Rainbow Mountain - Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

ITINERARY

Day 1: Cusco to Rainbow Mountain Trek – Cusco
We will pick you up between 03:00 hrs. – 03:15 hrs. Then we are going to set out on a drive through the South Valley. The drive takes around 3 hours to get to trail ahead. long to the rainbow mountain (most of the way is going up). In the way up we are going to be able to enjoy amazing landscapes of herds of alpacas and llamas, the Ausangate Mountain, many red mountains and traditional local houses and interact with the local people who are still keeping the culture alive. After the amazing view of the landscapes on the top we are going to down to the beginning of our trekking point, that take 3 hours approx. Our private van will be waiting for us when we return. We will embark on the 3 hour drive back to Cusco and drop you off at your Cusco hotel, arriving between 7.00pm and 8.00 pm.

Day 2 : Inca Trail - KM. 104 to the Sun Gate

Trekkers walking along the stone trail from the Sun Gate to the Machu Picchu ruins.

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your Cusco hotel and transferred to the train station. You’ll take the train through the stunning landscapes of the Sacred Valley to the station at kilometer 104. Here you will begin your hike following the original path of the Incas through the beautiful Andean mountains.

The first Inca ruins you will encounter are those of Chachabamba, a small archaeological complex believed to have once been a guard house to Machu Picchu. From here the trail ascends at a gradual incline for three hours until you reach 8,690 feet (2,650 meters). You will visit the site of Wiñay Wayna, which means “Eternal Youth” in the indigenous Quechua language. The name comes from the perennial orchids that speckle the landscape, making Wiñay Wayna perhaps the most beautiful place on the Inca Trail. It is also the last urban center before arriving to Machu Picchu.

Wiñay Wayna consists of 4 main sectors: the urban sector, located in the lower part and containing more than 20 buildings; the ritual sector; the terraced sector for crops; and the tower sector, which boasts the site’s finest architecture and was probably a place of religious or social importance.

After touring the site and lunching, you will continue on to the Inti Punku or the “Sun Gate,” from where you can see Machu Picchu in all its majesty and grandeur. From Inti Punku you will hike downhill for roughly 30 minutes toward the citadel’s principal ruins, taking in magnificent panoramic views along the way. You will then take a bus into the mountain town of Aguas Calientes, where you will have dinner and spend the night in a comfortable Machu Picchu hotel.

• Minimum Altitude:  6,660 ft (2,2030 m)
• Maximum Altitude: 8,690 ft (2,650 m)
• Approximate Time: 6 to 7 hrs
• Gradient: Moderate

Day 3 : Machu Picchu Tour

Rise early and head to the bus station for the 20-minute drive up to the entrance of Machu Picchu, where you will embark on a 2-hour guided tour of the citadel. If you choose to breakfast at 5 a.m. or pack a breakfast box, you can reach the citadel in time to see the sun rise over the Inca ruins.

The magnificent handiwork of the Incas is abundantly evident even centuries after it was first set into place by genius engineers. The precision of the carved walls contrasts sharply with the wild, verdant mountains and steep highlands. The city itself can be divided into 3 areas: the urban, agricultural, and adjacent zones. In the urban sector you can find the Temple of the Sun, Royal Tomb, ceremonial fountains, Royal Palace, Temple of the Three Windows, Main Temple, Intiwatana and more. The agricultural sector includes the cemetery and the Funeral Rock. Finally, the adjacent zones include Intipunku, the Temple of the Moon, Huayna Picchu, and the Drawbridge.

You may want to take advantage of Machu Picchu’s spiritual setting to meditate and relax. But the more adventurous can take a 90-minute climb up the nearby peak of Huayna Picchu. On the way down from Huayna Picchu, take the trek past the Temple of the Moon, once a retreat for Inca nobles and priests. The extra trek is not for the faint of heart and must be done with extreme caution. However, the opportunity to see Machu Picchu from another angle is often enough to draw the more adventurous visitor. Note that park officials limit the number of visitors to Huayna Picchu to 400 per day and tickets need to be purchased in advance.

After your day in Machu Picchu, you will take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes to collect your belongings from your hotel and return to Cusco by train, where you will be met for a transfer to your hotel.

INCLUDED

With the 3 Day Rainbow Mountian, Inca Trail, Machupicchu package you will receive:

• Transportation Tickets

• Transfer from hotel to train station Cusco Machu Picchu  
• Transfer from hotel to Rainbow mountain Cusco
• Round-trip train tickets: Cusco-Aguas Calientes-Cusco (EXPEDITION Service)  
• Bus tickets to and from Machupicchu 
• Transfer from Cusco train station back to your hotel

• Team

• Professional, English-speaking guide for both days  
• Entrance fee to Inca Trail and Machu Picchu 
• Entrance fee to Rainbow Mountain

• Emergency Equipment

• First Aid Kit: includes alcohol, bandages, pills for the altitude, oxygenated water, cotton balls, Imodium, Panadol, rehydration sachets, rescue ropes, etc.
• An oxygen bottle is available at all times.
• Radio communication: Guides are equipped with radios used by workers in the Machu Picchu National Park. We have constant communication with our staff and rangers in case of emergencies.

• Food

• Breakfast at rainbow mountain 
• lunch after rainbow mountain
• Boxed lunch for first day  
• Dinner at Aguas Calientes restaurant
• Breakfast second day at the hotel 

• Hotel

• Hotel 3 star accommodation in Aguas Calientes

• • NOT INCLUDED:

• Breakfast first day 
• Lunch on second day (option to add lunch for an additional fee)
• Voluntary Tips for Guide (Please keep in mind that tipping is common in Latin America and would be greatly appreciated.)

PRICE

Price per Person: US$590  (Minimum 2 persons; departures all year except February) 

* We include First aid kit/Emergency Portable Oxygen Tank.
* Group discounts available from 4+ guests- please inquire
* Solo travelers can be matched with existing groups

WHY EXPLORE

Cultural Immersion Experience

Travel is about meeting the local people and experiencing different ways of life. That is why EXPLORE ADVENTURES PERU immerses you in the local communities. Visit the most interesting and off the beaten track locations to experience the real Peru! Have a unique cultural adventure at local communities, COMMUNITY STAY and CULTURAL IMMERSION before each trek and take part of our tours.

We are a 100% locally owned and operated company!  Proud  to be Quechuas!!!

EXPLORE ADVENTURES PERU offers an assortment of adventurous treks and exciting tour packages in Peru, specially designed to appeal to most visitors' budgets that doesn't have a negative impact on the environment or adversely affect local communities. EXPLORE ADVENTURES PERU employees are local, Peruvian people. We work to invest in our own country and develop social work to offer our people a better lifestyle and provide opportunities to keep growing. This is the main difference between local companies and foreign companies and associated companies.

Our Group Services have a maximum group size of 8

most tour operators work with a maximum of 16 on the Inca Trail, since this is authorized by law, or even higher on other trekking routes.

We treat our staff

Including chefs, porters and wranglers with the utmost respect and fairness. EXPLORE ADVENTURES not only complies with the Porter Law and Regulation, but our wages are over the minimum requested by law and above the average pay by most tour operators.

We have expert Tour Guides

For special requests (ornithology, history and archaeology, flora and fauna and also generalist guides). All our guides have been trained in advanced first aid by certified doctors in Peru. On all of our treks, not only on the Inca Trail, there will be a guide for every 8 guests. The head guide will ensure the utmost safety to our guests by providing them undivided attention.

We use innovative equipment

Such as an igloo, waterproof, spacious tents, camping equipment specialized for high mountain treks, such as Vaude, Eureka and Doite tents. Each tent has a capacity for 3 people, but are used only for 2 people.

We have one of the most outstanding meal services in the field

Our chefs have been highly trained by several institutes in Lima and Cusco. You should be prepared to not only have a superb trekking experience, but also a culinary one, including generous and delicious breakfasts, snacks, lunches, tea services and dinners. Our delectable menus include a variety of Peruvian and international food and also cater for vegetarian and other dietary needs at no extra cost. EXPLORE ADVENTURES PERU is recognized for its buffet meals, the quantity and quality of food, and its freshness.

EXPLORE ADVENTURES PERU performs responsibly.

Making sure to cause minimal impact on the environment of the natural protected areas where it operates.

We pay legal taxes (19% IGV or consumption tax)on all services contributing to the country’s growth and development. Further to this, we pay a 30% tax on all earnings.

Our superb treatment to our staff is not reduced in the low season: porter and chef wages are maintained, same as guide fees.

Finally, EXPLORE ADVENTURES PERU strives to provide top quality service to its clientele and will continue to listen to their comments on how to improve our services and take it to a higher level. Our clients are extremely satisfied as our numerous testimonials prove. Please read their trip reports on the Testimonials section of our website and also on Tripadvisor.

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 ALL DEPARTURES 100% GUARANTEED - IF YOU'RE BOOKED, YOU'RE GOING

UPGRADES

Upgrades - HOTELS

Belmond Sanctuary Lodge($460 USD), Belmond Sanctuary Lodge is a luxury hotel in the Sacred Valley,  Machupicchu Peru.

Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel 5-star hotel($335 USD) , hotel Privileged located at the Urubamba River and only 20 minutes from the famous Machu Picchu archeological site, this 5- star hotel offers comfort, elegance and relaxation, in Andean Design.

Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo 3,5-star hotel ($445USD) , Hotel is a colonial-style property that features massage sessions and an Andean sauna. The spacious rooms feature tile floors and sitting areas.

Tierra Viva Machu Picchu 3-star hotel($110 USD) , hotel Offering impressive views of the surrounding hills, Tierra Viva Cusco Machu Picchu.

Andina Luxury hotel ($100 USD),This hotel is located in Aguas Caliente (Machu Picchu town), a few meters from the railway station en route to the hot springs with a breathtaking view of the surrounding vegetation.

Casa Andina Machu Picchu hotel ($150 USD),Casa Andina Classic Machu Picchu is a cozy and comfortable hotel strategically located in Aguas Calientes, the access point to the Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu.

Restaurants

Indio Feliz Dinner at the Restaurant, Bistro, Bar, Crêperie in MachuPicchu. on Day 1-($35 USD) 
Tinkuy Buffet Lunch at the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge on Day 2 – US $45