Cusco Adventures in the Altitude and Machu Picchu 8 Days/ 7 Nights

The Sacred Valley tour starts at 08:00 am from Cusco. We pick you up from your hotel and bring you to our tourist bus, where you will meet your tour guide and your travel mates (shared service).

We leave Cusco around 08:30 am in the direction of Pisaq, descending to the sacred river Urubamba. With a few stops at various lookout points along the way, we will arrive at Pisaq, where you can enjoy checking out the traditional handicraft market with plenty of time for local souvenir shopping. Afterwards, we drive up the mountain where we will find Pisaq's ruins. Our tour guide will take you around the temples, terraces and tunnels of this complex, including the famous Intihuatana (sun clock), while constantly enjoying the majestic view of the sacred river. Then we drive along the river Urubamba, passing by a colourful little town where you can observe the descendants of the Quechua people wearing colourful ponchos.

We stop in the town of Urubamba for lunch (we recommend a lunch buffet of Peruvian food). After a short rest, we continue our journey until we reach Ollantaytambo, one of the last living Inca towns. You will be amazed by the impressive Temple of the Sun, featuring intricate stone-worked details, terraces constructed to sustain the mountain, and a temple in the shape of a llama.

You will have a short time to explore this amazing complex with its beautiful water fountains by yourself. After studying this magnificent complex, we take the road back to Urubamba and leave the river to go uphill to the beautiful fields of Chinchero. Here, we will discover another impressive Spanish Inca complex, and afterwards, visit a weaving family who still uses natural minerals and organic ink to colour the wool. We will return to Cusco around 07:00 pm and leave you at the beautiful Plaza Regocijo.

Accommodation: Amaru Group Hostels

Come and hike Salkantay (‘the savage one’). Reach Machu Picchu uniquely and spectacularly; trek through valleys, grasslands, snow-covered landscapes, cloud forests, and steamy jungles! The famous Salkantay Trek, recently named among one of the best treks in the world by National Geographic Adventure Travel Magazine, is a trek connecting the city of Cusco with Machu Picchu. The Trail Salkantay runs approximately 20 miles (32 kilometres) through high Andean peaks, cloud forest and steamy jungle.

Cusco – Mollepata – Soraypampa

We will leave from Cusco approximately between 4:30 am and 5:00 am by bus which will take us to the town of Mollepata (2900 meters above sea level) where we will arrive approximately at 8:15 in the morning to have breakfast. During the trip, we will have panoramic views of the majestic Salkantay Mountain, other snow-capped Mountains and the Valley of the Apurimac River. We will meet with our support staff, who will load the equipment on horses and mules. Around 9:00 am, we will begin our walk toward Sayllapata (3200 meters above sea level). About 1:00 pm, we will have a Peruvian lunch, and after lunch, we will continue hiking toward the Soraypampa villages (3850 meters above sea level). Around 5:30 in the afternoon, we will arrive at our camp, where the tents will be ready for you as well as your dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Camping

Today, our adventure trek will take us through significant changes in the environment. We will see landscapes from dry sceneries to snowy peaks and tropical areas. After breakfast, around 7:00 am, we will start the most challenging part of the trek to a place called Pampas Salkantay. We then follow the left side of the snowy peaks of Umantay, located next to the Apu Salkantay. At midday, we will reach the highest point (4600 m.a.s.l.). From here, we will appreciate spectacular views of the mountains and the imposing snowy peaks of the Salkantay (6264 m.a.s.l.), which is the second-highest mountain of the Cusco region. Around 1:00 pm, we will have our lunch in an area called Huayracmachay. Then, we will trek for approximately 3 hours and finally arrive at our camp in Challway (2920 m.a.s.l.). Around 7:00 pm, we will recuperate from the trek and have dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Camping

Around 07:00 am, we will start our daily trek and hike for about 6 hours towards the Playa Sahuayaco. During our trek, we will visit a small town called Collpabamba and the Forest Cloudy Brow, where we can discover waterfalls, thermal hot springs, fruit-bearing trees, a varied flora and many species of birds. If we are lucky, we will even be able to observe the famous Peruvian national bird called the Cock of the Rocks. From the Playa Sahuayaco, we will head to the campsite located at the hot springs of Santa Teresa. Here, we will have dinner and enjoy the hot baths (we recommend you bring a bathing suit!).

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Camping

Around 08:30 am, after our delicious breakfast, we will start our trek to the village of Colpani, following the rising trail from which we will see coffee, banana and passion fruit plantations, and also enjoy a lovely view of the Santa Teresa Valley. We hike along the riverside of the Vilcanota River until we arrive at the Oroya (canopy tree). From here, we have the option to hike to Hidroelectrica or to catch a small car, which will take us to the small town (25 minutes). Upon our arrival in Hidroelectrica, we will have lunch with all our staff and take a moment to observe the back of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary. We then continue walking until we arrive in Aguas Calientes around 04:30 pm, and then stay in a hostel for the last night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Margarita’s House

The day you were waiting for!

Wake up early for breakfast and take the bus uphill to the famous Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas. The first bus leaves at 05:30 am and takes a 25-minute ride. (This timing can be changed according to the entrance fee to Machu Picchu)

Optional:  Take the path which winds up the mountain to reach Machu Picchu.

The Machu Picchu gate opens at 06:00, so arriving early will allow you to be among the first visitors of the day and avoid the crowds. However, we may modify the timing when you make your booking.

Upon paying your entrance fee, a private bilingual tour guide will escort you through the vast ruins for approximately 2.5 hours, providing a comprehensive explanation of Machu Picchu's historical significance and its importance within the Inca Empire.

Machu Picchu is the best known of all the Inca Archaeological sites, as it is recognised worldwide as one of the New Seven Wonders, even though it’s not mentioned in any handwritten Chronicle of the Spanish Conquerors. Experts believe that Machu Picchu was constructed around the mid-15th century by Inca Pachacuteq and was rediscovered in 1911 by American historian Hiram Bingham.

The guided tour of this fascinating site will be an unforgettable experience, visiting the Main Square, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Circular Sun Tower, the Sacred Sun Dial (Intihuatana), and the Burial Grounds.

We have optional hikes in Machu Picchu with another ticket. (has to be reserved together with your booking)

You can hike up Huayna Picchu (the mountain behind Machu Picchu), from where you will enjoy stunning views over the whole complex! However, there are only 400 entrance tickets available per day; therefore, you must let us know in advance if you want to do the hike so we can reserve your ticket at an extra cost of US$60.00.

Due to Huayna Picchu being very fast oversold, we offer Machu Picchu Mountain as a second optional climb. The advantage of this hike is that it will be less crowded, but not less beautiful! The cost for this hike is also US$60.00 per person.

La Gran Caverna is a ceremonial place in Machu Picchu, US$60.00 per person.

Also, there is another road to Inti Punku, the SUN GATE, which is the traditional end of the Inca Trail (a hike of 3 hours), US$35.00 per person.

You can visit the beautiful Inca Bridge (a hike of 1 hour). This road will allow you to enjoy other views of Machu Picchu and take many breathtaking pictures. US$35.00 per person.

You will arrive at Aguas Calientes for a late lunch.

At 14:30, you take the train back to Ollantaytambo and then a tourist transport to Cusco.

Please let us know if you want to spend more time in Aguas Calientes, so we can book a late train at 04:12 pm or 19:00 (according to the train service, it may have an extra cost).

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Amaru Group Hostels

Based on your flight or bus schedule, we will provide a complimentary walking tour of Cusco, allowing you to explore the city's enigma and enjoy some souvenir shopping. Then, we transfer you to the airport or bus station from where you continue to your next destination.

*Times cited in this itinerary are approximate. Walking times depend on the group; the guide can change the lunch and camping spots depending on the group’s progress. The guide can have its own preference about which route to take, and this might not correspond exactly to the described route.
*An extra night in Aguas Calientes can be easily arranged if you let us know in advance, so that we can change the date of your train ticket for the following day.
*The cost of the hotel will be dependent on your request.