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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:

SOUTH AMERICAN EXPLORERS / LONELY PLANET / FROMMERS / NYTIMES / TRIP ADVISOR / REAL TRAVELERS REVIEWS. SPECIAL DISCOUNTS 2011 (for tour that Includes Machupicchu only ( By Quechuas Expeditions) • SAE MEMBERS: US$20.00 discount on full program price (valid South American Explorers Club membership card required). This discount may not be applicable in case a promotional price is offered • STUDENTS DISCOUNTS: US$20.00 (students require a valid International Student Identity Green Card (ISIC) ( click here to get your isic card) and must be below 26 years of age. Please beware that Youth Travel Cards are not valid). If the trips go to Machupicchu only. • TEENAGERS: US$ 20.00 (up to 15 years of age, passport copy required for all bookings). • CHILDREN: US$ 45.00 (up to 10 years of age, passport copy required for all bookings). 1.-QUECHUAS EXPEDITIONS GROUP TOP QUALITY SERVICE: (GROUP SIZE 08 PEOPLE MAXIMUN) our most popular trek and offers to visitors the most economical method to trek the Inca Trail and alternative Inca Trails to Machu Picchu. you'll be joining a group of other hikkers like you coming from overseas, a great opportunity to have fun and make new friends. 2.-PRIVATE SERVICE: (GROUP SIZE UPON REQUEST) for Families, Honeymooners and Couples. special trek program just for you, and you can depart any day you wish and choose the group size, we don´t add any people, is arranged just for you. All private groups include additional services, such as: extra porters, horses to ride and to carry your personal gear( for alternate treks), First class Vistadome train, Machupicchu bus up & down, 1st breakfast & last lunch, sleeping bags, walking poles, North face tents and among others.      Write us at: privateservice@quechuasexpeditions.com 3.-LARGE GROUPS SPECIAL DISCOUNTS: 02 Guides Over 08 people If you are a group  of 06 people or more Please contact us at: info@quechuasexpeditions.com VERY IMPORTANT !!!: If you are using a SPAM filter, Our E-mails could be caught in your filter. Please check your filter if you do not receive the E-mail within 5 minutes.Some of our passengers E-mail us saying our confirmation E-mails are placed to their spam folder rather than their inbox. We recommend to modify your JUNK or SPAM FILTER SETTINGS to receive our E-mails of Quechuas Expeditions: info@quechuasexpeditions.com, reservations@quechuasexpeditions.com, quechuasexpeditions@hotmail.com on the correct inbox. You may also want to add this email address to your list of known contacts. This will prevent our responses from being filtered into your Junk or Spam mail folder. SEE WHAT OUR HAPPY CUSTOMERS SAY ABOUT US ( REAL TESTIMONIES ) | Fixed Departures 2011-12  |  Terms & Conditions  |  Methods of Payments | | Quechuas Expeditions Food | Accomodation in Aguas Calientes| | Camping, Cycling Equipment | Hot Springs | Backpacker-Vistadome Train | Inca Treks Maps to download  |  Booking File 2011

The Lares Trek - (with Jungle Tour) 12/D

This compact tour combines two of the main regions of Peru for an unforgettable taste of what this stunning country has to offer. Hike through the Andes along the less travelled ancient Lares Trek and visit the legendary Machu Picchu. The journey ends with a couple of days in one of the most biodiverse areas on Earth, as we explore the rain forest in search of macaws, giant otters and other exotic fauna.
The Lares Trek is an excellent alternative to the extremely popular Inca Trail. This trek follows a path through spectacular mountain, lake and valley landscapes that have changed little over the last 500 years. You’ll have the opportunity to observe the traditional life of the Andean farmer as the trek progresses through numerous colourful, villages. You’ll see stone thatched houses surrounded by herds of alpacas and llamas and perhaps you’ll be able to pick up a couple of guinea pigs for dinner - try if you’re a real adventure traveller!
Finally, you’ll get to visit the sacred Inca city of Machu Picchu and be able to relax and ease any aches and pains in the hot springs at Machu Picchu town (Aguas Calientes). To undertake this trek you will need to be of a reasonable level of fitness and it helps if you walk regularly. Remember this trek reaches 4550m of altitude at some points and this can often affect performance. It is important you are acclimatised before attempting this trek.
From Cusco, fly from the Andes to Puerto Maldonado, a jungle town located in the lowlands of the Amazon. Travel by motorized canoe to our eco-lodge in the Tambopata Rainforest Area. Get lost in this wonderful place and observe the noisy and joyful parrot flocks, as well as the more than 1200 bird species. Learn and explore with our expert local guides.

LARES TREK JUNGLE TOUR - BRIEF ITINERARY

Day:1: Arrive Lima (Overnight in Lima hotel).
Day:2: Arrive Cusco (Overnight Cusco).
Day:3: Tour of the Sacred Valley Tour (Overnight Ollantaytambo).
Day :4-6: Lares Trek (camping - last night spent at hotel in Aguas Calientes.) NO PERMIT REQUIRED BOOK IN ADVANCE options instead of Lares trek/Salcantay trek/inca jungle
Day:7: Visit Machu Picchu. (Overnight Cusco)
Day:8: Cusco (Overnight)
Day:9: Ecological jungle tour, Puerto Maldonado (Overnight Eco Lodge).
Day:10: Eco Lodge (Overnight)
Day:11: Arrive Lima (Overnight Lima hotel).
Day:12: 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.(HOTEL)
Day 2: Arrive Cusco (Overnight in Cusco hotel): Fly from Lima to Cusco. Transfer to hotel where you will meet your tour leader who will accompany you during your trip. The rest of the day is free to relax and acclimatise. 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 guide).(HOTEL)
Day 3:Tour of the Sacred Valley (Overnight in 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.(HOTEL)
Day 4: Lares Trek or Salkantay Trek (camping): The early start (6 am) allows us the best possible views of our incredible mountainous surroundings, dotted with rural villages throughout. Our hike begins in the village Qeshwarani, from which we begin our gentle pace through the valley of Cuncani, before the high pass of Cuncani. After lunch we continue on our path to the highland village of Cuncani, our destination for tonight. From our campsite, we will have stunning views of snow-capped Colque Cruz. Approx. walking time 5 hours.(CAMPING)
Day 5: Today we proceed around Sondor Mountain to a high pass (an altitude of 4440m), from which we will have great photo opportunities: scenic Huacahuasi Lake and snow-capped Veronica Mountain (amongst others!) are visible from the path. After a good morning’s hike, we stop for a quick rest in a living Inca settlement, where many still farm the traditional crop of potatoes in the same way that their ancestors did. We resume our hike upstream to the second pass, Ipasayqocha (4550m) and then descend to our campsite near Lake Ipasayqocha for the night. Approx. walking time 8 hours. (CAMPING)
Day 6: (Overnight Aguas Calientes): Today we will have ample photo opportunities: our gentle path is covered in Andean flora, and animals such as llamas and alpacas can be seen grazing along the mountainside. If we’re lucky, we might even catch a glimpse of Andean geese, puna ibis, Andean cara caras or condor. You will feel firsthand the warm welcome of the Quechua people and will have the rare opportunity to see how they live. Our descent takes us through the spectacular valley of Patacancha, where everything remains as it has since ancient times. After our five-hour hike, we reach the town of Patacancha, where we eat lunch and wait for our private bus to take us to Ollantaytambo, we catch the train for an incredibly scenic ride to Agua Calientes, where we will spend the night in a hotel. Later you may have time to relax aching muscles in the therapeutic hot springs. Approx. walking time 5 hours.(HOTEL)
Day 7: Visit Machu Picchu. (Overnight Cusco): Rise early to take advantage of viewing Machu Picchu in the early morning light, the best time to view the 'Lost City of the Incas'. There is free time to explore on your own after our tour, and the opportunity to climb Wayna Picchu, which will allow you to view Machu Picchu from a different vantage point. In the afternoon we return to Cuzco by train, then bus, arriving in the evening.(HOTEL)
Day 8: Cusco (Overnight): 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 any other activities can be arranged through your tour leader).(HOTEL)
Day 9:Ecological Tour, Puerto Maldonado (Overnight Eco Lodge): Fly out to Puerto Maldonado in the Peruvian Amazon. From here we transfer to boats and begin our magical journey along the Madre de Dios River. Enjoy welcome drinks at the lodge and then with the help of our specialized guide we will visit Monkey Island, located only five minutes from the lodge. On the way to the island, we pass many beautiful landscapes with all the flora and fauna that they host. Return to the lodge for dinner and the amazing jungle sunset.(ECO LODGE)
Day 10: Eco Lodge (Overnight): After breakfast we start our journey with a hike into the depths of the jungle. Along the way our knowledgeable guide will keep us informed on the native flora and fauna. We continue on our walk and arrive at the LOST COCHA (COCHA PERDIDA). The Lost Cocha is a refuge and feeding ecosystem for a tremendous diversity of animals. There, we’ll have the opportunity to observe otters, caimans, turtles, sachavacas, birds of every colour, the majestic jaguar and a variety of fish. This is a unique area, as it belongs to the Ecoamazonia Reserve and remains utterly intact, with large marshes and natural springs. We ascend to an extraordinary vantage point, from where we’ll have a chance to observe the magical jungle. We enjoy a pleasant canoe ride around the lake, before returning to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, we offer an optional visit to the botanical gardens. If you’d rather relax, you can enjoy the Amazonian Pool and dinner (ECO LODGE)
Day 11: Arrive Lima (Overnight Lima hotel): Say goodbye to your jungle hosts as we transfer back to Puerto Maldonado and catch the flight to Lima. Your tour leader leaves you and the rest of the day is free to spend as you wish. You may want to book a city tour.(HOTEL)
Day 12: Depart Peru: Transfer to airport to catch your international flight.

Note: All itineraries are subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control including, weather, road or trail conditions and flight schedules. we recommend to book your INCA TRAIL in advance in order to get Wiñayhuayna as your last camping spot ( 02 hours walk far from Wiñayhuayna to Machupicchu) there are some Alternative Inca Trails to Machupicchu ( INCA JUNGLE, SALKANTAY, LARES)

  INCLUDES:

• English Speaking 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) 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: 6 – 16 Group Leader: Bilingual tour leader from Arequipa to Cusco.
• Accommodation: Hotel (07 Nights), camping (02 Nights), Eco-Lodge (02 Nights)
• 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.

   DOESNT INCLUDE:

• International and Domestic Airfares. Lima - Cusco , Cusco - Puerto Maldonado, Puerto - Maldonado - Lima.
• Additional nights during the trip due to flight cancellations
• Meal Budget : Allow approx. US$10 US$15 for every meal not included.
• Sleeping bags, and hiking poles can be easily rented in Cusco at a price of 5US$ per day. Just ask your tour leader.
• 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 US$35 and Lima Domestic Departure tax is approximately US$8 US$.
• Alcoholic drinks, tickets for the hot springs at Aguas Calientes,
• Travel Insurance and things of a personal nature – laundry and telephone calls, personal taxis, souvenirs etc.
• Travel and health insurance.(bring copies with you please):Quechuas Expeditions highly recommend to get an insurance of trip cancellation/interruption insurance to protect your travel investment. Included with your pre-departure package, bring your travel insurance to cover trip cancellation, interruption, baggage loss and delay, emergency medical evacuation insurance and emergency medical expense insurance.
 
 WHAT YOU NEED 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.

  List of things you must bring:

• Original Passport (and some copies)
• Travel insurance (and some copies)
• Airline tickets (and some copies)
• US$ cash and travellers 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 *zipp 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 (Micropur recommeded)
• Flashlight (head light recommended)
• Money belt
• Sleeping silk liner (for sleeping bags)
• 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
• Personal first-aid kit (should contain lip salve, Aspirin, Band Aids, anti-histamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhoea, re-hydration powder, extra prescription drugs you may be taking)

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 100 US$ (or equivalent).
 

• Permits are subject to availability - book at least 5 months in advance for peak season (May to September) departure dates.Up to date permit availability can be viewed at : ( INCA TRAIL AVAILABILITY 2010) and for those who have missed the Classic Inca Trail ( We have some Alternative Inca Treks to Machupicchu. SALKANTAY / INKA JUNGLE / LARES MACHUPICCHU / CHOQUEQUIRAO / CACHICATA TREK.
• PLEASE NOTE: that we are not in control of the camping spots we are issued with from the Institute of National Culture (INC). In general your camping spot allocation is dependent on how early you book, or rather, how many permits are left. The first 250 spaces are generally given to Winay Wayna (3rd camping spot that affords you sunrise over Machupicchu 2 hours walking to Machupicchu) otherwise we could get Phuyupatamarca as your 3rd camping spot.(6 hours walking to Machupichu. so BOOK IN ADVANCE !!! Trains are subject to availability - book early to get the best schedules.
• If you want to stay 1 night in Aguas Calientes, let us know and we can arrange your hotel and return train for the required dates.
• We can start the trail from the Sacred Valley if you are staying there.
• We are committed to departing with 02 of you on this trek - we will never pass you onto another operator! We are the sole operators of all our treks!
• Extra porters (Porters carry a maximum load of 15kg): Please note that if you want to hire an extra porter you need to tell us this at the time of making your reservation as our Porters also require permits to enter the trail and we cannot add on more porters after we have obtained your permits!

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