Amazon Adventures

Peru

A Journey With the Last Incas

(5 days / 4 nights)

This walk is a unique experience. We will visit isolated villages where life has not changed since Inca times among communities dedicated to growing their crops and herding Andean animals like llamas and alpacas, which are used as pack animals and food respectively. Unlike many other people in the region, these villagers conserve their traditional weaving techniques, making their traditional clothing from sheep, alpaca and llama wool. This unforgettable journey ends in the fertile Lares valley among subtropical vegetation where we may bathe in natural thermal pools. On this trek we will use llamas as pack animals.

Day 1 - Cusco/Ollantaytambo/Patacancha - Leaving our hotel we will head north through the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo where we will visit the village and ruins in the company of our guide. We will then continue by bus for about one hour to the village of Patacancha (3806m), a charming little community of small houses built from mud brick and thatch. This is where our trek really begins. We will walk for approximately four hours, arriving at the village of Palca (4173m), where we will camp.

Day 2- Palca / Qelcanca - Leaving in the early morning we will make a brief ascent to the next pass at 4392 metres before descending to the valley of Qelcanca, a rural community which lives from the herding of llamas and alpacas. The village school teaches its children in their native Quechua, and the people here are friendly and welcoming. We will camp close to the village at 3844 metres, with a fine view of the imposing Terijuay mountain (5800m).

Day 3- Quelcanca / Cochayoc / Cachin - In the morning we will climb to the beautiful Yurac Cocha lagoon which is formed by the meltwaters of Terijuay. From there we head downhill, enjoying the surrounding countryside, until we reach another lagoon called Yano Cocha close to the village of Cochayoc, a place famous for its textile tradition. We will continue to Cachin at 3726 metres, where we will make our camp.

Day 4- Cachin / Lares - In the morning we will visit Cachin, whose inhabitants are famous for their weavings. These people's houses are built in the traditional Inca style. Around midday we will descend towards the Lares valley and its warm, agreeable climate, as far as the village of Lares. At an altitude of 3207 metres, this is a typical colonial village with a church, a main plaza and narrow streets. Return to Urubamba by car. The highest point of this road stands at 4265 meters, and from there we will be able to see the mountains of Sawasiray and Pitusiray before descending into the valley.

Day 5- Urubamba / Machu Picchu / Cusco - We will get up early to take the train to visit this most famous of lost cities, which was rediscovered in 1911. This citadel, standing at the top of a steep, forested hill overlooking the Urubamba River, was hidden by dense vegetation for centuries until Hiram Bingham began to clear the site. Today the city has been completely restored and even if it has lost some of its mystery it
still remains an unforgettable sight. Our tour includes a visit to the temples, plazas, palaces, watercourses and residential areas and will also leave you time to explore the ruins on your own.In the afternoon we return to Cusco by train, where you will be transferred to your hotel.

2007 Price: US$956 each for 2, $782 each for 3, $664 each for 4. Single tent, if requested, is US$60.

Dates: any day with minimum of 2 people

Included: Transfers. Meals as described in the program. Guide. Trekking services, including: camp cook, mule drivers and camp assistant(s). All group camping equipment, double tents and thermarest, kitchen and/or dining tent, and toilet tent. First-aid kit.

Not Included:Personal expenses: clothing and sleeping bag.