Inca Trail and Beyond

An extended trek through the Sun Gate to Machu Picchu ~ Ample time for acclimatisation ~ Crossing the Ancascocha Pass ~ Early morning at the Inca Citadel ~ Historical Cusco

The Inca Trail is recognised to be one of the worlds greatest treks. Traversing the foothills of Perus Cordillera Vilcabamba, provides an unforgettably dramatic trek to the fabulous Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. Crossing three high passes, the established trek follows sections of stone pathway created by the Incas of South America four centuries ago and provides tremendous views of spectacular forested valleys and of the snow-capped peaks of the Vilcabamba. In order to make the most of the trekking which this beautiful part of the Andes has to offer, we have chosen to extend this trek by three days, starting out in the rarely-visited Silque Valley to the east of the main Inca Trail and climbing to cross the Ancascocha Pass.

This extension to the Inca trek takes us through a lovely and unspoiled area, with several Quechua Indian villages and also provides us with stunning mountain views, as we pass between the peaks of Huayanay and Salkantay Este Andes. However, there is much more to this holiday in Peru than trekking. Our visit to Peru begins with a short and exciting flight from the capital city of Lima to Cusco, high in the Andes. We then have 2 days for exploration of this charming and cosmopolitan city, which is famous for its wealth of Inca stonework, as well as for its extravagant Spanish Colonial architecture. We have also included a day for sightseeing amongst the Inca ruins in the Valley of the Incas, before setting off on trek. Of course, for many people the highlight of this trip will be Machu Picchu itself, which is unquestionably the most important archaeological site in Latin America and probably the most spectacular. We have scheduled a full day of sightseeing at Machu Picchu, with a guided tour and also time for independent exploration. In conclusion, this short adventure holiday offers an almost unbelievable variety of experiences - from snow-capped Andean peaks, blue glacial lakes, cloud forest, orchids and hummingbirds to magnificent Inca remains and fascinating South American cities.

Trip guide: This classic adventure holiday offers a variety of trekking conditions. Most of the walking is on well-defined tracks, including some sections of ancient Inca highways, which are paved with stone in places. There are occasional river crossings and some steeper sections of trail on the first two days of the trek. There are a couple of quite tough days - but overall the trekking is straightforward and not sustained or committing. We have allowed three nights at an altitude of a little over 3000 metres before we start trekking and this should provide adequate acclimatisation for the group.

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Itinerary / Highlights

Day 1. Arrive Lima. Transfer to group hotel.

Day 2. Early morning internal flight from Lima to Cusco (3200m.). Transfer to our centrally located hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax and acclimatise. Overnight.

Day 3. A further acclimatization day in Cusco. During the morning we make a walking tour of the city and visit the impressive fortress of Sacsayhuaman. Afternoon free. Hotel.

Day 4. We drive from Cusco to Urubamba in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. En route we'll walk from Maras through the spectacular salt mines of Moray. Overnight at hotel in Yucay.

Day 5. Short transfer to Ollantaytambo where we begin our trek, along the Silque Valley, through potato and quinua farms. Our first campsite is at Hatunrumiyoc (c.3000m.).

Day 6. Trek to the head of the valley, with great views of peak Veronica (5700m.) to reach the lake and village of Ancascocha (4000m.) where we set up our overnight camp.

Day 7. Above the village, we turn towards the southwest and continue our ascent, crossing the Ancasocha Pass at 4625m. We descend to 3810m and make camp at Muyu Muyu.

Day 8. Trek down to Paucarcancha (3048m) where we have a typical BBQ Peruvian style. Camp.

Day 9. Today we join the Inca Trail and continue uphill to Llulluchapampa (3810m). Camp.

Day 10. We cross the Warmihuañusca Pass (4175m.) and on down to lunch at Pacaymayo, Continue to our last campsite at Phuyupatamarca (3600m.).

Day 11. After lunch at the beautiful settlement of Winay Huayna today we trek on to the Sun Gate and Machu Picchu. Transfer by bus to Aguas Calientes (2040m.). Hotel.

Day 12. We've virtually a whole day to explore Machu Picchu - the Inca Bridge and the Temple of the Moon. We then take the train to Ollantaytambo and drive to our hotel in Cusco.

Day 13. A free-day in Cusco - ideal for last minute shopping and sightseeing. Overnight in group hotel.

Day 14. Early flight from Cusco to Lima. We have a whole day free to explore the Peruvian capital and access to hotel dayrooms before our evening flight back home.

Other Details

Accommodation Details

7 nights hotels and lodges, 6 nights camping