Day 1: CUSCO - SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS -OLLANTAYTAMBO.

At 08:30 am depart for our guided Sacred Valley tour to Visit the traditional Pisac market, then we walk around the Inca site in Pisac for nearly 2 hours, then the bus descend down to the village to continue to Yucay and Urubamba Valley. This is where we stop for our Buffet lunch (this will take 45 minutes) then we continue toward Ollantaytambo Inca site where we will have a guided tour. After this tour you will be set in your hotel (Dinner is not included)

Accommodation: Hotel Sol Ollanta or Apu Lodge

Day 2: OLLANTAYTAMBO - KM 82 PISKACUCHO -AYAPATA 1ST CAMPING

Pick-up from your hotel in Ollantaytambo at 8:00 am. Make sure you carry your original passport or ISIC card. Our journey from Ollantaytambo to Piskacucho takes approximately 1 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!!!

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

Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Accommodation: Camping

Day 3: AYAPATA- LLULLUCHAYOQ - DEAD WOMAN`S PASS- PACAYMAYO -RUNCURAKAY -SAYACMARKA

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 Womans) 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 will see hummingbirds, falcons and black-chested buzzard eagles. We will 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 Womans 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 will 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 Womans Pass and forward to a breath-taking sweep of snow-capped peaks. These include the 6,000-m Pumasillo (Pumas 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.

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

Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Accommodation: Camping

Day 4: CHAKICOCHA - AOBAMBA - PHUYUPATAMARKA- INTIPATA - WIÑAYWAYNA

At sunrise, you will enjoy the beautiful Pacasmayo Valley, then a gentle up to Runcuracay ruins and reach the 2nd pass then you will catch sight of Sayacmarca back along the trail, perched on the side of one of the many mountains where we have a stop to walk around and some historical information. 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. Stop to rest and enjoy a lunch at Chakicocha. Later on we will continue toward 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 5:00 pm we will arrive at the site of Winaywayna the last of the remarkable ruins enroute, which we will have time to explore and have a guided visit (2,700 m / 8,856 ft). After we can see the adjacent site of Intipata with its dramatic terrances on the left side of the road, cold showers at this camp for a small fee and toilets available. There will also be many more trekkers gathering here. This is the last oficial campsite so we recomend to look after your belongings. After visiting the complex of Wiñaywayna we have our dinner and time to rest and prepare plans for next morning.
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

Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Accommodation: Camping

Day 5: WIÑAYWAYNA- MACHUPICCHU- AGUAS CALIENTES- 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 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, it may be possible to climb the peak of Huayna Picchu, behind the main site. However, special permits are required and they are issued in limited quantities, it need to be reserved in advance. If permits are not available, you may instead hike to the Inca Bridge or climb Machu Picchu mountain, both located near the site. By 12:30 pm bus to Aguas Calientes town. 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 around 15.00 Hrs back to Cuzco.
Meals: BL
Accommodation: Not 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: 7 Km

Meals: Breakfast Lunch