Day 01: Cusco – Piskacucho – Yunkachimpa
Your bi-lingual guide picks you up at your hotel in Cusco for the 2 hour ride by private bus to the small Andean town of Chilca and on to the trailhead at Piscacucho.. Here we will meet our porters and camp staff.
As our porters load the heavy gear, we head off down river alongside the rushing Vilcanota river, through pretty cactus gardens with magnificent views of the Wakay-wilca snow-peak, to our right. We’ll arrive at the Inca town of Llactapata and spend some time exploring this site before continuing up the Cusichaca valley to thehamlet of Huallaybamba where we camp for the night within view of the river (L,D).
Day 02: Yunkachimpa – Warmiwañusca – Runkurakay
After breakfast, we continue up through remnant cloud forest, ascending steadily to the head of a valley below the high pass of Warmiwanusca. If the weather is clear we’ll get spectacular views of the Huayanay snow peaks as we climb steadily over the pass and down to treeline in the Pacasmayo Valley. (B,L,D).
Day 03: Runkurakay – Chaq’icocha – Wiñaywayna
Today, a steady one to two hour climb takes us over the second pass where we pick up out first real signs of paved inca road , climbing an impressive carved stairway to the minor ruins of Runturacayt. Continuing up this Inca stairway we cross the pass and drop down to the major and spectacular ruins of Sayacmarca for lunch. Your guide will explain some of the mysteries of Incan architecture and Inca life and we’ll continue on along an exquisite paved inca road, passing through moss and orchid laden cloud forest, to our camp at Phuyupatamarca. (B,L,D).
Day 04: Wiñaywayna – Machu Picchu – Cusco
From Phuyupatamarca the trail deends through some of the finest, intact paved Inca road known. Passing through moss and orchid laden mature cloud forest down a steep Inca stairway to Winay-wayna. This site was only discovered in the 1940’s and rivals Machu Picchu in splendor. From here it’s 2 hours through tree-fern laden cloud forest to Intipunku, the sun gate, where we get our first and awe-inspiring view of the citadel of MachuPicchu. We’ll linger here and then wander through Machu Picchu itself in the late afternoon. After the tour you will have free time to wander around, then you will meet with the rest of the group to drive by bus down to Aguas Calientes. In the afternoon, transfer by train to Cusco. Upon arrival in Cusco transfer to your hotel. (B).
Include
- Transportation from Cusco to Km 82, starting point of the trail
- Entrance to the Inca Trail and to Machu Picch
- Services of a bilingual tour guide
- Service of cooks and porters
- Camping equipment: Double occupancy tents and sleeping pads, dinner tent, toilet tent, – kitchen tent,
tables, seats, first aids kit and utensils for your meals. - All meals during the hike.
- Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Cusco on the tourist class Backpacker
Not Include
- Sleeping bag (Can be hired in Cusco by per-arrangement)
- Airport tax (at present $4 domsetic and $25 International)
- Bottled drinks except water or where provided with meals
- Optional tips to staff
- Items of a personal nature, e.g. Laundry
- Excess baggage changes
