Kevin Hagerty, MotoQuest partner, has traveled all over the world on two wheels. His expertise is often consulted when putting together itineraries for MotoQuest. So it’s interesting to us that when he is giving a presentation about other MotoQuest adventures, somehow he always ends up navigating the conversation to one place in particular – the MotoQuest Machu Picchu Peru Adventure. He even goes as far as saying, “Don’t go to your grave until you’ve ridden in Peru.”
Why is this trip so special to Kevin, who has been to places like Alaska, Patagonia, Turkey, Laos, India, Colombia, and South Africa? We caught up with him to find out.
What is it about Peru that has made it to the top of your bucket list recommendations?
It’s one of the best places that I’ve ridden for several reasons. Primarily, it’s the quality of roads that we get to ride on thanks to the effort made by the government to maintain the roads. The Pan-American Highway (which we talked about last time) is the thruway for a lot of materials to make their way through South America. So, it would seem like it’s a big highway like we think of in the states, but in the five hours we ride the Pan American we pass about 4-5 villages, pass about 15-20 trucks and maybe about 10 cars. And then you have the Pacific Ocean shoreline about 200 yards away, mostly untouched and gorgeous.
So you love the roads, but what about the sites you stop and visit? Obviously Machu Picchu is an unforgettable stop.
The trip to Machu Picchu is incredible. I could talk for a whole day about that side trip. It’s just phenomenal when you stop and think about what it took to make the finished product, with the tools they had back then. It’s just amazing.
But in addition to that, Puerto Inca, which is a natural bay on the pacific coast, was where the Incas used to fish. They would fish here and then take the fish all the way back up to the king in Cusco, about 300 miles up the Inca Trail in the Andes. It’s pretty remarkable.
Another amazing spot is Lake Titicaca. This is a highlight for me and I recommend taking the optional boat tour that takes you to Reed Island. This is where a centuries-old tribe – the Uru – still live out on the lake. They have a civilization that lives on the lake with these floating homes. It’s so interesting.
We’ve mentioned before that the Machu Picchu Peru Adventure is a great trip for couples. You’ve done this trip with your wife. How did you enjoy it?
I don’t go on any motorcycle adventure without my wife Keleigh. She’s always ready to go explore and she loved this trip. Like I mentioned, the roads are great, which makes it really nice when deciding on bringing a rider to go two-up. It’s really a nice way to see Peru with your partner enjoying it right alongside you.
We still have a few spots still available for the trip this April. For many, this is the perfect time to get away when the cold has not yet ceased and you need that freedom that an adventure on two wheels brings! It’s time to explore Peru!
Peru Machu Picchu Adventure
April 6, 2020 – April 19, 2020
April 5, 2021 – April 18, 2021