Day 1: Arrival to Lima – Welcome to Peru!
Just cross the street when leaving the exit hall of the Airport. Your hotel is located only a few meters away on the Airport’s premises. Relax and get some rest for the next day.
There are no domestic night flights in Peru. If your international flight arrives in the evening, you’ll need to spend the first night in Lima. The Wyndham Costa del Sol Airport Hotel is located inside the premises of the airport, only a few meters away from the arrival hall. If you’re arriving to Lima in the morning, you can directly continue to Cusco, allowing for an additional day.
You may arrive any time to Lima. The itinerary will be adapted to your actual arrival time.
Day 2: Flight to Cusco & Sacsayhuaman Ruins
Enter the Airport for your flight to Cusco (approx. 1:30 hour). Visit Sacsayhuaman, the majestic Inca Fortress overlooking Cusco. After a first introduction to the Inca’s history and a guided visit, you will have time to explore the vast site on your own.
After lunch, visit Cusco’s Main Square, get familiar with the streets of Cusco and admire its beautiful architecture.
Day 3: Hiking Pisac Ruins
Drive by private car to the village of Pisac (approx. 45 minutes’ total driving duration), experiencing the fantastic Andean landscape as you gradually descend to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Stop by a view point and enjoy the stunning view over snowcapped mountains.
Drive up the mountain for a great view over the Valley and today’s highlight, a guided visit of Pisac Ruins on the Mountain’s top. Leave the crowds at the top and hike down to the village with more ruins on the way (approx. 3 hours’ hiking).
Enjoy your lunch at a local restaurant. Afterwards you’ll have time to explore Pisac’s famous handicraft market before driving back to Cusco.
Day 4: Mountain biking to Moray & stunning Inca Salt Flats
Mountain bike (optional) to the archeological site of Moray with its perfectly round Inca terraces, also known as the “Inca Lab”. Continue to the Inca Salt Flats and marvel at over 4,000 salt ponds built by the pre-Inca over 800 years ago, where the locals still harvest salt in exactly the same way as their ancestors did.
After lunch, drive to your nearby located hotel in the Valley and replenish your energy for the Inca Trail the next day.
The bike ride is optional, although ideal for travelers enjoying the outdoors. No former experience is required and the trail will be adapted to your preferences (easy to challenging). The car will follow the bikes the whole time, so you don’t need to carry anything.
If preferred, you can also choose to skip the bike ride and add in a hike instead or rather take it relaxed.
Day 5: Salkantay Trek Day 1 – From Cusco to Soraypampa & amazing Humantay Lagoon
Get picked up at your hotel in Cusco (5:00 AM) and drive to the starting point of your trekking adventure at Marqokasa (3,700 m.a.s.l.).
Meet your trekking team and start your trek hiking for approx. 45 minutes uphill to reah “Canal Inca” for the first views on Vilcabamba Mountain Range and Huamantay Glacier. Continue for approx. 2 hours (mostly flat) to the campsite at Soraypampa (3,900 m.a.s.l.). Enjoy your lunch prepared by your chef and get some rest.
In the afternoon, visit amazing Humantay Lagoon (4,250 m.a.s.l.) surrounded by snowcapped mountains (approx. 1.5-hour hike uphill). Back at the campsite, enjoy your dinner prepared by your chef and get some rest for the next day.
Total hiking distance: 10 km
Duration: 5 – 6 hours
Day 6: Salkantay Trek Day 2 – Soraypampa – Salkantay Pass – Chaullay
After an early breakfast, start your second trekking day (6:00 AM) with the challenging ascend during approx. 5 hours to Salkantay Pass (4,650 m.a.s.l.) from where you’ll have a breathtaking view on the four majestic snow capped peaks of Salkantay, Humantay, Tucarhuay and Pumasillo.
Descend to today’s lunch spot at Huayracmachay (3,950 m.a.s.l.) and replenish your energy.
In the afternoon, descend during approx. 3 hours to the campsite at Chaullay (2,950 m.a.s.l.) at the beginning of the high jungle with lush vegetation and warmer temperatures.
After dinner, relax under starry sky and rest for the next day
Total hiking distance: 19 km
Duration: 8 – 9 hours
Day 7: Salkantay Trek Day 3: Chaullay – Playa Sahuayaco – Aguas Calientes
Today you’ll make your way from Chaullay (2,950 m.a.s.l.) all the way down to Aguas Calientes (2,000 m.a.s.l.). Admire the gradually changing vegetation, with fruit trees and orchids, coffee plantations, passing small waterfalls until reaching the lunch spot in the small town of Sahuayaco (2,200 m.a.s.l / approx. 5.5 hours hike). You made it!
After lunch, drive by private van for 1 hour to the check point of Hidroelectrica and take the train to Aguas Calientes. Enjoy a well-deserved shower at your hotel and a relaxed evening.
Total hiking distance: 14 km
Duration: 5 – 6 hours
Day 8: The Sanctuary: Machu Picchu & Huayna Picchu (or Machu Picchu Mountain)
In early morning, meet your guide and drive up to the vast archaeological site of Machu Picchu for a guided visit. Climb challenging Huayna Picchu (or Machu Picchu Mountain) for a breathtaking view over the whole site.
Hop on the bus back to Aguas Calientes for lunch in a local restaurant. Then take the train to Ollantaytambo where your driver is waiting to get back to Cusco.
Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain?
For those who wish to add in an additional hike to the cultural visit of Machu Picchu should consider climbing one of the two additional mountains located on the site of Machu Picchu.
Tickets are limited per day and need to be purchased well in advance. The challenging hike uphill takes about 1 hour, rewarded with breathtaking views from the top. However, in case of Huayna Picchu, it’s important that you are not afraid of heights (narrow steps next to an abyss). In case heights are an issue, Machu Picchu Mountain would be the better choice.
Day 9: Flight to Lima & Farewell
Enjoy some free time in Cusco to further explore. Then get picked up at your hotel and drive to Cusco Airport for your flight to Lima & Outbound flight.
Safe journey home & come back soon!
There are domestic flights from Cusco to Lima all day. However, your international flight should not leave before 10 AM to make it in time to Lima. Your domestic flight will be booked in accordance with departure time of your international return flight.
