Sacred Valley Tour & 1 Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Itinerary

DAY 1: SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS (Pisac + Moray + Maras + Salt mines + Ollantaytambo) 

Pick up from your hotel at 7:30 am with our private van and head to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Our first stop is the Manos de la Comunidad, which has a variety of Camelids indigenous to Peru like the Llama, Alpaca, Guanacos and the Vicuna that produces very fine wool and can only be shorn every three years. Visit this farm to pet, feed and take pictures with the animals. In the center are local women dressed in traditional garments, weaving items using the wool from these animals. As you exit, encounter a museum and souvenir shop. The workers are always around to answer any questions, but you never feel pressured to buy anything.

Then, stop at the Mirador of Taray to enjoy a beautiful overhead view of the Urubamba valley, and the surrounding mountains. Next, head to the Pisac archaeological site, see the biggest Inca cemetery with more than 2,000 tombs that line the mountain side.  Learn about the value of this site in terms of Agriculture. Explore the many Inca farming terraces, food storage warehouses at the top of the hill and the water channels for irrigation.

Then, drive to Urubamba for lunch, passing small farming towns like Coya and Calca before stopping at Urubamba for a delectable buffet lunch. The restaurant has an impressive spread of different foods and is vegan and vegetarian friendly. There is a variety of fresh vegetables, salads, protein dishes, desserts and tea and coffee.

After lunch, we continue towards the colonial town of Maras, to reach the Pre-Inca salt mines. Enjoy this incredible historical site, that continues to be the bread and butter for this small community. The salt stream above feeds the thousands of salt pans, once the water has evaporated the salt is collected and sold. The salt mines are one of the few left in the world that produce a natural pink salt and have not adopted any modern techniques for mass salt mining. The locals have full mining rights and all the salt sold on site belongs to the locals. A great place to grab a souvenir.

Next, we visit Moray, which was an experimental farming site built in the form of an amphitheater, each level has a different temperature to grow different types of crops. These terraces were carved before the Incas took control of the Sacred Valley and then used by the Incas to research optimal growing conditions for their crops. The Incas brought in different soil samples from other regions, to optimize their research. The locals were still using it for growing their crops, until the 1970s when it was preserved and protected for tourism.

Then, we drive to Ollantaytambo to explore this quaint Inca village and the amazing Inca Ruins on the hilltop above. These ruins are where the Incas fought their last battle with the Spanish conquerors, before they had to retreat into the dense jungle. Most of the structures were unfortunately incomplete. There is a section with a number of boulders that were carved, but didn’t make it to their destination.

Finally, we head to our hotel, so you can enjoy your dinner (not included) and get some rest for the hectic but magical day tomorrow.

• 3* Accommodation: Andenes del Inca Hotel

Day 2: Ollantaytambo – Km104 – Wiñay Wayna – Sun Gate – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes – Cusco

Pickup from your hotel at 5:30 am in Ollantaytambo and transfer to the Ollantaytambo train station, for the 6:10 am Expedition train. Take the train to KM 104, starting point of the Inca Trail. After crossing the Urubamba River on a picturesque foot bridge, show your passport at the checkpoint. There we visit the first Inca site nearby. 

Here, we begin our 3-hour trek to Wiñay Wayna archaeological site (2,650/8,747ft) also known as Forever Young in Quechua.  The first hour and a half is a gentle hike upward. Stop at several outlooks where you have an expansive view of the Urubamba River and pass through several microclimates, including a cloud forest. We are then challenged by a slightly steeper uphill trek and rewarded at the end with a beautiful waterfall to enjoy.

Upon reaching Wiñay Wayna, rest, eat your gourmet box lunch and enjoy the dazzling views of this amazing site. At Wiñay Wayna we finally intersect with the Classic Inca Trail. These amazing Inca ruins have a fascinating history and some parts are still hidden by the dense jungle.  Be sure to ask your guide to share its history. 

After having a rest, we embark on a one hour trek before reaching the Sun Gate (2,730m/9,00ft). Close to the Sun Gate experience our last challenge with a final set of steep stairs carved directly into the bedrock, aptly named the gringo killer or monkey steps.  From the Sun Gate, we get the first glimpse of the mysterious Machu Picchu Citadel.  After enjoying the view, it is just an hour hike down the flat rock stairs to Machu Picchu. Be sure to have your camera ready to take all of the incredible views of Machu Picchu Citadel along the way.

On reaching Machu Picchu, have time to get more photos from the viewing platforms above the site, the “House of the Guardians” where you can take the famous postcard pictures of Machu Picchu. The guide will give you a tour, which takes about two hours. You will see some of the most important parts of Machu Picchu.

From the view point enjoy these magical Inca ruins, when you have finished take the bus down to Aguas Calientes. In the evening at 6:20PM, take the return Expedition Train to Ollantaytambo and catch our private van back to Cusco and your hotel.  You will arrive around 10:00PM.

• Meals: Breakfast from your hotel (please request for a boxed breakfast) and Picnic lunch
• Difficulty: Moderate

***This package will include the circuit #2 or #3, depending on the availability, the specific circuit will be confirmed at booking time!

***It is not possible to do the Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain climb due to time restraints

***You can upgrade to the Vistadome Train for $57. This train will depart from Aguas Calientes at 6:10pm to Ollantaytambo only.