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Ecological Sustainable Adventure Travel Tours
Quechuas Expeditions Authorized Inca Trail Adventure Tour Operator
Under Local Mountain-jungle & cultural Multilingual Guides Management
QUECHUAS EXPEDITIONS Highly Recommended By:

Cusco Alternative Inca Trail &Titicaca Lake 10/D

One of the most famous treks in the world, the Inca Trail presents you with culture, nature and history thanks to its rich Incan past. The 45 km journey- which combines mountain scenery, subtropical jungle and Inca paving stones, tunnels and ruins - can be walked in 4 days. We begin our trek in the Sacred Valley which gives a day to gently acclimatize to the altitude. Here your guide will give you a tour of the ruins of Ollantaytambo. The following day you begin the Inca Trail at 82km. (2650m)
The trail was built some 500 years ago by the Incan civilization and leads to the sacred Incan city of Machu Picchu, one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Over 400 species of orchid have been discovered in the area and the landscape is rich in wildlife, from hummingbirds to the majestic Andean condor and the shy spectacled bear.
Early morning on the fourth day you finally reach your destination - Machu Picchu and although it sounds a cliché, seeing the great city in the clouds is truly a humbling experience.

The historical Inca Trail is indeed so enticing that places on the trek are limited to a maximum of 500 people per day. Therefore, it is essential that you book at least 5 months in advance. It is also important to remember that the trail is always closed for the month of February for maintenance. To really enjoy this trek it helps if you are of a reasonable fitness level. With heights ranging from 2000m - 4200m this is by no means a walk in the park, but will be a rewarding experience for any hill walker.

INCA TRAILA AND ALTERNATIVE INCA TRAILS TO MACHUPICCHU – LAKE TITICACA BRIEF ITINERARY

Day:1: Arrive Lima (Overnight in Lima hotel).
Day:2: Cusco (Overnight Cusco hotel).
Day:3: Sacred Valley Tour (Overnight Ollantaytambo hotel).
Day:4-6: Hike the Inca Trail (Camping). PERMIT REQUIRED BOOK IN ADVANCE
Options instead of classic Inca Trail. Alternative Trail to Machupicchu Lares trek/Salkantay trek/inca jungle (see Itinerary in our Webpage)
Day:7: Arrive at Machu Picchu and guided tour of this extraordinary site. (Overnight Cusco hotel).
Day:6: Island Visits - Taquile & Uros (Overnight Puno).
Day:7: Travel to Cusco visiting the Inca temple Raqchi on our way (Overnight Cusco).
Day:8: Cusco (Overnight Cusco hotel).
Days:9: Arrive Lima (Overnight Lima hotel)
Day:10: Depart Peru

 

DAY BY DAY ITINERARY: Walking and journey times are approximate

Day 1: Arrive Lima (Overnight in Lima hotel). Transfer to hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax.

Day 2: Cusco (Overnight Cusco): Fly from Lima to Cusco and meet with your tour leader. Transfer to hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax and acclimatize. Take a look round Cusco’s beautiful Main Square with its colonial architecture or take an optional city tour (this can be arranged by your tour leader).

Day 3: Sacred Valley Tour (Overnight Ollantaytambo): Travel through the Sacred Valley and visit the towns and Inca ruins of Pisaq and Ollantaytambo. Get a chance to learn a little about the local people, their way of life and their traditional weaving techniques.

Those not Getting an Inca Trail Space, will follow the below Alternative Inca Trails itinerary:
OPTIONS INSTEAD OF CLASSIC INCA TRAIL. YOU CAN CHOOSE AN ALTERNATIVE TRAIL TO MACHUPICCHU AS :
LARES TREK 4/D - SALKANTAY TREK 4/D - INCA JUNGLE 4/D
(SEE ITINERARY AND WHAT WE INCLUDE IN OUR WEBPAGE)

Day 4: Start the Inca Trail: Depart from Km 82 and cross the Urubamba River Bridge and begin our walk in the footsteps of the Incas. We travel along the winding path that skirts the river, offering views of the Vilcanota mountain range. Our route journeys through the narrow Cusichaca valley and later we’ll reach the indigenous community of Huayllabamba. Our local crew of porters cook and guide look after us well for the duration of the hike. Porters carry the majority of the gear for the hike, so those passengers doing the hike only need carry a small daypack for the daily essentials. We camp at Wayllabamba. Approx. walking time 5 hours

Day 5: On the second day we climb the long steep path to Warmiwañusca, or Dead Woman’s Pass. Don’t be put off by the name – with your guide’s encouragement you’ll make it to the top and enjoy the fantastic view that awaits you! At 4215 m (13769 ft) above sea level, this pass is the highest point of the trek. The second pass of the hike is Runcuracay (3998 m)(13113 ft) where on clear days, we enjoy superb views of the snow-capped Cordillera Vilcabamba. Tonight we camp at Pacaymayo. Approx. walking time 7 hours

Day 6: Today the trail goes through some beautiful cloud forest on a climb which is steeper than Dead Woman’s Pass but shorter (1 ½ hours), you will walk through a causeway and a tunnel, both original Inca constructions. The highest point of the third pass is at 3700m (12136 ft). On clear days you are rewarded for all this work with beautiful views of the Urubamba Valley below. Soon you reach the serene ruins of Phuyupatamarca, or the 'Town above the Clouds', at about 3650 m (11972 ft) above sea level. We camp for the final night close to Wiñay Wayna (Forever Young) ruins, a grandiose terraced hillside site, with panoramic views of the valley below and just a short hike from Machu Picchu. Approx. walking time 8 - 9 hours.

Day 7: Arrive at Machu Picchu (Overnight Cusco): Today we visit the remarkable Machu Picchu. There is no way to describe the feeling of the first views of Machu Picchu, as the mist rises off the mountains early in the morning and the famous ruin appears in front of you. It may be called the Sun Gate but bear in mind we are in the cloud forest and sometimes “Cloud Gate” would be a more suitable name. The morning is dedicated to exploring the extraordinary site of Machu Picchu, where your guide will be on hand to explain and give you an insight into the life of the Incas at Machu Picchu. For the keen, there’s also the opportunity to climb the sacred peak of Huaya Picchu. In the afternoon, we take the train from Aguas Calientes back to Cusco. Approx. walking time 2 hours.

Day 8: Cusco (Overnight Cusco): Free day in Cusco. Shop for souvenirs or take a look round Cusco’s beautiful Main Square with its colonial architecture or take an optional city tour (this and many other activities can be arranged through your tour leader).

Day 9: Arrive Lima (Overnight Lima hotel) Transfer to airport and say your goodbyes to your tour leader before catching your flight to Lima. The rest of the day is free to spend as you wish. You may want to book a city tour if you have time.
Day:10: Depart Peru: Transfer to airport to catch your international flight.
 

WHAT TO BRING
Most people automatically assume that the weather is hot in South America, but because of the higher altitude in the Andes, the temperature can feel quite cold, especially at night. We recommend the use of a duffel bag or backpack, whichever is easiest for you to carry. A good size daypack is also essential.

Checklist:
• Original Passport (and some copies)
• Travel insurance (and some copies)
• Airline tickets (and some copies)
• USD cash and travelers cheques
• Credit or debit card (see personal spending money)
• Any entry visas or vaccination certificates required
• Camera and films
• Rechargeable batteries and adapters
• Reading/writing material
• Binoculars
• Cover for backpacks
• Pocketknife.
• Fleece top
• Windproof/waterproof jacket
• Small towel and swim wear
• shirts/t-shirts
• Sun hat
• 2 pairs of shorts
• 2 pairs of long trousers *zip off
• 1 pair hiking pants/track pants
• Hiking boots/ sturdy walking shoes
• Knee-length socks (to be used with rubber boots, if provided at the jungle lodge)
• Sport hiking sandals
• Sun block
• Sunglasses
• Toiletries (biodegradable)
• Watch or alarm clock
• Water bottle
• Purifying tablets or filter
• Flashlight head light recommended
• Money belt
Personal first-aid kit (should contain lip salve, Aspirin, Band Aids, anti-histamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, re-hydration powder, extra prescription drugs you may be taking).

RECOMMENDED IF YOU DO INCA TRAIL- SALKANTAY- LARES TREK – INCA JUNGLE – CHOQUEQUIRAO TO MACHU PICCHU - AUSANGATE AND OTHER TREKS THAT LAST MORE THAN 2 DAYS
Sleeping silk liner (for sleeping bag)
Wool hat, mitts or gloves (preferably waterproof)
Rain poncho ,plastic bags for your personal stuff to keep dry
Sleeping bag (it can be hired form us )
Anti-inflammatory tablets (e.g. Ibuprofen)
Thermal underwear
Money Exchange: Credit cards and debit cards are very useful for cash advances. Visa cards are the most widely accepted cards. While ATMs are widely available, there are no guarantees that your credit cards or debit cards will actually work in Peru. Check with your bank. You should be aware that to purchase products or services on a credit card a fee of 5%-10% usually applies. Do not rely on credit or debit cards as your only source of money. A combination of US dollar cash, travellers cheques and cards is best, although you will usually be charged a commission or given a less-favourable exchange rate for travellers cheques. Always take more rather than less.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE TIP: Please be advised that slightly torn notes, notes that have been heavily marked or are faded may be difficult to exchange. It is best to bring notes in fairly good condition, in denominations lower than 100USD (or equivalent).

The Price Includes: Tour GUIDE leader (who is your guide in the Sacred Valley, Inca Trail, Machu Picchu and Cusco), cook who is charge of making the food , 4 season (MOUNTAIN HARD WEAR Tent performance elevated retailer ) 4 man tent for 2-people so there will be plenty of space to set up your backpacks ,THERM-A-REST Sleeping mattresses ( a whole new way to sleep in comfort.), equipment (double-, dining- and kitchen-tents, mats, table, chairs etc.) entrance and guided tour of Machu Picchu. English speaking local tour guides at Colca Canyon and Puno. All internal transport connections.

Group Size: 4 – 16

Group Leader: Bilingual tour leader from Arequipa to Cusco.
Accommodation: Hotel (10 nts), camping (3 nts), home stay – basic with the locals (1 nt)
Transport: Train, bus, plane, boat, hiking
Meals Included: All meals while on the Inca Trail. This includes snacks and fresh drinking water. Meals while on the island tour. Breakfasts included when staying in the hotels.
Meal Budget : Allow approx. US$10 /$15 for every meal not included.
Not Included:*Sleeping bags, blow up mattresses, alcoholic drinks, tickets for the hot springs at Aguas Calientes, tips for the guides, porters and other staff. Lunch and dinner whilst staying at hotels. City tours of Lima and Cusco. All airport departure tax - Lima International Departure tax is approximately $30 USD and Lima Domestic Departure tax is approximately $6 USD. Travel insurance and things of a personal nature – laundry and telephone calls, personal taxis, souvenirs etc.
*Sleeping bags, blow mattresses and hiking poles can be easily rented in Cusco at a price of $4 per day. Just ask your tour leader.
 

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