Sacred Valley & Inca Trail Highlights
Sacred Valley & Inca Trail Highlights
7 Days Starting and ending in Cuzco
Visiting: Cusco, Tambomachay, Saqsaywaman, Ollantaytambo, Sacred Valley, INCA TRAIL, Winay Wayna Camp, Machu Picchu
Tour operator:
Tour code:
TPI
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
4 - 16
Physical rating:
Low, Medium, Leisurely / Moderate
Age range:
16-99
Special diets catered:
Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
From:
$1948
$1665 (USD)
Operator discount: -$283
-15%
Tour Overview
This trip is the perfect introduction to the highlights of Cuzco and the Sacred Valley area, explored predominantly on foot. On this short adventure, explore one of South America's most beautiful cities, Cuzco, as well as some of the ruins in the surrounding area, including Tambomachay and Sacsayhuaman. Travel to Ollantaytambo and visit the Pumamarca ruins before trekking through the Sacred Valley. Join the One Day Inca Trail with impressive views of the valley and the Urubamba river, visiting Wiñay Wayna and reaching the Sun Gate and the sight of Machu Picchu. Explore Machu Picchu, one of the architectural and engineering marvels of the ancient world, before returning to Cuzco.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Start Cuzco (3400M); Afternoon Walking Tour
Location: Cusco
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: MamaSara Hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: No Meals
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.
Day 2 : Full Day Walking Tour Of Nearby Ruins Including Tambomachay And Sacsayhuaman
Location: Tambomachay, Saqsaywaman
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: MamaSara Hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
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)
Day 3 : Free Day For Optional Activities In And Around Cuzco
Location: Cusco
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: MamaSara Hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
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.
Day 4 : Sacred Valley Trek
Location: Ollantaytambo, Sacred Valley
Accommodation: Lodge
Accommodation Name: Tunupa Lodge (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
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
walking.
Day Walk Along Inca Trail Via Winay Wayna Ruins
Location: INCA TRAIL, Winay Wayna Camp
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Inti Punku Machu Picchu (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
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 walking.
Day 6 : Guided Tour Of Machu Picchu; Return To Cuzco By Train And Road.
Location: Machu Picchu
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: MamaSara Hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
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).
Day 7 : End Cuzco
Location: Cusco
Meals Included: Breakfast
Our adventure ends in Cuzco after breakfast today.
What's Included
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Meals
6 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 0 dinners.
* All breakfasts and 2 lunches
* 6 nights en suite hotels
* All transport and listed activities
* Tour leader throughout
* Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)
* Arrival and departure transfers
What's Not Included
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Visas or vaccinations
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Travel insurance
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Single accommodation (available on request)
Accommodation
The three-star hotels selected on this Andean adventure feature an excellent blend of quality and comfort, with easy walking access to city and town attractions in Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Aguas Calientes. Below are the hotels typically used on this trip.
Cuzco: MamaSara (nights 1-3 and 6)
Just a few blocks from the historic centre, MamaSara is well located for our adventures in the one-time Inca capital of Cuzco. The design of the rooms pays homage to the city with locally sourced furniture and artwork, while the restaurant serves Peruvian Andean cuisine.
Ollantaytambo: Tunupa Lodge (night 4)
Tunupa Lodge is located in Ollantaytambo, a town in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. It has a bar and restaurant that serves delicious local and international cuisine, plus a variety of drinks. There is also a lovely garden, a great place to relax and reflect on your amazing trek to Machu Picchu.
Aguas Calientes: Inti Punku Machu Picchu (night 5)
The Inti Punku Machu Picchu hotel is centrally located in Aguas Calientes, a small town alongside the Urubamba River. This comfortable hotel offers clean, contemporary rooms with private baths and hot water, making it a perfect place to relax and take in this unique setting far below the ruins of Machu Picchu.
Food
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.
Check out our Q&As
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Yes, Arrival and departure transfers
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What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?
6 nights hotels in en suite rooms.
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Can you assist with pre or post tour accommodation?
There are no mandatory vaccination requirements.
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Do you require a visa for this holiday?
Visas are not required by UK citizens, Western European nationals, Americans, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans and most other nationalities. If you are in any doubt please contact the nearest Peruvian Embassy.
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
Reviews from Travellers on this Tour
Dates & Availability
Sunday - Saturday
Jun 09, 2024 - Jun 15, 2024Book with Confidence
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Exodus allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus, 43 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Exodus requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.