Peru
Day One: Arrive and Acclimatise
You’ll arrive in Cusco, ready for your private hotel transfer. Then it’s time to acclimatise to this seductive city, 3,399m above sea level. Packed with ancient temples, colonial mansions and grand cathedrals, the former Incan capital is the perfect place to start an adventure.
Overnight in Cusco
Classic - Suenos del Inka Hotel
Premium - Novotel Cusco
Deluxe - Palacio Del Inka
Meals included: None
Day Two: Into the Inca Empire
Time for a morning foray into Cusco’s fascinating history, on a guided walk that takes in its most famous monuments. You’ll start in the grand main square of the Plaza des Armas, visiting its cathedral before wandering down tiny alleys and past high Incan walls on your way to the most important temple of Inca times: Coricancha, the Temple of the Sun.
The afternoon is free for further exploration. You might like to take an optional excursion through the Incan ruins dotted around Cusco. The adventure starts at the old citadel of Sacsayhuaman, which has spectacular views down towards the city. Then you’ll visit the mysterious temple of Qenqo, carved from a single monolith and thought to be the site of grizzly death rituals. Finally, it’s time to see the calm, fortress ruins at Puka Pukara and the aqueducts and waterfalls at Tambomachay, believed by some to be a spa resort for the ancient Incan elite (see Extras tab).
Overnight in Cusco
Classic - Suenos del Inka Hotel
Premium - Novotel Cusco
Deluxe - Palacio Del Inka
Meals included: Breakfast
Day Three: Village Life
Journey into the lush green landscape of the Sacred Valley, to find out about life outside the city, both ancient and modern. The first stop on your day-long adventure will be Moray, where a mysterious pattern of circular terraces (thought to be an Incan agricultural laboratory) blends beautifully into the surrounding foothills.
After that, visit the spectacular terraced salt flats at Maras, which have been harvested since pre-Incan times. Situated at the mouth of a ravine, they’re a holiday must-snap. In Maras village, you’ll spend time with a local family who will teach you the art of decorating Peruvian ceramics during a private workshop: you’ll leave with your own ornament as a souvenir. Your final stop on the excursion will be the village of Ollantaytambo, occupied since the 13th century and nicknamed the ‘Last Inca Village in Peru’. Life continues largely unchanged in its cobbled streets and squares. You’ll visit the fortress ruins that climb into the mountains above the village (where the Incans defeated the conquistadors in battle). Then you’ll get an insight into daily life here, spending time in a typical Ollantaytambo home that’s been occupied by the same family for generations.
Overnight in Cusco
Classic - Suenos del Inka Hotel
Premium - Novotel Cusco
Deluxe - Palacio Del Inka
Meals included: Breakfast
Day Four: Walk Through the Clouds to Machu Picchu
You’ll take a car to Ollantaytambo, ready to board the fast train to the Machupicchu Park. After checking documents with the rangers, it’s time for a three-hour Inca Trail trek past tumbling waterfalls, rare orchids and mountain birds, towards the steeply terraced ruins of Wiñaywayna, 9514 feet above sea level. You’ll break for a packed lunch here and have time to explore the ruins and their museum, as well as Inti Punku, the Inca Gate of the Sun, from where you’ll get your first glimpse of the incredible site of Machu Picchu. After that, you’ll cross the rainforested ridge towards one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of modern times. Once there, you’ll have time to learn more about the city and explore its many monuments, before taking the bus down to Agua Calientes, your home for the night.
Overnight in Aguas Calientes
Classic - Hotel Casa Andina Standard Machu Picchu
Premium - Hotel El Mapi by Inkaterra
Deluxe - Inkaterra Machu Pueblo Hotel
Meals included: Breakfast; packed lunch; dinner
Day Five: Exploring a Lost City
Having got your bearings yesterday, you’ll board an early morning shuttle bus to Machu Picchu for a guided exploration of the site. You’ll find out about its discovery by Hiram Bingham, as well as the theories on the mysteries surrounding how and why it was built. You’ll also adventure through its main plaza, Temple of Three Windows, Circular Tower, sacred sundial and burial grounds. After your morning’s exploration, you’ll leave your guide and board the Vistadome train from Aguas Calientes to Poroy station in Cusco. The train has panoramic windows, allowing passengers incredible views over snow-capped mountains which segue to green-swathed foothills, tiny villages and forgotten ruins. Upon arrival in Cusco, you’ll be transferred to your hotel.
Overnight in Cusco
Classic - Suenos del Inka Hotel
Premium - Novotel Cusco
Deluxe - Palacio Del Inka
Meals included: Breakfast
Day Six: Towards Rainbow Mountain
Leave Cusco after breakfast, on the 83-mile journey towards Vinicunca, known as Rainbow Mountain thanks to its undulating patterns of bright colour, caused by the erosion of its surface. As the drive takes you up into the Andes, you’ll stop at the picturesque stone village of Checacupe, then climb to 3,600m to buy supplies in Pitumarca, the last village with shops before you begin your trek. From here, the route follows an unpaved path upwards towards Quesoyoni (4,376m), where you’ll meet the horsemen who will accompany you on your hike. Once the horses are loaded up, it’s time to start walking: following a stream uphill past herds of llama and alpaca towards Anantapata, where you’ll find amazing views of nearby Ausangate Mountain. You’ll have lunch here, before a two-hour climb to the Anantapata Pass, with snow-capped views of the Vilcanota mountain range from 5,010m up. Then it’s an hour’s downhill hike to your campsite home for the night.
Overnight in Surine Qocha (4,795m)
Classic, Premium and Deluxe - Campsite on the way to Rainbow Mountain
Meals included: Breakfast; lunch; dinner
Day Seven: Bright and Beautiful
You’ll continue your hike this morning, breakfasting early in order to reach beautiful Vinicunca after an hour and a half’s walk. Swirled with candy-like patterns of turquoise, orange, brown and red, it’s a stunningly surreal sight – especially with the snowy peak of Ausangate as a backdrop. There will be plenty of time to take pictures and savour the atmosphere, before a downhill hike through the grassy Kairahuire valley, stopping for lunch at 4,350m. Then you’ll continue your descent down to Quesoyoni, ready for the drive to the Sacred Valley. The rest of the day is yours to relax, settle in and take in your tranquil Andean setting.
Overnight in Sacred Valley
Classic, Premium & Deluxe: Belmond Rio Sagrado
Meals included: Breakfast; lunch; dinner
Sacred Valley
Days Eight & Nine
The next two days will be at your leisure. You could relax in the hotel’s award-winning spa, Maya Willka, with a range of massages and treatments using locally sourced products and wild indigenous flowers. Wander the gardens and feed the alpacas that live on the hotel grounds, take a yoga class or take part in a sacred offering ceremony, guided by an Andean Shaman.
We’ve also sourced some optional extras for you; why not horse ride through the valley, or take a tour to the markets and ruins of Pisac. These are payable locally, so you can decide when you arrive.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day Ten: Towards Lake Titicaca
Leave the Sacred Valley for the final time, on the long bus journey to the city of Puno, on the shore of Lake Titicaca. You’ll break up the journey with plenty of stops, accompanied by the tour-bus guide. First, at the sleepy town of Andahuaylillas, you’ll see the ‘Sistine Chapel of the Americas’, an intricately-decorated 16th-century church that’s packed with murals and gold leaf. Then you’ll visit Raqchi, home to the country’s only surviving adobe Incan ruins. Finally, in the enchanting little town of Pukara, you’ll have lunch at a local restaurant, shop for the town’s famous ‘Toritos de Pucara’ pottery and see the pre-Incan treasures of the Museu Litico de Pucara. Upon arrival in Puno, you’ll be transferred to your hotel, ready to explore Lake Titicaca in the morning.
Overnight in Puno
Classic - Hotel Hacienda Puno
Premium - Sonesta Posadas Del Inca Lago Titicaca Puno
Deluxe - Hotel Libertador Lago Titicaca
Meals included: Breakfast; lunch
Day Eleven: Life on the Lake
You’ll be picked up at your hotel and taken to Puno’s dock, ready for a day-long boat trip on Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake. First stop is the Uros Islands: these manmade reed islands, floating within the Titicaca National Reserve, are named after the builders who have lived here for centuries, maintaining their traditional way of life and living in small houses that they also weave from the reeds. Next, you’ll head for the island of Taquile, whose inhabitants still speak the Incan language of Quechua. You’ll notice their colourful clothing, made using weaving techniques that are central to their culture and practiced by everyone. You can buy some garments for yourself, or simply savour the uniqueness of the unspoiled landscape: there are no roads, only agricultural terraces and paved walking paths that criss-cross the countryside. On clear days, you can see as far as Bolivia from the highest point in the island, at almost 4,050m.
Overnight in Puno
Classic - Hotel Hacienda Puno
Premium - Sonesta Posadas Del Inca Lago Titicaca Puno
Deluxe - Hotel Libertador Lago Titicaca
Meals included: Breakfast
Day Twelve: Home Time
There’s the chance to see the pre-Incan cemetery of Sillustani on your way back to the airport. In a dream-like setting on the shore of Lake Umayo, backed by the wild emptiness of the Altiplano, these funerary towers stand sentinel high above the water. There will be time to explore, before driving onwards towards Juliaca and the airport.
Overall meals included: 12 Breakfasts; 8 lunches; 5 dinners
If you would prefer to do this tour with our other Peru Extension to Lake Titicaca, please get in touch via telephone or Live Chat.
Accommodation
You will get a choice of hotel options for the duration of your experience:
Classic ★★★
Classic hotels provide mid-range accommodation (minimum three-star rated), with comfortable rooms and private facilities. We’ve selected these hotels based on positive client feedback.
Premium ★★★★
Premium hotels are typically upper mid range (usually four star), with more amenities than our classic choices. They all have comfortable rooms with private facilities and have received good client feedback.
Deluxe ★★★★★
Deluxe hotels are luxury hotels with excellent facilities and service, usually categorised as 4.5 or 5 star. Clients rate them extremely highly.
When booking an experience, please remember that the hotel category you select is for the whole tour. Please note that the actual hotel selection will be driven by availability at time of booking.
If you would like different hotel categories for your Thrill and Chill components please get in contact with our team via telephone or our Live Chat.
What's included:
- Private English-speaking guides unless stated otherwise
- Private transfers, trains tickets and internal flights, unless stated otherwise
- Meals as listed
- Mandatory taxes and service fees
- Entrance tickets and permits unless stated otherwise
- Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
- Excursion to Rainbow Mountain
- Boat excursion on Lake Titicaca
What's not included:
- International flights to/from the start/end point of our experiences
- Optional extras listed
- Tips for guides, drivers, hotel and restaurant staff
- Any visa, customs, airport taxes or similar charges before or after the tour
- We cannot guarantee the included hotel breakfast for early departures
- Drinks during meals unless stated otherwise
- Personal expenses, such as laundry
For Home Office travel advice to this country, read more here
Note: This trip includes a trek to Machu Picchu. If you’d prefer not to do this, please see Thrill & Chill Explore Peru.
If you would like the thrill but don't have time for the chill, check out our 10-day Inca Trail Adventure experience here!
GETTING THERE
Typical return Economy flights from London cost around £800 per person and take 20 hours.
For this particular experience, we have found that the best option is normally to book a multi-stop flight from London - Cusco - Juliaca - London.
Experience start point: Cusco (CUZ). Arrive any time.
End point: Juliaca (JUL). Leave any time.
All tour departures up to 30th June 2019 are part of our Pioneers' Club promotion. Click here for more information.