Sacred Valley And Short Inca Trail - 3 Days

• Highest altitude: 3300m / 10925ft
• 9 hours

Your tour guide will meet you at your hotel in Cusco at 7:00 am for a full-day exploration of the Sacred Valley. Stop at an Alpaca Center to see llamas, alpacas, guanacos and vicuñas while learning about their role in Andean life. Continue to the Taray viewpoint for sweeping valley landscapes. Explore the Pisac archaeological site with its stone terraces and ceremonial areas. Walk through the colorful Pisac market and browse traditional handicrafts. Pause for a buffet lunch in Urubamba. Visit Moray, an ancient Inca agricultural laboratory. Discover the salt ponds of Maras where locals still harvest salt using age-old methods. End the day in Ollantaytambo, where Inca streets and homes remain in daily use. Stay overnight in a comfortable 2 star hotel.

• Highest altitude: 2720m / 8923ft
• 6-7 hours

Board an early train and follow the route to the Inca Trail starting point at Km 104. Fuel up with a hearty breakfast, then make your way across the bridge and explore the ruins of Chachabamba, once a ceremonial and administrative site. Begin a gradual ascent through the cloud forest with orchids, streams, and mountain views. Reach Wiñay Wayna, an impressive complex of terraces, temples and fountains. Enjoy a freshly prepared lunch near the site. Continue walking along a scenic path that leads to Inti Punku, the Sun Gate. Take in your first panoramic view of Machu Picchu in the afternoon light. Descend slowly to the upper terraces of Machu Picchu for quiet photographs. Travel by bus to Aguas Calientes for dinner and a relaxing overnight stay in a 3 star hotel.

• Highest altitude: 2400m / 7874ft
• 2-3 hours in Machu Picchu

Begin the morning with breakfast at your hotel in Aguas Calientes. Board one of the first buses to Machu Picchu and arrive as the first light reaches the ancient city. Explore the main temples, plazas and terraces with your expert guide. Learn about Inca engineering, astronomy and daily life. Take time to enjoy the views of the surrounding mountains. Choose to add a hike to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain if permits are secured in advance. Return by bus to Aguas Calientes and enjoy free time for lunch. Board the panoramic Vistadome train back to Ollantaytambo. Meet your driver and continue to Cusco, where the experience concludes with an evening arrival.