Cusco, Sacred Valley and Classic Inca Trail 7D/6N

DAY 01 CUSCO ARRIVAL – CITY TOUR

We will meet you at the Cusco airport. The transfer to the hotel is short, but you will notice the change right away: the city sits at about 3,400 meters (11,155 feet) above sea level, and the air feels drier and thinner. At the hotel, we will offer you a cup of coca tea, an Andean tradition commonly enjoyed during the first hours at high altitude. It is not a miracle remedy, but it can help you ease into the altitude more comfortably.

We intentionally leave the morning free. The best thing to do is have lunch at a relaxed pace, stay well hydrated, and avoid packing too many activities into the day. At 1:30 p.m., we begin the city tour.

We start at Qorikancha, the ancient Temple of the Sun. Beneath the Santo Domingo Convent, you can still see the original Inca walls, fitted together with remarkable precision and contrasting with the colonial church built above them. From there, we explore the Main Square and the historic center to better understand how modern-day Cusco was built over the ancient Inca city of Qosqo.

In the afternoon, we head up to the archaeological sites surrounding Cusco. At Sacsayhuamán, the enormous stone blocks are especially impressive, fitted together without mortar. Nearby is Qenqo, a ceremonial site carved directly into natural rock. We finish the tour at Puka Pukara and Tambomachay: a former Inca checkpoint and a sanctuary dedicated to water. At around 6:00 p.m., we will take you back to your hotel.

Overnight in Cusco.

DAY 02 CUSCO: SACRED VALLEY – OLLANTAYTAMBO AND CHINCHERO

Pick-up is at 8:00 a.m. We leave Cusco along the road that descends toward the Vilcanota Valley. Along the way, weather permitting, the landscape gradually changes from the dry highlands to a river valley surrounded by terraces and small towns.

Our first major stop is Pisac. From above, you can see the archaeological complex spread across the mountainside: terraces, structures, and the Inca cemetery on the mountain opposite. It is not simply an addition to the market; it was an agricultural and defensive settlement that guarded this entrance to the valley. Afterward, we descend to the town and explore the market, where traditional barter, textiles, and goods for travelers still coexist.

Lunch is at a restaurant in the valley, usually in the Urubamba area, where the climate is milder than in Cusco.

In the afternoon, we arrive in Ollantaytambo. The town still preserves its original Inca layout, with narrow streets, canals, and stone walls that continue to carry water. The fortress is more than just a viewpoint: it was a military, agricultural, and ceremonial center, as well as a strategic point controlling access toward the edge of the Amazon rainforest. Climbing its terraces helps explain why this place was so important: whoever controlled it controlled the valley.

On the way back to Cusco, we stop in Chinchero, located at a higher and colder elevation. Here, there are remains associated with Túpac Yupanqui, an Inca wall in the main square, and a colonial church built over pre-Hispanic foundations, with paintings on the portico. If there is a textile demonstration, it is worth watching: you can see the traditional process of dyeing wool with plants and cochineal, from raw fiber to the loom.

Approximate arrival in Cusco: 6:30 p.m.
Overnight in Cusco.

DAY 03: INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU (CUSCO – KM 82 – WAYLLABAMBA)

Pick-up from your hotel is around 6:00 a.m. We then take a private transfer to Km 82 (Piscacucho), the starting point of the Classic Inca Trail, passing through Chinchero, Urubamba, and Ollantaytambo along the way (approximately 2 – 3 hours).

After the permit checkpoint, the first section of the trail follows the Urubamba River, with views of the snow-capped Mount Veronica (approximately 5,800 m / 19,029 ft above sea level). Lunch is served in Miskay. We then continue toward the archaeological site of Llactapata (Patallacta), following the Kusichaca Valley until we reach our campsite in Wayllabamba (3,000 m / 9,843 ft above sea level).

• Hiking time: 5 -6 hours
• Distance: ~12 km / 7.5 miles
• Campsite altitude: 3,000 m / 9,843 ft above sea level

DAY 04: INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU (WAYLLABAMBA – WARMIWAÑUSCA – PACAYMAYO)

After breakfast, we begin the most demanding day of the trek. We climb gradually through a queuña forest to Llulluchapampa (approx. 3,750 m / 12,303 ft), a highland plain located at the base of the pass. From there, we continue uphill to Warmiwañusca Pass (approx. 4,215 m / 13,829 ft), the highest point of the Classic Inca Trail. The descent toward the Pacaymayo Valley (approx. 3,600 m / 11,811 ft) is steep. We have lunch there and set up camp. The afternoon is free to rest.

Estimated hiking time: 6 to 7 hours
Total distance: 11 km / 6.8 miles
Campsite altitude: 3,620 m / 11,877 ft above sea level

DAY 05: INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU (PACAYMAYO – CHAQUICOCHA – WIÑAY WAYNA)

After breakfast, we hike up to the ruins of Runkurakay and cross the pass of the same name (approx. 3,950 – 4,000 m / 12,959 – 13,123 ft). We then continue to Sayacmarca. Lunch is usually served at Chaquicocha.

In the afternoon, we follow the original stone-paved Inca Trail through the cloud forest to Phuyupatamarca, then begin the descent along a long section of stone steps, often passing Intipata along the way, until we reach the campsite near Wiñay Wayna (approx. 2,700 m / 8,858 ft).

Estimated hiking time: 7 to 8 hours
Total distance: 16 km / 9.9 miles
Campsite altitude: 2,700 m / 8,858 ft above sea level

DAY 06: INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU (WIÑAY WAYNA – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO)

This day begins before dawn. At 4:00 a.m., we have breakfast at the campsite and, around 5:00 a.m., we head toward the checkpoint. Here we say goodbye to the porters, who return to Cusco with the tents and camping equipment.

We hike through the cloud forest to Inti Punku, the Sun Gate. From there, we get our first view of Machu Picchu. We then descend to the archaeological site; arrival is usually between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m., depending on the line at the checkpoint.

At Machu Picchu, the guide leads a tour through the main sectors of the site, lasting about two hours depending on the assigned circuit. Afterward, there is free time to explore the site at a relaxed pace.

Later, we take the bus down to Aguas Calientes. Lunch is on your own. At 2:55 p.m., we board the train to Ollantaytambo, followed by a road transfer to Cusco. Estimated arrival at the hotel is between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.

Hiking time: 2 to 3 hours
Distance: 5 km / 3.1 miles
Machu Picchu altitude: 2,430 m / 7,972 ft
Overnight at a hotel in Cusco.

DAY 07: CUSCO – RETURN TO LIMA

At the appropriate time, we will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your return flight to Lima.

This marks the end of our 7-day adventure in Cusco and along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.