Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Trip Overview

Peru is richly blessed with beautiful mountains and many areas for hiking. The awesome scenery is one responsible for the magic of the Inca Trail. Not many walks in this world have such a combination of natural beauty, history and sheer mystery with such an awe-inspiring vista. The various ruins along the way serve to heighten the hiker's sense of anticipation as he or she approaches what would surely find a place in any new list of archaeological wonders of the world - Machu Picchu.

Itinerary

Day 1. LIMA

Arrival in Lima, reception and transfer to your hotel.

Day 2. LIMA- CUZCO (Breakfast)

Morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Cuzco. Arrival in Cuzco, reception and transfer to your hotel. Welcome drink of coca tea to help acclimatise to the 3400m setting of Cuzco. Free day for personal exploration.

Day 3. CUZCO (Breakfast)

Free morning. Afternoon guided visit of the four ruins nearby; the Sacsayhuaman Fortress overlooking the town of Cuzco, a pre Inca architectural masterpiece; Kenko, a rock sanctuary whose main attraction is the monolithic altar representing a puma, the red Fortress of Puca-Pucara and Tambomachay, a beautiful fountain fed by a spring forming a series of basins continue to the city of Cuzco; the Main Square, the Cathedral and the Koricancha or Temple of the Sun. Return to your hotel

Day 4. SACRED VALLEY- OLLANTAYTAMBO (Breakfast & buffet lunch)

Full-day excursion to the beautiful Urubamba, the Sacred Valley of the Inca situated between Pisac and Ollantaytambo. It is an exceptionally fertile valley that was and still remains the larder of Cuzco. Visit to the village of Pisac, founded during colonial times, and set at the foot of a hill crowned by the remains of an ancient Inca city. On Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, Indians barter their products in the main square and artisans from around the area sell their woven alpaca wool blankets and ponchos, engraved gourds, antique reproductions and jewellery. On Sundays it is also the meeting place for Mayors from all the villages in the region, who, dressed in their traditional costumes, attend morning mass. After a buffet lunch, a visit to Ollantaytambo, the only Inca town which was not defeated by the Spanish. Exploration of the ruins which tower above. Return to Cuzco via the market town of Chichero. Briefing on the up and coming Inca Trail

Inca Trail to Machu Picchu (Breakfast, lunch & dinner included – only breakfast on the final day)

Day 5. CUZCO - WAYLLABAMBA

After an early morning breakfast, you will be transferred to Chilca by bus, where you will meet the Quechua porters and have breakfast. Crossing over the turbulent Vilcanota River, with magnificent views of Nevado Veronica (5,900m/19,000ft) we will continue the expedition admiring the Llactapata archaeological site, and stopping at the Huayllabamba river for lunch. We will visit the archeological sites of Patallacta, Qente, and the valley of Cusichaca and the magical Polylepsis forest. Today the hike will last approximately 7 hours, arriign in camp around 17h00. Camp and dinner at 3,800 meters. Overnight on the trail.

Day 6. WAYLLABAMBA - PACAYMAYU

Today is one of the most demanding days of the trip as we gain a lot of altitude. We will see outstanding views east to the Huayanay peaks and west into the rugged Vilcabamba Range. After breakfast, we will continuously climb up through the first pass at 4,200 m/13,750 feet at Warmiwanusqa. Passing 3 ecological areas such as the Yunga, Quechua and Puna. we will climb 1000 metres in 5 hours. On the descent to the lunch spot, we will encounter a large number of stairs. After lunch, we will again climb about 500m in altitude before dropping again, about afurther 400.Today camp and dinner near Pacaymayu. Overnight on the trail.

Day 7. PACAYMAYU – WINAYHUAYNA

Today is a much easier and shorter day. After breakfast, we will trek down through the valley of Pacaymayu to the famous archaeological sites of Runquraqay.We will continue to the second pass and the restored town site of Sayaqmarka ("Town in a Steep Place") and explore the Sayaqmarka Ruins. The Inca Trail in this section is a white granite roadway, traversing a thickly forested mountainside. We will then descend to the magnificent archeological Phuyupatamarka ("Cloud Level Town") and have lunch. We will then begin the decent to Winaywayna where a visit of the ruins and have dinner will conclude the day.

Day 8. WINAYHUAYNA – MACHU PICCHU – CUZCO (Breakfast)

Early morning wake up at 4:30 a.m. for breakfast and to begin the trek to be the first at the archaeological site of Machu Picchu for the sunrise. We will descend rapidly from cloud forest into high jungle habitat. Orchids and hummingbirds are commonly seen along this spectacular section of the trail high above the river. We will arrive at Intipunko "Gate of the Sun" to observe the sunrise over Machu Picchu from an elevated vantage point. We continue down to the royal road and at last the "Lost City of the Incas". A guided tour of the marvelous citadel, visiting the Main Plaza, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of Three Windows, the Circular Tower and the Sacred Sun Dial and Burial Grounds. After the guided tour, transfer to Aguas Calientes onto the train station for your return train to Cuzco. Arrival and transfer to your hotel.

Day 9. CUZCO - LIMA (Breakfast)