DAY 1: ARRIVAL DAY
Meet Peru Cusco Guide at the Airport of Cusco. Please look for your Private Machu Picchu Guide holding a sign with your name on it. Our Guide will transfer you to your Hotel. We will help you to check in. Today you will take it easy acclimatization day because Cusco is at 3400mtrs. We will have plenty of recommendations for places to explore on your own.
DAY 2: CITY TOUR OF CUSCO
Your local expert guide will collect you to your Hotel for a private tour of the city, starting in the San Blas neighborhood to Santo Domingo Convent monastery. This monastery was previously the Koricancha temple. The most important temple dedicated to worship the Sun God back in the Inca times. According to the chronicles, it was covered in gold leaf and filled with golden representations of nature. Your next stop will be the main plaza of Cusco and visit the Cathedral. After, you will drive to Sacsayhuaman. Here you will be impressed by the handmade Inca architecture with enormous carved stones joined with the utmost precision. In the Inca times, it represented one of the most important temples to worship their deities. After, you will continue exploring other archeological sites, Qenko, Pukapukra, and Tambomachay. After you will drive back to the city center where your guide will have recommendations for you to have lunch. After, you will have a free afternoon to explore the city on your own. And to get ready for the next hike.
DAY 3: CUSCO, SORAYPAMPA HUMANTAY LAGOON TO SALKANTAYPAMPA
We will pick you up early morning from your hotel for a private transfer to the start of our trek, which will take around four hours. Along this drive, we will pass through farm villages Pampa de Anta in (Izcuchaca Province) we will continue driving into Limatambo Valley and then toward to Soraypampa 3800m /12,084ft. Here we will start our ascend to Humantay Lagoon considered nowadays one of the beautiful natural and turquoise color lakes located at the base of the Humantay glacier. After having a free time we will come back to Soraypampa to have lunch. After lunch, we will continue our hike for two hours to get to our base camp Salkantaypampa 4000m/12,720ft. From here, you will be able to enjoy the beautiful views of the Salkantay Glacier, as well as a great point to see the sunrise and sunset.
Duration: 10.00k.m.
Time: 5 to 6 hours.
Highest elevation: 4100 m/13,038ft.
DAY4: SALKANTAY PAMPA BY SALKANTAY PASS TO COLPAPAMPA
We will wake you up early morning to have breakfast. After breakfast, we will continue our journey by ascending for 2.30hrs to our highest point, Salkantay pass 4600 m/14,628fts. Here, you will have free time to take photos and enjoy the beautiful views of the Salkantay glacier and part of the Humantay glacier as well from this point you will be able to see the Vilcabamba mountain range. After, we will continue to descend for two hours to have lunch in Wayracmachay. After lunch, we will continue our descent for three hours to get to the tour base camp to Colpapampa. 2900m/9,222ft. This part of this journey is to enjoy the wonderful changes of the landscape from high altitude to the cloud forest, as well as to see the ancient medicinal plants and many species of hummingbirds.
Trekking distance: 16 km
Time: 8 to 9 hours
Highest point: 4600 m/14,628
DAY 5: COLPAPAMPA TO LUCMABAMBA
We will wake you up early morning to have breakfast. Today we continue our hike up and down along the Santa Teresa River, enjoying the increasingly lush Green vegetation rich in flora and fauna as native Orchids flowers from the area, passing waterfalls, Granadilla farms (passion fruit), as well you will see banana, avocado, Yaca, and coffee farms. We will pass true small farm villages like Wiñaypocco, Llusccamayo, and Playa Sahuayaco and finally arrive at our camp Lucmabamba 2100 m/6,678ft. We are going to camp nearby the Coffee Farm as well. Furthermore, we will have demonstrations, you will try the best coffee in Peru. This afternoon you have a chance to visit the relaxing Hot springs Cocalmayo. This is an extra activity.
Trekking distance: 15 km
Time: 5 to 6 hours.
Highest point: 2900/9,222ft.
DAY 6: LUCMABAMBA, LLACTAPATA TO AGUAS CALIENTES TOWN
We will wake you up early in the morning to have breakfast. Today we will continue the ascent for three hours to Qelloqasa 2700m/8,586ft. From where we have an exceptional view of the lost city of the Incas, the legendary Machupicchu, from a different angle. From this point, you will descend to get Llaptapata archeological site, where you can see both Machupicchu and the Salkantay mountain enjoying a good rest and exploring your descent towards to Aobamba river crossing lush bamboo forest, and more orchards and coffee plantations bring us to the hydroelectric plant of Machupicchu from we board a train that takes us to Machu Picchu town of Aguas Calientes town. The train ride will be for 40 minutes and will bring you to your hotel.
Trekking distance: 12 km
Time: 5 to 6 hours.
Highest point: 2700m/8,586ft.
DAY 7: EXPLORE MACHU PICCHU AFTERNOON BACK TO CUSCO
We will wake up early to board a bus to Machupicchu, where we will begin a complete guided tour of the Inca citadel that will take us approximately three hours. You will then have free time to wander around, and if you got a Ticket for Waynapicchu you can climb.
Note. There are just 400 visitors allowed per day. You have to book the entrance in advance, 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.
DAY 8: FAREWELL DAY
Today, we will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport. After having a wonderful lifelong experience with us. Unless you keep traveling with us. In extension tours, we will get you to the destination. Please let us know of any changes, or we will make arrangements for any extra activities that you would like to do it.
PROFESSIONAL TOUR GUIDE
All of our guides of Private Machu Picchu hold 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
On 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, please 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. It is also included 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 fee is $75 one way and $100 round trip from Ollantaytambo.
CLIMATE AND WEATHER
The Cusco Region mainly presents two seasons, the rainy season, from November to April, with the heaviest rainfalls usually occurring 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, the 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 two 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 and drawbacks to visiting Cusco and Machu Picchu during each season. The dry season is usually crowded at all the sites, and especially on 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 who are looking to do cultural tours or for you who will design your vacations without trekking, including visiting Cusco and Machu Picchu with fewer people.
The altitude of Cusco city: 3400 meters
The population of Cusco: 1,300,000
MACHU PICCHU TICKETS
With the new regulations of the Peruvian government, the Machu Picchu entrance tickets go on sale from 6.00 am to 3.00 pm.
WAYNA PICCHU TICKETS
With the new regulations from the Peruvian government, 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. The step is not recommendable for people who have vertigo.
Note: It’s essential to book in advance to ensure your entrance tickets to the sites.
MACHU PICCHU MOUNTAIN TICKETS
The hike will take you 1.45 hrs and 1:00 hrs down. The tickets go on sale in two windows of time from 6 to 7 a.m., and the second group is from 8 to 9 a.m. Takes longer, but it’s more beautiful.
STRIKES
It is the biggest problem in South America, not just in Peru. It can affect us on 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 on 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 in Lima.
LATAM Airlines is the biggest company that operates in Peru and has connections all over the world. It 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. You can always connect your flights to Puno, Arequipa, Puerto Maldonado Jungle, Iquitos, or the north of Peru, in our extension tours.
There is always 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.
The 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 restaurants that you can visit here in Peru and Cusco.
On our treks, we provide you with delicious food. You just need to make sure to let us know your dietary restrictions before departure on our treks, as well as our chefs are well-experienced in cooking in the mountains.
WHAT WE RECOMMEND TO BRING
- Backpack with a change of clothes for the whole period of the trek.
- Strong footwear and waterproof trekking boots are recommended.
- Sandals or jogging shoes for higher comfort while at camp.
- Warm clothes, including jackets and fleece. Thermal clothing is also recommended, especially for sleeping.
- Camera 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 provide a snack, and our meal service is complete and well-supplied. This recommendation applies to 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 on the Inca trail. Plastic water containers or camelback 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 problems so far.
- Small towel.
- Swimsuit (If you have an extra day in Aguas Calientes town, you can go to the hot springs).
- Cash in soles or in Dollars.
- Original Passport, travel insurance, and 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 necessary to avoid damaging the Inca Trail). If not, we have some 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 the additional entrance fee cost is not included if you wish to revisit Machu Picchu the following day.
Massage sessions: us$50 per 1-hour session. Our massage therapists have the highest recognition in Cusco.
RECOMMENDED PACKING LIST FOR TREKS
- Passport.
- Valid student card in case you booked as a student.
- Immigration stamp.
- 25L or 30L day pack.
- Water bottle or camelback with 2L of storage.
- Footwear, waterproof hiking boots.
- 4 or 5 hiking t-shirts, three hiking pants considering one nice outfit for Machu Picchu, five sets of undergarments, four pairs of socks, one fleece and down jacket for cold nights, a set of rain gears jacket, pants, a sun hat, wool hat, headlamp, warm waterproof gloves, shoes for camp, quick-dry 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.
- Camera, phone, music player.
