6-DAY SACRED VALLEY TOUR TO CUSCO AND MACHU PICCHU

(Private service, English- or Italian-speaking guide)

We will pick you up from your hotel and start your city tour, going through the modern districts of San Isidro and Miraflores. We will enjoy incredible views of the Pacific Ocean from Parque del Amor (Love Park) and visit the pre-Inca Huaca Pucllana, an astounding ancient pyramid-shaped temple located in the middle of the city. Immediately after, we will visit Lima’s historic center, where we may appreciate and learn about the colonial origins of the city, making a first stop at the San Francisco Convent and its famous underground crypts known as the Catacombs. Next, we will visit the Plaza Mayor, where the Presidential Palace and the Cathedral are located. Finally, we will drive through Plaza San Martín, a large and unique park in downtown Lima, surrounded by republican buildings (duration: 4 hours). Return to your hotel.

Afternoon and evening free.

Overnight in the city of Lima.

Meals included: B

Pick up from your hotel in Lima and transfer to the airport for your flight to Cusco (morning flight booked on your own).

Upon arrival in Cusco, we will pick you up and transfer you to your hotel (Cusco’s altitude: 34000 m / 11152 ft).

*Both airport transfers with Spanish-speaking driver only, no guide’s assistance.

You will have plenty of time to rest, adjust to the altitude, and have lunch before your city tour.

Cusco City Tour:

(Shared service up to 16 travelers, English-speaking guide)

We will meet you at your hotel in the afternoon and begin visiting the Cathedral in the main Plaza, part of our colonial legacy. Koricancha or Temple of the Sun, the most important sacred Inca place within the city, which sheltered all Gods and Goddesses brought by the nations that integrated the Inca Empire. Traveling out of the city center, we will visit the enigmatic stonework complex of Sacsayhuaman, and what nowadays we call “Customs” in the Inca version: Kenko, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay (duration: 4 hours). Return to your hotel.

Evening free.

Overnight in the city of Cusco.

Meals included: B

(Shared service up to 16 travelers, English-speaking guide)

We will begin our visit in Pisac, a marvelous citadel with extensive agricultural terraces, with a cemetery of more than a thousand burial niches on a mountain wall. Later on, you can explore the historical artisan market located on the main plaza of Pisac. We will be stopping at the town of Yucay for a buffet lunch.

We will continue the tour in Ollantaytambo, an awe-inspiring construction on a steep mountain, build for military, agricultural, and religious control purposes as a watchtower over the Sacred Valley. Once at the top, you will startle at a magnificent sight of the Sacred Valley.

The tour ends at around 15:30 to 16:00 hrs. We recommend bringing a backpack with your belongings for 1 night so you can comfortably wander through this ancient cobblestone town of Inca times until the train leaves.

Then, you will be instructed to walk, on your own, to the Ollantaytambo Train Station (10-min walk from the Main plaza) for your Expedition Train* (tourist class), departing at 19:00hrs and arriving in Aguas Calientes at 20:45. A hotel staff member will escort you to your hotel.

*Please note that you can upgrade the train to the Vistadome (superior class). Surcharges are detailed in the ”Prices” section.

Evening free.

Overnight in Aguas Calientes.

Meals included: B L D (only at 4- or 5-star hotels)

(Shared trains/bus. Private transfers & English-speaking guide)

Your tour guide will pick you up from your hotel, and together you will take the bus up to Machu Picchu citadel early in the morning so you can explore the archeological complex at a less crowded time (recommended time: 8:00 a.m. / duration: 2–3 hours).

Note: For dramatic views of the landscape that surrounds Machu Picchu, you can hike on your own either the Huayna Picchu Mountain for about 2 hours (entrance schedules: 7:00 a.m. or 9:00 a.m.), the Machu Picchu Mountain for 3-4 hours (entrance schedules: 7:00 a.m. or 9:00 a.m.), or the Huchuy Picchu Mountain for 1 hour (entrance schedules: 10:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m.). These treks are optional and not included in the price.

Once the tour has come to an end, you will take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes (buses depart every 5 min) and get a taste of Peruvian cuisine at a local restaurant overlooking the Vilcanota river.

You can do some exploration in the small town or visit the town’s Hot Springs (from which the town owes its name), and then head to the train station on your own for your Expedition Train (tourist class – upgrade to Vistadome with surcharge upon request), departing at 15:20 hrs and arriving at 17:08hrs at Ollantaytambo station, where you will look for a sign with your name to be transferred to your hotel in Cusco (a 2-hour ride approx).

Evening free.

Overnight in the city of Cusco.

Meals included: B L

Pickup from your hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight Cusco – Lima (booked on your own / transfer with Spanish-speaking driver only, no guide’s assistance).

Meals included: B