Arrive in Lima from your home country and spend the night in the airport hotel to sleep off the jet lag and prepare yourself for the Peruvian adventures that await. Order some food and drinks from the hotel lounge or download the application “Rappi” onto your smartphone to access food delivery options from hundreds of local and international restaurants. Today and tonight are about rest and recovery before heading to Cusco and preparing for the strenuous yet rewarding, Inca Trail Trek.

After a restful night’s sleep at your hotel, it is time to start your Peru holiday with a short flight to the historical Inca capital of Peru, Cusco. Once you arrive in Cusco, we will pick you up at the airport to take you directly to the magical town of Pisac. Pisac is a popular destination in the Sacred Valley known for its boutiques, incredible restaurants, and craft markets. 

Also, Pisac (2,972 m) is a bit lower than Cusco (3,339 m) in elevation, making it a better place to acclimate to high altitude before going on the Inca Trail Trek. 

In Pisac, we can visit the ruins, see some agricultural and archaeological sites, and explore the stone streets around the town center. The main archaeological site of Pisac is set high above the town. It’s a really fascinating site to see how the Incas built the structures cascading up the mountainside. It is believed that the site served at least 3 purposes, including hosting religious ceremonies, acting as a military installation, and a place to grow crops. 

After a full day of exploring, feel free to dine with your group at one of the many excellent restaurant options before heading back to the hotel for some solid sleep.

Today is the first day of the Inca Trail Trek. After waking up early at the hotel, it is time we made our way to Ollantaytambo where we will meet our guide and team of porters who will be with you every step of the way as you hike the Inca Trail. After a big breakfast and an important presentation about what to expect for the next few days, we drive to the first Inca Trail checkpoint. 

From the checkpoint, we hike for two hours to Patallacta for a quick rest before another 2-hour hike to where we will be having a lunch prepared by the porters and chefs. Once lunch is complete, it is another 2.5 hours of hiking until we reach Ayapata, a beautiful spot at 3,300 meters where the porters will set up camp for the night. Also, along this hike, there will be a few opportunities to purchase some things like snacks or special treats that you would like to enjoy at camp. If everything is on schedule, we should arrive at camp around 5 pm and then eat dinner around 7:30pm. 

The first day of trekking is approximately 8.7 miles/14 km with 7 hours of walking time.

Wake up early to a nice cup of hot coca tea or coffee to warm the body before heading out on our most difficult day of trekking. The first portion of the trek will last roughly 4 hours as we hike through Dead Woman’s Pass. This pass is approximately 4,215 meters above sea level. We will stop here for a quick break and for a chance to take some pictures of the surrounding mountains and valleys. Then it is only another 1.5 hours downhill before we stop for lunch near the Hidden River of Pacaymayu Valley. 

After lunch, it is time to start trekking uphill once again for 2 hours until we reach the Inca site at Runcu Raccay. There are two impressive waterfalls here as well as some stunning scenery. From here we will hike downhill for 1 hour to reach Sayacmarca where we will tour the village before heading 20 more minutes to reach our base camp at Chaquicocha for the night. 

After dinner, we can do some star gazing, talk about Andean Mythology, and rest well before another tough day of trekking.  

The second day of trekking is approximately 9.94 miles/16 km with 8 hours of walking time.

Today is one of the most picturesque days of trekking – so be sure to have your camera ready! After a quick breakfast at camp, we will hike the Inca flat for roughly two hours as we enter the Cloud Forest, also known as the “alta selva”. The high jungle is an incredible landscape with a lush green jungle high up in the mountains. We will get to see Apu Salkantay along with the mixed snow-capped and green mountains of the Vilcabamba range as we hike for 2 hours to Phuyupatamarca. 

After a rest at Phuyupatamarca. We will continue downhill for 3 hours until we reach our last campsite at Wiñay Wayna. After a nice filling lunch, you can relax for a bit before we tour the ruins of Wiñay Wayna. At night, you will feast with all of your new trekking buddies, guides, and porters as a way of saying farewell to the staff who have made your trip much easier than if you needed to carry all of the tents, food, water, and cooking supplies yourself. 

The third day of trekking is approximately 6.2 miles/10 km with 5 hours of walking time.

Today we wake up at 3:30 in the morning for a 4 am breakfast to be at the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) around 6:30 am. The views from the Sun Gate are like nothing else in Peru. After some photos and a brief rest at the Sun Gate, it is time to make the descent down into the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu. Take pictures along the way and enjoy how the rising sun changes the colors of the landscape that surrounds us. 

Once we arrive at Machu Picchu, we will enjoy a 2-hour tour with our private bilingual guide who can explain the history and cultural significance of Machu Picchu and all of its structures. 

After the tour, we will start to make the journey back to Aguas Calientes where we can catch the train back to Ollantaytambo. From there we will take private transportation back to Cusco where we can crash for the night. You are going to be extremely exhausted from such a long day, so be sure to rest when we reach Cusco to recover before our next day’s adventure.

Today, we will wake up in the hotel and have a delicious breakfast. After such a strenuous past few days, today, the only thing on the schedule is a casual Cusco City Tour. The tour starts off at the most important religious center in the Incan Empire, Qoriconcha. After the tour of the Golden Temple, we will visit the Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral of Cusco, and several archaeological sites including the famous Sacsayhuaman. After a tour of the grounds at Sacsayhuaman, we will continue on to Qenqo, Puka Pukara, and Tambomachay. 

After the tour, you are free to visit the San Pedro Market, shop for souvenirs, enjoy some of the city’s fine dining options, and even maybe see some live music or go salsa dancing. Don’t stay out too late, tomorrow is an early morning to venture to Rainbow Mountain.

Today, we will pick you up at 6:00 am from your hotel in Cusco. Our tourist transport will take you to the south of Cusco to the town of Cusípata. The ride lasts about 1 hour and 40 minutes along the Cusco-Sicuani highway.

Once we arrive at “Cusipata River Lodge”, you will find our dining room where you will have breakfast complete with hot drinks, bread, cheeses, fruit, and more. After breakfast, we will continue our journey to take you to Rainbow Mountain via Cusipata. Along the way, we will see plenty of alpaca, llamas, and even some vicuna before we reach the town of Llactoc. 

From the town of Llactoc, we start our adventure hiking 1 hour to the viewpoint of Rainbow Mountain. The hike up is uphill the entire time with an elevation change of 3,657 to 5,200 meters. If it is too difficult, there are locals with horses for rent that can take you to the top for an extra charge.

After visiting Rainbow Mountain and taking photos, we will start the return with a 1-hour walk back down the mountain where we will arrive at Llactoc before heading to the Cusipata Lodge where they will have lunch. After lunch, we will return to the city of Cusco arriving at approximately  6:00 pm. Enjoy a nice dinner and your last night in Cusco before departing the next day.

There are no scheduled events for today. You are free to continue your travels in Peru on your own or return to the airport to fly to Lima and then back to your home country. If you need transport to the airport, make sure you speak with your guide the day before. Enjoy your return trip and thank you for trusting us with your Peru adventure.