“12 Days Exploring Cusco – Puno & Trekking To Machupicchu”

DAY 1.- ARRIVAL IN CUSCO & TRANSFER TO YOUR HOTEL.

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Peru. Your adventure begins with a welcoming and
greeting at Cusco airport to transfer you to your hotel.
Enjoy the arecheological city of Cusco, known particularly for its excellent cuisine
and good museums, as well as the historic down-town areas. your Travel
Designer can arrange a tour for you should you wish and you’ll have all
of our recommendations at hand for the best things to see and do in the
city to make the very most of your stay.

Lodging: Cusco – Sonesta Hotel Cusco or similars.

DAY 2.- CITY TOUR – TEMPLE OF THE SUN  & FAMILY DINNER.

Your local expert guide will collect you from your hotel for a tour of the city, starting out at the Santo Domingo convent monastery. This former colonial monastery was previously the Qoricancha Temple, one of the most important temples devoted to the worship of the sun (“in our ancient language «Quechua» the Sun is called INTI”) and according to the chronicles, the Qoricancha was covered in gold leaf and filled with golden representations of nature. Your next stop will be the Plaza de Armas.

After touring the most interesting sites of the city, you will be driven by private vehicle to the countryside just outside Cusco to visit some of the remarkable Inca ruins in the area such as the cult centre of Sacsayhuaman, one of the emblematic buildings of the Inca Empire (just above from the center of the city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site) built by the Inca Pachacutec in the 15th Century. It is a vast fortress built from huge stones and the way how they built and transported and worked is still a mystery. The temple and amphitheatre of Qenko, and the Red Fortress of Puca Pucara.

Places That Are Visited:

• Santo Domingo Monhastery / Qoricanca – Temple Of The Sun.
• Main Plaza of Cusco City – Main Square surrounded by the Inca palaces.
• Saqsayhuaman.
• Qenko.
• Puca Pucara.

At night we will have our family buffet dinner, where we will enjoy live show of typical dances from all over Peru, enjoying amazing traditional andean music.

Lodging: Cusco – Sonesta Hotel Cusco or similars.

DAY 3 TO 7.- 5 DAYS SALKANTAY TREKKING TO MACHUPICCHU

DAY3.- FIRST DAY TREK: MOLLEPATA – HUMANTAY LAGOON – SOYROCOCHA.

On this hiking tour to Machu Picchu, a member of Inti Peru Adventures will pick you up from your hotel before departing Cusco around 6am. We will drive roughly 3.5 hours to our trail head at Soraypampa (12,467 feet). In route to Soraypampa, we will stop in the quaint town of Mollepata to use the bathrooms, have a snack and grab a cup of coffee or tea. Once we arrive we will meet our donkeys (gear porters) and have a thorough brief on the pertinent aspects of trekking in the Andes. We will immediately be over shadowed by the giant, Mount Salkantay. We will go on a 1.5 hour day hike to aide in acclimatization and to see the beautiful, teal waters of lake Humantay.

We will hike back to Soraypampa where a delicious lunch will be prepared by our Inti chef. After lunch, we will begin to slowly ascend a mild incline for roughly 3.5 hours to the village of Soyroqocha (13,779 feet).

Upon arrival at camp, you will find your tents ready and waiting, as well as hot drinks and popcorn. We will have some free time to change clothes, get warm and rehydrate until our delicious dinner is served. This camp is especially beautiful at night, when the milky way is splashed across the sky. Photographers, this is the perfect place to take long exposures of the stars!

Hiking Mileage: 3.1 miles
Lowest Elevation: 12,467 feet
Highest Elevation: 14,435 feet
Trekking Duration: 3-4 hours

Lodging: Campsite.

DAY 4.- SENCOD DAY TREK: SOYROCOCHA – SALKANTAY PASS – QOLLPAPAMPA.

Today we will wake up to a steaming cup of coca tea and gaze upon the stunning, snow-covered Salkantay Mountain. Today we will travel through a diverse range of climatic zones, from golden grasslands to sub-alpine zones to cloud forests. After a nutritious breakfast we will begin to trek slowly towards Salkantay Pass (15,091 feet), which takes roughly 1 hour. At the pass we will have a break to drink water, eat snacks and take in the spectacular views of Mount Salkantay. Subsequently, we will hike down to Huayraqmachay village, where we will have a delicious lunch prepared for us by our kitchen crew. After lunch we will hike down to Qollpapampa village (10,170 feet) where we will camp for the night.

Hiking Mileage: 9.9 miles
Lowest Elevation: 10,170 feet
Highest Elevation: 15,091 feet
Trekking Duration: 8-9 hours

Lodging: Campsite.

DAY 5.- THIRD DAY TREK: QOLLPAPAMPA – LA PLAYA – LUCMABAMBA.

Today we will be trekking through the tranquil cloud forest. We will hike for about five hours following the Lluskamayo River, with the prospect of seeing a variety of orchids, birds, and a magnificent waterfall. Today’s trek ends at Lucmabamba town (6,725 feet) where we will have lunch and camp for the night. After we relax for a while, we will go meet Freddy the owner of our camp and a local coffee plantation. Here we will be able to pick our own coffee beans, roast them and make our own coffee. In addition, Freddy will teach us many local traditions of the Quechua people and you can potentially buy some souvenir coffee from him.

Hiking Mileage: 8 miles
Lowest Elevation: 6,725 feet
Highest Elevation: 12,540 feet
Trekking Duration: 5-6 hours

Lodging: Campsite.

DAY 6.- FOURTH DAY TREK: LUCMABAMBA – HIDROELECTRICA – AGUAS CALIENTES.

After an early breakfast accompanied by Freddie’s local coffee from the farm, we will begin our hike which ascends to the Llaqtapata Inca ruins. This section of the trail is part of the Inca Trail, used in the past to connect Machu Picchu with the city of Vilcabamba. Once we arrive at Llaqtapata we will have our first glimpse of the ancient city of the Incas, Machu Picchu. Our local guide and interpreter will introduce us to the history and culture of the Inca and Quechua people. After the lessons we will descend roughly three hours to the hydroelectric power station. From the power station We are going to walk our last stretch towards Aguas Calientes for about 3 hours along the train track. There is a nice path next to the tracks through the warm paradise of the cloud forest. This is the same trail used by the American professor Hiram Bingham who rediscovered Machu Picchu after centuries of it being lost to the outside world! Once in Aguas Calientes, you can rest a bit before dinner or walk around this alluring place that has the feel of a California Gold Rush town. There are no cars in Aguas Calientes, so it is an especially peaceful place to be. In Aguas Calientes we’ll have a family dinner and your guides will deliver the plan for the next morning. A much deserved rest so we’re recharged and ready for Machu Picchu the next day.

Hiking Mileage: 8 miles
Lowest Elevation: 5,905 feet
Highest Elevation: 10,107 feet
Trekking Duration: 6-7 hours

Lodging: Aguas Calientes – Machupicchu – Waman Hotel Machupicchu *** o similars.

DAY 7.- PRIVATE TOUR OF MACHUPICCHU.

After a delicious breakfast at the hotel your private guide will take you on a comprehensive tour of the Machupicchu citadel, really bringing it to life by detailing the history, significance and myths surrounding it as well as taking you to the hidden corners and best viewpoints. Then after your guided tour, you’ll enjoy a delicious lunch before an afternoon at your leisure. You can explore the areas around Machu Picchu or carry on exploring the ruins.

We will coordinate the time to meet in Aguas Calientes to board our train back to Ollantaytambo and then we will transfer you in our private bus or van back to Cusco to your hotel, so with this experiences we have completed our service to Machupicchu and the Sacred Valley of The Incas.

Optional:

The trek to the peak of Huayna Picchu: Huayna Picchu is the mountain that stands next to Machu Picchu. It is a 45 minute hike to the top. Going back down is quite steep, if you are scared of heights. This is done after your tour of Machu Picchu. The cost is $35 per person to hike. Arrangements need to be made at least one month in advance, due to popularity.

Difficulty: Moderate to challenging.

The trek to Machu Picchu Mountain: It has the most spectacular view, It is a 1.5 hours hike to the top. Located to the southwest of the citadel of Machu Picchu with a height of 3,050 m (10,007 ft.), This trek offers unparalleled views of the famous Inca sanctuary and also panoramic views of the surrounding mountainous landscape. The cost is $35 per person to hike.

Difficulty: Moderate to challenging.

Lodging: Sacred Valley – Chinchero Boutique Hotel*** or similars.

DAY 8.- DAY AT LEISURE IN CUSCO.

Explore the beautiful city of Cusco at your own pace with a day at leisure. It´s time to explore the Incan Puma City.

One of the Highlights of Cusco is our 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.

Lodging: Cusco – Sonesta Hotel Cusco or similars.

DAY 9.- DEPARTURE TO PUNO – ROUTE OF THE SUN.

In the morning we will depart from the bus terminal and head towards Puno. This is a special journey by bus which allows us to visit the many diverse locations along the way on the route of the sun. There will be planned stops to visit the following:

Andahuaylillas: (the sistine chapel of the Americas, this temple is one of the best examples of the fusion between Catholic and Andean religions).

Raqchi: A Inka temple dedicated to the god Wiracocha, construction of monumental dimensions, an estimated 100 meters long, 26m wide, 14m high. This is the only known temple dedicated to the God Wiracocha, creator of the Universe.

La Raya: Midway point on our journey and highest point on the road – 4335 m.s.n.m. The impressive views here allow us to admire the rugged high altitude, full of tall peaks, many of which are snow-capped, and herds of llamas, alpacas and vicuñas. This is the geografic border between two cultures, the Quechua of Cusco and the Aymara of Puno.

Pucara: This ceremonial center is one of the oldest and most important of the high plains, well known for its lithic structures and tombs.

We are going to arrive to Puno around 5:00pm. At the bus station in Puno, a member of the hotel will be there waiting for you holding a sign board with your name on it to transfer you to our hotel. So, all you need to do is just look for your name.

Lodging: Puno – Qalasaya Hotel**** or similars.

DAY 10.- FLOATING ISLANDS OF UROS & AMANTANI ISLAND.

A full day of boat excursion afloat Lake Titicaca. We will visit the ancient culture of the Uros and step foot on their floating islands. The islanders will give us a presentation about their lifestyle upon their man-made islands, built using the totora reed which grows among the shores of the lake. We will learn about their existence on these small islands and how they have adapted to its conditions.

Continuing across the lake we will arrive to the island of Amantani. Here we will meet the Quechua families that will offer us a cosy home-stay style lodging and prepare us traditional food for lunch. After lunch we will make the short ascent to the two hilltops of the island while observing the daily lifestyle of the local people. Atop of the island we will visit two ancient pre-Inka temples, Pachatata and Pachamama (father & mother cosmos). In the evening after dinner the community members will hold a small welcoming party for us.

Lodging: Amantani Island (HOMESTAY).

DAY 11.- TAQUILE ISLAND & BACK TO PUNO.

After breakfast on Amantani we will board the boat again to make the short trip to the neighboring island of Taquile. Here we will ascend the beautiful stone paths to the community, a small and quite shy population, not to mention very hard-working and wise, a culture full of art and tradition. Taquiles’ people are cheerful and proud of their origen and culture, happy to share with us the beautiful atmosphere of island life upon the immense lake Titicaca.

Lodging: Puno – Qalasaya Hotel**** or similars.

DAY 12.- PUNO – JULIACA – FLY TO LIMA.

A brief transfer from Puno to the neighboring city of Juliaca. Upon arrival in Lima there will be assitence for an international connecting flight, or if prefered, transfer for a hotel.

End of the tour!!!

INCLUDED:

• 11 night’s accommodations with (5 nights with 3 stars hotels, 2 nights with 4 stars, 1 night in a Homestay in the Tititcaca Lake & 3 nights camping).
• 11 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 4 Afternoon Snacks and 6 family dinners. If you have a dietary request (vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free, etc) or allergy please advise us upon booking and re-confirm the day of our briefing
• Meet and greet airport service.
• All private transportation.
• Entrance fee to Machu Picchu.
• Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu (round trip).
• Train ticket Aguas Calientes – Ollantaytambo
• Transportation Ollantaytambo-Cusco.
• All entrances fees during your expedition.
• Pre-departure briefing: You will meet your guide and group in our office for orientation. Here we provide you with duffle bags that will be on horse-back during the trekhorse-back during the trek
• Professional English Speaking Tour Guide
• Assistant Tour Guide for groups of 9+.
• Professional Cook
• Horses to carry all equipment and 7 kg of your personal items
• Pick-up and transportation from your hotel
• Water (excluding the first 4 hours of the trek when you need to bring your own).
• Wake up tea: Every morning our staff will bring tea to your tent
• Dining tent with tables and chairs
• 4 man tent for every 2 trekkers
• Hotel in Aguas Calientes (Golden Sunrise Machupicchu ****) .
• Double thickness foam sleeping mattress
• Oxygen bottle
• First aid kit
• Toursit bus from Cusco to Puno.
• 2 Days Titicaca tour in Puno.
• Full support from your Travel Concierge before, during and after your trip.

NOT INCLUDED:

• Sleeping Bag (Optional Rental Fee will apply).
• Breakfast on day 4 and lunch and dinner on Day 8.
• Entrance Fee to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain. Extra US$ 35.
• Tips for Staff.
• Travel Insurance – you are strongly recommended to take out travel insurance for the duration of your trip.

THINGS TO BRING:

• Original Passport.
• Current University Card (if you are a student and want to qualify for the discount).
• Waterproof jacket / rain poncho.
• Warm jacket.
• T-shirts.
• Comfortable Trousers.
• Sun hat.
• Sun cream (factor 35 or higher).
• Insect repellant.
• Personal medication.
• Camera and film.

THIS TOUR RUNS ALSO AS A PRIVATE SERVICE!
****Daily Departure with at least 2 people****

DEPARTURE DATES:

• As long as we meet our minimum of two people, our Incredible Adventure Tours can leave any day of the week, twelve months a year.