Day 1: Lima
The excitement of our Peru tour begins as we pick you up at Lima International Airport and help with hotel check-in on arrival in the capital city. Apu Andino can arrange city tours, museum visits or sightseeing excursions matching your interests if you arrive early.
Day 2: Lima – Cusco
Your day begins with a morning flight to Cusco, center of the Inca Empire. Apu Andino tour guides pick you up at the airport and take you into the city center, for a quick tour of the beautiful Plaza de Armas. From there, you will be taken to your hotel for a free day to relax and acclimatize to the altitude (3,300m / 10,825 ft). Overnight in Cusco hotel. (B)
Day 3: Cusco
The morning begins with a guided walking tour of Cusco markets, the colonial cathedral, and Qoricancha, the famous Temple of the Sun. After lunch, your tour continues, visiting temples and other Inca sights, including the fortress of Sacsayhuamán with its grand stone terraces; the carved stone surfaces and subterranean altars of Qenqo; the small fortress of Puka Pukara, protector of the royal capital, and the water temple of Tambomachay. An evening orientation session prepares you for the upcoming trek. Overnight in Cusco hotel. (B)
Day 4: Cusco – Sacred Valley
Embark upon a day-long guided excursion as our tour takes us to the snowcapped mountains to the timeless Sacred Valley. Along the way, you’ll observe Inca terracing that climbs the steep valley walls, the ruined temples of Pisac and panoramic views of jagged granite mountains. Get acquainted with the local culture of Pisac, home to one of the best textile markets in the Andes. After lunch, you’ll travel on to Ollantaytambo (2,800m / 9,185 ft), a small town with an impressive Inca fortress. Overnight in Ollantaytambo hotel. (B
Day 5: Sacred Valley – LLactapata.
This action-packed day of our tour begins with a transfer to the Km 82 via private transportation, where you begin the Inca Trail trek. After meeting our porters, you cross the Urubamba River by bridge and continue along the river with views of the Vilcanota mountain range and Mt. Veronica (5,713m / 18,745 ft). Traveling through the Sacred Valley, you’ll see vestiges of an ancient culture and its agriculture practices. Arriving in the early afternoon, you will have plenty of free time to explore the Inca site of Llactapata. Camp at Llactapata. (B,L,D)
Inca Trail Hike Details: 9km / 5.6 miles, 6 Hours, Altitude: from 2,715m / 8,910 ft to 2,926m / 9,600 ft
Day 6: Llactapata – Llulluchapampa
This day involves some of the most spectacular scenery Peru has to offer, including a cloud forest that contains the rare Queñua tree. Our tour continues through the community of Huayllabamba , as the trail ascends steeply before reaching a large area of pampas below the first pass. Camp at Llulluchapampa (3,750m / 12,300 ft), with a breathtaking view of Mt. Huayanay. (B,L,D)
Inca Trail Hike Details: 7km / 4.4 miles; 5 Hours; Altitude: from 2,926m / 9,600 ft. to 3,870m /12,700 ft.
Day 7: Llulluchapampa – Phuyupatamarca
Physically, this is the most strenuous day of the trek, as the trail ascends steeply toward Warmiwañusca pass (4,170m /13,680 ft). From there, the trail descends to the Pacaymayo River and then climbs slowly past the ruins of Runkuraqay. Another pass takes you from Runkuraqay to the ruins of Sayacmarca (3,850m / 12,628 ft). Along the way, you’ll see some advanced Inca engineering before coming upon the beautiful ruins of Phuyupatamarca (3,657m /12,000 ft). Camp at Phuyupatamarca (B,L,D)
Inca Trail Hike Details: 14km / 8.8 miles; 8 Hours; Altitude: from 3,870m /12,700. ft to the pass 4,242m / 13,920 ft. and overnight at 3,610m / 11,850 ft.
Day 8: Phuyupatamarca – Machu Picchu
From Phuyupatamarca, you follow the flagstone trail that winds sharply down into the cloud forest to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna (2,700m / 8,855 ft). Wiñay Wayna is located along the same watercourse as Phuyupatamarca and contains well-restored Inca ruins. After a two-hour walk through a cloud forest along the Inca Trail, you at last come to a highlight of our Peru tour: Machu Picchu (2,400m / 7,875 ft), entering through Intipunku, the Sun Gate. After a brief tour, stay overnight at a hotel in Aguas Calientes. (B,L,D)
Inca Trail Hike Details: 13km / 8.1 miles; 8 Hours; Altitude: from 3,610m / 11,850 ft to 7,875 ft.
Day 9: Machu Picchu – Chinchero Artisan Market – Cusco
Dedicate your morning to exploring extraordinary Machu Picchu by waking up early to catch sunrise over the ruins. The remainder of the day holds various opportunities for your own exploration, including a climb to the sacred peak of Huayna Picchu, up to the Inka Bridge, or through the lush cloud forest to the Temple of the Moon. The afternoon train takes you back to Ollantaytambo, where you are transferred to the vibrant Chinchero Market. Here local artisans will give you an introduction to their textile creations, known to be among the best in Peru. Take advantage of this last-minute shopping opportunity before returning to your Cusco hotel for the evening. (B)
Day 10: Cusco – Lake Titicaca
Embark by bus over the altiplano (high plains). Here our tour consists of a full day of high altitude views as we reach the community of Puno, along the shores of Lake Titicaca. Transfer to your hotel. (B)
Travel Cusco – Puno, via bus at no extra charge.
Upgrade: +$220 – Flight to Lake Titicaca (Cusco – Juliaca)
Upgrade: +$260 First Class Train to Lake Titicaca (Cusco – Puno)
The First Class Train departs Cusco on the following days:
April to October: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays
November to March: Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays
Day 11: Lake Titicaca
In the morning, take a short drive to Puno harbor to travel by private boat to the famed floating Uros Islands for a quick visit. Continue the journey by boat to tranquil Taquile Island, where a community of male weavers and spinners lives and works in a Mediterranean-like setting. In the late afternoon, return to Puno for shopping and sightseeing. Puno is a great place to buy alpaca wear, so don’t hesitate to pick up some souvenirs. (B, L)
Lake Titicaca, the cradle of Inca civilization, is the largest fresh water lake on the South American continent, extending from southeastern Peru to western Bolivia. The lake is 196 kilometers / 122 miles long with an average width of 56 kilometers / 35 miles, so large that it has waves. At so high an altitude and the lake’s frigid waters do not invite swimming. Fed by the Andes, this remnant of an ancient inland sea is appreciated by photographers but not swimmers. Bring your camera to photograph this gorgeous natural wonder. You may even wish to bring your bathing suit/swim trunks for a refreshing dip in the lake!
Day 12: Lake Titicaca – Lima – Return Home
Your morning is free to enjoy breakfast at the hotel before an excursion to the outskirts of Puno. Here our historical Peru tour takes us to see the ruins of some pre-Inca funerary towers called Chullpas. The finest are located at Sillustani on a peninsula in Lake Umayo. The warrior Colla tribe buried their elite in these giant cylindrical tombs, some as tall as 40 ft. Many archeologists and historians consider the Collas’ exquisite stonemasonry more complex and superior even to Inca engineering. After exploring the area, you’ll travel from Puno back to Lima, arriving in the late afternoon to make your connecting international flight which marks the end of Apu Andino services. (B)
Key: (B)reakfast (L)unch (D)inner
