Upon arrival in Cusco, the “Ancient Inca City” you will be warmly welcomed by our representative and will be transferred to your hotel.

In the afternoon at 12:30 pm approx we will visit some of the most interesting sites in Cusco and the surrounding area. We will begin exploring the Cusco Cathedral found on the Plaza de Armas (Main Square) which is the most captivating church in this imperial city. It was built on the foundations of the temple of the Inca Wiracocha. The cathedral displays over 300 paintings belonging to the Cusco school of art. Then, we will head to the Temple of the Sun (Qorikancha) upon which the Convent of Santo Domingo has been built. Interesting fact: according to a legend, this temple was entirely gold plated which left many conquerors impressed with its magnificence when they came here!

We will next follow out of Cusco City to the close by ruins of Saqsayhuaman, famous for its enormous megaliths and giant stones, that weigh over 150 tonnes. During Inca times, it was considered the “Temple of lightening”, in honor of the deity Illapa. We will then head to the nearby ruins of Q’enqo, a religious site dedicated to Mother Earth where you can still see carved stones and constructions. There is also a sacrificial altar where the Incas were thought to make offerings and sacrifices to Mother Earth. After this, we will visit the impressive Inca fortress of Puka Pukara, which means “Red Castle” in the ancient Inca language of Quechua. Our final visit will be to Tambomachay, where we can appreciate a sacred temple dedicated to an ancient water cult which probably also functioned as a purification bath for the Inca governors. We will then return to Cusco City, where we will drop you off at your hotel or Main Square.

Overnight: Hotel in Cusco ***

Meals included: None.

Today you will discover the incredible Sacred Valley of the Inca, also called the Vilcanota Valley after the river that flows through it. After breakfast, we will head to the archaeological site of Pisac, situated on the mountain top. This magnificent site is composed of many sections of terraces and archaeological structures, built on the hillside of the high mountain. The perfect example of stunning countryside and impressive stonework, which combine to make this spectacular site. We will then head down to the town of Pisaq and its famous handicraft market, where local people sell their variety of handmade products, using techniques dating back to ancestral times. We will then head along the Sacred Valley to the town of Urubamba, where we will stop for lunch and where we will have the opportunity to sample some of the local delicacies, of the Peruvian kitchen including salads, soups, ceviche a variety of main courses and delectable desserts. After lunch, we will visit the impressive archaeological site of Ollantaytambo, quite probably constructed to monitor the entrance into this part of the valley and protect the Incas from possible invasion. We will have the opportunity to walk through its narrow, cobbled streets and gain a better idea about how this site functioned during Inca times, as a strategic military outpost as well as a religious and cultural center. After the visit, we will then board the train that will take us to Aguas Calientes, at the base of Machu Picchu. On arrival, the hotel representative will be waiting for us to take us to the hotel.

Overnight: Hotel in Aguas Calientes ***

Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch

In the morning at the agreed time, at approximately 06:00 am, our Guide will collect you from your hotel to head to the bus station for the 30-minute journey up to visit Machu Picchu. We will zigzag up 400m of the road to arrive at the “Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu” also known as “The lost city of The Incas”. On arrival at the citadel with your guide, we will queue at the entrance to Machu Picchu and we will begin our tour of this mind-blowing, archaeological site. For two and a half hours, we will visit the principal sites inside the site such as the Plaza Mayor, The temple of the Sun, The Sacred Sundial (Intiwatana) the royal quarters, The Temple of the Three Windows, The Temple of the Condor, as well as other important sites inside the citadel of Machu Picchu. After the guided tour, you will have enough time to take a lot of pictures before having lunch and returning to Aguas Calientes. You will be able to have lunch in one of the restaurants of your choice in Aguas Calientes (lunch is not included). Then, we will catch the bus down to Aguas Calientes where we will board the touristic train on our return journey to Ollantaytambo or Poroy (subject to availability and departure time of the train). Once at the train station, our transport will take you to your hotel in Cusco.

Overnight: Hotel in Cusco ***

Meals included: Breakfast

Early, at the pre-arranged time, our guide will collect you from your Cusco hotel to head out to Collasuyo, found in a Southern direction from the ancient Inca capital, Cusco. This formed part of the important “tawantinsuyo” (the 4 ancient regions of the Incas). Our first stop will be 2 hours out of Cusco, 78 km away, at the Paucarpata (CUSIPATA) community, where we will have a short rest to buy water, snacks, etc, and enjoy a buffet breakfast. After which, we will continue for another hour along the highway until we arrive at our base camp of PHULAWASIPATA. Here we will get ready for our hike to the Rainbow Mountain, which is a gradual 2 hour, uphill hike (3.5km). Along the way, we will have the opportunity to see the impressive Hatun Ritti Glacier, standing at a whopping 4925m. The distinctive varieties of South American camelids and the stunning reflection of the Puka Qocha y Qomer Qocha lagoons, will accompany us along the way. On arrival at the magnificent Rainbow Mountain, you will have plenty of time to take photos and videos of this enigmatic, colored mountain as well as the impressive surrounding countryside. We will then begin our descent back towards the base camp for approximately 1h 30m (3.5km). Where our transport will be waiting to take us to the town of Paucarpata, where we will enjoy a well-deserved delicious lunch. After lunch we will begin our journey back to Cusco City, arriving at 18:00 pm approximately, where we will drop you off at yourhotel.

Overnight: Hotel in Cusco ***

Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch

Today we will head to the experimental agricultural terraces of Moray. These groups of circular terraces, measure up to 150 meters deep. According to Historians, these stone constructions were an important Inca agricultural laboratory, due to the irrigation channels and their microclimates inside the circular structures. What is of interest, is the temperature difference between the top and the bottom of the structures which can differ up to 15°C. We will next head to the colonial town of Maras which still maintains its traditional and Andean customs. We can appreciate its impressive and beautiful architecture and its houses with colonial stone frontages. Our final stop will be at The Salineras of Maras. These salt mines are still used to this day to extract salt and the local people have worked the mines every day since Inca times. We will then return to the city of Cusco where we will drop you off at your hotel, marking the end of this tour.

END OF THE SERVICES

Overnight: Hotel in Cusco ***

Meals included: Breakfast