Trip name: Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu Experience
Trip Length: 5 Days
Type service: Group Tour
Type itinerary: Fixed
Destinations: Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu
Activities: Culture and History/Trekking and Walking/Family
Difficulty / Physical Activity: **Moderately – Easy – 1-3 hours physical activity daily
Comfort: **Moderate to superior-class accommodations, combined with basic accommodations or camping

Highlights: Cusco, Sacred Valley of the Incas, Pisaq Ruins and Indian Market, Ollantaytambo Fortress, Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu, Maras Town, Archaeological Site of Moray, Maras salt terraces

Comfortable in-depth exploration of Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu

Cusco has many attractions, most notably the Inca culture, visit the beautiful colonial temples built on Inca foundations. This tour takes the famous train ride from Ollantaytambo to the frontier town of Aguas Calientes for an exploration of Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The Maras–Moray one day Hike is a fantastic way of combining big views, local farming techniques, Inca Ruins, ancient towns and the astounding salt pans and truly experiences this magnificent site as the Incas once would have.

Trip Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival to Cusco – City Sightseeing Tour

Upon arrival, reception and transfer to your Cusco Hotel; where you’ll be welcomed with coca infusion tea (“mate de coca”) that will help you to get used to the altitude – free morning to take a leisurely walk around the ancient capital of the Incas or to acclimatize to the high altitude setting.

After lunch at 1:30pm; Cusco tour including the Cathedral, Koricancha, Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Pucapucara 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.

Meals Included: None

Note: We highly recommend you arriving to Cusco between 9 to 11:30am

Day 2 – Sacred Valley of the  Incas

Breakfast at the hotel; pick up from the hotel at 8:30am for your full day 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 Pachakuteq 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 Cusco – Overnight at Cusco Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3 – Moray & Maras Terraces of Salt Hike – Train to Aguas Calientes

Breakfast at the hotel; pick up from your hotel at 8:00am for a private guided tour to the Sacred Valley.

Excursion to the Inca agricultural experimental center of Moray, famous for its sunken amphitheater, made up of four circular terraces, which appear to disappear into the earth like an artificial crater. The site was apparently an Inca agricultural research station designed for experimenting with crops at various altitudes (some of which run down to depths of 100 meters). It is believed that the terraces, built over containing walls filled with fertile earth and watered by complex irrigation systems, enabled the Incas to grow more than 250 plant species.

We arrive at the circular Inca ruins of Moray where we enjoy a delicious picnic lunch.

After this very atmospheric place Mule trails then takes us to the ancient town of Maras with its out-standing Spanish door arches and vast church. Maras is famous for its spies – due to its strategic location above the Sacred Valley. We then drop down into the Sacred Valley of the Incas to the salt pans of Salineras. Here more than 5000 terraces are still in production and many families of Maras bring their salt to the market of Urubamba on mules. We finally meet our vehicle again beside the Urubamba River for the drive back to Cusco. Stop in Ollantaytambo where you’ll take train to Aguas Calientes (Vistadome Train), upon arrival reception and transfer to the Hotel – Overnight at Aguas Calientes Hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4 – Full Day Machu Picchu & Back to Cusco

Breakfast at the hotel; full day Excursion to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes, early transfer at 5:30am to the Bus Stop for the short ride (25 minutes) up to the citadel of Machu Picchu. Upon arrival, you will participate in a guided tour of the Citadel, visiting the Main Plaza, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Sun Dial (the most important preserved Intihuatana), the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows, houses, warehouses, a large central square; and all connected by narrow roads and steps that are surrounded by terraces cut into the mountain side. After the tour you’ll have time to stroll around the Archaeological Site at your leisure.

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

1. Climb to Wayna Picchu; for the most adventurous people, we suggest to go up the Wayna Picchu from where you can appreciate the immensity of Machu Picchu, even more amazing being high and
2. Walk to Sun Gate; opportunity to walk (approx. 1 hour) up to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku)

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; upon arrival to Cusco reception and transfer to the Hotel

Overnight at Cusco Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5 – Depart Cusco

Our representative will assist you and transfer to the airport and say goodbye.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Services included

All mentioned land transport (bus, 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 transfers, meals as indicated in the itinerary, Train tickets Expedition Ollantaytambo-Aguas Calientes/Vistadome train Aguas Calientes-Poroy.

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, Entrance fee to Wayna Picchu Mountain.

Flights

Domestic flights are not included in the price; you’ll need to book the following

 Day 1 – Arrival to Cusco – City Sightseeing Tour

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

Day 5 – Cusco Depart

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

Other companies that you can buy domestic flight tickets will be LAN www.lan.com OR

AVIANCA www.avianca.com.pe