Sacred Valley And Short Inca Trail - 3 Days

Your tour guide will meet you at your hotel in Cusco at 7:00 am for a full-day exploration of the Sacred Valley. The journey begins with a 40-minute drive to Awanacancha Alpaca Center and Mirador of Taray, offering breathtaking views of the Sacred Valley, the Urubamba River, and the Andes Mountains. Next, you'll visit the Pisac Inca site, where stunning agricultural terraces and ancient constructions await. Following this, a trip to the lower village of Pisac reveals a bustling handicraft market. After scouring the market for bargains, you'll enjoy a buffet lunch at an Andean restaurant in Urubamba.

After lunch, the tour takes you to the circular terraces of Moray and the Salineras of Maras, where locals have harvested salt using traditional techniques since Incan times. The day concludes with a visit to Ollantaytambo, a living testament to Inca culture, where you can explore ancient streets still used by locals. The night will be spent in a hotel near the town.

Highest altitude: 3300m / 10925ft Duration: 9 hours Meals: Buffet Lunch Accommodation: Tunupa Lodge (or similar) Difficulty: Easy Transportation, entry fees, and lunch included

After breakfast, we will pick you up from your hotel around 5:30 AM, and you will board one of the first trains to the Inca Trail at Km 104 (Chachabamba). The train ride, taking around 1.2 hours, moves from the highlands into the cloud forest. Upon arrival at Km 104 (Chachabamba), you will disembark, cross a hanging bridge, and reach the first checkpoint, where you must show your original passport. Then, you will prepare for the trek.

The Short Inca Trail begins with a guided tour of the Chachabamba Inca site, followed by a 3 to 4-hour gradual ascent to Wiñay Wayna, the most famous Inca site along the Classic Inca Trail. Your tour guide will lead you through the most important buildings, including temples, waterfalls, gardens, storehouses, watchtowers, and agricultural terraces, and you will enjoy an organized box lunch at the nearby campsite.

The second part involves a more leisurely 1-hour hike to the Sun Gate, where you will be greeted with your first and most spectacular views of Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu, the Urubamba River, and the Andes Mountains. You will spend some time enjoying the sunset over Machu Picchu. Then, you will continue to the upper part of Machu Picchu for another hour to capture magnificent photographs with fewer visitors in the afternoon.

Lastly, there is a 30-minute bus drive to the town of Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo). Dinner is served in a local restaurant, and we will spend the night in a 3-star hotel.

Highest altitude: 2720m / 8923ft Distance: 15km / 8 miles Duration: 6 to 7 hours Meals: Lunch, snacks, and dinner Accommodation: Susanna INN (or Similar) Difficulty: Moderate

On the last day of the tour, explore the 'Lost City of the Incas,' Machu Picchu. After breakfast at the hotel, you will board one of the first buses and arrive at Machu Picchu before sunrise. On the guided tour, you will spend about 3 hours exploring Machu Picchu, visiting the main temples, palaces, farming terraces, and most important buildings. You will also have time to explore on your own or participate in an additional mountain hike, such as Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machu Picchu Mountain (not included - permits need to be booked in advance).

After visiting Machu Picchu, you will return by bus to Aguas Calientes, enjoy lunch, and then board the afternoon Vistadome Panoramic trains back to Ollantaytambo. Our team will wait for you there and transfer you back to your hotel in Cusco via private vehicle. The expected arrival time is around 7:30 PM.

Highest altitude: 2400m / 7874ft Duration: 3-4 hours tour in Machu Picchu Meals: Breakfast (hotel) Difficulty: Easy