Alternative Inca Trail Hikes to Machu Picchu

Day 1 Arrival to cusco

Welcome to the Imperial city of the Incas! Your guide will greet you at the airport, prepared with some hot coca tea for the ride to your hotel in the historic downtown area of Cusco. With the advice and recommendations of your local guide, spend the afternoon exploring the old, cobblestone streets of the city in search of your own adventure.

In the evening, you’ll join your guide and fellow travelers for a traditional, Andean welcome dinner, where you’ll be filled in on the logistics of the days ahead.

Day 2 At 09:00 City Tour

This morning, your guide will lead you on a whirlwind adventure of Cusco and all the city has to offer. You’ll start off joining the bustling morning activities in Cusco’s Plaza de Armas, the main square.

Stroll through the basilica cathedral, constructed in the 17th century, where you’ll find a fantastic collection of paintings and altars by famed masters representing the Cusco school of art. By late morning, you’ll head to Qorikancha, “the sun temple”, located under the Dominican colonial church.

From here, you’ll head upwards to the outskirts of the city and find the largest and most impressive monument of the Incas – Sacsayhuaman. Here, you’ll witness the skillful planning and man-power required to move massive stones and fit them together with perfect precision and symmetry. Afterwards, head just outside of town to Qara Chaki, a textile and weaving center where you’ll have an opportunity to see local women weaving masterpieces while using the traditional patterns and methods of their ancestors.

You can also get up close and personal with our family of llamas and alpacas at the center. Spend the rest of the day exploring the city at your leisure.

Day 3 Rainbow Mountain

You’ll get an early start this morning and head south of Cusco into the scenic, mountain landscape of the Andean highlands, to the farming community of Pitumarca. Starting here at 14,600 feet above sea level, you’ll begin your ascent to the famously awe-inspiring Vinicunca or “Rainbow Mountain”.

The altitude and steady incline make this hike challenging, so your leader will ensure that the pace is comfortable, and that snacks and water are always on-hand. If you have a physical limitation, horses are available to ride. This path passes through stunning, colorful highland landscapes where herds of alpacas and llamas observe visitors from the sidelines.

Once you reach the summit at about 17,000 ft, you’ll have time to recharge your energy, take photos and soak up the magic of this unique place. Afterwards, head back downhill to the coach, where you’ll continue to the village of Pomacanchi, nestled between four lakes. Here, you’ll set up camp in time to watch the sun set as your chef prepares a much-deserved, hot meal.

Get some rest in your tents, equipped with comfy sleeping pads, in preparation for tomorrow’s adventure.

Day 4 Waqrapukara – the Ancient Pre Inca City

Enjoy your breakfast and morning coffee as the sun rises over the lake before you head back out on the road up to the village of Santa Lucia on the brim of the stunning Apurimac Canyon, home to Andean condors, the world’s largest bird of flight. Here, you’ll meet a few of the locals with their horses to help carry the group’s equipment to the next campsite. Take in the dazzling panoramic views on a four-hour hike to Wakra Pukara, a Pre-Inca fortress, enjoying lunch along the way. Tonight, you’ll dine and camp under the stars and Milky Way.

Day 5 Waqra Pukara to Sacred Valley

Today very important to get ready with a nice breakfast before we start driving you may like to double explore in the morning sunrise Wakra Pukara fortress, then we start driving four hours to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.Here we’ll say goodbye to our chef and porters and begin the next chapter of our adventure in Sacred Valley. Your first stop is the ruins of mystical Pisac, perched high above the valley with infinite views of the mountains and farmlands below. From here, you’ll head deeper into the valley to Doña Florinda Restaurant for a lunch buffet of traditional dishes of the region. Afterward, you have the evening free to relax at your hotel in Sonesta Yucay and wander the streets of this UNESCO World Heritage Site overnight stay.

Day 6 Sacred Valley Full Day Tour

After breakfast, join your guide to explore a few of Sacred Valley’s most iconic places, beginning with the weaving community of Chinchero. From here, head through the hills to the mysterious, circular terraces of Moray, believed to have been a crop testing site for the Incas. Make your way to the salt pans of Maras, where families have been harvesting salt for thousands of years. From here, you’ll hike about two miles downhill through the sierra to the Urubamba River, where lunch awaits at Tunupa Restaurant. You’ll have the evening free back at Ollantaytambo to get some rest in preparation for tomorrow’s excitement.

Day 7 Sacred Valley To Machu Picchu

This morning, visit one of the most architecturally impressive sites in Sacred Valley, Ollantaytambo’s sun temple and fortress, by far one of the greatest examples of construction by the Incas.

The site was never finished, so we got to see the work in progress and get an idea of the building process of this striking temple. Afterward, take a short walk to the train station for a scenic, two-hour ride through the mountains to the cozy town of Aguas Calientes, at the feet of Machu Picchu.

Let us take care of your luggage at the hotel while you dine at one of the best lunch spots in town before embarking on a 25-minute bus ride up to the entrance of Machu Picchu, one of the seven new wonders of the world! Wander the narrow passageways of this legendary, Inca citadel with your guide as he explains the meaning behind its construction.

This afternoon, you’ll make your way back to Aguas Calientes, where you’ll have the evening to explore town, relax at the hotel or check out the nearby hot springs after which the town was named.

Day 8 Secund Round Machu Picchu

Today, you’ll head back to Machu Picchu for round two to explore more of the surrounding Inca constructions on site. This morning, you’ll have the option to hike to the top of the famed Huayna Picchu Mountain. It’s a daring and difficult hike, but you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of the mountains and cloud forests below. By the afternoon, you’ll head to the station to catch the train back to the valley to make your way to Cusco. Your guide will get you checked into the hotel before we have our farewell dinner at one of Cusco’s classic, Andean-style restaurants.

Day 9 Transfer to Cusco Airport

Today, we’ll say our goodbyes as we transport you back to the airport for your flight to Lima.