Footsteps of the Incas

The Inca ruins of Tambomachay.

Our team will pick you up from your hotel at 12:45 p.m. to begin your half-day tour of the city of Cusco.

Known as the archaeological capital of the Americas, Cusco is the oldest city in the Western Hemisphere and was the heart of the Incan empire during the 14th and 15th centuries. Today, Cusco is a blended city, with a mix of ancient pre-Inca & Inca architecture and Spanish/Colonial influences. Today we will have the chance to visit a number of fascinating sites which will allow you to appreciate the city’s extraordinary history and culture:

Cusco Cathedral

The Cusco Cathedral is the main temple of the city of Cusco and is located in the northeast sector of the current Plaza de Armas (main square). Here you will have the chance to admire the cathedral’s architecture and see some famous works of art belonging to the “Cusco School” tradition.

Qoricancha & Santo Domingo Convent

The Qoricancha temple was the primary temple dedicated to Inti, the sun god, and the most important temple in the Inca Empire. The baroque Santo Domingo Convent was later built on top of the Incan temple, but much of the majestic original stonework still remains.

Sacsayhuaman

Sacsayhuaman is an Inca ceremonial fortress located two kilometers north of the city of Cusco. Built with massive megalithic stone walls, Saqsaywaman is considered by many to be the greatest architectural work accomplished by the Inca Empire during its heyday. You will also be able to enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the city of Cusco from the nearby Cristo Blanco lookout point.

Q’enqo

Located about 4 km (15 minutes) northeast of the city of Cusco, this mysterious site is one of the largest huacas (pre-Columbian places of worship) in Cusco and features a number of intricate underground passageways.

Puca Pucara

Puca Pucara, whose name means “Red Fortress” in Quechua, is a fortress composed of large walls, terraces and stairways which shows us an excellent example of Inca military architecture.

Tambomachay

This stunning Inca site consists of a series of aqueducts, canals and several waterfalls running through natural rock formations. This site serves as one of the most impressive examples of the Incas’ ability to manipulate water. Though its exact purpose is unknown, it may have been a place of devotion for a local water cult.

After visiting all of these sites, you will return to your hotel and have the rest of the day free.

Agricultural terraces at the ruins of Pisac in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

We will depart at 7:00 a.m. to begin your full-day tour of the Sacred Valley.

The Sacred Valley of the Incas was the center of the vast Incan Empire. This fertile land features an excellent climate and has been a major agricultural region for thousands of years. The extensive ruins stretch from the villages of Pisac to Ollantaytambo before you eventually arrive at the citadel of Machu Picchu.

Today we will have the opportunity to visit the following incredible sites:

Pisac

This site functioned as the Southern Gateway to the Sacred Valley, and is known for its military, ceremonial and agricultural purposes. Here you can admire numerous agricultural terraces lining the mountainside, the most of any site in the Sacred Valley. After visiting the ruins we will walk through the local town of the same name and explore its colorful artisan market before heading to the town of Urubamba for lunch (cost of meal not included in tour).

Ollantaytambo

Our second stop will take us to the Inca Fortress and Citadel of Ollantaytambo, built to guard the Northern entrance of the Valley. It was designed to protect it from possible invasion from the various lower jungle tribes. As you walk through the quaint streets of the town and make your way up the steps of the fortress, you will start to realize what an important strategic Military, Religious, and Agricultural Center it was during the reign of the Inca Empire. This is also the place where the Inca had their last stand against the Spanish before retreating to seek refuge at Vilcabamba.

Chinchero

Next we will stop off at the picturesque Andean Village of Chinchero to visit the Royal Hacienda Ruins of Tupac Inca Yupanqui. We will admire a well-preserved Inca Wall in the Main Square and visit the beautiful Colonial temple built on Inca foundations, featuring a series of mysterious fresco paintings.

After the tour you will head to your hotel in the Sacred Valley to rest for the evening.

The Inca Trail begins in Cusco with a nice breakfast, after which we will head to the trailhead (known as Piscacucho or Km 82). Here you will begin your journey, warming up on a relatively flat part of the trail. After two hours, you will reach Patallacta, the first archaeological site found along the trail, where we will stop to appreciate the impressive landscapes, flora and fauna.

This site and others will show the importance of this valley in the context of Incan history. After lunch, we will continue ascending to a semi-tropical valley for two hours before arriving at Huayllabamba, the campsite where we will spend the first night.

The Patallacta (or Llactapata) ruins, the first archaeological site encountered on the Inca Trail.

After an early breakfast we will start the day’s hike, during which we will pass through several different climatic and ecological zones on the way to Warmiwañusca, also known as Dead Woman’s Pass. On the way we will pass through abundant vegetation and various types of native trees in an area that is considered the world’s highest cloud forest.

After the toughest part of the journey, which takes nearly 5 hours, we will arrive at the highest point of the journey. From there we will take a well-deserved break and observe the beauty of the deep valleys and beautiful landscapes. If we’re lucky, we will see the magnificent condor appear among the thick clouds in the sky. After our break to rest, we will descend towards the campsite of Pacaymayu where we will spend our second night.

A section of the Inca Trail overlooking lush green mountains.

After breakfast, we will begin our climb up the opposite side of the valley, towards the second pass. About halfway up we’ll find a small, round, roofless Inca construction known as Runkuracay, an astrological site and a sort of checkpoint for couriers following the trail to Machu Picchu. After a short tour we will continue to ascend towards the second pass, the Abra de Runkuracay.

The next part of the path descends towards a valley and a shallow lake. At this point the trail changes from a dirt path to a narrow stone roadway, containing the exact same stones which were present when the Incas walked the trail. The trail after the pass will lead us to a second, larger Inca site known as Sayacmarca (“Town in a Steep Place”). This monument was built on a rock overlooking the trail and is accessible only via a single narrow stone staircase. To the left of the staircase lies an overhanging rock wall and to the right you will see expansive views of the Peruvian countryside. This site is roofless and slightly overgrown, but the walls still stand strong and the shape of the fortress can easily be seen. We will also see an aqueduct, which once carried water to the nearby farmlands.

The Inca ruins of Runkurakay, a round construction which had astrological significance.

After touring Sayacmarca, we will begin our descent to the bottom of the valley. The roadway here takes the form of a long causeway leading across what may have once been a shallow lake. Here we will stop to enjoy lunch before continuing our climb. At this point the path will guide us through some interesting Incan structures, including a tunnel that is eight meters long and wide enough to allow humans and animals to pass through. After this tunnel, we will reach the third pass and explore another Incan site konwn as Phuyupatamarca (“Cloud-level Town”). Here we will learn about the ritual functions that the Incas used this site for. We will also see some water springs that the Incas used on the way to Machu Picchu.

Next we will continue our journey before finally reaching one more archaeological site, the ruins of Wiñay Wayna (“Forever Young”). This impressive site features a number of buildings as well as some typical agricultural terraces. It is here where we will enjoy our dinner and settle for the night at our final campsite.

The Inca ruins of Wiñay Wayna and its surrounding agricultural terraces.

On the last day of our adventure, we will wake up early and follow a wide, relatively flat path. After about an hour and a half, we will climb a narrow path of stone steps leading to Inti Punku, the Sun Gate. After three and a half days of sometimes difficult trekking, we will look through the rectangular doorway of the sun gate and finally take our first views of the lost city of the Incas and one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu.

From there, we will descend into the archaeological complex, where your guide will give a thorough tour through the ruins. After the guided tour, we will take the bus down to the nearby town of Aguas Calientes where we will catch the train to return to Cusco.

The Inca ruins of Machu Picchu, considered one of the new 7 wonders of the world.

One of our representatives will escort you from your hotel to the airport for your flight home.