Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and Titicaca Lake. This is one of the favourite packages. 13 days include: Cusco, the Sacred Valley, the Inca Trail, Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca tour from Cusco. These are the most important and fascinating places to visit in Peru. Classic tour of Peru, the Sacred Valley and the lost city of Machu Picchu, the floating reed islands and the ancient communities of Titicaca Lake. Visit some of Titicaca Lake islands and their communities that have recieved tourism gracefully whilst preserving their way of life and customs. We fly to Cusco, where the Inca left their reminders of their Empire everywhere, with their precise stone work and carvings. From the spanish colonial era, a beautiful cathedral and charming colonial churches and neighbourhoods using inca stone to rebuild in their style of their times. We will visit the huge monolithic ruins in Cusco and the Sacred Valley. This Cusco Lake Titicaca tour is full of archaeological and cultural treasures. Boat on Titicaca Lake, submerge yourself in the agricultural life with a homestay in the small village of the Amanti Island. Meander through the charming cobble stoned streets of Cusco, work up a sweat trekking mountain passes along the Inca Trail, investigate the ancient monoliths, relics and authentic villages. This is all experienced with a backdrop of stunning natural landscapes of the mythical Andes mountains.
Crew: A Inca Trail Machu Representatives in Lima, Cusco and Puno as well as professional local bilingual Tour Guides, a Cook and Porters (during the hike the Inca Trail)
Accommodation: 8 nights in 3* hotels, 3 nights in campsites, 1 night in a family homestay.
Meals: 12x breakfast, 7x lunch, 4x dinner, 3x afternoon tea (Please allow USD 100-150 for meals not included).
Transportation: 1x domestic flight, local transfers, private transportation by van, a train round trip (Expedition Class), motorboat transportation.
Camping equipment: You can view our camping equipment.
Starting Altitude: 2100m / 6900ft.
Highest Altitude: 2730m / 8,792ft.
Walking Distance - 42 km / 26.27 miles.
Starting Altitude: 3650m / 11975ft.
Highest Altitude: 3812m / 12506ft.
Walking Distance: 20 km / 12.42 miles
Day 01: Lima city
Day 02: Cusco
Day 03: Sacred Valley Tour
Day 04-06: Hike the Inca Trail
Day 07: Hiking to Machu Picchu
Day 08: Cusco
Day 09: Puno
Day 10-11: Titicaca Lake Tour
Day 12: Puno
Day 13: Departure
Discover Peru Tour is fully booked, you can choose one of these optional trips:
- Lares Trek Explorers which includes an alternative trek to Machu Picchu – Lares Valley Trek. Please check more information about the tour here.
- Peru Machu Picchu Tour (you can view the tour here) which offers a visit to Machu Picchu by train so this trip does not involve much physical activity.
The tour begins when we collect you from Lima International Airport and taken to your hotel where you check in.
Please note that Day 1 is an arrival day and no activities have been planned, so you may arrive at any time. We can organize guided city tours, recommend museums, or sightseeing tours.
The capital of Lima is also known as the "City of the Kings" as it was founded by Francisco Pizarro on the Day of the Three Kings (Epiphany) in 1535! The Plaza de Armas (main square) is a heart of old Lima. There can be found the Cathedral, Governmental Palace and Archbishop’s Palace. There are some excellent museums in Lima, well worth checking out.
The day starts with a flight from Lima to Cusco, the center if the Incan empire. You will be met at the airport by a representative. You will be transferred to the hotel, the rest of the day is free to unwind and acclimatize to the altitude (10,856 ft).
Cusco is the oldest continuously inhabited city of this continent as well as a hub of the South American travel network! The city attracts people from all around the world, who arrive not only to visit a unique destination, but also to experience an antique culture that differs a lot from the occidental 21st century´s way of life. One could easily spend a week just in and around this site. Inca-built stone walls line most of the central streets and it is not necessary to go far to see other major Incan ruins! This is a city steeped in history, traditions and legends!
Every year, Cusco is visited by thousands of travelers, who come to delve into its noble, but tragic past. It is a perfect base for optional explorations around the city´s surroundings as well as for a range of outdoor activities.
The most important monument of the Cusco City is without any doubt Qorikancha - the Golden Temple and the main temple of the Incan empire - Tawantinsuyo, where the Sun god was worshipped!
Cusco also has got numerous colonial churches. The most important of them is the Cathedral on the main square. Its construction started in 1559 and it took 100 years to finish!! The Cathedral can pride on the biggest depository of Colonial art of the city! A vault containing remains of the famous Incan historian - Garcilaso de la Vega is just past the entrance. Other churches that are worth seeing are La Compañía, La Merced and San Francisco.
There are also some of the most fabulous ruins in and around Cusco. Saychaywaman, Q'enko, Tambomachay, Puca Pucara, Tipon to name a few. They are large monolithic, mysterious and very advanced architecture and construction.
Take a day trip to the ageless Sacred Valley. En route you will see Inca terracing that ascends the steep valley walls, the destroyed temples of Pisac and sweeping vistas of ragged grey mountains. Acquaint yourself to the local culture of Pisac, the hometown of one of the best fabric markets in the Andes.The archaeological site of Pisac is located on the hill called Intihuatana, with a set of platforms and an impressive view of the valley. We stop in Urubamba for a buffet lunch (not included). Continuing the journey; we travel to Ollantaytambo (9,185 ft), a little town with a dramatic Inca fortress. Overnight at hotel in Ollantaytambo.
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We spend the night in this small town before heading for the start of the hike on the next morning.
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is a famous trek to Peru, the hike the Inca Trail involves 4 days treks with professional guide, cook and porters.
Early morning, we pick you up from your hotel and take you by our private transport to the starting point of this 4 day Inca Trail hike - Piscacucho, also called Km 82 (2,350 m). There, your Tour Guide gives you a briefing about the following Machu Picchu trek and after that, you cross the checking point of the Classic Inca Trail. Then you hike along the Urubamba River visiting the Incan archaeological sites of Willca Raccay and the enormous Llactapata. Later on, you continue up to the Cusichaca River Canyon offering magnificent views of the Cordillera Oriental; particularly, the Veronica Mountain (5,850 m). You have lunch in Chamana to later continue along the Cusichaca River observing several Incan agricultural stepped terraces and irrigation channels until reaching the picturesque village of Wayllabamba. Thereafter, you start ascending while appreciating various eco-systems along the way. Later in the afternoon, you get to the village of Llullucha Pampa, a place of your first campsite (3,850 m). There you have dinner and a rest afterward.
Estimated trekking time: 7-8 hours
Trekking distance: 17 km
Max. elevation: 3,850m (12,630 ft)
Min. elevation: 2,600 m (8,530 ft)
Difficulty: Moderate to challenging
Early after breakfast, you continue your Machu Picchu hike ascending towards the highest point of the trail - Abra Warmiwañusqa (= Dead Woman´s Pass) at 4,200 metres passing through the cloud forests of Yunkachimpa and Corral Punku offering excellent views of surrounding snowcapped peaks. From Warmiwañusqa, you descend to the Pacaymayo Valley (3,300 m), where you have a lunch break. Then you continue hiking through the valley to the Inca´s ruins of Runkuracay where a guided tour follows. Afterwards, you climb up and get over the second pass - Abra Runkurakay (3,860m) walking on this "Royal Inca´s Highway" down to the next Inka site - Sayacmarca. On the way, you pass the Yanacocha Lake. In the end, we get to our second campsite - Chaquicocha (3,670 m).
Estimated trekking time: 7-8 hours
Trekking distance: 12 km
Max. elevation: 4,200 m (12,630 ft)
Min. elevation: 3,500 m (11,480 ft)
Difficulty: Challenging
Today, we start hiking passing through lovely subtropical vegetation and many important archaeological sites. Before we reach the first site, we get over Phuyupatamarca Pass (3,670 m) and just behind it, we can see the Phuyupatamarca Inka complex (3,600 m), one of the best preserved and most completed sites of this 4 day Inca Trail hike. The complex is located on the top of a mountain and it corresponds with its Quechuan name that means the "Town above the Clouds". After a guided tour, we have lunch there. Then, we start a steep descent via a cloud forest offering an opportunity to see beautiful orchids and different bird species on the way to our last campsite at Wiñay Wayna (2,700 m). There, we have a guided tour of the same-named impressive archaeological complex consisting of a religious sector, urban sector and an agricultural centre with lots of stepped terraces. Afterwards, we are served dinner and then we go to sleep to get ready for the exciting Machu Picchu hike!!
Estimated trekking time: 5-6 hours
Trekking distance: 10 km
Max. elevation: 3,670 m (12,040 ft)
Min. elevation: 2,700 m (8,860 ft)
Difficulty: Moderate
This is the last day of the Machu Picchu 4 day hike so we get ready early in the morning and after breakfast, we start climbing antique steps to Inti Punku (the Sun Gate) to see the sunrise above the long-expected citadel of Machu Picchu!! After that, you will enjoy a 2 hour guided tour of Circuit 3, where you will visit important places and learn about the history of the so-called "Lost City of the Incas." Later, after seeing the Inca city, you have the option to climb to the top of Wayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain, but this requires an extra ticket (Circuit 1 or 3) and must be booked in advance. This 4 day trek to Machu Picchu finishes by afternoon's descend to the town of Aguas Calientes where we take a train back to Cusco. Arrival in the evening.
Estimated trekking time: 3 hours
Trekking distance: 4 km
Max. elevation: 2,700 m (8,860 ft)
Min. elevation: 2,400 m (7,875 ft)
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Today is a relaxing day, free time to explore the fascinating imperial city of the Incas, visit its market, buy souvenirs, take optional activities, and get ready for one last night in the city
Today, we take a tourist bus that takes us to each important site of the Cusco-Puno route.
First, we need to pass through Southern Valley (also called the Sun Route), where we stop in the village of Andahuaylillas to visit the famous San Pedro Church, which is called the "Sistine Chapel of Americas", to observe the quality of its works of art! The church was constructed by Jesuits in the edge of the 16th and the 17th centuries. Its architectural structure is typical for small town´s churches while its wide walls are characteristic of colonial buildings. It is made of adobe and its facade is decorated with white painting. Two stoned columns are projected towards its main entrance. Although its architecture is relatively modest, its interior is richly decorated with amazing wall paintings!
After seeing the church, we continue towards the pre-Incan city of Pikillaqta beeing once one of the most impressive regional centers of the culture Wari!! The culture was seated in Ayacucho and its centres were occupied by Incas for many years. Today, Pikillaqta is a national archaeological park of great importance.
The word Pikillaqta is made up of Quechuan words "piki" = flea and "llaqta" = town, so that the meaning of the city´s name was the “City of the Fleas”. It does not want to say that fleas lived in the city nor that its inhabitants were lousy. The name was derived from the fact that each inhabitant lived in cramped conditions, in a very small room. Constructions of Pikillaqta consists of over 200 kanchas (apartments), 504 golgas (storages) and other constructions. The city accommodated a population of approximately 10 thousands of inhabitants!!
Some investigators supposed that Pikillacta turned into a city of “mitimaes” during Incan times ("Mitimae" comes from the Quechuan word "mitma" meaning "resettlement". So mitimaes were originally groups of families taken by Incas from their native place to loyal or conquered towns to perform political, cultural, social, and economic functions.).
After this guided tour, we continue to Raqchi where we observe the Temple of Wiracocha (Incan god - creator).
Then, we go to La Raya representing the border between Cusco´s region and Puno´s region. This place is well- known for its viewpoint offering splendid views of surrounding Andes.
Our last stop is in the village of Pucara where we visit the Lithic Museum exhibiting artefacts of an pre-Incan culture.
Finally, we reach the city of Puno, where we accommodate ourselves in a hotel.
Today, very early, transfer to boat, excursion boat across Lake Titicaca; on the trip we will visit two different islands. Firstly we'll visit Uros, floating islands, where people Andean live or Aymara, and then we'll visit the Amantani Island where we will have a warm reception of the local people. In the afternoon we do a trip to theTemple of Pachamama Pachatata or with the Guide. In the evening the family will make a welcome reception for new visitors with folk music. Here appreciate the traditional life for the local people.
The following day, we continue our motorboat ride after breakfast in the familial houses. Our next destination is Taquile Island, famous for its fine handwoven textile and clothing considered as the highest-quality handicraft of Peru. Taquile and its textile art was even recognized by UNESCO in 2005!
After a visit of this spectacular island and enjoying its amazing Titicaca Lake views, we return to Puno at afternoon hours. There, we transfer you from the Puno´s port to your hotel.
Today is a relaxing day, free time to explore Puno, visit its market, buy souvenirs, take optional activities, and get ready for one last night in the city.
Transfer to the airport of Juliaca (a city nearby Puno) to take a flight to Lima.
Please note: A return flight to Lima can be arragend upon request.
End of service, or a perfect time to extend your trip.
To do so, please contact us.
