The best part of the day: You’ll find yourself in the glacier of Ausangate.
We’ll start the day early, traveling in private transportation through Pitumarca to Quesiuno where we’ll have a delicious breakfast. When we get there, we’ll prepare to begin our hike and start going slowly 500 meters up for three hours until we arrive at the Puca Pass (4,870 m / 15,977 f).
Once we’re at the peak, we’ll get the best look at the Ausangate glacier and the glorious lakes surrounding it. According to the Andean worldview, mountains are living beings. Locals call them “Apus,” and they are considered protective spirits of the Andean territories. Ausangate is the most powerful, known as the creator of the waters. After a connection with this protective Apu, we’ll go down, for an hour and a half, to Anantapata to have lunch.
Continuing on, we’ll go up to the Warmisaya Pass (4,985 m / 16,355 f), from which we can see the Rainbow Mountain in the distance. After that, we’ll continue 45 minutes to our campsite in Surenicocha and have a delicious dinner.
Today, your adventure starts! You’ll travel in private transportation to Quesiuno, the starting point of the hike. After three hours, we’ll arrive at the Puca Pass and be able to see the Ausangate glacier and its lakes. After that, we’ll go down to Anantapata for lunch. In the afternoon, we’ll go up again to the Warmisaya Pass and, finally, get to our campsite in Surenicocha.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Meals
Moderate
Level of difficulty
11 km / 6.83 mi
Hiking distance
4,376 me / 14,357 ft
Starting altitude
4,376 m / 14,357 ft
Minimum altitude
4,985 m / 16,355 ft
Maximum altitude
The best part of the day: Stand in the presence of the Rainbow Mountain at sunrise.
Today, we’ll arrive at the highest point, the viewpoint of the Rainbow Mountain (5,100 m / 16,732 f). This site will captivate its visitors with many colors: pink, fuschia, yellowish brown, red, turquoise and gold. Because of this, it’s one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world.
After visiting this site early in the morning, we’ll go on to the viewpoint of the Red Valley. After that, we’ll descend an hour to Llacto where our transportation will be waiting to take us to the Andahuaylillas Cathedral. This church has colorful paintings inside belonging to the school of Cusco and with a peculiar style.
Next, we’ll continue, by car, to Rumi Punku where we’ll do a 45-minute hike to the wetlands of Huacarpay to have lunch. Later, we’ll return to the city of Cusco to rest and prepare for our next adventure.
Today, we’ll have to wake up early to enjoy the Rainbow Mountain and the Red Valley without the crowds. These places are truly unique and seem to be specially designed or taken off of another planet. After that, we’ll go down to Llacto where our transportation will be waiting to take us to the Andahuaylillas Cathedral and then on to the archeological site of Rumi Punku. Later, we’ll visit the wetlands of Huacarpay and have lunch. Finally, we’ll return to Cusco and prepare for our next adventure.
Breakfast and lunch
Meals
Moderate
Level of difficulty
6.5 km / 4.03 miles
Hiking distance
4,800 m / 15,748 ft
Starting altitude
3,050 m / 10,006 ft
Minimum altitude
5,100 m / 16,732 ft
Maximum altitude
The best part of the day: Explore the ancient Inca Trail and take in the sights of the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu.
Today, we’ll leave very early in private transportation to the station of Ollantaytambo where we’ll board a train going toward Km 104, the starting point of our hike. After that, we’ll go to Chanchabamba, the first archeological site welcoming us to the Inca Trail.
Next, we’ll go up three hours and note the temperature change from the mountains to the tropical forest. Continuing on, we’ll visit the archeological site of Wiñay Huayna; it’s said that this place is a small-scale replica of Machu Picchu. Once you’ve explored it, you can make up your own mind. We’ll have lunch closeby.
We’ll then continue the trail to the Sun Gate, the official entrance from Cusco to Machu Picchu in imperial times. The view from here is incredible; it’s so exciting that it can’t be described in words. You’ll be able to take some fantastic pictures from this point. Later, we’ll take a bus down to Aguas Calientes, enjoy our dinner in an exclusive restaurant and spend the night at a comfortable hotel. Remember to get to sleep early; tomorrow, we’ll start before dawn.
Today, we’ll travel from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, and from there, we’ll take a train to Km 104, the starting point of our hike. We’ll first go to the archeological site of Chanchabamba and then up to Wiñay Huayna; we’ll have lunch closeby. In the afternoon, we’ll arrive at the Sun Gate and be able to catch a glance of Machu Picchu in the distance. We’ll go down, by bus, to Aguas Calientes to spend the night.
Moderate
Level of difficulty
9 km / 5.59 miles
Hiking distance
2,100 m / 6,890 ft
Starting altitude
2,100 m / 6,890 ft
Minimum altitude
2,720 m / 8,924 ft
Maximum altitude
The best part of the day: The citadel of Machu Picchu will captivate you.
We’ll start the day by enjoying a delicious breakfast at the hotel. After that, we’ll take a bus to the entrance of the Inca City. Remember to follow all the instructions; this will allow you to have a problem-free experience. After visiting other sacred places like the Rainbow Mountain and the grand Inca Trail, your dream to visit Machu Picchu is finally becoming a reality!
Once you’re inside the citadel of Machu Picchu, your personal guide will take you to visit temples, terraces, palaces, priests’ quarters, the Intihuatana, the industrial sector and the agricultural fields.
As you look around this wonderful site, you’ll be able to consult with your guide. In the end, some questions will go without being answered; no one can clearly explain the harmony between architecture and nature. After having finished this visit, capturing the moment on your camera and in your memory, we’ll return to the town of Aguas Calientes to have lunch. In the afternoon, we’ll take a train back to Ollantaytambo and, from there, private transportation to return to your hotel in Cusco.
Today, finally, you’ll visit the marvelous Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. There, you’ll visit temples, terraces, priests’ quarters, the Intihuatana, the industrial sector and the agricultural fields. All the while, you’ll learn about Inca culture with the help of your expert guide. We’ll start the day with a delicious breakfast at the hotel, and then we’ll take a bus to the entrance of the Inca City. After having finished the visit, we’ll return to Aguas Calientes for lunch and then, in the afternoon, take the train back to Ollantaytambo and return, by car, to Cusco.
Moderate
Level of difficulty
3 hours
Duration of guided tour
2,100 m / 6,890 ft
Minimum altitude
2,430 m / 7,972 ft
Maximum altitude
ES
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