5 Days: Cuzco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu

Tour overview:

The magnificent city of Machu Picchu weaves its spell as you rise to watch the sunrise steal across its ancient walls and terraces. Peru welcomes with rugged beauty, diverse cultural traditions and remains of history both pre and post Colombian.

Day 1 - Arrive Cuzco – City Tour & Sacsayhuaman

Enjoy a comfortable transfer from Cusco Airport to your hotel. A representative will meet and greet you, and then transfer you to the selected hotel in Cusco.

In the afternoon, enjoy a guided tour of this charming city, which was the capital of the Inca Empire. The tour starts with a visit to Santo Domingo Convent, a large Renaissance-baroque complex, which was built over the Inca Coricancha temple. It was one of the most important temples dedicated to worshipping of the sun, and its foundations are still prominent at the base of the convent. Ancient chronicles say the temple was covered in gold leaf and filled with golden representations of nature. Then, visit the Cathedral, the most imposing monument of the Main Square. Head to the hills above Cusco to visit the remains of the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, whose imposing ramparts offer a stunning panoramic view of Cusco, and the ruins of the temple and amphitheatre of Qenqo, where it is believed the Incas practised agricultural rituals. Admire Qenqo and then finally visit Puka Pukara (‘Red fortress’ in Quechua) an Inca military complex located on a prominent hill. Its dwellings squares, bathrooms, aqueducts, walls, and towers can still be appreciated. Afterwards, return to your hotel. Overnight in Cuzco.

Day 2 - Cuzco / Sacred Valley of the Incas

During the morning, you are picked up from your hotel to visit the town of Chinchero, a traditional Cusco urban centre located at an elevated point with a beautiful view of the valley. The inhabitants of this area preserve the artisan traditions and the inherited knowledge of the Incas and display them in their clothes and customs. In Chinchero there are also archaeological remains and a beautiful seventeenth-century church, one of the first Catholic buildings in Peru. Then, you are transferred to the Living Museum of Yucay, a centre Andean traditions interpretations, where demonstrations of the elaboration of textile work, adobe, pottery and silverware are carried out in the same way in which they used to in antiquity; an original recreation of Inca traditions. Also, residents of the museum include llamas, sheep and alpacas, and they can be fed! Upon arriving in Ollantaytambo visit its town, inhabited uninterruptedly since Inca times, and have a superior Andean gastronomy experience in a restaurant, where the true spirit of the Sacred Valley is transmitted in a cosy atmosphere! Later, climb the iconic fortress, built next to a mountain and then you are transferred to your hotel. Overnight in the Sacred Valley. (BL)

Day 3 - Sacred Valley of the Incas / Machu Picchu

A transportation service will pick you up and transfer you to the Ollanta Station to board the train to Aguas Calientes, the nearest town to Machu Picchu. Following a scenic journey through dramatic Andean landscapes, arrive at the station in Aguas Calientes. Here you board a coach for a 25-minute ride to Machu Picchu. The ‘Lost City of the Incas’ is believed to have been built in the 1450s by Inca emperor Pachacuti as a holiday retreat, yet within a century the city would be abandoned following the Spanish conquest. The Spaniards never found it, so it was spared the destruction they brought on other Inca sites. Instead, it was slowly swallowed up by the jungle and hidden from harm. A guided tour explains the origins behind this awe-inspiring citadel, presenting its most prominent landmarks such as the monumental Main Square, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Circular Towers, the Sacred Sun Dial, and the Burial Grounds. Lunch at Cafe Inkaterra. Overnight in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town). (BLD)

Day 4 - Machu Picchu / Cuzco

The delicious breakfast at the hotel is followed by a relaxing morning at leisure.

Enjoy lunch at hotel. Later, in the afternoon, transfer to the Aguas Calientes station and take the train back to Ollanta station. From here you will be transferred to your hotel in Cusco. (BL)

Day 5 - Depart Cuzco

A vehicle will transfer you from the selected hotel to the airport. A representative will assist you along the way. (B)

Important Information:

The Cathedral of Lima does not open on Sundays.

Coricancha Temple in Cusco does not open on Sunday mornings or religious holidays.