Machu Picchu via Tomacaya route - The Hidden Valley

Seriously though, if you're wondering what to pack for this epic trip you can access our Equipment List for Machu Picchu right here! Today you will fly into the beautiful city of Lima.

Once you land, you can walk to the airport hotel, Wyndham Costa del Sol Lima Airport hotel which is in front of the airport, where you will spend the day and night (Depending on your arrival day) before heading to Cusco the next morning, your launching point for the trek ahead.

If you arrive early, you’ll have free time to enjoy a meal with your group.

One of our team will transfer you to the Lima airport for your flight to Cusco, the former capital of the Incas. We'll then whisk you from Cusco airport to the hotel where you will meet up with the rest of your group who will be just as excited as you are to get trekking! Remember, Cusco is at altitude so you will likely be starting to feel the affects of altitude, just take your time!

You can check out San Pedro where there will be a lot of local activities and always a great photo opportunity.

You could even visit San Blas (the historic & artistic neighbourhood). It's the city's most picturesque district with its narrow and steep streets, colonial houses built with walls of Incan stone. There you can find the 12 Angles Stone, Plaza la Armas and finally Qorikancha (Sun temple), the sacred centre of the Incan world.

Heaps to see depending on what time your flight arrives. But don't fret if you're short on time because tomorrow you'll be taken on a guided tour to see the best of Cusco!

Later you'll be greeted in the evening for your trip briefing about the rest of the trip and meet up with your guide!

Night to relax and chill in and around Cusco.

Time to explore magical Cusco! This beautiful city has an interesting history, both from Incan and colonial times. You start this half-day tour in Cusco’s main square, which was called Huacaypata (Warriors Square) by the Incas. While the guide tells you more about the history of this special place, you can admire the city’s cathedral that was built between 1560 and 1664 with the red granite stones from the Inca Fortress of Sacsayhuaman.

The cathedral is, without doubt, one of the most impressive buildings in Cusco, and not only from the outside: the historical building hosts one of the most significant collections of gold and silver work of the colonial period.  Next, you continue to Koricancha and the Convent of Santo Domingo. The convent was built on top of the most important Inca temple dedicated to the worship of the sun, with walls covered with gold leaf. Wandering through the streets of what once was the capital of the Inca Empire, you feel like you are travelling through time.

After exploring Cusco, you will head to the nearby Incan ruins, such as the Sacsayhuaman Fortress with its immense temple walls made out of huge stones. The Living Stones of Sacsayhuamana which were built by the Incas have been placed without glue or mortar of any kind, and fit so exactly, like puzzle pieces, that you can't even fit a sheet of paper between them! It's a mystery how they built these HUGE vast structures so perfectly. You think Stone Henge is a mystery?! - The stones here make our henge look like pebbles thrown on the floor. You'll also check out the red fort Puca Pucara; the Qenko Amphitheater, and Tambomachay - the Inca baths.

Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Today is a real treat as we head out on our first trek of the trip to an awesome place called Huchuy Qosqo, which means “Little Cusco” in Quechua language. 

We will trek from 3750m to 4400m before dropping back down to Cusco later that evening. This is part of our tried and tested by the Yeti's at HQ and follows the ‘Hike high, sleep low’ strategy that gives your body a great chance to acclimatise. 

The Huchuy Qosqo trek is a stunning route, accessible only by foot, with sweeping views over the Sacred Valley and surrounded by the breathtaking scenery of the snowcapped Cordillera Urubamba Mountain range. The trek takes about 6-7 hours passing mountain passes, fields, lakes and small Peruvian settlements. Once reaching the high point at 4400m, the descent is super cool heading through the recently restored Inca trail through a huge canyon crossing via the streams and rivers by bridges and entering another rarely visited Incan citadel.

After a brief rest in the shade of the Queñua (Andean oak) trees, we will grab a bite to eat before you’ll continue the trek zigzagging downhill through the fields for approximately 2 hours to Lamay at 2900 m, where you will board your transport back to Cusco.

One heck of an acclimatisation day!

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Driving distance: 77.2 km (48 mi)

• Trekking distance: 11.1 km (6.9 mi) – Time: 6-7 hours

Overnight: tents

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Trekking distance: 15 km (9.3 mi) – Time: 8-9 hours

Overnight: tents

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We’ll leave the imposing Mt. Salkantay behind us and continue our hike downhill along an ancient Incan canal flowing down the center of the Pampacahuana Valley, passing through a landscape dotted with small farm settlements. At the end of the valley, we’ll once more begin to observe a greater variety of vegetation as we descend past the tree line before arriving in Paucarcancha, a remote Inca site at the confluence of the Pampacahuana and Q´esca valleys, where we’ll stop for lunch. We sometimes have lunch on reaching Chamana, which is a couple of hours down the road. But our awesome guides will always check-in with the group and make the best decisions for the group at the time.

After a short visit to explore the Inca stone walls and remnants of ancient houses at the site, we’ll continue our journey downhill and join the first stretch of the famed Inca Trail, descending toward Chamana. Chamana is located just outside the Llactapata ruins. These ruins were once an important rest stop for the Inca on the way to Machu Picchu, and this site will also be our private & exclusive “rest stop” for the evening.

We are the only company that uses this campsite and the view across the valley is not to be missed!

Campsite at Chamana (2585m).

• Trekking distance: 16.8 km (10.4 mi) – Time: 7-8 hours

Overnight: tents

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Driving distance: 15.6 km (9.7 mi) – Time: 30 min

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Although tomorrow you’ll get to explore Machu Picchu, today is an opportunity to actually get there on foot. 

We’ll get up nice and early and catch the train from Ollantaytambo down to the Urubamba River, to a special place known as ‘Km. 104’ where today’s trek starts from.

This trailhead starts at 2128m and will lead us up a nice set of zig-zagging switch-backs taking the steepness out of the ascent although i’m sure by now those tired legs will be burning but this is a challenge right?!

We then reach the last section of the Classic Inca Trail and will have the opportunity to see other archaeological sites en route to the famous citadel.

One of the BIG highlights today is when you reach the famous ‘Sun Gate (2730 m)’, where you’ll enjoy the fantastic views of Machu Picchu and the surrounding mountains and valleys below. There’s certainly something special about reaching Machu Picchu by foot in this special place.

Once we take some pics at the Sun Gate we’ll drop back down the trail and down to Aguas Calientes passing the Machu Picchu entrance as it teases us before our exploration of it tomorrow.

Aguas Calientes is a town with a buzzing atmosphere, plenty of market stalls to collect quirky mementos and lots of nice places to eat!

Wow! How excited are you to see this place now?!

Included meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Please Note: We always do our best to follow the itinerary. However, it can change occasionally due to temporary park restrictions with permits, campsite availability, weather, road closures, guest ability/injury, and natural events like fires and flooding.

Visiting the awesome Machu Picchu (there's nothing quite like it!) 

Although you reached Machu Picchu on foot yesterday for the first time, this time you get to explore it!

We will leave our hotel and head to Machu Picchu (2400m) by bus and take the windy route back up to the Machu Picchu citadel. We will enter the Inca citadel as early as we can depending on the permits as there's a morning or an afternoon visit time. After a guided tour of the archaeological area, including information about the life and customs of the Incas.

There should be heaps of time to enjoy Machu Picchu, normally around 3 hours that the permits allow, and find some of its nooks and hidden areas.

We also have the option if the conditions are right (depending on the group, weather and obtaining the local authority permission) of climbing the nearby peak of Huayna Picchu, this is a steep but amazing climb that offers an amazing alternative view of Machu Picchu that not many people get to see.

Once you have finished visiting the site you will head back to Aguas Calientes by train. We will grab some lunch whilst waiting for the train.

In addition, you can enjoy the hot springs in Aguas Calientes to relax before your departure. Train back to Ollantaytambo. From here, we walk to your hotel in Ollantaytambo and spend the night here.

BUT it's not over Yet(i)!

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

After a wholesome breakfast, your guide will pick you up at your hotel in Ollantaytambo and you will head to the famous Ollantaytambo Ruins in the Sacred Valley. This is an awesome place to hike around for the day.

You'll visit Hanan Huacaypata, one of the best-preserved parts of this Inca territory as well as the colourful Pisac Andean market which offers you deeper insights into the local culture, while enjoying the traditional clothing of the people of this region which attracts thousands of visitors from remote villagers in the area.

Time of transport: 4h (Aguas Calientes - Cusco) and 30 minutes (Bus Machu Picchu)

Elevation: Aguas Calientes (2005 m) - Machu Picchu (2400 m) - Cusco (3400 m)

Included meals: Breakfast

Included meals: Breakfast