Sacred Valley, 2 day Inca Trail & Rainbow Mountain Tour Package 4 days

ITINERARY FOR THE BEST TREKKING PACKAGE TO MACHU PICCHU.

DAY 1: SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS (Pisac + Moray + Maras + Ollantaytambo)

Our day begins bright and early as your guide picks you up from your hotel at 7:30am. Our first destination of the day is Pisac, with a quick stop to the mirador of Taray.

From here you will see how the agriculture in the Sacred Valley has changed very little in the past five hundred years. After a few minutes we get back in the van and drive to the archeological site of Pisac.

There are plenty of things to explore here, from an impressive Inca cemetery with more than 2,000 tombs, carefully engineered farming terraces carved into the mountain, the Inca tunnel, and the religious area of this important citadel. We will spend about 2 hours exploring these expansive ruins before visiting the market at the bottom of the mountain.

After 20 minutes to buy some souveniers we will continue on our journey to Urubamba, where we stop for lunch before heading off to Moray. Moray is known as “The Greenhouse of the Incas”, and is a true architectural wonder.

Levels of terraces are carved into a huge bowl, carefully engineered by the Incas. The terraces have varied microclimates depending on how deep into the bowl they are placed.  Archeologists believe that they were used by the Incas to discover the optimal growing conditions for their crops and experiment in hybridization.

Continuing on our journey to the colonial town of Maras, we look down onto the pre-Inca “Salt mines” called salineras in Spanish. Thousands of salt pans have been passed down through countless generations and used for salt extraction since before Inca times.

A hot spring at the top of the valley discharges a small stream of heavily salt laden water, which is diverted into salt pans and evaporated to produce salt. This is one of the few places in the world where you can find naturally pink salt!

Finally, we drive to Ollantaytambo, taking the time to explore the Inca village that has remained intact since Inca times and the massive Inca Ruins, with a tour provided by our guide. Visit the massive architecture of the Sun Temple at the top of the formidable terraces and learn about the importance of this site for the Inca during the beginning of the Spanish conquest. Here you spend the night at your hotel in Ollantaytambo, ready to start the Inca Trail the next day.

• 2* Accommodation: Veronica View Hotel or Tunupa Lodge
• 3* Accommodation: Pakaritampu Hotel or El Alberge
• There are no 4* hotels in Ollantaytambo

DAY 2: OLLANTAYTAMBO – KM104 – WIÑAY WAYNA – SUN GATE – MACHU PICCHU

we begin your hotel pick up bright and early. Be ready for us at 5:30 so we have plenty of time to spare for your 6:10 am train departure. Grab some coffee and have your breakfast while we wait for the train. Today is a big day, make sure you’re well energized for it! We’ll be on the train for roughly an hour and ten minutes before arriving to KM104, our starting point for the day (elevation 2,100m/6,927ft).

Here, we find our first checkpoint of the day. Take a minute here to repack your bag, stuff and last minute snacks in your cheeks, reapply sunscreen and bug spray and adjust your hiking poles. Our first ruin of the day is Chachabamba, found just a few steps from the entrance of the hike.

We’ll take a few minutes here to explore the area and listen to the history from your guide before beginning the main section of the hike. The main section of the hike consists of roughly three hours of gradual uphill climbing. We’ll pass plenty of viewpoints and great photo ops, so keep your cameras ready!

At the end of this section of the hike is a beautiful waterfall where we can stop to rest our legs for a while. The next part is shorter but much steeper. Next stop, Wiñay Wayna!

From the waterfall it is just a few more minutes until we get our first glance at Wiñay Wayna (2,650m/8747 ft) nestled in the mountain. After climbing the steep stairs we can take a moment to explore these truly remarkable ruins, learning about the history and the discovery which happened long after Machu Picchu was discovered.

We stop for lunch at the Wiñay Wayna campsite, this is where our trail joins the 4 day Inca Trail route. We have about 2 hours left until we reach Machu Picchu! The next hour winds up and down, coming to a head at the “Gringo Killer” steps- steps so steep you’ll be using your hands to help you up!

Finally, we arrive at the iconic Inti-Punku, the Sun Gate. From here, you will be able to enjoy your first glimpse at Machu Picchu. Soak it in, grab some pictures, and from here we begin our final stretch. This is an hour downhill, through a few more ruins before reaching the iconic Machu Picchu.

We will have a little time here to enjoy the view from the famous viewing platform before leaving and taking the bus to Aguas Calientes, the town below. Here, we will get you checked into your hotel and fed before an early night, ready for the tour of the citadel tomorrow.

• Meals included: Breakfast at your hotel, box lunch, dinner at a restaurant in Aguas Calientes
• Distance: 12 kms/7.5 miles
• Time: 6hrs approximately
• 3* Accommodations: Ferre´ Hotel Machu Picchu
• 4* Accommodation: El Mapi or Tierra Viva Machu Picchu (superior room)
• Difficulty: moderate

You will leave an overnight bag at the Ollantaytambo train station to be sent by train directly to Aguas Calientes.

DAY 3: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO

Today is the day! We begin exploring the magnificent Machu Picchu, where you can learn all about why they call her the Old Sacred Mountain. Even today she has magical and mysterious presence that is hard to explain.  If your group takes the first bus at 5:30AM to the Machu Picchu Citadel, you may be in time to enjoy the sunrise over Machu Picchu. 

Your guide will expertly show you through the ruins, answering all of your questions throughout your morning tour of Machu Picchu.  Be sure to take a moment to soak in the vibes of the city and appreciate the journey you took to get here.

You will descend to Aguas Calientes when you are ready to eat lunch and later on board the Expedition Train at pm 2:55 PM or 3:20 PM for the return trip to Cusco. You will arrive at the Ollantaytambo Train Station and where our private van will be waiting to take you back to Cusco, arriving in your hotel at around 7 pm.

• Meals included: Breakfast at your hotel
• Difficulty: Easy
• 3* Accommodation: Waman Qorikancha or Maytaq Wasin
• 4* Accommodation: Costa del Sol Ramada or Casa Andina Private Collection

***IMPORTANT:

• You can upgrade to the Vistadome Train for the same times, 2:55pm or 3:20pm, 4:22pm, or 4:43pm. The cost is $67 USD.
• Early trains can be organized by requested and it has to be done by booking time.
• The Huayna Picchu Mountain Hike depends on availability and let us know about it at booking time.

DAY 4: CUSCO – RAINBOW MOUNTAIN – CUSCO

Another day, another early start. Be ready for your guide to pick you up at 4 am as we begin our trip to the famous Rainbow Mountain. It’s a three hour drive through the South Valley, so keep your eyes peeled for the various ruins, Inca terraces, traditional villages, and if you’re really lucky, the giant guinea pig statues. Before you know it, we will be arriving to the trailhead of Llacto (4,638m / 15,216 ft).  

We will have breakfast in the company of herds of llamas and alpacas before beginning our hike, following the trail as it winds along a stream. Views of the Ausangate mountain and glaciers will accompany you along the way.

Why not stop for a chat with one of the local people and learn a little about the Quechua way of life, what their clothes mean and the significance of their hats. Your guide will help you with translation and even teach you a few words in Quechua.

After an hour and a half of hiking, we will finally arrive to our destination: the Rainbow Mountain (5,020m /16,466ft). After taking a moment to admire its unique beauty, you will have time to explore the area.

You can take pictures or just soak up the view. We will spend roughly 30 minutes at the top. Afterwards, there is an optional hike across the Red Valley.  This walk takes an additional 45 minutes.

At this point, we hike back down the way we came. The hike takes 1 hour, then we enjoy our lunch which will be prepared by our chef.

We will embark on the 3-hour drive back to Cusco and drop you off at your Cusco hotel, arriving around 6:00pm.

• Meals included: hot breakfast & lunch
• Difficulty: moderate to challenging