The Andean Trail to the Jungle

Welcome to Peru’s capital, transfer in, your adventure starts in Lima where you are free to arrive today at your leisure. Our Natourandes Rep is going to pick up you at your arrival time.

Lima has beautiful colonial buildings and some of the best museums in South America including the Gold Museum, Museum of the Inquisition and the Catacombs below the San Francisco Church. Another highlight of Lima is the delicious local Peruvian food.

For a breakdown of the best food in Peru and if you want to know where to eat in Lima ask to our Natourandes Rep for more activities to do there. Flight to Cusco

• Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
• Optional Activities:
  Lima – Gold Museum -USD 11.00 per person.
  Lima – Museo de la Nación – USD 3.00 per person.
  Lima – Pachacamac Tour (30 km from downtown) – USD 37.00 per person.
  Lima – Flavors & tradition: Walking City Tour with Food tasting – USD 40.00nper person.
• Meals Included: There are no meals included on this day.

On the first day, transfer In and welcome to Cusco city. Meeting point at the Hotel at 3pm where our Local guide is going to meet you to brief about the Trip, please look for a note in the hotel lobby or ask the hotel reception where it will take place.

After the briefing explore the ‘Walking city center’, the difference is that in this tour, you visit the places that are accessible by foot, so we will visit San Pedro market, the main square, the 12 Angled Stone, Regocijo Square.

• Accommodation: Hotel (1 night).
• Included Activities: Cusco – Orientation Walk
• Optional Activities:
  Cusco – Full Boleto Turístico Pass (access to 16 archaeological sites, transport & guides not included) – USD 50.00 per person.
  Cusco – Half Boleto Turistico Pass (access to selected archaeological sites, transport & guides not included) – USD 27.00 per person.
  Cusco – Cathedral Entrance Fee – USD 10.00 per person.
  Cusco – Coricancha Temple entrance fee – USD 6.00 per person.
  Cusco – Cooking Class – USD 45.00 per person.
  Cusco – Pre-Colombian Museum – USD 8.00 per person.
  Cusco – Inca Museum – USD 4.00 per person.
  Cusco – Machu Picchu Museum & Botanical Garden – USD 8.00 per person.
• Meals Included: There are no meals included on this day.

Important Information:

Cusco is located at 3’350 masl (11’000 fts) you should be acclimatized at least 2 days. As this tour doesn’t involve much time in Cusco, this will also give you a chance to choose some of the optional places available. The closer places to Cusco for stay and acclimatized are on Sacred Valley at 2’800 masl (9’186 fts) Please ask to your Tailor made tours for our Hotel offers on the Sacred Valley.

WE BEGIN BY TRAVELING ONE HOUR TO PISAQ. 

The little streets of this quaint little village of Pisaq are filled with old colonial mansions and filled with stores which sell native arts and crafts. Pisaq has a world renowned Incan marketplace and a very highly esteemed Incan historical site. Here you can witness amazing Incan structures, houses, temples, astronomical observatories, and the largest ancient cemetery in South America. Pisaq is located at 2950 meters or 9000 feet high, below Cusco.

Trip to Ollantaytambo (which takes 1.5 hours), with an awesome visit to the historical site of Ollantaytambo (2h). Ollantaytambo is on the opposite side of Pisaq, towards Machu Picchu, it is home to some of the most spectacular Incan sites of Peru, some would say only 2nd to Machu Picchu. The town itself is known as the living Incan village, as it conserves the most emblematic Incan architecture in Peru.

Accomodation of your choice in the Sacred Valley.

Breakfast and lunch included

We will pick you between 6:30 to  7:00 am from your hotel after breakfast. We will drive for about one hour to the site called ‘’Kilometer 82’’ or Piscacucho where we will begin the inca trail hike.

Once you’re fed and ready, we’ll make our way to the first Inca Trail checkpoint. Remember to bring your original passport, as it’s required for entry. The first part of the hike, about 2 hours, is quite manageable. During this time we’ll make our way to the historic Inca site of Patallacta. This site served as an important checkpoint during the Inca era, a point of control on the route to Machu Picchu.

After Patallacta we’ll continue our journey and hike another 2 hours to reach our lunch spot. After lunch, we’ll continue for about 2 and a half hours until we reach our first campsite, Ayapata, at an altitude of 3300 meters. We’ll also pass through two quaint communities along the way. Feel free to pick up energy drinks, snacks, or any forgotten essentials like batteries.

We’ll arrive at the campsite at 5:00 p.m. You’ll have time to settle in, relax, and perhaps enjoy a refreshing drink and snack. A hearty dinner will be served at 7:30 pm to refuel you after the day’s trek. Afterwards, you can enjoy some well-deserved rest and relaxation.

Walking distance: 8.7 miles/14 km (6-7 hours)

Campsite altitude: 3300 meter high above sea level.

Considered: Moderate day (get used to the Inca trail)

Weather: Warm and windy

Your day will begin with an early awakening by attentive porters who will present you with a steaming cup of invigorating coca tea to prepare you for the journey ahead. The day’s itinerary includes a challenging 4-hour hike to the trail’s summit, Dead Woman’s Pass, at an elevation of 4215m (13828ft). At this vantage point, a short break will allow you to take in the panoramic splendor before beginning the descent into the adjacent Pacaymayu Valley, where a hidden river flows.

The next hour and a half will be dedicated to a descent along the slopes of the valley, culminating in a designated lunch spot, where we will have the opportunity to replenish our water supply. After this break, the trail climbs again towards the second summit of the trek. This two-hour climb offers moments to contemplate the tiny Inca enclave of Runcu Raccay, as well as the awe-inspiring spectacle of twin waterfalls that grace the opposite side of the valley.

After reaching the second pass, a descent brings us to the splendid Inca wonder of Sayacmarca, a village seemingly isolated by nature. Here we take a break for a brief exploration of the site and the opportunity to watch the sun set over the horizon. The day culminates at our second campsite, Chaquicocha, a highland area resembling a dry lake at 3600m. Energy permitting, the evening may include a session of stargazing and star spotting.

 Walking distance: 9.94 miles/16 km (8-9 hours)

Campsite altitude: 3600 m or 11811 ft (chilly weather)

Considered: Top day (we will survive two passes)

Area: Andes and the cloud forest

Weather: Cold and rainy

The culmination of the second day and the beginning of the third deserve praise. Starting at 6:30 a.m., we embark on the most exquisite section of the Inca Trail. A two-hour stop over the “Inca Flat” reveals the cloud forest through gradual inclines. In the midst of this passage, the grandeur of the snow-capped Salkantay Peak and a sweeping panorama of the Vilcabamba mountain range unfold. From the Inca Flat, the climb to the final summit, Phuyupatamarka (3600 m or 11811 ft), offers a commanding view of the Urubamba River.

Descending into the valley, we catch a glimpse of Machu Picchu’s visage, though its full majesty remains shrouded. The ensuing three hour descent, replete with staircases, culminates in our final camp near Winay Wayna, poetically named “Forever Young”. A prologue to Machu Picchu, Winay Wayna stands as an unparalleled Inca wonder along the trail and a popular campsite due to its proximity to the iconic site. Along the way, we encounter two Inca remains, Phuyupatamarka (“City in the Clouds”) and Intipata (“Terraces of the Sun”).

Lunch will be served at our campsite at 13:00, giving you an afternoon of rest to fortify you for the impending climax at Machu Picchu. A guided talk at 4:30 pm enriches your insight, followed by an exploration of the Inca ruins at Winay Wayna, providing an hour and a half to absorb the quintessence of the site. This interval distills the knowledge of the trek and prepares you for your imminent sojourn in Machu Picchu the following morning.

Walking distance: 6.2 miles/10km (5 hours)

Campsite altitude: 2.600 meter high above sea level. (Chilly weather)

Considered: Easy day (Just downhill)

Area: High cloud forest

Weather: Warm and very humid

AWAKENING THE PAST: A REVERENT ENCOUNTER WITH MACHU PICCHU’S ENIGMATIC GRANDEE

 Starting at 3:30 a.m., our day begins with an early rise. Breakfast at 4:00 a.m. precedes our wait at the checkpoint, positioned to be among the first to leave when the gates open at 5:30 a.m. With farewells to our porters and cook, our journey moves toward the Sun Gate, Inti Punku, a vantage point offering panoramic views of the mountains and the resplendent Machu Picchu.

At 6:30 a.m., we reach the Sun Gate, a prelude to the final descent. Only an hour’s walk down a staircase, the lost city of the Incas unfolds before us. The approach to Machu Picchu unveils an ever enriching tableau, culminating at 7:40 a.m. at the final checkpoint, which leads us into the heart of Machu Picchu for a guided two-hour exploration.

Bus tickets will then be purchased to Aguas Calientes for 3-4 hours of independent exploration. A shared lunch at 13:30 concludes the trip, followed by train tickets to return to Cusco. A 30-minute pre-departure meeting ensures a cohesive trip to the train station. The intrepid can opt for an ascent of Huayna Picchu, a 45-minute climb to the top that offers unparalleled views of Machu Picchu. Pre-booking for $75 adds to this enchanting day, often praised as the most exhilarating and magical.

The return trip is by train to Ollantaytambo, where we’ll pick you up at the train station to facilitate your transfer to the hotel.

Walking distance: 3 miles/5km (2 hours).

Altitude Machupicchu: 2.400 m or 7874 ft.

Considered: Easy day (Just downhill).

Area: High cloud and tropical forest (very humid and warm, requires a lot of water).

Weather: Warm and very humid.

Optional Activities:
Mountain Wayna Picchu USD 75.00 per person.
Mountain Machu Picchu USD 75.00 per person.

Today you have a day off to explore more of Cusco, go to the museums, go to buy souvenirs or just to stay at the Hotel and relax. Please ask us to know about what do to do in Cusco.

• Accommodation: Hotel (1 night).
• Optional Activities:
  Maras Salt and Moray Terraces  USD 31.00 per person.
  Rainbow Mountain Tour              USD 55.00 per person.

Flight from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado and journey to the lodge. (Flight arrangements must be before 14:00 hours).

Once you arrive at the Puerto Maldonado airport, your naturalist guide will meet you. After a brief stop in town to store large luggage, drive to the pier and travel by covered motorized boat to the jungle lodge. En route, spot bird species typical of the local river and forest edge. The Tambopata Rainforest area holds the world record for the most bird sightings in one area.

Enjoy a welcome drink and orientation. Before dinner, head out for a night walk around the lodge grounds. Get the lowdown on local flora and fauna, and grab a flashlight to discover what’s living around lodge grounds. Receive help from the talented, expert naturalist guide to locate heaps of hidden creatures; about 50% of the animals are nocturnal in the rainforest.

• Accommodation: Confortable Ecolodge (1 night).
• Meals Included: Lunch/Dinner

Head out early to catch the jungle at its wildest (and coolest).

Walk slowly through the forest searching for wildlife before heading out on an oxbow lake by canoe. Enjoy visits to oxbow lakes to learn about the jungle and its inhabitants.

Be introduced to the area’s rich flora and fauna by expert naturalist guides, who can teach extensive uses for medicinal and other forest plant resources through traditional techniques. You will return to the lodge in time for lunch.

Spend time around the lodge or go further afield. Free time is yours to explore any way you want!

Head out after dark by motorized canoe to search for caimans on the river banks. Enjoy a lesson on caimans from the expert guide. Take advantage of the keen eyes of the expert naturalist guides – they are truly spectacular at spotting these elusive smaller cousins of alligators hiding on the muddy banks.

• Accommodation: Confortable Ecolodge (1 night)
• Meals Included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

After breakfast, return by canoe to Puerto Maldonado and transfer to the airport for departure to Lima.

Time to return to the city of Puerto Maldonado is scheduled according to flight time. In the mornings you can see the wildlife that is particularly active at this time, are frequently heard howler monkeys or stop.

Your guide will give support to his arrival in Puerto Maldonado and will relocate to the airport and assist you on your flight.

• Accommodation: Hotel (1 night).
• Meals Included: Breakfast.

Departure any time.

• Meals Included: Breakfast.