Inca Trail & Rainbow Mountain adventure

Breakfast at the hotel. Today begins the most spectacular part of your journey: the Inca Trail. Your guide will pick you up from your hotel and transfer with you to the train station in Ollantaytambo. Once there, together with your guide board the famous train to Machu Picchu continuing until the 104th km. At this point, disembark and start your hiking route! The first stop will be Wiñay Wayna, a set of Inca ruins set in a hillside overlooking the Urubamba river. The agricultural terraces they constructed hundreds of years ago are still visible today! Take some time to explore the area independently, perhaps enjoying your included boxed lunch, then continue the route to Inti Punku. This is considered the entry portal to Machu Picchu, and would have been guarded by the Inca military–it’s also where you’ll get a full view of the citadel for the first time! Feeling accomplished, board a bus to Aguas Calientes to rest for the evening. Overnight stay in Aguas Calientes.

Total hike time: 7 to 8 hours

Distance covered: 12 km

Important note: Remember to dress appropriately for this day. Most importantly, don't forget your hiking shoes, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and water bottle. We recommend that you wear comfortable clothing suitable for the cold (due to the altitude) and bring waterproof clothing in case you get caught in the rain.

Important note: On all trains to or from Aguas Calientes, passengers may only carry one piece of hand luggage (such as a backpack, purse, or briefcase) weighing no more than 8 kg/17 lbs and with a maximum measurement of 46 inches/118 cm (height, length & width). We recommend that you bring everything you need inside for your 1-night stay in Aguas Calientes, including a change of clothes. Guests should leave their large suitcases at the Sacred Valley hotel and our team will take care of the transfer to your hotel in Cuzco.

Wake up rested and have breakfast in Aguas Calientes, ready to enjoy a full day ahead experiencing one of the wonders of the modern world: Machu Picchu. Meet your guide and head to the citadel by bus, where you’ll learn more about this impressive set of structures. Built in the 15th century by the Sapa Inca Pachacuti, the citadel is an amazing example of Inca architectural knowledge and their ability to adapt to the rugged Andean environment. The guided tour will take you through the main enclosures while explaining the history, organization and importance that this Wonder of the World had during the Inca Empire. Explore its internal terraces and temples with the impressive backdrop of the Huayna Picchu mountain.

Ready for a challenge? Join our optional scenic hike in Machu Picchu* to catch the most impressive panoramic views of Machu Picchu. At the end of the day, return by bus to Agua Calientes to await the departure of our train back to Ollantaytambo, followed by your transfer to Cuzco. Overnight stay in Cuzco.

*Optional scenic hike in Machu Picchu: Get a new perspective on this wonder of the world by climbing one of the nearby peaks such as Machu Picchu or Huayna Picchu. You’ll be informed of the exact route in-situ by your guide, depending on availability that day. Prepare for a challenging hike, bearing in mind that the high altitude can cause the excursion to be especially tiring. But the views will be spectacular!

Breakfast at the hotel. Take advantage of a free day in Cuzco to rest and recover from the previous day’s intense activities. If you’re feeling up to it, feel free to join the afternoon’s optional excursions, including a walking tour of Cuzco* and a visit to the Cuzco Planetarium**. End your day in Cuzco and return to the hotel to rest: tomorrow will be another long day! Overnight stay in Cuzco.

*Optional Cuzco walking tour: This charming half-day walking tour of Cuzco offers history, culture and art. Visit the Plaza de Armas and the Cathedral, whose interior holds a marvelous collection of colonial art and canvases from the Cuzco School. Within walking distance is the Koricancha: its baroque façade built over the solid Inca walls perfectly summarizes the syncretism of cultures in the city of Cuzco. End at the San Pedro Market, the oldest in the city. Designed in 1925 by Gustave Eiffel, today it brings together hundreds of traders of local products.

**Optional Cuzco Planetarium visit: Live a unique experience at the Cuzco Planetarium, located 15 minutes from downtown. Learn about the important relationship between the Andean people and the cosmos, seeing the wonders of the universe up close thanks to special equipment. Weather permitting, you will be able to observe stars and constellations through telescopes and other astronomical instruments. The tour ends at the Plaza de Armas.

Breakfast at the hotel. Set off for an all-day adventure at Vinicunca, also known as the “Rainbow Mountain” or the “Mountain of Seven Colors.” Head out early in the morning first to Cusipata and then Phulwa Sipata, the starting point of the hike. Observe herds of llamas and alpacas, as well as the majestic Apu Ausangate, the highest snow-capped mountain in Cuzco on the drive.

After about an hour and a half of walking, arrive at Vinicunca, located 5,020 meters above sea level. This view will be a welcome reward! The minerals in the soil of the mountain give its slopes and summit curious shades of red, purple, green, yellow and pink, among other colors. From there, start the way back to Phulwa Sipata. After a total of 8 km on foot, we will return to Cusipata, where we will enjoy a refreshing traditional lunch. Return to Cuzco in the afternoon for your overnight stay.

Important note: Again, please remember to dress appropriately on this day, following the same recommendations for the Inca Trail.

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a free day to rest or explore the Sacred Valley at your leisure. For those seeking an active outing in the surrounding nature, why not try our optional stand-up paddle tour?* Whether you spend your day out and about or relaxing closer to the hotel, you can still join our optional nighttime city tour with Pisco Sour workshop** for another exciting experience! Overnight stay in Cuzco.

*Optional half-day stand up paddle tour: Enjoy Cuzco's nature in a totally new way! Head to the Piuray Lagoon, in Chinchero, which has supplied Cuzco with water since ancient times. After enjoying a welcome snack while admiring the landscape that surrounds the lagoon (Soray, Veronica and Salcantay), have a stretching session and some brief instruction on paddling techniques. Next, begin the adventure accompanied by a guide at all times, enjoying the peace and tranquility of being lost for a moment in the waters of the Piuray Lagoon. Back on land, take some time to explore the surroundings of the lagoon.

**Optional nighttime city tour and Pisco Sour workshop: See Cuzco in a whole new light! Pass in front of the Koricancha and the San Cristobal viewpoint, where you’ll get off the bus and enjoy the spectacular view of the illuminated city. Head next towards the Plaza de Armas to visit one of the most popular bars in the city, where you’ll learn how to prepare one of Peru's signature cocktails: the Pisco Sour.

Breakfast at the hotel. Take an included transfer to the Cuzco airport. Fly back to Lima, taking an included transfer to your hotel on arrival. Spend the rest of the day as you wish in the Peruvian capital, savoring your last evening in this magical destination. Overnight stay in Lima.