We have especially created this itinerary for those seeking a perfect combination of both adventure and culture in Cusco. Warm up with rafting in a river located south of Cusco, and later immerse yourself in the ancient Incan past of Peru by exploring both the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Finally, conclude your unforgettable vacation with a visit to the great Rainbow Mountain, a new yet extremely popular site that has claimed its spot as the second most visited destination in all of Cusco. Please note that we can make any necessary modifications to your travel package in order to curate your dream trip.
Itinerary
DAY 1: RECEPTION AND CUSCO CITY TOUR
Reception at the airport and free morning. City tour: From 1:30PM until 17:00PM. The city tour begins with a pick up from your hotel, immediately followed by a visit to the Koricancha Temple and then a tour of the 4 classic ruins: Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, PucaPucara, and Tambomachay, which are found only 5 miles away from the city. The day ends with a trip back to Cusco and drop-off at your hotel. Meals are not included.
The city of Cusco is among the most visited places in the world. The ex-capital of the Incan Empire is home to many important archeological centers, and its rich historic and cultural heritage are very much alive and thriving through its people and architecture. Walking through the city, we will find colorful traditional dresses, Inca walls, colonial-era churches built over former Inca palaces, lost citadels in the Andean heights, legendary trails, and all the beauty of a glorious past that envelops the visitors of Cusco.
The sacred city of the Inca Empire and Archeological Capital of the Americas is a must-see destination for all travelers. With that in mind, we have prepared a full-day tour, beginning after lunch, during which we will visit the most prominent landmarks of the ancient capital of the Inca Empire.
Koricancha: We will explore the religious center better known as the “Temple of the Sun”, learning more about the impressive engineering used in its construction.
Sacsayhuamán: A short 3 Km commute will take us to this demonstration of impressive architectural prowess, a majestic fortress built with monumental stones.
Qenqo: This ceremonial and ritual center is found just down the road from Sascsayhuamán, where sacrifices took place as a tribute to ancient gods.
PucaPucara: Meaning ¨Red Fortress¨, PucaPucara is one of the ancient military outposts on the Inca trail.
Tambomachay: 4.5 miles from the city lies this center once used for water ceremonies and worship, widely known as “the place of waters”. Tambomachay is our last incredible stop day 1 of the tour.
DAY 2: RAFTING IN CUSCO
Firstly, our trip starts with pick-up at the hotel and transportation to the river camping area at Cusipata, in the south of Cusco. We will leave our luggage in the camp before embarking on our rafting adventure. We can also enjoy amenities such as hot water showers, baths, a sauna, a pool, and a comfortable dining hall at the camping area.
Our professional rafting guides will then provide all the necessary equipment for our rafting experience; these include a rafting helmet, a life jacket, paddles, and a self-rescue raft. Once the guides present the necessary information about the rafting service and safety measures we will begin our route down the river aboard inflatable rafts. There are Class II and Class III+ rapids in this section of the river. After two hours of rafting time, we will head back to the camping area at Cusipata for a delicious lunch. Next, our guides will give you the necessary information regarding another exciting activity: ZIP LINING. Our zip line consists of 2 wires, which are 393 feet long each. Once everyone has had a chance to ride the zip line, we will pack our belongings and go back to Cusco. We will arrive at Cusco approximately 5:30 pm.
DAY 3: CUSCO – SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS – AGUAS CALIENTES
Starts at 8:00AM with transportation to the Sacred Valley aboard a tourist bus.
—After an hour-long commute we will arrive at the Pisaq archeological site.
—Guided tour of the Inca site. Then, we will walk down to the small town of Pisaq where we will visit the traditional artesian market.
—Buffet lunch in Urubamba.
—Visit to the living Inca city of Ollantaytambo.
—Trip in train from the Ollantaytambo train station to the “Machu Picchu Town” (a.k.a Aguas Calientes).
—Arrival at the train station in the town of Machu Picchu.
—Reception and overnight stay at a hotel of your choosing in Aguas Calientes.
—Not included: Dinner.
Pisac: Located at the very entrance of the Urubamba Valley is Pisaq, a picturesque little town where the old town (archeological site) and the modern part, with colonial characteristics, meet to give you an unforgettable experience. The main attraction of Pisaq is the traditional indigenous market, where we will find a great variety of ceramic and textile objects typical of the region. We will also visit the town’s old colonial church, where locals and “varayocs” (local authorities from different cities) gather every Sunday in their colorful typical dresses to attend mass in the Quechua language. Finally, we will take a look at the interesting irrigation system used in the crop fields and the fantastic Inca astronomical observatory.
Urubamba: On our way to the city of Urubamba, located in the heart of the Sacred Valley, we pass through the towns of Coya, Lamay, Calca, and Yucay. The trip is approximately 45 minutes long and filled with spectacular views of indigenous flora and fauna. Once in town, we will get to appreciate the fertile crop fields and comfortable atmosphere that surrounds it, and we will seize the occasion to have lunch at a cozy traditional restaurant.
Ollantaytambo: In the afternoon, we will head to the Ollantaytambo region, also known as the Tambo valley. Ollantaytambo is considered to be the last living Inca city, and sprawls along the shore of the Vilcanota River all the way to Machu Picchu. Here, we will visit the famous Ollantaytambo fortress, which is an outstanding landmark of the Sacred Valley and one of the most formidable constructions of the Inca Empire.
We will continue our trip by train until Aguas Calientes. Upon arriving in Aguas Calientes, the staff will be waiting for us in order to take us to our hotel.
DAY 4: AGUAS CALIENTES — MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO
Departure at 06:00AM approx. from the hotel and connection to the bus station. In order to reach the majestic citadel of Machu Picchu we must take a bus up to the top of the mountain on which it sits.
This excursion to Machu Picchu includes a guided tour of approximately 2 hours. During the visit, we will visit the most important sites such as the Main Square, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Solar Clock, the royal quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows and the cemeteries. Then we will have free time to take a walk through the citadel, take photos, and film. At the end we will return back down to “Machu Picchu Town” to have our lunch before boarding our return train. In the afternoon, at approximately 6:30 p.m. we will board our train towards the town of Ollantaytambo, where a bus will will be waiting for us to finally bring us back to the City of Cusco. We will arrive at approximately 10:00 p.m.
DAY 5: RAINBOW MOUNTAIN
Firstly, at approximately 4:00 – 4:30 AM, we will be picking up everyone from the hotels to start our next adventure. Then, we will head south for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to a restaurant to have a delicious breakfast. Then we will continue for approximately one more hour to the starting point of the walk. Before this walk, our guide will provide you with walking sticks and will give you the necessary information you need to know before starting this long-awaited tour. The walk is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to the Rainbow Mountain. If you wish, you can add a visit to the Red Valley.
*It is recommended having spent at least two days in the city of Cusco before this hike in order to correctly acclimatize your body. Even though the hike itself is not that complicated, the elevation often makes it harder to to get there.
Once we finish the hike up we will return back down via the same route to where our transportation is parked. Then we will return to the same restaurant where we had breakfast to enjoy a pleasant buffet lunch. After some relaxation time, we will then take our transport back to Cusco. Once we arrive, the vehicle will drop us off in a place near the Plaza de Armas.
DAY 6: CUSCO
Breakfast at the Hotel – Transfer Hotel – Airport.
Include
INCLUDED IN ADVENTURE AND CULTURE IN CUSCO 6-DAY TOUR
- Round trip transportation from the airport to the hotel and vice versa.
- Transportation on tourist bus.
- Official tourist guide on all tours (Spanish-English).
- Entrance ticket to the Qorikancha.
- General Tourist Ticket (entry to 16 tourist attractions, including the City Tour and the Sacred Valley).
- Rafting equipment (life jacket, waterproof jacket, wetsuit, helmet, paddle).
- Lunch, hot and cold drinks (Optional: vegetarian food).
- Class V professional guides.
- Round trip transportation from the hotel to the train station and vice versa
- Buffet lunch in the Sacred Valley.
- Round trip bus tickets from Cusco to Ollantaytambo and vice versa.
- Round trip train tickets from Ollantaytambo to the town of Machu Picchu (or Aguas calientes) and vice versa.
- Round trip bus tickets from the town of Machu Picchu to the citadel of Machu Picchu and vice versa.
- Entry tickets to the citadel of Machu Picchu (valid only for 01 day).
- 04 nights at a hotel of your choosing (see list below) in Cusco.
- 01 night at a hotel of your choosing (see list below) in Aguas Calientes.
NOT INCLUDED IN ADVENTURE AND CULTURE IN CUSCO 6-DAY TOUR
- Food and drinks (except in the Sacred Valley).
- Other perks and services not mentioned above.
Optional
- Entrance ticket to Huayna Picchu Mountain, US $10.00 (If you choose to add this to your experience, please confirm this entrance ticket during reservation to check for availability).
- Buffet lunch at Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge US $40.00 per person.
- Round trip first class train ride to and from the town of Machu Picchu, with the “VISTADOME Tourist Service”. This represents an additional cost of US $70.00 per person (One way tickets are US $35.00).
- Entry to the Machu Picchu Hot Springs. Approximately US $4.00 per person.
- Extra services, such as tips.
Recommendations
WE RECOMMEND TO BRING:
- Original passport.
- Sunscreen.
- Raincoat.
- Long-sleeved shirts.
- Long trousers.
- Light shoes or trainers.
- Insect repellent.
- Hat.
- Binoculars.
- Sunglasses and plastic bag.
- Camera and batteries.
- Reusable or disposable water bottle.
- First aid kit.
- Carrying low denomination coins in dollars and/or soles.
