Custom Cusco & Inca Trail Tour Package 6 Days

Day 1: Arrival in Cusco + City Tour

Your amazing adventure begins with a friendly welcome from your guide. We will pick you up from the airport and transfer to your hotel to get settled. You will receive a short briefing at your hotel to help you prepare for the adventure ahead and have the remainder of the morning to rest and acclimatize. In the afternoon, we will lead you through the Imperial City of Cusco, a living example of the mix of Andean and Spanish culture. Continuing your tour, you will visit the Santo Domingo Convent built over the Koricancha, as well as the ancient Inca Palace and the main worship center of the Sun God “Inti”. Our tour continues to the truly impressive archaeological site of Sacsayhuaman to explore its Incan architecture, which dominates the city below. Finally, we explore the archaeological sites of Qenqo, Puca Pucará and Tambomachay, located in the northeast of the city. All tours will be following your friendly, english-speaking guide, who is excited to tell you about every detail and happy to answer any questions you have. This tour will finish by early evening and we will head back to your hotel in Cusco with plenty of time to relax.

Day 2: Sacred Valley Tour (Pisac + Moray + Salt mines and Ollantaytambo included)

We start this adventurous day at 7:30am, your guide picking you up at your Cusco hotel in our private van. Our route to the Sacred Valley of the Incas leads us towards Pisac. We stop first at the Mirador of Taray to enjoy an expansive view of the Urubamba valley and its traditional farming villages. You will see how little the agriculture in the Sacred Valley has changed in the past five hundred years. Onward, we drive to the archeological site of Pisac, where you can see an impressive Inca cemetery with more than 2,000 tombs. There, we can admire the carefully engineered farming terraces carved into the mountain, explore the Inca tunnel and the religious area of this important citadel. Here, we will spend about 2 hours exploring the Inca city. Then, we head down to the colorful market of Pisac, spend about 20 minutes shopping and then drive to Urubamba for lunch. (not included)

Our next stop is the fascinating archeological site of Moray also known as “The Greenhouse of the Incas” a deep basin of architectural wonder. Levels of terraces are carved into a huge bowl, which was carefully engineered by the Incas. The terraces have varied microclimates depending on how deep into the bowl they are placed.  Archeologists believe that they were used by the Incas to discover the optimal growing conditions for their crops and experiment in hybridization.

Continuing on our journey to the colonial town of Maras, we look down onto the pre-Inca salt mines, called “salineras” in Spanish. The salt pans and their methods have been passed down through countless generations and used for salt extraction since before Inca times. A hot spring at the top of the valley discharges a small stream of heavily salt laden water, which is diverted into salt pans and evaporated to produce salt. This is one of the few places in the world where you can find naturally pink salt!

Finally, we drive to Ollantaytambo, taking the time to explore the surprisingly intact Inca village and the massive Inca Ruins, with a tour provided by our guide. Visit the massive architecture of the Sun Temple at the top of the considerable terraces and learn about the importance of this site for the Inca during the beginning of the Spanish conquest. Ready to relax after a busy evening, we will return to Cusco, dropping you off at your hotel around 6:30pm.

Day 3: Inca Trail – Km. 104 to Sun Gate.

After a hearty breakfast, we board the train in Ollantaytambo. Disembark at the trailhead at KM 104 where your hiking journey begins. Pass archeological sites and admire the stunning Andean landscapes all the way to the majestic Sun Gate which leads into Machu Picchu. Passing through the Sun Gate you get your first chance to see Machu Picchu in all its glory. Enjoy the impressive view of the Inca citadel from Guard Hourse before taking the short bus ride to your Aguas Calientes hotel for the night.

Day 4: Machu Picchu Tour

An early morning will reward you with another momentous day of exploring the “Lost City of the Incas”. Your tour guide will take you through the iconic ruins of Machu Picchu, discussing the mystery and skill of its construction as you absorb the magical landscape that surrounds this important ruin.

Take in the final views of the Sacred Valley while you travel back. Your driver will be waiting at the station to take you back to your hotel in Cusco for some much deserved rest.

Upgrade options: Climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain for bird’s eye views of the ruins or add an extra day in Machu Picchu.

*** The Inca Trail hikers will visit the circuit #3 or #4 at Machu Picchu.

Day 5: Visit the Rainbow Mountain

Enjoy a final early start to your day and head to Vinicunca, also known as the Rainbow Mountain. On the way, you can appreciate the Andes Mountains as you pass by beautiful snow-capped mountains and unique landscapes. Drive through a remote Quechua village and experience the original tradition the people are working to keep alive. Don’t be afraid to ask your guide all your questions and maybe learn a few phrases in the local language.

Watch alpacas and llamas frolic along the trail as you walk to the sacred mountain. While this hike is built on a smooth and even path we will still hike at a steady pace as to avoid any unwanted elevation sickness. If the journey up the mount is too difficult, do not hesitate to ask your guide to ask a local to rent one of their horse services. The last 600 meters, however, are very steep, and you will have to hike it without the assistance of horse. Take your time, as this is no race, and the view that awaits you at the top is worth every step. Learn about the reasons why the Incas and Andean people worship Pachamama or Mother Earth on this incredible tour of Rainbow Mountain that includes lunch.