We have created this itinerary that has a combination of Adventure and Culture. Do the rafting in a river located south of Cusco, in addition to doing cultural tours such as the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Finally, visit the great Rainbow Mountain, currently the second most visited place in the Cusco city. Please note that we can make any necessary modifications to your travel package.
Itinerary
DAY 1: RECEPTION AND CUSCO CITY TOUR
Reception at the airport and free morning. City tour: From 13:30 until 19:00. It starts with pick up at the hotel, followed by a visit to the Koricancha Temple, and a tour of the 4 ruins: Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, PucaPucara, and Tambomachay, which are 8 Km away from the city. The day ends with the trip back to Cusco and drop-off at the hotel. Meals are not included.
Cusco City is among the most visited places in the world. The Inca capital is home to many important archeological centers, and its rich historic and cultural heritage are very much alive and thriving in its people and architecture. Walking through the city, we will find colorful typical dresses, Inca walls, colony-era churches built over 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 discover 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: Our footsteps will take us to this ceremonial and ritual center, where sacrifices took place as a tribute to ancient gods.
PucaPucara: Formerly known as “Tambo”, PucaPucara is one of the military outposts on the Inca trail.
Tambomachay: 7 Km from Cusco City lies thiscentere for water ceremonies and worship, widely known as “the place of waters”. Tambomachay is another incredible stop on our tour.
DAY 2: RAFTING IN CUSCO
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 here 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 provide all the necessary equipment for our rafting experience; these include a rafting helmet, a life jacket, paddles, and a self-rescue raft. After 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 floating 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 120 meters long each. Once over, we will pack our belongings and go back to Cusco, arriving at approximately 5:30 pm.
DAY 3: CUSCO – SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS – AGUAS CALIENTES
Starts at 8:00 with transportation to the Sacred Valley aboard a tourist bus. —After an hour-long commute we will find the Pisaq archeological site. —Guided tour of the Inca site, we will walk down to the small town of Pisaq, where we will visit the typical craft market. —Buffet lunch in Urubamba. —Visit to the inca city of Ollantaytambo. —Train commute from the Ollantaytambo train station to the “Town of Machu Picchu” (or town of 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 hear the 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 will cross 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 typical restaurant.
Ollantaytambo: In the afternoon, we will head to the Ollantaytambo region, also known as the Tambo valley. It is the only inhabited 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, 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 town. Arriving in Aguas Calientes and the staff will be waiting for us in order to take us to our hotel.
DAY 4: AGUAS CALIENTES — MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO
Departure 06:00 a.m. Approx. from the hotel and connection to the bus station. Bus up to find the majestic citadel of “Machu Picchu”.
The excursion in 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, and at the end we return to “Machu Picchu Pueblo” to have our food (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 wait for us to return to the City of Cusco, where we will arrive at approximately 10:00 p.m.
DAY 5: RAINBOW MOUNTAIN
At approximately 4:00 – 4:30 AM, we will be passing through your hotels located in the downtown area of Cusco. From here we will head south for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to the restaurant where we will enjoy 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 for the 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 (ask the seller). It is recommended to be at least two days before in the city of Cusco, for correct acclimatization since the hike is not that complicated, but the height makes it super difficult to get there.
After the visit we will return by the same route to where our transport is located, then we will return to the same restaurant where we had breakfast to enjoy a pleasant buffet lunch. A moment of relaxation and we will take our transport back to Cusco. The vehicle will leave us in a place near the Plaza de Armas.
DAY 6: CUSCO
Breakfast at the Hotel – Transfer Hotel – Airport.
Include
IT INCLUDE
- 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.
DOES NOT INCLUDE
- 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.
