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Land of the
Incas:
Lima/Cusco/Inca
trail
Classic/Cusco/Lima
Duration: 09
Days / 08 Nights
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Day 01:
Arrival - Lima.
Upon arrival, we
will be met at
Lima’s
international
airport and
transferred to
selected hotel.
Overnight at
selected hotel.
Day 02 - Lima
- Cusco
After an early
breakfast,
transfer to the
airport to take
the flight to
Cusco. Arrival
at Cusco
airport,
reception and
transfer to
selected hotel.
After lunch on
your own, we’ll
enjoy a guided
tour of the
nearby Inca
ruins including
Kenko, the
ceremonial bath
of Tambomachay
and the amazing
Sacsayhuaman, a
huge fortress of
massive stones.
We will also
take a tour of
the city
including the
Koricancha,
temple of the
Sun, a nice
example of the
Inca
architecture,
The 12-angled
stone, the Main
Plaza, the
Cathedral and
much more.
Return to your
hotel later in
the day. Return
to your hotel
later in the
day. (B)
Day 03 -
Cusco . Sacred
Valley of the
Incas.
Full day tour,
including visits
to the colorful
Pisac Indian
Market and the
Ollantaytambo
Fortress. At an
elevation of
8,500 feet, the
Urubamba Valley,
or Sacred Valley
of the Incas, is
the historic
heart of the
Inca Empire. It
was intensively
cultivated with
terraces
increasing its
harvest several
fold. Small
villages lined
the valley
floor, while the
stone fortresses
of Ollantaytambo
and Pisac served
the dual purpose
of providing
protection and
serving as
religious
centers. Without
the benefit of
the wheel, the
Incas built
massive stone
cities and ruled
an empire
stretching 3,300
miles over some
of the harshest
terrain on
earth. Without
the use of
mortar, the Inca
constructed
their cities,
suspension
bridges, and
aqueduct
systems, with an
engineering
expertise that
has survived
five hundred
years of natural
disasters,
conquest, and
modern
development.
Overnight at
selected Sacred
Valley hotel.
PLEASE NOTE THE
MARKET ONLY
TAKES PLACES ON
TUESDAYS,
THURSDAYS AND
SUNDAYS. (B, L).
Day 04 -
Sacred Valley of
the Incas -
Piskakucho (Km.
82) –
Huayllabamba
A spectacular
early morning
drive through
the Sacred
Valley of the
Incas takes us
to our trailhead
at Km. 82 of the
Machu Picchu
railroad. After
getting
acquainted with
our trail crew
we set out,
crossing a
footbridge to
hike a gentle
two hours down
the Urubamba
canyon, and then
visit imposing
sculpted Inca
farming terraces
and the
settlement of
Llaqtapata on
the banks of the
Cusichaca side
river. We then
climb a short
way up the
Cusichaca valley
to Huayllabamba,
the last
inhabited
village on the
trail, where we
camp.
Day 05 -
Huayllabamba -
Pacaymayo
We climb the
steep-sided past
a rushing stream
and through
enchanted native
polylepis
woodland.
Crossing the rim
of a small
plateau, we
abruptly find
ourselves in the
puna, the
treeless
grasslands of
the high Andes.
The trail
traverses an
open slope
opposite mighty
mountain crags
as we ascend to
the first and
highest pass,
Warmiwañusca
(4,200m/13,776ft).
Here we
encounter
spectacular
views of the
trail ahead to
the second pass,
and look back to
the sweeping
snowpeak and
valleys of the
Huayanay massif.
The trail to the
floor of the
forested
Pacaymayo
valley, where we
make camp.
Day 06 -
Pacaymayo -
Wiñay Wayna
We pick up an
Inca stairway
and ascend again
past the small
Inca site of
Runkuracay. As
we reach the
second pass, the
landscape opens
onto spectacular
new views to the
snowpeaks of the
Pumasillo range.
We descend to
the ruins of
Sayacmarca
(Inaccessible
Town), an
intricate
labyrinth of
houses, plazas
and water
channels,
perched
precariously on
a rocky spur
overlooking the
Aobamba valley.
The Inca trail,
now a massive
buttressed
structure of
granite paving
stones,
continues along
the steep upper
fringes of the
cloud forest
through a
colorful riot of
orchids,
bromeliads,
mosses and
ferns. At the
third pass
pinnacles topped
with Inca
viewing
platforms
overlook the
archaeological
complex of
Phuyupatamarca
(Cloud-level
Town).
Pausing to
explore the
wondrous maze of
Inca stone
towers,
fountains and
stairways that
spillins down
the mountainside
here, we begin a
long descent
through
ever-changing
layers of cloud
forest. An Inca
stairway partly
cut from living
granite leads us
finally to our
camp by the
ruins of Wiñay
Wayna (Forever
Young), the
largest and most
exquisite of the
Inca Trail
sites.
Day 07 -
Winay Wayna -
Machu Picchu -
Cusco
An early morning
hike take us
across a steep
mountainside
through lush,
humid
cloud-forest of
giant ferns and
broad-leaf
vegetation.
Suddenly we
cross the stone
threshold of
Intipunku (Sun
Gate) and
encounter an
unforgettable
sweep of natural
beauty and human
artistry –a
backdrop of
twisting gorge
and forested
peaks framing
the magical city
of Machu Picchu.
After lunch,
we’ll descend by
bus around 3:00
p.m. to catch
the train to
Cusco and then
bus transfer to
selected Hotel.
Day 8 - Cusco
- Lima
Morning transfer
to the airport
for your flight
to Lima. Upon
arrival, you
will be met at
Lima’s
international
airport and
transferred to
your selected
hotel.
Afternoon tour
of the City
including the
main sites at
Colonial and
modern areas.
Day 9 - Lima
- Home
Morning transfer
to the airport
for your
international
flight.
Legend
(B) = Breakfast,
(L) = Lunch
What's
Included
•Airport
transfers
•Guided
Sightseeing as
detailed in the
itinerary
•Ground
transportation
(bus and train)
•Two lunches
(Sacred Valley
and Machu
Picchu)
•Accommodation
at selected
hotels with
breakfast.
•Porters
•Predeparture
information
meeting and
valuable Inca
Trail map,
•Overnight in
new The North
face tents
including
comfortable
sleeping pads,
•A duffle bag to
store your
luggage during
the trek (please
return upon your
arrival in
Cusco).
•Meals according
to the itinerary
and a last lunch
in a restaurant
before returning
to Cusco,
•Bottled water
to refill your
canteen during
the trail
•The
accompanying
staff includes
bilingual guide
on the trek and
in Machu Picchu
equipped with a
first aid kit,
an oxygen tank,
and excellent
cartographies,
porters, kitchen
crew and
commissary gear.
What’s Not
Meals not noted
in itinerary,
optional tipping
to guides and
local staff;
airport taxes;
and items of a
personal nature
(sodas,
alcoholic
beverages,
laundry,
telephone calls,
etc.)
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