Peru Walking 8 Days and 7 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.

In the morning you will be taken from your hotel to the airport for a morning flight to Cusco (10,856 ft.), center of the Inca Empire. After checking in at your hotel, today’s Peru travel begins with a guided walking tour through the colorful markets of Cusco, making stops at the colonial cathedral and the impressive Incan Temple of the Sun (Koricancha), followed by a lunch, You’ll be on your own the rest of the day to acclimatize to the altitude (11,300 ft.) while getting acquainted with the well-preserved colonial city of Cusco.

Begin your journey from the busy streets of Cusco to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, full of lush green fields surrounded by striking mountain peaks. 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. After this stop we will star our hiking from the village of Amaru to the pass, 14,200 ft / 4,328 mts, and then  to the community of Viacha, an incan village with a colonial church, After lunch we will keep hiking towards Pisac Archaeological site and town The path to the ruins passes through fields of potatoes, quinoa, wheat and other crops, After this view, anyone interested may hike through the town of Pisac. You’ll be returned to your hotel for another free evening in colonial Cusco. 

Overnight: Cusco City, 11260 ft / 3435 mt

Hiking Details: 6.52 miles / 10.5 km; approximately 5 – 6 hours hiking, 

Altitude min/max: from 11260 ft / 3435 mt to 14,200 ft / 4,328 mts.

We leave Cusco and head to the small town of Corao, before branching off the road into the high Andes and the tiny village of Patabamba at 12624 ft /3,847 mts. It is at this location where the Huchuy Qosqo trailhead is located.

This trail will first take you to the little village of Sihua, then up to the Pukamarca pass (4,150 mts / 13615 ft), overlooks the village with the same name. Here, you will have a splendid viewpoint of the Urubamba mountain range and the Sacred Valley. After reaching the top of the pass, we will hike to the Pumamarka Community.

After lunch, you will continue your trek to the Puma Puncu canyon. From here, you will hike along an original Incan trail. This trail will lead you to the isolated and mysterious Inca site of Huchuy Qosqo perched above the Sacred Valley of the Incas at 3,600 mts / 11,811 ft. Once in the site, your guide will walk you through and show you all the site’s amazing Inca buildings like sacred temples, storehouses, Inca terraces for agriculture and the Inca reservoir used to store water during the dry season. After exploring the ruins, continue hiking down where the van will be waiting. 

Overnight: Sacred Valley, 2,950 mts / 9,678 ft.

Hiking Details: 7.7 miles / 12.5 km; approximately 7 – 8 hours hiking, 

Altitude min/max: from 2,950 mts / 9,678 ft to 12624 ft /3,847 mts.

The day begins with a short ride from the hotel to Patacancha valley and the gorgeous hamlet of Marcacocha with its beautiful chapel. After this we walk up an ancient Inca Trail to Pumamarca, which showcases a unique example of circular Inca and pre-Inca buildings. From here we walk down past Inca terraces, still used for agriculture, and back into the village of Ollantaytambo, the ruins of an impressive Inca fortress, and the nearby small town, where you’ll explore this archeological site before heading to Albergue restaurant to try the most famous dish in the Andes. Pachamanca is the traditional Peruvian dish common in the central Andean region.

The word Pachamanca comes from the Quechua indigenous language, with “pacha” meaning earth and “manka” meaning pot. This tradition supposedly dates to before the Spanish conquest in 1532 and was a form of ritual to celebrate life and fertility and to thank “pacha mama”, or mother earth, for providing food. While you are waiting for the food to cook, our chef will take you on a tour of the organic farm that provides 90% of ingredients for the Pachamanca. They grow many varieties including typical local plants like huacatay (black mint), Inca berries and quinoa, and raise their own rabbits, ducks and sheep.

Overnight: Sacred Valley, 2,950 mts / 9,678 ft.

Hiking Details: 2.7 miles / 6 km; approximately 2-3 hours hiking: easy to moderate  

Altitude max/min: from 11,482 ft to 9,284 ft

A 7 a.m. train departure from Ollantaytambo gets you to station Km #104. After registering at the checkpoint, you’ll begin the three-hour hike to Wiñay Wayna, during which you’ll see ruins, waterfalls and many varieties of flora and fauna. You’ll take lots of photos on this picturesque stretch of your Peru tour. Spend one to two hours exploring the beautiful Wiñay Wayna ruins. From here it is a two-hour walk to Machu Picchu. You will arrive at the famous ruins in the late afternoon when there are few visitors. After a brief tour, transfer by bus to Aguas Calientes, where you’ll spend the night at a charming hotel. The evening is free to explore this small village and soak in the hot springs.

Overnight: Aguas Calientes Machupicchu, 6,232 ft / 1,900 mt

Hiking Details: 7.54 miles / 12.14 km; approximately 6-7 hours hiking, 

Altitude min/max: from 7,053 ft to 9,022 ft

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. 

Hiking: Optional Huayna Picchu hike may be unguided and is steep with some exposure. Permits are limited. An alternative optional hike may be available if Huayna Picchu permits cannot be obtained.

Overnight: Cusco City, 11260 ft / 3435 mt

Huayna Picchu – 07:00 am 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. 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.