Discover Peru’s iconic archaeological sites on a hiking adventure to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu that features an optional 1-day trek on the legendary Inca Trail. Visit Lima’s Larco Museum with a curator, explore Inca ruins and Andean traditions in the Sacred Valley, and experience Machu Picchu from different angles. 

Activity Level: This is a Moderate Active Journey. Travelers should be reasonably fit and capable of walking or hiking for several hours over terrain that is at times steep and uneven.  Travelers can expect 3 to 7 miles of hiking or walking on most days with some elevation gains.  Day-by-day activity descriptions can be found on the itinerary page at the end of each day. Read more about Active Journeys activity levels here.   

This Active Journey is limited to a maximum of 18 travelers per departure

 Enjoying the view of Machu Picchu
Enjoying the view of Machu Picchu
 Hiking the lost city of the Inca
Hiking the lost city of the Inca
 Pondering the site, Machu Picchu. Credit: Inka Terra Machu Picchu
Pondering the site, Machu Picchu. Credit: Inka Terra Machu Picchu
 Exploring the renowned stone work of Machu Picchu
Exploring the renowned stone work of Machu Picchu
 Machu Picchu and the Urubamba River
Machu Picchu and the Urubamba River
 The iconic site of Machu Picchu
The iconic site of Machu Picchu
 The site of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley
The site of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley
 The impressive stone walls of Sacsayhuaman
The impressive stone walls of Sacsayhuaman
 The capital of Cusco
The capital of Cusco
 The cathedral in Cusco. Credit: Richard Stanoss
The cathedral in Cusco. Credit: Richard Stanoss
 Traditional Peruvian culinary ingredients. Credit: Richard Stanoss
Traditional Peruvian culinary ingredients. Credit: Richard Stanoss
 Typical scene in Peru
Typical scene in Peru

Walking and Hiking Inca Trails: An Active Journey to Peru

With Optional 1-Day Inca Trail trek

9 days from $3,899

Discover Peru’s iconic archaeological sites on a hiking adventure to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu that features an optional 1-day trek on the legendary Inca Trail. Visit Lima’s Larco Museum with a curator, explore Inca ruins and Andean traditions in the Sacred Valley, and experience Machu Picchu from different angles. 

Activity Level: This is a Moderate Active Journey. Travelers should be reasonably fit and capable of walking or hiking for several hours over terrain that is at times steep and uneven.  Travelers can expect 3 to 7 miles of hiking or walking on most days with some elevation gains.  Day-by-day activity descriptions can be found on the itinerary page at the end of each day. Read more about Active Journeys activity levels here.   

This Active Journey is limited to a maximum of 18 travelers per departure

Overview

Encounter the legacy of the Inca from an intimate point of view on a journey that combines encounters with Peru’s rich culture and hikes in the majestic Andes mountains. Gain insight into the civilizations that predated the Spanish conquest—and even the Inca—on a curator-led tour of Lima’s Larco Museum and a visit to the Huaca Pucllana pyramid.  Get acquainted with Peru’s celebrated cuisine during cooking classes and an Andean feast cooked in the earth. Get to know a timeless way of life in the Sacred Valley and immerse yourself in the mystique of mountaintop Machu Picchu during two visits. Along the way, enjoy opportunities to hike the ancient trails that lace the Andes, following in the footsteps of the Inca to picturesque villages, temples, and little-known ruins—and even to the gates of Machu Picchu.  

Highlights Include:

  • Lima: Meet a museum curator for a tour of the Larco Museum, home to an impressive private collection of pre-Columbian ceramics and art. Then watch a ceviche-making demonstration before sitting down to lunch in the museum’s lovely café. Enjoy a pisco sour happy hour on your hotel’s rooftop terrace, and visit an ancient clay pyramid in the heart of the city.
  • Sacred Valley: From your base in the shadow of the Andes, set out to discover the delights of the Sacred Valley on hikes and visits to villages and archaeological sites. Explore the Inca ruins near Chinchero and hike the terraced mountainsides above the lively market town of Pisac. Venture to Ollantaytambo to tour its fortress-temples and see the Inca architecture that underlies the town. During your stay in the valley, gaze at the night sky at a planetarium and get acquainted with ancient Andean rituals—from a traditional welcome ceremony led by a shaman to a pachamanca feast.  
  • One-Day Inca Trail Trek: Set out on an optional full-day hike along the last leg of the legendary Inca Trail, trekking past lesser-known Inca settlements and ruins in the high Andes. Arrive at the Sun Gate, overlooking Machu Picchu, and hike on to the entrance of the citadel.
  • Machu Picchu: Enjoy two opportunities to encounter the mountaintop citadel of Machu Picchu. Take an afternoon tour (at a less-crowded time of day) for a first visit of the site, or arrive on foot from the Sun Gate, taking in incredible views of the surrounding peaks from above. The next day, return for an in-depth expert-led tour of the site’s iconic structures and terraces, pausing at various viewpoints for different perspectives of the site.
  • Cusco: Follow a guide through the Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman, then continue to the hilltop Temple of the Moon and hike ancient Inca trails back into Cusco. Or head into the town market to pick up produce for a chef-led cooking class and enjoy the traditional Peruvian dishes you’ve created over lunch. Join an archaeologist for an insider tour of the Machu Picchu Museum, housed in the fascinating Casa Concha.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Lima, Peru

Arrive in Lima, and transfer to your hotel in the beachfront Miraflores district. After time to get settled, gather with your trip leader and fellow travelers for a welcome briefing and dinner. (D)

Day 2 – Lima

Pay a visit to the Larco Museum, a lovely colonial mansion that harbors a world-renowned collection of pre-Columbian ceramics and art. Learn how to prepare Peru’s national dish during a ceviche-making demonstration at the museum's garden restaurant, then join a museum curator for a private tour of its impressive exhibitions, and hear the stories behind notable artifacts.  After lunch, tour the Huaca Pucllana, a pre-Inca clay complex and pyramid that rises up in the middle of the Miraflores neighborhood. During free time this afternoon, relax at the hotel or join your trip leader for a walk along the Malecón de Miraflores to Love Park and to La Marina Lighthouse overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  In the evening, head to the hotel’s rooftop terrace for a pisco sour happy hour before dinner on your own. (B,L)

Walking: 3-4 hours, museum, ruins, and afternoon walking tour, mostly flat.

Day 3 – Cusco / Sacred Valley

Rise early for your flight to Cusco, the oldest continuously inhabited city in South America, set high in the Andes mountains. Descend into the Sacred Valley and stop for a picnic lunch next to a lagoon, taking in stunning views of lush mountains in every direction. Continue to the village of Chinchero, a hub of traditional weaving that is home to extensive Inca terraces and ruins. Explore them with a local guide this afternoon. Arrive at your hotel on the valley floor this afternoon and settle into your room. During a traditional welcome ceremony conducted by a shaman, learn about the sacred rituals of the indigenous people of the Andes.  Gather for a group dinner tonight. (B,L,D)

Fly to Cusco with time to acclimatize to higher elevations in the region (10,000-12,000 feet).  Short afternoon walking tour in Chinchero. 

Day 4 – Sacred Valley

Spend a full day discovering the incomparable Sacred Valley, a which follows the Urubamba River between steep, verdant slopes. Attracted in part by its fertile land, the Inca made their base here, establishing Cusco as their capital and building villages, agricultural centers, and fortresses all along the 62-mile valley. Begin the day with a scenic drive to Ollantaytambo at the western end of the valley. Explore the dramatic ruins of a temple-fortress that climb the slopes on either side of town, and see evidence of the Incas’ remarkable city planning. Continue on the slopes above Pisac, a vibrant market town at the eastern end of the valley. Walk the trails through ruins, terraces, and ancient stairways constructed by the Inca, then head down to explore the markets below. In Pisac’s Plaza de Armas, meander among market stalls where textiles, handicrafts, and local produce are colorfully displayed. A short drive brings you to a community-run restaurant for a traditional pachamanca meal, cooked in an earthen pit beneath hot stones. Back at the hotel this evening, gaze at the night sky at the on-site planetarium and enjoy a leisurely dinner. (B,L,D)

Hiking: Pisac Ruins, 1-2 miles ,rocky, mountainous trail; 100 feet of elevation gain.

Walking: Ollantaytambo ruins, 1-2 miles, stone walkways with many steps.

Day 5 – Aguas Calientes / Machu Picchu

Return to Ollantaytambo to catch the morning train toward Machu Picchu. Here you have a choice: continue by train to the village of Aguas Calientes, nestled in the cloud forest, and enjoy lunch before taking the bus up the mountain for your first visit to Machu Picchu. Explore various sections of the citadel with your guide, then return to Aguas Calientes and opt to visit local hot springs (at additional cost).

Alternatively, disembark the train at the Kilometer 104 marker and hike the remainder of the journey on the historic Inca Trail. The full-day hike climbs steadily into the mountains, passing lesser-known Inca sites such as of Wiñaywayna and offering gorgeous vistas at every turn. Arrive at the Sun Gate, where you’ll catch a first glimpse of Machu Picchu before finishing the last leg of this legendary trail. Descend by bus to Aguas Calientes and meet the rest of the group for dinner. (B,D)

Option 1: Inca Trail Trekking: 7-8 miles, challenging mountain trail, 6 to 7 hours over stone steps and rocky trail with several ascents at altitude; 2,000 feet of elevation gain.    *Please note the Inca trail 1-day trek must be pre booked to secure permits, please advise interest at the time of initial deposit or shortly thereafter.

Option 2: Machu Picchu visit by train: 1-2 miles, stone walkways with many steps.

Day 6 – Machu Picchu / Cusco

After breakfast, ride the bus back up the mountain for a second visit to Machu Picchu with your expert guide. During today’s visit, you’ll explore the sacred site more in depth, learning about the spiritual significance of the sites and getting a closer look at the Inca’s astonishing stone masonry. Enjoy unparalleled views of the citadel and monuments of Machu Picchu from different viewpoints. Following your visit, sit down to lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge, located next to the ruins. Return to Aguas Calientes by bus and board an afternoon train to Ollantaytambo. Continue through the Sacred Valley by coach, taking in the stunning views on the drive back to Cusco. Check in to your hotel and enjoy an evening at leisure. (B,L)

Walking: 1-2 miles, stone walkways with many steps

Day 7 – Cusco

Hit the trail or head to the kitchen on your choice of excursion this morning. Those who choose to hike will begin with a tour of Sacsayhuaman, a 15th-century Inca fortress overlooking Cusco that boasts some of the best examples of the Inca’s stone building techniques. Continue uphill by vehicle to the Temple of the Moon, which affords incredible views of the city below. Then follow ancient Inca trails to hike back towards the city, passing Inca ruins and stopping for a picnic in a scenic spot. Or choose to delve into the bustling market of San Pedro to select fresh produce before taking a cooking class with a local chef. You’ll learn to prepare Peruvian favorites such as causa and lomo saltado. Then sit down to feast on the dishes you’ve created. The remainder of the afternoon is yours to explore Cusco as you wish. Tonight, meet up with the group for dinner at one of the city’s excellent restaurants. (B,L,D)

Hiking (optional): 4 miles, mostly downhill mountain trails; 1,200 feet of descent.

Day 8 – Cusco / Lima

Join an archaeologist for a morning tour of the Machu Picchu Museum, set with the colonial Casa Concha. Peruse the world’s largest collection of artifacts recovered during the various excavations of Machu Picchu—returned to Peru from Yale in 2011, a century after the site was rediscovered by explorer Hiram Bingham. Among the fascinating items on display are artifacts found during the restoration of Casa Concha. Transfer to the airport for your flight back to Lima, where you’ll have a free afternoon, before capping off your adventure in the land of the Inca with a farewell dinner. (B,D)

Walking:  2-3 hours, museum tour, mostly flat.

Day 9 – Return Home

After breakfast, transfer to the Lima airport for your flight home. (B)

Included meals are denoted as follows: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Reception (R), Dinner (D)

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