The Best of Cusco & Inca Trail

Welcome to the imperial city! We’ll be waiting for you at the Cusco airport to take you to your hotel in this charming city. To help you get used to the altitude, the first day will be a great opportunity to do a City Tour. You’ll walk through its historic, cobbled streets and see various colonial buildings constructed on the foundations of what were once grand Inca palaces. We’ll start you out with a tour around the central plaza of Cusco and a visit to the Cusco Cathedral, a prime example of Baroque-style architecture. It holds dozens of secrets hidden in the paintings and sculptures that call it home. You’ll then continue on to Qoricancha, or the Temple of the Sun, the most important religious complex of the extensive Inca Empire.

Next, we’ll go a few kilometers outside of the city to visit Sacsayhuaman, an extraordinary site and one of the icons of Inca architecture and engineering. Close to this complex of gigantic stones, you’ll find Qenqo, which, in Quechua, means “labyrinth” and is considered to be a temple dedicated to the Pachamama or Mother Nature. After that, you’ll visit Puca Pucara, a military construction with a wonderful view of the Cusco Valley. Puca Pucara, in Quechua, means “Red Fort.”

Lastly, you’ll see Tambomachay, which means “resting place,” an ancient temple of water worship, which is considered to be one of the main natural deities of the Incas. After an incredible afternoon, we’ll take you back to Cusco and leave you at the door of your hotel. You’ll have free time before going out to dinner at one of the best restaurants in Cusco and trying this country’s exquisite cuisine for the first time.

Early in the morning, you’ll leave your hotel, and we’ll take you to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Our first stop will be in Chinchero, where you’ll learn about traditional weaving from the locals. You’ll see how they produce various colors of natural dyes to create the beautiful wools of our colorful Cusco, which they later turn into gorgeous pieces of clothing. You’ll also see buildings there that were built on top of the original Inca foundations, like in Cusco: great adobe and stone walls showing you a mixture between Inca and Spanish architectural styles.

After Chinchero, we’ll take you to Moray, an Inca agricultural investigation complex with circular terraces that create distinct microclimates on each level for growing crops not native to the area. Ingenious! We’ll then go to the small town of Maras. There, you’ll visit its colonial churches, which contain Cusqueña paintings representing the Last Supper and Jesus with his twelve apostles. Here, you’ll also have the privilege of visiting the famous Salt Mines of Maras and its more than 3,000 natural salt pools, along with their breathtaking surroundings.

After exploring this part of the valley, we’ll continue to Urubamba, and you’ll enjoy a traditional lunch buffet with a huge variety of Andean foods to choose from. Eat adventurously! We’ll then take you to Ollantaytambo, a monumental Inca complex built for military, religious, administrative, and agricultural purposes. Here, you’ll enjoy a guided tour of its spectacular landscapes and Inca constructions, including its unfinished but impressive Sun Temple. You’ll stroll through its streets, traveling through time to that age long past. Of course, you’ll spend the night at a hotel in this charming Inca town, taking in the positive energy it shares.

Today, you’ll wake up early to have breakfast and head out from the hotel. We’ll ride the train for an hour to Piscacucho, located at Km 82 of the tracks, the trailhead of the age-old Inca Trail. You’ll start the hike by crossing a bridge over the Urubamba River, entering into a high-altitude forest with amazing views of Waqayhuillca (Veronica glacier), the highest mountain in the Urubamba Mountain Range.

You’ll walk northwest along the Sacred Valley, and after a couple of hours on a flat path, you’ll arrive at Miskay. Here, our guide will give you coca leaves to chew, and a glass of chicha, considered the sacred drink of the Incas. After that, you’ll hike up to Willkarakay to visit the impressive Llactapata archeological site.

You’ll continue through the Kusichaca Valley to Tarayoc, and there, we’ll provide the first lunch prepared by the expert hands of our chef. Next, you’ll gradually climb an hour to the community of Wayllabamba. From there, keep going until you reach our campsite in Ayapata. Along the trail, enjoy the fabulous views of the valley and its diverse flora and fauna, much different than what you’re used to seeing at home!

We’ll wake you up with a hot cup of coca tea and then have breakfast, and that will give you the energy you need for the day. You’ll start off the morning on the hardest part of the trek, a steep climb through the lush cloud forest. After four hours, you’ll conquer the first mountain pass of the day, Warmi Wañusca, or the Dead Woman’s Pass.

Once you’re at the peak, you’ll be able to admire the majestic mountains all around you. After taking incredible pictures here, you’ll head downhill to have lunch in Pacaymayo. After a well-deserved rest, you’ll hike uphill once again, this time to the Runkurakay Pass (3,970 m / 13,022 f). Halfway there, you’ll visit a small, oval-shaped archeological site that was used as a watchtower.

After that, you’ll descend to Yanacocha, which, in Quechua, means “black lagoon.” Then you’ll go deeper into the cloud forest to Sayacmarca (3,624 m / 11,887 f), a beautiful, semi-circular archeological site of various levels with narrow streets, fountains of water, courtyards, and irrigation canals. Here, you’ll be able to see one of the best sunsets of your life over the Aobamba Valley.

Half an hour away, you’ll reach our campsite in Chaquicocha, a calm and isolated place. This is the perfect opportunity to look up at the clear, Andean sky and learn about Inca constellations. The night sky of the mountains offers a truly astonishing view!

Today will be easier than yesterday. You’ll enjoy breakfast with unbelievable surroundings and then start the two-hour hike to the Inca ruins of Phuyupatamarca (3,680 m / 12,073 f), a magical site known as “the city above the clouds.” From here, you’ll see Machu Picchu Mountain and Huayna Picchu Mountain in the distance before exploring the area with our guide.

Later, you’ll go even deeper into the cloud forest of the high jungle of the Andes. You’ll descend for two and a half hours to Intipata, an important agricultural center where you’ll get yet another great view of the surrounding landscape and be able to take amazing pictures of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Here, there are also beautiful orchids unique to this part of the Andes. Continuing on, you’ll reach our campsite in Wiñay Wayna (2,680 m / 8,792 f).

After having lunch and resting for a moment, you’ll get to visit the archeological site of Wiñay Wayna, or “eternal youth,” famous for its spectacular, vertical terraces. You’ll spend about an hour here with our guide, who’ll teach you about its interesting history. Back at the campsite, you’ll have a moment to say goodbye to the porters and chefs who’ve helped you on the trail, and we’ll have a small celebration to successfully end the day. That night, you’ll be able to rest and recuperate to prepare for tomorrow’s adventure.

We’ll wake you up early to hike the last few kilometers of the Inca Trail. After breakfast, you’ll walk about an hour on an easy path to Inti Punku, also known as the Sun Gate. This was the old entrance to the sacred city of Machu Picchu, and you’ll finally be amazed by your first views of the majestic citadel! If the weather’s good, you’ll be able to watch the first sunbeams of the day coming over the mountains.

From there, you’ll walk downhill on a beautiful stone path to the entrance of the citadel. We’ll take you to the classic spot for the perfect picture of the city. Later, after a short rest, we’ll start the guided tour of this famous Wonder of the Modern World; it will last two hours. All of our guides are experts on its history and Inca mythology; they’ll truly make this long-awaited place come to life!

After a fantastic tour, we’ll take you down to Aguas Calientes to have lunch in a restaurant of your choice. Later, we’ll board the train to Poroy or Ollantaytambo, and then our private car will take you back to your hotel in Cusco. The return time will depend on the time of your train ticket.

Today, you’ll visit yet another of the most famous places around Cusco! In the morning, we’ll take you out of Cusco once again, this time about two hours away to the town of Cusipata; there, we’ll provide breakfast. We’ll continue down the zig-zagged road through small Andean towns until we reach Llacto, the trailhead of our hike. You’ll go uphill on a somewhat steep path, and the increasing altitude will make each step more difficult than the last. However, you’ll be motivated by your picturesque surroundings: the incredible natural beauty of the Andes Mountain Range.

On the trail, you’ll see Apachetas all along the way, small rock towers left by other hikers as a tribute to the mountain. There will also be local wildlife around, blending into the landscape; herds of llamas and alpacas will accompany you on the way to the grand mountain.

You’ll spend a breathtaking hour hiking to the foot of Rainbow Mountain. At that point, the trek will become much more difficult. You’ll go uphill for 30 more minutes, now on a very steep path that leads to the highest viewpoint of the famous Rainbow Mountain, or Vinicunca. Once you’re there, you’ll have an amazing view of the great Vilcanota Mountain Range and its majestic Ausangate, the guardian Apu of the high Andean towns of the region.

After spending time considering this colorful beauty, you’ll have a chance to explore the surroundings with our guide, who will explain the geological origins of this mountain and its significance. Later, you’ll take the same trail to return an hour and a half downhill to where you started. From there, our private care will take you back to Cusipata for lunch, and then you’ll return to Cusco, storing the best moments of this trip in your heart and soul.

Enjoy the morning with free time in the city - buying souvenirs, walking around the historical center of town, or just relaxing. Later on, we’ll get you to the airport in time for your flight.

Cusco still has so much more to offer. If you have time, you can do the unforgettable hike to Humantay Lagoon or take any of our other tours to finish out your adventure.