Moonstone to Machupicchu Cusco Peru

Trip length: 5 days.-

Description: Explore the spectacular eastern extension of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. We follow the footsteps of the Incas who build a high route from their capital city of Cuzco westward through the rugged cordillera, and filled their empire with amazing temples and royal residences. We camp high, and discover the beauty of tranquil Andean valleys with sublime views toward the 18,000-foot snow peaks of the Urubamba and Huayanay Ranges. We also explore amazing Inca stonework in an enormous 15th century quarry site of Cachiqata. After dropping down into the Sacred Valley of the Incas we reach the royal Inca town of Ollantaytambo, with its remarkable sun temple. We travel to Machu Picchu by train for a full exploration of the famous city.

This little-known route is fast becoming one of our favorite alternatives to the better-known traditional Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. During four hiking days you cover 35 km/ 22 miles, starting at 3,224m/10,575', and finishing at 2,840m/9,315' above sea level. You cross two high passes, with a maximum elevation of 4,625m/15,170'. While trail conditions are generally good, some steep trail sections require careful footing and good hiking boots with lug soles. Nevertheless, thanks to our careful pacing, dedicated guides and professional support staff, the trip is suitable for novices as well as experienced hikers.

Your trail duffel and the heavy camp gear is carried by porters or on horseback; you walk carrying only a day-pack. Cooks prepare wholesome meals from fresh ingredients and handle all the kitchen chores. You sleep warm and protected in high quality tents. Join the most reliable outfitter in the Andes for a trek you'll never forget.

This route does not require trek permits, and thus is an excellent choice when trek permits for the Inca Trail are sold out, or if you prefer trekking on a little-used trail.

At 10:30AM on the day prior to the trek, there is an important orientation meeting with your guide and other participants in the PAT office at Avenida Pardo 705 in Cuzco. We review trek arrangements, trail gear and packing strategies, health and dietary matters, tipping and other cash needs, and trail documentation requirements. We distribute your trail duffel and sleeping pad. If you've rented a sleeping bag from us, we give it to you now so you can pack your duffel, ready for the departure early next morning. We also review passengers air reservations, so we can reconfirm your continuing flights.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Quillarumiyoq to Chiripahua

We pick you up at your Cuzco hotel and transfer by van west across the high Anta plain, following the route of the royal Inca Road which led from the capital toward the northern quarter of the empire. We stop first at the sacred Inca shrine known as Quillarumi (Moonstone in the Quechua language of the Incas), one of the finest of the carved rock huacas in the vicinity of Cuzco. We continue to our trailhead by the Huaracondo River where it drains the western edge of the plain, and meet our porters, who arrive from nearby communities. We commence trekking on a broad trail northward, above the west bank of the Huaracondo River. After an easy two-hour hike, we reach Huatta, a substantial pre-Inca fortress dominating the crest of a ridge at 3,855m/12,645'. Archeologists currently excavating the site are revealing burials and occupation levels from the Formative Period (2,500 years ago) on through the enormous fortifications of the 4th century Regional Development period; a scattering of late-period Inca structures seems like an afterthought on the top of the highest hill. The site is classic: a defensible ridge with dominating three-way views along intersecting valleys. After lunch we continue on our way westward into the range, and camp next to a rural school in the hamlet of Chiripahua at 3,750m/12,300'. (L,D)

Day 2 Chancachuco

We climb gradually through fields and glades of the indigenous Chachacomo tree, in a landscape of pastures and small fields clinging to the steep mountainsides. Wherever there is water, we find an Andean family compound of adobe and straw. But there is little water in this mountain range – we are reminded hour by hour of how precious a commodity water was and is to the Andean people. We climb to a small glade at 4,400 m/14,432' for delicious lunch, then continue up to the col at the head of the valley. From our location atop Accoccasa Pass (4,625m/15,170') we enjoy breathtaking views to the immense snow peaks: the Huaynays to our west, the Urubamba range to the north. We enjoy an easy descent, to camp at 4,350 m/14,268' in the broad valley of Chancachuco, facing the glaciers of the Huaynay Range. (B,L,D)

Day 3 Huayrapunku/Cachiqata Quarry

Toward the western end of the high valley, we follow the contours of a now-abandoned Inca aqueduct which transported water from the Chancachuco valley north to supply the otherwise-arid north-facing slopes above Ollantaytambo. This aqueduct once transported water across a sheer cliff face high above the Silque River. Today, on the mountainside above us we can glimpse traces of the original stonework, testimony to the extraordinary engineering in the project.

We reach our final pass (3,940m/12,923') and visit a spectacular ridge-top Inca shrine called Huayrapunku (Gate of the Wind), with an astonishing view towards Nevado Veronica (5,682m/18,637') directly across the valley. The site offers unsurpassed views to the terraces and temple site of the royal town of Ollantaytambo, over 4,000 feet below us. Constructed in the 15th century by the Inca emperor Pachacutec, the town was an important administrative and religious center.

We descend, past the curious Inca administrative site of Llaqtallaqtayoq, to our camp on a broad terrace at 3,525m/11,562'at the edge of the enormous Cachiqata quarry. In the afternoon we explore the intricate quarry workings. From this steep talus slope beneath the sheer face of Cerro Yanaorco, immense red granite building stones were carved onsite and then skidded down to the valley floor, across the river, and then up to the sun temple site on the far side of the valley. We explore the ramps and work platforms around the largest of the stones. Orchids and other flowers are abundant in and around the quarry site, set high on the mountainside above the valley floor. (B,L,D

Day 4 Ollantaytambo / Machu Picchu

We descend on a broad Inca trail down through the lower quarry zone, and stop at a key hilltop, from where the worked stones were skidded down the steep slope to the Vilcanota River below. On the far bank, between the river and the Sun Temple, we can see several of these "Tired Stones", which were abandoned half-way between quarry and temple. Chroniclers tell us that work on the temple site was suddenly halted when the Colla masons fled back toward their homes in the Lake Tiahuanaco area, just prior to the arrival of the Spanish invaders. We continue down, cross the river, and arrive finally at the famous Sun Temple in Ollantaytambo. We have time to explore the temple and the adjacent village, before catching a late afternoon train to Aguas Calientes. We check into a hotel for the night. (B,L are included; dinner in Aguas Calientes is on your own.)

Day 4 Ollantaytambo / Machu Picchu

We enter the site early in the morning for an in-depth guided tour of the ridge-top citadel of Machu Picchu. We descend to Aguas Calientes for return to Ollantaytambo, continuing by chartered bus to Cuzco in late af­ternoon, arriving around 9:30PM. Transfer to your hotel. (B)

Departure Dates

May to October

We depart at 7:00 AM every Sunday starting May 6, 2007 (May 4, 2008).

The last trek of the year starts October 14, 2007 (October 12, 2008).

Prices.-

* Prices For a Person in US Dollars

Sleeping bag rental: $35 (see more details below)

Included / Not included

Included in the land cost: indicated meals, transport by train and bus, porterage of up to 10 kg personal gear, communal camp gear including tables and camp chairs, dining tent, spacious sleeping tents, sleeping pad, water filter and other amenities.machupicchu fees,bus round trip to machupicchu,5lunches,4 diners,4 breakfast,I night hotel,transfer round trip from the airport,hotel airport,

Not included:

BTG multi-site entrance ticket - most of our passengers purchase this ticket in Cuzco prior to commencing the trek, as it contains site entrances to many of the most popular sites in Cuzco and the Sacred Valley. The full ticket costs US$45 (as of Jun 2008); separate site entrance to just the Ollantaytambo ruins are also available. Passengers who purchase the BTG ticket prior to the trek must bring this along on the trek in order to avoid having to purchase a separate entrance to the Ollantaytambo ruins. Site entrance costs are subject to change.

Additional Expenses:

Currency other than US$ and € is difficult to exchange in Peru. Bring travelers' checks and/or cash. Major credit cards are also accepted in hotels and larger restaurants. You can find ATM machines in major cities but not in towns. Food and beverages in mainstream restaurants and hotels are com­p­arable in cost to what you'll pay for at home. 19% government value-added tax plus service charges of up to 10% are added to your bill.

Airport departure taxes of approximately US$5 for domestic flights in Peru, and US$30.25 for international departures.

Tipping your trek staff is optional but customary.

Take along between $25-$50 in local currency for this purpose. On the final trek morning, trekkers distribute pooled funds among guide(s), kitchen crew and porters. Porters appreciate receiving donations of used clothes that are in good condition, including children's clothes. Due to weight restrictions, if you bring extra clothes for donating to the porters we suggest you distribute these at the start of the trek.

Optional Extras:

Rental sleeping bag, $20: we provide mummy-style, winter-weight synthetic-fill sleeping bags, with sheet liners. We launder the liners between each trek. Rental sleeping bags should be requested well in advance of your departure. If you are taller than 6 feet, please request an extra-long bag.

Hotels in Lima or Cuzco are available from $64 per night for a double and $48 in single inclu­ding taxes and continental breakfast. Airport transfers in Lima and Cuzco may be arranged upon request. We are pleased to assist you with additional tour arrangements prior to and following your tour. If you seek an economic hostel, let us know we can manage for you

Optional Extras:

Pre-Trek Acclimation So that your body has sufficient time to acclimate prior to starting the trek, we strongly recommend that you arrive in Cuzco or similar elevation a minimum of 3 days prior to the trek. This is a 35-km/22-mile trek with a maximum elevation of over 4,600m/15,150 feet.

Joining Your Group Once we receive your final payment, we will send a "Confirmation of Service" voucher with your prepaid travel details. Incas Journey Adventure

At 6:30 pmon the day prior to the trek, there is an important orientation meeting with your guide and other participants in the inca journey adventure office in Cuzco. We review trek arrangements, trail gear and packing strategies, health and dietary matters, tipping and other cash needs, and trail documentation requirements. We also distribute your trail duffel and sleeping pad. If you've rented a sleeping bag from us, we give it to you now so you can pack your duffel, ready for the departure early next morning.

Incas Journey Adventure Main Office is at urbanizacion flor de la cantata b-2 Cuzco.

Telephone (51-84) 275-973, 235- Passengers who have not contacted the office by noon on the day prior to trek departure to reconfirm their arrangements will be considered no-shows and deleted from the roster. In these situations your tour prepayment is non-refundable.

If your travel plans change at the last minute due to airline delays, misconnections or any other reason, you must advise our Cuzco office (51-84) 275-973, after-hours operations staff are at 51-84-984-744-8376 to see if alternate arrangements can be made for you.

If you are a student 16 years and older with a valid International Student ID card you may be eligible for a reduced rate for your Machu Picchu site entrance. Passengers who cannot produce student ID judged acceptable to the INC will pay the full adult rate. Students 15 years and younger need no student ID, your passport is sufficient ID to obtain the student rate for the Machu Picchu citadel entry fee. Important: Tickets for entrance to Machu Picchu citadel are no longer sold at the entrance to the ruins; you must purchase these in Aguas Calientes at the INC office on the town square next to the church.

Climate

Cuzco has well-defined seasons. From June to August, while Andean winter days are typically sunny and warm, the temperature can drop to below freezing (27°F/-3°C) at night in our high camps. Rain seldom falls during winter. From January to March, the Andean summer months offer daytime temperatures to 85°F/30°C, milder nights (typically to 45°F/8°C) and plenty of rain. Despite some rain, December and April are among our favorite months for trekking, since the mountains are lush with summer flowers and you enjoy plenty of sunshine. Departures during Andean spring (September through December) and autumn (April and May) offer weather patterns intermediate between these seasonal extremes.

Clothing

Expect a wide range of temperature and precipitation on your program. In high mountain environments, you must be prepared for inclement weather at any time. Even at midday, if clouds obscure the sun, the apparent temperature cools dramatically. By packing a system of thin, independent layers of clothing, you can easily add or remove layers to remain comfortable as conditions change throughout the day. Most trekkers leave camp in the morning wearing a cold-weather layer over T-shirt and shorts. At the first rest stop, after you have warmed up a bit, remove a layer and continue in hot-weather clothing until the temperature cools off later in the day. At all times, carry rain gear in your daypack.

Basic clothing list: underwear, socks, light hiking boots, sneakers for around camp, loose-fitting long pants or wind pants, shorts, T-shirts, long-sleeved shirt, Polar fleece jacket, full rain gear, sun hat, bathing suit, gloves and ski-type hat.

Other Gear

Essential: Day pack, winter-weight sleeping bag, 1-litre water bottle (Nalgene or similar), flashlight, sunglasses, sunscreen, toilet kit, insect repellent.

Optional: pocket knife, sewing kit, iodine-type water purification pills, camera and film, binoculars, paperback book, snacks and/or energy bars.

Your outfitter provides: a heavy-duty, 4,100-cubic-inch trail duffel, sleeping pad, tents and communal camping gear. ; all drinking water is filtered and treated with iodine and boiled.

Weight Restriction: Porters carry up to 10 kg (22 lb.) of your personal gear. If your packed duffel exceeds 10 kg. in weight (including sleeping bag and pad) at the trailhead, you will have to transfer excess weight from your duffel to your daypack.

Vaccinations

While no vaccinations are mandatory for entering Peru, and no official is likely to demand to see proof of your vaccination against any disease, some protection is prudent. Consult your physician or local travelers' clinic for the latest recommendations. For general travel, the most common recommended vaccinations or boosters are against tetanus, typhoid/diphtheria, Hepatitis A, and polio. The World Health Organization does not recommend vaccination against cholera. If you're visiting the Amazon before or after your trek, ask about yellow fever and chloroquine-resistant malaria. Some countries (notably Brazil) require travelers to show proof of a valid Yellow fever vaccination when arriving from Peru.

Important Notice for Vegetarians, Passengers with Allergies and Other Restricted Diets

In the cities, you will find sufficient vegetarian choices in most restaurants. We serve a variety of freshly-prepared foods in our camps. While our trek meals are designed for omnivores, our creative and hard-working cooks are able to satisfy most restricted-diet passengers. Please let us know your dietary restrictions when you join our departure. Strict vegetarians will have to bring many food supplements from home, as specialty items are unavailable in South America.

If you have food allergies you must detail these on your trip application when you register for your trek. Review these with our guide and operations staff during the trek orientation meeting. While our cooks concentrate on providing the main meal, they can heat and serve food supplied by the passengers that the passengers deem safe.

If you have a restricted diet, please ask for our memo detailing our approach to food service on the trek.

Know What You Are Buying

There are many trek outfitters in Cuzco, offering trekking packages in a considerable range in quality, reliability, and price. As one of the pioneers of commercial adventure travel in Peru, we are very proud of our record of environmental and social leadership. We set the standard of quality among full-service outfitters. Incas journey adventure ha. The award recognizes the high standards that our guides, cooks, porters and other employees consistently attain. When purchasing your Trek we are tour operators we wont pass onto the others travel agencies

Environmental policy .incas journey adventure applies a policy of 100% carry in/carry out. We were the first outfitter to introduce a system whereby all the camp waste is hauled out.

Add-ons

You can add any of our Peru programs to this trip, before or after.

Please Note: We reserve the right to make minor changes where necessary for the safety and comfort of tour participants. Please reconfirm the current tour rate and park fee when you make your reservation. Additional expenses caused by circumstances beyond the control of the operator will be the responsibility of the tour participant.