Machu Picchu & Inca Trail (Peru) Itinerary

Day 1: You arrive in Lima, the capital of Peru, at any time via your international flight. You will be met at the airport and transferred to our downtown hotel.

Day 2: We take a morning shuttle to the airport for our internal flight to Cusco, the gateway city to Machu Picchu. At over 11,000 feet you will feel the altitude. We shuttle directly to the town of Ollantaytambo, several thousand feet lower, where we will have a leisurely lunch followed by an afternoon hike through the nearby archeological ruins.

Day 3: Today we explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas as we continue to adjust to the altitude. We start with a visit to Moray, ruins that served as the Incan agricultural laboratory, and hike downhill from there to Maras, a series of pools created by the Incas to harvest salt from a salt-laden natural spring. This is a unique hike where you will see no or few other travelers.

Days 4-7: The Inca Trail! We hike on the ancient trail of the Incan Emperors. We feel a bit royal ourselves as we are only required to bring a daypack with snacks, water, and rain jacket while most of our gear is carried by our Quechua porters. Local guides tell us about the ruins and flora we pass, while our cooks prepare delicious meals to recharge us at lunch and in the evening. This is tent camping, folks, but a pretty nice way to go! On the Classic Inca Trail, total kilometers of hiking each day are fairly moderate: 12, 8, 13, and 13 kilometers. Distances are less on the Royal Inca Trail (8, 10, 8, and 10 kilometers), giving us more time for exploring local ruins. On our final day on the Inca Trail, we emerge to the wondrous site of the Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu. We simply sit on our perch above the ruins and soak in the beauty of the area before being bussed down to our hotel in the nearby town of Aguas Calientes ("hot waters").

Day 8: We arise early to explore Machu Picchu in the crisp morning hours before the trainloads of tourists arrive. You'll have the option to climb a steep hill to the temple on Huayna Picchu before taking the train back to Cusco. We celebrate our victory with a farewell dinner.

Day 9: We spend the morning in Cusco, visiting the ruins of Sacsayhuaman and the Korikancha temple. Lunch is on your own and you'll have a few hours to explore this wonderful town before we take a flight back to Lima where you can connect with your international flight home.