Cusco & Machu Picchu Tour
Cusco & Machu Picchu Tour
Best time: All Year
Timing: 3 days Tours
Grade: Easy
Cusco has become the highlight of most people traveling to Peru and South America. The ancient capital of the Inca Empire and its surroundings has a combination of history, mysticism and authenticity that is rarely equaled by any other city in the continent.
This magical touch has drawn the interest of artists, photographers, shamans and thousands of travelers every year.
The traditional visit of the city is the first recommended tour as an introduction that will allow a better understanding of what you might visit afterwards. It covers the visit of the Sun Temple (Koricancha) and the Cathedral in Cusco; to then continue on to visit 4 archaeological sites in the city surroundings: the impressive Sacsayhuaman, Q’enqo, Puca pucara and Tambomachay. The following day we will travel by train and then visit the famous Machu picchu.
TOUR ITINERARY:
Day 01: Lima – City Tour Cusco
Arrival, reception at Velasco Astete Airport and transfer to your Hotel Lodging, free morning to get acclimatized
At 1.30pm in the afternoon, City Tour in Cusco walking to the Cathedral which it’s interior and exterior frontage is renacentist style. Inside, you will find beautiful cedar wood statues, like the chorus and the pulpit, as well as the paintings of the Cusco School, and some objects made on silver. You will also visit Koricancha or sun temple; nowadays is the Santo Domingo Church. Then you will go to the four surrounding ruins like the Sacsayhuaman fortress, Q’enqo, Puca-Pucará and Tambomachay. Return to hotel
Free time for meals
Day 02: Cusco - MachuPicchu - Cusco
You will be picked up at your Cusco hotel at 6:15am or 5:40am (depends on train schedules) and transferred to the nearby train station for the train journey to the mysterious lost city of Machu Picchu. The journey is picturesque but the train is slow as it zig zags its way out of the Cusco Valley, before travelling along the banks of the Urubamba River. The nearest village to Machu Picchu is called Aguas Calientes and this is where you will leave the train and drop your bags off at your hotel, and then take a 25-minute bus ride up to the site (included). Your first views will be of Huayna Picchu (“Young Mountain”), which towers above the ruins. It is possible to climb this mountain but it is a hard climb to the spectacular view from the top (takes about 50 minutes). Before you enter the site there is a cafeteria, luggage storage and toilets. Your local guide will give you an approx 2½ hour guided walking tour of the ruins explaining all about the culture, the buildings and the lifestyle of the Incas. After your tour you will then have free time to explore the ruins at your leisure. You will be issued with a transfer ticket and you can catch the bus down to the town of Aguas Calientes where you’ll have a nice lunch.
Most trains depart Aguas Calientes between 3:30pm and 5:20pm (depends on train schedules) and the return train journey will take approx 4½ hours, arriving in Cusco sometime between 7:30 – 9:30pm. Lunch Included
Free time dinner
(*) Should there be no train tickets available in the direct route Cusco - Aguas Calientes – Cusco, a train ticket Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes – Ollantaytambo with an additional private transportation from Cusco to Ollantaytambo will be provided by our company.
Day 03: Cusco - Lima
Breakfast, at required time, transfer from hotel to the airport to your departure to Lima or (Arequipa, Puno or Puerto Maldonado-Tambopata)
Contact: info@peruviantreks.com for more information and pricing on these Peru treks and hikes
