Machu Picchu Multisport
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From Cusco we raft the fun grade III-IV rapids of the upper Urubamba river, visit Pisac artisan market, descend into the Sacred Valley of the Incas by mountain bike and hike the famous Inca Trail to the lost city of the Incas, Machu Picchu before returning to Cusco for final exploration.
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For those requiring a Lima hotel, airport transfers and internal flight services within Peru, please contact us for best options and availability.
Day 1 - The "Locals' guide to Cusco" tour :
On arrival in Cusco airport please proceed to the baggage hall. At the exit to the building your guide will be waiting for you with a sign at the barrier outside the arrivals gate. They will escort you to the hotel for the night. As in all Peruvian hotels, reception will need to take a copy of your passport when you are checking in. Meet at 1pm to enjoy a tasty lunch. After lunch step out into the Cusco streets and explore with one of our carefully chosen guides. You will have an expert guide at your disposal to show you some of the highlights of this beautiful city. Tell him what you like and he can advise as to the best route for your tour.
You may choose to start with the Plaza de Armas and a visit to its impressive cathedral. Qoricancha temple, once home to life sized statues in solid gold is another very popular option. If time permits, you could visit one of the bustling markets, full of tropical fruits fresh from the Amazon or even head up through the San Blas artisan district to San Cristobal church for a spectacular view over the red tiled rooftops of Cusco. Lunch at a local restaurant is included.
At a convenient time, your guide will arrange a full briefing for the days ahead.
Night at Hotel Ananay Quinta San Blas (Deluxe Room)
Included: transport , English-speaking guide , lunch , entrance fees , room & breakfast next day
Day 1 - The "Locals' guide to Cusco" tour :
On arrival in Cusco airport please proceed to the baggage hall. At the exit to the building your guide will be waiting for you with a sign at the barrier outside the arrivals gate. They will escort you to the hotel for the night. As in all Peruvian hotels, reception will need to take a copy of your passport when you are checking in. Meet at 1pm to enjoy a tasty lunch. After lunch step out into the Cusco streets and explore with one of our carefully chosen guides. You will have an expert guide at your disposal to show you some of the highlights of this beautiful city. Tell him what you like and he can advise as to the best route for your tour.
You may choose to start with the Plaza de Armas and a visit to its impressive cathedral. Qoricancha temple, once home to life sized statues in solid gold is another very popular option. If time permits, you could visit one of the bustling markets, full of tropical fruits fresh from the Amazon or even head up through the San Blas artisan district to San Cristobal church for a spectacular view over the red tiled rooftops of Cusco. Lunch at a local restaurant is included.
At a convenient time, your guide will arrange a full briefing for the days ahead.
Night at Hotel Ananay Quinta San Blas (Deluxe Room)
Included: transport , English-speaking guide , lunch , entrance fees , room & breakfast next day
Day 2 -Raft the rapids to Pisac market :
Today the fun really begins as you challenge the Grade III-IV rapids of the Upper Urubamba river. Our expert guides will give you a thorough safety briefing and the best equipment in the country. Fully prepared you launch from the bank and off down the finest one day section of whitewater in Peru. Whether you are a beginner or expert you are sure to finish with a grin from ear to ear.
Once you have changed into dry clothes you can enjoy a delicious picnic lunch on the banks of the river before the short drive to Pisac. Here you can explore this famous handicraft market with the help of your guide. Perhaps you can try one of the tasty empanadas fresh from the old town oven.
Night at Hotel Royal Inka Pisac (STD room)
Included: Swift Water Rescue trained english speaking guide , , transport , lunch , all white-water & safety equipment , room & breakfast next day
Today the fun really begins as you challenge the Grade III-IV rapids of the Upper Urubamba river. Our expert guides will give you a thorough safety briefing and the best equipment in the country. Fully prepared you launch from the bank and off down the finest one day section of whitewater in Peru. Whether you are a beginner or expert you are sure to finish with a grin from ear to ear.
Once you have changed into dry clothes you can enjoy a delicious picnic lunch on the banks of the river before the short drive to Pisac. Here you can explore this famous handicraft market with the help of your guide. Perhaps you can try one of the tasty empanadas fresh from the old town oven.
Night at Hotel Royal Inka Pisac (STD room)
Included: Swift Water Rescue trained english speaking guide , , transport , lunch , all white-water & safety equipment , room & breakfast next day
Day 3: bike ride in the Sacred Valley :T
his ride is perfect for anyone who enjoys getting out on a bike: its versatility means it can be easily adapted to suit every level and age. It’s an incredibly scenic ride, combining Andean mountain passes, gentle descents and a lovely amble through the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
We begin with a visit to Pisac. At this small town based in the Sacred Valley of the Incas we can stop for a stroll around the lovely plaza and artisan market stalls. Here we unload the bikes, kit up and begin the dirt track ride down into the Andean village of Taray and the start of the alternative Sacred Valley descent. This lovely dirt track undulates between local villages and haciendas, where we can see traditional farming methods still in use against the beautiful backdrop of glaciated mountains and Inca ruins. We stop for a picnic lunch en-route. The support vehicle will be on hand for the final section, allowing us to carry on through the villages of Qoya, Lamay and Calca. If feeling strong we can then continue to Urubamba or even Ollantaytambo itself.
Night at Hotel Pakaritampu (Standard Room)
Included: English-speaking guide , transport , bike, helmet, gloves , equipment , lunch , entrance fees , room & breakfast next day
his ride is perfect for anyone who enjoys getting out on a bike: its versatility means it can be easily adapted to suit every level and age. It’s an incredibly scenic ride, combining Andean mountain passes, gentle descents and a lovely amble through the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
We begin with a visit to Pisac. At this small town based in the Sacred Valley of the Incas we can stop for a stroll around the lovely plaza and artisan market stalls. Here we unload the bikes, kit up and begin the dirt track ride down into the Andean village of Taray and the start of the alternative Sacred Valley descent. This lovely dirt track undulates between local villages and haciendas, where we can see traditional farming methods still in use against the beautiful backdrop of glaciated mountains and Inca ruins. We stop for a picnic lunch en-route. The support vehicle will be on hand for the final section, allowing us to carry on through the villages of Qoya, Lamay and Calca. If feeling strong we can then continue to Urubamba or even Ollantaytambo itself.
Night at Hotel Pakaritampu (Standard Room)
Included: English-speaking guide , transport , bike, helmet, gloves , equipment , lunch , entrance fees , room & breakfast next day
Day 4 - Ollantaytambo and the Inca Trail :
Your five day Inca Trail is carefully tailored to avoid the crowds. By leaving later than everyone else, and allowing an extra day, you spend the whole trail out of sync with other tourists. Thus you will literally have the trail to yourselves.
This morning you visit the old Inca town of Ollantaytambo. After a look around and some lunch you have a short drive to the trailhead at Piscacucho (km 82). Here you meet the porters and cooks that will support your journey to Machu Picchu. With the crowds now long gone, you hike an undulating trail above the Urubamba river to camp beside the spectacular ruins of Llactapata (2,788m/9,146ft). Whilst walking all you need to carry is a daypack. Your luggage is carried by the porters, your tents are put up for you and your food is prepared for you. All you have to do is shoulder your daypack and enjoy the walking.
included: breakfast, lunch, dinner, camping equipment (except sleeping bag),Inca trail permit
Your five day Inca Trail is carefully tailored to avoid the crowds. By leaving later than everyone else, and allowing an extra day, you spend the whole trail out of sync with other tourists. Thus you will literally have the trail to yourselves.
This morning you visit the old Inca town of Ollantaytambo. After a look around and some lunch you have a short drive to the trailhead at Piscacucho (km 82). Here you meet the porters and cooks that will support your journey to Machu Picchu. With the crowds now long gone, you hike an undulating trail above the Urubamba river to camp beside the spectacular ruins of Llactapata (2,788m/9,146ft). Whilst walking all you need to carry is a daypack. Your luggage is carried by the porters, your tents are put up for you and your food is prepared for you. All you have to do is shoulder your daypack and enjoy the walking.
included: breakfast, lunch, dinner, camping equipment (except sleeping bag),Inca trail permit
Day 5 - Inca Trail: Llactapata to Llulluchapampa:
After a hearty breakfast you climb gently up the Cusichaca valley to the small hamlet of Huayllabamba. This is the last inhabited place on the trail. A little steeper now, you head up the beautiful Inca path, past hummingbirds and stunted cloud forest to your camp at Llulluchapampa (3,680m/12,073ft). This beautiful grassy area has outstanding views and you may be even see the Andean deer that come to feed here.
included: breakfast, lunch, dinner,camping equipment (except sleeping bag)
After a hearty breakfast you climb gently up the Cusichaca valley to the small hamlet of Huayllabamba. This is the last inhabited place on the trail. A little steeper now, you head up the beautiful Inca path, past hummingbirds and stunted cloud forest to your camp at Llulluchapampa (3,680m/12,073ft). This beautiful grassy area has outstanding views and you may be even see the Andean deer that come to feed here.
included: breakfast, lunch, dinner,camping equipment (except sleeping bag)
Day 6 - Inca Trail: Llulluchapampa to Phuyupatamarca :
Today is the most challenging day but also the most exhilarating. You climb to Dead Woman’s Pass (4,212m/13,819ft) the high point of the trail before dropping into the Pacasmayo valley. Climbing once more you pass the Inca control post of Runkuracay to the second pass of the day (3,998m/13,117ft). On a clear day there are spectacular views towards Pumahuanca mountain in the Vilcabamba range. You continue on well preserved Inca trail to Sayacmarca. Located at the junction of two old Inca roads, historians still argue over its exact purpose. A few more gentle ups and downs and you arrive to your stunning campsite for the night, Phuyupatamarca, or ‘the place above the clouds’ (3,650m/11,975ft).
included: breakfast, lunch, dinner, camping equipment (except sleeping bag)
Today is the most challenging day but also the most exhilarating. You climb to Dead Woman’s Pass (4,212m/13,819ft) the high point of the trail before dropping into the Pacasmayo valley. Climbing once more you pass the Inca control post of Runkuracay to the second pass of the day (3,998m/13,117ft). On a clear day there are spectacular views towards Pumahuanca mountain in the Vilcabamba range. You continue on well preserved Inca trail to Sayacmarca. Located at the junction of two old Inca roads, historians still argue over its exact purpose. A few more gentle ups and downs and you arrive to your stunning campsite for the night, Phuyupatamarca, or ‘the place above the clouds’ (3,650m/11,975ft).
included: breakfast, lunch, dinner, camping equipment (except sleeping bag)
Day 7 - Inca Trail: Phuyupatamarca to Machu Picchu :
This is the day you finally reach Machu Picchu. As you step out of your tent the views are stunning. Perhaps you will see the sun rising over the snow capped mountains of Salkantay (6,200m/20,341ft) and Veronica (5,800m/19,029ft). Or perhaps you will have a cloud inversion, with the clouds filling the valleys beneath your feet. After saying a fond farewell to your porters it is time to put on your boots and head to Machu Picchu.
You descend through the cloud forest on beautiful Inca stairways, to Winay Wayna, another interesting ruin full of swallows and orchids. Finally you contour the hillside to arrive at Inti Punku, the gateway of the Sun. As you step through the old stone gateway Machu Picchu appears laid out before your eyes. After plenty of photos you carry on past this wonder of the world to catch the bus down to the colourful town of Machu Picchu Pueblo and a well deserved hotel and shower.
Night at hotel Inkaterra El Mapi- includes dinner (Superior Deluxe)
This is the day you finally reach Machu Picchu. As you step out of your tent the views are stunning. Perhaps you will see the sun rising over the snow capped mountains of Salkantay (6,200m/20,341ft) and Veronica (5,800m/19,029ft). Or perhaps you will have a cloud inversion, with the clouds filling the valleys beneath your feet. After saying a fond farewell to your porters it is time to put on your boots and head to Machu Picchu.
You descend through the cloud forest on beautiful Inca stairways, to Winay Wayna, another interesting ruin full of swallows and orchids. Finally you contour the hillside to arrive at Inti Punku, the gateway of the Sun. As you step through the old stone gateway Machu Picchu appears laid out before your eyes. After plenty of photos you carry on past this wonder of the world to catch the bus down to the colourful town of Machu Picchu Pueblo and a well deserved hotel and shower.
Night at hotel Inkaterra El Mapi- includes dinner (Superior Deluxe)
Day 8 - Machu Picchu tour and return to Cusco :
Relaxed after a comfortable night, you head back up to Machu Picchu for your full guided tour before the crowds arrive. There is time afterwards to hike to the Inca Bridge, Watchman’s hut or else just wander through the ruins soaking up the atmosphere. In the afternoon you descend to the waiting train to enjoy one of the great train journeys of the world back towards Cusco
Night at Hotel Ananay Quinta San Blas (Deluxe Room)
Included: English-speaking guide , entrance fees , bus ticket , lunch , train ticket , transport
Relaxed after a comfortable night, you head back up to Machu Picchu for your full guided tour before the crowds arrive. There is time afterwards to hike to the Inca Bridge, Watchman’s hut or else just wander through the ruins soaking up the atmosphere. In the afternoon you descend to the waiting train to enjoy one of the great train journeys of the world back towards Cusco
Night at Hotel Ananay Quinta San Blas (Deluxe Room)
Included: English-speaking guide , entrance fees , bus ticket , lunch , train ticket , transport
Day 9 - Free day in Cusco then onward travel :
Back once more in the old Inca capital you have time to enjoy all that this city has to offer. Museums, chocolate making classes, souvenir hunting or even just sitting in one of the many cafes and watching the world go by. The new late flights out of Cusco allow you to really maximise your time and get the most out of this holiday of a lifetime.
included:breakfast,transfer
Back once more in the old Inca capital you have time to enjoy all that this city has to offer. Museums, chocolate making classes, souvenir hunting or even just sitting in one of the many cafes and watching the world go by. The new late flights out of Cusco allow you to really maximise your time and get the most out of this holiday of a lifetime.
included:breakfast,transfer
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2022 Private Departure Rates per person, double occupancy in US$ : for 1 person: $6012 for 2 persons: $3843 per person for 3 persons: $3119 per person for 4 persons: $2779 per person single supplement: $425 Can use other hotels to change price. Included: All airport transfers and transport in private vehicles. State-of-the-art rafting equipment including self-bailing rafts, Hi-flotation life-jackets, helmets, wet suits, wet suit boots, spray jackets, dry bags for personal gear and special containers for cameras. Professional English and Spanish speaking river guides, trained in Wilderness first-aid, swift-water rescue and C.P.R. Full safety cover at all times. Extensive first-aid kit including Oxygen. Full-suspension Mountain-bikes, gloves and helmets. Entrances & guided tour of Cusco Inca sites, Maras saltpans, Inca trail, Machu Picchu and hotels. All meals as indicated in the itinerary.
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On the Inca Trail: A registered, English-speaking Inca Trail guide, all porters, cook team, camping and cooking equipment including dining tent, toilet tent, therm-a-rests and spacious two person tents. Extensive First-aid kit & oxygen. A guided tour inMachu Picchu. Entrances to the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu. The porters’ correct wages, Inca Trail entrances, train and insurance. A bus transfers between the ruins, a hotel in Aguas Calientes. Transport from Machu Picchu to your hotel in Cusco will be the Skydome / Vistadome train service and bus transfer.
NOT INCLUDED: National or International flights, personal belongings, sleeping bag (available for rent $10 a night), cycling shorts, mountain bike toe-clips, airport taxes (if applicable), entrances to Pisac or Ollantaytambo ruins, Huayna Picchu (approximately $65 for those doing the Inca trail or $15 if doing Lares trek) & Machu Picchu mountain (approximately $60 for those doing the Inca trail or $10 if doing the Lares trek), travel insurance, personal expenses and tips.
1. To confirm a booking, first check availability
2. Make a deposit (or whole amount if less than eight weeks prior to trip departure), usually $200 per person or 20% of total booking
3.Clients must have suitable travel insurance to cover the type of adventure holiday they have booked on. This includes expenses incurred due to changes to itinerary out of operator’s control.
4. booking info required:
a. Full Name(s), age, date of birth, occupation.
b. Passport details, including nationality.
c. Any health problems or dietary requirements.
d.Airline, flight no. date and time of client arrival and departure.
*Without this essential information we are unable to confirm your trip especially transfers, internal flights, trains and Inca Trail Permits.
If Inca Trail permits are sold out, alternative day hikes in the Lares or Sacred Valley are offered. With Lares Trek the itinerary would be like:
Day 4- Lares trek (camping)
A scenic two hour drive through the Sacred Valley of the Incas takes you to the start of your trek, at the small village of Totora. You follow an ancient Inca trail into a narrow canyon, where Inca tombs perch in the cliffs. Emerging from the canyon you pass through tiny rural communities before arriving to a delicious picnic lunch. Your bus then takes you to the small and very traditional community of Quishuarani, your camp for the night (3700m/12,140ft).
Day 5- Lares trek (camping)
This is a stunning days hiking. You leave camp behind and climb past colourfully dressed locals, and up towards the native forests that Amazonas Explorer has been heavily involved in re-planting. These forests harbour Andean deer, vizcachas and several rare species of birds and are essential to the future of this area. A further push and you reach the stunning views from your highest pass of the trek, the Huchayccasa pass (4450 m/14600 ft). A chain of emerald blue lakes fills the hillside below you, and in the distance rise the snow clad Urubamba mountains. Descending through hand turned potato fields you come to the ancient community of Cuncani at (3800m/12,4600 ft).
Fuelled by a hearty lunch you carry on along the valley floor to reach the once notorious village of Huacahuasi. Once home to bandits and cattle rustlers it is now a peaceful place to spend the night. You are sure to be visited by local women selling the hand woven textiles for which the area is famous and entertained by the cheery local children who accompany you as you walk.
Day 6- Lares trek ( hotel in Ollantaytambo)
Another great day awaits you. After a hearty breakfast you begin to climb gently towards your final pass. This is a day filled with encounters with locals. Strong legged men head off to work in the potato fields, wooden ploughs slung over their shoulder. Rough handed women sit, legs outstretched weaving their traditional clothes on wooden looms. And small children sit motionless guarding herds of alpaca and llama, their ever faithful dog by their side.
From your camp you begin towards the final pass. Lying at 4,200m/13,780ft the Ipsaycocha pass marks the border between Lares and the Patacancha Valley. You start gently and then climb one final steep section to gain the summit. If you are lucky, you will have spectacular views of Mount Veronica. You take lunch by the beautiful Ipsay lake then follow an ancient trail to the Patacancha Valley and the village of Patacancha where the trek ends. Our waiting vehicle takes us onto our hotel for the night.Day 7- km104 Inca Trail ( hotel in Machu Picchu town)
You start the day with an early transfer to catch the train towards Machu Picchu. Jumping off at km104 you pass through the control point and begin your Inca Trail trek. First you visit the recently restored ruins of Chachabamba before gradually ascending through tropical cloud forest up towards the the base of Wiñay Wayna. Here you climb more steeply on old Inca stairways through these beautiful terraces, stopping to explore the various buildings and water features.
Here we can enjoy our packed lunch, with a great view. You then continue on perhaps the loveliest part of the whole Inca Trail.
Lush vegetation flanks you on either side, the scent of wild orchids fills the air, and all around you brightly coloured tropical songbirds fill your ears with song. Soon you will reach a final set of stairs to arrive at Inti Punku, the gateway of the Sun. As you step through the old stone gate-way, Machu Picchu appears laid out before your eyes. After plenty of photos you carry on past this wonder of the world to catch the bus down to the lively town of Machu Picchu Pueblo and a well-deserved hotel and shower.
Total hiking distance: 11 km
While walking all you need is your daypack as your over-night luggage will be transferred to your hotel in Machu Picchu town to await your arrival.
Day 8- Explore Machu Picchu (hotel in Cusco)
Today you explore the pinnacle of Inca engineering - Machu Picchu. For years it was lost to the jungle. Rediscovered in 1911 by the Yale professor Hiram Bingham, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, Machu Picchu exceeds all expectations. This astounding site lies in an even more astonishing location. Perched high on an inaccessible hilltop it is protected by huge cliffs and the raging Urubamba river. Things are slightly easier now than in the time of the Incas and so you start your day with a twenty minute bus ride up to the site.
You will arrive early, allowing you to explore the ruins in the company of your guide, before they get too busy. The guided tour takes around two hours leaving you a few hours free to wander amongst the old Inca walls and just sit and take in the scale of the place on your own. For those who want to walk a bit more, you could take the hour long trail up to the Sun Gate, or a shorter trail to visit the Inca Bridge which once spanned a sheer cliff face. Eventually the time comes to catch the bus down to Machu Picchu Pueblo and board your train back along the Urubamba River. The scenery is beautiful and the train jolts softly along, allowing you to sit, stare out the window and reflect on a wonderful week.
Day 9- Free day in Cusco then onward travel
Back once more in the old Inca capital you have time to enjoy all that this city has to offer. Coffee museums, cooking classes, chocolate making, souvenir hunting or even just sitting in one of the many cafes and watching the world go by. The new late flights out of Cusco allow you to really maximise your time and get the most out of this holiday of a lifetime.
2. Make a deposit (or whole amount if less than eight weeks prior to trip departure), usually $200 per person or 20% of total booking
3.Clients must have suitable travel insurance to cover the type of adventure holiday they have booked on. This includes expenses incurred due to changes to itinerary out of operator’s control.
4. booking info required:
a. Full Name(s), age, date of birth, occupation.
b. Passport details, including nationality.
c. Any health problems or dietary requirements.
d.Airline, flight no. date and time of client arrival and departure.
*Without this essential information we are unable to confirm your trip especially transfers, internal flights, trains and Inca Trail Permits.
If Inca Trail permits are sold out, alternative day hikes in the Lares or Sacred Valley are offered. With Lares Trek the itinerary would be like:
Day 4- Lares trek (camping)
A scenic two hour drive through the Sacred Valley of the Incas takes you to the start of your trek, at the small village of Totora. You follow an ancient Inca trail into a narrow canyon, where Inca tombs perch in the cliffs. Emerging from the canyon you pass through tiny rural communities before arriving to a delicious picnic lunch. Your bus then takes you to the small and very traditional community of Quishuarani, your camp for the night (3700m/12,140ft).
Day 5- Lares trek (camping)
This is a stunning days hiking. You leave camp behind and climb past colourfully dressed locals, and up towards the native forests that Amazonas Explorer has been heavily involved in re-planting. These forests harbour Andean deer, vizcachas and several rare species of birds and are essential to the future of this area. A further push and you reach the stunning views from your highest pass of the trek, the Huchayccasa pass (4450 m/14600 ft). A chain of emerald blue lakes fills the hillside below you, and in the distance rise the snow clad Urubamba mountains. Descending through hand turned potato fields you come to the ancient community of Cuncani at (3800m/12,4600 ft).
Fuelled by a hearty lunch you carry on along the valley floor to reach the once notorious village of Huacahuasi. Once home to bandits and cattle rustlers it is now a peaceful place to spend the night. You are sure to be visited by local women selling the hand woven textiles for which the area is famous and entertained by the cheery local children who accompany you as you walk.
Day 6- Lares trek ( hotel in Ollantaytambo)
Another great day awaits you. After a hearty breakfast you begin to climb gently towards your final pass. This is a day filled with encounters with locals. Strong legged men head off to work in the potato fields, wooden ploughs slung over their shoulder. Rough handed women sit, legs outstretched weaving their traditional clothes on wooden looms. And small children sit motionless guarding herds of alpaca and llama, their ever faithful dog by their side.
From your camp you begin towards the final pass. Lying at 4,200m/13,780ft the Ipsaycocha pass marks the border between Lares and the Patacancha Valley. You start gently and then climb one final steep section to gain the summit. If you are lucky, you will have spectacular views of Mount Veronica. You take lunch by the beautiful Ipsay lake then follow an ancient trail to the Patacancha Valley and the village of Patacancha where the trek ends. Our waiting vehicle takes us onto our hotel for the night.Day 7- km104 Inca Trail ( hotel in Machu Picchu town)
You start the day with an early transfer to catch the train towards Machu Picchu. Jumping off at km104 you pass through the control point and begin your Inca Trail trek. First you visit the recently restored ruins of Chachabamba before gradually ascending through tropical cloud forest up towards the the base of Wiñay Wayna. Here you climb more steeply on old Inca stairways through these beautiful terraces, stopping to explore the various buildings and water features.
Here we can enjoy our packed lunch, with a great view. You then continue on perhaps the loveliest part of the whole Inca Trail.
Lush vegetation flanks you on either side, the scent of wild orchids fills the air, and all around you brightly coloured tropical songbirds fill your ears with song. Soon you will reach a final set of stairs to arrive at Inti Punku, the gateway of the Sun. As you step through the old stone gate-way, Machu Picchu appears laid out before your eyes. After plenty of photos you carry on past this wonder of the world to catch the bus down to the lively town of Machu Picchu Pueblo and a well-deserved hotel and shower.
Total hiking distance: 11 km
While walking all you need is your daypack as your over-night luggage will be transferred to your hotel in Machu Picchu town to await your arrival.
Day 8- Explore Machu Picchu (hotel in Cusco)
Today you explore the pinnacle of Inca engineering - Machu Picchu. For years it was lost to the jungle. Rediscovered in 1911 by the Yale professor Hiram Bingham, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, Machu Picchu exceeds all expectations. This astounding site lies in an even more astonishing location. Perched high on an inaccessible hilltop it is protected by huge cliffs and the raging Urubamba river. Things are slightly easier now than in the time of the Incas and so you start your day with a twenty minute bus ride up to the site.
You will arrive early, allowing you to explore the ruins in the company of your guide, before they get too busy. The guided tour takes around two hours leaving you a few hours free to wander amongst the old Inca walls and just sit and take in the scale of the place on your own. For those who want to walk a bit more, you could take the hour long trail up to the Sun Gate, or a shorter trail to visit the Inca Bridge which once spanned a sheer cliff face. Eventually the time comes to catch the bus down to Machu Picchu Pueblo and board your train back along the Urubamba River. The scenery is beautiful and the train jolts softly along, allowing you to sit, stare out the window and reflect on a wonderful week.
Day 9- Free day in Cusco then onward travel
Back once more in the old Inca capital you have time to enjoy all that this city has to offer. Coffee museums, cooking classes, chocolate making, souvenir hunting or even just sitting in one of the many cafes and watching the world go by. The new late flights out of Cusco allow you to really maximise your time and get the most out of this holiday of a lifetime.
