WHY THIS TRIP
Hike the best trails around Cusco, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and then enter Machu Picchu on foot via the Gate of the Sun on the 1-Day Inca Trail Trek, even when permits for the full Inca Trail trek are sold out. Each day you will hike along little known Inca Trails and learn about the fascinating cultures of Peru, both past and present.
These moderate hikes show you all the main sites of the area, but allow you to walk away from the crowds and see the real Peru that lies beyond. At the end of each day you can relax in comfortable local hotels. World-class guides will enhance your understanding of what you are seeing, giving you a very complete Inca Peru experience.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
- Arrive to Machu Picchu on foot via the Gate of the Sun, even if permits are sold out for the full Inca Trail trek
- Hiking on Inca trails
- Exploring the popular and lesser know Inca sites with your knowledgeable local guide
- Relaxing each night at a comfortable hotel
- Early morning and a full day at Machu Picchu
- Experiencing the culture of Peru, both past and present
After being met at the Cusco airport, you will begin the trip with a local’s guide to Peru, a short walking tour of colonial Cusco to help you get your bearings in this fascinating city, and also to help you adjust to the high altitude.
On Day 2 you will hike in the hills above Cusco to explore the impressive site of Sacsayhuaman where huge stone rampart surround a beautiful grass amphitheater. Next is the Inca water temple of Tambo Machay where you will enjoy a special picnic lunch. After checking out the Temple of the Moon you will descend a beautifully preserved section of royal Inca Trail back into Cusco.
You will hike to the circular ruins of Moray on Day 3, as you begin your journey towards Machu Picchu. The concentric circular terraces here were used as an experimental agricultural center by the Inca. From there you walk downhill through a series of fields where you may get to stop and chat with local farmers digging in their corn fields or planting potatoes. Finally you come to the Maras Salt Pans, where you can see locals harvesting salt the same way they have been for hundreds and hundreds of years, well before the Incas. Continue on foot to the Urubamba River, where you meet your driver and head to your hotel for the evening.
Next you catch the train towards Machu Picchu, where you get off at Kilometer 104 to begin the final stretch of the trek along the world famous Inca Trail, passing restored ruins and eventually arriving at the entrance to Machu Picchu at the Gate of the Sun. You will hike past perhaps the prettiest part of the Inca Trail, hiking on Inca stairways and through the tropical cloud forest. At Machu Picchu you will enjoy the overview from the Gate of the Sun, but then will head down to a hotel in Machu Picchu Pueblo where you have the evening free to explore the extensive artisan market and lively bars and restaurants.
The next morning you explore the pinnacle of Inca engineering – Machu Picchu. You will arrive early, allowing you to explore the ruins in the company of your guide, before they get too busy. The guided tour takes around two hours leaving you a few hours free to wander amongst the old Inca walls and just sit and take in the scale of the place on your own. For those who want to walk a bit more, you could hike to visit the Inca Bridge which once spanned a sheer cliff face. Later you return via train and bus to Cusco along the spectacular Urubamba River.
Your final day is a free morning in Cusco, the old Inca capital, to enjoy all that this city has to offer. Museums, chocolate making classes, souvenir hunting or even just sitting in one of the many cafes and watching the world go by. Finally, in the afternoon, you are taken to the airport for your flight home or on to the Amazon rainforest, Lake Titicaca, Arequipa and the Colca Canyon, or other destinations.
LOCAL PROVIDER: AMAZONAS EXPLORER
For more than 30 years Amazonas Explorer has used a different approach in leading high-quality trips and adventures in South America. While the company had its beginnings in adventure tourism, its success in building a strong team of knowledgeable guides has enhanced its ability to offer a range of innovative cultural tours.
By raft, bike, foot, horse and even paddleboard, travelers are immersed in their surroundings to explore in unique ways the highlights of southern Peru, the company’s home turf. Every adventure with Amazonas Explorer is treated with impeccable care and top-notch services, all focused on the client’s comfort and safety.
The current owners, while originally from the United Kingdom, have lived and played in the Cusco region for more than 20 years. The itineraries they’ve crafted are based on places they love and activities they enjoy. Their obvious love for Peru shines through in the company’s efforts to maximize benefits to local economies and to promote responsible tourism across the country. Beginning in the home office, its professionally trained guides, cooks and support crew are well cared for as they build rewarding careers for themselves within the hierarchy of the company.
With more than 20 office staff and a Peruvian team total of nearly 200, Amazonas Explorer prides itself on being a great place to work. On an Inca Trail hiking trip, for instance, it is likely you will have the support of porters who have been with the company more than 10 years. Amazonas has a porter protection policy in place and all employees enjoy the provisions of proper working conditions, fair wages, quality gear, and insurance.
Dedicated to sustainable tourism projects in alliance with local communities, Amazonas Explorer purchases local food and, when available, local equipment and gear. Its exceptional cultural experiences include engagement with local people and opportunities for travelers to purchase local crafts and weavings directly from their source.
The largely paperless company takes significant steps to further reduce its carbon impact by minimizing its impact to the environment with small group sizes, smart transportation choices, recycling whatever it can, cooking with gas not kerosene or firewood and carefully disposing of all waste generated on trips. Above all, the entire crew of experts holds collective focus on safety and on providing memorable experiences that are equal to none. Amazonas Explorer is also a member of One Percent for the Planet, donating annually its time and money to reforestation efforts in Peru’s Lares Valley.
Judy Carr –
This was an amazing trip. Every detail thought of. It started off with the pick ups at the airports with guides that were fluent in English, full of information and personality. Our hotels and meals were amazing but more than anything it was the itinerary and our guide Jimmy from Amazonas Explorer that made the trip. Jimmy was so knowledgeable and had a wonderful personality that it didn’t take long before we felt like he was one of the group. We were sorry to see him leave us in Aguas Calentes after bonding through our many hikes, picnics, shopping, and long drives. The small buses that we used were very comfortable and the drivers also capable and friendly. I will say that while the Inca Trail wasn’t difficult it was challenging and you better not have a fear of heights. The picnics after hiking in Cusco and in Moray were a wonderful surprise including a stir fry lunch one day and wonderful chicken dish the other day. Machu Picchu was beautiful and worth the effort to get there. We expected Machu Picchu and got so much more. Layna at Detour was so responsive and easy to work with. She did an amazing job arranging with Amazonas Explorer and Ecuador Adventure in Ecuador. We would definitely recommend.
GREGORY M ELLIS –
Outstanding trip and experiences. Superb, knowledgeable guides, great hotels. The trip description doesn’t do it justice – we experienced so many more things than we had imagined and came away with a much greater appreciation of the Inka and their empire. The only deviation we made from the planned itinerary was to add a second day in Lima after travelling from the US, a second day in Aguas Calentes (with Machu Pichu entrance fees) just to ‘recuperate’ a bit and enjoy the town and culture. It was well worth the extra nights in hotels. To really enjoy this trip, however, you do need to be in reasonable physical condition – the hikes aren’t killer, but you’re certainly not walking to the corner store…..and the altitude can be hard to deal with.
Deb G –
We got very lucky that we were able to reach Machu Picchu as the day after we visited, the river swelled and the trains didn’t run. February is not the most reliable time to go due to the rain. However, we did get there and staying the night in Aguas Calientes meant we could get up there before the crowds. We thought we wouldn’t enjoy the day in the Sacred Valley, but the Pisac ruins were really interesting (though a lot of climbing at an altitude we had not adjusted to) and the town of Ollantaytombo was worth walking around (with a guide to explain its history). The train ride was fun, but the bus ride from the train station back to Cuzco was long and very cramped.
Elise E –
It was a fantastic trip- the people, culture, food, history and spectacular scenery were great. The itinerary worked out perfectly and wouldn’t change a thing- except probably the night in Agua Calientes. The local Amazonas guides really made the history and their country come alive to us. It was a much more enriching trip because of them.
Loved Casa Andina in Arequipa and lodge in Colca Canyon; and we booked ourselves, but fyi- the Tambo del Inka is one of the best hotels I have ever stayed at globally. I’d go back to all these hotels in a second. Next time would just do day trip from Tambo to Machu Picchu because the train is so easy from there- and the night in Aqua Calientes was miserable from the noise and wasn’t worth the hassle as was totally fogged in the morning so didn’t see the sunrise anyway. I have a feeling that is more often the case than not (Machu Picchu being foggy in the morning); not a problem, just not worth the lack of sleep and moving hotels to catch the sunrise in my opinion unless the weather is more predictable at other times of the year. There are lots of people at Machu Picchu but I must say I was really impressed with how organized they were getting them up, in and out so wasn’t as aggravating as I was expecting at all and was quite painless surprisingly. Seeing the condors was really neat- and our hike along the canyon rim afterwards was great.
everything was organized and ran so completely smoothly it was impressive. I must make a note of how impressed we were with the drivers along with the guides. The drivers were all so professional, pleasant and extremely safe (we noticed some other tour companies where the driving was not that safe) and were thankful to be with ours for sure. They also took such pride in their work and literally cleaned the car while we were stretching our legs at a rest stop. Impressive.
Very impressed with Amazonas
Ray S –
We really enjoyed the trip. Overall, the experience was unique and very satisfying.
There were a couple of minor issues – – hot water at the Villa Urubamba was very limited.
The guides we had in both the Sacred Valley and the Amazon were great – – very knowledgeable, open and spoke English well. Also, the travel arrangements in both locations were excellent – – buses and boats were timely and in good operating condition, the bus drivers were very skilled, the food that was provided was very good.
For our group, the hiking portions of the trip were just right – – not too difficult.
Thanks again for all of your efforts to put together a great package.
Jane S –
I asked for at least one day in Lima. It would have been nice to have 2 days. There is much to see here and many areas are beautiful. There is also a larger variety of restaurants. The time in the Sacred Valley, Cuzco, and Machu Picchu was terrific and 8 days there was more than enough. Three days in the jungle was perfect. (Only one mosquito bite this time of year!) We had an independent guide and driver who were outstanding in the Andes part. His name was Willow. Easy to understand, very helpful and considerate. The guide in the Amazon was at least as good (Moises). Both had an endearing sense of humor as well. The guide in Lima (Cissy) was also great. She shepherded us though the most important sites in the three hours we had with her and we were able to get a real feeling for the city. Do not short-change yourself by leaving out Lima. There is a vibrant night-life there as well.
Be prepared not to have reliable hot water in the Andes, even at the finest hotels. In places like urubamba you might not have heat in the room and it does get cold at night. i brought my own slippers. Slippers an robes are not provided in most hotels. If you want a shower cap, bring it. In the jungle, keep your clothes away from the windows (screens only) as they will get damp. Don’t rely on washing anything there as it won’t dry.
Very demanding hikes, thinner air affects muscles.
woart –
This was an excellent trek option for someone who cannot committ the time or get the permits for the Inca Trail. While I wish I could have hiked the trail, this was a well run trek with an excellent guide and lots of amazing things to see. I deffinatly recommend it to anyone who lacks the time or inclination to hike the trail.