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The trip starts in Cuzco (3400m) today. The group flights usually arrive late morning. The Inca capital - though small enough to be easily manageable - is among the most attractive cities in South America, with much of the centre comprising colonial-era buildings with Inca foundations, and it is full of interesting museums, churches and pre-Columbian sites. We will have a short walking tour of the city.It is recommended to take it easy upon arrival into Cuzco and to drink plenty of water to allow your body time to acclimatise to the altitude.There will be a welcome briefing in the hotel lobby this evening.Accommodation: Hotel Koyllur (or similar)
The hills above Cuzco city are dotted with some of the most interesting Inca ruins. We drive to the highest, Tambomachay, and return on foot to Cuzco via Puca Pucara, Qenco and Sacsayhuaman: an easy acclimatisation walk to get used to the altitude. An open-air picnic lunch is included during the hike near the spectacular ruins.Walk Profile: approx. 6.5km / 5-6hrs walking (inclusive of the time for visiting the sites)Accommodation: Hotel Koyllur (or similar)
Distance in Km: 6.5
Distance in Miles: 4
Activity Hours: 5-6 (inclusive of the time for visiting the sites)
Today has been left free for exploring Cuzco, one of South America's most beautiful cities. The Plaza de Armas is a fantastic spot for people-watching, and Qorikancha – the Sun Temple, located in the Santo Domingo Church and monastery, are worth a visit. The Mercado San Pedro is the place to try some local produce and there are many handicraft markets to shop for souvenirs such as alpaca jumpers and scarves.If you fancy something more active then there is an array of other optional activities available from Cuzco including paddle-boarding on a lake, mountain biking, or a combination of via ferrata and zip-lining in the Sacred Valley.Accommodation: Hotel Koyllur (or similar)
Today we drive from Cuzco to Ollantaytambo (approximately 2 hrs drive) and then on to the Pumamarca ruins (approx. 30 minutes). These ruins are the remains of a hillside fortress and are built on a steep slope overlooking the Sacred Valley. Pumamarca ruins are less visited than others in the area so our time here should be relatively uninterrupted. After we finish exploring the Pamamarca ruins, we’ll walk back through the valley to Ollantaytambo, with views of the terraced countryside along the way. The walk should take about 3 hours.Walk Profile: approx. 3.7km / 3 hrs walkingAccommodation: Tunupa Lodge (or similar)
Distance in Km: 3.7
Distance in Miles: 2.3
Activity Hours: 3
Today we have a day walk along a section of the Inca Trail, starting early with a train from Ollantaytambo. After showing our passports at the check point, we will pass by the archaeological site of Chachabamba and start our trek. The trail has impressive views of the valley and the Urubamba River, with orchids and begonias along the way and the sight of magnificent mountains all around. The trail passes the ruins of Wiñay Wayna where we will stop to explore and have our packed lunch. After visiting the attractive ruins of Wiñay Wayna, we have an undulating walk through cloud forest high above the river to Inti Punku, the Sun Gate. From here we get our first full sight of Machu Picchu itself, with Huayna Picchu rising behind.Walk Profile: approx. 11km / 6-7hrs walkingAccommodation: Intipunku El Tambo (or similar)
Distance in Km: 11
Distance in Miles: 6.8
Activity Hours: 6-7
In order to beat the day-trippers arriving from Cuzco and reach the ruins as early as possible, a very early start is required to queue for Machu Picchu; only government-registered buses can make the 30-minute drive up the winding road to the site entrance, and during high season (May-October) queues can be long. Machu Picchu is one of the architectural and engineering marvels of the ancient world and what makes it all the more dramatic is its mountain backdrop of staggering immensity. The Spaniards never found it; the Incas left no records of it, and so Machu Picchu remained a great enigma, a city lost for centuries in the jungle until it was rediscovered in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. New regulations for visiting Machu Picchu are now fully enforced; of the three possible visiting slots, we will purchase the morning slot from 06:00 until 12:00 (unless unavailable), you will be limited to a maximum of four hours within the site and must be accompanied by a guide. There will also be three set routes to follow around Machu Picchu; we select the most comprehensive route. We catch an afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo (1hr 30 mins) and continue by private bus to Cuzco (2hrs 30 mins).Accommodation: Hotel Koyllur (or similar)
6 nights hotels in en suite roomsGroup normally 4 to 16, plus leader. Min.
age 16 yrsAltitude maximum 4600m, average 3600mTravel by private bus and by
train
All breakfasts and 2 lunches are included in the price of the tour. Peruvian
cuisine has developed a reputation for its flavours and originality and
it’s well worth trying out a few of the local delicacies. Amongst these are
ceviche (a spicy dish of seafood or fish marinated in lime juice), lomo
saltado (a Peruvian take on a beef stir-fry) and various hearty soups such as
the delicious quinoa soup. Other dishes include roasted cuy (guinea pig),
alpaca steak, and to drink, the national beverage: Pisco Sour.Drinking water
is included throughout the holiday as the tap water in Peru is not safe to
drink; your leader will buy large water containers for you to refill your
bottle from. Hotel breakfasts are normally simple buffet-style affairs,
usually including bread/toast and jam, cereal, sometimes eggs or cooked
dishes, sometimes fruit, tea/coffee and fruit juice. Regrettably, we cannot
guarantee that wheat/gluten-free products will be 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, we'll visit a variety
of cafes and restaurants.
6 nights hotels in en suite roomsGroup normally 4 to 16, plus leader. Min.
age 16 yrsAltitude maximum 4600m, average 3600mTravel by private bus and by
train
This is a Leisurely/Moderate grade trek (level 2) – please refer to our
activity level guidelines. Anyone of reasonable fitness and with prior
walking experience should find no real difficulties). No prior experience of
trekking at altitude is required.As this trip spends considerable time at
altitude, we ask you to refer to the altitude warning below. All of our
itineraries have built in acclimatisation days before starting the
trek.Walking hours stated within the itinerary are given as approximates
only. Timings stated include lunch and photo stops and will vary depending on
the pace of your group.List of Regulations for visiting Machu Picchu:The
main points impacting your visit are the following:The tickets are valid only
for one entry which means that you cannot leave the site and re-enter.Once
you have done the chosen circuit with your guide, you cannot walk back to
view anything already visited and once you finish the circuit, you will have
to leave the site. You can no longer explore the site further after the
guided tour.The two visit times for visiting the site, either 6am-12pm or
12-16.30pm.The local authorities have restricted the temples which can
visited at Machu Picchu depending on the time of the visit to the site.These
regulations will affect how long you are able to spend at Machu Picchu and
which temples you can visit. In the past, after the guided tour passengers
could stay longer to explore the site, this is not possible anymore. The
alternative that we are implementing on our visits to allow you further time,
is to explore the upper part of Machu Picchu (Sun Gate and Inca Bridge)
before starting the guided tour. The guided tour will be about 2 hrs in
duration, and unfortunately at the end of it, you will need to exit the site.
You will be able to visit the Condor’s Temple, but not the Sun Dial Temple
or the Sun Temple on this itinerary. Schedule of visit to Machu Picchu on
this itinerary:Early bus to Machu Picchu and explore upper part with the tour
leaderBetween 9-10am start the guided tourBetween 11.30am-12.30pm passengers
leave Machu Picchu Please see our COVID Travel Guide for Peru for more
information on current guidelines for travel in Peru.
HotelsThe hotels normally used are indicated within the itinerary, however,
accommodation may differ from those stated depending on your departure
date.In Cuzco we will stay at small, locally run hotels where possible, all
located in the historical centre of Cuzco, within walking distance of the
beautiful Plaza de Armas and close to restaurants and shops. The hotels
each feature cozy rooms, buffet breakfasts and free WiFi. Most hotels have
a safety deposit box in the room but if not, there will be one at the
reception.In Aguas Calientes, we stay in a centrally located hotel with
comfortable rooms, buffet breakfasts and free WiFi. Unfortunately, there is
a railway line that runs straight through the centre of Aguas Calientes and
whilst we try to allocate rooms away from it whenever possible, the trains
might be heard from some rooms.Please note that central heating is very rare
in Peru, even in good standard hotels, however, most hotels provide plug-in
heaters and spare blankets which should keep you warm. While all of the
hotels we use do have a hot water supply, it can be temperamental when there
is high demand.Should you wish to extend your stay, we can book extra nights
accommodation in Cuzco for you. While we endeavour to book your pre/post
tour accommodation in the same hotel that you will start/end the trip, it may
not always be possible. If your extra accommodation is in a different hotel
to where the group will start/end the trip it is your responsibility to make
arrangements to get to/from that start/end hotel.We recommend the early
booking of single supplements and of pre/post-tour accommodation. Single
accommodation can be arranged, subject to availability. Please request this
at the time of booking.
All breakfasts and 2 lunches are included in the price of the tour. Peruvian
cuisine has developed a reputation for its flavours and originality and
it’s well worth trying out a few of the local delicacies. Amongst these are
ceviche (a spicy dish of seafood or fish marinated in lime juice), lomo
saltado (a Peruvian take on a beef stir-fry) and various hearty soups such as
the delicious quinoa soup. Other dishes include roasted cuy (guinea pig),
alpaca steak, and to drink, the national beverage: Pisco Sour.Drinking water
is included throughout the holiday as the tap water in Peru is not safe to
drink; your leader will buy large water containers for you to refill your
bottle from. Hotel breakfasts are normally simple buffet-style affairs,
usually including bread/toast and jam, cereal, sometimes eggs or cooked
dishes, sometimes fruit, tea/coffee and fruit juice. Regrettably, we cannot
guarantee that wheat/gluten-free products will be 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, we'll visit a variety
of cafes and restaurants.
A variety of transport is used during this tour and vehicle types may vary
depending on group size: travel is by bus and by train.Airport transfers are
by private car or mini-bus. All main road journeys are by private mini-bus or
coach with heating/air-conditioning.We travel by train (with Peru Rail/Inca
Rail) between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes (the town below Machu Picchu)
in Expedition/Executive Class. Seating is four seats to a table, the
carriages have panoramic windows and there is air conditioning/heating. On
day 6 (for the guided tour of Machu Picchu) we take the public bus for the
short journey between Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu – this is the only
transport option available on this route as private vehicles are not
permitted. Queues can be very long first thing in the morning, especially
during the peak summer months.
Travelling land only: 7 days starting and ending in CuzcoYour trip normally
starts at our accommodation in Cuzco in the afternoon of Day 1 of the
itinerary. Details of how to reach the start point are provided in the Final
Joining Instructions – sent approximately two weeks before departure.
Accommodation check‐in times are normally from around 3pm.
Peru's diverse geography results in climate which varies greatly by both
region and season.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 (approx. 20 degrees C on average) but night times only 5-10
degrees C, except for May, June, July and August when days are cooler and
nights are often close to, or a few degrees below, freezing. In the Andes,
however, anything is possible at any time of year, including cloud, rain or
even snow, with 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-August.Peru is affected by the El Niño 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.
A daypack or smaller holdall - you will be asked to pack a smaller overnight
bag for the trip to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu) as there are luggage
restrictions on the train. Your main luggage will be left at the store room
at the hotel in Cuzco.Water bottleSun hat, sunglasses and sun creamInsect
repellentWaterproof jacketJumper or cardiganLeather or lightweight walking
bootsComfortable shoes for walking toursSandals/flip-flops
Hand sanitiserCold water detergent or laundry soap (biodegradable) Camera
and chargerPersonal music player / books / travel games etc.
We recommend either taking cash with you to change into Sol locally or using
local ATMs to withdraw money in Peru as you go, so you are not left with
excess at the end of your trip. It is a good idea to change a small amount
into Sol at the counters in the baggage hall upon arrival. Change is often in
short supply, so ask for small denomination banknotes and try to break up any
large notes at the earliest opportunity. It is possible to obtain Peruvian
Sol before you travel but exchange rates can be lower than exchanging money
locally in Peru. Some larger establishments and hotels accept US Dollars but
the vast majority of places will only accept Sol.Food, drinks and similar
incidentals can vary in price enormously in Peru and are relatively
expensive compared to other developing nations. Allow about US$15‐20 per
meal not included to eat at tourist class restaurants. Cheaper food is
abundant at small local cafes, although sanitary conditions at these
places cannot be guaranteed. Bottled water and soft drinks are
readily available for around US$1‐2 each.You may want to hire equipment
for your trek in Cuzco ‐ please see the Packing Section for
prices.Peruvian airport taxes are included in the price of your
flight ticket and there will be no need to pay these locally.Please note
that there is a possibility the Peruvian Ministry of Tourism may increase
entrance fees to archaeological sites at any time. If this happens, we will
inform you of the increase and the additional amount will be payable
locally.Peruvian Passport or Identity Card HoldersPlease note that the cost
of Exodus holidays in Peru is based on the assumption that you do not hold a
Peruvian passport or resident's card. If you are officially resident in Peru
or are a Peruvian passport holder, you will be liable to an additional
18% tax on the majority of services, and this extra sum will be payable
locally to our local partner. Other nationalities are exempt from this tax.
Please notify us at the time of booking if you are legally resident in Peru
or hold a Peruvian passport so that we can advise you of the total cost of
these taxes. Optional ExcursionsYour tour leader will be able to tell you
about the full range of optional excursions available throughout your holiday
however the most popular ones are as follows:A Partial Tourist Ticket (BTG)
is required for entrance to the sites in and around Cuzco and the Sacred
Valley – this is not included in the excursion prices below but can be
purchased locally From PEN70 (approx. US$21).City tour and 4 ruins (half day
– 5 hours): From US$48 per person (based on 4 participants), excludes
BTG. This includes visits to the nearby ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo,
Tambomachay and Puca Pucará as well as a tour of the city itself, including
the Plaza de Armas, where the Cathedral is located, Qorikancha ‘Sun
Temple’ (entrance included) and San Pedro Market.Sacred Valley tour (full
day – 8 hours): From US$58 per person (based on 4 participants), excludes
BTG. Drive to the Sacred Valley, stopping at El Mirador viewpoint en route.
Visit Pisac Market and fortress and Ollantaytambo; return to Cuzco.South
Valley tour (full day – 7 hours): From US$66 per person (based on 4
participants), excludes BTG. Visit the little-known valley to the south of
Cuzco, including the terraces at Tipon, the pre- Inca ruins of Pikillaqta and
the ‘Sistine Chapel of the Americas’ in Andahuaylillas (entrance
included); return to Cuzco.Stand Up Paddle (half day – 4 hours): From US$82
per person (based on 2 participants). Includes private transfer, specialized
guide, fruit, water and hot drinks. Price can vary if there are more
paxZip-Line (full day – 8-9 hours): From US $60 per person. Includes
Transport security equipment, specialized guide, box Lunch.Via Ferrata (full
day – 8-9 hours): From US $60 per person. Includes Transport, security
equipment, specialized guide, box Lunch.Via Ferrata + Zip line (full day –
8-9 hours): From US$100 per person. Includes Transport, security equipment,
specialized guide, box Lunch.Mountain Biking Excursion in the Sacred Valley
(full day – 7 hours): From US$130 per person (based on 2 participants).
Includes private transfer, security equipment, specialized guide, box
Lunch.Prices of excursions vary depending on the number of people taking
part. The prices given within these Trip Notes are based on 4 participants
and are intended as a guideline only. Actual prices will be more for smaller
group sizes and less for larger group sizes. All tours use private transport
and there will be an English-speaking guide. Please note that cash is the
preferred method of payment for any of the optional activities. For some
activities, a minimum number of participants may be required. Some activities
may not always be possible due to weather, seasonality, national holidays, or
unforeseen circumstances.
Exodus encourages customers to tip local support staff if they would like to.
In Peru, it has become customary for local staff to receive tips and these
tips can be an important source of extra income for hard-working crew. While
whether and how much to tip should be a personal decision, customers often
ask us for a suggestion of appropriate amounts for different individuals.
Together with our local partner, we have prepared the below guidelines which
we hope will be useful. Please note that PEN is the preferred currency for
tips.Tipping Kitty: On this trip we recommend running a tipping kitty. A
tipping kitty means we tip as a group, and individuals don’t need to worry
about giving out small tips to various people who have helped during the trip
(i.e. drivers, local guides, hotel staff). The tipping kitty includes tips
for the trekking crew on the One Day Inca Trail. It excludes the tips for
the Tour Leader. The contribution we suggest is US$6 (PEN 25) per person per
day.Tour Leader: Leaders are fairly paid for their role but are of course
always grateful for recognition of their skills and hard work. Tips for
your leader should be based on their performance and engagement with the
group, and if you are happy with the leader’s work, we recommend somewhere
around US$6 (PEN 25) per person per day, but customers are encouraged to
contribute what they feel happy giving - either less or more than the amount
suggested above.
Travel insuranceSingle accommodation (available on request)Visas or
vaccinations
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