6 days
Lima - Valle Sagrado - Machupicchu - Cusco
Reserve 30 days in advance
City of hidden treasures
Nature and history together, this is at the heart of Peru's attraction, especially in Cusco, a
place where visitors can relax and explore to enrich themselves, at the same time, create
authentic connections, in one of the most amazing places in South America.
| DAY 01 | Arrival in Lima - Flight to Cusco- Trip to the Sacred Valley |
|---|---|
| DAY 02 | Maras Moray & Salt Mines |
| DAY 03 | Machu Picchu The Secret of the Incas |
| DAY 04 | Machupicchu – optional walks |
| DAY 05 | Sacsayhuamán – City |
| DAY 06 | Transfer to the airport. Flight back home. |
Your tour begins in Lima where our representative will be waiting for you at your arrival flight to help you with your connecting flight to Cusco. Shortly after takeoff, the plane climbs over the Andes where the mountain views are spectacular.
Picture: Archaeological site of Pisaq
Upon arrival in Cusco, our private guide will be waiting for us. Our journey begins towards
the
Sacred Valley. The first stop is Awanacancha, a farm with llamas, alpacas
and
vicuñas. The tour
continues through the Corao River canyon, with spectacular views of the Urubamba Valley. We
descend to the bottom of the valley to the typical town of Pisac, to visit
the
archaeological
site and the typical town. We will have lunch at a local restaurant in the Sacred Valley of
the
Incas.
Lodging in Urubamba.
Departure from the hotel in the direction of visiting the magnificent agricultural terraces
of
Moray where different levels of terraces are carved into deep bowls/sinks that were used by
the
Incas to experiment and adapt Andean crops to altitude, then we will have the option to
enjoy a
nice walk or just drive to visit the town of Maras with the spectacular view of the
mountains
and enjoy our picnic lunch prepared by a nice outdoor caterer in the middle of the
landscapes.
After lunch, we will drive to visit the salt flats of Maras. A hot spring at the top of the
valley discharges a small stream of salt-laden water, which is diverted into salt pans and
evaporated to produce a salt that is harvested by local people. We got to see them from the
road
and then descend to them. Return to the hotel.
Lodging in Urubamba.
Picture: Salineras in Maras
09:00 am (approx.) Departure from the hotel to the city of Ollantaytambo, to see the
spectacular
temple-fortress and town of Ollantaytambo, a site that has changed little since the time of
the
Incas. Huge stones were carried more than 16 kilometers to the site, and the ramps of the
building are still there.
At 10:00 am, we will continue to the train station to board the train to Machupicchu. The
train
journey is one of the most spectacular in the world. The railway line follows the Urubamba
River
through the spectacular Vilcanota Canyon to the Lost City of the Incas. We will have 25
minutes;
to drive to visit the Sacred Center. Our expert guide will share with us the latest
information
and personal ideas about Machupicchu.
Lodging in Aguas Calientes.
Picture: Machu Picchu viewIn the morning we will have optional walks, such as Puerta del Sol, Huaynapicchu, or the Temple of the Moon, which vary in length and difficulty but are undoubtedly a great option to enjoy nature around this unique site.
It is the imposing mountain behind the actual site of Machupicchu. For many people, climbing Huayna Picchu is one of the highlights when visiting Machu Picchu. you will see how the Inca cut some steps out of the rocks and as it winds around the side of a mountain you will see Machupicchu from different angles, the views are impressive and give you an impression of the magnitude of the site. Before reaching the top you will also have to go through a tunnel carved into the rocks and the higher you get the more structures. Some structures and terraces are built-in impossible places that speak to your imagination.
Pisture: Huayna Picchu mountainMountain trek offers incomparable views of the famous Inca sanctuary and panoramic views of
the
surrounding mountain landscape. At its summit, Inca priests once performed rituals on
special
dates, as well as liturgical greetings to the Salkantay Apu, one of the mightiest mountains
in
the Peruvian Andes. As the trail approaches the base of Machu Picchu Mountain, the steps
become
steeper and more challenging.
Buffet lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge hotel restaurant.
Free time for independent exploration Board the bus for the 30-minute drive to Aguas
Calientes.
Collect your luggage and head to the train station to board the Vistadome train to the Poroy
train station, where our private car will be waiting for you for a 30-minute ride to our
hotel
in Cusco.
Accommodation in Cusco.
In the morning we will visit Sacsayhuamán, which translates as "Decorated Head of the Puma."
This was the ruling palace of the Inca containing a temple where the living God led his
people.
It was called a fortress by Europeans due to the immense pieces of stone that were used in
its
construction, the oral tradition of Cusco states that around 70,000 people worked in the
palace
for 50 years. It's lunchtime.
Picture: City of Cusco
After lunch we walk the streets and marvel at the flawless Inca stonework, we imagine a time
and
place when the Incas once had a great empire. We tour the colonial Plaza de Armas, visiting
the
Cathedral, which contains one of the largest samples of mestizo paintings in the city from
the
18th century. Following the Cathedral, we will visit the Inca Historical Museum for a good
overview of the history of the Incas.
Accommodation in Cusco.
Your Andean Exclusive representative will pick you up from your hotel 2 hours before your flight departure and accompany you to the airport.