ACTIVITY ITINERARY AND DESCRIPTION:
Day 1: ARRIVAL IN CUSCO
Today, you will arrive in Cusco and begin this incredible five day journey. We will be waiting at the Cusco airport with a sign to welcome you! We will then transport you to your hotel and give you all the information about the city of Cusco and your itinerary for the upcoming days.
Hotel in Cusco
Day 2: CUSCO CITY – INCA RUINS
We will meet you in your hotel lobby at 1:00 pm to begin this tour. Our first stop will be Cusco’s Plaza de Armas where we will visit the famous cathedral. After touring this sacred church you will continue on foot with your group through the ancient Inca streets from the Plaza de Armas to Qoricancha, the Temple of the Sun. In Qoricancha you will see the clash between Inca culture and Catholicism, and you will have the opportunity to see firsthand the difference in building methods between the 2 eras. Take time to appreciate the incredible Inka architecture of this temple! It was one of the main temple of the Incas and where all of their major highways departed. The high altar made in bronze in the Catholic church is one of the the high light.
From Qoricancha your group will walk down Avenida El Sol and take a bus to drive up and outside of the city. It will takes 25 minutes to arrive to the majestic Inca site Sacsayhuaman. We will enter the ruins site and the guide will lead you around and explain this incredible sire. You will have extra time to explore on your own.
From Sacsayhuaman you will take a short bus ride to Quenqo where you will see some altars from Inca times. Next, we will drive to Puca Pucara, a small circular Inca site. Finally, you will visit Tambomachay, the temple of water, and you will be able to see the impressive water fountains. We will then drive back to Cusco and end our tour in the main square. If this is a private tour, we will drop you back off at your hotel. Hotel in Cusco
Day 3 : PISAQ – OLLANTAYTAMBO – AGUAS CALIENTES
Our driver will pick you up from your hotel lobby at 8:00 am and drive you to the the Sacred Valley. Along the way, we will visit Awana Cancha, a weaving center. Here, you will learn the differences between llamas, alpacas, vicunas and also different varieties of potatoes and corn that are special in the Sacred Valley. This is a great place to purchase gifts and real alpaca clothing.
We will drive from here to the Pisaq Inca ruins. These are amazing ruins that are located on top of one of the mountains in the Sacred Valley. We will be able to see hundreds of terraces used for agriculture, where the Incas farmed corn, potatoes and quinoa. We will also see the religious and astronomical side of the Incas at these ruins. It is an amazing place to take photos there are nearly endless views of the spectacular valley below.
We will get back in the car and drive to the Pisaq market and town. This is the most traditional market and another great place to purchase gifts. Here, you can also try some of the local delicacies that many of the local farmers bring to sell. This is also where we will stop for our lunch break.
We will drive through the Sacred Valley after lunch to Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo was an Inca checkpoint where they protected Machu Picchu and the valley against any enemies (Ollantay is the name of the leader, Tambo is a lodging place). After your tour you have extra time to wander around the site before dinner in any one of the local restaurants. In the evening, you will head to the train station which is around a 15 min walk. The train will depart at 7:00 pm and you will arrive in Aguas Calientes about 2 hrs later. Hotel in Aguas Calientes
Day 4: MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO
Today we will be visiting Machu Picchu, one of the seven wonders of the world. We encourage you to wake up early in the morning to enjoy breakfast at the hotel and then get to the bus station to try to catch one of the first buses beginning at 5:30 am (they are all a first come first serve basis). This bus will take about 25 minutes to get to Machu Picchu. As soon as you arrive, we will go to the best spot overlooking all the ruins to get a panoramic view of the landscape and the sunrise over the mountains. You will then have a 2 hr guided tour around Machu Picchu, with plenty of free time afterwards to explore on your own. If you have tickets to climb the amazing mountain of Huaynapicchu, your guide will direct you to where this hike begins. Please make sure this is arranged at least a month in advance of your visit, as tickets do sell out. It is $25 USD per person. Once you are done with exploring, you will take a bus down to Aguas Calientes for lunch. We will then take an afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo and from there the bus to Cusco, where we will drop you off at your hotel.
Hotel in Cusco
Day 05: TRANSFER TO CUSCO AIRPORT
Our journey will come to an end and we will say goodbye and drive you to the airport to catch your flight out of Cusco.
Don’t miss your chance to book this amazing trip today! All you have to do is click below.
INCLUDED
- Pickup and Drop off at Cusco Airport
- Professional English speaking guides for all tours
- Transportation for City and Sacred Valley tours
- Buffet lunch in the Sacred Valley
- Tourist class expedition train round trip to Aguas calientes
- 01 night hotel in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town). 3*** Options : Hotel Inti punku el tambo / Hotel Flower House (Buffet Breakfast included)
- 03 Nights hotel in Cusco 3*** Options : Hotel Maytaq Wasin Boutique, Hotel Ruinas , Hotel San Agustin Plaza (Buffet Breakfast included)
- Round trip bus tickets to Machu Picchu
- Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu
- Guided 2 hr tour in Machu Picchu
NOT INCLUDED
- Meals
- Tourist ticket for the ruins sites (130 Soles)
- Huaynapicchu Mountain ($25 per person)/Machu Picchu Mountain ($25 per person)
From US$ 570
