Peru's most outstanding places: Exploring Cusco 6D/5N

Our kind and knowledgeable representative will welcome you at the Cusco Peru airport to the Hotel Cusco.

Do not rush and be careful you will be landing at 3.350 masl. or 10,990 fts. and this may bring some discomfort in the body.  It is normal to feel some shortness of breath or a small headache. All this will disappear with time. For this reason, we recommend that you should let your body adapt to the altitude by hydrating and taking short walks through our historic center.

Walking Tour of Cusco Peru

Your adventure will begin with pick up from your hotel in Cusco Peru at approximately 2:30 PM. From your hotel, we will walk to explore the central part of the famous City of Cusco (the Capital of the Incas). We will visit San Blas, the oldest neighborhoods of Cusco. Then, we will continue visiting the 12 stone angles, chocolate museum, the Cathedral of Cusco, the Temple of the Sun or Q’oricancha (outside). You will have the opportunity to visit the famous market, El Mercado San Pedro de Cusco, walk through the San Francisco square and the Plaza de Armas.

This day will end with recommendations of the best restaurants to have a dinner with typical dishes of Cusco.

• Accommodation: Casa Andina or similar (3-star hotel)
• Meals: Not Included
• Entrance Tickets: –
• Additional notes: We suggest take early flights from Lima before 12:00hrs.

We will pick you up at your hotel at 8:00 in the morning and we will visit the city of Maras. It is here where you will be able to enjoy the views of the natural salt flats that continue to be cultivated to this day. This place will impress you with its 3,000 small salt evaporation ponds. We will visit some stores to encourage you to bring some natural salt home.

Continuing, we will head to the next stop in Moray. Moray is an archaeological site located in the Sacred Valley and known for being an Inca laboratory. The site is made up of deep circular terraces that are believed to have been agricultural terraces during the Inca Empire.

Half way we will have a stop at the lunch place and enjoy the view of the sacred river and a delicious lunch.

Finally, we will go to the last spot of the tour: the town of Ollantaytambo. Once here, you will explore the archaeological fortress of the town together with one of the most important Temples of the Sun in the region.

Your tour will end after the guided tour in Ollantaytambo. We will make sure to drop you off at your accommodation here, where also is located the train station.

• Accommodation: Sol Natura or similar (3-star hotel)
• Meals: Breakfast (at the hotel), lunch
• Entrance Tickets: Included

This day will begin with the pick-up from your Hotel in Ollantaytambo – at approximately 05:30 hrs. From here, you will go to catch the train approximately 06:10 hrs train headed to KM104. The train tracks follow the Urubamba River and will give you the chance to have spectacular views of the farmlands, snow-capped mountains and the mighty Urubamba River itself. The train ride will be approximately 1 hour and 15minutes, and will take us directly to the trek´s trail head, known as KM 104.

Once at the KM104 check point, we will have some time to get ready for the day´s hike. You should be sure to bring your original passport, since this is the very first checkpoint along the Inca Trail. Here you will visit the first Inca site on this trail, Chachabamba – the first ancient Incan checkpoint for entering to the Inca trail, and will have a brief guided tour to understand its importance and you absolutely have time enough to get many photos.

The hike will begin from KM 104 on uphill trail towards the Classic Inca Trail. If the weather is nice, we will have beautiful views of the Urubamba River and the surrounding Inca Sites. There will also be waterfalls on the way. The trail itself has some flat areas, as well as short climbs and short descents. It also has steps, arranged in sections that can be narrow in some areas, but not dangerous (not suitable for people who have vertigo). After approximately 3 hours of hiking, we will arrive at one of the most beautiful Inca sites of the Inca Trail, Wiñaywayna located at 2,600 meters above sea level. After exploring, visiting and learning about this place, its water sources, temples and agricultural terraces, we will enjoy our box lunch.

From Wiñaywayna, we will continue walking to the Sun Gate, from where we will have the first view of the archaeological site of Machu Picchu. At this place, we will take enough time to rest and enjoy the surrounding views before continuing our descent to the postcard photo spot at Machu Picchu and then continue to the town of Aguas Calientes. A great advantage of this hike is that by the time we reach Machu Picchu, most of the day’s travelers will have returned home. This will leave the views of Machu Picchu almost empty.

Once we get the Machu Picchu exit, we will take the bus down to Aguas Calientes and head to your hotel, we will have a wonderful shower to freshen up. For dinner, we will meet again, then relax and prepare for the next day we will have our tour in Machu Picchu.

• Accommodation: Casa de Luz  (3-star hotel)
• Meals: Breakfast (at the hotel), lunch (packed), dinner (restaurant)
• Entrance Tickets: Included

We will enter Machu Picchu from the lower part (circuit 3), your guide will give you all the information about Machu Picchu. We will show you the most requested place from where you can see the sunrise and take pictures. Then, your guide will lead you through the main sectors of the citadel for a total of 2.5 hours. At the end of the tour, you will have some time to yourself or, if you organized an extra hike, Huayna Picchu Mountain* or Machu Picchu Mountain, your guide will show you where to start this hike.

For your return to the town of Aguas Calientes we recommend you to be at least 2 hours before the departure of your train. Your guide will explain about your train schedule before your return. The return by train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo will take approximately 2 hours. In Ollantaytambo, our representative will be waiting for you to the right of the exit door of the station with a sign with your name on it to locate you.

The car ride to Cusco will be approximately 2 hours and will have you dropped off at your hotel in Cusco.

OPTIONS: *Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machu Picchu Mountain are both additional hikes available once inside Machu Picchu. Either extra hike may be hikes after your guided tour of Machu Picchu and must be arranged ahead of time. Both hikes are subject to availability and at an extra cost of USD $75 per person.

• Accommodation: Casa Andina or similar (3-star hotel)
• Meals: Breakfast (at the hotel)
• Entrance Tickets: Included

In the mountains we always start the day very early, this time your trekking day will begin with a pick up from your accommodation in Cusco at 04.00 hrs. From here, it will be a 3.5-hour drive through traditional villages to the trailhead. On route we will have a stop and enjoy a hearty breakfast in a fabulous restaurant.

After breakfast, we will continue by car until we reach the starting point of our hike located at 3,900 meters above sea level, up to the famous Rainbow Mountain. This hike will take approximately 4 hours along a gradually ascending terrain. Along the way, you will enjoy incredible views of the Andes, glacier peaks, red mountains, rocky hills and traditional llamas and alpacas grazing along the valley. When you reach the top of the mountain, you will also be able to take all the necessary photos and upload them to your social networks. While enjoying these magnificent views, our guide will share with you information about the composition of these mountains and how they striated into the rainbow of colors and you will enjoy a hot drink.

After this we will begin the descent back to the trailhead. It will be a 2-hour hike downhill. We will then return to the restaurant where we will enjoy a delicious freshly prepared hot lunch.

After lunch, we will begin our return trip in our car back to Cusco. We will drop you off at your hotel around 6 to 7 p.m.

• Accommodation: Casa Andina (3-star hotel)
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch (restaurant)
• Entrance Tickets: Included

Let us know your departure flight time, so our representative will come to pick you up from your hotel in Cusco to transfer you to the airport or bus station 2 hours before it.

• Meals Included: Breakfast (at the hotel)
• Entrance Tickets: –

End of the services