Itinerary
- Day 1
Cusco to Pucaccocha
Your pickup happens at 4 AM for the three-hour drive to Pukutuni School trailhead. After breakfast you'll meet your team including the chef, porters, and horsemen. From there it's a three-hour hike to Upis village where you'll have lunch, then a 1.5-hour climb up to Vicuña Pass. The day finishes with three more hours of hiking to reach your first campsite at Pucaccocha. You'll see valley views, waterfalls, and glaciers throughout the day.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at trailhead), Lunch (Lunch at Upis village), Dinner
Included Activities
- Three-hour drive to Pukutuni School trailhead
- Breakfast at trailhead
- Meet trekking crew (chef, porters, horsemen)
- Three-hour hike to Upis village
- Lunch at Upis village
- 1.5-hour climb to Vicuña Pass (4,850m)
- Approximately three-hour hike to Pucaccocha campsite
Landmarks/POIs Ausangate Mountain Vicuña Pass - Day 2
Pucaccocha to Alpine Campsite
Early breakfast starts your morning before you climb for two hours to Condor Pass at 4,900m/16,076 ft. You might spot llamas and alpacas while taking in views of Ausangate mountain and lagoons. After that comes a gradual two-hour downhill hike to lunch. Then you'll climb again to Alpaca Pass at 4,950m/16,240 ft where you can see part of Rainbow Mountain. One more hour downhill brings you to your campsite, which sits in one of the nicest spots for watching the Andean sky at night.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Early, nutritious breakfast), Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Early breakfast
- Two-hour climb to Condor Pass (4,900m)
- Two-hour downhill hike to lunch spot
- Lunch
- Climb to Alpaca Pass (4,950m)
- One-hour downhill hike to campsite
Optional Activities
- Wildlife viewing of llamas and alpacas
Landmarks/POIs Condor Pass Alpaca Pass Rainbow Mountain - Day 3
Rainbow Mountain to Aguas Calientes
You'll have breakfast with hot drinks before a gradual two-hour uphill hike to Rainbow Mountain at 5,030m/16,502 ft. Getting there early means you'll catch great light for photos of the colored mineral formations, and watch for vicuñas on the trail. Your guide explains what creates the colors and mineral patterns, then it's one more hour to finish the hike. After that comes a four-hour drive to Ollantaytambo for dinner. You'll catch the 7 PM train to Aguas Calientes and get settled into a hotel below Machu Picchu with a hot shower and a real bed.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast with hot drinks), Dinner (Dinner in Ollantaytambo)
Included Activities
- Breakfast with hot drinks
- Two-hour hike to Rainbow Mountain
- Guided explanation of Rainbow Mountain colors and minerals
- One-hour hike to trail end
- Four-hour drive to Ollantaytambo
- Dinner in Ollantaytambo
- Train journey to Aguas Calientes (7 PM departure)
Optional Activities
- Wildlife viewing of vicuñas
Landmarks/POIs Rainbow Mountain - Day 4
Machu Picchu to Cusco
After early breakfast, you'll head out on one of the first buses to Machu Picchu starting at 5:30 AM, a 30-minute ride from Aguas Calientes. Your guide takes you to a prime spot for sunrise before leading a 2.5-hour tour of the main citadel sections and sharing Inca history. Free time comes next, and if you booked in advance you can hike Huayna Picchu (up to two hours round-trip, $75 per person) or Machu Picchu Mountain (more challenging, 3+ hours, $75 per person). Later you'll board the train back to Ollantaytambo which takes about two hours, then staff drives you to your hotel in Cusco, another two hours by car.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Early breakfast)
Included Activities
- Early breakfast
- Bus ride to Machu Picchu (approximately 30 minutes)
- Sunrise viewing at prime location
- 2.5-hour guided tour of main citadel sectors
- Train ride from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo (approximately 2 hours)
- Car transfer from Ollantaytambo to Cusco hotel (approximately 2 hours)
Optional Activities
- Huayna Picchu hike (must be booked in advance, up to 2 hours round-trip, $75 per person)
- Machu Picchu Mountain hike (more challenging, minimum 3 hours round-trip, $75 per person)
Landmarks/POIs Machu Picchu Huayna Picchu
