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Tour Code : TPS
The journey is provided by
Exodus Adventure Travels
Destinations : Peru
Tour Starts : Cuzco
Tour Ends : Cuzco
Group Size : 4 - 16
Ages : 16+
Activity :
14 days from
NOK 36 855

Overview

Trek amid the Vilcabamba mountains of Peru, then join the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

This trek spends a few days deep in the majestic Vilcabamba mountain range before joining the classic Inca Trail for the approach to Machu Picchu. This high route skirts many of the great peaks and passes close to Mount Salkantay (20,574ft/6,271m) and its creaking glaciers. The trek continues through remote villages and crosses the spectacular Inca Chiriasqa Pass and finishes by exploring the Inca temples and fortresses of Cuzco and the Sacred Valley.

Highlights
  • Enjoy a remote full-service camping trek through the beautiful Vilcabamba range
  • Walk the classic Inca Trail and enjoy a guided tour of Machu Picchu
  • Marvel at Mount Salkantay and its glaciers
  • Spend four nights in Cuzco, the old Inca capital
  • Explore the fortresses and markets of the Sacred Valley
Key Information
  • Seven nights in hotels and six nights of full-service camping
  • Seven days of walking with full porterage
  • Altitude maximum: 16,275ft (4,960m); average: 11,645ft (3,550m)
  • Travel by private minibus and by train
  • Inca Trail permit required – early booking essential
  • 22lb (10kg) personal baggage weight limit on trek
Included
  • All breakfasts, eight lunches and six dinners
  • Seven nights in hotels and six nights of full-service camping
  • All transport and listed activities
  • Tour leader throughout
  • Arrival and departure transfers
  • Full porterage throughout trek
  • Exodus kitbag
  • Inflatable sleeping mat while camping
Not included
  • Travel insurance
  • Single accommodation (available on request)
  • Visas or vaccinations
  • Sleeping bag (hire locally from US$35)

Itinerary

Show All

Important Information

The trip destination
  • Seven nights in hotels and six nights of full-service camping
  • Seven days of walking with full porterage
  • Altitude maximum: 16,275ft (4,960m); average: 11,645ft (3,550m)
  • Travel by private minibus and by train
  • Inca Trail permit required – early booking essential
  • 22lb (10kg) personal baggage weight limit on trek
Food
All breakfasts, eight lunches and six dinners are included in the tour price. Peruvian cuisine is loved for its flavours and originality; it’s well worth digging into the local delicacies. Among these are ceviche (seafood or fish marinated in lime juice), lomo saltado (a Peruvian take on a beef stir-fry), and various hearty soups including the delicious quinoa soup. Other dishes include roasted cuy (guinea pig) and alpaca steak. To drink, there’s pisco sour, the national beverage. Drinking water is provided as tap water in Peru is not safe to drink; boiled and filtered drinking water is provided on the trek and elsewhere your leader buys large water containers from which you can refill your bottle. Hotel breakfasts are normally simple buffets, usually including bread/toast and jam, cereal, sometimes eggs or a cooked dish, sometimes fruit, tea/coffee and fruit juice. We cannot guarantee that wheat-/gluten-free products are available for breakfast in all locations – if you have an intolerance you may wish to bring your own breakfast food. Where lunch and dinner are not included in Cuzco/Aguas Calientes, we visit a variety of cafes and restaurants. During the trek, hearty breakfasts are served and good quality cooked lunches and dinners are provided. These usually consist of soup or a starter, a main course with meat/fish and some form of carbohydrates, followed by a dessert. Snacks are also provided. Tea/coffee is brought to your tent each morning and juice or hot drinks are provided with all meals during the trek.
Weather

The diverse geography of Peru results in a very varied climate between different regions.

Cuzco and the Andes have a temperate climate. December to March is the rainy season in Cuzco/the Andes and April to November is the dry season, characterised by clear skies and strong sunshine in the mornings, sometimes clouding over as the day progresses. Daytime temperatures are usually pleasant (approximately 20C/68F on average) but night times only 5C-10C (41F-50F), except for May, June, July and August when days are cooler and nights on trek are often below freezing, particularly at the highest camps where it may be around -10C (14F). In the Andes, anything is possible at any time of year, including cloud, rain or even snow, and rapid and unexpected changes!

Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu are in the cloud forest and, as such, attract large amounts of precipitation all year as clouds move up from the Amazon Basin. Rain here can be heavy but is seldom prolonged. Cold fronts sometimes occur from July to August.

Peru is affected by El Niño, a weather phenomenon whereby warming of Pacific Ocean surface water off South America drives a shift in the atmospheric circulation resulting in abnormally high levels of rainfall over parts of South America. These events occur at irregular intervals of two to seven years, and last nine months to two years. A strong El Niño event occurred in 2014-16.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is graded as Activity Level 5 (Challenging) – please refer to our Activity Level guidelines. There are seven days of point-to-point walking with full porterage, reaching a maximum altitude of approximately 16,275ft (4,960m), average 11,645ft (3,550m). More strenuous and at higher altitude than the classic Inca Trail, this trek has sections with difficult underfoot terrain, particularly on the descent from the high pass, which has a lot of loose gravel. The walking days are generally not long but there are some steep climbs and descents. The paths are well maintained on the main Inca Trail, but there are a lot of irregular stone steps, which can be tiring on the knees, so we recommend walking poles. You may find our Fitness Training Guide a useful reference.

Please note, it is essential you read the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu regulations in the Important Information section of the Trip Notes before you book this trip.

Some nights can be very cold (below freezing) and over the last few years there have been a few occasions where heavy snowfall has closed the Inca Chiriasqa Pass (Day 7). If this happens, the leader takes an amended route to join the Inca Trail. If the snow is very heavy, the group may retreat to Mollepata and then join the Inca Trail at Km82, the start of the normal Inca Trail. This is not a common occurrence but you should be aware it does occasionally happen (most likely in July and August although it is very unpredictable).

As this trip spends considerable time at altitude, we ask you to refer to the altitude warning within the Trip Notes. We spend three days in Cuzco (11,155ft/3,400m) acclimatising before starting the trek.

Protest action/strikes are not uncommon in Peru and, while these are generally peaceful, they can involve roadblocks and cause disruption to travel. Occasionally, your leader may have to adapt your itinerary in response to this.

Walking hours stated within the itinerary are given as approximates only. Timings stated include lunch and photo stops and vary depending on the group’s pace.

Prices / Dates

By accepting our offer in writing, you/you confirm that our terms and conditions have both been read and understood and that cancellation fees may apply if the trip is cancelled.

Adult
Children
AVAILABLE DATES PRICE (1 ADULT) PRICE (1 CHILDREN) Single room supplement TRAVEL STATUS
Sun, 28 Apr 2024 / Sat, 11 May 2024 NOK 36 855 On request NOK 5 460 Available
Sun, 26 May 2024 / Sat, 08 Jun 2024 NOK 36 855 On request NOK 5 460 Available
Sun, 23 Jun 2024 / Sat, 06 Jul 2024 NOK 36 855 On request NOK 5 460 Available
Sun, 21 Jul 2024 / Sat, 03 Aug 2024 NOK 36 855 On request NOK 5 460 Available
Sun, 18 Aug 2024 / Sat, 31 Aug 2024 NOK 36 855 On request NOK 5 460 Available
Sun, 15 Sep 2024 / Sat, 28 Sep 2024 NOK 36 855 On request NOK 5 460 Available
AVAILABLE DATES PRICE (1 ADULT) PRICE (1 CHILDREN) SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT TRAVEL STATUS
Sun, 28 Apr 2024 / Sat, 11 May 2024 NOK 36 855 On request NOK 5 460 On request
Sun, 26 May 2024 / Sat, 08 Jun 2024 NOK 36 855 On request NOK 5 460 On request
Sun, 23 Jun 2024 / Sat, 06 Jul 2024 NOK 36 855 On request NOK 5 460 On request
Sun, 21 Jul 2024 / Sat, 03 Aug 2024 NOK 36 855 On request NOK 5 460 On request
Sun, 18 Aug 2024 / Sat, 31 Aug 2024 NOK 36 855 On request NOK 5 460 On request
Sun, 15 Sep 2024 / Sat, 28 Sep 2024 NOK 36 855 On request NOK 5 460 On request

We will get back to you with an offer on the requested trip / package within 48 hours. All offers are non-binding and are usually valid for 7 days. Please note that reserved services can be canceled within these 7 days and that price may change until a final order is received.

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