CUSCO, SMALL INCA TRAIL TO MACHUPICCHU 5 DAYS / 4 NIGHS

A journey into the heart of the realm of the Incas, from the pre-Columbian and colonial splendour of the city of Cusco, to the ruins and living culture of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and on foot to the incomparable ruins of Machupicchu in their biodiverse, tropical forest setting.
Day-by-day itinerary:

Day 1: Transfer Airport to the hotel in Cusco

Cusco, the archaeological capital of the Americas and the oldest continuously inhabited city on the continent lies in exceptionally beautiful Andean countryside. It is 3400 metres above sea level and its legacy as the hub of the Inca Empire is readily apparent: Most of the city streets are lined with Inca-built stone walls and crowded with Quechua-speaking descendants of the Incas.

The city of Cusco and Sacsayhuaman (half day)

We begin our tour with a visit to the cathedral, which was built between 1560 and 1654 on the site of the palace of the Inca Wiracocha. It is a magnificent example of European art made by the indigenous population. Its main altar is completely covered in silver, and the church contains many fine paintings from the Cusco School of religious art. From the cathedral we move on to Qoricancha, the Inca Temple of the Sun, where we will be able to see some of the finest remaining examples of Inca stonemasonry.
We will explore this ancient Inca sanctuary with its immense monolithic walls built from stones that weigh up to 130 tons each, all joined perfectly together. Sacsaywaman witnessed great events and bloodshed during the siege of Cusco at the time of the conquest. We will then visit the archeologic place of Qenqo (known as Labyrinth), the fortress of Puka Pukara and the ritual Inca baths at Tambomachay.

Day 2: The Sacred Valley of the Incas, (full day)

Our tour begins at approximately 8.30am. With our transport we will head for the mythic Sacred Valley of the Incas. In Pisaq you will enjoy the wonder of the valley, for the place of its´ archeological centre lies on the mountain in harmony with nature. The village of Pisaq has an enormous cultural attractiveness, because of its´ mysterious colonial narrow streets and impressive hills around it, which form a charming landscape. Part of its´ attractiveness is also the handcraft market.

After continuing our trip, we will be brought to magnificent scenery of mountains and snow-covered mountaintops. We arrive in the village Ollantaytambo and will visit the archeological complex of Ollantaytambo, which type of constructing is as old as its´ great stones. The complex presents a collection of houses, temples, platforms, colcas (deposits) and several enclosures of which the function is not determined yet.

The village of Ollantaytambo is seen as the last Andean village because of the houses and narrow streets that shows us the Inca style of constructing. Before returning to Cusco, we will visit our last tourism attraction, Chinchero, during a spectacular sunset. The village of Chinchero offers us an enormous tourist potential, because of its´ spectacular colonial church, archeological sights and market. After this we will return to Cusco at about 6.30pm.

Day 3 - Cusco / Km 104 / Wiñayhuayna

Transfer from the hotel to the train station with direction KM 104, the beginning of the Inca trail. Through this Inca Trail connection we will, with the help of the professional guide, get a better understanding of the archeological remains of Chachabamba (2270m / 7448f) and for a short moment we will go up to the highest part of this connection where Wiñayhuayna (2650m / 8694f) is situated.

This is the most important archeological site within the park of Machupicchu. The Inca Trail continues to la Puerta del Sol or Inti Punku, the observation point of all this natural charm, the sanctuary of Machu Picchu (2400m / 7874f). We will be in the Machu Picchu Park only for a short time, because we have to continue to the village of Machu Picchu, the place where we will spend the night in a hotel and some time to enjoy Las Aguas Calientes in the village.
Hiking time 06 hours.
Included is a lunch box and dinner.

Day 4: Machu Picchu

We get up early to visit this lost city which was rediscovered in 1911. This citadel, standing at the top of a steep, forested hill overlooking the Urubamba River was hidden by dense vegetation for centuries until Hiram Bingham began to clear the site. Today the city has been completely restored and even if it has lost some of its mystery it still remains an unforgettable sight. Our tour includes a visit to the temples, plazas, palaces, watercourses and residential areas and will also leave you time to explore the ruins on your own. Return to Cusco by train, transfer to hotel.