A Sacred Journey to Machu Picchu

As soon as you walk outside of the airport in Cusco, you will see one of our representatives (wearing green) holding a SUP YO Adventures sign waiting to greet you to the city of Cusco and transfer you to your hotel. At 1PM we will come back to your hotel to pick you up and begin your tour of the city. During this tour, you will visit the key sights in the city centre and Inca archaeological sites within the surrounding area including Cusco Cathedral, the Q’oricancha Museum, Sacsayhuaman, Q’enqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay. To begin, we will head to Cusco’s Plaza de Armas (main square), to visit the famous Cusco Cathedral. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Cathedral will awe you with its impressive architecture, extensive collection of original art work and gold-leafing decorated altars. Continuing on, we will journey on foot through an ancient Inca-built street from the Plaza de Armas to the Q’oricanca or the Temple of the Sun. At the Q’oricancha, you will be able to compare and contrast the building methods of the Incan culture and the Spanish conquerors. This was the key spiritual center of the Incas, leading to all four quarters of the Inca Empire. From Q’oricancha, we will walk down Avenida El Sol, where we will take a bus for the 25-minute car drive outside the city to visit the most important archaeological sites around Cusco. We will be taken to the majestic Inca site of Sacsayhuaman, with its enigmatic 200-ton monoliths. Here, you will have a guided tour of the site and then free time to explore on your own. From Sacsayhuaman, we will take a bus ride to the Q’enqo Inca site to see its fascinating Incan altars. Following, we will drive to Puca Pucara, a small Inca site. The final stop on our tour is Tambomachay, a water temple with impressive water fountains thought to be used by the Inca for bathing. We’ll then drive back down to Cusco and end at your hotel, Plaza de Armas.

• Transfers, Group Dinner at Pachapapa Cocina, Accommodations: Hotel Libertador Palacio Del Inka

Your guide will pick you up from your hotel lobby at 8 a.m. and you will begin this morning with a shamanic ceremony welcoming you to Cusco. A Shamanic ceremony is also referred to as a “Despacho Ceremony” in Spanish, and is performed to bring in the local Nature Being energies to support you in your time here in Peru. It is typically performed by an indigenous Andean Shaman/Priest – descendants of the Inca – using coca leaves, flowers and other items to weave together a beautiful mandala which is then gifted to Pachamama (Mother Earth) and the Apus (Mountain Spirits). This Shamanic ceremony will help to immerse you into into the local traditions and energies of this ancient Peruvian land.Prior to the ceremony, a native English translator who is well versed in the local cultural anthropology will share with you the symbology that is commonly used, but not always understood by Westerners. You will see these symbols throughout your time here, and understanding a bit of the Andean cosmology will give much deeper meaning and understanding to all that you are seeing in the stonework and art of the Inka Empire. After the ceremony, we will drive towards the ruins of Pisac. Here, you will witness and learn about Inca culture. You will see amazing works of stone art and impressive agricultural terraces. After exploring, we will drive back to the lower town of Pisac to stop at a bustling handicraft market. After you spend some time walking around the market bargain hunting, we will meet for lunch at a local Andean restaurant. After lunch, we will drive along the Urubamba River towards the town of Ollantaytambo. In Ollantaytambo, we will visit the ruins, an important area of Incan construction, built during the Inca’s heydays. This is an extraordinary Inca site because you can find rock formations representing the Inca god, Wiracocha. Upon our return to Cusco we will gather for a trekking briefing with everyone and enjoy a good night sleep – you will need all the sleep you can get on this evening 🙂

• Accommodations: Hotel Libertador Palacio Del Inka, Meals included: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch (dinner on own)

Alpaca Expeditions will pick you up from your hotel very early at 4:30AM. We will then drive to Km 82, arriving at about 7:00AM. After a delicious breakfast prepared by your cook, we’ll go through the first Inca Trail checkpoint to begin our trek (please make sure you have your original passport with you to enter the Inca Trail). The first 2 hours of the trek are relatively easy as we make our way to our first Inca site, Patallacta which is an ancient Inca checkpoint for the approach to Machu Picchu. From Patallacta we trek for another 2 hours to our lunch stop. After lunch we will hike for another 2+ hours until we reach the first night’s campsite at Ayapata (10,826′). On this last stretch we pass through 2 small communities. If you want to buy any energy drinks or snacks you can do so here, you can also buy any essential items such as batteries or toiletries that you may have forgotten. We’ll arrive to our campsite by 5:00PM where you can settle in, relax, enjoy a yoga s t r e t c h and have a hot drink and snack with your team of porters, chef and guide. At 7:30PM we will sit down for dinner. Following dinner we will get some well-deserved rest for another big day on the horizon tomorrow…. Walking distance: 8.7 miles/14 km (6-7 hours) Campsite altitude: 10,826′ (high) above sea level Considered: Moderate day (getting used to the Inca Trail) Weather: Warm and windy

• Accommodations: Camping on trail, Yoga and Meditation at campsite, Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Your porters will wake you up early with a hot cup of coca tea to get you ready for the day. Today is our longest day and we will start early! We’ll hike for roughly 4 hours to the highest pass of the trek, Dead Woman’s Pass (13,829 feet). On reaching the pass we’ll stop for a short break to enjoy the views before setting off again to descend to the next valley (Pacaymayu Valley – Hidden River). It’s another hour and a half down the side of the valley to our lunch spot and a chance to refill our water bottles. After lunch we begin ascending again to the second pass of the trek. It’s 2 hours to the pass and along the way we’ll stop at a small Inca site (Runcu Raccay) and see two huge waterfalls cascading down the opposite side of the valley. After the second pass, it’s another hour downhill hike to reach the magnificent Inca site, Sayacmarca (an otherwise inaccessible village).We’ll stop here for a rest and have a quick tour of the site and then watch the sunset over the Vilcabamba mountain range. It’s then just another 20 minutes until we stop for the night at our second campsite Chaquicocha (Dry Lake, 3600 meters). After dinner, if you’re not too exhausted, we can do some star gazing and we’ll point out the fascinating Inca constellations. In the magnificent Southern Hemisphere sky, away from all the artificial lighting, this sky is something to behold! Walking distance: 9.94 miles/16 km (7-8 hours) Campsite altitude: 11,811′ (high) above sea level (chilly weather) Considered: Top day (you will have survived the two highest passes) Area: Andes and Cloud Forest Weather: Cooler

• Accommodations: Camping on trail, Yoga and Meditation at campsite, Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Completing Day 2 and beginning Day 3 certainly deserves a pat on the back! We begin early again, waking up at 6:30am to begin what is commonly felt to be the most beautiful day of the whole Inca Trail. We hike for 2 hours along what we like to call “Inca flat” (gradual inclines) and begin to enter the jungle, known as the Cloud Forest. As we walk we will have the opportunity to see the majesty of Salkantay, the second highest snow-capped mountain in the Sacred Valley, and a fantastic panoramic view of the Vilcabamba mountain range. Towards the end of the Inca flats we begin to make our way up to the last peak at Phuyupatamarka (3600 meters) from where we’ll have great views overlooking the Urubamba River. Down the valley we get our first views of Machu Picchu Mountain but the site itself is still hidden from view. From Phuyupatamarka it´s a 3 hour walk down a flight of steps to our last campsite, close to Wiñay Wayna (Forever Young). Wiñay Wayna is the most spectacular Inca site on the trail after Machu Picchu and the most popular campsite because of its proximity to Machu Picchu.During the descent we visit 2 Inca ruins, Phuyupatamarka (Town in the Clouds) and Intipata (Terraces of the Sun). We arrive at our campsite around 1:00PM to have lunch and then relax for the entire afternoon so that you’re relaxed and ready for your final day at Machu Picchu. At around 4:30PM your guide will give you a short orientation and you will visit the Inca ruins of Wiñay Wayna, spending about an hour and a half there. We will explain the significance of the site and combine all the information given during the trek so you’re fully prepared for your visit to Machu Picchu the following day.We like to spoil our guests as we enjoy our last feast with the porters and chefs. It’s an Inca Trail tradition to organize a ceremony in the evening to introduce the team to the tourists once again and to thank them for the great job done (if you wish to provide tips for them then you can do so at this time). It is advisable to go to bed at a reasonable time in order to get up in the early hours of the morning to arrive to Machu Picchu at the crack of dawn in the hopes that the weather will give us a beautiful sunrise over the ruins at Machu Picchu. Walking distance: 6.2 miles/10km (5 hours) Campsite altitude: 8,530′ (high) above sea level (chilly weather) Considered: Easy day – all downhill! Area: High Cloud Forest Weather: Warm and very humid

• Accommodations: Camping on trail, Yoga and Meditation at campsite, Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Wake up time is at 3:30AM. We’ll eat breakfast at 4:00AM and wait at the checkpoint to be one of the first to start trekking when they open the gates at 5:30AM. We’ll wave goodbye to our team of porters and chef and then it’s “Forward On” to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku). From here we have spectacular views of the mountains and Machu Picchu in all its glory. We reach the Sun Gate by 6:30am and then it’s just an hour trek downstairs to reach the Lost City of the Incas. As we approach Machu Picchu the views of the city just get better and better! At about 7:40AM we’ll reach the final checkpoint and enter Machu Picchu to begin our 2 hour private guided tour. After the tour you’ll be given your bus tickets to make your way down to Aguas Calientes and you’ll have plenty of free time to explore on your own or climb one of the neighboring mountain – Huaynapicchu (must be pre booked at time of retreat reservation). Your guide will offer to meet you down in the village of Aguas Calientes to enjoy your last lunch in a local restaurant. Your vistadome train will depart around 3:20 arriving to Poroy train station. From the train station to bring you back to your hotel in Cusco, where you will arrive around 7:30PM to sleep in a real bed 🙂 Considered: The most exciting and magical day (early wake up 3.30AM) Area: High Cloud and Subtropical Forest Weather: Hot and very humid (bring lots of water)

• Meals included: Breakfast, dinner, Group Dinner at Indio Feliz, Accommodations: Hotel Libertador Palacio Del Inka.

Today you have the option of having a free day to enjoy Cusco, an amazing city with lots of markets and interesting neiborhoods. Or, if you are up for more hiking, join us for the hike to the beautiful and unique Rainbow Mountain. Pickup will be about 5AM for the 3.5 hour drive to the trail head. It is a 3.5 hour hike to the mysteriously colorful striped mountain and and back and then you will head back to Cusco for the night. Farewell Dinner at Cicciolina, Accommodations: Hotel Libertador Palacio Del Inka, Yoga class, Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Say your goodbyes and head for the airport in your private transfer back to the USA or continue your journey to Lake Titicaca!

• Breakfast, transfer to airport or Lake Titicaca.