Peru – UAAA Travel/UA Alumni Travel
DESTINATION: Peru: Lima, Cusco & Machu Picchu
DAYS: 12 Days
COST: $5,250
2020 DATES: (6/20 – 7/1)
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrive in Lima
Late evening arrival into Lima, Peru. Look for your guide holding a K2AT sign as you exit the security and customs area. The team will stay overnight at the Wyndham Costa del Sol located directly across the street from baggage claim.
Overnight in Lima.
Day 2 – Lima to Cusco
Following early morning breakfast, the team will return to the airport and depart for a short flight to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, elevation of 10,800 ft. We will be met by our private bus driver, who will take us to the hotel for check-in. Enjoy lunch in the square followed by a privately-guided tour of Sacsayhuaman, a magnificent building conceived and built by Inca Pachacútec in the 15th century. We will enjoy a scenic drive through the Sacred Valley and visit a local alpaca and llama farm called Awana Kancha. You will have the opportunity to feed, touch, and learn about the animals native to the Andes. Shopping for beautiful alpaca gifts is available on the property. A team dinner will follow in the evening.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included. Overnight in Cusco.
Day 3 – Cusco
We will wake up for breakfast and depart by 9:00 am for our tour of Cusco and the surrounding areas. We will visit Cristo Blanco, a large statue of Jesus Christ that can be seen from across the city. Our next stop will be at Qenqo and Puka Pukara, both archaeological complexes outside of Cusco. The fountains of Tambomachay, also known as the “Inka Bath”, will be our last attraction before returning to Cusco.
Breakfast, box lunch, and dinner included. Overnight in Cusco.
Day 4 – Cusco to Quarry Trail
This is our first day on the trail. Early morning departure to drive to Choquequilla, a small ceremonial place where Incas worshipped the moon. The drive will continue to Rafq’a, where the trailhead is. We will meet the horsemen who will carry our mountain bags and other supplies for the hike. An hour and half hike will take us through the small community of Socma and on to the Perolniyoc Cascade lookout. The trail continues to the campsite (12,140ft.), where we will enjoy our first lunch on the trail. Afterwards, we will set off to explore the Q’orimarca archaeological site, once served as a checkpoint for the Incas.
Approximately 3-5 hours of moderate trekking. Overnight in a tent.
Day 5 – Quarry Trail
This is our second day on the trail. Today is the most challenging and rewarding day of the hike. A three-hour trek will take us to the Puccaqasa Pass at 14,337 ft. We will continue for an additional two-hours to Kuychicassa Pass, highest pass of the trek at 14,600 ft. After a brief snack and photo opportunity, we will descend to the sacred site the Incas call Intipunko (Sun Gate) with spectacular views of Mt. Veronica. We will spend our second night in a campsite near Choquequilla.
Approximately 6–8 hours of moderate to strenuous trekking. Overnight in a tent.
Day 6 – Quarry Trail to Ollantaytambo
Today’s trek is all downhill (approximately 4 hours) towards the town of Ollantaytambo, known for its massive Inca fortress with large stone terraces on the hillside. Our last stop will be at the at the Kachiqata Inka Quarry where the Incas were intercepted by the Spanish. Lunch will be enjoyed in town, and the rest of the afternoon will be free to relax and enjoy the views of the upper terraces overlooking the Urubama River Valley.
Approximately 4–5 hours of easy to moderate trekking.
Day 7 – Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
Morning departure for a short walk to the train station. The 2-hour train ride, along the Urubamba River, takes us to the walking town of Aguas Calientes (6,693 ft.), also known as the “Machu Picchu Pueblo”, the last stop before entering the remains of the most important archaeological site in Peru. After lunch, we will board a bus for a short ride to the gates of Machu Picchu, elevation 8,000 ft. We will spend the afternoon in a private tour exploring these spectacular ruins voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
The town center of Aguas Calientes is full of eateries and shops anchored by the central Mercado Artesanal, a craft market filled with booths of brightly colored Peruvian souvenirs.
Approximately 4 hours of easy walking. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight in Aguas Calientes.
Day 8 – Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
The team will return to Machu Picchu in the morning to hike up the famous stone stairway trail to Wayna Picchu, elevation 9,200 ft. and is restricted to 400 people/day. The words Wayna Picchu mean “Young Peak”, which was the residence for high priests. You can spend the rest of the morning hiking 40-minutes up to the Sun Gate, elevation 8,924 ft., which offers a spectacular view of Machu Picchu and Wayna Picchu. The Sun Gate was once a guard gate marking the main entrance to Machu Picchu from the Inca trail. You can enjoy lunch and ice cream near the park entrance or return to town at your leisure. Public buses run every 10 minutes until closing. We will reconvene for a team dinner and prepare for tomorrow’s morning train departure.
Approximately 3-4 hours of trekking inside Machu Picchu. Breakfast and dinner included. Overnight in Aguas Calientes.
Day 9 – Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo to Sacred Valley to Cusco
Morning train departure to return to Ollantaytambo where we will be picked up by private bus headed through the Sacred Valley for Cusco. On the way, we will stop in the salt pans of Maras, an impressive salt exploitation complex. We will also visit a traditional Chicheria to taste “chichi”, a local non-alcoholic drink made out of purple corn. Local manufacturers of this craft drink will explain the history and importance of the Chicheria centers in the Andean world. The team will arrive Cusco in the late afternoon.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included. Overnight in Cusco.
Day 10 – Cusco
We will start the day with a visit to Coricancha, also known as the “Temple of the Sun” or Machu Picchu Museum. Built in the shadows of the Andes, Cusco’s golden temple is the centerpiece of an empire that revolutionized city planning in South America. Lunch will be on your own and you can spend the rest of the day relaxing until we reconvene for a final team celebration dinner with entertainment.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included. Overnight in Cusco.
Day 11 – Cusco to Lima
Following a morning breakfast at the hotel, the team will travel by private bus to the Cusco airport for an early afternoon departure for Lima. You have the option to return to the airport hotel to relax and enjoy dinner or may venture from the airport on your own prior to your late evening departure back home.
Breakfast included.
Day 12 – Arrive Home
Cost: $5,250.00
If you are a single registering for one of our trips, we will try to accommodate you as a double with the same gender. However, if we are unable to make these arrangements, you will be responsible for the single accommodation cost of $1,000 per person (4-star) or $1,250 per person (5-star).
Cost Per Person Includes:
— Domestic round-trip flight between Lima to Cusco
— All land travels
— All hotel accommodations (two to a room)
— All meals listed in the itinerary
— All park fees and permits
— All guides
Cost Per Person Does NOT Include:
— International airfare – approximately $800 – $1,500 from the U.S.
— Approximately $300 per person in tips for hotel staff, bus drivers, and local guides
— Subsequent lodging and food beyond the team itinerary
— All individual drinks either non-alcoholic or alcoholic
— Travelers, Medical and Evacuation Insurance
*Any deviation from this itinerary is at your own expense
*Side excursions to the Amazon, Lake Titicaca or Rainbow Mountain may be added at the end of the end of this itinerary for an additional cost. Please contact us for more information and pricing.