Inca Trail & Lake Titicaca

DAY 2: CUSCO

This day begins with the flight from Lima to Cusco that you will take at the "Jorge Chávez" airport in the city of Lima with 2 hours in advance of your flight to the archaeological capital of America, Cusco (altitude 3350 masl), where a representative of the agency will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. There you will receive a briefing about the package program and then have a free time to rest. You will walk through the streets of the city, its huge walls and palaces built by the Incas exhibit the colossal architecture of the capital of Tahuantinsuyo. When the Spanish conquerors arrived in this territory, they used  Inca constructions as substruction of stone on stone and built on them churches, convents, mansions, which formed a peculiar symbiosis that contributed a unique character to this imperial city that was declared in 1983 as Cultural heritage of Humanity. The great amount of Viceregal Art that is observed throughout the city, principally formed by religious paintings with frames in gold leaf, transports us to a time in which the meeting of the Andean and Spanish culture resulted in the famed Cusqueña School. Heirs of this art are the artists who live in the houses workshops of the traditional neighborhood of San Blas, which express through their paintings, sculptures and various crafts the most representative of Cusco art.

DAY 3: SACRED VALLEY TOUR

We will pick you up from your hotel at the time indicated by your travel agent, starting the route by a paved road to the city of Pisac, located 32 km from the city of Cusco, Pisac being a typical Andean craftsman and archaeological city where they make the Famous craft fairs in their typical markets where you can shop and enjoy a guided tour in the archaeological sites of the place; continuing with our tour of approximately one hour we will pass through different towns such as: Coya, Lamay, the province of Calca, Yucay appreciating the beauty of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. In the Sacred Valley of the Incas, several communities represent the living culture of Cusco. The communities of the Sacred Valley and Raqchi are characterized by sharing with the visitors various agricultural activities. Yucay, Urubamba and Pumahuanca produce the delicious large-grain corn on the Inca platforms (cultivation terraces in the hills). The community of Maras handles more than 3,000 salt pools that are extracted by hand.Chinchero specializes in textiles and Raqchi is a living museum, where you can see pottery, dance, music and gastronomy. Ollantaytambo, an Inca village, offers 7 trekking routes to archaeological sites, quarries, terraces and one of the Quechua textile production centers (Wílloc). Local families receive visitors who learn ancestral agricultural techniques and participate in agricultural activities, irrigation and salt extraction, walks and Andean rituals.

Day 4 - 6: INCA TRAIL

We will start the Inca trail at KM 104, located on the Cusco - Machu Picchu railroad. At this point we will descend from the train and start our trek to the citadel of Machu Picchu crossing the Urubamba River, through a bridge that offers a spectacular view of the mountains. During the trip we will make our first visit to one of the Inca ruins known as Cochabamba, a beautiful Inca palace with fine carved stone walls. After having received an introduction on the history of the Incas by our local guide, we will continue our walk and begin to ascend a mountain covered with vegetation for about 8 km  until we reach Wiñaywayna, which is located at 2700 meters above sea level. The ruins of Wiñaywayna are the second construction in this part of the most beautiful cloud forest after Machu Picchu. Wiñaywayna shows a perfect example of what was the agriculture in the time of the Incas, since along itsyou can see a large number of terraces, where the Incas cultivated different agricultural products, including coca leaf plantations. The name of Wiñaywayna comes from a beautiful orchid that abounds in the area and that has as meaning in Spanish "POR SIEMPRE JOVEN" (for ever young). After we have explored these wonderful ruins we will have lunch very close to the area. Later we will continue our days of walk crossing a cloud forest until we reach the Inti Punko or Puerta del Sol. At this point the participants will already have a great view of the beautiful citadel of Machu Picchu. This is a very special point because we will rest for a few minutes and we will take many pictures of Machu Picchu.

Day 7: MACHUPICCHU

Machu Picchu is an Inca city surrounded by temples, platforms and water channels, built on top of a mountain. Its construction was built with large blocks of stone joined together, without the use of amalgam. At the moment it is considered cultural patrimony of the humanity when being recognized like important political center, religious and administrative of the Incaic time. Machu Picchu, which in Spanish means "old mountain", is the most famous Inca citadel in the world. Located 110 kilometers northeast of Cusco, in the province of Urubamba, this architectural jewel built in the fifteenth century, possibly at the request of the Inca Pachacuteq, Machu Picchu is divided into two large sectors: the agricultural comprising a vast network of platforms or artificial terraces and the urban one, formed by diverse constructions and squares between which they emphasize the Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Three Windows, the Main Temple and the Temple of the condor. Its buildings follow the classic Inca style: buildings with polished stone walls in a rectangular shape, joined together.

Day 8: CUSCO

We will return to the Mystical sacred city of Cusco, considered the capital of the Tahuantinsuyo Empire with a great historical and architectural legacy. Surrounded by green valleys with imposing tourist attractions, culture, tradition and faith still dormant. Known as the navel of the world for being the political and territorial center of the Inca Empire, the department of Cusco shows a striking geographical variety from natural mountain ranges and reliefs, to rivers like the Urubamba.

Day 9: PUNO

It is located on the Andean plateau, the city of Puno is dominated by the presence of Lake Titicaca, sacred place of the Incas and populated by natural islands of Peru. Puno has prehispanic archaeological sites of circular constructions called from their origin chullpas, which attract tourism every year. Its churches are characterized by a marked colonial architecture. It is a town proud of its Quechua and Aymara past of folkloric tradition that overflows every year in dances and rites during the Virgen de la Candelaria Festival. Puno is located in the southern highlands of Peru, shares a border with Bolivia. It has a basically flat relief because a good part of the territory is in the Collao plateau.Puno is undoubtedly one of the most attractive destinations in Peru and one of the most interesting on the continent: few cities have the privilege of being located on the shores of a wonder of nature such as Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. world more than 3800 meters above sea level.

Day 10 - 11: TITICACA LAKE TOUR

You will be picked up from your hotel and then taken to the port of Lake Titicaca, where our local guide will be waiting for you with the boat to start our excursion. Once on the boat, our guide will explain important aspects about this great lake. Minutes later we will arrive at the famous floating islands of Los Uros. Here we will stop at one of the islands to visit its inhabitants closely and learn about its customs. Later we will return to the boat and continue our journey to the Island of Amantani. The boat trip lasts approximately 2 hours. Upon our arrival we will be welcomed by groups of islanders who will offer us lodging in their humble homes. The afternoon is free to explore on your own or just to share the afternoon with the family and their young children. Shortly before sundown, our guide will invite you to take a short walk to a small hill known as Pachatata, from whose top we can appreciate a beautiful sunset. Do not forget to bring your camera. Later we will attend a folkloric festival, where we can dance with the native people typical dances of the area. Previously, being in our lodging houses, our family will give us typical clothes to attend the feast. The women are dressed in very colorful long skirts and beautiful blouses with hand embroidery, and a black veil. Men are given a very long poncho and a chullo (wool cap typical of the Andes). Once ready, we will go to the feast where we will meet many other tourists. The feast will last a couple of hours. Finally we will spend the night with families from the area.

Day 12: PUNO

We will return to Puno City to know more about their history and culture.

Day 13: Departure

Finally, we hope that the trip has been fantastic and take a great experience shared with us.

Map of route Inca Trail and Lake Titicaca (13 days)