Trip name: Authentic Machu Picchu Experience
Trip Length: 8 Days
Type service: Private Services
Type itinerary: Customize
Destinations: Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu
Activities: Culture and History/ Trekking and Walking/Family/Multi-Activity
Difficulty / Physical Activity: ** Moderately – Easy – 1-3 hours physical activity daily
Comfort: ** Moderate to superior-class accommodations, combined with basic accommodations or camping

Highlights: Lima, Cusco, Andes Mountains, Cusco, Pisaq ruins and market, Ollantaytambo Fortress, the lost city of the Incas Machu Picchu, Putucusi Hike, Mandor Valley Bird watching

Explore Peru’s mixture of colonial and Inca architecture

This itinerary offers you the chance to explore Lima’s historic centre the “City of Kings”, on this trip we discover the beautiful city of Cusco the timeless capital of both the Incas, is our gateway to the lost city of Machu Picchu, and the ruined fortresses, temples and lively markets, learn about local culture visiting a Sacred Valley.

Trip Itinerary

Day 1 – International Arrival in Lima

Our representative will meet with you at International Lima Airport and escort you to your hotel.

There are no planned activities, so check into the hotel and rest up – Overnight at Lima Hotel

Meals Included: None

Note: Arrive in Lima at any time but we highly recommend you arriving to Lima between 3 to 10pm

Day 2 – Lima Sightseeing Tour

Breakfast at the Hotel; morning free to relax; we recommend you to take a long rest and be prepared to begin with this unforgettable journey through our wonderful country. Pick up from the hotel to have lunch at nice Lima restaurant.

At 2:00pm start your private guided sightseeing tour to the most attractive and important sites in Lima, the “City of Kings”. This excursion offers the best combination of the different attractions in Lima and its three historical periods: pre-Hispanic, colonial and contemporary. In Lima, there were several different pre-Columbian cultures which are dated thousands of years back. Lima was part of the Inca Empire until was founded by the Spaniard Francisco Pizarro on the 18th of January, 1535; back to Hotel – Overnight at Lima Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Optional Tour to Fountains of Lima; be surprised by the largest compound of electronic fountains in the world.

Guided excursion to the Magical Water Circuit the largest water fountain compound in the world, certified by Guinness World Records. Here you will enjoy a wonderful display of water, light, music and images presented at Reserve Park – (Start at: 6:30pm – Duration: 2 ½ hours – Open from Wednesday to Sunday)

Day 3 – Flight to Cusco & Transfer to Sacred Valley

After the short flight from Lima to Cusco (just over 1 hour) you will be transferred to the legendary Sacred Valley, the source of agricultural products for the city of Cuzco since Inca times. There, you will check in to either the beautiful Sacred Valley Hotel.

After settling in, you may wish just to relax in the hotel, acclimating to the altitude while enjoying the majestic scenery, dominated by the imposing peaks of the Vilcanota mountain range. Tonight, you can try some of the culinary specialties of the region before a peaceful night’s rest. Overnight at Sacred Valley Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 4 – Sacred Valley of the  Incas

Breakfast at the hotel; pick up from the hotel at 9:00am for your full day private guided tour to the impressive Sacred Valley of the Incas, explore the beautiful Peruvian countryside with a full-day tour of the magical Sacred Valley. First place, you will visit the town of Pisaq, famous for its bustling market. This native town was once where “exchange transactions” took place. In this type of transaction, customers would exchange one good for another instead of using currency. Visit the market of Pisaq where you can purchase beautifully crafted products hand-made by the locals.

On Sunday, the main attraction is a mass celebrated in Quechua and conducted in Spanish. It is attended by the mayors and their attendants who play traditional musical instruments called “pututos.”

Afterwards, you’ll enjoy a typical Peruvian lunch (included in price) before visiting the fortress of Ollantaytambo.

Next, you will visit the impressive ruins of Ollantaytambo fortress. These magnificent ancient ruins serve as great vantage points to look out over the valley. Originally the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuteq during the Inca Empire, this site later served as a stronghold for Manco Inca Yupanqui in the Inca´s final rebellion against the Spanish. In the afternoon back to the Hotel – Overnight at Sacred Valley Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5 – Sacred Valley – Visit Machu Picchu

Breakfast at the hotel; two day excursion to Machu Picchu; our guide will pick you up at 06:45am from your Cusco Hotel and you’ll be transferred to the Ollantaytambo railway station to enjoy 1 hora and 40 minutes scenic rail tour to Aguas Calientes (by Vistadome Class).

Upon arrival at Aguas Calientes station, you’ll board a small bus and head up to the ruins of the “sacred city”, Machu Picchu. Your expert guide will walk with you through the main streets of these amazing ruins. Stroll through town squares and climb delicately carved stone stairways. Esoteric wisdom holds Machu Picchu as the new spiritual center of the world. There will be time to be alone and fully embrace this magnificent wonder of the world, letting this once in a lifetime experience set in. After the tour you’ll have time to stroll around the Archaeological Site at your leisure.

Lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge Restaurant in Machu Picchu

In the afternoon take bus and back to Aguas Calientes – Overnight at Aguas Calientes Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6 – Sunrise at Machu Picchu & Climb Wayna Picchu Mountain

Breakfast at the hotel, to enjoy Sunrise at Machu Picchu; early transfer at 5:30am to the Bus Stop for the short ride (25 minutes) up to the citadel of Machu Picchu at first time enjoy the magnificent sunrise of Machu Picchu and feel the energies and mystery of this citadel. Then climb Wayna Picchu Mountain (entrance to Wayna Picchu included in the price) and discover the beautiful landscape near of the sky; from Wayna Picchu Mountain you can appreciate the immensity of Machu Picchu, even more amazing being high and distant.

The climb isn’t technical, but it isn’t easy either. It’s quite strenuous, starting at an altitude over 2,000m. It gets steeper and steeper, until the route becomes almost vertical with rock- hopping over large borders and squeezing through small tunnels. Back from the mountain you will have free time for strolling through the ruins taking photographs and walking through the most amazing and enigmatic this wonder.

Then, you will have time to perform some of the following activities by yourself (not included in the price):

1. Visit the Sun Gate; opportunity to walk (approx. 1 hour) up to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku)
2. Trek to the Inca Bridge; the Inca Bridge offers a dose of adventure for your next Machu Picchu visit. However in this case, the adventure is a little less strenuous, but a lot more death

Lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge Restaurant in Machu Picchu (included in the price)

Train back to Cusco: In the afternoon you’ll return to the train station in Aguas Calientes for the trip back to Cusco – train departure to Cusco (Vistadome Class); upon arrival to Cusco reception and transfer to the Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7 – Cusco City Sightseeing Tour

Breakfast at the hotel; pick up from the hotel at 9:00am a private guided tour; including the Cathedral, Koricancha, Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puca pucara and Tambomachay. Our tour will beginning on to the Main Square of Cusco. You’ll enter the Cathedral of Cusco and see the beautiful woodwork and colonial paintings containing extensive Incan iconography. Visit the Korikancha (Temple of the Sun) on which the Santo Domingo Convent was built.

Legend says this temple was completely gold coated, which impressed the conquerors upon their arrival.

Ascend to the Archaeological Park of Sacsayhuaman and visit the Cuidadela. This is the royal house where they admired the Sun God but also worshiped younger gods. Admire this large structure and enjoy the magnificent landscape which brings peace and tranquility. Next, visit Qenqo, the old temple of the Puma. Inside you can see a sacrificial altar made of a huge stone. At Tambomachay, you’ll see the sacred fountains of life and health.

Pucapucara safeguarded the city gates and the Fortress of Sacsayhuaman. The tour ends with a detailed visit of the city of Cusco – Overnight at Cusco Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8 – Depart Cusco / Lima International departure

Breakfast at the hotel; transfer to the airport for departure flight to Lima and then take your connecting flight at home

Meals Included: Breakfast

Services Included

All mentioned private land transport (minivan, etc.), Hotel accommodation with breakfast, entrance to parks and cultural sights, guided visits and mentioned excursions, English/Spanish speaking guide to accompany visits and excursions, all private transfers, meals as indicated in the itinerary, Train tickets Vistadome Class, Entrance fee to Wayna Picchu Mountain (one time Day 5), two times entrance to Machu Picchu (Day 5 & Day 6).

Services not included

International airfares, domestic flights

Airport departure (US$ 30 per person for international flights and US$ 6.5 for national flights) taxes or visa fees, excess baggage charges, additional nights during the trip due to flight cancellations, alcoholic beverages or bottled water, snacks, insurance of any kind, laundry, phone calls, radio calls or messages, reconfirmation of flights and items of personal nature, personal equipment, obligatory personal insurance and meals which are not mentioned.

Flights

Domestic flights are not included in the price; you’ll need to book the following Day 3 – Flight to Cusco & Transfer to Sacred Valley

Lima to Cusco in the morning; you can buy with Peruvian Airlines –www.peruvian.pe

Day 8 – Depart Cusco / Lima International departure

 Cusco to Lima, you can buy with Star Peru – www.peruvian.pe

Other companies that you can buy domestic flight tickets will be StarPeru www.starperu.com OR LAN www.lan.com OR AVIANCA www.avianca.com.pe