City Tour, Sacred Valley + Machu Picchu & Humantay Lake Hike 5 days

Day 1: Welcome to CUSCO!

Upon arrival our representative will wait for you at the airport, then, we will take you to your hotel. By the afternoon, visit the most iconic sites around Cusco on a half day tour over Coricancha, Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay.

• 3 Accommodation:* Maytaq Wasin or similar
• 4 Accommodation:* Costa del Sol or similar
• Meals: None

Day 2: Cusco – Pisac – Moray – Salt Mines – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes

Today you will start your day at around 7:30 a.m. for a full-day tour of the Sacred Valley. First, we will drive for about 45 minutes to Pisac, where you will see an impressive Inca cemetery with more than 2,000 tombs. Here we will admire the carefully built agricultural terraces carved into the mountain, explore the Inca tunnel, and visit the religious area of this important citadel. We will spend about 2 hours exploring the Inca city.

Afterward, we will go down to the colorful Pisac market, where we will spend about 20 minutes, and then continue to Urubamba for lunch (not included).

Then, on the way to our new adventure, we will visit the Moray Complex, an incredible Inca laboratory, a deep depression of great architectural value. Levels of terraces are carved into a huge circular structure, carefully designed by the Incas. The terraces have different microclimates depending on their depth. Archaeologists believe they were used by the Incas to discover the best growing conditions and experiment with plant hybridization.

The journey will continue to the Maras Salt Mines. These salt pools have been worked since ancient times, passed down from generation to generation by local families. A saltwater spring flows down from the upper part of the valley and is directed into the pools, where the water evaporates to produce salt. This is one of the few places in the world where natural pink salt can be found.

Our day will end in Ollantaytambo. Here you will explore the Inca town that has remained unchanged since Inca times and its impressive ruins with a guided tour. You will learn about the amazing architecture of the Temple of the Sun, located at the top of the terraces, and the importance of this site to the Incas during the beginning of the Spanish conquest.

We will include dinner at a local restaurant before you take the 7:04 p.m. train, which arrives at 8:45 p.m. You will spend the night at a hotel in the area.

• 3 Accommodation:* Ferre Hotel Machu Picchu
• 4 Accommodation:* El Mapi or Tierra Viva (superior room)
• Meals: Breakfast at the hotel and dinner

Day 3: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Cusco

Today is finally the day you will visit Machu Picchu. You will take one of the first buses to the citadel and visit this Wonder of the World early in the morning. Here, your guide will take you to the most important places in the citadel. You will see the temples and palaces and learn about the history of the Incas and their incredible legacy.

After the tour, those who have reserved the additional hike to Huayna Picchu Mountain in advance will have time to enjoy the views on their own. Once you have finished enjoying the incredible views of Machu Picchu, you will take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included). Depending on your train departure time, you may also have time for shopping, walking around town, or visiting the museum or hot springs.

At the end of the day, your return train will take you to Ollantaytambo. After a journey of 1 hour and 45 minutes, you will arrive in Ollantaytambo, where our transportation will be waiting to take you back to Cusco. You will arrive at around 7:30 p.m., depending on your train schedule.

• 3 Accommodation:* Maytaq Wasin or similar
• 4 Accommodation:* Costa del Sol or similar
• Meals: Breakfast

Day 4: Cusco – Soraypampa – Humantay Lake

Today we will have to wake up early! We will start at around 4:00 a.m. when we pick you up from your hotel to visit the beautiful Humantay Lake. Our first stop is 2 and a half hours from Cusco, arriving in Mollepata, where we will have breakfast at a local restaurant. After getting our energy back, we will continue for about 1 hour to Soraypampa. Along the way, we will pass through two beautiful local villages called Iscuchaca and Limatambo. We will also enjoy amazing views of beautiful valleys and the famous snow-capped Salkantay Mountain.

Here, we will walk for 20 minutes to our accommodation, the panoramic domes. When we arrive, we will settle in, rest for a while, and have lunch. After enjoying the delicious food prepared by our chef, we will start our hike to Humantay Lake. Putting on our hiking shoes, we will hike for about 1 hour up to Humantay Lake while enjoying the amazing views around us. When we arrive at Humantay, you will have time to explore the lake and enjoy its beauty. After spending time at Humantay Lake, we will hike back to the trailhead at Soraypampa and then relax at our Sky Domes.

• Meals included: Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Dinner
• Accommodation: Sky dome with bed and private toilets.
• Distance: 10kms/6 miles
• Time: 6hrs approximately
• Difficulty: Moderate

Day 5: Soraypampa – Salkantay Pass – Cusco

After spending the night in our 10,000-star hotel, we will enjoy our energy-filled breakfast and continue our adventure. On this second day of trekking, we will reach the highest point of the hike (4,650 m / 15,367 ft). From the domes, we will hike for about 4 hours, with stops and rest breaks until we reach the Salkantay Pass. During the climb, you will be able to see the local plants and wildlife. When we arrive, you will have time to take part in a small ceremony to thank the protecting Apu for allowing us to reach this point.

From here, we will relax and admire nature at its most impressive, amazed by the huge snow-capped mountains of Salkantay (6,217 m / 20,717 ft), Humantay, and Huayanay. You will also enjoy the glacial rivers, white with minerals, and the small beautiful lake. Hiking back down along the same trail, we will arrive at the trailhead, where we will have lunch. Finally, we will drive back to Cusco, arriving at your hotel at about 6:00 p.m. in the evening.

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
• Distance: 12kms/9 miles
• Time: 7hrs approximately
• Difficulty: Challenge