The Classic Andean Adventure Cusco Peru

We start with Lima and Cusco, with optional side trips to the Nazca lines or the Amazon rainforest, with time to visit museums and archaeological sites before embarking on a raft trip down the Urubamba River and the four-day Inca Trail trek through the Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary.

Duration : 13days/12nights
Season : March - December
Departures : Every day
Minimum : 2 Passengers

Itinerary

Day 1.- Lima

Arrival in Lima. Transfer to your hotel. All meals on your own.

Day 2 .- Lima

In the morning we will have a short orientation tour of modern and colonial Lima. Free time in the afternoon to explore Lima. Optional tours to Lima's famous museums can be arranged. Lunch and dinner on your own. Overnight stays. (During these two days, extensions to other parts of Peru on the coast or in the rainforest can be arranged. See Notes at the end of itinerary)

Day 3 .- Lima

In the morning we will have a short orientation tour of modern and colonial Lima. Free time in the afternoon to explore Lima. Optional tours to Lima's famous museums can be arranged. Lunch and dinner on your own. Overnight stays. (During these two days, extensions to other parts of Peru on the coast or in the rainforest can be arranged. See Notes at the end of itinerary)

Day 4 .- Lima / Cusco

Transfer to the airport to board your 55-minute flight to Cusco, center of the Inca Empire. Meet and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the morning free to acclimatize to the altitude 3,400 m.a.s.l. (11,400 ft.). An afternoon tour of the city and nearby ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Kenko and Tambomachay will educate you on the history of this astonishing city. Lunch and dinner on your own. Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 5.- Cusco / Sacred Valley

Full-day guided excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, including overnight stay at a local hotel. Here we will visit the picturesque Pisac Market and continue down the Urubamba Valley. After lunch we will reach Ollantaytambo, a small town surrounded by an Inca fortress. This valley was an important agricultural area in the Inca times, and this is manifested by many Inca remains dispersed from Cusco to Machu Picchu and beyond. Dinner on your own.

Day 6 .- Urubamba River Rafting / Cusco

A half hour bus ride will bring us to the put-in point of today's river trip. We prepare the equipment and a half day float on this river will bring us to our lunch spot. A magnificent experience as we travel on this waterway with a unique perspective of the Andean environment and settlements along the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Return to our hotel in Cusco, dinner on your own. (Depending on weather conditions section of river can change).

Day 7 .- Cusco

Since you will be based in Cusco, you have a free day to explore the area-visit museums or nearby ruins, ride horse-back, mountain bikes or simply undertake a day hike to acclimatize. Lunch and dinner on your own. Evening briefing session to orient you on the upcoming trek. Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 8 .- Cusco / Qente

We transfer you from the hotel to Cusco train station (or from your hotel in the Sacred Valley to Ollanta train station) in order to take the train that brings us to the Km 88. From here cross the small bridge over to Qente where we will camp. A chance to visit the surrounding archaeological remains of Wayna Qente and Machu Qente - located amidst Inca Terracing. (Time: 4-6 hours, Distance: 11 kms).

Day 9 .- Qente / Llulluchapampa

The trail winds slowly uphill through a small forest to reach the site of Patallacta. After a short visit we continue up the Cusichaca Valley passing houses of settlers to finally reach the Andean community of Huayllabamba. From here the trail ascends steeply to a large pampa below the first pass, where we camp. Here we have a breathtaking view of Mt. Huayanay. Along the trail up this narrow hanging valley we begin to see a cloud forest that harbors the Queñua tree (polilepis), a rare forest to be found in the Andes. Camp overnight at Llulluchapampa. ( Time: 6 hours. Distance: 9Kms).

Day 10 .- Llulluchapampa / Phuyupatamarca

A steady ascent on an Inca Trail up to the Warmiwañusqa pass at 4,200m (13,692 ft) affords a magnificent view of our ascent and the trail ahead of us. We descend on a reconstructed Inca Trail down to the Pacaymayo River to then ascend again to the ruins of Runkuraqay and the second pass at 4,050m (13,200 ft). From here we walk down to the site at Sayacmarca at 3,850m (12,551 ft) on the original Inca Trail, passing a dry lake and the first signs of the cloud forest.

A beautiful location overlooking the Aobamba Valley, it affords a respite for a leisurely walk through its imposing structures. Continue along the ridge through amazing landscapes, viewing Mt. Salkantay from the western side and Mt. Pumasillo, a silhouette to the north on the horizon. Walking through a rolling flag stoned trail we arrive at Phuyupatamarca (the village on the edge of the clouds) in whose vicinity we camp. (Trekking: 7-8 hours, Distance 14kms)

Day 11 .- Phuyupatamarca / Machu Picchu

An early departure today will have us trekking along a buttress and passing Phuyupatamarca ruins, the flag stoned trail winds sharply down into the cloud forest to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna located below the ridge on the same water course as the previous site, it has well restored Inca Ruins. After a two hour walk through a cloud forest covered Inca Trail we arrive at Machu Picchu the way the Incas used to come, watching the magnificent citadel at our feet from Intipunku, the door of the sun. Overnight at a hotel in Machu Picchu Pueblo included.

Day 12 .- Machu Picchu / Cusco

The whole day can be dedicated to explore these extraordinary Inca remains, including a visit to Wayna Picchu, the hill overlooking the site. The mid-afternoon train takes you back to Cusco, transfer to your hotel, lunch and dinner on your own.

Day 13 .- Cusco / Lima

Transfer to the airport for your ongoing arrangements. Arrival and assistance during the day until your connecting flight. Or if you want to stay an extra night in Lima or Cusco it can be arranged.

Services Included : Transportation by vehicle to start and from the end of trek to your city of departure, hotel nights with breakfast at the beginning and end, two-man tents including sleeping pads, porters, kitchen crew and commissary gear with all meals included as well as a bilingual guide on the trek, who will handle the first aid kit. Entrance fee to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary (US$ 70)

Services not included: meals in the cities, alcoholic beverages, extras, tips, taxes, laundry service, additional tours, insurance and airline tickets (where applicable), sleeping bags, hiking boots and other personal gear.

Note:

a) .- Overnight at Machu Picchu on Day 11 is at a local 3 star hotel. Upgrades to luxury class hotels available for an additional charge.

b) .- Group rates available, with a minimum of 3 pax, any date can be booked, minimum 90 days in advance.