DAY 1: CHINCHERO, MARAS, MORAY, OLLANTAYTAMBO, TO AGUAS CALIENTES TWON.
The sacred valley of the Incas is known for its beautiful breathtaking views of the Urubamba mountain range. Today your private guide will pick you up from your hotel, you will drive to Chinchero villages where you visit and explore the archeological site then you will continue driving until Moray, experts today believe their grassy amphitheaters served as an agricultural research center in Inca times, for the circular architecture that provides a different microclimate each terrace. after we will drive to (salinas) salt pans. Along this drive, we will pass true the town of Maras, a small colonial town, very well known as providers of salt to the Cusco region back in Inca and colonial times. Salineras has over 3800 salt ponds still in use nowadays is owned by the local community of Maras and Pichinccoto, here you will have the opportunity to try the salty wáter coming underground as well as taste the salt who has a lot of minerals. After your visit, you will continue driving to Ollantaytambo considered as a last living Inca village where you will explore the town and the archeological site. after you explore your guide will take you to the train station. from here you will take the train for 1:45 hrs. to Aguas Calientes town, here you will pass the night in the Hotel.
DAY 2: EXPLORE MACHUPICCHU AFTERNOON BACK TO CUSCO.
After Breakfast, your guide will pick you from your hotel for a short bus journey to the entrance of Machu Picchu, today you will explore this magical Inca city and enjoy learning about it was built and discovered. for 3 hours. You will then have free time to wander around and if you got a Ticket for Wayna Picchu you can climb. Note. There are just 400 visitors allowed per day. You have to book in advance the entrance, with us In the afternoon we meet in the town of Aguas Calientes. From here we take the train back to Ollantaytambo or Poroy depending on the space and private transportation back to your Hotel Cusco.
PROFESIONAL TOUR GUIDE
All of our guide, Machu Picchu trails Peru, has a degree in tourism they studied at Cusco National University. They are passionate about sharing our Peruvian History, culture, gastronomy, and others, they are fluent in English speaking and many of them speak our local language (Quechua) they will make sure your safety and lifelong memories.
HOTELS
In this tour, we will include a one-night Hotel in Aguas Calientes. We can easily add extra nights before or after the tour if needed, let know our travel specialist, Upgrade Hotels are always possible. We can also book the tour without any Hotels if you prefer to book them on your own.
TRANSPORTATION
We provide private transportation through the sacred valley to the train station and back to your hotel. also is included around trip bus ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu.
TICKETS
The entrance fees are included to visit the sacred valley tour and Machu Picchu.
TRAIN TICKETS
Train tickets are in expeditions tourist class around trip from Ollantaytambo if you would like to upgrade to Vistadome train the is $75 one way and $100 round trip from Ollantaytambo.
CLIMATE AND WEATHER
Cusco Region mainly presents two seasons, the rainy season, from November to April the heaviest rainfalls occurring usually between January, February, and March, and the dry season from May to October. The dry season is colder so temperatures can drop to below 0 degrees at night
Along the Inca Trail, temperature ranges from 15-20°c during the day if it’s sunny, to 10 – 28 °c during the day if not sunny, or 05-15°c at night in the first 2 campsites. At Wiñay Wayna and Machu Picchu, at a lower altitude, temperatures are usually warmer though warm clothes are still recommended at night.
There are benefits to visiting Cusco and Machu Picchu during each season as well you can have some drawbacks. The dry season is usually crowded in all the sites and specially in the Inca Trail you need to ensure your permit at least six months in advance.
The rainy season can be a very pleasant time for you looking to do cultural tours or for you who Will design your holiday with no trekking, including visiting Cusco and Machu Picchu with less crowd.
ALTITUDE: of Cusco city. 3400 meters 10,800 fits
POPULATION: of the Cusco region 1,300,000.
MACHU PICCHU TICKETS
With the new regulations of the Peruvian government now the Machu Picchu entrance ticket goes on sale from 6.00 am. to 3.00 pm.
WAYNA PICCHU TICKETS
With the new regulations from the Peruvian government now the Wayna Picchu tickets go on sale from 7.00 am. Until 10:00 to 11:000 am. The hike Will take 45 minutes up and 30 minutes down all the way step not recommendable for the people who have vertigo. Note. Very important to book in advance to ensure your entrance tickets to the sites.
MACHU PICCHU MOUNTAIN TICKETS
The hike Will take you 1.45 hs. And 1:00 hs down. The ticket goes in sale in two windows of time from 6 to 7 and the second group is from 8 to 9 am. Takes longer but it’s more beautiful.
STRIKES
Is the biggest problem in South America not just in Peru it can affect us in our tour treks roads are often blocked as well as trains stop their operations. Usually, the advice is two weeks in advance to prevent do not affect too much any of this country’s problems in our tours in the worst-case Private Machu Picchu Will let you know to cancel the tours or treks. Your health and safety are our top priorities.
ARRIVAL AT CUSCO
Cusco has an airport mostly for domestic flights from inside the country. Our international airport is Jorge Chavez Lima.
LATAM Airlines is the biggest company that operates in Peru and has connections all over the world. Is the only airline that doesn’t have too many cancellations in the weather conditions here in Cusco. The time flight from Lima to Cusco is one hour. Always you can connect your flights to Puno, Arequipa, Puerto Maldonado Jungle, Iquitos, or the north of Peru. In our extension tours.
Always there is a bus option from lima to Cusco the time Will take you 22 hours.
FOOD
Peruvian cuisine is recognized for its biodiversity of products and continues conquering the whole world. Peruvian food is being awarded internationally for owning the most delicious food in the world.
Cusco Region has unique gastronomy for the use of local products like potatoes, quinoa, corn, a variety of vegetables, and its exotic fruits plus guinea pig, and alpaca meat. Your travel expert will recommend you restaurants you can wonder here in Peru and Cusco.
On our treks, we provide you with delicious food you just need to make sure to let us your dietary restrictions before departure our treks as well as our chefs are very experienced in cooking in the mountains.
WHAT WE RECOMEND TO BRING
* Backpack with a change of clothes for the whole period of the trek.
* Strong footwear, waterproof trekking boots recommended.
* Sandals or jogging shoes for a higher comfort while at camp.
* Warm clothes, including jacket, fleeces. Thermal clothing is also recommended, especially for sleeping.
* Cámara and batteries (batteries consume more quickly under cold conditions)
* Sun block or sun cream.
* Hydrating cream for face and body.
* Insect repellent – minimum recommended 20% deet – no malaria risk has been reported
* Toilet paper and tissues
* Snacks: biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, dried fruits, etc. Please note that we do provide a snack and our meal service is very complete and well supplied. This recommendation applies for all clients being used to a specific snack, as it may happen that it’s not included in our selection.
* Water container and water for the first morning. Important notice: plastic water bottles are no longer allowed into the Inca trail. Plastic water containers or comelback or metal ones are recommended.
* Optionally water sterilizing tablets in case you pick up water from streams or rivers along the route otherwise, we provide filtered boiled water, which is safe to drink and has not reported any health problem so far.
* Small towel
* Swimsuit (if you a extra day in Aguas Calientes town you can go to the hot springs)
* Cash in soles or in Dollars.
* Original Passport, travel insurance, any important health document you may have to follow any restrictions.
* Original international student identity card (in case you have applied for a student discount)
* Optional, walking sticks or hiking poles (rubber covers required in order not to damage inca trail) if not we have here for rent.
OPTIONAL SERVICES TO BE HIRED
An extra hotel night in Aguas Calientes can be booked for you at an additional cost depending on the Hotel you choose. Please note that if you wish to visit Machu Picchu again the following day, the additional cost of the entrance fee is not included.
Massage sessions: us$50 per 1-hour session our massage therapists have the highest recognition in Cusco.
RECOMENDED PACKING LIST FOR TREKS
Passport
Valid student card in case if you booked as a student
immigration stamp
25lts or 30 lts daypack
Water battle or comeback at list with 2 lts of storage.
Footwear waterproof hiking boots.
4 or 5 hiking t-shirts, three hiking pants considering one nice outfit for Machu Picchu, 5 sets of undergarments, 4 pers of socks, one fleece and down jacket for cold nights, set for rain gears jacket and pants, sun hat, wool hat, headlamp, warm waterproof gloves, shoes for camp, quickdry small towel.
Battery charger. There is no place to plug in while trekking.
Sunscreen, face moisturizer, insect repellent, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, toothbrush and paste, toilet paper, personal medication, band aids, moleskin, and others.
Camara, pone, music player.
Private Machu Picchu is a professional licensed local tour operator based in Cusco, Peru. We offer tours packages and extensions to Machu Picchu, Cusco and Peru.