Lima – Classic Inca Trail – Cusco 10D/9N

Trip highlights:

• Arrive in one of the most unique and varied countries of South America – Peru.
• Explore the enchanting Sacred Valley and experience the ancient culture of the Andes
• Trek for four days on the long Inca Trail, among gorgeous mountain landscapes and enigmatic Inca ruins, ending up at Machu Picchu citadel.
• Be intrigued and amazed by an expert guided tour of Machu Picchu; climb to Huayna Picchu to get panoramic vistas of Machu Picchu.
• Visit Cusco and its off-the-beaten-path hidden treasures.
• Leave your trip planning in the hands of the luxury travel experts of South America.

Trip Description

Delve into the history and magic of the Incas on this ten-day journey through the most important centers of the empire. Visit the enigmatic city of Cusco and its main attractions like the Temple of the Sun and the archaeological complex of Sacsayhuaman. Spend magical nights in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, before starting off on the long Inca Trail.  Spend four amazing days on the ancient road as it winds it way past uncanny vestiges of the Inca civilization, through majestic mountain landscapes, and through dense vegetation. On this private excursion, enjoy the best luxury hotels and expert guide service.

Upon your arrival, our representative will be waiting to welcome you and take you to your hotel, where we will provide all the information about your trip.

In the afternoon you will have free time to rest and relax.

Today we will begin the city tour of Lima, getting to know the colonial part of the city by visiting the most important places in the historic center, with its colonial balconies and attractions including Plaza San Martin, Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace, the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace, City Hall and the Church of Santo Domingo. We’ll continue with the Convent and Church of San Francisco and the Larco Museum with its impressive collections, including a room dedicated to erotic figurines. This museum has an exceptional display of ancient pre-Columbian cultures, textiles from various cultures along the coast, pottery, and metalwork rich in gold and silver.

For dinner, we will visit one of Lima’s foremost restaurants to sample delicious traditional Peruvian dishes. Later we will return you to your hotel.

Breakfast/Lunch

After breakfast, we will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the airport for your flight to Cusco. When you arrive in Cusco, we will be waiting for you at the airport to bring you to the Sacred Valley, which is located at a lower altitude than Cusco, so you will have an easier time acclimating to the altitude. On route to your hotel in the Sacred Valley, we will stop at the Inkarri Museum, to immerse you in the history of the many pre-Incan cultures that influenced the Inca civilization as it expanded to become a great empire. You will then arrive at your hotel to rest in luxury for the night.

Breakfast/Lunch

In the early morning we will pick you up from your hotel to start the tour of the magical Sacred Valley of the Incas, visiting first the archaeological site of Pisac—a place where the history and knowledge of the Incas is in full display, and where you can appreciate the beautiful terraces and the impressive construction of the urban center. We will then visit the local handicraft market town of Pisac, where you will find extraordinary handmade textiles, silverware, pottery, and more.

Later we will head to Urubamba, where we will have a delicious lunch right in the heart of the Sacred Valley.

We will continue the tour by visiting the town and archaeological site of Ollantaytambo, where you can appreciate the beautiful and complex architectural design of the place, built as a military and administrative base, while also serving as a final resting place.

After visiting these stunning and beautiful sites, we return you to your hotel.

Breakfast/Lunch

Early in the morning, we will pick you up from your hotel to travel to kilometer 82 by bus, arriving at the starting point of the Inca Trail. Here we will meet the porters and the rest of the team that will be joining us. We’ll start our trek led by the porters.
We will walk down along the Urubamba River, enjoying magnificent views of the snow-capped peaks, until we reach the ruins of Llactapata.

We then leave the Urubamba Valley behind and follow the Kusichaca River until we reach Huayllabamba, about 3,000 meters (9,842 feet) above sea level.

There we will spend our first night in a comfortable campsite. We will stop for lunch along the way.

Walking time: 11 kilometers approximately (7 miles) in 6 hours.

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

This morning we will get up very early, and after a nutritious breakfast we will start our ascent to the Warmiwayñusca (Dead Woman) pass, at 4200 meters (13780 feet) above sea level, through a narrow path filled with vegetation.

After about 6 hours of hiking, we will have arrived at the summit of the pass. From here we will enjoy breathtaking views of beautiful snow-capped mountains punctuating the blue sky. We will stop along the way for lunch.

Once we reach the end of the pass, we will stop at Pacaymayo, located at 3600 meters (11811 feet) above sea level, where we’ll set up camp to spend the night.

Walking distance: 7 kilometers approximately (4.5 miles) in 7 hours.

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Today we’ll pass through one of the most beautiful stretches of the Inca Trail, due to the number of archaeological sites en route.
After breakfast, we will go up a small hill leading to the circular ruins of Runkurakay, which was used in the Inca era as a military vantage point.

We will rest for a while, and then we will begin our descent down a very well-preserved stretch of the Inca trail until we reach the stairs leading to the ruins of Sayacmarca, located on a natural promontory at 3620 meters (11877 feet) above sea level.
Throughout the hike we will enjoy spectacular views and see many birds and a wide variety of orchids. From Sayacmarca we will enter the cloud forest through a stone path that will lead us to the ruins of Phuyupatamarca (city on the clouds) after crossing a small pass.

After that we continue to descend until reaching the ruins of Wiñay Wayna, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful structures after Machu Picchu, at 2650 meters (8695 feet) above sea level. After visiting the ruins we will go to the camping area where we’ll spend the last night of the trip.

Walking distance: From Pacaymayo to Phuyupatamarca 7 kilometers approximately (4.5 miles) in 6 hours, from Phuyupatamarca to Wiñay Wayna 4 kilometers approximately (2.5 miles) in 3 hours.

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Today we wake up early to get the experience of a lifetime. We will leave from our campsite early in the morning and head towards the Inti Punku, or the Sun Gate, the last pass on the Inca Trail at 2740 meters (8990 feet) above sea level. From this point, Machu Picchu will appear to be wondrous and unreal. After a guided visit through the citadel, we will have some free time to walk through it again. We will be assisted at the predetermined time in boarding the train to Cusco from the Aguas Calientes station. Arriving in Cusco, you will be taken to your hotel.

Walking distance: From Wiñay Wayna to Machu Picchu 5 kilometers approximately (3 miles) in 4 hours. From Phuyupatamarca to Machu Picchu 9 kilometers approximately (5.5 miles) in 7 hours.

Breakfast/Lunch

After a good breakfast, we will begin the tour of Cusco with its temples and monuments such as the Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral, and the convent of Santo Domingo, which was built on top of the Temple of the Sun or Qoricancha, where you can see the impressive Inca constructions. There is also the archaeological complex of Sacsayhuaman, a masterpiece of Inca architecture, and where each year, on June 24, the famous Festival of the Sun or Inti Raymi is celebrated. Continuing the tour, we will visit Quenqo, with its monolithic altar, representing a puma, and then arrive at Puca Pucara, a beautiful spring-fed mountain that forms a series of pools. All of these sites are famous Inca monuments of great religious importance.

After enjoying a great lunch, one of our directors will share with you a unique experience created exclusively for Royal Luxury clients as a way to thank you for traveling with us. It will be a gift coming from our hearts.

Breakfast/Lunch

After breakfast, our transportation will take you to the airport in Cusco for your flight back to Lima. Once on the ground in Lima, we will take you to the district of Barranco to explore this bohemian and artisan neighborhood with the assistance of a guide and private car at your disposal. Based on your international flight information, we will bring you back to the airport to help you check in.

***if you prefer to stay a bit longer in Cusco this day, we will give you return flight options from Cusco to Lima to match your international flight schedule

Breakfast