Cusco Extreme Adventures, Inca Jungle Trail to Machu Picchu 9 Days/ 8 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 keep going until we reach Ollantaytambo, one of the last living Inca towns. You will be amazed by the impressive Temple of the Sun with its intricate stone-worked details, the terraces which are constructed to sustain the mountain and finally the 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 Plaza Regocijo.

Accommodation: Amaru Group Hostels

One of our most popular rafting sections during the season is the Cusipata section in the upper part of the Urubamba River. It is a scenic rafting tour, worth every minute!
The Cusipata section is one of the nicest parts of the Urubamba River for doing white-water rafting activities, as it is less crowded, calm and cleaner than the Ollantaytambo part in the Sacred Valley. It consists of rapids that are graded II, III, and IV plus. Altogether, you will be in the water for about two and a half hours. Some parts will be for relaxing and soaking up the experience, while others will be designed to pump up your adrenaline levels!

We will pick you up from your hotel in the morning and reach the drop-off place at the shores of the upper Urubamba River, our private campground “CUSIPATA RIVER CAMP” after one and a half hours. Our professional rafting guides will give you a safety talk and provide you with all the proper equipment for Rafting. We will be floating for approximately two and a half hours, running class II and III rapids. During the rainy season from December to early March, the rapids can be class IV and IV plus.
Upon your arrival to the river, you will gear up with your wetsuits, helmets, waterproof jacket and life jacket. The guide will use that opportunity to give you a 15-minute safety briefing and provide you with general information for rafting beginners (how to paddle, follow instructions, etc.).
You can leave your backpack on the bus while you are on the trip. On the river, you will encounter class II and III rapids, as well as some introductory rapids. Some rapids are technical, so our expert guides will scout ahead and indicate appropriate directions and commands. Additionally, a guide will accompany you in a kayak to ensure your safety. You will then arrive at the end of the rafting section. This trip is known to be full of fun, with lots of adrenaline pumpers along the way. You will have a great picnic lunch with hot and cold drinks, right there in the middle of the small village or near the river, while enjoying the fantastic landscapes of the Peruvian Andes.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation:  Amaru Group Hotels

At 08:00 am, we will begin our trip to Chinchero. You must get up early today to have a great paragliding experience because we have to catch the rising thermals wafting up the valley walls. As well, we might see some condors during that time. In Chinchero, the guide will give you some instructions, talk about weather conditions and demonstrate the equipment. We prepare the parapent and practice running and landing with it, starting from small ledges that are a meter high and then progressing to heights of up to five or ten meters. Afterwards, on good weather conditions, we will finally take off and enjoy our paragliding tandem flight. We come home at noon when the good winds die.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Amaru Group Hostels

This is not only an alternative to the Inca Trail, but it is also the most original and extensively travelled of all the existing paths. The Inca Jungle Trail is a relatively new route that connects the Jungle to the Inca Trail, ultimately leading to the sanctuary of Machu Picchu. This trek, which can be completed in either 3 or 4 days, combines biking and hiking with breathtaking scenery, making it ideal for anyone with a sense of adventure and curiosity!

Downhill Mountain Biking from Cusco to Santa Maria

We will pick you up at 07:50 am and then drive you through the stunning Sacred Valley, dropping you off at the 3200 meters high Abra Malaga. Here, you will put on the provided biking kit (gloves and helmet) and receive a 20-minute briefing by your tour guide. Then, the fun starts! We will be freewheeling down quiet but challenging roads past changing landscapes. You will not want to catch your breath until you reach the first picnic stop in Alfamayo, just three hours from your starting point. Here, you will enjoy your lunch while taking in the panoramic view. After a quick change and a dab of insect repellent, we continue onwards and downwards towards Huamanmarca. On this recently discovered archaeological Inca site, your tour guide will provide you with the historical background. You will then carry on descending to 1500 meters, where the edge of the jungle meets the small but charming town of Santa Maria. Here, you can buy a snack, rest your legs, and enjoy a cold beer before savouring a traditional Peruvian dinner. The accommodation is provided in the form of a basic, family-run hostel with either single, double or triple rooms.

You will wake up around 06:30 am to the aroma of the finest indigenous coffee. After breakfast, we begin our trek. The path will progressively steepen until you arrive at a family restaurant in Santa Rosa, where you’ll stop for refreshments. You will move on to a rest stop where you can lie in hammocks as you admire the surrounding coca plantations. Afterwards, you will continue on a short path to the original Inca Trail and trek along a path for just over two hours to the small town of Quellomayo. Here, you will stop for a well-deserved lunch. From Quellomayo, it’s just a short trek to the Rio Vilcanota, which will lead you to the famous hot springs of Colcamayo. Here, you can enjoy the hot springs and relax your muscles in these natural settings. We then continue our hike to the town of Santa Teresa for dinner, and afterwards, to your hostel, where you can enjoy a good night’s rest after soaking in the thermal baths.

Today, you will wake up and have breakfast around 07:00 am. After that, we will first walk to Colpani while enjoying amazing views, and then continue our hike until we reach Hidroelectrica. Here, we will have lunch and afterwards hike for about two and a half hours to Aguas Calientes, the base town of Machu Picchu. We had dinner at a local restaurant before retiring to our hostel, which offered hot water and private bathrooms.

Optional additional activities:

Cola de Mono – South America’s highest zip lines!
Located: about 15 minutes from Santa Teresa by car
Duration: approx. 2 hours
Price: US$40 per person

Rafting
Price: US$40 per person

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 offer optional hikes in Machu Picchu with an additional 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 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

According to your flight or bus schedule, we will give you a free walking tour around the city of Cusco. You will discover the enigma of this city while also doing some souvenir shopping. Afterwards, we will transfer you to the airport or bus station.

Meals: Breakfast