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Peru |
Peru is home to the headwaters of the Amazon River, rainforests and, of course, the remnants of the Incan civilization. Throw in a bunch of indigenous Quechuans, the Spanish language and more biodiversity than you can shake a stick at and there you are, right in the heart of an adventure paradise. The magnificent Andes covered in rainforest make for ideal surroundings to find some peace, quite and take us back to another time. Native porters will carry our gear as local guides fill us in on all of the history and mystery of this magical land. Peru is considered to be one of the adventure capitals of the world - come and see this country at its best. Far more than just a vacation holiday, this is your chance to celebrate the mysteries of life. Prepare for the fantastic!
Trip low down
Group size: 6-14
Departure point: Cusco, PERU
Time of year: January, March, September
Day 1 Arrive in Lima, transfer to the Country Club Lima Hotel (www.hotelcountry.com). No meals.
Day 2 Early morning wake-up for breakfast then it’s off to the airport to catch the first plane of the day for a 1.5 hour flight to Cusco. Check in at Libertador Hotel (www.libertador.com.pe) where we will stay tonight and tomorrow. Today and tomorrow will be our acclimatization days as we will be at an altitude over 9000 for most of the week. Enjoy a walking tour of the city, followed by a late lunch and then another tour of the ruins of Sacsayhuaman, which overlook Cusco. Dinner at a local restaurant. Be prepared to try any kind of food in Cusco: plates range from rice and beans to hamburgers to “qui” – deep fried guinea pig, a local delicacy. (B,L,D)
Day 3 Its time to go whitewater rafting! After a nice hot breakfast we’ll pack up and board the bus to head off to the Vilcanota River rated class II+./III+ with the professionals of Apumayo Expeditions (www.apumayo.com/d2_1rafting.htm). You can leave anything not necessary for rafting and the Inca Trail in a suitcase/bag that will be transported to our final night hotel in Cusco. Wetsuits, splash jackets, all river gear, self-bailing rafts and a safety kayaker are provided. Fantastic views of the Sacred Valley and fun whitewater will fill our day. It is a 2.5 hour drive from hotel to river with 2.5 hours on the river and lunch (tent included if it is rainy). Late afternoon we will check-in to Sol y Luna Lodge in the Sacred Valley (http://www.hotelsolyluna.com), lower elevation than Cusco. Dinner at Sol y Luna. (B,L,D)
Day 4 This will be a 12km trekking day. Pack up all your stuff for the trail and put it into the dry bags (one bag per every two people). We will travel by bus to kilometer 82 (the start of the trail), a short 1+hour drive. Here you can buy a hiking staff for about $3-6 from the locals. After getting our passports stamped at the entrance to the park, we cross the Vilcanota River and follow the trail to the right as it climbs steeply up from the river. After passing through a small village, the ruins of the Inca hill fort of Huillca Raccay come into view high above the mouth of the river Cusichaca (‘happy bridge’). It is a simple descent down to the Cusichaca River. The path follows the left bank of the river further up to the village of Wayllabamba (3,000m). The name in Quechua means ‘grassy plain’. We will spend the first night here or slightly further on, depending on group energy level and campsite availability. There are no toilet facilities here and we will use a portable toilet with privacy tent. (B,L,D)
Day 5 This will be an 11km trekking day. Climbing up from Wayllabamba for about 3 hours through steep woods and increasingly spectacular terrain brings you to tree line and a meadow known as Llulluchapampa (3,680m). It is another 1.5 hours climb to the first and highest pass of the trail (Abra de Huarmihuañusca or ‘Dead Woman’s Pass) at 4,200m. During this part of the trail we are exposed to the Andean elements: first scorching sun and then, closer to the pass, freezing winds, and possibly driving rain – hey, you gotta be prepared for anything. Once at the top we will celebrate having completed the most difficult section of the trail. The decent from the pass is steep although not difficult, following the trail on the left side of the valley to the valley floor and to the 2nd night’s campsite at Pacamayo (3,600m). There are toilet facilities here. (B,L,D)
Day 6 This will be a 16km trekking day. From Pacamayo it takes about an hour to climb up to the ruins of Runkuracay. These small circular ruins occupy a commanding position overlooking the Pacamayo valley below. Then it’s up and over the second pass: Abra de Runkuracay (4,000m). On the down side of the pass visit the ruins of Sayacmarca: the name means ‘Inaccessible Town’ and describes the position of the ruins perfectly, protected on three sides by sheer cliffs. Pass through an impressive Inca tunnel, carved into the rock then climbs up to the 3rd pass (3,700m). We’ll also enjoy the site of Phuyupatamarca, whose name means ‘Town in the Clouds’. Be prepared for to leave the site via an impressive Inca staircase leading from the west side of the ruins as you descend a thousand or so steps. Arrive at Wiñay Wayna in the late afternoon, our camp for the night. (B,L,D)
Day 7 Only 6km of trekking today – can you say hooray! The trail from Wiñay Wayna to Machu Picchu is clearly marked and takes about 1.5 hours. We will wake up at 4.30am so that we can leave Wiñay Wayna by 5.30am to get to Machu Picchu before sunrise. The sky starts getting light by 6am and the first rays of the sun reach Machu Picchu at about 7am. The trail contours a mountainside and drops into cloud forest before coming to an almost vertical flight of 50 steps leading up to the final pass at Intipunku (Sun Gate). Suddenly the whole of Machu Picchu is spread out before you in all its glory - a fantastic sight for all. This is depending on weather, of course. We will spend a majority of our day here as our local guides give us an interpretive tour of the ruins. After lunch we will have a short amount of time to look around on our own before boarding the bus, which will take us down the steep and winding road to the town of Aguas Calientes. Here we will board the train to return late that evening once again to the Libertador Hotel in Cusco. Check-in to our rooms, pick-up our other bags that we left before rafting, grab a quick shower and enjoy dinner in town. (B,L,D)
Day 8 Wake up early for a grand buffet breakfast, then we are off to the airport for our return flight to Lima. Lima is a huge city and we only see a small part of it. Our agenda here - visit the world famous Gold Museum; tour the cathedral and monastery (and its catacombs). Farewell dinner at a surprise location. We’ll be staying at the Country Club Lima Hotel again. (B,L,D)
Day 9 Transfer to the Lima Airport for your flight home. (B)
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