CUZCO

The former capital of the Inca Empire, baptized by the Incas as the Navel of the World, is simply breathtaking! Its amazing colonial structures built using Inca foundations; its narrow-stoned-streets and the warmness of its people, play altogether to offer a unique atmosphere in a city which is without doubts, a place full of history.

Discover Cuzco

5 DAYS / 4 NIGHTS

Itinerary at a Glance

Day 1, Cuzco: Arrival in the city of Cuzco, we will meet the local staff and will be driven to the hotel for check-in procedures and deserve rest to get used to the sudden change of altitude. Afternoon Cuzco City Tour We will tour around the former capital of the Inca Empire, visit Korikancha or Temple of Sun where we will find one of the best samples of the ability of the Incas working the stone. We will continue to the Cathedral that shelters priceless pieces of colonial art. Afterwards, we will head to the monuments that surround the city. On a hill overlooking Cuzco, Sacsayhuaman is an impressive fortress built using massive rocks that were taken from a nearby quarry. We will continue to the sites of Qenqo, Puca Pucara and the Inca bath of Tambomachay. Overnight in Cuzco.

Day 2, Cusco - Sacred Valley: Breakfast Lunch is included. Full day Sacred Valley, we will make a short stop at Awanakancha, a community project where we will find the four different South American camels: llama, alpaca, vicuna and guanaco. We will have the chance to interact with them and learn about the ancient techniques still used in the Andes to produce wool and weaving. Once in the Sacred Valley, we will visit the archaeological complex of Pisac, located in the old area of the village. This fortress was built to protect the capital of the Inca Empire. It has one of the most amazing group of terraces in the area, and its walls shelter the complex where we can find storages, houses, bridges amongst others where outstands the Intihuatana or Sun clock carved in a big piece of stone. After Lunch, we will visit the final town in the Sacred Valley of the Incas and considered the oldest continuously occupied town in America, OLLANTAYTAMBO. We will walk around its narrow streets admiring its houses made of adobe and built over the original Inca foundations. We will also visit the impressive archaeological site and fortress which contains some superb Inca stonework and terracing. This fortress was the site of the battle in 1537 between Inca troops led by Manco Inca and invading Spanish forces commanded by Hernando Pizarro. Overnight in Sacred Valley.

Day 3, Machu Picchu, ''The Lost City of the Incas'': Breakfast Lunch is included. We will be transferred very early this morning to the station to board the train that will take us to the Lost City of the Incas. Along the route, we will enjoy amazing views as we follow the Urubamba River as it descends from the mountains into a steeper valley with cloud forest vegetation. When we arrive in the town of Machu Picchu -formerly known as Aguas Calientes- we will take the shuttle bus up to the Citadel of Machu Picchu, without doubt the best example of Inca urban construction and stone working ability. The site has different areas such as the urban, religious, and farming sectors. We will find temples and houses as well as the famous Intihuatana or Sun Clock, which was finely carved from a large stone block. On due time, we will head to the station to board the return train and will be immediately driven to the hotel in Cuzco. Overnight in Cuzco.

OPTIONAL: CLIMBING HUAYNA PICCHU
Important Note: To climb Huayna Picchu it is necessary to stay overnight in Aguas Clientes (Machu Picchu town) for at least 1 night.