Vilcabamba Trek - Peru, South America

Upon arrival into Lima International Airport, you will be met by our representative and private driver and will be transferred to your hotel. Our representative will assist you with check-in procedures and provide you with a detailed itinerary, vouchers covering all the services included in your tour and additional information on the organization of your Peru trip. You will also receive a contact information sheet with all the hotel details as well as our offices contact information for each city and a 24-hour emergency number. Meals Included: None

Get ready for a busy morning, starting with a guided sightseeing tour to the most attractive and important sites in Lima, the “City of Kings”. The tour includes Lima’s Historical Center, passing by Plaza San Martin, Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace, the City Hall, the Cathedral and its Religious Art Museum (closed on Sunday and Saturday pm, Santo Domingo Convent is provided instead on these days) as well as San Francisco Monastery and its famous underground crypts known as the Catacombs. Finally, visit the residential Districts of San Isidro and Miraflores, passing by the Huaca Pucllana, a Ceremonial and Administrative Center of the Lima Culture built in the II Century A.C. that the Incas considered as “Ñaupallaqta” or Sacred Town. Also visit El Olive Grove Park with olive trees brought from Spain in the XV Century, the Central Park of Miraflores and El Parque del Amor, or Peruvian Love Park. The Love Park, located on the cliffs of Miraflores overlooking the Pacific Ocean, is a beautiful natural lookout, where you can see the waves of the Pacific rolling in towards the coast below and the Morro Solar in Chorrillos at a distance, with the coast extending further along the bay until the port of Callao. This is also the perfect spot for a romantic view of the setting sun in the late afternoon, right in front of you. Meals Included: Breakfast

Start your day with breakfast it’s a big day ahead. The Museo Larco is housed in an exquisite 18th century vice-royal mansion, built over a 7th century pre-Columbian pyramid and surrounded by beautiful gardens. The museum’s galleries exhibit the finest and most magnificent gold and jewelry treasures from Ancient Peru and the renowned erotic collection, one of Peru’s most celebrated attractions. Founded in 1926 and located in Lima, the Museo Larco holds the largest and most important archaeological collection of Ancient Peru in the world. Peru is known worldwide thanks to the legendary Inca Empire on the Andes Mountains; however, few are aware that this society existed only for the last 100 years before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors. The Museo Larco portrays to the visitor an engaging narrative, recounting 5000 years in the development of Peru’s pre-Columbian history; thus becoming the ideal means to understand and enjoy Ancient Peru. On the Museum’s terraces overlooking its vibrant and stunning gardens, find Museo Larco ́s Cafe restaurant, where one can savor the best of Peruvian and International cuisine. All in all, it’s accurate to say that to become fascinated by Peruvian history, the journey begins at Museo Larco! Meals Included: Breakfast

Your local tour guide will meet you at the hotel lobby at a pre-determined time and transfer you to the Lima Airport to board your flight to Cusco. Our representative will assist you with check -in procedures and all departure formalities. Flight Lima – Cusco: Many tout this flight path as one of the most spectacular scenic flights to be experienced anywhere in the world. During the course of the flight the major glaciated peaks of the Cordillera Vilcabamba and Vilcanota ranges can be seen, surrounded by an agricultural patchwork quilt of tranquil Andean fields and small hamlets (some of which we will explore in the coming days). The approach to Cusco Airport is unique in that it requires the pilot to make a sweepi ng 180-degree turn to enter the valley, providing a staggering panorama of the Inca city center. Meals Included: Breakfast Brief Vilcabamba and Machu Picchu (5 days – 4 nights) After the conquest by the Spanish, Manco Inca and his successors dominated the re-gion of Vilcabamba. It included several centres and settlements built to honour the last dynasty of the Inca: Manco Inca, Sayre Tupac, Titu Cusi Yupanqui and Tupac Amaru I. According to customs and traditions of other pre-Incan cultures, a Neo Imperial state was created to preserve all knowledge in religion and astronomy. Vilcabamba is located northwest of Cusco, in the province Convención, in the eastern mountain range of the Andes. It has a chain of snow-covered peaks and high forest mountains with constant climatologic changes. The region is bounded by two very deep canyons, the canyon Apurímac on the left and the canyon Willcamayu on the right. Through both run very fast-flowing rivers which have carved and still carve one of the most beautiful and spectacular landscapes. Information:  Altitude: 1850 – 4500 m/6070 – 14764f  High season: May - November  Duration: 5 days – 4 nights  Level of difficulty: Difficult

Our journey starts early in the morning by bus. First we will head towards the northwest of Cusco and pass the ancestral towns of Chinchero (3760m/12336f) and Ollantaytambo (2850m/9350f), situated in one of the most fertile regions to cultivate maize. Ther eafter the road leads us to the highest point of the trip: the Malaga Pass (4315m/14157f). While descending through the valley of Amaybamba we will enjoy the exceptional view of snow - caped mountains and cloudy forests. Then we will pass Chaullay (1200m/393 7f) and head for Huancacalle (3000m/9843f). Here we will spend the night in a domestic hotel or camping.  Transport time: 7 hours Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

On this day we will visit the archaeological sites of Vitcos Rosaspata (3080m/10105f) and Ñustahispana (3050m/10007f). Furthermore our trek leads us through beautiful vegetation to the mountain pass of Azutina (3900m/12795f) and Pumachaca (4000m/13123f). Our campsite will be in the community of Racachaca (3700m/12139f).  Climate: mild, cold climate and mosquitoes  Hiking time: 8 hours Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

During this day some curious Andean people will welcome us cordially and will tell us about its customs and traditions. Thereafter we will cross three passes (highest points) known as Yanacocha (4420m/14501f), Tullu Tacana (4500m/14436f) and Mojon (4500m/14763f), where you would get an exceptional view of the snow-capped Salkantay (6264m/20551f). After lunch we will descent towards Laccococha (3600m/11811f), the place where will spend the night in our tents.  Climate: cold  Hiking time: 7 hours Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Our day starts early in the morning with a nice breakfast and an exceptional view of the mountains. While passing the forest of Mutuypata (3250m/10663f) we will enjoy the region’s rich flora consisting of a variety of orchids and other beautiful plants. Mo reover we will see coffee- and fruit plantations. In the little village Yanatile (2000m/6562f) we will take a transport and head for the hydroelectric station, where we will take the train to Aguas Calientes.  Overnight in a hotel of Aguas Calientes town.  Climate: cold and warm with mosquitoes  Hiking time: 7 hours Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We will leave our hotel after breakfast at 5:30am and head for Machu Picchu (2400m/7874f) by tourist bus. We will arrive at the citadel around 6:00am. After a guided tour around the archaeological site, including information about life and culture of the Incas, you will have enough time to enjoy Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu (2750m/9022f) on your own. We will leave Aguas Calientes by train around 18hrs 20. Until then you will have time to have lunch in one of the nice restaurants. Moreover, you can visit the hot springs in Aguas Calientes to relax a little bit.  Climate: moderate warm  Hiking time: 2 hours Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After enjoying breakfast at your hotel. At the scheduled time you will be shuttled from the hotel to the airport to board your flight back to Lima. Our representative will assist you with check -in procedures and then to your connecting flight back home. We hope that you have enjoyed you stay with us and the fond memories of Peru. Meals Included: Breakfast