Itinerary
- Day 1
Cusco
You'll arrive in Cusco and get picked up from the airport, then head to your hotel to settle in. At 1:00 pm, your guide meets you for a walking tour through the historic center, where you'll see Plaza de Armas, the 12-Angled Stone, and Koricancha Temple. After that, you'll drive to nearby ruins including Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Tambomachay, and Puca Pucara before stopping at the Christ statue. You'll be back at your hotel by evening.
Included Activities
- Airport pickup and hotel transfer
- Walking tour of Plaza de Armas
- Visit 12-Angled Stone
- Explore Loreto Street
- Visit Koricancha (Temple of the Sun)
- Visit Sacsayhuaman ruins
- Visit Qenqo
- Visit Tambomachay
- Visit Puca Pucara
- Visit Christ statue
Landmarks/POIs Plaza de Armas 12-Angled Stone Loreto Street Koricancha Sacsayhuaman Qenqo Tambomachay Puca Pucara Christ statue - Day 2
Sacred Valley
Breakfast at your hotel comes first, then you'll meet your guide at 7:00 am. The morning takes you to the Alpaca Center to learn about local animals, followed by Mirador Taray for views across the valley. You'll explore the Pisac Inca Site and browse the Indigenous Market with its colorful textiles and crafts. Lunch happens in Urubamba with fresh local products, and the afternoon brings visits to Maras, Moray, Salineras, and Ollantaytambo to see more Inca sites before heading back to Cusco.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel), Lunch (Buffet lunch in Urubamba featuring fresh local products)
Included Activities
- Visit Alpaca Center
- Visit Mirador Taray
- Visit Pisac Inca Site
- Visit Indigenous Market at Pisac
- Buffet lunch in Urubamba
- Visit Maras
- Visit Moray
- Visit Salineras
- Visit Ollantaytambo
Landmarks/POIs Alpaca Center Mirador Taray Pisac Inca Site Indigenous Market at Pisac Maras Moray Salineras Ollantaytambo - Day 3
Mollepata to Salkantay Pampa
An early pickup at 4:30 am gets you to the trailhead after a three-hour drive with breakfast in Mollepata. Trekking starts around 8:30 am with your porters and horsemen. You'll hike for three hours to Humantay Lake at 4,200 m (13,780 ft) to see the turquoise waters and photograph them. The downhill walk to Soraypampa takes about an hour, where the chef has lunch ready. After eating, you'll climb uphill for two hours to Salkantay Pampa at 3,900 m (12,800 ft), watching for Andean geese, deer, and vizcachas. You'll spend the night at Salka Glamp Campsite with Salkantay Mountain views.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast stop in the town of Mollepata), Lunch (Lunch with local ingredients at Soraypampa), Dinner (Freshly prepared dinner at Salka Glamp Campsite)
Included Activities
- Hotel pickup
- Breakfast stop in Mollepata
- Trek to Humantay Lake
- Rest and photos at Humantay Lake
- Trek to Soraypampa
- Lunch with local ingredients at Soraypampa
- Trek to Salkantay Pampa
- Wildlife spotting (Andean geese, deer, vizcachas)
Landmarks/POIs Humantay Lake Soraypampa Salkantay Mountain - Day 4
Salkantay Pass to Collpapampa
You'll start with warm coffee or coca tea in your tent while looking at snowy peaks. Following breakfast, the trek heads uphill for about two hours to the highest point at 4,630 m (15,190 ft). You'll enjoy the views and visit a small lake at the base of Salkantay Mountain. The downhill section to Wayracmachay at 3,800 m (12,470 ft) takes around three hours, and you'll spot vizcachas along the way. After lunch, you'll continue downhill for three more hours as the landscape shifts from cold highlands into the warm, humid cloud forest. The evening finds you in cozy Andean huts near Collpapampa.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Warm coffee or coca tea in your tent), Lunch (Lunch at Wayracmachay), Dinner (Dinner at Andean huts near Collpapampa)
Included Activities
- Hike to Salkantay Pass (highest point at 4,630 m)
- Visit small lake at base of Salkantay Mountain
- Hike to Wayracmachay
- Wildlife spotting (vizcachas)
- Trek through cloud forest
- Landscape transition experience
Landmarks/POIs Salkantay Pass Wayracmachay Collpapampa - Day 5
Collpapampa to Llaqtapata
Start with a relaxed morning soaking in mountain views, then have breakfast. The day is considered the most scenic part of the trek, with narrow paths alongside a winding river, wooden bridges, waterfalls, granadilla fields, and banana plantations leading to Lucmabamba at 2,000 m (6,560 ft) for lunch. You'll help prepare a Pachamanca Barbecue using hot stones buried underground, and while it cooks for about 45 minutes, you'll visit organic coffee farms and brew fresh coffee. After the meal of local delicacies and fresh vegetables, a three-hour climb along an original Inca trail brings you to Llaqtapata at 2,750 m (9,020 ft), a small mountaintop citadel offering your first distant view of Machu Picchu.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Pachamanca Barbecue with local delicacies, different types of potatoes, fruits, and vegetables), Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike alongside winding river
- Cross wooden bridges
- Pass waterfalls
- Pass granadilla fields and banana plantations
- Hike to Lucmabamba
- Prepare Pachamanca Barbecue (ancient cooking method)
- Visit organic coffee farms
- Brew fresh coffee
- Hike original Inca trail to Llaqtapata
- Visit Llaqtapata citadel
- View Machu Picchu from campsite
Landmarks/POIs Lucmabamba Llaqtapata Machu Picchu - Day 6
Llaqtapata to Aguas Calientes
You'll wake to views of Machu Picchu across the valley as your team brings warm coffee or coca tea. After breakfast, the hike downhill takes about two hours to the Hydroelectric Station for a final brunch prepared by the trekking chef. You'll say goodbye to your team and walk the last leg along the railway and the Urubamba River upstream for about three hours. A stop at Mandor Botanical Gardens lets you spot Andean cock-of-the-rock, parrots, toucans, and hummingbirds, where Hiram Bingham once explored in 1911. You'll arrive in Aguas Calientes at 2,000 m (6,560 ft), shower, explore the town, and relax in nearby hot springs before dinner at a local restaurant.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Warm coffee or coca tea), Brunch (Final brunch prepared by trekking chef at Hydroelectric Station), Dinner (Dinner at local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Hike to Hydroelectric Station
- Final brunch at Hydroelectric Station
- Walk along railway
- Follow Urubamba River
- Visit Mandor Botanical Gardens
- Wildlife spotting (Andean cock-of-the-rock, parrots, toucans, hummingbirds)
- Hotel transfer in Aguas Calientes
- Dinner at local restaurant
Optional Activities
- Explore Aguas Calientes town
- Relax in nearby hot springs
Landmarks/POIs Hydroelectric Station Urubamba River Mandor Botanical Gardens Aguas Calientes - Day 7
Machu Picchu
Today is the main event of the trek: visiting Machu Picchu, a 16th-century Inca city that was abandoned for reasons still unknown. You'll have an early breakfast at your hotel, then catch one of the first buses to Machu Picchu to catch the sunrise if weather cooperates. Your guide leads a three-hour tour through important temples, palaces, and plazas. Afterward, you can explore on your own or climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain if you've reserved tickets. You'll head back down to Aguas Calientes by bus for lunch, collect your belongings, then board the panoramic Vistadome train to Ollantaytambo. A private van picks you up there for the return to Cusco, arriving around 7:30 pm.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Early breakfast at hotel)
Included Activities
- Early breakfast at hotel
- Bus to Machu Picchu
- Sunrise viewing at Machu Picchu (weather permitting)
- Guided tour of Machu Picchu temples, palaces, and plazas
- Self-guided exploration of Machu Picchu
- Bus return to Aguas Calientes
- Panoramic Vistadome train to Ollantaytambo
- Private van transfer to Cusco
Optional Activities
- Huayna Picchu Mountain - tickets cost an additional $68 per person
- Montaña Machu Picchu - tickets cost an additional $68 per person
Landmarks/POIs Machu Picchu Huayna Picchu Montaña Machu Picchu Ollantaytambo - Day 8
Departure
After breakfast, you'll transfer to the airport or bus terminal according to your departure schedule.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Transfer to airport or bus terminal
