– On a motorcycle through Peru’s desert, the Andes Mountains and the Amazon Jungle

Photo reportage
Text and photos by Villads Kok Mortensen

We put on our helmets, turn the keys, and feel the vibrations from the engines. And then we roll out onto the road.
the road along the Pacific coast near the small fishing town of Paracas. A flock of long-beaked pelicans
scared by the sound and ease off, while a slight salty breeze hits the face and the waves set the rhythm in motion
our motorcycle adventure.

But the cool sea breeze is quickly replaced by the heat and dry breath of the Atacama Desert. The sun
It hangs heavy over us, and the dust settles over the visor as we zoom past the cactus plantations in one of the
the world's most empty landscapes. Nature is raw. Here it is desolate. When we stop and turn off the engines, it's
It is so quiet that we can hear the momentary tinnitus that hours of wind noise causes.

Courses on the Andes and the Amazon

In the horizon we see the Andes Mountains rising – a giant wall of earth, stone, and eternal snow. The road winds its way
like an anaconda through the clouds. The air gets thinner, every breath is now a little heavier and
The prospect grows more dizzying with every turn of the hairspring.

From the cool, thin air of the mountains, we drift down into the humid warmth of the Amazon jungle. Here the world becomes green
and alive again: The parrots laugh, and the sound of insects fills the air. Here, there is a scent of earth,
rain and flowers. We drive on muddy tracks, cross rivers, the rear wheels slip out, and we barely have time to
Straighten up before you fall. Adrenaline pumps through your blood in a split second! Traveling also means sweating.

The ancient empire of the Incas

We set down our support foot for the last time in the city of Cusco, the ancient capital of the Incas. The stone-paved
Streets and old Spanish cathedrals are the perfect backdrop for a spaghetti western, where we have

We kept our iron horses amidst a gunfight between the Good and the Evil. You can't come
From here on, we’ll take a slow, blue bus towards Machu Picchu. Inka Rail
runs along the rushing Urubamba river, which whips turquoise meltwater from the glaciers into white foam,
while mountain peaks glides past the windows of the coupe.
In the morning we wander around among the Inca ruins and here we suddenly get a little shy – are we really
After having traveled thousands of miles here to this legendary place – or is it something we created ourselves?
dreams? Don't pinch your arm, mate! It could be that you wake up to a grey rainy day
back home in Denmark. So it's better to stay here in dreamland for a little while, isn't it?

The waves of the Pacific splash against the cliffs at Islas Ballestas, near the city of Paracas. This marine nature reserve is often called Peru’s mini-Galapagos – a paradise for sea lions, penguins and thousands of seabirds.

The burning sun strikes hard against the rocks along Peru’s coast, while seals and frigate birds dive in the icy Antarctic Humboldt Current in search of schools of sardines – a daily sight in the fishing waters of the Pacific Ocean.

A sea lion rests on a rocky outcrop that is colored white by guano – the droppings of birds. Sea lions are nocturnal hunters, but they sleep safely in the sun during the day and do not bother curious boats that pass nearby.

In the middle of the arid plains of the Atacama Desert, we find some shade at a dilapidated café. After hours on the saddle, a rest in the sparse shade is a welcome break from the scorching sun.

Frank Thomsen from Nordjylland is on two wheels through Peru. Back home in Nordjylland, he and his wife run the popular biker hotel at Gøl, Bikers Barn.

A cactus plantation in the Atacama Desert holds something special: small white cochenille larvae that feed on the plants and produce one of the world’s most expensive natural colors. This tiny shieldworm has been cultivated for centuries, already by the Incas, because of its intense red pigment.

When you crush one of the small scales from the cactus plant, an intense red color emerges. The Cochenille color has been used for centuries and is found today in everything from cosmetics to textiles. Cochenille was once one of the most important export products from the Spanish colonial empire and is still sought after for its natural, durable color and for being an alternative to synthetic dyes.

From the air, the Nazca Desert reveals its mysteries: enormous geoglyphs created by an ancient culture thousands of years ago. Here we see the famous monkey, drawn with a single line through the desert.

The Panamericana cuts through the archaeological area of the Nazca Desert – a modern trail through a landscape filled with puzzles that still fascinates archaeologists and travelers from all over the world.

A Danish motorcyclist explores the vast emptiness of the Atacama Desert – one of the driest places on Earth and a true paradise for adventure seekers on two wheels.

On the Altiplano, 4,500 meters above sea level, the sun burns fiercely, while a cool wind swirls the dust from the endless roads.

Close to a herd of alpacas in the Andes Mountains. They are one of four camel species that live here: the alpaca, llama, vicuña, and guanaco. The alpaca's soft wool is used to make textiles, while the meat is served in local restaurants.

Jorge Polack, known among friends as “Coco”, is the Peruvian motorcycle guide for the tour. He has spent his life showing off his magnificent homeland to motorcyclists from all over the world, and he knows all the best roads.

The tour's fellow co-riders, Carlos, pump air into a motorcycle tire while the driver, Raul, supports the wheel. The follow car is an indispensable part of the expedition.

On a motorcycle through the dense, green jungle of the Amazon. The Amazon jungle is the world’s largest rainforest. Here you can encounter everything from barking alligators and jaguars to pink river dolphins, and the rainforest is as unpredictable as it is breathtaking.

Flyvemos (Tillandsia in Latin), an epiphyte plant that lives off moisture and the air’s nutrients – a work of nature in the waterways of the city of Urubamba, in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Machu Picchu: The lost city of the Incas and today one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The city was swallowed up by the cloud forest, escaped the Spanish conquerors and stands today as South America’s most iconic ruin city. If the Spaniards had discovered Machu Picchu in the 16th century, it is very likely that the city would have been razed to the ground and the stones used to build churches and haciendas, as they did with most other Inca cities. Machu Picchu now stands preserved as a unique window into the Inca Empire.

According to her own account, Marianne Stampe is “on the dream trip of her life”. Together with her husband Frank, she runs Bikers Barn.

A local businessman thinks about his buggy in the small fishing town of Paracas on the Pacific coast.

A rusty pickup truck testifies to the harsh climate of the Pacific coast. The salty sea water corrodes all metal along this stretch of coastline.

Henrik Nielsen from Denmark experiences South America on a motorcycle for the first time, and here on the Pacific coast the freedom under the open sky is truly felt.