Inca Trail Trek

Unique Inca Trail trekking tour

Cusco and the Sacred Valley
The ancient Inca capital of Cusco is the starting point for our Andean Adventure. A fascinating fusion of Inca and Spanish building styles, combined with the colourful local sights and sounds, means there's plenty to be explored. From here we head to the Sacred Valley via Pisac, famous for its bustling market, to Ollantaytambo where there's time to try white water rafting on the Urubamba River.

Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu
Threading our way through the Cordillera de los Andes, we should enjoy marvellous views of the ancient cloud forest and glaciated peak of Salkantay (6271m) - the 'Maker of Awesome Skies'. We'll camp near crumbling Inca sites where the only access is on foot. Finally, we descend the winding stone steps to Machu Picchu itself: straddling two peaks of the Andes, the terraces, residences and temples perfectly preserve the ancient world of the Incas. After exploring this unique site, we board the train back to Cusco.

Explore the Amazon with a 3-night extension...
It is possible to extend your stay in Peru with a 3-night sojourn in a jungle lodge deep in Amazonia. Flying to Puerto Maldonado, you can explore the Amazon jungle by dugout canoe and also on foot for close-up views of exotic tropical flora. There's plenty of time to relax and soak up the atmosphere. Ref: PQA

The Inca Trail is a moderate to strenuous trek (average 5-6hrs a day) for the physically fit. Maximum altitude 4200m.

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Itinerary / Highlights

Trip Highlights
Cusco - An opportunity to explore the ancient capital of the Incas.
Sacred Valley - Plsac and Ollantaytambo – magnificent ruins and Indian markets.
The Inca Trail - 4-day hiking through the Andes and past ancient Inca sites.
Machu Picchu - A guided visit of the fabulous lost city of legend.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Join tour Cusco; PM free
Our journey begins in Cusco, the old heart of the Inca Empire and the archaeological capital of the Americas. The oldest continuously inhabited city on the continent, Cusco is imbued with an atmosphere of mystery and grandeur. The Spanish-style city of today, with its attractive pink tiled roofs, arcaded plazas and steep winding alleyways, stands upon tremendous Inca foundation stones, its links with the Inca Empire everywhere to be seen, from the stone walls that line the city streets, to the museums filled with artefacts and relics of a long dead people. After a chance to freshen up and meet with your tour leader the rest of the afternoon is free to explore at your leisure, perhaps taking in something of the grandeur of the city’s more recent colonial past amongst the churches and galleries of the Plaza de Armas, or perhaps venturing into the ancient Inca heart and visiting the incredible remains of Qoricancha.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)

Day 2: Transfer to the Sacred Valley and visit Pisac and Ollantaytambo
Today we leave the old Inca capital and head instead for the stunningly beautiful setting of the Sacred Valley, whose rich alluvial plains were so well exploited by the ancient tribes. We’ll travel via the market town of Pisac, strategically located at the head of the Urubamba Valley and then down into the valley to Ollantaytambo. The rest of the afternoon is then free to explore something this sleepy town, perhaps paying a visit to the formidable ruins of its once great fortress, site of one of the very few Spanish defeats during the conquest (optional). It was from behind the imposing walls of this impregnable stronghold that Manco Inca held out against the forces of Hernando Pizarro in 1536, forcing the Spanish to retreat back to Cusco. The town itself also presents a charming setting for an afternoon of quiet wandering, the spectacular ruins and Inca terraces presenting a stunning backdrop to a genteel exploration of its monuments and markets. For the more adventurous there may be an opportunity to experience some exhilarating white-water rafting on the Urubamba River – no previous experience is necessary and all safety equipment is provided.(optional)

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast

Day 3: Trek to Huayllabamba via Llactapata
Leaving early this morning we drive to the trailhead at KM 82, where we begin our trek from Piscacucho, following the meandering course of the Rio Urubamba as it flows northeast towards the ruins of Llactapata. Once part of an agricultural settlement that supplied the Inca communities along the trail, we’ll pass by the extensive terraces at Llactapata to find ourselves a spot to enjoy lunch amongst the spectacular landscapes. From here we continue into a side valley and begin a steady and relatively easy climb up towards our final destination for the day, the village of Huayllabamba, where we make our first night’s camp. Approx walking: 5 hrs

Overnight Wild Camp (C) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Trek to Pacaymayo via Llulluchapampa and the Warmihuanusqa Pass (4215m)
Breaking camp this morning we continue climbing, taking a steady ascent through lush cloud forest towards the open spaces of Llulluchapampa, an expanse of wide meadowland that presents us with some stunning views back down the valley. From here we have another gruelling hike up towards the Warmihuanusqa Pass (4215m), or to give it its English title ‘Dead Woman Pass’! The climb will take us most of the morning, but the sense of achievement once you reach the summit is exhilarating. From here we begin a steep descent down into the Pacamayo Valley and our second camp, lying some 600 metres below us. Approx walking: 7 hrs

Overnight Wild Camp (C) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Trek to Winaywayna via the Runkuracay Pass and Sayacmarca
Today’s trekking presents us with our most diverse day, starting with an ascent towards the Runkuracay Pass via the ruins of an old Inca tambo (post house). From here we continue along an Inca staircase up to the Runkuracay Pass (3900m), which affords us some breathtaking views of Pumasillo and across the Vilcabamba range. Then we begin a 2-hour descent down to the haunting ruins of Sayacmarca, overlooking the beautiful Aobamba Valley. Stopping to explore the site, we then continue along an old Inca stone path that takes us through an old Inca tunnel and alongside the lush landscapes of semitropical cloud forest as we make our way towards our third pass, that of Phuyupatamarca (cloud-level town) lying some 3800m above sea level. This is probably the most spectacular stage of our journey today and, weather permitting, we will enjoy the staggering sight of the entire Vilcabamba range laid out before us in all their immense glory. As we begin our descent we pass by the ruins of the old town, quite possibly the most beautiful of all we pass along the trail, and follow a white granite stairway - an impressive 1000 metre descent to the magnificent ruins of Winaywayna, a small Inca city which, like Machu Picchu, was abandoned for unknown reasons generations ago. This stunning setting is the site of our final camp. Approx walking: 7 hrs.

Overnight Bush Camping (C) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Trek to Machu Picchu. Full day at site, then bus and train to Cusco
Starting early again this morning we continue hiking through cloud forest, passing through a rich forest of towering trees and giant ferns as we make our way towards the Inca staircase that leads up to the famous Intipunku (Sun Gate), from where we should get our first breathtaking views of Machu Picchu. The rest of the morning is spent amongst these magnificent ruins, probably one of the most astounding feat of engineering in all of ancient America. Temples, stairways, palaces and gabled stone dwellings are scattered everywhere, testifying to the energy and ingenuity of the builders. Not without reason is this site probably the most revered tourist attraction in Latin America. Its location alone is dramatic in the extreme, teetering on the saddle of a high mountain peak that towers above the valley below, its backdrop a blanket of forested mountains. Built in the mid 15th century by Pachacuti, the city was rediscovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham.Thought to have been a major agricultural centre for the Incan empire, the city’s very inaccessibility seems to have saved it from the looters of the intervening years, resulting in the remarkably preserved ruins that we see today. We will enjoy a guided visit of the site, taking in the major highlights of this vast complex, before descending by bus to the small town of Aquas Calientes, from where we return to Cusco by train. Approx walking: 3 hrs

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7: Tour ends Cusco
Passengers on the group flight to London will fly to Lima where there is the included "Lima Detour" - an alternative and unique city tour which will let you see the contrasts of the city, colourful markets and El Olivar (a 400 yr old olive forest) - before flying back to the UK.

Other Details

Accommodation Details

3 nights Standard Hotel (H+)
2 nights Wild Camp (C)
1 night Bush Camping (C)

Departure Dates, Options & Prices

Sun 11 Sep - Sat 17 Sep 2011 -1360 GBP
Sun 25 Sep - Sat 01 Oct 2011 - 1360 GBP
Sun 09 Oct - Sat 15 Oct 2011 - 1360 GBP
Sun 23 Oct - Sat 29 Oct 2011 - 1360 GBP
Sun 01 Apr - Sat 07 Apr 2012 -1380 GBP
Sun 08 Apr - Sat 14 Apr 2012 - 1380 GBP
Sun 22 Apr - Sat 28 Apr 2012 - 1380 GBP
Sun 06 May - Sat 12 May 2012 - 1380 GBP
Sun 03 Jun - Sat 09 Jun 2012 - 1380 GBP

0844 499 0901