Active Peru Adventure: Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Lima, Cusco & Sacred Valley

September, 2020

10 days, 9 nights, starting at $2500 (excluding round-trip airfare from U.S.)

ALL MEALS INCLUDED IN TRIP PRICE!

September, 2020

This trip is designed specifically for lovers of food, art, and the outdoors. We will meet in Lima and then take a flight and explore Cusco. Day trips include the Maras salt flats, Moray & Ollantaytambo Inca ruins & archaeological sites, and the Rainbow Mountain hike. The highlight of the trip is, of course, hiking the Inca Trail for 4 days and exploring breathtaking, unforgettable Machu Picchu. This trip is for active travelers who enjoy challenging hikes and the rewards of the nature we will experience first-hand and people we will meet along the way. Please note that Machu Picchu is 8000 feet above sea level and the Inca Trail hike is 28 miles in length. This hike is strenuous and is recommended for travelers in reasonably good shape.

PRICING

Starting at $2500, based on double occupancy hotel rooms (and tents on the Inca Trail), with final price being determined by number in group. We don’t believe in hidden costs or nickel-and-diming our clients.

PROGRAM INCLUDES

• Airport transfers and transportation for all included program activities.  

• Round-trip flight from Lima to Cusco, Peru.

• Guided 4-day hike on the Inca Trail, all supplies provided.

• Full program of activities organized by Travel Grackle.

• Bilingual trip leader and local guides.

• All meals in Peru unless otherwise specified in itinerary.

• Meals include non-alcoholic beverages and limited alcohol.

• All gratuities for activities in itinerary.

PROGRAM DOES NOT INCLUDE

• Airfare from the U.S. to Peru and back.  

• Personal costs such as laundry, internet, room service, telephone calls.

• Activities not included in itinerary.

• Unlimited alcohol at meals.

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1: Welcome to Lima! After checking into the hotel we will have our orientation followed by lunch. After you have had your fill of delicious ceviche and other Peruvian specialties, we’ll take a historic walking tour. Our tour will include visits to the San Francisco church and catacombs, the Plaza de Armas, and the Barrancos neighborhood to take in the unique street art and beach views. Dinner on our first night will be in the hopping Miraflores neighborhood, known for its shops, markets, restaurants, and bars. Get ready for your first pisco sour and evening culinary adventure!

Day 2: We’ll get going early in the morning to take a flight to Cusco, the colonial city known for its unique mixture of Inca architecture, baroque churches, and amazing nightlife. Our first stop is the San Pedro Market for fresh squeezed juice and breakfast, and possibly a coca leaf tea to start acclimating to the higher altitude. Our walking tour will give you a good sense of the city, including the cathedral and the Plaza de Armas (main square). Next we’ll head to the picturesque and artsy San Blas neighborhood for lunch, followed by our visit to one of the most important buildings in the Inca Empire, the Korichancha temple. After freshening up at the hotel we’ll head to a traditional Peruvian restaurant known for its excellent service and delicious main courses.

Day 3: Waking up refreshed, we’ll have a special treat to start the day. We’ll visit an indigenous community to experience a hands-on traditional cooking class taught by locals. We’ll spend half of the day in a village, getting to interact with the locals, learning traditional cooking methods during our cooking class, and enjoying lunch together. In the afternoon we’ll return to Cusco and visit the Inca Museum, which houses an impressive collection of jewelry, pottery, textiles, and mummies. Later we’ll have dinner at the best Peruvian pizza in town followed by drinks at a bar with the best panoramic view of the city.

Day 4: After a hearty breakfast we’ll head to the scenic Sacred Valley and enjoy a full-day trip to hike Rainbow Mountain. This is an epic 10-mile hike and Rainbow Mountain is a real treat to see with its beautiful colors. A picnic lunch will be enjoyed during the hike. We’ll return in the evening for a nice dinner together.

Day 5: Today we’ll experience several Inca ruins & archaeological sites during our day trip to Ollantaytambo, Maras, and Moray in the Sacred Valley. We’ll start with a visit to Ollantaytambo, a quaint, cobblestone town with Inca ruins and a fortress. Next we’ll head to the Ccaccaccollo community centre and cooperative, which supports local communities and the age-old traditions of weaving and dying wool, followed by lunch at a local. In the afternoon we’ll visit Mara’s salt flats and Moray’s unique circular terraced ruins. We’ll have an early night because the highlight of our trip starts tomorrow with the Inca Trail!

Days 6-9: On day 6 we rise early to begin our 4-day adventure on the Inca Trail. Hiking is strenuous at times and daily hikes will take about 7-8 hours, with both uphills and downhills. We will have meals on the trail and each night we will camp in tents that our guide provides. On our fourth day we get up very early so that we will arrive at Machu Picchu just as the sun is rising. A challenging 4 days on the Inca Trail is rewarded with breathtaking, unforgettable views and photo opportunities. We explore the site, including the Inti Mach’ay cave, Inti Watana, the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the Water, the Temple of the Condor, and the Room of the Three Windows. After our visit to Machu Picchu, we will take the train back to Cusco to enjoy one last meal in Cusco together.

Day 10: We’ll take an early flight back to Lima so that we have time to enjoy the pre-Columbian art museum, shopping, and lunch. You’ll have some free time in the afternoon to purchase last-minute gifts before we gather in the evening for our farewell dinner at a restaurant known for its famous chef. Travelers have the option to add on an extra night at the hotel for an extra cost or fly back to the U.S. on a late evening flight.