Inca Trail, Machu Picchu & Rainbow Mountain (optional)

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Day 1 of you adventure you will explore the impressive city of Cusco. The history of the Inca Empire started here. The Imperial city of the Incas was a complex urban centre with different religious and administrative functions.

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In Cusco ́s historic centre you will see Spanish buildings, native ruins, temples and finely finished buildings of the Incas. Main attractions are the Temple of the Sun and the main square Plaza de Armas.

You will continue to the nearby ruins of: Kenko - underground galleries and semicircular amphitheater. Tambomachay - a complex of walls connected by stairways. Puca Pucara - the red fortress that is located on a hill, possibly to defend Tambomachay  Sacsayhuaman Fortress, an imposing example of Inca military architecture.

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Day 2, you will spend a restful day acclimatising in Cusco

 

Day 3, the Inca Trail Hike begins we you go through the first Inca Trail checkpoint to begin your trek. The first 2 hours of the trek are relatively easy as we make our way to our first Inca site. Patallacta is an ancient Inca checkpoint for the approach to Machu Picchu. From Patallacta it’s another 2-hour hike to our lunch stop. After lunch, we will hike for another 21⁄2 hours until we reach the first night’s campsite at Ayapata (3300 meters).

 

Day 4, you will have an early start since it will be your longest day. You’ll hike for roughly 4 hours to the highest pass of the trek, Dead Woman’s Pass (4215 meters/13829 feet). On reaching the pass, we’ll stop for a short break to enjoy the views before setting off again to descend to the next valley, Pacaymayu Valley – Hidden River. It’s another hour and a half down the side of the valley to our lunch spot. After lunch, we begin ascending again to the second pass of the trek. It’s 2 hours over the pass where we will stop at a small Inca site, Runcu Raccay, and see two huge waterfalls cascading down the opposite side of the valley. After the second pass, it’s another hour downhill hike to reach the magnificent Inca site, Sayacmarca . We’ll stop here to rest and have a quick tour. Afterward, we will be able to watch the sunset over the Vilcabamba mountain range. It’s then just another 20 minutes until we stop for the night at our second campsite Chaquicocha (Dry Lake, 3600 meters)

 

Day 5, will start early again, for the most beautiful day of the whole Inca Trail. We hike for 2 hours along what we like to call “Inca flat” (gradual inclines) and begin to enter the jungle, known as the Cloud Forest. As we walk, we will have the opportunity to see Salkantay, the second highest snow-capped mountain in the Sacred Valley, and a fantastic panoramic view of the Vilcabamba mountain range. Towards the end of the Inca flats, we begin to make our way up to the last peak at Phuyupatamarka (3600 meters) from where we’ll have great views overlooking the Urubamba River. Down the valley, we get our first view of Machu Picchu Mountain, but the site itself is still hidden. From Phuyupatamarka it ́s a 3-hour walk down a flight of steps to our last campsite, close to Wiñay Wayna (Forever Young). Wiñay Wayna is the most spectacular Inca site on the trail after Machu Picchu and the most popular campsite because of its proximity to Machu Picchu. During the descent, we visit 2 Inca ruins, Phuyupatamarka (Town in the Clouds) and Intipata (Terraces of the Sun). Arriving at our final camp in the early afternoon, you will have the opportunity to relax for a bit so that you are ready for your final day at Machu Picchu.

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At around 4:30pm your guide will give you a short orientation, and you will visit the Inca ruins of Wiñay Wayna for an hour and a half. Your guide will explain the significance of the site and combine all the information given during the trek. This way you will be fully prepared for your visit to Machu Picchu the following day.

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It’s an Inca Trail tradition to organize a ceremony in the evening to introduce the crew to once again, to thank them for the great job. It is advisable to go to bed at a reasonable time to get up in the early hours of the morning to arrive to Machu Picchu at the crack of dawn in the hopes that the weather will give us a beautiful sunrise over the ruins at Machu Picchu.

 

Day 6, you will reach your goal. You will wake up at 3:30am, and after a light breakfast you will wait at the checkpoint to be one of the first to enter when they open the gates at 5:30am.

We’ll wave goodbye to our crew and then it’s on to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku). From here you have spectacular views of the mountains and Machu Picchu in all its glory. You will reach the Sun Gate by 6:30 am, and then it’s just an hour trek down to reach the Lost City of the Incas. As you hike and get closer to Machu Picchu, the views of the city get better! At about 7:40am you will reach the final checkpoint and enter Machu Picchu to begin our 2 hours private guided tour. After the tour, you’ll be given your bus tickets to make your way down to Aguas Calientes, and you’ll have plenty of free time to explore the city on your own or climb one of the neighboring mountains – Huaynapicchu (must be arranged ahead of time).

Your guide will offer to meet you down in the village of Aguas Calientes for lunch, where your guide will hand out train tickets for your 2-hour train to Ollantaytambo or Poroy (based on which train you get), where an Alpaca driver will meet you and drive you back to the city on our bus, then drop you off at your hotel.

 

Day 7 (Optional), and the excitement continues with a visit to The Vinicunca Mountain, as known as Rainbow Mountain, is one of the newest destinations for those who love trekking, nature, and landscapes.

 

Vinicunca is a mountain located in Quispicanchis province in Cusco, Peru. Close to one of the highest snow peaks in Peru, Apu Ausangate. Over 5000 meters high, the surrounding landscape shows a bright blue sky and almost no people, plants, or animals. The rainbow colours make a fully enjoyable contrast with the other mountains and the afternoon sky. As the sun rises and the clouds are dragged by the wind the colours of the Vinicunca mountain change turning brighter or darker making the view even better.

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