We will pick you up at the Cusco airport and take you to your hotel. You will have some time to settle in, and then we will return at 1:00 pm to start the Cusco City Tour. We will begin the tour at the most important temple of the Inca Empire, the Sun Temple, known as the Qoricancha. Here, you can observe detailed and intact architecture, and within the temple you will see smaller temples dedicated to the moon, rainbow, stars, lightning and thunder, among others. Today, the Santo Domingo church stands on top of the temple. From there, we will go to an important religious site called Sacsayhuamán which features immense stones. Although the site was religious, the Spanish considered it a military fortress because of its location and the way it was built. Next, we will visit Qenqo, a site built in a natural rock formation which was created to represent the Andean constellations and the concept of the three worlds, each one representing sacred animals: the condor, puma, and snake. After that we will travel to Puka Pukara, which was a shelter for travelers coming to Cusco from the Amazon. It was also a military center and used to protect the nearby temple located at Tambomachay. Our last stop is Tambomachay, known as the Temple of Water, where the Incas practiced religious traditions tied to water in order to rejuvenate the land. This tradition is known as the fountain of eternal youth. From there, we will return to the city and drop you off at your hotel at around 6:00 pm.

We will pick you up at 8:00 am and we will drive for about 45 minutes to the town of Chinchero. Here we will visit a weaving co-op where we will learn about the ancient weaving process which is still practiced here. We will also see the Chinchero archaeological site with Inca buildings and terraces that were important for the administration of farming. Then we will head to the Andean village called Mahuaypampa where many of our Quechuas (porters for the Inca Trail) live. If you do the visit on a school day, we have the option to visit the local preschool where we will have the chance to visit the classrooms and teach some English to these children. After visiting the school, we will go to visit a local family and be invited into their house. They will serve us a typical lunch which is made from the crops that they harvest from their fields (such as a vegetable soup, boiled potatoes, corn, and lima beans). Inside their house, we will learn about the local family’s traditional Andean culture. Most locals here only speak Quechua, but your guide will be able to translate so that you can talk to the family and get to know them. We will also visit some of the farms and learn about local crops and will also see locals shepherding and tending their livestock including sheep, pigs, cows, and donkeys. Please keep in mind that on the Community Visit the houses we visit are very simple with dirt floors and basic necessities. It is normal for locals to keep small animals inside their houses such as guinea pigs. After thanking our hosts, we will drive down a country road to visit the nearby Moray terraces. These unique and grand circular terraces were made in natural depressions and seemed to have been used as a type of laboratory for growing and testing new varieties of vegetables at different temperatures. We will visit the different terraces and have a thorough tour before we drive to our last site called the Maras salt mines. At this site we will see how the mines are fed with springs saturated with salt and will also learn the important role that salt played during the Inca Empire. Once we finish taking pictures we will head back to Cusco and drop you off at your hotel around 6:00 pm. We will then have your briefing for your hike and will go over the itinerary and provide you with your Therm-a-rest air mattress and air pillow. If you hire an extra Quechua to help carry your belongings, we will also give you a duffle bag that your Quechua will carry for you on the hike.

We will pick you up at your hotel in Cusco at 8:00 am. In our private vehicle, we will head to one of the most important archaeological sites in the region, called Pisac, to see Inca burial grounds, ancient irrigation systems and astronomical centers. We will visit the ruins and terraces for about an hour, and after our tour here will then go down to the town of Pisac located at the bottom of the valley. In this town we will first stop by a local silver factory and will see a demonstration of how they process and form beautiful jewelry. Next, we will walk through the cobble-stoned street to the plaza to see locals selling produce and souvenirs in their stands. You will have some free time to browse and do some shopping here as well. After finishing our visit in Pisac, we will drive to the town of Urubamba to have a buffet lunch which includes both delicious Peruvian and Western cuisine. From there, we will head to Ollantaytambo where we will visit the ruins built up on terraces that features massive stones at the top. This site was an important religious and astronomical center, and was also used as a military fortress in one of the biggest battles the Incas had against the Spanish. After this, we will drop you off at your hotel in Ollantaytambo around 5:00 pm.

On the first day, we will pick you up at 8:00 am from your hotel in Ollantaytambo after you have had breakfast. We will drive for about 30 minutes to a site called Kilometer 82 where we will begin the hike. The altitude here is 2,673 meters (8,770 feet) and on this first day we will hike about 11 km (7 miles). The first part of the hike is relatively flat, and we will trek for about 3 hours to our lunch site, starting in an area that is dry with cacti and arriving in a green valley where we will visit our first archaeological site called Patallaqta. The name means “City over the Terraces” in the Quechua language, and here we will be able to explore the ruins and also look down and see more located in the valley. Then we will hike 20 minutes more until we arrive at our lunch site located at Tarachayuc. After enjoying a filling lunch, we will start the next stretch of the hike to our campsite which will take 2 hours. This part of the trail has small ascents and descents, and we will hike through a wooded valley until we reach our first campsite, Wayllabamba which is at 3,000 meters, or 9,842 feet.

This day is the most challenging since we will climb over 1,200 meters (3,940 feet) to reach the highest pass and will hike 12 km (7 miles) in total. After having breakfast, we will start our uphill hike which will take about 5 hours to reach the pass. On the way, we will pass through different climactic and ecological zones as we climb higher and higher. We will start in green mossy forests and will end in the grassy highlands where there are no trees. Once we reach the highest point of the trail, known as Dead Woman’s Pass at 4,215 meters (13,828 feet), we will take a well-deserved break and will be able to enjoy the amazing view of both valleys below. Then we will start our descent to the campsite which will take about an hour and a half. We will climb down Inca stone steps heading down through the highlands until we reach our campsite called Pacaymayo which is at 3,630 meters or 11,910 feet. Here we will have our lunch, then have time to rest and explore the area before having dinner in the evening.

On this day we will hike the farthest distance (16 km or 10 miles) and will also see the most archaeological sites along the way. After waking up early and eating breakfast, we will hike up the opposite side of the valley to reach the second pass which will take about 2 hours. About halfway up we will see a small, round, roofless stone building, known as Runkuracay. This building was a shelter and a checkpoint for travelers following the trail to Machu Picchu. After our history lesson here we will continue to the second pass, Runkuracay, at 3,941 meters, or 12,800 feet. Then we will descend for about 2 hours to our lunch site, stopping first at another Inca site called Sayaqmarka, translated to “Town in a Steep Place.” Here, we will see an important temple for the Salkantay mountain, which is the highest mountain in the area. Then we will arrive to our lunch site and once we are full will continue hiking 4 more hours to our last campsite. The first part of the trail will involve little ascents and descents until we reach the next archaeological center called Phuyupatamarka which means “City above the Clouds.” Here, we will see where the Incas took their final baths before reaching Machu Picchu. This location is also a second option for the last campsite. After our tour, we will hike downhill and will visit the farming terraces at Intipata. From there we will continue to our campsite called Wiñaywayna, which means “Forever Young,” and is located at 2,650 meters, or 8,694 feet. If we arrive here early enough, we can also go and visit the Wiñaywayna ruins located 10 minutes from the campsite. This is our last night camping, and in the evening after dinner we will get to thank our amazing Quechuas for their hard work.

On the last day we will wake up very early (at about 3:15 am) and after having breakfast will wait in line until the Control opens at 5:30 am. Once we pass the Control, we will start hiking to Machu Picchu which will take 2 hours and we will hike for 6 km (4 miles) following the trail which is relatively flat until we reach Intipunku, the famous Sun Gate. Here, we will have our first view of Machu Picchu below us and depending on the season we may get to see the sunrise. From there, we will descend down to Machu Picchu which sits at 2,400 meters or 7,874 feet, and we will first check any large backpacks at the entrance. We will then have our 3-hour tour where you will see and learn about important sites that include temples, plazas, terraces, and canals. Please note that certain temples are open only at specific times. After your tour, you will take the bus down to Aguas Calientes, and in the afternoon you will take the train back to Cusco where we will pick you up from the train station and drop you off at your hotel.

We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco and take you to the airport for your departure flight.