Itinerary
- Day 1
Cusco
You'll arrive in Cusco and get settled at your hotel, then start exploring the ancient Inca city. The Cusco Cathedral sits right on the Plaza de Armas, and from there you can head to the Temple of the Sun (Qorikancha), which has the Convent of Santo Domingo built right on top of it. Later, you'll drive outside the city to check out the ruins of Saqsayhuaman, Q'enqo, Puka Pukara, and Tambomachay. These sites are spread across the hillsides and give you a real sense of the Inca architecture and engineering. You'll return to your hotel by evening.
Included Activities
- Visit Cusco Cathedral on Plaza de Armas
- Visit Temple of the Sun (Qorikancha) and Convent of Santo Domingo
- Tour Saqsayhuaman ruins
- Tour Q'enqo ruins
- Tour Puka Pukara fortress
- Tour Tambomachay sacred temple
Landmarks/POIs Cusco Cathedral Plaza de Armas Temple of the Sun (Qorikancha) Convent of Santo Domingo Saqsayhuaman Q'enqo Puka Pukara Tambomachay - Day 2
Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes
After breakfast, you're heading to the Sacred Valley. First stop is Pisac, where you'll walk through the mountaintop archaeological site and see the impressive terraces and stonework up close. Then you'll spend some time at the handicraft market in the town of Pisaq before heading to Urubamba for lunch where you can try local Peruvian cuisine. In the afternoon, you'll visit Ollantaytambo, a strategic military site with great views. From there, you'll board the train heading down to Aguas Calientes at the base of Machu Picchu.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Peruvian lunch in Urubamba with local delicacies including salads, soups, ceviche, variety of main courses and desserts)
Included Activities
- Tour Pisac archaeological site
- Visit Pisaq handicraft market
- Tour Ollantaytambo archaeological site
- Train journey to Aguas Calientes
Landmarks/POIs Pisac Ollantaytambo - Day 3
Machu Picchu
This morning starts early with a 06:00 am pickup for the 30-minute ride up to Machu Picchu. Your guide will take you through the site for about 2.5 hours, showing you the Plaza Mayor, Temple of the Sun, the Sacred Sundial (Intiwatana), royal quarters, Temple of the Three Windows, Temple of the Condor, and other key locations. After the tour, you'll have time to walk around and take photos on your own. Later, you'll head back down to Aguas Calientes by bus, then take the train back to Cusco.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Machu Picchu including Plaza Mayor, Temple of the Sun, Sacred Sundial (Intiwatana), royal quarters, Temple of the Three Windows, and Temple of the Condor
- Bus journey from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
- Bus journey from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes
- Train journey from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo or Poroy
Optional Activities
- Entrance to Huayna Picchu mountain - USD 60.00 per person
- Vistadome train service (VIP) - USD 80.00 per person (return)
Landmarks/POIs Machu Picchu - Day 4
Rainbow Mountain
An early pickup takes you south from Cusco toward Rainbow Mountain in the Collasuyo region. You'll stop at Paucarpata community for a rest and buffet breakfast before continuing to the base camp at Phulawasipata. The hike heads gradually uphill for about 2 hours (3.5km), passing the Hatun Ritti Glacier at 4925m/16,142 ft where you might see South American camelids and mountain lagoons along the way. You'll spend good time at Rainbow Mountain for photos and taking in the views. The descent takes about 1.5 hours, then you'll have lunch back in Paucarpata before heading to Cusco, arriving around 18:00 pm.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Buffet breakfast at Paucarpata community)
Included Activities
- Hike to Rainbow Mountain from base camp (approximately 2 hours, 3.5km uphill)
- Hike descent from Rainbow Mountain (approximately 1.5 hours, 3.5km)
- Buffet breakfast at Paucarpata community
Landmarks/POIs Rainbow Mountain Hatun Ritti Glacier - Day 5
Moray and Maras
This day focuses on some different Inca sites outside the main tourist route. You'll visit Moray first to see the experimental agricultural terraces with their circular structures that go down about 150 meters. These served as an Inca agricultural laboratory with irrigation channels and different microclimates built into the design. From there, you'll head to the colonial town of Maras, which has traditional Andean customs and beautiful colonial stone architecture. Your final stop is the Salineras of Maras salt mines, which are still worked today using the same techniques from Inca times. After that, you'll return to Cusco for your hotel drop-off.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Tour Moray experimental agricultural terraces
- Visit Maras colonial town
- Tour Salineras of Maras salt mines
Landmarks/POIs Moray Maras Salineras of Maras
