DAY 1: CUSCO | OLLANTAYTAMBO – KM 104 MACHU PICCHU.
Walking Distance – 12km / 7.45 miles
Starting Elevation – 2,100 meters ASL / 6889 feet ASL
Aguas Calientes Elevation – 2,000 meters ASL / 6561 feet ASL
Difficulty: Moderate.
Meals: Lunch & Dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel.
Adventure: Absolutely, completely satisfactory.
We will start the your trip by picking you up at your hotel at 03:00 – 03:30 hrs to drive from Cusco to the Ollantaytambo train station. From here, we will take the train to Km 104 where we will start our amazing trek on the Inca Trail! Our adventure begins with an uphill hike for about 4 hours until we arrive to the archeological site of Wiña Wayna (Always Young). We will enjoy our lunch box here in the middle of the mountains and will have free time to rest and enjoy the beautiful view.
Next, we will continue our hike, moving toward a site called Inti Punku (the Sun Gate). From this place, we will be able to look down and admire the great beauty of the Inca citadel Machu Picchu! Here, the Inca Trail officially ends.
We will finish our first day’s adventure following the lateral trail in direction to the exit of Machu Picchu where we will take a bus to the town of Aguas Calientes at the base of the mountain. We will have dinner there and then rest comfortably at a hotel.
DAY 2: THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY – MACHU PICCHU!
Today’s Highlights: Your excitement for our rendezvous at Machu Picchu will rise as we are hiking early in the morning through the forest to reach the site before most other tourists – even the other Inca Trail trekkers! You will have plenty of time to explore this truly magnificent World Wonder while you enjoy the beautiful sunrise from this once-in-a-lifetime viewpoint. Your group will learn about this mystical place in a two-hour guided tour of the ruins. Afterwards, you can opt to climb Huayna Picchu or Machupicchu Mountain (if you have pre-booked tickets) or walk to the Inca Bridge (without extra tickets).
Today we arrive at the long-awaited finale of our trek, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site – Machu Picchu! We will wake up early after a refreshing night at our hotel to beat the crowds to the top of Machu Picchu and enjoy its serenity in the soft morning light. The Machu Picchu entrance check point is open from 06:00 hrs until 17:00 hrs. We will hike up to Machupicchu (a bus ride is optional for $12.00) and enter the hidden Royal Citadel of the Incas. Here we will have a 2-hour guided tour through this incredible ancient city to visit temples, terraces, palaces, priest’s houses, the sundial, the industrial sector, and the farming fields. Be amazed at the engineering ingenuity of the Incas which was so far ahead of their time and still partially a mystery today! Without having modern tools or even steel and iron to work with, the people who built this city were genius in organizing this community in a sustainable and beautiful way on the side of a mountain, even bringing water in canals through its streets for the people to use. When a Peruvian guide showed this site to Hiram Bingham, it was almost unrecognizable, covered in thick vegetation and in a state of disrepair. It has since been cleaned and restored and is now protected and treasured by the world at large!
After this tour, you are free to climb up to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (Be sure to book in advance to get tickets for these!). Each mountain takes approximately 3 hours to hike up and down. Another lower-impact option for which you do not need an extra ticket is to trek to the Sun Gate, the main entrance from the Inca Trail (this takes about 2 or 2.5 hours round-trip). Another option is walking to see the Incan Bridge. You will be able to stay and enjoy this magical city for more than 7 hours before hiking back down to Aguas Calientes for the train ride at 16:22 hrs (subject to availability) to Ollantaytambo. A private bus will pick up our group and drop you off at your hotel in Cusco at about 20:00 hrs. Rest your feet and your body now, but we can assure you your heart will still be soaring for weeks and years to come!
WHAT IS INCLUDED?
- Pre-departure briefing: You will meet your guide and group in our office for an orientation to the trek. The meeting will be at 6:00 PM the evening before your trip begins.
- Transport: Collection from your hotel in the morning and transportation in a private vehicle to Ollantaytambo (Where you will take the train to Km 104)
- The train ticket: From Ollantaytambo to Km 104.
- Experienced Guide: English speaking, professionally educated, and official tour guide. Your guide will explain the culture and surroundings along the entire route. He or she will keep you safe, sound, and comfortable on your trek so that you can enjoy your time worry-free!
- Entrance fee to Machu Picchu.
- Entrance fee to Inca Trail.
- Accommodation: 1 nights in hotel.
- Meals: 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 dinner and snacks (Vegetarian, vegan or special menus are available at no extra cost)
- Snacks on Day 1: Our snacks consist of local fruits, biscuits, chocolate, caramels, etc. We will give this snack to you at the beginning of each day in your cloth bag.
- One cloth snack bag per person: To avoid the usage of plastic bags that contaminate our environment, we will give you a cloth bag for your snacks.
- Products for hygiene: Each morning, you will be provided with a warm, wet towel to clean yourself up with.
- Medical kit: Our crew will bring a first-aid kit, including emergency oxygen bottle.
- Train tickets: From Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo (“Expedition” service with Peru Rail at 16:22 hrs (subject to availability))
- Transport: Private transport from Ollantaytambo train station to your hotel in Cusco (Day 5)
- 24-hour guest service: We have telephone service available 24 hours/day for ease of communication and preparation with the agency leading up to your trek.
- We will create a Memorable Lifetime Experience for you.
NOT INCLUDED:
- Walking Sticks: You can rent a set from our company if you would like.
- 2nd Day: Lunch and Dinner in Aguas Calientes.
- Personal clothing and gear.
- Travel insurance.
- Tips for our staff: please note that our agency staff is well paid so please feel free to tip or not as you wish.
- Additional costs or delays out of control of the management (landscape, bad weather condition, itinerary modification due to a safety concern, illness, change of government policy, political instability/strike, etc.).
- A small backpack or carry bag (larger not allowed on the train or in Machu Picchu).
- Changes of clothing.
- Comfortable shoes or runners.
- Camera.
- Water to drink.
- Rain jacket or poncho.
- A fleece or jacket.
- Warm jacket for nights.
- Basic toiletries.
- Sunscreen.
- Insect repellent for mosquitoes.
- Hat for the sun.
- Some extra money for lunch, snacks and souvenirs.
- Original passport (cannot enter Machu Picchu without it).
- ISIC Card if applicable.
- Bathing clothes for the hot springs (optional).
