5 Day - Tour to Machu Picchu Traditional - Private service

The  5 Day Inca Trail, has been organised to provide us with more time than its counterpart 4 days trek, the additional length of time is for you to enjoy the scenic views of the Andean highlands.

Like the Inca did his pilgrimage with his court to Machu Picchu you will also form part of this spiritual journey.  The impressive Inca roads that unified the Tahuantinsuyo Empire ruled by the Inca, expanded to what we now know as Ecuador, south of Colombia, Bolivia,  north and centre of Chile and north west of Argentina over a 40,000 kilometers of roads.

The 5 Day Inca Trail, is an unforgettable experience because your senses will be challenged by walking through a cloud forests, Inca tunnels, bridges and snow on the way.  This is one of the most famous trekking routes in the world and you will part of it soon.

5 Day - Tour to Machu Picchu Traditional - Private service

Day 1 - Arrival to Cusco

Private Excursion | Half Day Cusco City Tour

Our tour of the city of Cusco begins in the morning at 8:00 a.m., when we will first go to the wonderful Koricancha, next to the Church of Santo Domingo. According to chroniclers writing during the period immediately after the Spanish conquest, the Koricancha was the most sacred and important temple of the Inca Empire. Its walls were covered in gold, and life-size statues of plants and animals, all made of pure gold and silver, decorated its rooms and corridors. Unfortunately, this wealth was stripped away by the Spanish conquistadors. However, it is still a magnificent temple and your guide will take you around the Koricancha, showing you details that you will surely miss if you visited without a guide.

After visiting the Koricancha, we will go to the Cathedral of Cusco, located in the Plaza de Armas. Built between 1560 and 1654 on the foundations of an existing Inca temple, this spectacular cathedral houses many works of art from the Cusco school of painters, and its high altar and pulpit are covered in gold and silver reliefs. Look closely and you'll also see elements of indigenous religious symbolism incorporated into the church by the natives who worked on its construction, such as the carved head of a jaguar on the doors.

Our next stop is the imposing Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman, which stands on a hill above Cusco. Here you will see some of the best examples of Inca stonework and construction, including huge rocks that were carefully cut and fitted perfectly to form the walls. From here you will also have beautiful panoramic views of Cusco.

After exploring Sacsayhuaman, we will go up the hill to the Qenqo Archaeological Complex, which is considered an Inca labyrinth where there is an altar with ritual motifs. Then we headed to Tambomachay. The exact purpose of this site is unknown, but it may have functioned, at least in part, as an Inca spa. Inca hydroengineering is evident here, with a series of aqueducts, canals, and waterfalls traversing the terraced rocks.

Tambomachay is the last attraction of our city tour, after which we will return to Cusco and drop you off at your hotel. But if you want to explore the city and its culture a little more, you can hire one of our extensions.

Day 2 - The Incas' Sacred Valley

Private Excursion | Exploring the Sacred Valley

We’ll pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at 07h30 and then set off towards the Sacred Valley. Leaving Cusco, we’ll pass by Saqsaywaman and head over the mountains before descending some 450 meters (1,500 ft) to the valley floor. Here we’ll find ourselves beside the sacred Urubamba River and the pretty village of Pisac. In Pisac, we will visit the colorful traditional market, where you can browse the array of local artisan work and other souvenirs – which of course you can buy to take home with you. We’ll spend about 30 minutes here, and then head up to the ruins of Pisac which sit atop a hill at the entrance to the valley.

At the Pisac archaeological site, we’ll explore the extensive ruins and enjoy the beautiful views across the valley. You’ll be given a guided tour of the ruins, passing through various structures that once served as homes, storage rooms and temples, and you’ll see Inca altars, carvings, tunnels, caves and the famous Intihuatana, the “hitching post of the sun.” We’ll explore Pisac for about 90 minutes. Alternatively, if you’d like to spend more time in the market in Pisac instead of seeing the ruins, you can talk to your guide and arrange a time and a place to meet when the tour group returns through the market after the ruins.

We’ll now head on towards Urubamba, where we’ll stop for about 45 minutes for lunch (not included). After another 30-minute drive, we’ll reach the wonderful Inca town and archaeological site of Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo was the royal estate of the Inca emperor Pachacuti, who conquered the region and built the town and a ceremonial center. We’ll spend about an hour exploring these magnificent ruins, visiting the amazing Temple of the Sun and seeing massive blocks of rock that were perfectly carved and polished by master Inca stonemasons. Ollantaytambo is also a fine example of Inca agricultural construction and hydro-engineering, with a complex series of stone water fountains, channels and agricultural terraces, the latter organized by elevation to create different microclimates for crop experimentation.

Day 3 - Machupicchu: Wonder of the World

Our tour starts in Cusco, where we will pick you up at 9 am. and then we will go to the train station to board the train to Aguas Calientes (also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo). The train leaves at approximately 11:30 a.m. m., although the exact time changes sometimes. The two-hour train ride is a memorable experience in itself, as we pass through river canyons and rolling hills.

Aguas Calientes is the gateway to Machu Picchu, sitting in a deep gorge at the foot of the mountain on which Machu Picchu stands. It is a beautiful town that mixes traditional life with a huge tourist infrastructure, with a multitude of markets, souvenir shops, hotels and restaurants. It's also largely pedestrianized, making it a fun place to explore on foot. Aguas Calientes is surrounded by jungle-covered mountains and cliffs, and the Urubamba River flows right by the town. Aguas Calientes is also surrounded by hot springs and when we arrive you will have plenty of time to relax and enjoy a dip in one of the steaming natural springs. You will also have time to walk around the city and explore the colorful markets and the general bustle of this unique Peruvian settlement.

Day 4 - Machu Picchu in all its Glory (and Return to Cusco)

To best appreciated Machu Picchu, we’ll wake up early in the morning so we can get to the citadel in good time. You’ll have time for breakfast first, and then your guide will pick you up from the hotel at around 5:40 a.m. Then we will walk to the starting point of the bus, a trip of approximately 45 minutes in the direction of the citadel of Machu Picchu.

Day 5 - Cusco Departure

After breakfast enjoy your last day at leisure   before transferring to the airport for your return flight to home.