This package is ideal for anyone who wants to experience the culture of Peru and see the most important sites in and around Cusco. You can see and learn about history and then take the beautiful Lares trek through the Andes. On this walk we visit local villages and houses and meet fascinating people who live here and still practice ancient customs. This walk ends with a visit to Machu Picchu before returning to Cusco.
Reception at the airport. Our staff will be waiting for you with a sign saying Mario Expeditions and your name on it, to pick you up and take you to the 3 star hotel Casa Andina or a similar hotel. You will have all afternoon off to acclimatize and/or take an optional Cusco City tour.
Today is a free day to give you a chance to acclimatize to the altitude and climate in Cusco. However, if you feel like it, there is a classic one day tour you can make to visit the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The valley was regarded as sacred as it was very fertile and full of powerful spots in nature such as mountains and rivers that were places for the Inca to build ceremonial centres. In the Sacred Valley Tour we will show you around the region, visiting the archeological site of Ollantaytambo, and after passing through several villages and beautiful landscapes, the site and town of Pisaq. Click here if you like to know more about the Sacred Valley Tour.
We will pick you up from your hotel at 6:00 in the morning and drive to Lares for three hours. We will pass through the Sacred Valley and we’ll stop in the village of Calca, where you can visit the local market.
Then, we’ll continue our journey by car until we reach Lares. This is the starting point of our hike (3.260 meters – 10,695 feet). Here, we’ll first have a delicious lunch and enjoy the thermal baths to warm up our muscles before the walk.
We will start walking to the first camp for about 4 hours. First, we will ascend gradually for 30 minutes, and then the road is relatively flat. We will cross a small stream and continue walking along the valley until we reach the village of Wacawasi. During the walk, we will see local people with traditional clothes like ponchos and very colorful hats. After passing the village, we will ascend for about 40 minutes and arrive at our first camp that is at an altitude of 3.880 meters or 12,730 feet.
After breakfast, we will start climbing the Puna for about 3 hours until we reach its highest pass called Ipsaykassa (4.450 meters – 14,600 feet). Going up to the pass, we will see alpacas, llamas, and sheep grazing and we can also see traditional stone built houses with roofs of grass. At the pass, we will descend for half an hour to the beautiful lagoon of Ipsaycocha where we will have lunch.
Then, we will continue walking to our camp for about 2,5 hours and descend for an hour and a half to reach the traditional village of Patacancha. Our camp is in this town (3.700 meters – 12,140 feet).
After breakfast, we will descend through the valley to the community of Willoc where we will have lunch, from here we will walk approximately 2 hours until we reach the community of Pumamarka where we can appreciate the Inca terraces, finally we will arrive at Ollantaytambo. In a fertile valley and protected by huge mountains. This is a perfect place to appreciate most of the archaeological remains left by our ancestors here, we will rest at the hotel to rest early and prepare to make the Inca trail more operated. Then, we will go to the Ollantaytambo station where we will board. On the train that will take us to Aguas Calientes, we will make a train trip of approximately 02 hours. Accommodation in a comfortable hotel.
We will go to the train station of Ollantaytambo to take our train approximated time 7:45 am The train follows the Urubamba River, until we reach Km104, where we will begin our trek. On the way, you will see spectacular views of the farmland, we will begin our trek. Once you have everything you need, we will provide you with a packed lunch, energy drinks before visiting our first Inca site. After an orientation and tour of the Inca site, we will begin to walk uphill, with a soft road with a unique view of the original Inca road, and head towards the Classic Inca Trail. After walking for hours, until you reach the most beautiful Inca site on the Inca Trail, Wiñay Wayna (Forever Young) at 2,600 m / 8,500 feet. Getting to this place is the most wonderful thing to take photos in the terraces Inca elaborate water source, temples and some agricultural crops. That surround the area. From Wiñay Wayna, we will walk to the Puerta del Sol, where we will see the picturesque landscape of Machu Picchu. After enjoying the unique views in life, we will see Machu Picchu without many people as the travelers who visit during the day will have returned home After taking pictures, we take the bus to Aguas Calientes and we go to your hotel to rest Accommodation: Andean house or similar similar). Meals included: lunch and dinner.
We will get up early in the morning to take the bus that will take us to Machu Picchu to see the sun. You will have a guided tour of two hours by your private English speaking guide. After having guided I would have free time to explore Machu Picchu on your own. Those who have tickets to Huayna Picchu will have time to climb the mountain, which takes about an hour and a half round trip. Once we finish exploring Machu Picchu back we will take the car bus down to Aguas Calientes where we will have free time before taking the train back to Ollantaytambo and then we will take it back to Cusco. Meals Included: Breakfast Only.
This day is free you can do your shopping in the traditional markets of Cusco and then you will be picked up from your hotel to transfer to the airport End of service.