World Class Inca Trail Hike 09 Days / 08 Nights

Welcome to the Imperial City of the Incas! Your guide will greet you at the airport, waiting for you 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 to get an introduction to the city.

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.

In the morning your guide will lead you on a whirlwind adventure of Cusco and all the city offers. You’ll start by 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. You’ll head to Qorikancha, “the sun temple,” under the Dominican colonial church in the late *morning.

From here, you’ll head to the city’s outskirts and find the largest and most impressive monument of the Incas – Sacsayhuaman. Here, you’ll witness the skillful planning and workforce required to move massive stones and fit them together with perfect precision and symmetry. Afterward, 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 their ancestors’ traditional patterns and methods. This unique cultural experience, along with the chance to get up close and personal with our family of llamas and alpacas, will surely leave you in awe and eager for more. You can spend the rest of the day exploring the city at your leisure.

You’ll get an early start this morning and head south of Cusco into the scenic mountain landscape of the Andean highlands and the farming community of Pitumarca. Starting 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, but the stunning, colorful highland landscapes where herds of alpacas and llamas observe visitors from the sidelines makes it a hike like no other.

Your guide 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.

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. Afterward, 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 sunset as your chef prepares a much-deserved hot meal. After dinner you can some rest in your tents, equipped with comfy sleeping pads, in preparation for the next day’s adventure.

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. This town is 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 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 Wakrapukara, a Pre-Inca fortress, enjoying lunch along the way. In the evening, you’ll dine and camp under the stars and Milky Way.

Getting ready with a nice breakfast before we start driving is essential before the day’s activities. You may like to explore the fortress one more time at sunrise, before we begin the four hour drive 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. The unique flavors of the local cuisine will surely tantalize your taste buds. Afterward, you have the evening free to relax at your hotel in Sonesta Yucay and wander the streets of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After breakfast, join your guide to explore a few of Sacred Valley’s most iconic places, beginning with the community of Chinchero. From here, head through the hills to Moray’s mysterious, circular terraces, believed to have been a crop testing site for the Incas. Make your way to the salt mines 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 rest in preparation for the next day’s excitement.

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

The site was never finished, so you will get 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, located at the foot 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 world’s seven new wonders! Wander the narrow passageways of this legendary Inca citadel with your guide as he explains the meaning behind its construction.

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

On day 8 of the trip, you’ll head back to Machu Picchu for round two to explore more of the surrounding Inca constructions on site. You can hike to the top of the famed Huayna Picchu Mountain this morning. It’s a daring and challenging 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 and make your way to Cusco. Your guide will check you into the hotel before our farewell dinner at one of Cusco’s classic Andean-style restaurants.

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