Tour Cusco to Machu Picchu & Lake Titicaca

ITINERARY

DAY 1: CUSCO CITY TOUR

Upon your arrival to Cusco, you will be greeted by our representative and transferred to your hotel. There you will receive a short briefing and have the remainder of the morning to rest and acclimatize.  In the afternoon, we will introduce you to the Imperial City of Cusco, a living example of the mix of Andean and Spanish culture. Continuing your journey, you will visit the Santo Domingo Convent built over the Koricancha, as well as the ancient Inca Palace and the main worship center of the Sun God. Our tour continues to the truly impressive archaeological site of Sacsayhuaman and its military Inca architecture, which dominates the city below. Finally, we explore the archaeological sites of Qenqo, Puca Pucará and Tambomachay, located in the north east of the city. We will head back to your hotel in Cusco by early evening.

• 3* Accommodations: Waman Qoricancha or Maytaq  Wasin Hotel
• 4* Accommodations: Costa del Sol Ramada or Casa Andina Premium

DAY 2: CUSCO – PISAC – MORAY – MARAS – OLLANTAYTAMBO – AGUAS CALIENTES

We start today at 7:30am, when your guide picks you up at your Cusco hotel in our private van. Our route to the Sacred Valley of the Incas leads us towards Pisac. We stop first at the Mirador of Taray to enjoy an expansive view of the Urubamba valley and its traditional farming villages. You will see how the agriculture in the Sacred Valley has changed little in the past five hundred years. Onward, we drive to the archeological site of Pisac, where you can see an impressive Inca cemetery with more than 2,000 tombs. There, we can admire the carefully engineered farming terraces carved into the mountain, explore the Inca tunnel and the religious area of this important site. Here, we will spend about 2 hours, exploring the Inca city. Then, we head down to the colorful market of Pisac, spend about 20 minutes visiting it, later drive to Urubamba for lunch.

Our next stop is the fascinating archeological site of Moray also known as “The Greenhouse of the Incas” a deep basin of architectural wonder. Levels of terraces are carved into a huge bowl, which was carefully engineered by the Incas. The terraces have varied microclimates depending on how deep into the bowl they are placed.  Archeologists believe that they were used by the Incas to discover the optimal growing conditions for their crops and experiment in hybridization.

Continuing on our journey to the colonial town of Maras, we look down onto the pre-Inca salt “mines,” called salineras in Spanish. Thousands of salt pans have been passed down through countless generations and used for salt extraction since before Inca times. A hot spring at the top of the valley discharges a small stream of heavily salt laden water, which is diverted into salt pans and evaporated to produce salt. This is one of the few places in the world where you can find naturally pink salt!

Finally, we drive to Ollantaytambo, taking the time to explore the Inca village that has remained intact since Inca times and the massive Inca Ruins, with a tour provided by our guide. Visit the massive architecture of the Sun Temple at the top of the formidable terraces and learn about the importance of this site for the Inca during the beginning of the Spanish conquest.  After some time for dinner, you will take the train to Aguas Calientes to spend the night in your hotel. The train departs at 7:04pm and arrives at 8:45pm.

• 3* Accommodations: Ferre´ Hotel Machu Picchu
• 4* Accommodations: El Mapi or Tierra Viva Superior

DAY 3: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO

This is the day you’ve been waiting for! After an early breakfast at your hotel, take one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu, to witness the sunrise. It is a truly extraordinary site and not something you’ll want to miss! The guide will give you a tour, which takes about two hours. You will see most of the important parts of Machu Picchu Citadel. Also learn about how Machu Picchu is divided into three sectors: agricultural, residential and religious.

When you have had your fill of the exceptional views of Machu Picchu, you will take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included). Depending on your train departure time, you may also have time for some shopping, sightseeing or a visit to the museum or hot springs.

The Expedition train will take you back to Ollantaytambo at 2:55pm or 3:20pm, following the spectacular Urubamba River. Close to Aguas Calientes, the canyon is narrow and the river has many beautiful sections of whitewater. You can also see Wiñay Wayna from the train, if you look up high on the steep canyon wall! Back at Ollantaytambo, your driver will meet you at the exit from the train station to take you back to your hotel in Cusco in our private vehicle. You can expect to arrive at your hotel by 7:00pm.

• Meals included: Breakfast at your hotel
• Difficulty: Easy
• 3* Accommodations: Maytaq Wasin or Waman Hotels
• 4* Accommodations: Costa del Sol Ramada, Casa Andina Private Collection or Novotel  Hotels

***IMPORTANT:

After your tour, those who have booked in advance for an extra hike up to Huayna Picchu, this tours is without a guide.

• You can upgrade to the Vistadome Train for the same times, 2:55pm or 3:20pm, 4:22pm, or 4:43pm. The cost is $67 USD.
• Early trains can be organized by request and it has to be done by booking time.

DAY 4: CUSCO – ANDAHUAYLILLAS – RACCHI – LA RAYA – PUNO

We pick you up at your hotel at 6:30am to take you to the bus station (Inca Express or First Class). Both companies provide royal class service with an English-speaking tour guide, a waiter who is ready to assist you with hot, and cold drinks on board. During the trip, you will stop to visit some Inca constructions, museums and the Andahuaylillas Church, which is considered to be the Sistine Chapel of South America because of its amazing frescos. Then we stop at the Racchi Inca ruins, which used to be a religious and resting place for Inca travelers. The next visit is at La Raya, the border between the regions of Cusco and Puno, where the most traditional animals of Peru can be seen, llamas and alpacas. In Pucara, we will visit a museum where it is possible to see some pre-Inca remains. Finally, by 5.30 pm we arrive in the city of Puno, where our representative will pick you up to take you to your hotel.

• Meal included: Breakfast at your hotel, lunch
• 3* Accommodations: Casa Andina Puno or Tierra Viva Puno
• 4* Accommodations: Casa Andina Private Collection or  Sonesta Puno

DAY 5: PUNO – UROS – TACQUILE – PUNO

We pick you up at your hotel in Puno at 7:30am and transfer you to the port of Puno.  This is when you adventure begins to “the Uros floating islands” an ancient ethnic group of people living on Lake Titicaca since pre-Incan times. They are still maintaining their original lifestyle fishing, hunting birds, gathering eggs and making optimum use of the reeds even as food.  At about 8:30 you will arrive at the islands and get to enjoy the opportunity to interact with the local families. You will visit their homes, and have a demonstration of how they live their lives, and how they construct the floating islands.  You will have the option for a boat ride on the magnificent reed boats constructed by the locals (10 soles extra).  After enjoying some time on the Uros Islands, you will be on your way to Taquile Island arriving around 11am.  There you will have the opportunity to experience some local music and dance, have a scrumptious lunch at a local restaurant and time to hike around the island and enjoy the spectacular landscape and views of Lake Titicaca.  You will arrive back to Puno at around 05:00pm and be transferred back to your hotel.

***You can add at 2 day trip on lake Titicaca with an overnight stay with local family for $90more.  

• Meals included: Breakfast at your hotel, lunch on the island
• Transportation:  Fast Boat Service

NOTE – Our tour ends in PUNO

• You can just go to Juliaca and fly back to Lima – LATAM Airlines late evening flight back to Lima. We can provide transfer for your group from Puno to Juliaca airport for $60.
• You can continue your tour to Bolivia through Copacabana and the Sun Island (Isla del sol);
• You can continue from Puno to Arequipa by bus or plane
• If you want to experience the train ride to Cusco, it takes 12 hours with amazing views.
• You can go to the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia or the jungle at Puerto Maldonado