PROGRAM 8 DAYS: City Tour, Sacred Valley, RainBow Mountain & 4 days/3 nights classic Inca Trail

Overview

Day 1: Welcome to Cusco and City Tour.
Day 2: Sacred Valley tour (Full day).
Day 3: Rainbow Mountain (Full Day) – Cusco
Day 4: Inka Trail to Machupicchu; Cusco – Wayllabmba. FIRST CAMPING.
Day 5: Inka Trail to Machupicchu; Wayllabamba – Ayapata – Dead Woman´s pass- Pacaymayo. SECOND CAMPING.
Day 6: Inka Trail to Machupicchu; Runkurakay- Phuyupatamarka- Wiñaywayna. THIRD CAMPING.
Day 7: Arrive to Machupicchu & back to Cusco.
Day 8: Departure transfer.

Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome to Cusco and City Tour.

Upon your arrival at the Alejandro Velazco Astete Airport, in the Imperial City of Cusco (3,350 m.a.s.l.), Info Machupicchu´s staff will be waiting for you, to transfer you to the hotel of your choice. Once at the hotel, you´ll have the opportunity to enjoy a famous coca leaf tea, as that plant possesses properties that will help your organism overcome altitude sickness. Afterwards, you´ll get a chance to rest and get a bit acclimatized, at the hotel.

Around 1:30 p.m., we´ll pick you up at your hotel, to start the city´s tour with the visit of Cusco´s Cathedral, located on the city´s Main Square. Then, we´ll go to the ‘Qoricancha’, or Temple of the Sun, that was the Incas´ maximum expression of architecture and engineering, where the Santo Domingo Monastery is presently erected.

Then, we´ll board a tourism bus, to head towards the 4 archaeological complexes located on the city´s outskirts, which are Saqsayhuaman, famous for its huge cut stones, some of which are 9 meters high, and weigh over 350 tons. Then, we´ll visit Qenqo, which means ‘Maze’ or ‘Zigzag’, and fulfilled clearly religious functions. Afterwards, we´ll go over to Puca Pucara which is considered to have served as a watch post and, finally, we´ll visit Tambomach’ay that was destined to the Cult to Water.

Between 6:00 and 6:30 p.m., you´ll return to the city of Cusco, to have dinner (not included) and spend the night at your hotel.

Day 2: Sacred Valley tour (Full day).

After breakfast, at your hotel, our bus will pick you up between 8:00 and 8:30, to start the tour at 9:00 a.m., with the guided visit of Pisaq´s Incan Architectural Complex which is one of the most important and visited, in the Incas´ Sacred Valley. Then, we´ll go to Pisac´s Native Handicraft Market, where we´ll have the opportunity to observe its inhabitants´ customs, from up close. Then, we´ll go to the town of Urubamba, where we´ll enjoy a delicious buffet-lunch.

After lunch, we´ll ride on by the Vilcanota River´s banks, to visit the Incan Architectural Complex of Ollantaytambo, next to the ‘Last Living Incan Village’. Afterwards, we´ll visit Chinchero which is presently considered as tourist attraction, due to its famous handicraft and textile works, with Incan designs, elaborated in the pre-Columbian style.

Finally, we´ll take you back to the city of Cusco, between 6:30 and 7:00 p.m., in time for you to have dinner (not included), and spend the night at your hotel.

Day 3: Rainbow Mountain (Full Day) – Cusco

We´ll pick you up at your hotel, between 4:00 and 4:30 a.m., to travel, for about 2 hours, to the village of Cusipata, where we´ll enjoy a delicious breakfast, after which we´ll go on, for about 40 minutes, to the checkpoint where we´ll start the hike.

The hike lasts about 1 hour and 20 minutes, to get to Vinicunca, better known as the Rainbow Mountain (5,020 m.a.s.l.). On the way, we´ll observe the area´s fauna, with lamas and alpacas led by shepherds dressed in beautiful traditional clothes, typical of that region, as we´ll be passing by gorges, on our way to the heights, surrounded by the Ausangate´s snowcapped peaks. As we almost get to the summit, we´ll notice changes in the landscape, and sighting the Vinicunca Mountain Range (5,020 m.a.s.l.).

There, our guide will give you a detailed explanation on the mountain´s orography, ecosystem and colors, and then, you´ll have free time to admire the landscape, and take the most beautiful pictures of the Rainbow Mountain. Afterwards, we´ll return to Cusipata, where we´ll enjoy a delicious lunch, with food products of the area and, finally, we´ll travel back to the city of Cusco, to get there around 5:00 p.m., for you to freshen-up, have dinner (not included) and spend the night at your hotel.

Day 4: Inka Trail to Machupicchu; Cusco – Wayllabmba. FIRST CAMPING.

Between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m., we´ll pick you up at your hotel, aboard our vehicle, to take you to Km 82 (Piscacucho), in the Incas´ Sacred Valley. There, you´ll meet the porters, cooks and team necessary for the trek, to start hiking the Inca Trail´s easiest kilometers.

On the way, we´ll enjoy a beautiful view of snowcapped Mount La Verónica, as we border the Vilcanota River, ´till we get to the Incan Architectural Complex of LLACTAPATA, where we´ll have lunch. Then, we´ll hike on to our first campsite, in WAYLLABAMBA, where we´ll spend the night, after a repairing dinner.

Accommodation in 2-capacity tents
6 to 7-hour hike.

Day 5: Inka Trail to Machupicchu; Wayllabamba – Ayapata – Dead Woman´s pass- Pacaymayo. SECOND CAMPING.

After breakfast, we´ll get on the trek´s hardest, but not impossible section, to reach the Inca Trail´s highest point, where you´ll enjoy an incredible panoramic view on the whole surrounding area, and will have a chance to observe the different kinds of micro-climates that exist in that region.

After about a 3-hour hike, we´ll cross the mountain pass called ‘WARMIWANIUSCA’ which means ‘Dead Woman’, in Quechua, at about 4,200 m.a.s.l. There, you´ll feel an overwhelming satisfaction for having the Inca Trail´s highest point. After that fabulous experience, we´ll have lunch, and then, we´ll descend to ‘PACAYMAYO’ (3,600 m.a.s.l.), where we´ll have dinner and will spend the second night.

7 to 8-hour hike.

Day 6: Inka Trail to Machupicchu; Runkurakay- Phuyupatamarka- Wiñaywayna. THIRD CAMPING

After breakfast, we´ll start walking, uphill, to the Inca Trail´s second most important mountain pass, located at 3,850 m.a.s.l., to reach the Incan Architectural Complex of RUNKURAKAY, where we´ll go on a guided visit of the whole complex, as well as that of the Incan site of SAYACMARCA (3,540 m.a.s.l.).

After these guided visits, we´ll hike up to the Incan Architectural Complex of PUYUPATAMARCA (3,650 m.a.s.l.); another important archaeological site, where we´ll have lunch and, after a short rest, we´ll be hiking downhill to our last campsite, called ‘WIÑAY HUAYNA’ (Forever Young, in Quechua), at 2,690 m.a.s.l. there, we´ll go on a guided visit of the impressive Incan architectural complex that bears the same name. After its guided visit, we´ll get back to our campsite, to have dinner and rest.

7 to 8-hour hike.

Day 7: Arrive to Machupicchu & back to Cusco.

After a very early breakfast, we´ll resume our hike, to get to witness the sunrise, in the Incan City of Machu Picchu. So, after a 1-hour hike, we´ll cross the INTI PUNKU, or Sun´s Gate, also known as the Inca Trail´s access way to MACHU PICCHU, from which one can appreciate the most impressive panoramic view of the whole city.

After that experience, we´ll visit the Incan city´s surroundings, as well as its main architectural compounds, such as temples, enclosures, squares, sacred fountains, in its urban and agricultural sectors. After that memorable guided visit, we´ll have free time to take pictures, etc. Then, you´ll take a bus that will take you down to Machupicchu Pueblo (ex Aguas Calientes), where you´ll be able to have lunch (on your own account), and stroll around the pedestrian village, before catching the afternoon or night train back to the city of Cusco.

Day 8: Departure transfer.

Breakfast at the hotel and, at the indicated time, Info Machupicchu´s staff will pick you up, to take you to the airport.

END OF OUR SERVICES.

Includes

Included:

Transfers: Airport – Hotel – Airport
Cusco´s City Tour
Sacred Valley Tour
Guided excursion to RainBow Montain.
Entrance tickets to all tourist attractions to be visited
Tourism transportation for all programed tours
Professional tour guide, in the language you prefer (English or Spanish)
4 Day/3 Nights Inca Trail Trek -Group Service, 3 Nights camping on Inca trail (2 persons tent). Foam pad mattress, full board meals on the Trek. Guided tour on the Trek and Machupicchu.
Bus down, from Machu Picchu to Machupicchu Pueblo
Tourism train ticket from machupicchu Pueblo to Ollantaytambo
Transfer from Ollantaytambo to Cusco
4 nights at the hotel you´ve chosen, in Cusco
3 breakfasts at the hotel
1 buffet-lunch in the Sacred Valley
1 buffet-lunch in Machupicchu Pueblo.
1 breakfast and buffet-lunch in Cusipata Village (RainBow Montain Tour)
Daily orientation and assistance, on the part of our professional tourism staff.