ADVENTURE TRAVEL TOURS> MENU

   877-306-5595

                    REALM OF THE INCAS

REALM OF THE INCAS ITINERARY:

DAY 1 ~ Arrive in Lima – connect with flight to Cuzco
Arrive in Lima by 5:00 a.m. You will be met by a Mountain Travel Sobek representative who will assist you with your connecting flight to Cuzco. Upon arrival in Cuzco, your guide will meet you in the baggage claim area at the airport. Transfer to the hotel of your choice (5-star Hotel Monasterio, 4-star Novotel, 3-star Casa Andina).

Afternoon guided tour of the city. Charming red-roofed Cuzco is the ancient capital of the vast Inca Empire. The Spanish conquistadores destroyed significant portions of the Inca civilization while leaving their mark on Cuzco. Ornate cathedrals, adobe walls, carved balconies, hidden courtyards, and cobblestone streets add to the historic richness of the ancient Inca city. Choose from many fine restaurants for dinner, then stroll around the central square where colorful Quechuan handicrafts are offered for sale.  Hotel Monasterio, Novotel, or Casa Andina

DAY 2 ~ Cuzco – Pisac – Urubamba Valley
Morning visit to nearby Inca ruins, including Kenko, with its zigzag channels, the ceremonial bath of Tambo Machay, and majestic Sacsayhuaman fortress, most impressive of them all with its perfectly fitted, mortarless stone blocks and zigzag walls. (Tambo Machay is the highest, at an elevation of 12,267'.) You'll have lunch in the town of Pisac, where you can visit its colorful market, then hike to the Inca ruins at Pisac, the largest fortress-city complex of the Incas and one of the largest of ancient America. Pisac is at the same elevation as Cuzco and is located high up on a ridge overlooking the valley. Its ruins extend from a fortress to a temple complex where we can see some of the finest Inca stonework in existence. Terraces extend up from the river perhaps 2,000 feet and you'll descend through a network of stairs, walkways, tunnels, and temples and on down to the valley floor at 9,500'. (2-3 hours hiking.) Continue by vehicle to your overnight accommodation at Sol y Luna, a charming hotel where you can spend the remainder of the day relaxing by the pool or on our own private bungalow patio, or Casa Andina, an equally beautiful place that features a new spa.  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner...Sol y Luna Hotel or Casa Andina Private Collection

DAY 3 ~ Villages in the Sacred Valley
Today you take a scenic drive from the valley up onto a highland plateau to visit the market town of Chinchero (12,398'). En route you'll pass through farmland areas with a patchwork of pretty fields and adobe houses with red-tiled roofs, and enjoy views of snowcapped mountains in the distance. Chinchero is famous for a massive Inca wall located in its town square, with ten of the largest trapezoidal niches known among Inca monuments. Continue across the plateau to the impressive earthworks at Moray, a large experimental agricultural station where the Incas dug concentric circular terraces. The ancient terraces are pre-Inca in origin, but the Incas took them over and enlarged and refined them. After a picnic lunch in Maras (11,086'), you'll hike a very scenic route downhill to the salt pans of Salinas, fed by a salt spring that is fed into terraced evaporative pools as a way of harvesting salt. This was a strategic trading area in Inca times. Continue hiking down to the Sacred Valley and arrive at the Urubamba River where you'll be picked up and taken to your hotel. (2-3 hours hiking.)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner...Sol y Luna Hotel or Casa Andina Private Collection

DAY 4 ~ Machu Picchu
Catch the train at the station in Ollantaytambo and follow the ever-narrowing gorge of the Urubamba River to Aguas Calientes, the town below the ruins of Machu Picchu. As you approach the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, the valley turns into a canyon and the vegetation changes to that of a cloud forest. In Aguas Calientes you’ll board a bus for the 30-minute drive up the switchback road to Machu Picchu. Once at the site, you’ll have a thorough orientation by the guide, then have most of the day to explore the many ruins. You can walk to Intipunku (8,954'), the “Gate of the Sun,” the original entrance to Machu Picchu, for encompassing views of the fairytale setting, or perhaps climb up the steep peak of Huayna Picchu (9,000') for dramatic vistas of the ruins, the Urubamba Valley, and the Cordillera Vilcabamba. At the end of the day you’ll descend by bus to the hotel, located in a quiet and beautiful spot on the Urubamba a short walk away from the hustle and bustle of the nearby town.  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner...Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel

Hiking the Inca Trail
With enough advance notice, it is possible to take a one-day hike to Machu Picchu. You’ll catch the train at the station in Ollantaytambo and follow the gorge of the Urubamba River until you reach Kilometer 104 (7,183'). Here you’ll leave the train for a half-day hike to Machu Picchu (picnic lunch en route). After a brief visit to the ruins at Chachabamba, you’ll hike steadily uphill to the jungle-bound ruins of Winaywayna (“forever young”), discovered in 1941. From here the Inca Trail cuts across the ridge above Machu Picchu to reach Intipunku (8,954'), the “Gate of the Sun,” the original entrance to Machu Picchu. You’ll pause here for a moment to absorb its awesome fairytale setting, then follow the trail downhill into the lost citadel located high above the Urubamba River. (4-6 hours hiking.) If there are several members of your group, those who don’t feel like hiking can continue on the train and follow the traditional route to the ruins, and wait for the hiking group at Machu Picchu.

If you want to hike the Inca Trail, however, you should make your reservation as early as possible. Regulations created to minimize impact on the fragile environment of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary allow only 500 people per day (including porters and staff) on any Inca Trail route inside the Machu Picchu Sanctuary. Inca Trail permits often sell out months in advance! We cannot obtain permits until we have your deposit and passport number, and recommend booking four to six months—or even earlier—prior to your intended trip departure. Call or book online today!

DAY 5 ~ Machu Picchu
Awake early to catch the bus up to the ruins so you can experience the morning light over Machu Picchu and explore the ruins in depth before the train arrives with day visitors. You'll have a thorough walking tour of Machu Picchu, visiting the various main structures and learning about their importance in the lives of the Incas. After lunch at the Machu Pucchu Sanctuary Hotel, the afternoon is free to explore some more on your own. Those who like can hike up the steep peak of Huayna Picchu (9,000') for dramatic vistas of the ruins, the Urubamba Valley, and the Cordillera Vilcabamba, or you can walk out to see the "Inca Bridge," an ancient drawbridge leading to the jungle. You can also return to the hotel via bus and stroll in its lovely gardens containing more than 372 species of orchid, native palms, ferns, begonias, fruit trees and medicinal plants.  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner...Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel

DAY 6 ~ Machu Picchu – return to Cuzco
The morning is free to relax at the hotel, return to Machu Picchu, or take short hikes in the immediate vicinity. After lunch at the Machu Picchu Hotel, you'll catch the train to Cuzco (about a four-hour ride). Transfer to the hotel. Evening free. Breakfast, Lunch...Hotel Monasterio, Novotel, or Casa Andina

DAY 7 ~ Fly home
Transfer to the airport and fly to Lima. Upon arrival, you'll be transferred to the Hotel El Pardo, where dayrooms will be held for your convenience (most U.S.-bound flights depart in the evening). Evening transfer to the airport and depart on homeward-bound flight. Breakfast...Dayroom at Hotel El Pardo

Back to ADVENTURE TRAVEL TOURS - Menu Page

---

All information is property of Mountain Travel Sobek. Certain restrictions apply. All rates in U.S. dollars. Prices, savings offers, and other terms subject to change without notice. Images, logos, photographs etc. on this page is copyrighted by Mountain Travel Sobek. All such copyright material is acknowledged. These pages are not endorsed or supported by Mountain Travel Sobek in any way. All information presented is based on promotional material provided by Mountain Travel Sobek.  It is presumed to be accurate and is subject to change without notice.

Call toll-free 1-877-306-5595