A Wellness – Inspired Trip: 7 Days and 6 Nights

Upon arrival in Lima, your Travelution Peru host will escort you to the nearby Wyndham Costa Del Sol Hotel at Lima’s airport. If you arrive early, we can arrange optional Lima tours and trips to nearby sites to fill your time. With most international flights arriving quite late and flights to Cusco departing early, staying in an airport hotel will allow you to maximize your sleep so you can begin your vacation feeling well-rested.

Upon your arrival, one of our representatives will be waiting for you right outside of the baggage claim area holding a sign with your name on it. You will then be transferred to your hotel in the sacred valley; you will make a stop at Awanacancha where you will see the four Andean camels (Llamas, Alpacas, Huanacos and Vicuñas) and then see a traditional Andean textile center that serves as a perfect introduction to the Andean life.

You will visit the colorful and famous market of Pisac, which has a large number of local artisans who gather from different communities to sell their handicrafts and unique food. You can then go to Pisac’s impressive archeological complex, which has a simply breathtaking view. Then you will be transferred to your hotel in the Sacred Valley, (9290ft / 2830 mt), for a light lunch and rest in order to acclimate better to the altitude.

Today you’ll witness just how Peru’s past shapes its present. We’ll start things in the ancient town of Ollantaytambo, one of the few remaining places in the Sacred Valley that has retained its original Inca urban planning. Walk through the maze-like streets that come complete with Inca-era canals and view the ancient houses still in use today, which feature interior courtyards and trapezoidal doors.

Alongside your guide, climb past the agricultural terraces toward the Temple of the Sun, where you can enjoy an Inca’s-eye-view of the valley. From this elevated position, you’ll also be able to see some of the quarries from which the stone for Ollantaytambo was sourced. It’s amazing to think how far these large stones were transported, especially considering the challenge faced by the Incas, who didn’t have pack animals strong enough to carry them. After a great lunch, we’ll proceed to the enigmatic Inca ruins at Moray. Visually, these stepped-terrace ruins resemble an ancient amphitheater, though some experts believe they served as agricultural laboratories where the Incas could experiment with new farming techniques. Then we will visit the salt mines of Maras. This village is a salt-producing center that dates back all the way to pre-Inca times. There are more than 4,000 salt pools carved into the mountain.

Your private guide will meet you at your hotel early this morning. You will be driven to the train station to board the Vistadome train for a dramatic train ride to Machu Picchu (6,232 ft.), the great mountain-top city abandoned by the Inca Empire, reclaimed by the jungle and lost to humanity until its rediscovery in 1911.

It sits on a mountain site of extraordinary beauty, in the middle of a tropical mountain forest. Machu Picchu was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height, with its giant walls, terraces and ramps, which appear as though they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments.

Upon arrival at the ruins, you will take a guided tour of the lost citadel. Lunch will be provided at Sanctuary Lodge next to the ruins.

Upon conclusion of your tour, return for an evening in Aguas Calientes (6,232 ft / 1,900 mt). Enjoy an excellent dinner on-site at your hotel and fall into bed, lulled to sleep by the sound of the cloud forest around you.

We have an early breakfast and head up to the ruins to experience the peace and solitude of this magical place. Our knowledgeable guide leads us through, explaining the significance of the various structures and the theories behind Machu Picchu’s purpose and construction methods. We have the rest of the morning and early afternoon to attempt the optional hike up Huayna Picchu and/or explore the ruins on our own. We catch the afternoon tourist train to Ollantaytambo and from there take the bus to Cusco, arriving at approximately 7 p.m. The day concludes with our guide joining us for a final celebration dinner at a traditional local restaurant. Overnight in Cusco.

Overnight: Cusco City, 11260 ft / 3435 mt

Huayna Picchu – 7AM Shift

Hiking Details: 1.25 miles; approximately 2-3 hours hiking, 

Altitude min/max: from 7,970 ft to 8,835 ft

Today we have a guided tour of Cusco and its nearby ruins; you’ll tour prominent Inca sites in and around Cusco, including temples, the megalithic Sacsayhuaman fortress, the carved stone surfaces and subterranean altars of Kenko, the small Puka Pukara fortress that protected the capital and the Tambomachay water temple. After a local lunch, we explore the city by foot to appreciate its superbly constructed Inca walls and architecturally extravagant colonial churches and palaces. This also includes a visit of Qoricancha, the Golden Temple of the Sun in ancient times, and the cathedral. Then you may have time to explore some of the central parts of the city and a chance to look at some of the great varieties of local craft work on sale in open-air artisan markets and shops.

After breakfast, transfers back to the Cusco airport will be arranged for travelers departing today. Trip members can opt to return to Lima for connecting flights home or extend their travels in Peru