Day
1 Exploring Cusco Hotel
Reception and transfer to the hotel, located in the downtown,
close to the Plaza the Armas main square. The rest of the day
will be free to acclimatization (Cusco is over 3300 m high) and
we recommend you to rest, walk no more than necessary and drink
a lot of water. At night we will dinner together and our leader
conductor will explain everything about our itinerary and horseback
riding.
Day 2 Cusco City Tour Hotel
B
After a delicious breakfast at the hotel we will start our city
tour around Cusco city and neighboring ruins. A local guide
will show us the down town, visiting the Qorikancha Inca Temple
(the most sacred one during Inca times. Spanish conquerors partially
destroyed it and built over the Santo Domingo church), the Plaza
de Armas beautiful main square and the huge Cathedral, before
heading up to the monumental Saqsaywaman fortification, on a
hill next to the city. We will explore the ruins made with massive
stones, famous because the perfection of their assembly. The
tour will continue to visit Quenco, Puca Pucara and Tambo Machay
ruins.
City Tour takes around 4 hs, the rest of the afternoon will
be free to explore Cusco city.
Day
3 Sacred Valley and Cusco Hotel BL
Around 8:30 am our local guide will pick up us for our tour
to the Sacred Valley, a fertile area watered by the Urubamba
river and used by the Incas to produce a big variety of growing,
such as maize, potatoes, cereals, etc. Our first stop will be
in Pisaq town, a colorful place famous because the local market.
You will have time to enjoy buying handicrafts and we strongly
advise you to taste a big choclo con queso (corn with cheese)
in the main square. We will continue to visit later the Ollantaytambo
ruins, an Inca city that couldn’t be finished because
the Spanish arrival, being nowadays a real museum to show the
ingenious techniques the natives used to build their cities.
After a time for lunch in a restaurant we will continue to little
Chinchero town, the highest in the area, with a charming local
market and a picturesque small Jesuit church, with fresco covered
walls painted by natives. We will see many women working in
crafts and drying potatoes (the hot temperature during the day
and cold at night is perfect for this popular practice)
We will be back in Cusco at evening, feeling we learnt a lot
about history, traditions and daily life of Peruvian people.
Day
4 Horseback riding to Cancha Cancha Community Camp
BLSD
We leave Cusco by bus, on the route to Pisaq until arriving
at Huaran creek (2,950 m/9,676 ft).
There we meet horses and local guides and learn about riding
and saddling before starting our way up a small side valley
that narrows gradually while ascending. We will enjoy a variety
of native flora and fauna, specially medicinal plants used for
making natural dyes. After 3 hours, we arrive to the local community
of Cancha Cancha (3,800m / 12.464 ft), where we will be received
with some typical food and we can share in their incredible
life style and culture. (Duration: 3 hours/Distance: 7Kms).
Day
5 Horseback riding to Quiswarani Camp
BLSD
After breakfast we start slowly uphill until reaching Accopata,
an extensión of Cancha Cancha Community, where shepherds
live in typical stone and ichu (straw) roof huts. There we begin
a steep ascent towards Pachacutec pass 4500m (14,760 ft), surrounded
by views of the beautiful lakes of Azul and Suerococha. From
the pass, we follow a trail that slowly descends, with a permanent
view of Colque Cruz, Sawasiray, Sirihuani and Chicon snow capped
mountains. We traverse Collalay Lake, reaching a waterfall where
we approach the Community of Quiswarani (3,800m/12,464 ft),
where we camp enjoying traditional food and sharing our time
with the children and women weavers. (Time: 7 hours / Distance:
9 Kms).
Day
6 Horseback riding to Lares Hot springs Camp
BLSD
As we leave our campsite, towards to the Huillquijasa pass 4,400
m a s l (14,432 ft) we will see the Chicon glacier and “the
7 lakes” full of huallatas, ducks and other water fowl.
Over the high point we continue downhill until we reach the
community of Cuncani 3,800m (12,464 ft), a picturesque village,
similar to the previous campsite. This was the last refuge of
the “Royal Panakas” an Inca sect. After our picnic
lunch we will continue past a narrow valley, full of spectacular
giant stones, to reach the Trapiche Valley floor, which we follow
down until we arrive to the Lares hot springs, where we will
camp and enjoy the medicinal waters. (Duration: 6 hours / Distance:
11 Kms).
Day
7 Ollantaytambo Hotel B
After a morning bath, we will enjoy an open air breakfast and
leave Lares by vehicle towards Ollantaytambo (4 hours). We will
have there time to enjoy the town (we visited before just the
ruins in the prior Sacred Valley tour) considered the most original
preserved Inca village nowadays. There the stoned streets are
narrow, with irrigation channels, and the blocks are divided
in four big houses each, all of them made by the Incas using
assembly stones and polygonal anti seismic design.
Day
8 Machu Picchu - Cusco Hotel B
After breakfast we will take the train to Aguas Calientes and
from there a short bus ride to Machu Picchu. A local guide will
show us the fantastic “Lost City” of the Inca for
2.5 hrs, and then we will have free time to explore the place
and enjoy its beauty. At 4:00 pm we will meet again in Aguas
Calientes to take the train back to Cusco. Arrival will be around
9:00 pm.
Day 9 Cusco Hotel B
Free day.
Day
10 Cusco B Transfer to
the airport or bus station.
PRICE:
Services
included:
Mentioned transfers, 5 nights of lodging in hotel in Cusco,
one night in hostel in Ollantaytambo. Three nights sleeping
in camping, igloo-style tents for two people. City tour and
Sacred Valley excursion with all the necessary entrance tickets.
All the detailed meals (optional vegetarian menu) During the
ride expedition our guide will carry communications equipment
and first aid kit. Porterage of gear (10 kg per person) Necessary
permits. English-speaking staff. Excursion to Machu Picchu and
entrance ticket.
Not
inlcuded: Drinks before and after the expedition.
Tips.
International and domestic airfares.
Personal gear, medications, ground or air evacuations, phone
communications and items of personal nature, insurance liability,
hospitalization or medical attention of any kind, any other
service not mentioned in this condition sheet.
OPTIONAL
ACCOMMODATION IN CUSCO:
Hotel 3* double room: 55 dolars the room
Hotel 4* double room: 70 dolars the room
OPTIONAL
TOURS IN CUSCO: Visit to Maras and Moray archaeological site,
mountain biking, 1 or 4 days long rafting, etc.
PRE DEPARTURE INFORMATION
Thank
you for choosing a tour in South America with Latitud Sur Group.
The following information is provided to assist you in preparing
for your trip.
Our itineraries are not luxury tours. At times it may be dusty,
dirty, wet, hot or all of this at the same time! If you approach
your trip with a spirit of adventure and a positive attitude,
you and your fellow travelers will get the most out of the journey.
Difficulty level: this expedition is for people who enjoy adventure
experiences, foreign cultures and imposing landscapes. It requires
normal physical conditioning and its difficulty is moderate.
Because
security reasons, to be part of the expedition the top weight
allowed is 110 k.
Personal
travel insurance is required (bring a copy with you to give
to the tour conductor).
It
is compulsory you inform us if you suffer asthma, diabetes,
allergy, back or legs pain or surgery, reduced vision or other
problem we should know.
CAMPSITES:
in natural places, without services or facilities except the
equipment we transport (mess tent, table, chairs, stove and
kitchen stuff, igloo tents for two people)
ACCOMMODATION
IN CITIES: in small picturesque 3* level hotels.
BEVERAGE:
We recommend you drink bottled water while in Peru. During the
expedition drinking water will be provided.
FOOD: the menu will include pastas, meats,
rice, salads, cold meat and sausage, some fruits, vegetables,
etc. During the riding time you will have snacks like cereals,
sweets, candies, etc.
While in cities: Peruvian food is amazing, because variety and
taste. A normal meal costs 15 soles.
YOUR
PARTICIPATION: although you don’t have to, we
will appreciate your help in the daily chores such as cooking,
washing up, going for water, cleaning and packing.
DOCUMENTS:
passport is required. You will need to have a copy with you
during the expedition. Visas are not our responsibility, contact
your embassy to get information about countries that required
visa to visit Peru.
CLIMATE:
we conduct the expedition during the dry season, so the climate
should be temperate, with sunny days and cold nights. However
except in Jun, July and Aug rain is very possible, so your personal
equipment has to prepare you for all these possibilities.
MONEY
AND CHANGE: the local money is the “sol”,
3.25 soles are equivalent to 1 dollar. ATM machines are available
in Cusco, Pisaq, Aguas Calientes and Ollantaytambo.
SPECIAL
VACCINATION: is not required.
LINK
YOUR TOUR: this trip can be linked with optional activities
in Cusco, also with our “Sailing in Madre de Dios Jungle”
or “From Cusco to La Paz” tours. We also can organize
tailored itineraries visiting Lima, Nazca, Titicaca Lake and
Arequipa.
IMPORTANT
NOTE: the itinerary and camp sites can be changed because
of security reasons. Prices and all the information is subject
to change without prior notice. The order of the activities
can change.
NECESSARY
PERSONAL EQUIPMENT:
Personal sleeping bag (- 8 degree comfort temperature) and roll
mat.
Purse and Daypack (or saddlebag if you have it)
Hiking shoes or boots
Raincoat or poncho
Water bottle (2 l)
Hat, sun block, sunglasses
Heavy sweater or polar and light sweeter, jacket, gloves, scarf
4 pairs of socks
2 long trousers
2 long-sleeved shirts
Insect repellent
Small sewing kit
Plastic bags
chocolates, candies or other snacks
Passport (plus photocopy)
Camera and film
Personal toiletries and towel
Torch/flashlight and spare batteries
Swimsuit.
Our
guides carry a first aid kit, however we advise you to bring
a personal medical kit, including: lip balm, sunscreen, painkillers,
moisturizer, band-aids, sterile dressings, anti-histamine cream
or tablets, anti-diarrhea remedy, dehydration salts, antiseptic
cream.
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