7-Day Cusco Tour with Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Upon arrival to Cusco, you will be greeted by our representative and transferred to your hotel.  Receive a short briefing and then have the rest of the morning for resting and acclimatizing. In the afternoon, there will be time to explore Cusco, enjoying the sights of the capital city of the Incas, the indigenous and colonial heritages at your leisure. At night, experience Cusco’s nightlife and sample some of its cuisine at the many traditional Peruvian restaurants.

• 3* Accommodation: Maytaq Wasin or Waman Qorikancha
• 4* Accommodation: Costa del Sol Ramada, Casa Andina Private Collection or Novotel Hotels
• Recommendations: We highly recommend walking around the main plaza and visit the San Pedro Market.

Today start at 7:30am, when your guide picks you up at your Cusco hotel in our private van. Our route to the Sacred Valley of the Incas leads us to Pisac. We stop first at the Mirador of Taray to enjoy an expansive view of the Urubamba valley and its traditional farming villages. See how the agriculture in the Sacred Valley has changed little in the past five hundred years. We drive to the archeological site of Pisac, where you can see an impressive Inca cemetery with more than 2,000 tombs.  Admire the carefully engineered farming terraces carved into the mountain, explore the Inca tunnel and the religious area of this important citadel.  Spend about 2 hours, exploring the Inca city. Then, we head down to the colorful market of Pisac, spend about 20 minutes visiting and then drive to Urubamba for lunch.

Our next stop is the fascinating archeological site of Moray also known as “The Greenhouse of the Incas” a deep basin of architectural wonder. Levels of terraces are carved into a huge bowl, which were carefully engineered by the Incas. The terraces have varied microclimates depending on how deep into the bowl they are placed.  Archeologists believe that they were used by the Incas to discover the optimal growing conditions for their crops and experiment in hybridization.

Continuing on our journey to the colonial town of Maras, we look down onto the pre-Inca salt “mines,” called salineras in Spanish. Thousands of salt pans have been passed down through countless generations and used for salt extraction since before Inca times. A hot spring at the top of the valley discharges a small stream of heavily salt laden water, which is diverted into salt pans and evaporated to produce salt. This is one of the few places in the world where you can find naturally pink salt!

Finally, we drive to Ollantaytambo, taking the time to explore the Inca village that has remained intact since Inca times and the massive Inca Ruins, with a tour provided by our guide. Visit the massive architecture of the Sun Temple at the top of the formidable terraces and learn about the importance of this site for the Inca during the beginning of the Spanish conquest. Here you spend the night at your hotel in Ollantaytambo, ready to start the Inca Trail the next day.

• 3* Accommodation
• There are no 4* hotels in Ollantaytambo
• Meals: None

We start this exciting day early; your guide will pick you up at 5:30am. When you arrive at the train station,  receive your lunch to add to your daypack. The train departs Ollantaytambo at 6:10am and you will have just over an hour on the train to enjoy the scenery and have breakfast (not included). The hotel can provide  a picnic breakfast to take with you or  pack your own breakfast.

Get off the train at the famous Km104, where the trek begins! (2,000m/6,560 ft. above sea level). After crossing the Urubamba River on a picturesque foot bridge,  show your passport at the checkpoint and visit the first Inca site nearby. The first hour and a half are a gentle upward climb.   Stop at several outlooks where there are expansive views of the Urubamba River.  Pass through several microclimates, including cloud forests, so be ready for damp or even rain at any season of the year. The next hour and a half are a slightly steeper  with a beautiful waterfall as your reward at the end of the hike!

When you cross the bridge below the waterfall, be sure to take some time for photos and as you will find yourself gazing up at the spectacular Wiñay Wayna! (2,600m/8,500ft above sea level) These amazing Inca ruins have a fascinating history and some parts are still hidden by the dense jungle. This close to Machu Picchu, you are hiking through lush sub-tropical jungle. The guide will tell you all about the ruins, plus the incredible flora and fauna of this microclimate and answer any questions you have before the short 5-minute walk to the lunch spot.

You have lunch at a covered shelter at the Wiñay Wayna campground, which is the last campground for those hiking the Classic Inca Trail. Nearby are outdoor sinks to wash your hands and also restrooms. Take your time enjoying your hearty, gourmet lunch and admiring the tropical flowers around the campground. Be sure to notify us of any food allergies or dietary restrictions when you book!

After lunch,  have a mostly flat walk to the Sun Gate, from which you have the first view of Machu Picchu! Though the hour-long walk is a gentle rolling up and down, it does end with a set of steep stairs carved directly into the bedrock by the Inca. As you turn the corner from the Sun Gate, enjoy your first breathtaking view of Machu Picchu. So, take some time to savor the moment and take photos. The last 60 minutes down from the Sun Gate provide many opportunities to take more photos of Machu Picchu from this unique vantage point. There are also a couple more important Inca sites between the Sun Gate and Machu Picchu, so make sure to go slowly,  ask your guide questions about these historical places on the last bit of your hike to Machu Picchu.

Once you reach Machu Picchu, you will have time to take more photos from the viewing platforms above the site (Guard House), where you can take the famous postcard pictures of Machu Picchu.  Arrive in the afternoon, as the archeological area starts to empty of tourists, which gives the opportunity to take beautiful photos in the afternoon light with fewer people in your shots. Take time to enjoy this magical experience before you take the bus down to Aguas Calientes to check into the hotel.  Have a delicious dinner, then have time to walk around this picturesque little town, visit the hot springs or just go to your hotel to rest after such an exciting day.

• Meals included: Breakfast, Box Lunch, Dinner in a restaurant in Aguas Calientes
• 3* Accommodations: Ferre´ Hotel Machu Picchu
• 4* Accommodation: El Mapi  or Tierra Viva Machu Picchu (superior room)
• Difficulty: moderate

You will leave an overnight bag at the Ollantaytambo train station to be sent by train directly to Aguas Calientes.

his is the day you’ve been waiting for! After an early breakfast at the hotel,  take one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu to witness the sunrise. It is a truly extraordinary site and not something you’ll want to miss! The guide will give you a tour of Machu Picchu, which takes about two hours. See many of the most important parts of Machu Picchu Citadel.

When you have had your fill of the exceptional views of Machu Picchu, you will take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included). Depending on your train departure time, you may also have time for some shopping, sightseeing or a visit to the museum or hot springs.

In the afternoon, by 14:55h or 15:20h the train will take you back to Ollantaytambo. Back at Ollantaytambo, the driver will meet you at the exit from the train station to take you back to your hotel in Cusco in our private vehicle. You can expect to arrive at your hotel between 19:00h or 19:30h

Please note: In the rainy season, January through April, the Vistadome Train only runs to the Ollantaytambo station. We will drive you from Ollantaytambo to your hotel in Cusco.

• Meals included: Breakfast
• 3* Accommodation: Maytaq Wasin or Waman Qorikancha
• 4* Accommodation: Costa del Sol Ramada, Casa Andina Private Collection or Novotel  Hotels

After the tour, those who have booked in advance for the extra hike up Huayna Picchu, this tour is without a guide.

***IMPORTANT:

•  On the 2-day Inca Trail, we will be doing the circuit #3 or 4 and there is no way to do another circuit unless you buy an additional entrance to Machu Picchu.
• Early trains can be organized by requested and it has to be done at booking time.

After breakfast, enjoy the beauty of Cusco or just relax.

In the afternoon, we will pick you up from your hotel to visit the Imperial City. It is a living example of the mix of Andean and Spanish culture. We start the tour at the Convent of Santo Domingo built over the Koricancha, which was the Ancient Inca Palace and the main worship center of the Sun Inti. You are given plenty of time to enjoy these beautiful sights. From there we visit the archaeological site of Sacsayhuaman, with its impressive Inca architecture, which dominates the city. Finally, we explore the archeological sites of Q’enqo, Puca Pucará and Tambomachay, which are located in the northeast section of the city.  You will return to your hotel in Cusco in the early evening.

• 3* Accommodation: Maytaq Wasin or Waman Qorikancha
• 4* Accommodation: Costa del Sol Ramada, Casa Andina Private Collection or Novotel Hotels
• Meal included: Breakfast

We will pick you up from your hotel at 4am, and begin with our amazing Rainbow Mountain Trek Adventure. We set out on our drive for 3 hours through the South Valley; ending at the trailhead at Llacto (4,638m / 15,216 ft).  Along the way, there are amazing views of farming Inca terraces, traditional villages, valleys and high Andean peaks.

The herds of alpacas and llamas near your breakfast spot will entertain you in the early morning. Once we reach the trailhead, we start on our hike following a lovely stream. As you start your hike, you will have views of the Ausangate Mountain and glaciers. You can interact with the local people, who are still keeping traditional Quechua culture alive. Learn about their traditional clothes and the significance of the different hats worn by the men. Ask your guide to teach you a few words of Quechua!

After a total hike of 1.5 hours, we finally reach our destination Rainbow Mountain (5,020m /16,466ft). After admiring the unique beauty, you will have time to explore the area. You can take pictures or just soak up the view. We will spend approximately 30 minutes at the top. Afterwards, there is an optional hike across to the top of the Red Valley.  This walk takes about 45 minutes longer to get back to the trailhead.

At this point, we hike back down the way we came. The hike takes 1 hour, then we enjoy our lunch which will prepare by our cook.

We will embark on the 3-hour drive back to Cusco and drop you off at your Cusco hotel, arriving around 6:00pm.

• Meals included: Hot Breakfast & Lunch

After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy your remaining time in Cusco then in the afternoon we will drop off at the airport to take your plane back to Lima.

• Meal included: Breakfast