Overview
- STARTING POINT: Pick up from 4:00 to 4:30 am from the hotel in Cusco.
- ENDING POINT: Drop off in Cusco at the main square around 10:30 pm.
- DEPARTURE: Check Availability.
- TOTAL, TREKKING DISTANCE: 10 km / 6.3 ml
- MAXIMUM ALTITUDE: 2700 m / 8858 ft
- Difficulty: Easy
- Climate: Hot with a lot of mosquitos
Itinerary
We will pick you up around 04:00-04:30 am and leave Cusco by private car. We will cross the Sacred Valley of the Incas and follow the Vilcanota River to Ollantaytambo. Here we will take the train to Kilometer 104, the departure of our trek. It will start with a short walk to the archaeological site of Chachabamba (2270 meters high.) Here the Inca’s collected agricultural products before their transportation to Machu Picchu. We will continue our walk, with a magnificent view of the Urubamba River. We can observe different species of orchids. Finally, we will see the site of Wañayhuayna below (2700 meters), a fabulous urban complex. The views of the Urubamba Valley are dominated by terraces. After lunch, we will continue our walk and we will arrive at the Sun Gate in the afternoon. The view of Machu Picchu from this point, under the beautiful afternoon sun is amazing. We will descend to the archaeological site of Machu Picchu (2400 meters) and after you have taken all your pictures, we will continue to the village of Aguas Calientes. Here we will settle into a comfortable hotel. In Aguas Calientes you can relax or you can enjoy the hot springs for 20 soles.
We will leave our hotel very early after breakfast and will start to hike at 04:00, up to Machu Picchu. If you don’t want to get up that early, you can also buy yourself a bus ticket for US$ 12. We will visit the place with our guide and he will explain to us how the formerly life was in the citadel, as well as the cults and the ceremonies that the Incas realized in the numerous temples and sacred places. After 2 hours of guided tour, you have free time. Then we will return to Aguas Calientes on foot (bus ticket US$ 12) in the afternoon for lunch (not included). After lunch, we will take the train to Ollantaytambo, where the agency shuttle will be waiting to bring you back to Cusco.
Included
- Information meeting at our agency with your guide 1 or 2 days before the start of the trek at 19h, to be confirmed when booking.
- Pickup from your hotel in Cusco.
- Transfer from Cusco to the train station in Ollantaytambo.
- Spanish-English bilingual Professional guide
- Train ticket from Ollantaytambo to "Km 104" (start of the trek)
- Entrance ticket to the Inca trail 2 days.
- Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu for the 1st and 2nd day.
- busstickets day 1 and day 2 from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes
- 1 night hostel in Aguas Calientes.
- First aid kit and oxygen bottle
- Lunch and Dinner 1st day, breakfast 2nd day.
- Train Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo.
- Transfer to Cusco.
Excluded
- Breakfast on day 1 and lunch in Aguas Calientes on the 2nd day
- Entrance to the hot springs of Aguas Calientes (15 soles)
- The climb of Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain US$ 60.
- Return by the more luxureous Vistadome train instead of normal train US$ 40.
(1) Visit to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain: If you would like to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, the extra costs are US$ 75. Huayna Picchu you need to book a long time in advance as it has a limit of only 300 visitors per day.
(2) Tips for porters, cooks and guides are always welcome. The porters are also very grateful for a small donation, for example clothes or school equipment for their children.
