Day 1: RECEPTION AND TRANSFER TO YOUR HOTEL IN CUSCO ... WELCOME

Early flight from Lima to Cusco ( most of the international flights are arriving late evenings so its much preferible and recommended to stay at Lima`s airport, safe and renewed recently, especially when you don`t have any plans to spent some time in Lima) Flight to Cusco takes one hour, at Cusco`s airport you will be meet by our english speaking staff who will transfer smoothly to your hotel, where they welcome you with many cups of Coca leaf tea, which suppose to be the secret to minimize some altitude problems. Hotel Marqueses

Accommodation: Hotel Marqueses

Day 2: SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS, PISAC RUINS & MARKET, OLLANTAYTAMBO, YUCAY AND CHINCHEROS.

At 08:30 am we depart for the Sacred Vale tour in our comformtable bus to admire different Inca`s complex as Pisac , Ollantaytambo, Chincheros, scorted by our experienced tour guides. Lunch in Urubamba,then late return to Cusco by 6:00 pm. At 7:00 pm you will meet with your Inca trail group and you tour guide will offer a short briefing of 30 minutes.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel Marqueses

Day 3: WALKING THE FAMOUS INCA TRAIL, TRANSFER TO KM 82, STARTING POINT OF YOUR TREK

Piskacucho Km 82, Patallaqta Cusichaka Canyon, Wayllabamba, Ayapata. (CAMPING) Early pick-up from your hotel will begin around 5:00 am. We will meet at our departure point, Plaza Regocijo, by 5:30 to board our private transportation. Make sure you carry your original passport or ISIC card. Our journey from Cusco to Piskacucho takes approximately 3 hours, with many beautiful views of the Sacred Valley, the Urubamba River, Andean towns, and the Inca town of Ollantaytambo. Along the way, we will stop to stretch our legs, use the bathroom, and enjoy breakfast, before continuing on to Piscacucho (2,680 m / 8,790 ft). There we will meet our camp crew and the porters who will carry our belongings during our 35-mile hike. Passports in hand, we clear the official Inca Trail check point, cross a suspension footbridge across the Urubamba River, and begin our trek with a gentle climb. We have three hours on relatively level terrain as we follow the course of the river, rewarded with superb views of Mount Veronica (5,750 m). The easy walk passes through a forest of giant cactus and native bushes. At Miskay we take the trail to the left, ascending gradually to Willkaraccay high above the mouth of the Cusichaca River and across from the Inca town of Llactapata (Terrace Town). Our vantage point is from a flat bluff above the extensive site, which was built as a fort because it commands the entrance to the Cusichaca Valley. The terracing system was used during Inca times for growing maize, a prestige crop that needed irrigation in the dry highlands. After a short rest, we continue another 15 minutes down to our lunch site at Tayaroc. Our path is adorned with native flowers and bromeliads growing in the boulders along the left side, and by majestic views of the mountains in both valleys. Walking times are always approximate, depending on weather conditions, group ability and other factors. After lunch, another 3-4 hours will bring us to the village of Wayllabamba (3,000 m / 9,840 ft), followed by an uphill climb through woods and along a stream to our first camp at Ayapata (3,300 m / 10,824 ft). You will be rewarded with Te Macho and a buffet dinner. Buenas Noches!!! Meals: BLD . Accommodation: Camping. Maximum Altitude: 3,300 m/10,824 ft. Minimum Altitude: 2,680 m/8,790 ft. Distance Travelled: 12 km approx. Approximate Walking Time: 6-7 hours / Ascent up: 620 m

Day 4: CLIMBING TO 4,200 METERS DEAD WOMAN PASS,PACAYMAYU, RUNKURAKAY,CHAKICOCHA

Ayapata 3 stones, Llulluchayoq, Dead woman`s pass, Pacaymayo, Runkuracay, Sayacmarka, Chakicocha. (CAMPING) After breakfast, we depart from the Ayapata camp around 7:00 am. This is our longest day, but one rewarded with spectacular views down several valleys and up to the surrounding snow-covered peaks. We will put in a 5-hour hike to reach our lunch camp in the Pacaymayo Valley, then another 3-4 hours to our night camp at Chakicocha. We begin with a 900-m ascent up to the Warmiwanusca (Dead Woman’s) Pass at 4,200 m/13,776 ft. Along the way, we ascend steeply uphill through the Corralpunku Valley to the Llulluchayoc Zone, where you can see several species of birds. With luck we’ll see hummingbirds, falcons and black-chested buzzard eagles. We’ll soon enter a beautiful cloud forest, or polylepis woodland, and the treeless grasslands of the puna. From this point, you can see the highest pass ahead. The path climbs for two more hours along a large number of steps, some of them newly laid to protect the mountain from erosion. You can walk at your own pace, stopping to catch your breath whenever you like. This last hard climb brings us to Dead Woman’s Pass, the first of two that we will cross today.
Once the full group reaches this pass, we take a rest break before beginning a steep descent into the Pacaymayo Valley on the other side. You’ll find that your energy returns as we proceed along this downhill segment toward a generous lunch and rest. In the afternoon we begin a second ascent, this time to the ruins at Runcuracay, located a bit below the Runcuracay Pass (3,950 m / 12,956 ft). From the pass, in clear weather, you can look back to the Dead Woman’s Pass and forward to a breath-taking sweep of snow-capped peaks. These include the 6,000-m Pumasillo (Puma’s Claw) massif. From here, most of the trail is downhill or gently undulating until we reach the impressive ruins at Sayacmarca. After some exploration, another 20 minutes bring us to Chakicocha (3,400 m / 11,000 ft). This will be our coldest night on the trail, at around +3 degrees C in December and -4 C in June. Tea time and Buffet Dinner. Meals: BLD. Accommodation: camping. Maximum Altitude: 4,200. m/13,776 ft. Minimum Altitude: 3,000 m/9,840 ft. Distance Travelled: 16 km approx. Approximate Walking Time: 7-8 hours / Ascent up: 900 m

Day 5: SAYAQMARCA, PHUYUPATAMARKA, WIÑAYWAYNA AND INTIPATA. (CAMPING)

At sunrise, you will catch sight of Sayacmarca back along the trail, perched on the side of one of the many mountains that surround our campsite. Today’s hike is exceptionally beautiful because we will pass the ruins of Phuyupatamarca, Winaywayna and Intipata, and enjoy dramatic vistas of the Aobamba Valley. This stretch of the trail is of well-kept paved stone, still in great condition after many centuries. Your lungs will appreciate the fact that today’s hike is much more down than up, and significantly shorter than yesterday’s. In getting to Phuyupatamarca (the Town of the Clouds), we will pass through the first of two short, natural tunnels in the mountains. After visiting this site, we will descend about 2,000 stone steps to Winaywayna. If you have not had any knee problems up to this point, you may after this descent. If you have had prior knee injuries, we recommend the use of trekking poles, and perhaps an extra porter, to relieve some of the stress on your joints. Around mid-day, we will arrive at the site of Winaywayna, which we will explore before completing a short additional hike to our camp site for the night (2,700 m / 8,856 ft). After lunch, we will visit the adjacent site of Intipata with its dramatic terrances.
A number of creature comforts will be available at this camp site. There is a bar and a small gift shop, and best of all, hot showers for a small fee. There will also be many more trekkers gathering here, ready for the final hike into Machu Picchu tomorrow. We therefore recommend taking extra care of your personal belongings here. Keep an eye on your daypacks and don’t leave anything outside your tent at night. Tea time and Buffet Dinner. Meals: BLD. Accommodation: camping. Maximum Altitude: 3,750 m/ 12,300 ft. Minimum Altitude: 2,700 m/8,856 ft. Distance Travelled: 10 Km approx.. Approximate Walking Time: 5-6 hours / Descent : 700 m

Day 6: SUNRISE AT MACHUPICCHU, GUIDED TOUR AND TIME TO EXPLORE. RETURN TO CUSCO

We will get up very early - around 4:00 am - to get to Inti Punku (the Sun Gate), overlooking Machu Picchu for the first rays of the sunrise. This will be a hike of 1-2 hours, with significant upward stretches in the last half. You will be hiking in darkness, so a headlamp is strongly recommended.
From Inti Punku, a final easy 40-minute hike will bring us to the entrance to Machu Picchu itself. The trail ends at a series of terraces, which present classic views of the overall city. We will continue on to explore the site, with explanations provided by the trek guide(s). The formal tour will end in the late morning, after which there will be a couple of hours for more exploring on your own, or to just collapse under a tree in the central plaza area.

Additional options: If your legs, lungs and energy still hold up after our four days of hiking, you may like climb the peak of Huayna Picchu, behind the main site. However, special permits are required and they are issued in limited quantities. So if you are interested, the cost is $70 and you need to indicate this request at the time of booking. If permits are not available, you may instead hike to the Inca Bridge which is lovely and included in the normal price..
In the early afternoon, lunch will be provided at “Los Viajeros” hostel down in the town of Aguas Calientes. There you will also be able to store your backpack, take a shower and/or look around the town a bit before catching the train back to Cuzco. Meals: BL. Accommodation: Included, Maximum Altitude: 2,700 m / 8,856 ft. Minimum Altitude: 2,400 m / 7,872 ft ( Machupicchu ). Distance Travelled: 8 Km approx plus exploration of Machu Picchu. Approximate Walking Time: 6-7 hours / Descent : 300 m

Day 7: FLIGHT TO PUERTO MALDONADO. CORTO MALTES LODGE ,

Transfer to Cusco airport for your flight. After your arrival at Puerto Maldonado Airport where your professional guide will await you, we will go to our office to obtain the official waterway permits. Meanwhile you can visit the town main square and also take some photos of the beautiful scenery overlooking the confluence of the rivers Madre de Dios and Tambopata from Grau square.
After a 40 minute boat ride we will arrive at Corto Maltes Amazonia.. After your welcome cocktail you can enjoy the delicious international dishes that the Lodge offers. After that you will have some free time to get comfortable in your bungalow overlooking either the river or the jungle, or simply take a refreshing dip in our pool.
At 3:30pm you will be accompanied by you guide who will show you tropical trees, medicinal plants and the abundance of nature in the 60 ha concession that Corto Maltes Amazonia holds. From our lookout you can observe toucans, macaws and other species of birds before your return for sunset. Duration of this trek is between 2 and 3 hours.
The rest of the afternoon you can relax in the pool or take a nap in the hammocks at the terrace of your bungalow. If you wish you can also go on a nightly boat trip to go caiman spotting before dinner.
At 8pm dinner is served. After dinner you can retire to our bar to have some tropical cocktails, relax in our reclining seats at the central terrace or bathe in the pool underneath the shining Amazon sky. CORTO MALTES LODGE. Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner

Day 8: SANDOVAL LAKE WALK CORTO MALTES LODGE

At 5:30am we will go on a trek of about 20 min until we arrive at the parrot clay- lick. Here a minimum of five different species feeds on special clay, vital to their metabolism. It’s a truly marvelous, multicolored spectacle. 8am: Breakfast and free time to explore the splendid gardens of Corto Maltes Amazonia. We have dozens of varieties of exotic plants and flowering trees. 10:30am: Again we will navigate the Madre de Dios River. This time on an expedition destined to “Monkey Island” where some species of these interesting and entertaining animals live in freedom. Following another boat ride of 30 min we will enter the territory of the Tambopata- Candamo National Reserve. We will trek 5km through the dense vegetation of the tropical rainforest. Giant trees, snakes, monkeys, birds and sometimes even the illusive jaguar can be observed here. Our destination is heavenly Sandoval Lake. Its privileged settings are shared by numerous species of animals: Birds (in particular Hoatzins, Kingfisher, and Cormorants), different species of monkeys (Squirrel monkeys, Howler monkeys, Capuchin monkeys). At the lake itself we can enjoy the spectacle of Giant River Otters. Black Caimans and Piranhas (sometimes we can even observe anacondas in the areas covered by reed). This is also the habitat of the giant Arapaima, a fish of more than 2,5m, weighing in at +200kg. Traveling by canoe, the sunset in the lake is a spectacular unforgettable sight. On our return to the river we might be able to spot some nocturnal animals.
8pm: The body demands rest and food after an active day in the jungle. You will enjoy the exotic tastes of our meals, especially our desserts. If you still have energy left you can share moments of music and conversation in the bar whilst having a cocktail or enjoy the sounds of the rainforest surrounding you from your hammock. After a long day full of activity you will enjoy the comfort of you bungalows hammocks. You can also recover with a massage by the lodges’ qualified masseurs. CORTO MALTES LODGE. Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner

Day 9: CORTO MALTES LODGE

8am: Breakfast and free time to have a bath in the pool or maybe buy some exclusive Amazon handicrafts and jewelry in our shop.
10am: We will follow the course of the river for approximately 1,5 hours in order to visit a native community. Occasionally we can see monkeys, river turtles, caimans and various birds in the dense vegetation of the riverbanks. We will also see some medicinal plants. (Sangre de Grado, Oje, Capirona)
The “Project for the Rescue of Cultural Values” supports the local native community “Palma Real”. It is the biggest with approximately 200 families of the Ese’eja tribe.

his project, located at Gamitada island works together with two families that will introduce us to the cultural values of their ancestors, their language, their customs, their garments and their dances. In an era where globalization rapidly changes traditional societies this is a great opportunity to have direct contact with this tribe of ancient warriors and hunters. As well as a chance to support them economically with the purchase of some of their handmade products

1pm: Circumnavigating the Gamatida Island we can occasionally see animals escaping the human presence. Afterwards we will visit a chakra (local term for farm). We will get to know a variety of tropical fruits and other local products (Cocoa, bananas, café, cocona). Here we will also have lunch consisting of a typical Amazon dish.

The chacarero(farmer) will also let us taste some of the fruits that will later be taken to the city of Puerto Maldonado for consumption.

Upon return to the lodge you will surely enjoy a bath in our swimming pool; maybe with a cocktail that might also serve as an aperitif for dinner.

8pm: Dinner is served. After dinner you can retire to our bar to have some tropical cocktails, relax chit-chatting in our reclining seats at the central terrace or have a bath in the pool underneath the shining Amazon sky.

Day 10: BOAT RIDE TO PUERTO MALDONADO. FLIGHT TO LIMA.

Very early departure to witness the spectacle of the Collpa de Loros, Sunrise on the river as we journey 1 and a half hours to a clay wall where hundreds of green parrots congregate at first light each morning. We will generally be able to spend about an hour here before reboarding the boat to enjoy breakfast on our return to Puerto Maldonado.
Flight from Puerto Maldonado to Lima. (End of our services at Lima´s Airport).