CUSCO, MACHU PICCHU AND MANU CULTURAL ZONE
Tour Details
Duration: 13 days / 12 nights
Tour Type: Ecological, archaeological, cultural and mystic
Places to be visited: Lima; Sacred Valley, Inca Trail, Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes in Cusco; and Manu Cultural Zone.
Activities: Trekking and camping
Tour Option: Manu - Reserved Zone (this circuit starts every Sunday)
Tour Description
All our programmes can be tailor made according to your requirements, whether regarding the length of your tour, any special interests or specific activities, flight reservations, optional destinations or tours.
DAY 01: International Arrival in Lima
Assistance at your arrival to Lima International Airport and transfer to your hotel. There you will receive a briefing on your tour; vouchers covering all the services included in your tour and additional information on the organisation of your Peru trip.
Meals Included: None
DAY 02: Lima / Cusco: Sightseeing Tour and Visit to Nearby Ruins
Early in the morning transfer to Lima Airport to board your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel. Remaining morning free to rest in your hotel in order to avoid altitude sickness.
In the afternoon, we will visit the City of Cusco on a guided sighsteeing tour visiting the Main Square, the Cathedral and the Temple of the Sun or Korikancha. Then, we drive out of the City to visit the Inca sites of Kenko, Tambomachay, Puca Pucara and the impressive Fortress of Sacsayhuaman, strategically built on a hill overlooking Cusco, famous for its enormous carved stones, some of them standing over 9 m / 30 ft high and weighing over 350 tons.
Return to your hotel and get ready to enjoy a dinner in a typical restaurant with a folklore show where the musicians play their melodies with Andean instruments of beautiful sounds while typically dressed dancers will show you different ancient Peruvian dances. The most enthusiastic spectators will be invited to form part of the show.
Meals Included: Breakfast and dinner
DAY 03: Cusco: Sacred Valley of the Incas
Early morning excursion to the Urubamba Valley, the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Visit to the picturesque Indian Pisac Market held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, the shopping paradise of the Andes where barter is still practiced.
Enjoy the unique atmosphere during a typical buffet lunch.
In the afternoon, passing through the Towns of Calca and Urubamba, we visit the Inca Fortress and Citadel of Ollantaytambo, built to guard the entrance to this part of the Valley, and protect it from possible invasion from the tribes in the Lower Jungle. You can walk through the quaint streets of the nearby Town, and get a good idea of what this strategic military, religious, and agricultural centre was like during the era of the Inca Empire. Late afternoon return to your hotel for overnight.
Evening free. We suggest strolling around the Main Square and enjoy the night atmosphere trying a delicious Pisco Sour in some of the many pubs around the Square..
Meals Included: Breakfast and lunch
DAY 04: Cusco / Machu Picchu - Inca Trail (Cusco - Piscacucho - Wayllabamba)
At approximately 6:30 am, our guide will pick you up from your hotel to transfer you by bus to the km 82 where you will arrive at approx. 10:30 am. Here you will meet the team that will join you during the trek, such as the porters, camp assistants and cooks. You will begin the walk, the first day is quite easy and during the first kilometres you will have a beautiful view of the snow peaked Veronica Mountain, walking alongside the Vilcanota River until you arrive at the Archaeological Complex of Patallacta, where you will have lunch and gain energy to reach Huayllabamba, where the first camp is set up.
Meals Included: Breakfast, snack, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner
DAY 05: Inca Trail (Wayllabamba - Warmiwañusca - Pacaymayo)
After breakfast, the hardest part of the trail begins, with a steep ascent, followed by 3 hours walking until reaching the first step, called Warmiwañusca (Dead Woman), up to 4200 m.a.s.l. approximately. You will not only enjoy incredible panoramic views from here but you will also have the satisfaction to have reached the top. After lunch in Vizcachayoc we will descend towards Pacaymayo (3500 m.a.s.l.) for dinner and camp.
Meals Included: Breakfast, snack, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner
DAY 06: Inca Trail (Pacaymayo - Phuya Patamarka - Wiñay Huayna)
After breakfast the ascent will begin until the second most important step of the route, up to 3900 m.a.s.l., where you will enjoy a guided visit to the Archaeological Complex Runkurakay and the Inca Citadel of Sayacmarca (3600 m.a.s.l.). Lunch in Chaqquicocha. Then, you will continue walking towards Phuya Patamarka (Town in the Clouds), another important archaeological monument. After a brief rest , we will continue walking until arriving at Wiñay Huayna (Always Young), for a guided visit to this spectacularly located archaeological complex . Dinner and overnight in the camp. Note: The above are the regular camp sites according to the circuit operated by Enjoy Peru, however, these can vary according to dispositions levied by the Machu Picchu Management Unit without previous warning, but which will not affect the itinerary.
Meals Included: Breakfast, snack, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner
DAY 07: Wiñay Huayna - Machu Picchu - Cusco
After breakfast (05:00 approx.), start walking for one hour by the forest until the Inti Punku (Door of the Sun), known as the front door to Machu Picchu, from where we will be able to have an impressive panoramic view of the Inca Citadel. Upon arrival to Machu Picchu, you will have a guided tour of the ruins and monuments, such as the Main Square, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Solar Clock, the Royal Quarters, the temple of the Three Windows and the cemeteries. Free time to stroll around the Citadel and then meet the rest of the group to be transferred by bus to Aguas Calientes for lunch. In the afternoon return to Cusco by train. Upon arrival in Cusco, transfer to your hotel.
Evening free. We recommend to dine out at any of Cusco's downtown restaurants and stroll by the Main Square.
Meals Included: Breakfast and snack
DAY 08: Cusco
Breakfast. The day off for personal activeties.
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 09: Cusco / Manu
We leave the City of Cusco very early in the morning in vehicles especially equipped for the route. We will cross interesting Andean valleys and colourful farmer villages visiting the pre-Incan Tombs or “Chullpas” of Ninamarca. At noon we will pass through Paucartambo, a typical Colonial town of much importance at that time and that still conserves its Colonial style. Continuing the trip we will ascend until we reach the Acjanacu Pass located at 3850 metres above sea level. From we will start going downhill passing through Cloud Forest, a zone very rich in endemic species like the Spectacled Bear, the Cock of the Rocks, orchids, bromeliads, ferns, etc. among others and where we will spend ours first night comfortably installed in the Lodge “Orquídeas de San Pedro”.
Meals: Breakfast, Snack, Lunch and Dinner
DAY 10: Manu: Cloud Forest
Today we wake up very early to observe, comfortably installed on an observation platform, the Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicola peruviana), Peru's National Bird. The male birds are a vibrant reddish orange and about 5:00am. As many as several dozen come together for an exhibition of a ritual mating dance in a so called "Lek". The males display their crest, showing off and posturing for the females. The females, fewer in number, watch to select the most suitable males. After breakfast we continue by bike down the narrow road between waterfalls and canyons toward Pilcopata Town (see option 1) for 2 hours approximately (see option 1). A 30 minutes bus ride to Atalaya Port where we will board our covered outboard motor boat and head down the Upper Madre de Dios River for approximately 30 minutes toward our Private Reserve of "Erika Lodge" where we will spend the next two nights. Short walk around the Lodge.
Optional 1: Descend with mountain bikes from San Pedro Lodge (1700 m.a.s.l.) - Cloud Forest to Pilcopata- High Jungle (700 m.a.s.l.).
Optional 2: Here in Pilcopata we will make the final settings for a 3 hour tropical jungle river rafting trip down the Kosñipata River where we will have the opportunity for a dip and of course enjoy the spectacular view of the Koñeq Canyon. Continuing down the tropical River of Upper Madre de Dios to the Erika Lodge.
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner
DAY 11: Manu: Walk trhought the jungle
Erika Lodge is located in a transition zone between low and high jungle (600 m.a.s.l. to 1150 m.a.s.l, 1800 to 3450 feet) encompassing different habitats. This altitude range explains the high diversity of wildlife found around this Lodge. Immediately after breakfast, we will start walking near the riverbanks, during the hike our guide will talk about insects, medicinal plants, trees, reptiles, mammals, etc. Early afternoon we will start a short ride by boat to visit a small lake near to the Upper Madre de Dios River, here we are going to have the chance to see the Hoatzin, a primitive bird, Spectacle Caiman, many species of birds, insects, etc. Short night walk. This will be our last night in the wonderful Amazon jungle. Overnight in the Lodge.
* Optional:
Canopy tour Our guests traverse from tree to tree and platform to platform using pulleys on horizontal traverse cables, as they sail through the treetops of the tropical Rainforest canopy, and over the trails far below. Expert guides assist you in this exciting journey through the different layers of the virgin Rain Forests and explain what's going on around you, from the time you leave the ground, until you rappel back down to the forest floor.
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner
DAY 12: Manu: Machuwasi lake / Cusco
After breakfast, we will board a boat in which we will sail a short time crossing the Alto Madre de Dios River Mother and then walk for approximately 30 minutes observing and learning about the sensitive mimosa plants, heliconias, fruit plantations, etc. until arriving at the lagoon of Machuwasi, where we will observe by means of a telescope birds like: grey herons, toucanets, crimson crested woodpeckers, great kiskadees, cardinals, etc. Later we will continue in the boat towards Puerto Atalaya, from where we will return to the city of Cusco in bus, arriving at night.
Meals Included: Breakfast and lunch
DAY 13: Cusco/Lima - International Departure
At the appropriate hour transfer to the Cusco Airport for your flight to Lima. In lima you will be transferred to your hotel and in the afternoon you will be transferred to the Airport for your International flight departure.
Meals Included: Breakfa