Cusco, Machu Picchu, and Sacred Valley of the Incas

Cusco, Machu Picchu, and Sacred Valley of the Incas

Day 1: Cusco

We'll collect you from the terminal of Cusco airport and then head to the hotel in the city where you can drop off your belongings and rest and relax in the comfort of your own room. We'll meet back up later to start our guided tour of the cathedral, the most important shrine in Cusco, and the Coricancha (Golden Courtyard), the most important temple in the Inca Empire. This is the perfect introduction to the unique fusion of Hispanic and pre-Colombian influences which characterize the culture of Peru.

After, we'll head to the historic city center to see the archaeological sites of Sacsaywaman, Kenko, Puka Pukara, and Tambomachay. On this hugely enriching experience, we'll enter all the sites to learn more about the Inca civilization. At the end of the tour, we'll return to the hotel where you'll spend the night.

Day 2: Sacred Valley

It's a very early start to the day, and after having a filling breakfast, we leave Peru's historical capital behind and head into the Sacred Valley of the Incas, located in the heart of the Andes mountains. Here we'll reveal all about why this ancient civilization was centered in this location. To discover it, we'll visit the archaeological complex of Pisac, which stands out for its spectacular terraces and its traditional market.

In the afternoon, we'll go to the Ollantaytambo ruins next to the Urubamba river, among which you'll find the famous (Templo del Sol) Sun Temple and the fountain of "the bath of the princess". From there, we'll take a train to Aguas Calientes. When we arrive, we'll take you to the hotel where you'll be staying.

Day 3: Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is the highlight of everyone's trip to Peru and one of the main reasons for visiting the country. Therefore, on this tour, we'll take you to the famous Inca site which is a designated UNESCO world heritage site. To make sure you get the most out of your visit, we'll depart from the hotel at 6 am. When we arrive we'll do a tour of the ancient citadel, which dates back to the 15th Century and was built at more than 7000 feet above sea level. This location will simply take your breath away.

Later, we return to Aguas Calientes and jump on the train which will take us back to Ollantaytambo. From there we'll take you back to your hotel in Cusco where you'll spend the night.

Day 4: Maras and Moray

After breakfast, we'll head once again to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. However, this time we'll visit the archaeological site of Moray. There you witness the astonishing Inca terraces which, at first glance, resemble a Roman amphitheater. We'll also take you to the traditional village of Maras, where you'll encounter the famous salt ponds. This is one of the few places in the world where amazing pink salt is extracted from the ground.

Our fantastic 4-day circuit to some of the most beautiful corners of the ancient Inca empire finishes back at Cusco where we'll take you to the airport so that you can catch your return flight.

Accommodation

This circuit includes 3 nights of accommodation with breakfast. The hotels planned for the tour are the following:

• Cusco: Hotel Mama Sara.
• Aguas Calientes: Hotel Terraza de Luna.

Important to Note

Please bear in mind that on the last day of the tour, we'll arrive at the hotel in Cusco at 1 pm. Therefore, we recommend that you check out at the reception of your hotel before setting off on the excursion in the morning excursion.

We recommend that you have your return flight from Cusco booked for a time after 6 pm.

In the event that the activity is cancelled due to strikes or poor weather conditions, you'll be offered an alternative date to take part in the tour. If it is not possible to organise an alternative date, please note that you will be refunded the full amount paid for the activity, except for the Machu Pichu entrance fee (S/ 200 (US$ 52.60)), which cannot be cancelled.