LAMAY TO PISAQ
A beautiful but difficult trek due to its length and altitude. We recommend at least two days prior acclimatization. Hiking from the community of Huayllafara taking in the fantastic scenery of the remote Sacred Valley with amazing mountain views, passing lagoons and a variety of flora and fauna to reach the well-excavated ruins above the town of Pisac. A very rewarding, but challenging day hike.
In the early morning, we will set off from our hotel to be at our trek start point for 08:00 am, ready to spend the day hiking out in the fabulous mountains of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Lamay to Pisac offers us quite a demanding hike covering quite a distance along scenic pathways through rural communities, farms and native forests.
Our meeting point is La Base Lamay from here we will drive to the community of Huayllafara to begin our trek. Our route takes us along and above this incredible valley, affording magnificent panoramic views to take our breath away and fill us with a wonderful sense of openness, solitude, and peace. Going at our own pace, but aware of the distance we need to cover, this is a great hike to both challenge and delight. Enroute we’ll discover beautiful lagoons and a variety of interesting flora in the Puna landscape. Abounding in fabulous viewpoints for great photo opportunities and the best lunch spot ever!
Our hike culminates with a visit to the archaeological complex of Pisac. This is a really lovely location overlooking a beautiful valley down to the Urubamba river below. The situation provides a great sense of the surrounding landscape and has a calming sense of peace about it. This impressive and well-excavated site was used for farming terraces and was an Inca settlement some say protecting the Sacred Valley from the South.
After our tour around the site listening to our guide enlighten us about these ruins, spending some time appreciating the vista from up high, and seizing the photo opportunity*. We’ll trek down along an ancient Inca path that takes us directly into the main square of Pisac. This is a charming plaza and also the location of the now quite famous craft market. We’ll spend some free time to enjoy this delightful town of cobbled streets and maybe make some craft purchases that honestly, will be hard to resist.
After a perfect day spent out in the open-air combined with some souvenir retail therapy or simply enjoying a look around the friendly town in the afternoon our private transport awaits to return us to your hotel.
*Depending on how tired we are, there is the option to finish our hike here and drive down to the town then back to the hotel after visiting Pisac.
Meals: Box Lunch.
Start point: 2934m/9625ft
Highest point: 4410m/14468ft
Distance: 14.2km/8.82ml
Difficulty: Challenging (due to the distance we have to cover in one day)
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DAY 1 - CUSCO TO HUAYLLABAMBAEarly in the morning, we take the way leading from Cusco to Km82 (2750 mt/9130 ft), this is our check point at the beginning of the trek. The trail follows the river valley for a while; this is a good training day before the second more challenging day. Along the way we will pass Wilkaracay with its impressive view of Patallacta which are both important Inca remains. It is just the beginning of a holy trail full of sanctuaries. Today, after about 7 hours walking we will reach our first camping place at Huayllabamba (3000 mt/9842ft). On reaching our camp for the evening we will be met by our trek team, the porters who will have already set up camp and our cook who will be preparing our evening meal. Day Distance: 12 km / 7.3 ml Approximate Walking time: 6-7 hrs Meals: L, D + Snacks
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DAY 2 - HUAYLLABAMBA TO PACAYMAYOEver optimistic, the sun will be shining on our second day as we follow the Inca trail to Warmiwañusta (Dead Woman’s Pass). This is considered to be the most challenging trek day as we cross this highest point of the trail at 4200m (13779ft), prepare for a steep uphill until we summit. The sense of achievement is a reward in itself, then a beautiful stone trail will show us the way as we descend to our tents in the campsite at Pacaymayo (3580 mt/11740 ft). On reaching our camp for the evening we will be met by our trek team who will have already set up camp and our cook who will be preparing our mouthwatering evening meal. Day Distance: 11km / 7 ml Approximate Walking time: 8 to 9 hrs. Meals: B, L, D + Snacks
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DAY 3 - PACAYMAYO TO PHUYUPATAMARCAWaking up just in time to be served a hot drink, our tents pitched within the surroundings of the cloud forest. After a good and healthy breakfast we continue along this ancient trail passing small marshes, continuing over the second mountain pass of the trek. It is the second highest point of the hike (3,900mt/12,950ft). As we descend we will see the flora and fauna become more abundant with hummingbirds accompanying us along our route. We have lunch at Chaquicocha (3500 mt/11,620 ft) a fine place for a break in the middle of the cloud forest. The last two hours of the day, are some of the most memorable and breathtaking views of the Inca Trail. We reach our last campsite when the sun sets at Phuyupatamarca, a befitting name meaning 'town in the clouds'. Day Distance: 12 km / 7.3 ml Approximate Walking time: 8 to 9 hrs Meals: B, L, D + Snacks
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DAY 4 - PHUYUPATAMARCA TO MACHU PICCHUWe begin the final leg of our trek to the lost city of Machupicchu. We descend for 3hrs, about 900m below from Phuyupatamarca. On the way down there are a couple of Incan Archaeological sites: Intipata first, and then Wiñaywayna which is just 2 hrs before the Sungate entrance (“Inti Punku”). Having taken time to enjoy the first glimpse of Machu Picchu; we walk down in to the astonishing complex for a full tour to learn from our guide all about this fascinatingly unique Citadel. Later we take the bus down to be on time for the train back to Ollantaytambo, from here, our private transport will bring us back to Cusco. Day Distance: 7.3 km / 4.5 ml Approximate Walking time: 5 hrs Meals: B, L + Snacks
Machu Picchu EXTENSION
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