Day 1: Cusco – Golden Lake – Quencco

We pick you up from your hotel at 6 a.m. and take you to the Inca site called Puca Pucara (3,700 meters). It is only 20 minutes from the city of Cusco. We will begin hiking gently, uphill for an hour and a half until we get to the first pass (4,100 meters), where we’ll have spectacular views of two valleys. To your right, you will see the capital of the Incas, Cusco, with stunning mountains surrounding it. Your tour guide will tell you about how and where the Incas arrived to this area, and about the conquest of the Spaniards. There are two Inca sites at the bottom of the valley and on your left, there will be a beautiful landscape of mountains and farmlands. From the pass, we will follow along the side of the valley, making our way towards the top, to cross over to the other side. It’s about a 45 minute walk to the top end of the valley. Once we get there, we’ll cross a small stream that divides the valley, and begin making our way to our lunch spot, at Queullacocha Lake. The scenery at the lake is quite barren because the whole area is a high puna between the mountains, and is covered with tough, Andean grass, called Ichu. It may be possible to see a variety of bird life, such as Andean Geese, Lapwings, Partridges, among others.

After our lunch, we’ll continue on to our campsite, at the village of Quencco. We will make our way over the top of one of the ridges, as we descend, and loop around Qoricocha Lake (Golden Lake). It’s about a two and a half hour walk to the village, where we’ll be greeted by groups of locals who are always happy to welcome us into their community. After we’ve settled in, and had a steaming cup of mate de coca, we’ll visit one of the local families to learn about their way of life. If you have brought any gifts with you, you can share them with the family at this time. After visiting the family, we’ll have time to relax and your tour guide will teach you more about the Andean way of life.

Day 2: Quencco – Huchuyqosqo – Lamay – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes

You will be awakened with a cup of hot coca tea. When you are packed, we will enjoy a tasty breakfast. We begin our walk from Quencco to the Inca site of Huchuy Qosqo. After about two hours of walking, we will reach a stretch of the original Inca Trail, just below the village of Pumamarca. Along the way, we’ll pass by many local people who will be tending to their llamas. Once we reach the Inca Trail, the scenery changes from the high mountains to a secluded valley. This valley is a beautiful micro-climate, full of lush vegetation. There are many small birds that can be seen, including a variety of hummingbirds that feed off of the flowers. As we make our way down the valley, we will be able to see snow-capped mountains and the famous Urubamba mountain range. There will be ample time to take advantage of the many picturesque vistas.

We’ll make our way towards the main site, we’ll pass through an adobe Inca gateway, and finally arrive to the magnificent Inca site of Huchuy Qosqo (Little Cusco – 3,600 meters), which is perched above the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Here, you will see amazing Inca buildings, like sacred temples, storehouses, Inca terraces for agriculture and an Inca reservoir used to store water in the dry season. Your tour guide will take you on a tour of the site. As an expert, he will teach you about the background. Before we have lunch, you will have time to explore the site on your own. From here, we will begin our walk downhill to the Sacred Valley. It takes about two hours to get to the village of Lamay (2,800 meters) on the Urubamba River, where a bus will be waiting to take you to Ollantaytambo. We will have dinner at a restaurant before taking the 7 p.m. train to Aguas Calientes. We will be able to set up and rest in our hotel. Hot showers will be available.

Day 3: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes – Cusco

Machu Picchu is the most important part of our trip. We suggest waking up wake to get on one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu. These buses are all first come, first serve and begin at 5:30 a.m. Once we get up to the citadel, your tour guide will bring you to a great spot to watch the sunrise over the mountains, weather permitting. Following, you will begin your two hour tour around the complex. After you tour, you will have some time to wander on your own through these ancient ruins (with the options of climbing Huayna Picchu – (this is a separate entrance ticket and costs $15 per person), or climb up to the Sun Gate. Both options have breathtaking views. After you have taken in all of Macchu Picchu, you will return to Aguas Calientes on your own by park buses, and enjoy some lunch in the town, before boarding your train to Ollantaytambo. Once you arrive, you will board a bus and return to Cusco at approximately 8 p.m.