Day 1. LIMA
Arrival in Lima, reception at the airport and transfer to the 5*
Country Club Hotel.
Day 2. LIMA - CUZCO (B,D)
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Cuzco, the acient capital of the Incas. After the one hour flight, reception at the airport and transfer to the 5*
El Libertador hotel. After a recommended light lunch (not included), a private, guided walking tour of the city of Cuzco; including the Main Square, the Cathedral and the Koricancha or Temple of the Sun. A visit to the Inca Museum before returning to your hotel. Free evening.
Day 3. CUZCO (B)
After breakfast, a tour of the ruins surrounding the Inca capital including the Sacsayhuaman Fortress overlooking the city of Cuzco, a pre Inca architectural masterpiece; Kenko, a rock sanctuary whose main attraction is the monolithic altar representing a puma, the red fortress of Puca-Pucara, and Tambomachay. Return to Cuzco. Accommodation at the 5*
Libertador hotel.
Day 4. CUZCO - MORAY - MARAS - OLLANTAYTAMBO (B, L)
After breakfast, we depart by private vehicle to just outside Chinchero where we will start our mountain bike ride, totaling over 22 miles on back roads and trails. We first ride back roads for about an hour, climbing several hills, witnessing scenes of rural Andean life, before arriving at the Inca site of Moray. This is a fascinating, unique ruin; a fabulous amphitheatre of terracing that was used as an agricultural experimental site by the Incas by taking advantage of the microclimates produced by the varying altitude to breed new varieties of their crops. After retracing our route briefly, we leave the back roads and transition to a two track road that later becomes a walking trail. The route is mostly flat and downhill, with one steep and fairly technical downhill followed by a short but steep uphill. Those who would prefer to ride in the support vehicle are free to do so.
After riding for about 45 minutes we reach the village of Maras, where we will rejoin our support vehicle on the town plaza for a picnic lunch. We get back on our bikes for a mostly downhill ride to the salt pans of Maras. The salt pans are an unforgettable site-people from Maras have diverted a salt-laden spring coming out of the hillside, evaporating the water to collect salt, as their ancestors have done for centuries. We will walk among the salt pans, witnessing a scene largely unchanged from Inca times.
From the salt pans we have a final technical bike ride, downhill into the Sacred Valley town of Urubamba. On this half hour section there are a few rocky drops that can be ridden or walked. There is also the option to take the support van along another route. Arrival to the Urubamba for the transfer to Ollantaytambo and accommodation at the Pakaritampu Hotel
.
Day 5. OLLANTAYTAMBO - URUBAMBA RIVER RAFTING - PISAC (B,L)
After breakfast, we will enjoy the spectacular mountain setting of Ollantaytambo, the ruins set on the edge of town, before transferring to our put-in is at Panchar, some 10 minutes from Ollantaytambo. After a briefing in techniques and safety, start of the rafting on class III and IV rapids for 4 hours. Picnic lunch by the banks of the river before returning to Ollantaytambo around 15:00. A visit to Pisac market (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays only) is a good option before driving back to Ollantaytambo, heading straight for the ruins on the edge of town. The ruins are well worth the guided tour as this is the last undefeated bastion of the Incas. Early dinner and briefing on the up and coming Royal Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Accommodation at the Pakaritampu hotel.
Day 6. ROYAL INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU (B,L)
Early wake up and breakfast in order to catch the train headed to Machu Picchu. We will ride aboard the Vistadome train, taking in stunning views of the mountains all around, with snowcapped peaks in the distance as we slowly lose elevation and head into high altitude cloud forest. Our destination, the Machu Picchu gateway town of Aguas Calientes, is reachable only by train or air and is nestled among stunning steep mountains shrouded in cloud forest.
Start of the Royal Inca trail, for which we will depart the train before reaching Aguas Calientes. We will commence our hike by crossing a hanging bridge over the Urubamba River to approach the small but interesting Inca archaeological complex of Cachabamba. After a brief visit of this site we will begin a four hour ascent to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna 2700m/8829 ft; an important Inca spiritual site, and one of the finest of all Inca ruins. At this point the trail joins with the main Inca Trail. From here we will be walking on Inca pavement. The Inca Trail cuts across the ridge above Machu Picchu to finally reach Intipunku or Gate of the Sun, at 2700m/8829 ft. From here the trail winds downhill (45 minutes) into the lost citadel of Machu Picchu, at 2400m/7872. Arrival to Machu Picchu and accommodation at the
Machu Picchu Pueblo hotel
.
Day 7. MACHU PICCHU - CUSCO (B,L)
A guided tour of Machu Picchu, the most spectacular ancient city in the world.
Built by the Inca Pachacutec, and comprising stone blocks fitted with masterful precision, Machu Picchu harmoniously blends into the mountain landscape. There are many theories as to the origins behind Machu Picchu but three of the most popular ideas include a temple to the sun, a fortress against the jungle inhabitants or a sanctuary for the Incas. This fabulous city has houses, temples, warehouses, a large central square, all connected by narrow roads and steps, and is surrounded by terraces cut into the mountain side which were used for agriculture. Lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge before returning back down to Aguas Calientes by bus. Some free time to visit the colourful town before boarding the Vistadome train to Cuzco. Transfer to your hotel, the 5*
Libertador.
Day 8. CUZCO - PUNO (B & L)
Transfer to the railway station for the wonderful trans-altiplano Inca express (Mondays, Wednesday and Saturdays). Lunch onboard the "Orient Express" of Peru. Along the route, there shall be plenty of opportunities to see alpacas and vicuñas in their natural habitat along with the marvellous scenery of the altiplano. A stop at the highest point, La Raya, 4319m, will also be made. (Alternatively, you may fly to Juliaca and then transfer to Puno). Reception and transfer to the 4*
Casa Andina hotel, situated on the very shore of Lake Titicaca.
Day 9. KAYAK LAKE TITICACA (B,L)
After early breakfast, transfer to Llachon before we don our kayaking jackets, spray skirts, and life vests and receive a brief kayaking lesson for our paddle along the peninsula and across the channel to Isla Taquile. Kayaking the clear blue water of a huge lake sitting at 12,500 feet is an unforgettable experience. We will pass village life on the shores of the peninsula, then as we head across the channel to Isla Taquile we gain our first views across the full distance of the lake. The total distance is about five and a half miles, and in our stable sea kayaks we will take our time and perhaps take a break on the water for a snack. Upon reaching Isla Taquile, we will walk about 20 minutes, less than a mile, to have our lunch. After lunch we board our kayaks for a short kayaking adventure around the island of Taquile, affording fabulous views of the hills and mountains surrounding the highest navigable lake in the world-all the way into Bolivia--and a unique view of the island. Rejoin the support boat for a ride back to the lakeside city of Puno, stopping along the way for a visit to the floating islands of Uros. The floating islands, constructed from the reeds that grow around the lake, date from centuries ago when people started living on them as a way to avoid conflict with other civilizations living around the lake. Transfer to the 4* Casa Andina Private Collection hotel.
Day 10. PUNO - JULIACA - LIMA (B)
After breakfast, head towards Juliaca, and an excursion to the Silluastani towers. The pre-Inca Sillustani funeral towers lie next to the Umayo Lake and form part of one of the largest and most important necropolis in the world. Used by both the Altiplano civilisation and the Incas and their wives "Collas" to honour their dead and in preparation for the after-life. They were abandoned when the first Spanish arrived. With over ninety chulpas (tombs), all built from volcanic rock, those for the Incas can be easily recognised by their finer detail. Transfer to Juliaca airport for the flight back to Lima and transfer to the 5 star
Country Club Hotel.
Day 11. LIMA (B)
Leisurely day before your transfer to the airport and your return flight home
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