7 Days Inca trail to Machupicchu – Through The Sun Gate

DAY 1.- ARRIVAL IN CUSCO & CITY TOUR.

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Peru. Your adventure begins with a welcoming greeting at Cusco airport to transfer you to your hotel.

In the afternoon your local expert guide will collect you from your hotel for a tour of the Cusco city ” The Puma City” starting out at the Santo Domingo convent monastery. This former colonial monastery was previously the Qoricancha Temple, also known as the “Temple of the Sun” or where the gold shines. One of the most important temples devoted to the worship of the sun (“in our ancient language “Quechua” the Sun is called INTI”). According to the chronicles, it was covered in gold leaf and filled with golden representations of nature. Your next stop will be the Plaza de Armas or the main plaza of Cusco.

Finally we are going to visit Cusco’s central market, a wonderful way to discover the Andean culture and daily life. This vibrant spot, with its dazzling displays of fresh produce and fascinating local products, could keep you entertained for hours.

Places That Are Visited:

• Santo Domingo Monhastery / Qoricanca.
• Main Plaza of Cusco City – Main Square surrounded by the Inca palaces.
• Central Market Of Cusco.

Then meet for our briefing with your tour guide to get acquainted with our itinerary. The evening is free for your own food adventures. Your leader will have plenty of suggestions!

Lodging: Cusco – Tandapata Boutique Hotel*** or similars.

DAY 2.- SACRED VALLEY TOUR.

Guiding you through to the fertile Sacred Valley, once the spiritual and commercial heartland of the Inca Empire. You will be collected from your hotel by your expert, local guide and private vehicle to be driven firstly to Chinchero, on this site we will appreciate the Inka walls that are very well preserved in the main square as well as many altars directed to the four cardinal points. We will also visit the beautiful colonial church, unique for its work of art. Continuing, we will participate in a wonderful exposition of Andean weaving art; During the weaving we will become familiar with the wisdom of Andean weavings, such and as they are maintained long before Inka times.
Your next stop will be the Incan fortress of Ollantaytambo, the oldest continuously occupied town on the American continent. The narrow streets of Ollantaytambo, along with their canals, have not changed much from the time of the Inca Empire, giving you a feeling of what it would have been like to live during this time. After Ollantaytambo we head to Urubamba where we have a delicious buffet lunch (Not Included).
Then we continue through the Sacred Valley on to Pisaq. where you can see the biggest Inca cemetery with more than 2000 tombs. There we can admire the incredible farming terraces carved into the mountain and the religious area of this important citadel.

There will be enough time to stroll around these magnificent ruins before being driven back to your hotel.

Places That Are Visited:

• Archeological site of Chinchero.
• Chinchero andean weaving art.
• Fortress town of Ollantaytambo.
• Pisaq traditional Market.
• Archeological site of Pisaq

Lodging: Cusco – Tandapata Boutique Hotel*** or similars.

DAY 3 TO 6.- 4 DAYS CLASSIC INCA TRAIL TO MACHUPICCHU.

DAY 3: FIRST DAY TREK:  PISKACUCHO KM 82 – LLACTAPATA – WAYLLABAMBA.

Today begins your adventure of a lifetime, the Classic Inca Trial Picking you up from your hotel at 5:00Transfer to km 82 ( 2720 m / 8923 Ft ).

Once we arrive to kilometer 82 at around 8:30am, we will have some time to organize ourselves, use of the restrooms, apply sunscreen, insect repellent, etc, etc. and also it will be necessary to show your entrance tickets, passports and (if paying a student rate) the student card at the trail’s first control point. we cross the Vilcanota River and follow its route to the right. The first day is relatively easy, a warm-up along the Inca flat terrain.  There are great views of the Incan sites like a (‘Huillca Raccay’), the vast and incredible place of Llactapata, (officially called ‘Patallacta’), the Urubamba mountain range that divides the jungle, the Andes Mountains, and the beautiful snow-capped peak of ‘W’akay Willca’ (5860m/19225ft) Lunch at Taray village at 1.30 pm aproxx.Camping in Wayllabamba ( 3300 meters / 10829 ft )Walking distance 12 km.

DAY 4.- SECOND DAY TREK: WAYLLABAMBA – DEAD WOMENS PASS – PACAYMAYU.

After waking up at 5:30 am  (or 5:00 depending on your guide) and enjoying a hot breakfast, we start a steep ascent towards the highest pass, Abra de Warmihuañusca or ‘Dead Woman’s Pass’ at 4200m/13779ft.  On this day, you will feel a real sense of achievement upon reaching the top. After a well-deserved rest, we begin the descent to where we are going to have our lunch there and Camp site  which is located at Pacaymayu (3550m/11646ft).

On the way up that Day to the pass we will be reliable to see lots of hummingbirds and other birds. Also we will Have the time to appreciate an incredible variety of native plants and trees: such as the Polylepis or Q’ueuña Which trees grow in the astonishing cloud forest located at 3650 / 11972m.

DAY 5.- THIRD DAY TREK: PACAYMAYU – CHAQUIKOCHA – WIÑAYHUAYNA.

Our wake up will be that day by our helper with hot tea and coffee to your tents. So to start our hike to second hights pass which is Runkuraqay pass (almost 4000m/13,123ft).This is the most impressive day so far and  With a relatively short distance to cover along what is known as Inca Flat (gentle ascents and descents) we get to enjoy the lush and verdant cloud forest around us and the spectacular views of the Andes in the distance. Lunch at chaquicocha.

The Inca site of ‘Phuyupatamarca’, is located a few minutes’ walk from the third pass.  After visiting this site, we continue walking down 3000 stairs through the cloud forest to the impressive agricultural Incan site of ‘Intipata. After taking some time to visit this site, we continue until we arrive at our third campsite Wiñay Wayna. (2680m/8792ft).Walking distance: 16km.

DAY 6.- FOURTH DAY TREK: WIÑAY WAYNA – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO.

The highlight of the trek  Machupicchu!!!!. Waking up early  in order to get to ‘Inti Punku’ (‘Sun gate’) (2730m/8792ft) before sunrise. This is the place where you will have your first dramatic view of Machu Picchu (2400m/7873ft) with the sun rising over it! After some time there, we will walk down the last part of the trail to a spot where you can take the classic picture postcard shot of this ancient city. Finally, we visit Machu Picchu itself !!

On arrival to Machu Picchu you’ll have a 2 hour guided tour of the site during which you’ll learn about the Incas and visit all the most important areas of the citadel. After your tour you’ll have free time to explore the site by yourslef and if you have permits to climb either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain. In the afternoon you will take the train back to Ollantaytambo from where you will carry on by bus back to Cusco.