Hiker's Journey to Machu Picchu

9 days
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The Incas placed their most revered sites high above the Sacred Valley, with mystical Machu Picchu perched on a promontory at its farthest reaches. We’ve created a unique adventure in the stunning Valle Sagrado, with fantastic hikes by day and comfy overnights in hotels and lodges (no camping!). Our hikes bring you to all the major Inca sites as well as to hi...
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Overview

Trip type
Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Exhilarating day hikes and charming hotels—no camping!
    • Hike to remote Inca sites, visit families in Quechua villages
    • Explore magnificent Machu Picchu, with an overnight right at the ruins
    • Enjoy a traditionalpachamanca, a Peruvian feast

What's this trip about?

    The Incas placed their most revered sites high above the Sacred Valley, with mystical Machu Picchu perched on a promontory at its farthest reaches. We’ve created a unique adventure in the stunning Valle Sagrado, with fantastic hikes by day and comfy overnights in hotels and lodges (no camping!). Our hikes bring you to all the major Inca sites as well as to hidden Inca ruins surrounded by granite crags and snowy peaks. We’ll also visit an off-the-beaten-path Quechua village for a pachamanca feast, and have a memorable grand finale: an overnight at the coveted Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, right next to the ruins. Gorgeous days of hiking uncrowded trails, evenings in cozy lodges enjoying a great meal and a glass of wine—this is traveling WT style!

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Details

Itinerary focusActive and Outdoor Sports
Group sizeSmall Group - 24 max
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityCusco
End CityCusco

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • High Adventure
  • Hiking & Walking
  • Local Immersion & Homestays
  • Transformative

Destinations

  • South America
  • Peru

Attractions

  • Cusco
  • Machu Picchu
  • Ollantaytambo
  • Sacred Valley

Activities

  • Culture
  • Hiking
  • Historic sightseeing
  • History
  • Homestays & Cultural Immersion

Trip includes

    • Expert leadership of a Wilderness Travel Trip Leader and local guides
    • Accommodations in hotels, including the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge at Machu Picchu, the Hotel Monasterio in Cusco, and beautiful inns in the Sacred Valley
    • All meals included except 1 lunch and 1 dinner
    • Airport transfers as noted in the Detailed Itinerary

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Itinerary

Travel Map
Days 1-4  Cusco / Sacred Valley / Pisac Exploring Cusco’s Inca sites on foot, we hike from the massive fortress at Saqsayhuaman past the rock monolith of Q’enqo and the Inca springs at Tambo Machay, with a final stroll right into Cusco’s lovely colonial neighborhood, San Blas. From the colonial town of Chinchero, built on Inca foundations on a plateau high above the valley, our trail leads down past magnificent rows of Inca terracing with breathtaking views of the Sacred Valley. We pass through an Inca cemetery on our hike to Pisac, a temple-ruin clinging to a mountain spur. Visible from miles away, Pisac was the Incas’ largest fortress-city complex. It is ringed by steep agricultural terraces, many still in use today, that once protected it as a defensive wall. Days 5-6  Sacred Valley / Ollantaytambo We visit the enigmatic Inca terraces of Moray, where the Incas built concentric terraces in natural depressions in the earth, then hike from Maras along natural saline springs to the Urubamba River, a great spot for our picnic lunch. After we visit majestic Ollantaytambo, the fortress where the rebel Manco Inca and his men held out against Pizarro’s forces, we head to a village for a festive pachamanca (meat slow-roasted in the earth over hot stones). The village is a traditional Quechua community and home to generations of our renowned Inca Trail trekking staff—we’ll be welcomed like family here. Days 7-9  Machu Picchu / Cusco Catching the morning train to Machu Picchu, we explore one of the most mystical settings in the world. Many travelers rush in and out of Machu Picchu within a few hours, but our overnight stay at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, right at the gates of this indescribable Inca city, gives us plenty of time to discover its mysteries with our specialist guide. Return to Cusco on Day 8, depart on Day 9.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $5,695
Price per day$633
Last Updated: 3/3/2019

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Wilderness Travel.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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For more than 30 years, people have entrusted their travel dreams to us. Our adventures span every corner of the globe, and the quality of our itinerary design and leadership has earned us one of the highest rates of repeat travelers in the business. Our core philosophy is elegantly simple: it’s not just where you travel, but how you travel that sets our trips apart. The magic of the how at Wilderness Travel comes from our expert Trip Leaders —the undisputed best in the business, a meticulously planned and artfully executed itinerary, and the camaraderie and just plain fun of traveling with a small group of like-minded people. The where is up to you—read on for more about our amazing destinations!

At Wilderness Travel, we firmly believe that responsible tourism can be an extraordinary tool to connect people across borders and cultures. Our commitment to ecologically responsible, low-impact tourism goes back to the beginnings of the company, and we actively support a variety of conservation and cultural groups, and are founding members and active supporters of a number of organizations dedicated to responsible travel.

Everywhere we travel we bring our own special Wilderness Travel style along. In Europe, we stay at charming small hotels where we are welcomed as family, and enjoy elegant picnics of delightful local specialties and fine wines. In Africa, our safari camps are downright luxurious and our exclusive lodges are located with exceptional access to wildlife. Our Himalayan and Andean treks feature our celebrated full-service camping amenities: you’ll sleep comfortably at night in warm sleeping bags in cozy mountaineering tents, dine on wonderful and varied camp meals, and wake up each day to a cup of hot coffee or tea brought right to your tent!

A great trip is made up of fine hotels, glorious hikes, superb cuisine, and most importantly, a Trip Leader whose passion and knowledge brings it all together. We’re particular about who leads our trips because your experience depends so much on their skills. Our leaders come from all over the world, and from all walks of life—our roster includes naturalists, authors, teachers, archaeologists, art historians, and mountaineers. Their backgrounds are diverse, but they all share a passion for guiding, a thorough knowledge of the destinations they work in, and a real joy in introducing you to their favorite places, people, and behind-the-scenes spots you would never find on your own.

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Logistics

What's excluded

    • International airfare
    • Internal flights
    • Any meals not specified after each itinerary day in the Detailed Itinerary
    • Airport departure taxes
    • Optional tipping or gratuities to leaders or staff
    • Additional hotel nights that may be necessitated by airline schedule changes or other factors
    • Cost of medical immunizations (if any)
    • Travel insurance
    • Other expenses of a personal nature (alcoholic beverages, laundry, etc.)

Accommodation

,Hotel Monasterio, Cusco, Peru Days 1 to 2 (2 nights), day 8 (1 night) A 16th century monastery that is now an elegant hotel, the monasterio has a stunning historic ambiance, with several inner courtyards, a chapel, wonderful furnishings, and antique paintings and carpets. The grand lobby bar, warmed by a fireplace, is a great place to sit and unwind at the end of a busy day. The hotel also has a great location just steps from the plaza de armas. As with any historic building, the guest rooms vary in size and configuration, but all are well appointed. This hotel even offers to pump oxygen into guest rooms to help acclimatization to cusco’s high altitude! The monasterio is a member of the leading hotels of the world. Sonesta Posadas Del Inca, Yucay, Peru Days 3 to 4 (2 nights) An 18th century monastery converted into a country inn, the sonesta posadas del inca is delightful retreat in a tranquil valley near the village of yucay.  The extensive gardens are a lovely place to relax and enjoy the views, and a roaring fire warms the lobby in the evening. The hotel is a great base from which to explore the sacred valley. Hotel Pakaritampu, Ollantaytambo, Peru Days 5 to 6 (2 nights) A cozy hotel with a countryside feeling, the pakaritampu is just a few blocks from the main plaza in the traditional village of ollantaytambo. The service is friendly, the food is tasty, and there are lushly landscaped grounds for birdwatching and great mountain views. Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, Machu Picchu Ruins, Peru Day 7 (1 night) You can’t get closer to the machu picchu ruins than this! With only 31 rooms, this property is famously set right at the gate of machu picchu. Not only does this save you from having to make the half-hour bus trip to get up to or back from the ruins each day, but it also allows you the luxury of popping back to the hotel for a rest or a bite to eat whenever you like throughout the day. The hotel features a small pool in the garden with a view of huayna picchu, two restaurants, and the food and service is wonderful. While the rooms are small and few offer views of the ruins, the sanctuary remains the absolutely top choice of travelers who decide that if they are only going to do it once, they might as well do it right!
Cancellation policy
  • Up to 91 days prior to departure: No charge!
  • 61-90 days prior to departure: 25% of trip cost
  • 46-60 days prior to departure: 50% of trip cost
  • 45 days or less: 100% of trip cost
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included

All meals included except 1 lunch and 1 dinner

Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Optional Activities
  • Amazon Rainforest Extension: Reserva Amazonica
  • Arequipa and Colca Canyon Extension
  • Lake Titicaca Extension
  • Sipan and Chan Chan Extension
Additional Information
Trip ID
wilder2-HikJourMac

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