The Land of the Inkas team invites you to come on this incredible, active journey through the city of Cusco, the roaring Apurimac River and the Inca trail. Along the way you’ll discover the vibrant Andean culture and the historic citadel of Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Join us on this 12-day adventure through Peruvian history, culture and nature.

DAY 1

– Arrival in Lima

 – Night in a Lima hotel

DAY 2

-Flight to Cusco

-Saqsaywaman, Tambomachay, Qenqo, Pucapucara.

-Night in a hotel in Cusco

DAY 3

-Cusco, rafting  Apurímac.

Day 4

-Rafting Apurímac

DAY 5

-Rafting Apurímac, Ollantaytambo

DAY 6

-Bike from Cruz Pata to Chequereq

-Moray to Maras

-Salt pools to Pichingoto

-Ollantaytambo

DAY 7

-Bus from Ollantaytambo to Km 82

-Hike up Cusichaca Valley to Huayllabamba

Day 8

-Hike from Huayllabamba to Pacamayo campsite

Day 9

-Hike from Pacamayo to Runkuracay

-Hike from Runkuracay to Sayacmarca, then on to the campsite at Phuyupatamarca.

DAY 10

-Hike from Phuyupatamarca to the ruins at Wiñay Wayna

-Hike through the Sun Gate to arrive at Machu Picchu           

-Spend the night in Aguas Calientes

DAY 11

-Train to Ollantaytambo, then bus trip to Chinchero textile market. Return to Cusco hotel

DAY 12

-Flight to Lima

*If you have purchased an additional extension, you will connect with it on this day.

Day 1 LIMA

 You’ll arrive at the international airport in Lima (the majority of flights arrive at night between 8pm and 2am). Our team will be waiting with a private vehicle to take you to the hotel of your choice.  According to your flight schedule, you will visit some of the most important museums in Lima.

Day 2 LIMA – CUSCO

Early in the morning, you’ll return to the Lima airport to take your flight to Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire. Upon your arrival, the Land of the Inkas team will be waiting to greet you. During the trip to the center in a private vehicle, the guide will give a brief introductory talk about the city. After lunch, we’ll visit the most important tourist sites in the city and the surroundings. This is an opportunity to try new things, learn and understand the history of Cusco. We’ll visit churches, museums and archeological sites, including the fortress of Saqsaywaman and the complexes of Qenqo, Pucapucara and Tambomachay. All of these were highly important sites in the Inca religion and are located close to Cusco. After our explorations, we’ll return you to your hotel to spend the night.

Day 3 Cusco – Apurímac River

In the morning, we will travel 2 hours to the put in point on the Apurimac. We’ll start the rafting adventure with easy, safe rapids to practice our basic techniques, all while exploring the river and coming across ancient Andean terraces. The rapids continue and increase in difficulty up to Class IV. After the final stretch, we’ll set up camp and enjoy the night beneath the stars and constellations of the southern hemisphere.

Day 4 Apurímac River

The first section of rapids today are a bit demanding as they are Class III/IV with one Class V. Not to worry – our experienced guides will see you safely through them all. The later sections are calmer and will take us to the day’s campsite at a sandy beach.

DAY 5 Apurímac River – Ollantaytambo

After breakfast we’ll hit the river again and take on Class III and IV rapids, passing through the area known as “Three Condors” before entering calmer waters in the final stretch. We’ll finish up by having an open-air lunch before our bus picks us up and takes us to Ollantaytambo and a comfortable hotel.

Day 6 Cruz Pata- Ollantaytambo

Early this morning, we’ll drive out to the indigenous communities of Cruz Pata to start our mountain biking trip. We’ll pass by the community of Chequereq then visit the ruins of Moray, which were used during the Inca Empire as an agricultural experimentation laboratory. We’ll next bike to Maras and the salt pools near Pichingoto. Our day’s journey ends with lunch in Ollantaytambo; you’ll have the afternoon free before spending the night in your hotel in Ollantaytambo.

DAY 7 CAMINO INCA-  SACRED VALLEY – HUAYLLABAMBA (CAMP)

We’ll get up early today and head for Km 82 in bus, the start of our Inca Trail adventure. We’ll meet our porters here for the first time, our companions for the entire trip. We’ll cross the Urubamba River over a hanging bridge and then start along the rugged trail. We’ll be able to see the Vilcanota range and the snowcapped Mt. Veronica (“Wakay Willca” in Quechua). We’ll then follow the Cusichaca (“Bridge of Joy”) River along a narrow path to the village of Huayllabamba, our campsite for the night.

Day 8 HUAYLLABAMBA –PACAYMAYO (CAMP)

We’ll get an early start today and continue along a narrow gorge. We’ll walk through a leafy forest full of quinua plants, an edible species high in nutrients and protein which is revolutionizing cooking across the world. From here, the path ascends to wide plains and continues up to the high point of the trail known as “Dead Woman’s Pass” (“Warmiwañuska” in Quechua). After this steep climb, we’ll rest and catch our breath for a moment, then descend to Pacaymayo to camp for the night.

Day 9 PACAYMAYO – PHUYUPATAMARCA (CAMP)

This part of the Inca Trail has the majority of the ruins. We’ll visit the ruins of Runkuracay, then climb up to the second highest point on the trail before taking a much-deserved break in the community of Sayacmarca. We’ll then walk a little farther to get to our campsite at Phuyupatamarca.

DAY 10 PHUYUPATAMARCA- MACHU PICCHU

We’ll leave Phuyupatamarca for the ruins of Wiñay Wayna and pass by a section of cloud forest before arriving at the Sun Gate (“Intipunku”). This famous landmark is a welcome sight for all weary adventurers, for it means that you have nearly arrived at your destination of Machu Picchu. After visiting the ruins, we’ll bus down to the nearby town of Aguas Calientes where you can soak your tired bones and muscles in the hot springs there before retiring to your hotel.

DAY 11 MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO

We’ll return to Machu Picchu early today to enjoy the ruins in all their splendor. You can choose to summit either Machu Picchu Mountain (meaning “Old Mountain” in English) or Huayna Picchu (“Young Mountain”). If the idea of climbing one more mountain doesn’t appeal to you, you can choose to descend to the Moon Temple. In the afternoon, we’ll catch the train back to Ollantaytambo and then continue on in a private car to the textile market in Chinchero. At the market, you’ll be shown the process of making alpaca wool textiles and have the opportunity to buy some before we return to the hotel in Cusco.

DAY 12  CUSCO- LIMA

On the final day, we’ll take you to the Cusco airport for your return flight to Lima and your connecting flight home.

INCLUDED

-A bilingual guide for all the tours described in the itinerary

-All flights within Peru

-All ground transportation during the trip

-The entrance costs for all the tours/sites mentioned.

-All hotels (Double beds, with continental breakfast)

-All the meals mentioned. (The guide will carry a first aid kit)

-An additional room can be obtained at the client’s request.

NOT INCLUDED

-Transportation (e.g. international flights) to and from Peru.

-Lunch and dinner in cities (aside from those specifically mentioned)

-Hiking boots and personal equipment

-Personal costs (tips and gratuities, alcoholic beverages, travel/medical insurance, medical costs, laundromat charges, airport taxes, etc.)