Active Adventures: Trekking and Hiking Tour in Peru
9 days / 8 nights
Overview
This journey starts in Lima, the capital of Peru and continues straight to the region of Sacred Valley where altitude is lower than Cusco. Since Cusco is at an elevation of 3400m (11,154ft above sea level) we head to Urubamba first, because the lower altitude makes a huge difference to prevent altitude sickness. You will discover the unique wonder and natural beauty of walking & hiking across Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Stroll through the history and cultural heritage, Andean towns and fertile farmland. After a few days in the Sacred Valley and after hiking to Machu Picchu, you will make your way back up to Cusco and enjoy its archaeological remains and Spanish colonial architecture. It's this convergence of discovering an alluring ancient culture, meeting fascinating people, Inca ruins and exploring the stunning natural landscapes that make our Peru walking and hiking tour unforgettable.
Memorable Moments
- Experience the best of Peruvian cuisine in one evening;
- Relax over a gourmet lunch with views of pre-Incan ruins;
- Learn how to make ceviche and Pisco sour cocktails;
- Explore an exceptional museum in Lima which features the finest gold and silver collection from Ancient Peru;
- Join us in a stunning off-the-beaten-path hike amid breathtaking views of the Sacred Valley.
- Hike with Llamas through native forests and archaeological ruins;
- Row in the lake in kayaks while admiring great views of the snowy peaks of the Urubamba mountain range;
- Ride over gentle slopes, most of them downhill, until you reach Maras salt pools which date back to Incan times;
- Enjoy a short trek to Machu Picchu and discover impressive archaeological sites on your way to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu;
- Climb Machu Picchu mountain and experience spectacular views of all Machu Picchu citadel;
- Travel on the exclusive and luxurious Belmond Hiram Bingham train and enjoy the elegant dining car, the bar car, and the observatory, where you can take in the unmatched scenery in the open air while sipping on a traditional Peruvian cocktail and listening to live local music;
- Take part in a historical walking tour to Sacsayhuaman Archeological Site;
- Enjoy a sensory experience at the San Pedro Market and find an abundance of alpaca sweaters, textiles, bags and jewelry to take home and treasure as a memory of your trip to Cusco.
Itinerary at a glance
Day 1 – Lima – Arrival Day
Day 2 – Lima - Historic Center & Treasures from Ancient Peru Tour
Day 3 – Cusco –Incan Agricultural Terraces
Day 4 – Sacred Valley – Stunning Hike from Chinchero To Urquillos
Day 5 – Sacred Valley - Llama Trek to Archaeological Ruins
Day 6 – Sacred Valley – Multi-Activity Day
Day 7 – Machu Picchu– Short Inca Trail & Citadel
Day 8 – Machu Picchu – Climb Machu Picchu Mountain – Hiram Bingham Train
Day 9 – Cusco – Imperial City & Walk to Sacsayhuaman Complex
Pictures of this itinerary
Full Itinerary
Welcome to Lima!
Arrival at Jorge Chavez International Airport where your guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. Check in at Country Club Lima Hotel located in the upscale district of San Isidro. Head downtown to mingle with locals, stretch your legs, and have dinner at one of the many award-winning restaurants where it’s hardest to snag a reservation.
Accommodation: Country Club San Isidro Lima.
Following breakfast, visit Mr. Franjo Kurtovic’s exceptional private museum which features the finest gold and silver collection from Ancient Peru. Then, visit the historical center of Lima, one of the biggest and most important of South- America and start a comprehensive walking tour of colonial Lima.
Enjoy a cooking class that dives into Peru’s star dish and cocktail, ceviche and Pisco Sours! Or relax over a gourmet lunch with views of pre-Incan ruins. Vegan and veggie options available!
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Country Club San Isidro Lima.
Early in the morning, you will be transferred to Lima airport to board your flight to Cusco. Upon arriving in Cusco, you will drive for one hour to Sacred Valley to visit the Inkariy Museum, dedicated to pre-Hispanic cultures. Following lunch, you will visit “Los Andenes de Yucay”, the largest monument from the Sacred Valley dedicated to the agriculture and the fertility of the land, especially for the cultivation of corn. At this moment, “Los Andenes de Yucay” are among the only ones from the Sacred Valley which are cultivating and conserving entirely their ancestral traditions and costumes. Following lunch, you will be transferred to your hotel in Sacred Valley to check in and relax.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel Tambo del Inka Luxury Collection
Together with your guide, leave Cusco in direction to the village of Chinchero (12,316 feet). Chinchero, was the place that the Inca Tupac Inca Yupanqui chose to establish his residence. A visit to the picturesque village of Chinchero followed by a hike down a spectacular stone- paved Inca trail to a wooded gully and onto the Sacred Valley. This hike is one of the best off-the-beaten-path adventures of the Sacred Valley. With its starting point in the archaeological complex of Chinchero, the views and adventure are constant throughout. Breathtaking views of the Apu Sawasiray on the route. You will then visit a family-run dairy and corn farm where you will be shown around the facilities, the animals, the machinery, and be shown how the largest corn in the world is grown in this unique climate. This is a working farm, not a staged event, the people you see are doing what they do every day. You will now enjoy a fantastic farmhouse lunch, eating with a family member, at a large table with views over the corn fields (or inside the farmhouse). After this hearty lunch and chat with locals, you will be transfer to your hotel in Sacred Valley.
Total time from Sacred Valley: 4-5 hours Hiking time: 3 hours.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel Tambo del Inka Luxury Collection
Following breakfast, our next destination will be Moray, a place that had probably served as an Inca agricultural research center, where crops experiments were carried out at different heights thanks to their platforms as concentric rings. Later, we will start a brief lesson in kayaking, rowing in the lake with a great view of the snowy peaks of the Urubamba Cordillera, getting close to the native birds who dwell here. Picnic at the lake with textile demonstration. Then we get on our mountain bikes and ride over gentle slopes, most of them downhill, until we reach the salt pans at Maras. Here we leave our bikes in our bus and continue on foot down a bridle path that takes us to the Sacred Valley, On the other side our transport is waiting for us and takes us to the local brewery of the Sacred Valley. Explanation and tasting. Return to our hotel.
Total time from Sacred Valley: 8 hours.
Kayaking time: 2 hours
Biking time: 2 hours
Hiking time: 40 minutes
Difficulty level: Moderate
Altitude range 11,482 to 9,515 feet above sea level.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel Tambo del Inka Luxury Collection
Peru’s best-known hike visited by thousands of tourists every year. This still thrilling 2-day program covers 8-mile Inca Trail, joining the classical 4-day route at the impressive archaeological site of Wiñaywayna, continuing through the famous Inti Punku or Sun Gate, and finally devoting the second day to a full day visit of the world- famous Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. At the end of the day, return to your hotel in Aguas Calientes.
Meals: L (box-lunch)
Total distance: 13 km (8,08 miles) Estimated walking time: 6-7 hours
Maximum altitude point: 2,650 m (8,692 ft)
Machu Picchu altitude: 2,400 m (7,872 ft)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Accommodation: Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
We wake up early and board a bus to Machu Picchu where we begin a complete guided tour of the Inca citadel that will take approximately two hours. You will then have free time to walk around, climb the Machu Picchu Mountain where one can experience spectacular views of all of Machu Picchu, the valleys and mountains that surround it or visit the Temple of the Moon or the impressive Inca Bridge. At 5 pm, you will board the Hiram Bingham Luxury train to Cusco. Transfer to your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Hiram Bingham train.
Accommodation: Monasterio Belmond
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FAQ
If you are planning to climb one of the two peaks within the ruins, Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, it’s best to travel during the dry season or the shoulder seasons for the best conditions. Good weather is especially important for Huayna Picchu because the steep, stone Inca steps can get slick in the rain.
This itinerary is designed for regular active people. You should be able to walk 5-7 hours a day over relatively tough terrain for 3-4 days in a row. We recommend consulting your doctor before booking your trip to Peru.
You definitely need hiking boots. By far the most important thing for your boots is to be well broken in by the time you do this trek, and to be comfortable walking 9 miles or more. Most of your porters will be wearing rubber sandals because that is what they are comfortable walking in. If you have heavy duty backpacking boots that you love, great! If you prefer a lightweight running shoe for long distances, is good too.
You can never predict altitude sickness; you may not even get it. Physical fitness, age, and gender have no bearing on whether you will get altitude sickness. Symptoms usually develop within the first day at altitude (when reaching heights above 2,500 m/8,000 ft above sea level). Since Cusco is at an elevation of 3400m (11,154ft above sea level) we head to Urubamba first, because the lower altitude makes a huge difference to prevent altitude sickness and acclimate.
To prevent acute mountain sickness, we start our journey in the Sacred Valley, which, by nature, is lower in elevation than the surrounding mountains. This will help minimize the unpleasant effects of altitude sickness. On your first day in the Sacred Valley, we take things easy, drink plenty of fluids and we don’t plan any strenuous treks until you’ve acclimatized.
Upon arriving at Machu Picchu, your temperature will be taken — if you’re above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, you will not be allowed to enter. Individuals must wear masks and remain six feet apart (2 meters) at all times. Tour groups are limited to eight people, and they must remain 66 feet apart (20 meters) from other groups.
Our trip leaders are all fluent Spanish speakers so if you don’t have time to learn a little Spanish before arrival you don’t have to worry… they will take care of everything.
Definitely. We can include meals to meet any dietary requirement (vegan, vegetarian, gluten intolerant, lactose intolerant, Kosher). You will get the opportunity to specify your particular requirements when you fill in our pre-trip form. We will let the trekking team know of your dietary requirements beforehand and it should then be easy to adjust the menu.
Currently, proof of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test is required to enter Peru that is no more than 72 hours old after being issued and before boarding the plane. Given the fluidity of the situation, updated entry requirements will be provided 30 days prior to travel.
A passport valid for six months is required to enter and depart Peru. Tourists must also provide evidence of return or onward travel. Citizens of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia and Chile may enter the country with their national identity document. Check with your nearest Peru Consulate to determine entry requirements.
A current yellow fever vaccination is a must ( you will be required to show it to the Health Ministry representatives), also anti-malarial medications should be discussed. A visit to your physician prior to coming to Perú is recommended.
If you are planning to travel during high season (mid-December through end of February) we recommend to book your trip 12-15 months in advance. Most people book their December vacations a year in advance, and so should you. If you are planning to travel during mid-season you can start booking 8-6 months in advance. As soon as you know when you want to go, contact us and we will help you with the planning and booking process.
WiFi is available almost everywhere in big cities and in most towns/villages so you can rely on having access a few times a week during your trip. WiFi is available at the hotels where you will stay but there won’t be any internet signal in the mountains and in Machu Picchu.
Tour rates do not include international flights. We find that it is usually less expensive for travelers to book these separately, and this also allows you the flexibility to choose the schedule and routing that is most convenient for you. Alternatively, we can help you arrange these flights.
Yes. We publish special offers periodically throughout the year. Check out our Offers page for the latest offers and on-going discounts.
Yes. You are required to have full travel insurance cover. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that also includes trip cancellation and other travel mishaps (e.g. flight cancellations or delays, trip interruption, theft or loss of luggage and personal effects).
