Cusco and Sacred Valley
Itinerary
Day 01 ARRIVAL AT CUSCO
THE EXCITEMENT BEGINS
Early in the morning we will return to Lima’s airport for our flight to Cusco, once the capital of the empire of the Incas. Upon arrival we will give you a short introductory lecture on the city to help you get around as we drive you from the local airport to the hotel. You will have the rest of the day free to get used to the altitude, relax and enjoy the atmosphere of what was once the capital of the Inca state and subsequently one of the most beautiful cities in colonial-era Spanish America.
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Day 02 CUSCO CITY TOUR AND SURROUNDINGS
INCA HERITAGE
Today we will visit the most interesting attractions in the city and the surrounding countryside. This is a chance to experience and learn more about the fusion of indigenous and colonial heritages as we visit local churches, museums and archaeological sites, as well as observing the lives of local Cusco people today. Our guide will give you more information on all the aspects of Cusco which most interest you. In the afternoon we will visit the great Inca fortress of Saqsayhuaman, as well as the other Inca sites of Kenko, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay, which were all of great importance within the context of the religious beliefs of the Incas, and which lie in the hills surrounding the imperial city.
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Day 03 SACRED VALLEY DAY TOUR
INCA HERITAGE
Today we will visit the most interesting attractions in the city and the surrounding countryside. This is a chance to experience and learn more about the fusion of indigenous and colonial heritages as we visit local churches, museums and archaeological sites, as well as observing the lives of local Cusco people today. Our guide will give you more information on all the aspects of Cusco which most interest you. In the afternoon we will visit the great Inca fortress of Saqsayhuaman, as well as the other Inca sites of Kenko, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay, which were all of great importance within the context of the religious beliefs of the Incas, and which lie in the hills surrounding the imperial city.
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Day 04 RETURN TO CUSCO FOR NEXT DESTINATION
INCA RETURN
Once again we will take the bus up to the archaeological complex, where we will be able to take advantage of the early morning light for photography as well as enjoy the fact that fewer people visit the ruins at this time of day. We will have time to enjoy a short walk along the world famous Inca Trail to the charming Inca site of Wiñaywayna, passing the Sun Gate, or Inti Punko, walk to the so-called Temple of the Moon or climb up the steep trail to the top of the mountain known as Huayna Picchu. These archaeological sites are fascinating in their own right, but they also provide excellent panoramic views of the great Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. In the afternoon we will return to the village of Aguas Calientes, from where the train will take us back to the city of Cusco, where you will be transferred to your hotel.
Note: For those who would like to continue to explore the local sights, we can leave the train at the village of Ollantaytambo and return by bus via the village of CHINCHERO (“Village of the Rainbow”), where local people are expert weavers. These local weavers will demonstrate their skills for us and offer us their work. Return to hotel in Cusco.
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Day 05 ADDITIONAL DAY MACHUPUCCHU
ROAD TO EL DORADO
This morning you will be transferred from the hotel to the local train station for a ride which follows the course of the Urubamba River for about one and half hours and takes visitors into a region of tropical forests. This cloud forest habitat of thick vegetation and soaring peaks harbors the village of Aguas Calientes, where we will disembark from the train to take a short bus ride up the forested mountain where the Inca civilization built what is now recognized as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World: the lost city of Machu Picchu. Our guide will provide you with a wealth of detail regarding the history of this remarkable site and help us journey back in time as we learn more about this great civilization.
We will also have time to appreciate the surrounding cloud forest environment before returning to our hotel by bus.
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Copyright 2006 Land of the Inkas