You will begin your journey in the dramatic and culturally rich Sacred Valley of the Incas and the Anta Valley with its magnificent Inca complexes of Pisaq, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero. Discover the Salinas of Maras with its salt terraces on overhanging cliffs that have been worked since the times of the Incas.

After two days in the Sacred Valley you will begin your trek on the Inca Trail. Always magical, at times frustrating and crowded, the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu still holds the enchantment and mysticism people seek during this magnificent trek. Trekkers are rewarded with spectacular views of the mighty Andes, exotic vegetation, and ancient Inca citadels and at the end of the journey with the spectacular view of Machu Picchu from the Gate of the Sun. You will end your experience with the opportunity to retrace the history of Cuzco with its magnificent churches and Inca temples like Coricancha and Sacsayhuman. At 11,200 feet above sea level, Cuzco is the heart of Tahuantinsuyo, Peru's pre- Colombian Empire. Cuzco today is the oldest continuously inhabited city in South America, a fascinating and colorful paradox of the past and the present.

Living wage and environmental commitment - ARE is committed to providing a living wage to the indigenous porters that will be providing logistical support and guiding services for your trek. Our prices are both competitive while ensuring that local indigenous people benefit from your visit. We also are committed to the highest environmental standards to help preserve this sensitive and increasingly visited trail. For those travelers concerned about their impact on social and environmental issues we encourage you to research operators carefully before making a decision since many low-priced operators are not committed to these standards.

Commitment to Quality - ARE uses only the highest quality camping equipment to ensure your comfort and safety on the trek. Your personal cook will serve only nutritious, safe, and well-prepared food.

DAY 02
CHINCHERO - SALT MINES OF MARAS
After breakfast, you will depart from the hotel and travel through the valley of Anta before reaching Chincheros. This typical Andean village is located in one of the most spectacular high plateaus with tremendous views of the Cordillera Vilcabamba mountain range as well as the majestic Salkantay mountain (almost 20,000ft.) Later you will travel to the village of Maras. Near the village located in the beautiful valley of Anta surrounded by stunning scenery there is very special site called the Salinas of Maras. With its salt terraces on overhanging cliffs, this salt terraces have been worked since the Inca times and are an engineering wonder and a must for photographers. Overnight at hotel in the Sacred Valley. B,L

DAY 03
INCA TRAIL TREK
CHILLCA TO LLACTA PATA CAMP
From the hotel you will transfer to the starting point of the trek located in the village of Chillca. After a four-hour hike you will camp near the Quechua native community of Llacta Pata, which is the first archeological site to visit along the Inca Trail. B,L,D

DAY 04
INCA TRAIL TREK
LLACTA PATA TO LLULLUCHAPAMPA CAMP
This day hike is an up-hill walk from 7,800 feet above sea level up to 11,400 feet. The first two hours make up a gentle walk until arriving at the farmer's village of Huayllabamba located at 8,250 feet above sea level. From here the trail ascends steeply to a large meadow where we camp. B,L,D

DAY 05
INCA TRAIL TREK
LLULLUCHAPAMPA TO CHAKICOCHA CAMP
The highest pass on this trek is the Warmihuanusqa pass at 12,600ft above sea level, which you will reach after a two-hour walk from the Llulluchapampa camp. From the pass the trail descends to the Pacaymayo valley and climbs to the ruins of Runcuraqay where you will encounter a second pass at 11,400 ft. After two more hours of trekking via the ruins of Sayaqmarca you will reach the camp of Chaquicocha. B,L,D

DAY 06
INCA TRAIL TREK
FROM CHAQUICOCHA TO MACHU PICCHU
Today is a 6 hours hike along the well preserved Inca Trail which follows the tops of the mountains, next to the deep Urubamba canyon, and has views of two different mountain ranges. You will be walking by ancient Inca ruins such as Phuyupatamarca and Winayhuayna. You will arrive at the "Gate of the Sun" above Machu Picchu, around mid afternoon. You will spend the afternoon exploring the complex. Overnight at hotel in Aguas Calientes. B,L

DAY 07
MACHU PICCHU - CUZCO
Free day to explore Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is located in the highland jungle of the Urubamba River. The complex is so well hidden by the towering jungle covered ramparts of the Cordillera Vilcabamba that it was never discovered by the Spaniards. Machu Picchu preserves the most perfect picture of what the Inca world must have been like. Its origins and purpose are lost in time. Overnight at hotel in Cuzco. B

DAY 08
CUZCO
At 11,200ft. above sea level, Cuzco is the heart of Tahuantinsuyo, Peru's pre- Colombian Empire. Cuzco today is the oldest continuously inhabited city in South America, a fascinating and colorful paradox of the past and the present. You will visit the Inca temple of Coricancha or the Temple of the Sun with walls demonstrating some of the finest examples of Inca stonework in existence. The Santo Domingo church was built over this magnificent temple. During the Inca times its courtyards were filled with life-sized gold and silver representations of all the flora and fauna of the Empire. Pizarro's men looted the temple as part of Inca Atahualpa royal ransom who was held prisoner in Cajamarca by the Spaniards and later killed. An earthquake destroyed the Santo Domingo church in 1950 revealing the Inca walls that were hidden or plastered over. You will visit the Cathedral located at the northeast side of the Plaza de Armas, which was built in 1550 and contains over four hundred XII century paintings done by the members of the renowned Cuzco School. In the cathedral you will see the Lord of the Earthquakes altar weighing over 52 pounds made of solid gold and studded with precious stones.

You will also explore Sacsayhuaman, located two kilometers from the city of Cuzco, an immense walled complex made up of huge stones distributed in a zigzag pattern in three platforms with an average of 1,181 feet in length. These platforms are connected by flights of stairs and doorways also in stone; one of these is 29 feet tall and 15 feet wide and weighs more than 100 tons. The largest stone block found in Sacsayhuaman stands 27.88 feet high and weighs 361 tons. Inca Pachacuti employed 20,000 men for the construction of the complex and it took approximately 50 years to complete. You will also visit the sites of Qenco and Tambomachay. Overnight at hotel in Cuzco. B

DAY 09
CUZCO - OUT
Transfer to airport for departure from Cuzco. B

TRIP PRICING

Pricing below assumes double occupancy. Single supplement will apply for individuals not sharing accommodations. CALL US FOR GROUP PRICING!

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TRIP DIFFICULTY: Journey requires participants to be in good health and physical condition. The Inca Trail is a high altitude trek and three of the mountain passes are above 12,000 feet. Travelers with health conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure should consult their physician before traveling.

INCLUDES: All hotel accommodations based on double occupancy. All camping equipment (only need to bring own sleeping bag) and porter services. English guide services for the duration of the trip with the exception of day two in Machu Picchu. Meals as specified in the itinerary, B=Breakfast; L= Lunch; D=Dinner. Tickets on train to Machu Picchu, entrance into Machu Picchu and bus ticket. All private transfers and transportation for activities described in the itinerary.

NOT INCLUDED: International or domestic airfares, airport departure taxes or visa fees. Travel insurance. Excess baggage charges, additional nights during the trip due to flight cancellations, alcoholic beverages or bottled water, snacks, insurance of any kind, laundry, phone calls, radio calls or messages and items of personal nature.