Amazon Adventures

Peru

Ancient Trails Trek

This itinerary combines the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and the Cordillera Blanca loop, highlighting the beauty of Peru from glacial peaks to luxuriant cloud forest and its Inca heritage. Includes visits to Lima and Cusco, especially the sites around the city and some optional visits to museums.

Day 1 LIMA (Friday) - Arrival and transfer to your hotel. Upon early arrival optional tours available to visit modern and colonial Lima. There are also many museums and private collections. Lunch and dinner on your own, overnight at hotel.

Day 2 LIMA/CUSCO (Saturday) - Transfer to the airport to board your one hour flight to Cusco, center of the Inca world. Meet and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the morning free to acclimatize to the altitude (3,400 m.a.s.l./11,400 ft.). An afternoon tour of the city and nearby ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Kenko and Tambomachay will educate you on the history of this astonishing town. Lunch and dinner on your own.

Day 3 CUSCO/Q’ENTE (Sunday) - We transfer you from the hotel to the Cusco train station (or includes the transfer from a hotel in the Sacred Valley to Ollanta train station) in order to take the train that brings us to the Km 88. From here we cross the small bridge over to Q’ente where we will camp. Before lunch we will walk through the archaeological site of Patallacta (also known as Qentemarca) – a large Inca settlement for storage of grain and protected by a fortress type structure. In the afternoon we visit the surrounding archaeological remains of Qente and Machu Qente – located amidst Inca terracing (Time: 4 hours, Distance: 6kms)

Day 4 QENTE/LLULLUCHAPAMPA (Monday) - The trail winds slowly uphill up the Cusicacha Valley passing houses of settlers to finally reach the andean community of Huayllabamba. From here the trail ascends steeply to a large pampa below the first pass, where we camp. Here we have a breathtaking view of Mt. Huayanay. Along the trail up this narrow hanging valley we begin to see a cloud forest that harbors the Queñua tree, a rare forest in the Andes. Camp overnight at Llulluchapampa. (Time: 6 hours, Distance 9kms.)

Day 5 LLULLUCHAPAMPA/PHUYUPATAMARCA (Tuesday) - The trail ascends at a typical angle of 30 degrees towards the pass across the hillside of Puna grassland as we leave our campsite at the edge of the treeline behind, bringing us to Warmiwañusca pass (4,200 ma.s.l./13,280 ft.). The trail descends to the Pacaymayo River and then climbs slowly past Runkuraqay ruins. From here over a lower pass to Sayacmarca, the “waiting village” A clear Inca Trail across a causeway, on a now dry lake, past a cave, we continue our way along a ridge to finally reach Phuyupatamarca (the town at the edge of the cluods in quechua) where we camp. (Time: 8-9hrs. Distance 10 kms).

Day 6 PHUYUPATAMARCA/MACHU PICCHU (Wednesday) - After continuing along a buttress and passing Phuyupatamarca ruins, the flagstoned trail winds sharply down into the cloud forest to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna. There, recently restored Inca Ruins are located below the ridge on the same water course as the previous site. After a two hour walk through a cloud forest covered Inca Trail we arrive at Machu Picchu, the way the Incas used to come, watching the magnificent citadel at our feet from Intipunku, the door of the sun. Overnight at a hotel in Machu Picchu Pueblo (Optional overnight at a luxury hotel available).

Day 7 MACHU PICCHU/CUSCO (Thursday) - The whole day can be dedicated to explore these extraordinary Inca remains with your guide, including an visit to Wayna Picchu, the hill overlooking the site. The mid-afternoon train takes you back to Cusco, transfer to your hotel, dinner on your own.

Day 8 CUSCO/LIMA (Friday) - Transfer to airport for your ongoing flight to Lima. Depending on your arrival time optional tours of the city and its museums are available. Lunch and dinner on your own, overnight at a hotel.

Day 9 - Early morning departure by first-class coach to the city of Huaraz, located about 400 Kms. north of Lima. Following the Panamerican Highway north across Lima we will pass several lush green valleys that cut
through the coastal desert until we reach the town of Pativilca. Turning inland the main road winds its way
up along the Fortaleza River for a good two hours. Finally we reach the Pass of Conococha (4,000 m.a.s.l. /
13,120 ft.) where we will get our first glimpse of the Cordillera Blanca, the highest tropical mountain range in
the world. From here the road descends slowly along the Santa River as we pass a vast area of highland
pastures. As we approach Huaraz, the vegetation changes into that of an interandean valley, surrounded
by clusters of red-tiled houses. Arrival at a hotel and overnight at 3,000 m.a.s.l. / 19,840 ft. Dinner on your
own.

Day 10 - Leaving early in the morning we drive down along the Santa Valley passing several villages until we reach present-day Yungay. The road winds slowly up into the gulley between the Huascaran massif and the
Huandoy three-pronged peak. As we reach the overhanging valley we arrive at the boundary of the National
Park of Huascaran. Llanganuco, as the area is known, has two lakes that have turquoise waters, and
passing them we will arrive at Quebrada Demanda, a small valley where we will undertake a short hike. In
the early afternoon we continue on this narrow road as it twists and turns to the Pass at Portachuelo of
Llanganuco at 4,750 m.a.s.l. (15,580 ft.) From this point, if the evening is clear, we will get a spectacular
panorama of Mt. Huascaran, Huandoy, Pisco and Chacraraju, the latter being one of the most difficult
mountains to climb in Peru. As the evening falls, we drive down to our first campsite at Vaqueria. 3,700
(12,136ft) where we will undertake a short hike (2.5km. walk).

Day 11 - VAQUERIA/PARIA (Monday) - The day starts with a leisurely walk down towards a trail which makes its way to the left over a small ridge into the huaripampa Valley. As we slowly head up this valley we pass small settlement of farmers, going by theur agricultural activity and Andean vegetation. The snow-capped peak of Chacraraju, Taulliraju will come into view passing meadows and fields along the way. Camp in the vicinity of Paria or tuctu. (Time 5-6 hours. Distance 11 Kms.)

Day 12 - The trail starts ascending towards Punta Union, a pass at 4,700 m.a.s.l. (15,711 ft.) This old trail was
heavily used in pre-columbian and Colonial times as a route for transporting goods from the eastern side of
the Andes to the main valley. As we approach the pass, Mt. Taulliraju will loom above us and on the other
side its glacial lake and glacier will add color and contrast to the amazing view down the Santa Cruz Valley.
The peaks of Santa Cruz, Quitaraju, Artesonaju, will come into view as well as the two lakes of Ichicocha
and Jatunconcha. The trail descends into Taullipampa or Quiswarpampa, where we will camp at 4,100
m.a.s.l. (13,448 ft.). (Time:7 hours. Distance: 13 Kms.)

Day 13 - Past the side-valley of Arhuaycocha with a possibility to view Mt. Alpamayo, we continue down the Santa Cruz Valley. The landscape changes, and scree slopes appear on each side of the now marshy meadow as well as rock boulders fallen from the eroded walls above us. Finally towards the end of the day we walk out of the ever-narrowing canyon into Llamacorral, where we will camp at 3,500 msnm (Time: 6 hours.
Distance: 16.5 Kms.)

Day 14 - A steep descent brings us to Cashapampa in the early morning. We meet a vehicle that will take us back to Huaraz saying good-bye to our camp crew as the road winds slowly down to the main valley, arriving in the afternoon. Dinner on your own, overnight at hotel. (Time: 2:30 hours. Distance: 7 Kms.)

Day 15 - (Friday) Morning bus ride to Lima, box lunch included on the way. Late afternoon arrival in Lima (end of program). Transfer provided for your connecting flight.

Season : April – October
Departures : Every Friday
Price: US$ 1879. Single supplement: US$230
Minimum: 2 passengers

Includes: Transportation by vehicle to start and from the end of trek to Lima, hotel nights in Lima and Huaraz, two-man tents including sleeping pads, pack animals, kitchen crew and commissary gear with all meals included as well as a bilingual guide on the trek, who will handle the firstaid kit. Entrance fee to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary and Huascarán National Park.

Not Included: Last night at hotel in Lima, meals in the cities, alcoholic beverages, extras, tips, taxes,
laundry service, additional tours, insurance and airline tickets (where applicable), sleeping bags, hiking
boots and other personal gear.