Breakfast in the hotel. Early in the morning, transfer to airport to take a flight to Cusco. Assistance on arrival in Cusco and transfer to your selected hotel. Free time to take a short rest to be acclimatized to the altitude. In the afternoon, city tour of Cusco visiting the Main Square, the Cathedral and the Temple of the Sun or Korikancha. Then, drive out of the city to visit the Inca sites of Kenko, Tambomachay, Puca Pucara and the impressive fortress of Sacsayhuaman, built strategically on a hill overlooking Cusco; famous for its enormous carved stones joined with astounding precision to form the outer walls. Some of these stones stand over 9m / 30ft tall and weight over 350 tons. You will receive a briefing about the trail by the guide in your hotel.

Excursion to the “Sacred Valley of the Incas”, a succession of picturesque towns, agricultural terraces and archeological sites. we´ll have the opportunity to bargain with vendors or stroll at the Pisac’s typical Indian market, with a catholic mass service on Sunday (celebrated in Quechua, the native language). Lunch at a local restaurant in the Sacred Valley.

In the afternoon pass through Calca and Urubamba towns to arrive to the Inca Fortress and Citadel of Ollantaytambo, which was built to guard the entry of this part of the valley and protect it from enemies of the lower jungles; consisting in a series of superimposed terraces of carved stones accessed by long staircases. We will have the opportunity to walk through the quaint streets of the nearby town, religious and agricultural centre during the Inca Empire, and get a clear idea of the military strategy against possible invasions. On our way back to Cusco we will visit the picturesque Andean village of Chinchero where the remains of what was the royal hacienda of Tupac Inca Yupanqui lies. Admire its well preserved Inca Wall at the Main Square, visit the beautiful colonial temple built on Inca foundations, with interesting frescoes on the portico. Back to Cusco in the afternoon.

Your Andean mountain adventure begins at 5am when we pick you up at your hotel in our van and drive to the trailhead at Soraypampa. Along the way, you pass through two picturesque indigenous villages called Iscuchaca and Limatambo. In addition, you will have spectacular views of stunning valleys and the snow-capped, famous Salkantay Mountain.

Once we reach the trailhead in Soraypampa, we power up with breakfast while admiring the breathtaking views of the mountain glaciers of Humantay (19,356 feet) and Salkantay (20,396 feet). We then take a 2.5 hours round-trip hike up to visit the turquoise Humantay Lake. Next, we take about one and a half hours to ascend to Salkantay Pampa, where you can look forward to a great lunch in front of the majestic glacier.

Next, we make our way to our first campsite at Soroccocha, situated at the foot of the towering Salkantay Mountain. At camp, will have afternoon tea to warm up and appetizers waiting for us. Your tents will already be set up and you can settle in before dinner.

Your guide will wake you with a hot mug of tea or coffee in your tent before you get up for breakfast. After a hearty and delicious breakfast, we continue our Salkantay journey with a climb for about an hour to arrive at the trek’s highest point, Apacheta pass at 4,650m / 15,367ft. At the pass, we take some well-deserved photos and enjoy looking at the massive snow-capped mountains Huayanay, Humantay and Salkantay towering above us and at the lakes and rivers below.

As a side trip, we take 30 minutes to enjoy the exquisite and panoramic, turquoise Salkantay Lake. Next, we continue down to Rayanniyoc for lunch. Then, we trek for a couple of hours at our final stop for the day at our camp near the tiny village of Colpapampa. Hot drinks and appetizers will once again be waiting for you when you arrive.

This day marks the time we’ve passed our midway point. We start walking to our next destination, Lucmabamba. During this time, you’ll see a variety of wonders, including birds, fruit plantations with their flowering orchards and cacao and coffee trees. We’ll reach our destination for lunch with plenty of time to relax.

After lunch, we’ll tour a coffee plantation close to the campsite. Here we take a relaxing tour, where we get to learn about the source of Peruvian coffee, which is increasingly popular around the world. We begin by browsing the fields, learning about the different types of beans and picking our own.  Then, we roast and grind them into coffee. Finally, we get to brew and drink our own coffee! It is a truly unique experience. Co-existing with fields of tomatoes and avocados are multiple ecosystems with another astonishing variety of flora and fauna.

Around 3pm, we’ll take local transportation for half an hour to Cocalmayo, where you can bathe in the natural hot springs. We come back to camp relaxed and hungry for our dinner, made with the fruits and vegetables that we picked today.

We resume our journey by travelling along the remote and ancient Inca Trail uphill for three hours to the Puncuyoc Pass. During this journey, you’ll see the spectacular scenes of the fruit plantations and distinct valleys. Our next destination is the Inca Ruins in Llactapata. You’ll enjoy seeing the Citadel of Machu Picchu from across the valley, along with the Aobamba Canyon and neighboring mountains: Machu Picchu and Huyana Picchu.

Next is a two-hour trek down to the hydroelectric plant. This serves as Cusco’s primary power source, a renewable and ecologically produced electricity. Nearby is our lunch spot, where we enjoy another hearty and delicious meal.

The last leg of your memorable Salkantay adventure involves traversing to Aguas Calientes via the National Park of Machu Picchu. Appreciate the lush sub-tropical jungle, full of orchids and epiphytes growing on the trees. Your excitement builds as you travel closer to the magnificent Machu Picchu! When we arrive in Aguas Calientes you will have time to check into your hotel before our dinner together at a restaurant in town.

Rise early and head to the bus station for the 20-minute drive up to the entrance of Machu Picchu, where you will embark on a 2-hour guided tour of the citadel. If you choose to breakfast at 5 a.m. or pack a breakfast box, you can reach the citadel in time to see the sun rise over the Inca ruins.

The magnificent handiwork of the Incas is abundantly evident even centuries after it was first set into place by genius engineers. The precision of the carved walls contrasts sharply with the wild, verdant mountains and steep highlands. The city itself can be divided into 3 areas: the urban, agricultural, and adjacent zones. In the urban sector you can find the Temple of the Sun, Royal Tomb, ceremonial fountains, Royal Palace, Temple of the Three Windows, Main Temple, Intiwatana and more. The agricultural sector includes the cemetery and the Funeral Rock. Finally, the adjacent zones include Intipunku, the Temple of the Moon, Huayna Picchu, and the Drawbridge.

You may want to take advantage of Machu Picchu’s spiritual setting to meditate and relax. But the more adventurous can take a 90-minute climb up the nearby peak of Huayna Picchu. On the way down from Huayna Picchu, take the trek past the Temple of the Moon, once a retreat for Inca nobles and priests. The extra trek is not for the faint of heart and must be done with extreme caution. However, the opportunity to see Machu Picchu from another angle is often enough to draw the more adventurous visitor. Note that park officials limit the number of visitors to Huayna Picchu to 400 per day and tickets need to be purchased in advance.

After your day in Machu Picchu, you will take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes to collect your belongings from your hotel and return to Cusco by train, where you will be met for a transfer to your hotel.

Transfer to the airport for your departure to Lima and your connecting international flight. Arrive home full of great memories of the rich tradition of Colonial Lima and the mystical Land of the Incas included Inca Trail.

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