you to believe!)

Today's ride will take you through a wide variety of terrains and changing climates, so you will need to be prepared with extra layers of clothes and a heavy set of gloves.  Set out of Macas, heading west to enter the Sangay National Park on the pristine new tarmac.  The government had been promising to create this road for the past 111 years- and it was just completed in 2014.  There had been a lot of controversy about bringing vehicles into what is considered one of Ecuador's most beautiful natural areas.

We're delighted they built this road - and you will see why! In the lower elevations, it starts with a show of several dramatic waterfalls and provides the perfect cambering in the many curves we ride as we climb in altitude.  You'll pass into the cloudforest and through the small town of Zuñac- with very friendly residents.

From Zuñac, you'll start climbing again - with more dramatic tumbling waterfalls to entertain us as you twist and turn.  The forest will begin to give way to a windswept paramo, and we will come upon the stunning Lagunas de Atillo. The ancient natives of this region, the Puruháe people, used to drown their convicted criminals in the icy waters.  Jagged, pointy peaks frame the lakes.  You'll be stopping here for some photos.

Descend a bit in elevation to arrive in a patchwork of bright and dark green fields interspersed between cold flowing brooks.  Here the people are raising sheep, and the scenery is stunning.  We'll come through a dusty little town of Calaceda and turn to the west to re-join the Panamerican Highway north.  You'll pass the Laguna de Colta from which the local women gather the reeds and sell baskets alongside the road. We'll stop to see the Balbanera Church, said to be the first chapel the Conquistadors raised in 1534.  It still has carvings of angels and gargoyles and makes a great photo with the snow-capped Chimborazo mountain behind it.

We'll turn west again and begin rising into highlands paramo, climbing the Chimborazo Mountain base.  With permanent glaciers at its peak, Chimborazo is the highest point in Ecuador and is the highest point on Earth.  This relatively unknown little factoid is because the Earth bulges at the Equator and Chimborazo's peak is the furthest piece of land from Earth's core.

The road crosses through the Chimborazo National Wildlife Refuge, home to thousands of wild vicuña, the smaller, lighter, faster cousin of the llama and camel.  Ecuador has one of the best-protected vicuña populations in the world, and we will be sure to see these majestic creatures as we wind around the gigantic mountain.  We'll reach an altitude of over 14,500 feet (4.500 meters), and here, the weather is unpredictable.  Be ready for bright sunshine, freezing rain, hail, or even snow!

You descend from this high altitude and ride into the Guaranda valley and turn to the west again on a twisty road that winds through deep green pastures.  Arrive in the alpine town of Salinas (photo left), a grouping of colorful homes near the foot of a vertical wall of rock, surrounded by rolling fields and plains. Salinas is so named because it has a natural spring that brings forth water with the perfect combination of iodized salt, known for its healing qualities.

Check into the basic but comfortable "El Refugio" hotel and grab some dinner made with the town's most popular products - cheeses and sausage. The evenings will be a bit chilly at an altitude of 11,500 feet, so you will want to warm yourself around the fireplace in the hotel and meet the other guests before sleeping in this tranquil setting.

You'll wake up in the high-altitude town of Salinas and have a great breakfast of fresh cheeses, eggs, and juice.    Until 1971, the town lived under feudal law - the men worked in the fields and had to pay tribute to the landowner.  This way of life changed with land reform signed into law by President Cordova (who was assassinated soon after that).  We highly recommend that you take one of the inexpensive guided tours offered by the tourism office in the center of town.

A Swiss philanthropist came to help pull the town out of poverty and to the point is today with full employment and a prospering economy. His foundation created a cooperative economy and provided the locals with training, materials, technical support, and bank loans.  They imported machinery from the closed mills in Massachusetts.  It transformed the lives of the local sheep owners who had previously sold raw wool to intermediaries for a pittance.  They began to manufacturer their own yarn and sell it directly to manufacturers for a much better profit.  With this success, the town turned to make cheeses, importing Swiss cheese-making technology.  Now they were able to turn the locally produced milk into the tastiest cheeses in the Andes. A similar expansion of the town's economy has happened with other activities such as producing chocolate and soccer balls.   

Then, head out of Salinas and ride back into the heights surrounding Chimborazo at about 14,000 feet and descend along with another of the best roads in Ecuador, which takes you through a deep gorge of a whitewater river.  The canyon starts very narrow, but as you continue your descent, the gorge becomes wider and wider.  This is a protected ecological zone, so the traffic is limited. We usually have the road to ourselves.

You will skirt around the city of Ambato and head north to the city of Latacunga.  You will turn on the route known as one of Ecuador's most scenic - The Quilotoa Loop.  The road first leads to the town of Pujillí, with a beautiful central park and church.  From here, you'll climb higher and higher, with stunning views of the city of Latacunga and the valley below.  As you continue to rise to over 13,000 feet, the temperature will drop sharply, and find yourself in a dramatic open landscape of highlands paramo.  Here are traditional homes made of mud adobe and thatch roofs, called chozas.

Be sure to stop and visit the art gallery in Tigua, which is famous and displays local artists' work.  The works include painted hides, ceremonial masks, and paintings depicting daily life in this region.  Tigua is a beautiful village comprised of tiled roofs against a dramatic setting of steep hills and cliffs.  From Tigua, we'll roll downhill into the small town of Zumbahua.  

Then it's a brisk ride to the Laguna Quilotoa. This fantastic lake was created by a collapsed volcano that left behind minerals that now give the deep crater lake an odd blue-green color. From the Quilotoa Lake, the road will wind through some incredibly picturesque countryside along jagged cliffs.  Arrive at the small village of Chugchilan.  It is home to about a dozen families, a cheesemaker, and a women's knitting cooperative.  You will stay for the night at the award-winning Black Sheep Inn in the village center.  They also have horses that you can ride in the surrounding countryside if you arrive early.