On this amazing 4 day package see the best of the Cusco region with a trip to the the Sacred Valley, where you will see all the wonderful natural landscapes, next hike the short Inca Trail and follow in the footsteps of the Inca. Lastly see the the incredible Rainbow Mountain with its colorful stripes. All this and more on this tour through the important parts of Cusco.
Our first day will start at 7.30am with a pick up from your hotel reception in Cusco. Travel to the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the valley town of Pisac. Along the way our first stop will be at the Mirador of Taray where you will enjoy the best views of the Urubamba Valley and see the farmings villages where agriculture hasnt changed for hundred of years.
Next we trave to the ancient Inca site of Pisac. Here you will tour the impressive Inca site, which includes a cemetery with 2000 tombs. See the engineered farming terraces that have been skillfully carved into the mountainside. Dont miss the Inca tunnel and the religious areas of the site. Spend about 2 hours exploring Pisac ruin before heading down to the Market of Pisac, this is a great opportunity to buy the colorful souvenirs before driving to the Valley town of Urubamba for lunch.
With a full belly journey to the ancient site of Moray also known as the Greenhouse of the Incas. Here you will see terraces carved into the ground to form a hugh bowls. The terraces have various microclimates dependant on the depth. Scentists say that the Inca used the site to experiment in growing conditions for different crops they placed at the site.
Later discover the quaint colonial town of Maras, and five minutes down the road is the pre Inca salt mines of Maras. See the thousands of saltpans that have been passed down through generations and used to extract salt 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. Here is a great place to buy the pink salt, one of the only place in the world where you can find.
Lastly drive to Ollantaytambo, dont miss the opportunity to explore this Inca village that remains the same since Inca times. Tour the massive Inca Ruins with your guide. See the Sun Temple at the top of the ruin and admire the large terraces that make up the ruins and your will explain the importance of the site during the Spanish conquest. Tonight you will sleep in Ollantaytambo and start your hike on the next day.
Today we start the famous short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, the guide will pick you up at 5.30am at your hotel. Walk to the train station where you will receive your box lunch that will need to be added to your backpack. The train departs at 610am, have around an hour on the train. Here is a great opportunity to eat a picnic breakfast that your hotel can supply for you.
Disembark from the train at Km104, this is where you will begin your trek. Cross the Urubamba River by footbridge, show your passport and walk to an Inca Site nearby. After a brief tour by your guide, the trek will begin. The first few hours are a gentle up hill stroll, stopping along the way to admire many different view points of the impressive Urubamba River. After pass through different mircoclimates that will include cloud forests, prepare yourself to get wet as it can rain here in any season. The last hours and a half is a steeper uphill climb with a wonderful waterfall at the end.
On the bridge below the waterfall, take many pictures as from this point as you will find yourself gazing at the spectacular ruins of Winay Wayna. These ruins were built by the Incas and have a interesting history with some parts still hidden by the dense jungle. Being so close to Machu Picchu you are no hiking through sub tropical jungle. Get a comprehensive tour of the ruins by your guide, explaining the history, the flora and fauna and the climate. Ask your guide any questions that you may have before walking around 5 minutes to where you can rest and enjoy your lunch.
When lunch is finshed continue on to the Sun Gate, a mostly flat walk of about an hour. Be prepared as the last part of the walk there is a set of stairs that are carved into the rock are are very steep. From the Sun Gate you will get your first breathtaking views of Machu Picchu. Take your time to savour the views and just take in the magnificence that is Machu Picchu.
Walk the last 60 minutes down to Machu Picchu, having many opportunites to take photos along the way. Go slow and enjoy walking the final steps of the Inca. Be sure to ask your guide about the historical places you will pass on the last part of the Inca Trail hike.
On reaching Machu Picchu, take the time to take photos from the viewing points above Machu Picchu, this is called the Guardhouse. Arrive in the afternoon when Machu Picchu will begin to empty of tourists. This is a great opportunity to take some beautiful shots with the afternoon light and less people. Later travel down to Aguas Calientes by bus and check into your hotel. Tonight have a wonderful dinner and afterwards take the time to walk around the town and explore before going to bed early to prepare for the day ahead.
You will leave an overnight bag at the Ollantaytambo train station to be sent by train directly to Aguas Calientes.
Today is the day, after a very early breakfast at the hotel, take one of the first buses up to the Inca Citadel. See the sunrise over Machu Picchu, you must not miss the extraordinary moment, something that will live with you forever. Later enter Machu Picchu for your guided tour. Your tour guide will explain all the different parts of Machu Picchu which will take around 2 hours.
After you have finished at Machu Picchu, take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes. Enjoy lunch in one fo the wonderful restaurants located in town. 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 2:55 pm or 3:20 pm, 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 7:00 pm.
***IMPORTANT:
This morning pick up will be at your hotel at 4am, to start your exciting adventure to Rainbow Mountain. Set out on a drive of 3 hours through the south of Cusco, on the drive see views of Inca terraces, traditonal villages, valleys and high mountain peaks.
Have breakfast surrounded by herds of alpacas and llamas and wonderful Andean views. Travel further to the trailhead, start the trek following a lovely gently flowing stream. Start hiking with views of Ausangate Mountain complete with glaciers. Interact with the local people who still work and live in the traditional Andean Quechual culture. Ask your guide to teach you a few words in Quechua and learn about why the men wear the different hats.
The hike to the top will take around 1.5 hours, before arriving to Rainbow Mountain. After admiring the beauty and uniqueness of this site you will have time to explore the area. Spend around 30 minutes at the top while taking pictures or by simply soaking up the view. Later if you are feeling energectic there is an optional hike to the Red Valley, which will take around 45 minutes longer to get back to the trailhead.
When you return to the start of the trail, enjoy our lunch which will be prepared by our cook.
We will embark on the 3-hour drive back to Cusco and drop you off at your Cusco hotel, arriving around 6:00 pm.
**Huayna Picchu Mountain is an optional trek within Machu Picchu Citadel which does not include a guide. The climb is usually done on your own after your tour of Machu Picchu Citadel. If you would like the extra hike to be guided, please request it in advance. There is an extra cost for this extra guided tour.
***The 2-day Inca Trail & Rainbow Mountain Trek Package is almost always available, except in February when the Inca Trail is closed for maintenance. Join our group and get the best deals!
***Private Service is available for $100 USD more per person.
***All entrance fees are included and we operate our tours in small groups averaging 5 people with a maximum of 8!
**Huayna Picchu Mountain is an optional trek within Machu Picchu Citadel which does not include a guide. The climb is usually done on your own after your tour of Machu Picchu Citadel. If you would like the extra hike to be guided, please request it in advance. There is an extra cost for this extra guided tour.
Inca Trail Hike Peru is a family-owned travel agency and a local tour operator based in Cusco with personal experience over many years of trekking. Inca Trail Hike Peru is a 100% Cusqueñian Company without any shareholders.
Our dream as a locally based company is to create small personalized tours & treks strictly and only operated by local professional staff catering to PERSONALIZED and HIGH-QUALITY SERVICE.
We take pride in our reputation as a RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE tour operator. Our staff is our extended family. The Company ensures they are supported financially by offering them a fair salary. We are proud of our team without them, we wouldn’t be able to offer the best service and lifetime experiences to our clients.
To ensure a more personalized service for our guests, at Inca Trail Hike Peru we have a policy that our groups will not exceed 8 people. This fact alone sets us apart from other companies that operate departures with bigger groups.
We are so proud of our guides! They are highly professional and speak fluent English. They are very knowledgeable and passionate about Inca heritage and history. Our guides are dedicated to continuous personal and professional development. They do research to ensure that you receive accurate and recognized theories in Inca and Andean culture. Our crew is fun-loving, great sports, and well-educated. They all hold degrees in one of the following: Archaeology, Tourism, Botany, History, or Anthropology.
Inca Trail Hike Peru has always believed that we should give back to the communities we pass through on our treks. Therefore, as part of our commitment to responsible tourism, we socially support and employ these communities.
Inca Trail Hike Peru is proud to be able to support these beautiful people, not only in hiring them for work but to bring things back to the grassroots, to share in their homes and families. This makes us happy to have a holistic approach with our highland employees and their families!
A beautiful reflection of our attitude in everything we do is that we wish to make life richer and more meaningful for all involved.
Please read carefully the following information; it will help you answer all of your questions about our services and the Best Inca Trail and Rainbow Mountain Tour Package.
You will be welcomed at Cusco airport and taken to your hotel, please ensure that you inform us of your full flight details at least 14 days prior to arrival. Look out for our representative holding an orange board Inca Trail Hike Peru at the exit from the arrival terminal. It can be done on any date that is best suited to you!
Your briefing will take place the night before your trek. It will be held at our office at 6 or 6:30 pm, depending on your confirmation email details. The office is located at Calle Garcilazo 210; office 213 (second floor).
Of course! During the Best Inca Trail and Rainbow Mountain Tour Package your main luggage can be stored at our office or at your hotel, whichever is more convenient for you.
FIRST, we need you to fill out our booking form by clicking on BOOK NOW on our homepage or click here on the link BOOK NOW.
Please be ready with the following information (FROM EACH PARTICIPANT in your group). We cannot purchase an Inca trail permit, entrance to Machu Picchu, or the train without the following information:
SECOND, we require a deposit of US$211.00 per person in order to purchase your Inca Trail permit, entrance to Machu Picchu, and train ticket. You can make your deposit by clicking on the VISA or PAYPALsymbols on the top of our home page, or you can click on the VISA or PAYPAL symbols on our booking page or click here on the payment method of your choice, either VISA or PAYPAL.
If you would like to avoid the high credit card fees in Peru, you may pay in cash at our office (US dollars or Peruvian soles) here in Cusco. There are many ATMS within the historical center to withdraw money. You can also pay by VISA or PAYPAL online but you will have to pay a 5.5% service fee, charged by VISA and PAYPAL. To pay your balance through PAYPAL, you need to log into your PAYPAL account and use our email address samtravelperu@gmail.com.
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Once the Best Inca Trail and Rainbow Mountain Tour Package Permits have been bought, the government does not allow any changes, so we can’t change any departure date after the tickets have been bought. Tickets are also not transferable nor refundable.
*** If you cancel your 2-day Inca Trail & Rainbow Mountain Trek, the deposit is not refundable at all!
Yes, you have to bring your original passport and it is very important that it is the same passport number you sent to us to book your entrance to Machu Picchu, train ticket, other entrances, and reservations. The rangers will check when you enter Machu Picchu. The train company will also check your passport before allowing you to board the train.
In case you are renewing your passport or changing your name, go ahead and send us your old passport information to secure your permit, and we can change it when you get your new passport number or updated your name for a fee of $25 per person. We must have a copy of your old and new passports to make the change. Before you change your passport keep a copy of your old one.
If you do not wish to pay this fee you will need to bring both passports to Peru with you. You can enter Peru with your new passport but you will need to show both passports, old and new to be to enter Machu Picchu or the train. If you do not have both you will not be allowed to enter into Machu Picchu or get on the train. They are very strict about this here!!
If you’re happy with the services provided, a tip – though not compulsory – is appreciated. While it may not be customary in your country, it’s of great significance for the people who will take care of you during the tour. It inspires excellent service and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many Inca Trail Hike Peru destinations. Of course, you are free to tip as much as you feel appropriate, depending on your perception of the quality and the length of your tour. Remember, a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
Yes, we are a local sustainable & responsible tourism operator for that we incorporate the universal principles of tourism: protect the environment and benefit the local communities by respecting their culture and religion. With this in mind, we have trained all our staff to know, understand and respect the local places and its people.
The Best Inca Trail and Rainbow Mountain Tour Package does not include an extra porter. Please try to pack as light as possible which is the key to enjoying this amazing trek.
WHAT TO BRING IN YOUR DAYPACK ON THE INCA TRAIL
****WHAT TO PUT IN THE DUFFEL THAT WILL BE SENT TO AGUAS CALIENTES
