Arrive in Cusco where a representative from Valencia Travel will greet you at the airport to pick you up and transport you to the hotel. Join the guide for a briefing about the adventure that awaits. After the briefing choose to explore the city by yourself or join the tour guide for a city tour ($30/person). Either way, enjoy the sights and colorful streets in the capital of the Incas.

Overnight: Casa Andina Classic Cusco (or similar)
Meals included: None

After breakfast, you have the option to explore the city of Cusco on your own or take a full day tour of the Sacred Valley ($45/person).

If participating in the Sacred Valley tour, a guide will pick you up from the hotel at 8:00 am. This is a full day excursion to the Urubamba Valley, about 19 miles from Cusco and at an altitude of 9,700 feet. You'll visit the colorful Indian market in Pisac, located at the entrance of the Sacred Valley. Appreciate the mixture of color and tradition and have the opportunity to barter for beautiful Peruvian goods and textiles, interact with the local craftsmen, and purchase their handmade souvenirs.

After visiting Pisac head to Urubamba to have lunch before continuing on to Ollantaytambo, the oldest continuously occupied town on the American continent. The narrow streets of Ollantaytambo, along with their canals, have not changed much from the time of the Inca Empire. Your last visit will be to Chinchero, believed to be the mythical birthplace of the rainbow, and the famed Chinchero market. This colorful Sunday market is much less tourist-orientated than the market at Pisac. At the end of the day you'll return to the Plaza de Armas in Cusco at approximately 6:30 pm.

Overnight: Casa Andina Classic Cusco (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast

Depart the hotel at 4:00 am for a 4-hour drive to the trailhead. Have breakfast and meet with the horsemen and horses at the trailhead before beginning your trek. The first 4 hours are downhill until your reach your lunch stop at Chikiska, a small village with fruit plantations. Along the way enjoy great views of the Apurimac River and its valley, as well as the snow-capped peaks. After lunch, hike another 2 hours to the bottom of the valley and meet up with the famous Apurimac River. After passing the bridge that crosses the river, take a 2 hour uphill hike until arriving at the campsite at Santa Rosa.

Overnight: Santa Rosa campsite
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

After an early breakfast, you'll continue on your expedition. Start with a 2-hour uphill hike until reaching Marampata, an uphill section with many switchbacks. At an elevation of 10,200 feet, Marampata has amazing views of the canyon and the surrounding snow-capped peaks. Hike another 2 hours gradually downhill until arriving at the famous Choquequirao Inca site. Enjoy lunch at the site and explore the religious area, observatory, and terraced sections where you might see llamas grazing. Enjoy the sunset over the valley and mountains.

Total distance: 10 miles | Estimated walking time: 6-7 hours | Maximum altitude: 10,200 feet
Overnight: Choquequirao campsite(10,200 ft)
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Spend the whole day exploring the various impressive archaeological sites located at different points on the hillside overlooking the Apurimac River. The restored buildings were once used for storage, living quarters, a garrison, and ceremonial sites. First reports of a visit to this complex are from 1768 with many more explorers, scientists, and treasure hunters passing through up until 1909 when Hiram Bingham visited the area and reported his first contact with this lost citadel of the Incas. Return to the campsite for a nice dinner.

Overnight: Choquequirao campsite
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Rise early for breakfast, then get ready and start the day’s expedition around 6:30 am. Hike uphill for about 40 minutes until reaching the first pass of Choquequirao. Continue for 30 minutes before descending along switchbacks for 1.5 hours to the Inca site of Pinchauniyoc. Pinchauniyoc was used as an agricultural site by the Incas, as well as a resting stop when they traveled on their expeditions to Machu Picchu. After an explanation by the guide, you'll continue walking downhill for another 1.5 hours until reaching the Rio Blanco for lunch. After eating, hike uphill for about 4 hours before reaching the campsite at Maizal. Enjoy a well-earned dinner at the campsite and take in some truly amazing views of the Andean mountains.

Total distance: 9 miles | Estimated walking time: 4-5 hours | Maximum altitude: 10,500 ft
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Overnight: Maizal campsite

Wake up to a warm drink brought to your tent, then enjoy the sunrise over the mountains while eating breakfast. Stock up on water and snacks to prepare for the day's activities. Start with a 4-hour uphill hike with great views of the surrounding mountains and lush valleys. After reaching the top of the pass, stop for lunch with stunning views of snow-capped peaks, valleys, and possibly a condor in its natural habitat. After lunch, start back downhill for an additional 3.5 hours to Yanama. The small, indigenous village of Yanama provides the opportunity to learn about the ancient traditions of the local people.

Total distance: 9.5 miles | Estimated walking time: 8-9 hours | Maximum altitude: 11,500 feet
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Overnight: Yanama campsite (12,500 ft)

Wake early in the morning and start the expedition by 6:00 am. You'll scale the famous Vilcabamba mountain range, hiking for 5 hours before reaching this historical pass. The views along the way are amazing! Once the pass is reached (around 13,500 ft), you'll indulge in another well-earned lunch. On the last leg of the journey to Machu Picchu, enjoy being in the highlands for the last time and take in the views of Salkantay and Humantay. Arrive at the campsite after an additional 5 hours of trekking. Along the way expect to see some black bears and amazing Andean birds – falcons, eagles, hawks, condors, and geese. Arrive at the campsite and enjoy hot drinks and a delicious dinner.

Total distance: 10 miles | Estimated walking time: 6-7 hours | Maximum altitude: 14,800 feet
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Overnight: Totora campsite (11,500 ft)

Start the day with a 3-hour, downhill hike to Collpapampa and enjoy lunch. From here, continue on your adventure by foot for 5 hours with your guide until arriving at the campsite at La Playa. Along the way you'll see waterfalls and fruit plantations as you enter a more tropical forest. You'll also have the opportunity to visit some coffee plantations.

Total distance: 10 miles | Estimated walking time: 7-8 hours | Maximum altitude: 7,900 feet
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Overnight: La Playa campsite

Today is the last hiking day and you'll end around lunch time. It’s about a 6-hour hike with a nice climb along the Inca Trail – about 3 hours, uphill along the hillside with great views of the Santa Teresa Valley and some coffee and passion fruit farms. Arrive at the top of the mountain to the famous Inca site of Llactapata, which was built by the Incas and used to observe the sunrise during the winter solstice. Llactapata boasts amazing views of the surrounding areas, the valleys and mountains of Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountains.

You'll walk the last 3 hours, descending down to the hydroelectric station for lunch. Catch the train around 3:30 pm for a 1-hour ride to Aguas Calientes. Arrive at the hotel and enjoy some time to relax or head out to visit the famous hot springs of Aguas Calientes. Enjoy dinner at a restaurant and rest up in order to get up early the next day for Machu Picchu!

Total distance: 7.5 miles | Estimated walking time: 5-6 hours | Maximum altitude: 6,500 feet
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Overnight: Casa Andina (or similar)

After an early breakfast, take the bus up to Machu Picchu, arriving well before the majority of tourists. Have a guided tour for a couple hours before having a bit of free time to explore on your own. Later, get back on the bus to Aguas Calientes in time for some lunch before boarding the afternoon train back to Cusco.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: Casa Andina Classic Cusco (or similar)

After breakfast, a Valencia Travel representative will assist in transporting you to the airport for you departure flight.

Meals included: Breakfast