DAY 1: ARRIVE TO CUSCO + CITY TOUR

Upon your arrival to Cusco, we will take you to the hotel and then join your guide for a briefing about the wonderful tour that awaits you. Today, begin the day with a tour of Cusco enjoy the sights of Cusco´s (the capital of the Incas). The indigenous and colonial heritages then spend the remainder of the day at leisure “by exploring Cusco’s nightlife or sampling some of its many typical restaurants.

HALF-DAY CITY TOUR

We will pick you up at 1:00PM from your hotel to start the tour and visiting the following places.

• · The Koricancha: Temple of the sun.
• · The Cathedral: Marvel of the religious art.
• · Sacsayhuaman: Majestic place with impressive works in stone, some up to 120 tons.
• · Q´enqo: (Labyrinth) a religious center dedicated to the adoration of the Earth.
• · Puca Pucara: (reddish place) that was used as a military control center.
• · Tambomachay: (Temple of the Water) a center of adoration and worship of water.

DAY 2: CUSCO | LARES – HUACAWASI

You´ll enjoy a delicious breakfast just before we´ll pick you up to go to Calca in the Sacred Valley. Once there we have the last chance to buy anything you think you could need.

We keep going to the highest place will be this first day: 4265 meters above sea level (13992 FASL), there Sawasiray and Pitusiray, two big mountains, say hello to us. Then we  go down to 3207 MASL/10521 FASL in Lares a typical and small Colonial Town. There we can enjoy the springs, have lunch and finally get ready to start our hiking adventure.

We´ll take an Increasing path to Huacawasi (3600 MASL – 11811 FASL) our first stop. This little Town is full of colors and good Vibes. Houses made of adobe and many of the typical Llamas.

Lunch and dinner are included.

DAY 3: HUACAWASI | ARURAYOQ – MANTANAY

After Breakfast start our trek to Aruraycocha (at 4500 MASL/14763 FASL) the highest point. The view is just amazing, you can see the beautiful Aruraycocha lake; and then go down towards it. Here the vegetation changes. It’s the conservation area of Mantanay we can observe a typical kind of tree called the Q’euñas around the other lake: Yuraccocha. Around these lakes we´ll have lunch. If we are lucky enough, we can see the famous and huge Andean Condor. We´ll keep going down to Mantanay village our second campsite 3800 MASL/12467 FASL high.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.

DAY 4: MANTANAY | YANAHUARA – OLLANTAYTAMBO

Hopefully you had a nice sleep, because this morning is the last day of trekking heading to Yanahuara, located at 2950 MASL/9678 FASL. another beautiful and colorful town located in the Sacred Valley. There the weathers changes; we´ll be more warmer. Here also, the important white grain corn is harvested. And here it´s where we´ll have our last meal together and say good bye to our staff–Cooks and Horsemen–we´ll take a van to Ollantaytambo.

Ollantaytambo is an archaeological site once the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti, who conquered the region and now a days is some kind of museum due to the inca ruins. Located in the sacred valley is the place where we´ll spend the night.

DAY 5: OLLANTAYTAMBO – WIÑAY WAYNA – MACHU PICCHU

We pick you up from your hotel early (depending on train time) and take you to the train station. We travel by train, on a very pictures in route for two and a half hours until we reach kilometer 104 – the start of the trail for us. From here, we have a walk of about 4 hours up to the Incan site Wiñay Wayna (‘Forever Young’) (2680m/8792ft). You have joined the path in time to see the most impressive site on the whole Inca Trail!!

Then, we will continue on to ‘Inti Punku’ (‘Sun gate’) (2730m/8792ft) from where you will have your first dramatic, panoramic view of Machu Picchu (2400m/7873ft). We will walk down the last part of the trail towards the ancient city itself. Before reaching Machu Picchu, we will take a side path off the trail to go down to Aguas Calientes, leaving the visit to Machu Picchu for the next day. In Aguas Calientes we’ll have dinner and a much deserved rest so we’re recharged and ready for Machu Picchu the next day.

DAY 6: MACHU PICCHU TOUR – RETURN TRAIN TO CUSCO.

We have breakfast and then take the first bus (5:30am) up to Machu Picchu. A walking tour (2 hours) is given by your guide and after this you can explore the mysterious city by yourselves. If you have energy, you can also climb Huayna Picchu (2720m/8890ft)!!! (It takes about 45 minutes to reach the top.)

You will meet your guide in Aguas Calientes (it can be reached by bus or on foot) for lunch and be given your train tickets back to Cusco (Bus transfer from Ollantaytambo). The train usually leaves between 2:30pm and 6pm depending on Peru Rail’s allocations and availability (to be confirmed).

If desired, an extra night in Aguas Calientes can be arranged. This option is very popular as it allows more time to explore Machu Picchu. You can also go to the thermal springs in town – a real treat after finishing the Inca Trail.

NOTE: It is no longer possible to stay a night on the Inca Trail for the 2 day, 1 night trek. All people on this tour spend the night in Aguas Calientes, the town nearest Machu Picchu.

HUAYNA PICCHU

There is a new regulation for climbing this mountain.

Tickets for this mountain need to be booked well in advance; there are two time sessions: 7 – 8am or 10 – 11am – this also needs to be specified when booking the trip.

Please note: if you get the permits for the 7am start you will probably have to miss the Machu Picchu guided tour.

DAY 7: DEPART CUSCO

After breakfast, we will take you back to the airport according your flight itinerary.