“The Origin of the Incas” – Hike to Pumamarca and Machu Picchu 2 Days/ 1 Night
Duration
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Overview
There are many legends about the Origin of the Incas. One of them, the best-known, is about the three Ayar Brothers, who were born on the Tamputoco Mountain with their wives. One of these brothers, Ayar Maco, is the supposed legendary founder of the Inca Empire.
Pumamarca is one of the earliest Inca settlements, predating their spread throughout the Sacred Valley and Cusco. An original Inca Trail connects this archaeological site to the living Inca town of Ollantaytambo, a 2.5-hour walk through the Pata Cancha Valley, which features a river of the same name. In addition, you will discover the enigma of Ollantaytambo as part of the Inca legends.
Please note that we are only able to reserve tickets for Machu Picchu with one month’s notice. If you are booking your trip to Machu Picchu within one month of your visit, you will need to buy your ticket when you arrive in Aguas Calientes, the nearest town to Machu Picchu. In this case, your trip must include an extra day in Aguas Calientes to get your entrance ticket.
Guidance on buying Machu Picchu entrance tickets in Aguas Calientes
1000 tickets a day are put on sale in Aguas Calientes for entrance to Machu Picchu the following day. To buy a ticket, you must go to the Ministerio de Cultura office twice, the day before you visit Machu Picchu. The Ministerio de Cultura office is just half a block from the main square in Aguas Calientes.
First, you must go to the office the day before your visit to Machu Picchu with your original passport to collect a queue number. These are released at 6 am, and we recommend arriving at the office by 4 am to ensure you receive your ticket. If you go to the office after 8 am, no more queue numbers will be available. You will have time to return to the office that afternoon to buy your entrance ticket to Machu Picchu.
Secondly, you must return to the office with your original passport at the time shown on your queue number and ensure you are not late, as you will lose your ticket. The entrance ticket costs S/.152, and you must pay in cash.
You can spend the rest of your day in Aguas Calientes enjoying the town’s many shops and restaurants, and visiting the nearby waterfalls and thermal baths. The following day, you will be able to enjoy an unforgettable trip to Machu Picchu.
Full Itinerary
You will start this exciting day with an early pick-up (06:00 am) from your hotel. In our private transport, we will take you to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, passing by the small towns of Chinchero and Urubamba and finally reaching Ollantaytambo at 08:00 am.
We will get ready for the hike and provide some snacks. We then began trekking along a narrow street all the way out of town, following the Patacancha River. After ascending for a few minutes, we will turn right to meet the original Inca Trail. From this point of the hike, you will be able to spot the first terraces that are part of the archaeological complex of Ollantaytambo. Slowly, we will continue walking uphill, observing modern farmers and reaching the river's clear water, which reflects the bright sunlight.
Following this part of the original Inca Trail, we will walk amongst the refreshing eucalyptus trees. On our way, we will see beautiful, colourful fields of corn and other local harvests, as well as many small farmers' houses, with plenty of their domestic animals living freely in their backyards, such as chickens and pigs.
At one point of the hike, you will be able to observe a significant quantity of Inca terraces that surround a massive line of stairs in the middle. We will stop at this point to enjoy the view of the Patamarca Valley, and a few minutes of hiking later, we will have another break to enjoy the fantastic view of Huancaure Mountain.
We will keep on walking and enjoy our first glance at the Pumamarca fortress after a short while. Upon reaching the campsite, our staff will be waiting for us with refreshing drinks. After a short time, your guide will take you on an extended tour to explore the archaeological site and provide all the facts you need. By completing the legend of the Ayar brothers, you will understand the meaning of the valley and the archaeological site.
Later, around noon, you will descend to enjoy a delicious Peruvian lunch prepared with local valley ingredients. At 1:30 pm, we arrived at the top of the terraces we had passed on the way in the morning. We descend the stairs, which will take about an hour, and then reach the road where our private transport will be waiting to take us back to Ollantaytambo.
At the archaeological complex in Ollantaytambo, your tour guide will take you to see the terraces, the condor temple, and the main sun temple, explaining the meaning of each structure, the site's importance during the Inca period, and parts of local legends.
After our visit, our tour guide will take you to the Ollantaytambo train station, where you will take the train at 04:36 pm to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Town). Enjoy a 2-hour train journey with panoramic windows, where you can observe the Urubamba River descending from the high valley to the cloud forest at 2000 meters. The landscape changes drastically in front of your eyes! You will be amazed to see the tropical mountain ending in a snow-covered carpet, with small waterfalls shimmering on the hills, forming small rivers that flow down to converge into the Sacred River. After these spectacular natural views, you arrive at Aguas Calientes, where the warm atmosphere welcomes you with typical jungle sounds.
Our staff will be waiting for you at the train station gate in Aguas Calientes and will take you to your hostel.
At 07:00 pm, you will receive a brief from your tour guide about the next day's excursion, so please make sure you are at the hotel on time.
Accommodation: Hotel Hatun Inti Classic
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 25 minutes. (This timing can change 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 adjust the timing of your booking.
After you check 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 role 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 by 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, featuring visits to 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, only 400 entrance tickets are available per day; therefore, you must let us know in advance if you plan to hike so we can reserve your ticket for an additional cost of US$60.00.
Since Huayna Picchu sells very quickly, we offer Machu Picchu Mountain as an optional alternative 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 3-hour hike), at US$46.00 per person.
You can visit the beautiful Inca Bridge (a 1-hour hike). This road will allow you to enjoy other views of Machu Picchu and take many breathtaking pictures. US$46.00 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 bus to Cusco.
Please let us know if you want to spend more time in Aguas Calientes, so we can book a later train at 04:12 pm or 19:00 (depending on the train service, there may be an extra cost).
Meals: Breakfast
Included/Exclude
- Pick-up from your hotel
- 24-hour support from the company owner
- Entrance ticket for Machu Picchu
- Transport to Ollantaytambo
- 1-day hike from Ollantaytambo to Pumamarca with a private tour guide
- Tourist train tickets both ways with reserved seats
- Bus Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes
- Private tour guide, 2.5 hours in Machu Picchu
- Accommodation in a 3-star hostel (single person pays USD$60 for accommodation)
- 1 breakfast on the second day
- Box lunch on the hike
- Tourist transfer Ollantaytambo – Cusco
- Entrance ticket to Huayna Picchu US$60.00 (book it in advance!)
- Entrance ticket for the Sacred Valley Tour (Tourist Ticket for 1 day costs 70 Soles)
- Meals on the second day (except breakfast)
- Entrance ticket to hot springs (S/. 10 Soles)
- Insurance of any kind
Optional
- Extra night in Aguas Calientes US$60.00 per person (on double occupancy, you have to book it in advance to organise your train ticket for the following day).
- We recommend purchasing the General Tourist Ticket for the Sacred Valley Tour, which grants access to 16 sites, including the ruins of Cusco and its museums. Otherwise, you can purchase a one-day partial ticket, which allows a one-day visit to the Sacred Valley sites, including Pisaq, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero, if you are not planning to visit any of the Cusco sites.
Recommendations, what to bring
- Your original passport (for your train ticket and entrance ticket to Machu Picchu)
- Backpack
- Warm clothing for the early morning and evening
- Water
- Camera and extra batteries
- Rain jacket or poncho (being close to the jungle, the weather is unpredictable)
- Change of clothes
- Basic toiletries
- Sun protection (sun cream, hat)
- Insect repellent (must be number one on your list!)
- Torch or headlight (if you decide to walk in the morning to Machu Picchu)
- Comfortable shoes
- Extra money (prices in Aguas Calientes can be higher than anywhere else in Peru.
Note: When leaving Machu Picchu, you can have your passport stamped with the elegant Machu Picchu logo at the entrance gate (this is totally legal!).
Bring money in case you want to use the toilet.
What we need when you make a reservation
- Full name as written in your passport (please include a scanned copy of your passport)
- Passport number
- Nationality
- Date of birth
- Tour departure date
- Send a deposit of 60% of the total price of your tour. (The remainder of your balance will be due upon your arrival in Cusco.) Payment can be made via Western Union, PayPal, or ABN AMRO Bank in Holland, or securely and directly through our website by selecting your desired tour and clicking the BOOK NOW button.
Prices
- The Price per person is US$500.00. / Price is based on two people.
- Children under 11 receive a US$50 discount on the Tour.
Upgrade your Hotel: (double room, the additional Price is based on two persons)
Hotel La Cabaña: + US$30 per person.
Hotel Hatun Inti Boutique: + US$60 per person.
Hotel Sumaq: + US$ 100 per person.
Hotel Casa del Sol: + US$150 per person.
Please send us an email with the official request for a hotel upgrade or a private Tour guide, and we will organise it for you. The upgraded Hotel or private tour guide is reserved at the basic Price, with the price difference added to your remaining balance.
“With every tour you book with Green Peru Adventures, you can request a free walking tour of Cusco’s mysterious and historical city, accompanied by one of our professional guides, who speaks several languages.”
We are looking forward to creating an unforgettable experience for you.
