Highlight of the day: Cusco, a living city with more than two thousand years of antiquity.
We’ll visit the main attractions of the city of Cusco in private transportation. We’ll do small hikes in each archeological site that we visit. One of the highest places is Tambomachay (3,800 m / 12,467 f) which, along with Puca Pucara and Q’enqo, form part of the archeological park of Sacsayhuaman. You’ll be able to enjoy panoramic views of the city from these places.
After that, we’ll visit two ancient temples of Cusco. The first, the Cathedral, has a colonial style with traces of Andean religiosity, famous for its paintings which marked a milestone for pilgrimages. Its influence extended over other viceroyalties, like Nueva Granada (Ecuador and Colombia) and La Plata (Argentina and Chile). The second sacred Inca temple is Qoricancha, whose influence couldn’t be oppressed by the Spanish conquerors; it continues resisting to this day with its fine walls of Inca stonemasonry carefully carved and fitted to seem as one large stone with whimsical lines drawn in.
After these visits, you’ll have the night free to have dinner in the city. Our guide can recommend various restaurants according to your preferences.
In our private transportation, we’ll visit the main attractions of the city of Cusco: Sacsayhuaman, Q’enqo, Puca Pucara y Tambomachay. We’ll learn the importance of each archeological site and visit the viewpoint from Sacsayhuaman to get a panoramic view of the imperial capital in all its glory. Returning to the historical center, we’ll visit two religious temples: the Cathedral and Qoricancha, each with its magical history to be told. After that, you’ll have the night free to enjoy a delicious dinner in the city.
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Easy
Difficulty
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5-6 Hours
Tour Duration
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3,400 m / 11,154 ft
Min. Altitude
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3,800 m / 12,467 ft
Max. Altitude
Highlight of the day: From the valley to the cloud forest
Today, we’ll pick you up early from your hotel to have a calm drive and avoid traffic. We’ll go toward the picturesque town of Chinchero, an Inca settlement with streets lined by ancient walls, popular for the confection of textiles. We’ll go to the home of a traditional, local family who has passed down the art of weaving from one generation to the next. We’ll be part of an interactive demonstration of the techniques of dying and fabrication of textiles made from alpaca wool.
During the drive that follows, you’ll be happy to see incredible views of the glaciers of Pitusiray and Sahuasiray. We’ll then get to Moray, an agricultural laboratory made up of farming rings for the domestication and climatization of diverse Andean products, such as potatoes, olluco, corn, oca, and yucca, among others. After that, we’ll visit the salt mines of Maras, an salt extraction center since pre-Inca times that possess more than 5,000 salt pools, filled daily by water from a spring that flows from the mountain.
Carrying on with this spectacular day, we’ll enjoy a buffet of traditional foods before continuing to Ollantaytambo. Here, we’ll visit its main enclosures constructed with colossal stone blocks brought from quarries opposite the Sacred Valley. After the visit, we’ll go to the train station and travel to the town of Aguas Calientes to spend the night.
We’ll start the day going toward Chinchero, a picturesque town famous for its artistry in textiles. Continuing on with our trip, we’ll visit Moray, an ancient agricultural laboratory arranged in beautiful circular terraces. We’ll then go on to the Salt Mines of Maras, the extraction center of the famous Salt of Maras. For lunch, you’ll enjoy a buffet of traditional foods before going on to Ollantaytambo and boarding a train to Aguas Calientes. To end the day, you’ll have a well-deserved rest to recover your energy.
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Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Meals
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Easy
Difficulty
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9-10 Hours
Tour Duration
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2,040 m / 6,693 ft
Min. Altitude
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3,762 m / 12,342 ft
Max. Altitude
Highlight of the day: Revealing Machu Picchu
Today, we’ll start our day in a fantastic way; a wonder is waiting to be admired. Once we get there, Machu Picchu will open before our eyes in a spectacle without comparison, and we’ll be able to enjoy it and better understand the relationship between man and nature.
We’ll explore the citadel of Machu Picchu from corner to corner, traversing the main points of the most famous construction of the Incas and its sacred grounds. We’ll learn about the way of life of these ancient Andean people and their ancestral customs. This tour wouldn’t be possible without our professional guide who tells us not only stories but also many facts about this place. Get your camera ready, and don’t forget to save these moments in your memory.
Back in Aguas Calientes, we’ll have time to enjoy a good lunch before boarding the return train. With help from our guide, we can choose the best option. With a happy heart, we’ll go back to Ollantaytambo, where our private transportation will be waiting to take us back to Cusco.
The day starts with a visit to the imposing Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. You’ll learn about the most important places and their mythical history thanks to our professional guide and their personalized explanations. After that, we’ll go back to Aguas Calientes for lunch before boarding the return train in the afternoon to Ollantaytambo. From there, we’ll return to Cusco by private transportation.
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Breakfast
Meals
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Easy
Difficulty
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3 km / 1.86 mi
Walking Distance
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2-3 Hours
Machu Picchu Tour Duration
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2,040 m / 6,693 ft
Min. Altitude
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2,430 m / 7,972 ft
Max. Altitude
Highlight of the day: The colors of Rainbow Mountain among the snow
We’ll finish our program by visiting the colorful Vinicunca mountain, more widely known as Rainbow Mountain. Before the rooster crows, we’ll leave by private transportation toward Quiquijana, a small town where we’ll have breakfast before continuing on to Llacto. Here, we’ll start our hike. We’ll begin uphill and, after about an hour, arrive at the highest point, the viewpoint of Rainbow Mountain (5,100 m / 16,732 pies). Here, nature has many beautiful hues. We’ll rest for a moment, fix ourselves up, and smile with satisfaction for having achieved our goal; without a doubt, we have won the best prize, the splendor of this natural wonder.
Apart from that, we can enjoy the spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, including the grand glacier of Ausangate (6,384 m / 20,944 f), the tallest mountain in the region of Cusco and the fifth highest in Peru. Next, we’ll walk toward the viewpoint of the Red Valley, its exuberant landscape of intense color giving us the sensation that we’re on the planet Mars.
To end our tour, we’ll go down two hours to Llacto, and from there, we’ll return to Cusco by private transportation. We’ll keep in our memories the alpacas and llamas we saw along the way, as well as the dazzling colors of the natural canvas of Rainbow Mountain.
start our adventure. We’ll walk about an hour to the viewpoint of Rainbow Mountain and, from there, we’ll also be able to see the majestic glacier of Ausangate. After spending time in this natural wonder, we will continue to the Red Valley and back down to Llacto. Private transportation will be waiting to take us for lunch and then back to Cusco.
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Breakfast and Lunch
Meals
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Moderate
Difficulty
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13 km / 8.07 mi
Hiking Distance
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12-13 Hours
Tour Duration
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5 hours
Hiking Time
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4,376 m / 14,357 ft
Starting Altitude
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4,376 m / 14,357 ft
Min. Altitude
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5,100 m / 16,732 ft
Max. Altitude
ES
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