Itinerary

dia 1: cusco patabamba  huchuy qosqo

We pick you up at your hotel at 6 am and then we drive in our private transport to the village of Patabamba (3,800m/12,467ft), only 1 hour from Cusco. Once we arrive, we put our backpacks on and get ready to start a gentle hike uphill for the next 3 hours to get to the highest point of the trek (4,200m/13,779ft). From there, we have fantastic views of the surrounding snowcapped mountains and valleys. We descend towards the village of Pucamarca and spend time at the Inca ruins there.  From there, we follow the original Inca trail into the Inca city of Huchuy Qosqo. There, we have time to explore the city and then we head to our Homestay. Here, your guide will introduce you to the local family who will show you your room for the night with all the amazing views of the surrounding areas and the Inca city.  By late afternoon, you will enjoy your tea, and later have dinner with your local family! In the evening, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the sky full of brilliant stars and see the Inca’s constellations which your guide will show you.

  • Meals: Lunch Box – Afternoon Tea Time – Dinner
  • Accommodation: Homestay at a local family’s home with a proper toilet
  • Distance: 13kms/8 miles approximately
  • Difficulty:  Moderate

DAY 2: HUCHUY QOSCO OLLANTAYTAMBO AGUAS CALIENTES

After a delicious breakfast, there will be a guided tour of the Huchuy Qosqo Inca City, in which you will discover amazing Inca buildings, sacred temples, farming terraces, storehouses, water channels and an Inca reservoir.  After you, have had time to explore everything, we head downhill to Lamay for 2 hours. Our private van will take you to Urubamba, city where we will have lunch.  

Afterwards, we head to the archaeological site of MORAY also known as “The Greenhouses of the Incas,” which is a unique and fascinating site, built prior to the Incas.  Different levels of terraces are carved into a huge bowl, part of which was further excavated by the Incas. The terraces have varied microclimates, depending on how deep into the bowl they were used by the Incas to discover the optimal growing conditions for their crops. After you, have time to enjoy and explore the site, we continue driving towards the colonial town of Maras and to the Pre-Inca Salt Mine (Salineras). Thousands of saltpans have been used for salt extraction since before Inca times. A hot spring at the top of the valley discharges a small stream of heavily salt laden water, which is diverted into saltpans and evaporated to produce a salt that is used now for both human and animal consumption. It is quite beautiful the array of saltpans carved around the area.

Then, we continue our journey to Ollantaytambo where we will explore the stunning astronomical Inca City of Ollantaytambo. By late afternoon, we take the train to Aguas Calientes, where we spend the night in a hotel.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Wiracocha Inn Hotel or Andean Terra Hotel
  • Distance: 7kms/4.3 miles approximately
  • Difficulty: Easy

DAY 3: AGUAS CALIENTES MACHU PICCHU CUSCO

After an early breakfast, we leave our hotel to take the bus for the journey up to Machu Picchu ruins. Once there, we visit one of the most important mystic centers of the world: Machu Picchu. A 2 hour guided tour will take us into the history of this mysterious and charming ruin. Then, you have plenty of time for further exploring, taking photos and the option to climb Huayna Picchu Mountain or going up to the Sun Gate. After that, we head back to Aguas Calientes. In the afternoon, we take the return Expedition train to Ollantaytambo at 4:22pm and connect with a private van to take us back to Cusco by 8pm.

  • Meals: Breakfast
  • Difficulty: Easy

Price

  • 2 people    US$650 per person
  • 3 people    US$595 per person
  • 4 people    US$555 per person
  • 5 people    US525 per person
  • 6 people+  US$499 per person

Packing List

  • Day pack
  • Copy of your passport
  • Good hiking gear: hiking boots, warm jackets, gloves, hat warm fleece and socks
  • Sleeping bag
  • Walking boots
  • Waterproof jacket/rain poncho
  • Hat and gloves
  • Warm clothes: layers for variable temperatures, especially at night
  • T-shirts
  • Comfortable trousers
  • Sun hat
  • Sun screen
  • Insect repellent
  • Re-usable plastic/metal water container, or camel bags
  • Water for the first four hours of the trek, then we will provide you with drinking, previously boiled water
  • Toiletries
  • Personal medication
  • Camera and films
  • Flashlight with spare batteries
  • Walking stick
  • Bathing suit for the hot springs
  • Extra money for souvenirs, drinks and tips