LUXURY TOUR: Wonders Of The Inca Trail

WELCOME TO PERU

Welcome to Peru! Upon your arrival, the Machu Travel Peru staff will pick you up from Lima International Airport and will transport you to your hotel in the Miraflores or San Isidro neighborhoods.

You will have the chance to explore the city at your leisure because you will have the rest of the day free.

Overnight in Lima.
Meals: None.

LIMA TRADITIONAL CITY TOUR

Today, in the morning or the afternoon, our guide and will pick you up from your hotel to start our luxury city tour in private transportation.

Called "Ciudad de los Reyes" (The City of Kings), Lima was founded by the Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro on 18^th January 1535 in the Rímac Valley. Several pre-Incan cultures had previously developed in this area, before being dominated by the Incan Empire.
We will go to Plaza San Martin, where we will walk along the busy and fascinating Jirón de la Union (Union Street), which leads to Plaza de Armas.
In Lima, you will find imposing colonial monuments and fascinating museums in which you will be able to envision a complete image of Peru’s past through its archaeology, history and art.

Then, we will travel to the modern districts of the capital, San Isidro and Miraflores, where we will enjoy the famous Peruvian cuisine.

Finally, you will have a leisure afternoon to go shopping.

Overnight in Lima.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

FLIGHT TO CUSCO / SACRED VALLEY TOUR

The Day will begin with a warm welcome in Cusco Airport.

The journey to Cusco only takes one hour and fifteen minutes and, upon your arrival to Cusco, also known as “The Archaeological Capital of America”, you will be greeted and welcomed by a representative of Machu Travel Peru.

Today, we will take a tour through the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Firstly, we will have a guided tour of the exceptional project of Awanakancha (quechua word that means “big place where people weave”), where we will watch as local people produce beautiful textiles using the same techniques as their ancestors.

We will then visit the archaeological site of Pisaq, which includes magnificent palaces and temples, and where you can walk close to the cliff edges to see the incredible views.

Next, we will be delighted with a delicious lunch in the heart of the Sacred Valley.

Finally, we will arrive to an area of stunning natural beauty where your hotel for the night is located.

Overnight in the Sacred Valley.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

OLLANTAYTAMBO / MARAS / MORAY TOUR

After a delicious breakfast at your hotel, your tour guide and private transportation will pick you up from your hotel to start our private tour to Ollantaytambo.

Among the stunning pastoral scenery rises Ollantaytambo Fortress, a town that was the cradle of the Incan civilization for centuries.

We will then visit the Niños del Arco Iris social project where we will enjoy a delicious BBQ lunch, bon appetite!

Then, we will have a mystical experience at the enigmatic circled terraces of Moray. This is an ingenious system of climatological technology which was used as an Incan laboratory to acclimatize crops.
Behold the wonderful treasures of the Andes. You will be surprised by one of earth’s most surreal sights, the Maras Salt Mines. Located northwest of the town of Maras, here we will find around 2000 small wells that local people still use today to provide themselves with salt.

Finally, we will travel to your hotel which is surrounded by the spectacular scenery of the Sacred Valley.

Overnight in the Sacred Valley.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

INCA TRAIL PISCACUCHO / WAYLLABAMBA

Today, very early in the morning, we will start the mighty Inca Trail. Your tour guide and private transportation will pick you up from your hotel to take you to KM82 Piscacucho, 20 minutes from Ollantaytambo.

Here, we will meet our chef and support staff who will accompany us for the entire Luxury Inca Trail Trek. From KM82 (2,700m, 8,850ft), we will make our way to Wayllabamba Campsite.

The first two hours of the trek is a lightly paced climb until we reach Miskay, a beautiful area where our chef and porters will have lunch ready and waiting for us. After lunch, we will have 3-4 hours (depending on the pace) of steady uphill climbing.

Along the way, we will have stunning views of the first Incan ruin of the Inca trail named Llactapata, a site that was primarily used for agricultural production.
Here, you will have a great opportunity to stop and take photos and learn about the history of the area.

At the end of the day, we will arrive to the village of Wayllabamba where the chef and porters will reward you by having your tent set up and your dinner ready and waiting for you.

Finally, you will have time to relax and wait until night falls.

• Maximum Altitude: 3,000 m/10,824 ft.
• Minimum Altitude: 2,680 m/8,790 ft.
• Distance Travelled: 12 km approx.
• Approximate Walking Time: 6-7 hours

Overnight in Wuayllabamba Campsite.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

INCA TRAIL: WAYLLABAMBA / PACAYMAYO

Early in the morning, you will wake to find hot water in front of your tent. Then, you will enjoy a tasty breakfast to get you ready for the challenge ahead.

Today, we will start from an altitude of 3,000m or 9,850ft and climb for over five hours to reach an altitude of 4,200m or 13,800ft at Dead Woman’s Pass. This is the highest point of the Inca trail and is a place where we will have stunning panoramic views of the Andean Mountains and their surroundings.

After completing the toughest part of the Inca Trail, we will descend for one hour before reaching the next stop where our chef and porters will have prepared lunch.

After lunch, we will descend for another hour before reaching Pacaymayo Campsite where you will have the rest of the day to relax.

In the evening, we will enjoy another delicious dinner cooked by our chef.

Then, you have the rest of the evening to relax and wait until nightfall.

• Maximum Altitude: 4,200 m/13,776 ft.
• Minimum Altitude: 3,000 m/9,840 ft.
• Distance Travelled: 12 km approx.
• Approximate Walking Time: 7-8 hours.

Overnight in Pacaymayo Campsite.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

INCA TRAIL: PACAYMAYO / WIÑAYWAYNA

First, we will have breakfast before we continue hiking the Inca Trail.

Today, we will encounter several archaeological sites along the trail. First, we will reach The Runkuracay Pass (3,900m or 12,800ft) where you can enter a beautiful, circular, walled ruin. This place has been a stable resting place for couriers and their animals as they travel the Inca Trail.
From here, we will also have stunning views of the surrounding mountains, such as Salkantay and Veronica and their snowy peaks.
After reaching this pass, the rest of the day is mostly a downhill hike along the amazing, original path which was constructed during the Incan period. We will also pass through many of the original tunnels.
We will then be able to visit Sayaqmarca, considered an inaccessible old Incan town that sits on top of a steep cliff.
After Sayaqmarca, we will follow the Inca trail to the beautiful ruin of Phuyupatamarka, believed to have been an important religious site containing sacred baths for ceremonial purposes.

We will have a delicious lunch at this site.

Then, we will travel down a set of stairs to Wiñaywayna, the location of our campsite for the night and where you will have the rest of the evening to relax.

Once there, the chef will prepare an exquisite dinner for you before you go to bed.

• Maximum Altitude: 3,750 m/ 12,300 ft.
• Minimum Altitude: 2,700 m/8,856 ft.
• Distance Travelled: 16 Km approx.
• Approximate Walking Time: 7-8 hours

Overnight in Wiñaywayna Campsite
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

INCA TRAIL: WIÑAYWAYNA / MACHU PICCHU

Today, we will have to wake up early in the morning before continuing along the Inca Trail. We will walk uphill for an hour and a half before reaching The Sun Gate, “Intipunku”, the entrance to Machu Picchu.

Congratulations, you will have officially completed the Inca Trail and will be rewarded with a majestic view of Machu Picchu, “The Lost City of The Incas”.
Here, we will be overlooking the entire site of Machu Picchu and the beautiful mountain of Huayna Picchu.
Next, we will have a short, downhill walk to Machu Picchu. At this sacred Incan site, you will learn the history of the city and visit its truly remarkable temples.
We will also see the aqueducts and houses while learning some interesting facts about the sacred Incan terraces. After our guided tour of Machu Picchu, you will have plenty of time to explore this truly magnificent site on your own.
You could even visit the Incan Bridge, a secret entrance used only by the Incan Army. Optionally you may climb up to Huayna Picchu Mountain; there are only 400 spaces daily, so you must book it in advance with us.

In the afternoon, you will return to Aguas Calientes where you will spend a well-earned night in a hotel.

• Maximum Altitude: 2,700 m / 8,856 ft.
• Minimum Altitude: 2,400 m / 7,872 ft. (Machu Picchu)
• Distance Travelled: 8 Km approx. plus exploration of Machu Picchu
• Approximate Walking Time: 6-7 hours

Overnight in Aguas Calientes.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

MACHU PICCHU FREE DAY AND TRAIN BACK TO CUSCO

Today, you will have the chance to visit and explore Machu Picchu again on your own.
You can even visit The Incan Bridge, a secret entrance to the city used only by the Incan Army. Optionally, you may climb Huayna Picchu Mountain; there is only a daily allocation of 400 spaces for this hike so you must book it in advance with us.
There is also a program that allows you to climb to the summit of Wayna Picchu at either 07:00hrs or 10:00hrs. There are also alternative trekking options around the town of Aguas Calientes such as the easy walk to The Mandor Waterfalls or the more challenging Putucusi Mountain Hike, to get an impressive view of the citadel of Machu Picchu from another angle.

In the afternoon, you will have lunch in a restaurant near the train station.

After lunch, you will board the train back to Ollantaytambo where our staff will be waiting to escort you to your hotel in the city of Cusco.

Overnight in Cusco.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

CUSCO TOUR

Today will be your last full day in Cusco. After breakfast at your hotel, our tour guide and private transportation will pick you up to start our private city tour of Cusco.

The first place we will visit will be the Cathedral of Cusco, a colonial building located on the main square. Then, we will continue our tour by visiting the Qoricancha Temple, also a colonial building. This building, however, does boast impressive Incan walls which are just amazing. Both of these places are located in downtown Cusco.

Following our tour, we will leave the city to visit the amazing archaeological site of Sacsaywaman which was a very important religious and ceremonial site for the Incan culture.
You will be amazed by the grand architectural achievements of the Incan civilization and impressed when imagining how their stones were moved and fitted. Some uniquely shaped stones have a weight of approximately 70 tons. Nevertheless, they are perfectly fitted together and without the use of ‘modern technology’.

Finally, you will be escorted to your hotel and you will have the rest of the day to spend at your leisure.

Overnight in Cusco.
Meals: Breakfast.

CUSCO FAREWELL

Depending on the departure time of your flight, our staff will pick you up and escort you to the airport by private transportation. Once at the airport, our program will conclude.

Meals: Breakfast

This program will allow you to visit: Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Moray, Salineras, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu. Additionally, you can add more exciting day tours in Cusco or another destination in Peru. Please see our package list for more options.