7-Nights Treasures of the Incas — CALL

MT Sobek: Peru Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu Hiking with Premier Lodging

Day 1 Arrive in Cusco
30-minute airport transfer
3-hour walking tour of Cusco
Arrive in Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire. Meet your MT Sobek representative at the airport and transfer to your hotel near the city's main square. In the early afternoon, meet your expert guide for a walking tour that introduces you to the history of the Inca civilization and its former capital, exploring ornate cathedrals, adobe walls, carved balconies, hidden courtyards, and cobblestone streets. In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant near the Cusco Main Square.
Accommodation: Palacio del Inka
(D)

Day 2 Explore Chinchero and Hike at Moray & Maras
3-hour private bus transfer
2 hours / 3.4 miles hiking with 86’ elevation gain & 500’ elevation loss
Depart Cusco this morning and head to the Urubamba Valley, known as the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Stop en route for the ultimate foodie experience! Located in Chinchero, half way between Cusco and the Sacred Valley, Agricultural Engineer Manuel Choqque researches and experiments with native potatoes and tubers to improve their nutritional composition, and in the process produces a rich variety of colors, flavors and textures that are grabbing the attention of the culinary world. He welcomes you privately for a fascinating presentation about his work, as well as a chance to taste traditional uchucuta sauce, made out of Peruvian hot peppers, and his surprisingly delicious Andean tuber and potato wines. Also learn how traditional Andean textiles are made during a private demonstration, and stroll through Chinchero's lively market. Continue to the ancient site of Moray to see its impressive circular terraces that were used by the Incas as a botanical laboratory. Stop for a memorable lunch prepared by top chefs at the Iskay Maras Home, surrounded by a lovely landscape of high mountains and green fields. Visit the salt pans of Maras, where one of the finest salts in the world is extracted. The patchwork effect of hundreds of salt pans in varying shades of white, pink and beige is wonderfully photogenic. Hike from Maras down to the town of Pichingoto, at the bottom of the Sacred Valley, then drive the short distance to the hotel to check in. Dinner this evening is at the hotel.
Accommodation: Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba
(B, L, D)

Day 3 Hike from Pisac Ruins to the Valley Floor
1.5-hour private bus transfer
3-4 hours/6.3 miles hiking with 939' elevation gain & 1,510' elevation loss
Explore the ancient ruins of Pisac, perched on a hill high above the valley, and featuring some of the finest Inca stonework in existence as well as beautiful, sweeping terraces that perfectly highlight the contours of the mountain terrain. Hike down through the ruins and then along a network of stairs, tunnels and walkways down to the town of Pisac. Enjoy lunch at Hacienda Huayoccari, a gorgeous gem hidden in the lush fields of the Sacred Valley. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon and enjoy the grounds of this contemporary hacienda-style property surrounded by flowers, mountains and trees.
Accommodation: Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba
(B, L, D)

Day 4 Hike Narrow Trails from Pumamarca to Ollantaytambo
3-hour private bus transfer
3 hours/4.5 miles with 350' elevation gain and 1,700' elevation loss; plus 200 steps up and down at Ollantaytambo
Follow a dirt road high into the Andes, where you'll observe the native Quechua way of life in local villages. Hike an Incan path from the small archeological complex of Pumamarca to the Choquecancha agricultural terraces, with spectacular views of the Sacred Valley below. A picnic lunch awaits you at the conclusion of the hike. Next, explore the well-preserved ruins of the monumental fortress at Ollantaytambo, one of the few places where the Inca Empire won a major battle against the Spanish. Also explore the town, a former Incan settlement that retains fascinating vestiges of Incan town planning. On the way home, stop to see an award-winning ceramicist who uses ancient techniques to create unique pieces of art and sculpture.

(B, L, D)

Day 5 Experience the Legendary Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
1.5-hour train ride
6 hours/7 miles hiking with 1,640' elevation gain
Ride a classic train up the narrowing gorge of the Urubamba River, disembarking at kilometer 104. Then, begin your half-day hike along the Inca Trail to the lost citadel of Machu Picchu. Stop first to visit the small Incan site of Chachabamba, then begin to climb upwards, emerging into a lovely cloud forest, and past a waterfall to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna. Continue ascending ancient stone steps and the narrow trail up to Intipunku, the original entrance to Machu Picchu. Pause to absorb the awesome view, then follow the trail down to Machu Picchu itself, arriving mid-afternoon. Continue by shuttle bus to Aguas Calientes and relax at the hotel for the rest of your day. (Optionally, skip the hike, continue by train, and explore Aguas Calientes on your own in the afternoon.)
Accommodation: Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
(B, L, D)

Day 6 Explore Magical Machu Picchu
30-minute public bus
3 hours guided walking tour of Machu Picchu, plus 2-3 hours/2 miles optional mountain hikes
Enter the awe-inspiring ruins of Machu Picchu by morning light. Take a highly informative tour of the site's main structures and learn about their importance in the lives of the Incas. Take a challenging climb up either Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu Mountain (optional and based on availability for the date) and be rewarded by breathtaking views of the citadel and the surrounding mountains. Enjoy lunch, then return to the hotel to relax, join an excursion, or stroll the lush gardens, including the world's largest native orchid collection with 372 species.
Accommodation: Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
(B, L, D)

Day 7 Journey back to Cusco
1.5-hour train ride, 1.5 hour private van transfer
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast, with time for a short local hike or relaxing at the hotel. Mid-morning, catch the train back to Ollantaytambo, arriving around noon. Enjoy a traditional Pachamanca lunch of poultry, potatoes, and vegetables, cooked underground with hot stones according to a technique that has lived on since the Incan Empire. You are in for a unique experience! After lunch, continue back to Cusco and check in to the hotel. In the evening, explore Cusco before a festive farewell dinner at one of the city's best restaurants.
Accommodation: Palacio del Inka
(B, L, D)

Day 8 Bid Farewell to Cusco & Fly Home
After breakfast at the hotel and a leisurely morning, depart on homeward-bound flights.
Accommodation: Palacio del Inka
(B)