DAY 1: CUSCO – LARES HOT SPRINGS – WAKAWASI

After breakfast at your hotel, you will be taken on a fascinating journey through the Sacred Valley of the Inkas to the town of Lares, famous for its hot springs. On the way you will appreciate picturesque villages that were important during the Inka period, as well as beautiful Andean landscapes. In Lares, you can enjoy its hot springs before starting your hike. You will begin a 2 hour hike to the village of Tambowaylla, where you will have lunch. After a short rest you will continue your hike for 2 hours until you reach the Andean community of Wakawasi where our trekking team will be waiting for you to spend the first night. In this first day you will be able to appreciate rivers, forests, typical houses of the area and much more.

Walk distance: 5 mi/ 8 km

Min altitude: 9,645 ft / 2,940 m

Max altitude: 12,300 ft / 3,750 m

Aprox. Time: 3-4 hrs

Difficult level: Moderate

DAY 2: AURORAY PASS – MANTANAY LAGOON – YANAHUARA

After a hearty breakfast, you will begin a 4-hour ascent to the highest point of the trek, the Auroray Pass at 14,400 feet. During this trek you will be able to appreciate the wildlife of the region such as alpacas, llamas, birds and the native flora of the area. At the pass, you will have beautiful views of the surrounding snow-capped peaks of the Andean Cordillera. Then you will start a descent until you reach 2 beautiful lakes; Auroray and Mantanay. Next to these lagoons you will have lunch prepared by the trek chef. At the end of lunch, we will return to our hike downhill for 2 more hours until we reach the village of Yanahuara where you will spend your second night of trekking.

Walk distance: 9.9 mi/ 16 km

Min altitude: 9,842 ft / 3,000 m

Max altitude: 14,435 ft / 4,400 m

Aprox. Time: 8 hrs

Difficult level: Moderate

DAY 3: OLLANTAYTAMBO – KM 104

You will wake up very early to have breakfast and head to the town of Ollantaytambo to board the train that will take you to Km 104, where this day’s trek begins. The trip lasts about 1 hour and is full of Andean and tropical landscapes.

The archaeological complex of Chachabamba will be the first place to explore. Then, you will begin a 3 hour ascent to reach 2650 mts/8690 ft. There, you will be able to visit one of the most beautiful places of the trek, Winay Wayna (eternal youth). This archaeological complex consists of several sections among them, the urban area with more than 20 buildings, the agricultural area, the astronomical observation towers, among others.

After touring the site and having lunch, the hike continues to the Inti Punku (Sun Gate) where you can appreciate Machupicchu in all its fullness. Descend for 30 minutes to the main part of the citadel enjoying beautiful views along the way. You will board a bus that will take you to the town of Aguas Calientes where you can enjoy a comforting dinner and sleep in a comfortable hotel.

Walk Distance to Machu Picchu: 6.8 mi (11 km)
Min Altitude: 6,660 ft (2,030 m)
Max Altitude: 8,690 ft (2,650 m)
Approx. Time: 6 to 7 hrs

DAY 4: MACHUPICCHU – CUSCO

This day, you will wake up very early to take the bus that will take you to the entrance of Machupicchu. If you choose to bring a breakfast box, you will be able to see the sunrise over the citadel.

Machupicchu is not only impressive for the advanced architecture used in it but also for the beauty of its construction that contrasts with the green peaks of the surrounding mountains.

In this tour of approximately 2 hours you can visit the temple of the 3 windows, the temple of the sun, the royal tomb, the intihuatana or sundial among others. At the end of the tour you will return to Aguas Calientes for lunch and take the train to Ollantaytambo where your transfer will be waiting to take you to your hotel in Cusco.

Note: It is possible to climb the Huayna Picchu mountain by making a reservation well in advance because there are limited spaces per day.

PACKING LIST

• Water-resistant trekking shoes and sandals
• Winter clothing (thermal underwear, fleece, hat, gloves, socks)
• Waterproof clothing (poncho)
• Synthetic or cotton clothing (socks, trousers, shorts, t-shirts)
• Sunhat and sunglasses
• Sun cream and insect repellent
• Water bottles
• Any required medications
• Walking sticks
• Swimsuit and towel
• Personal items
• Personal snacks
• Original Passport