Premium Walking and Hiking in Peru

Travel Type

Guided Tours

Duration

7 Days/6 Nights

Country

Peru

Exotik Experiences by Intrepid Travel

Since 1989, Intrepid Travel has been redefining the way we explore the world, creating meaningful, positive change through unforgettable small group journeys. From active adventures to comfort and premium experiences, there’s a style (and budget) for every type of traveler. Imagine immersive travel in over 100 countries, intimate groups of 12–14 participants and the insight of a passionate English-speaking local leader bringing each destination to life. Authentic. Responsible. Unforgettable. Now you may contact your travel advisor to arrange your Intrepid departure while benefiting from the full range of Exotik Journeys services. These include personalized assistance, flight arrangements with stopover options, and the possibility to combine additional destinations or countries. We can also help you create a private group experience tailored to you, your family, or your friends.

Tour Specifications

– Group size: 1 to 12
– Minimum age: 15 years old
– Style: Premium (Our best accommodation, exclusive inclusions and our most experienced leaders)
– Theme: Walking & Trekking
– Physical rating: 3/5 (This trip will raise your heart rate. Moderate physical activities are included, and a good level of fitness is required.)

Inclusions

– 6-night accommodation in double occupancy
– 11 meals: 6 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 2 dinners
– English-speaking guide
– All transfers in private vehicle
– Roundtrip train: Ollantaytambo-Aguas Calientes
– Round-trip transfer between the airport and the hotel
– Guided group visits as per the itinerary
– Tipping for accommodation, activities and transport
– 24/7 on-ground support

Exclusions

International flights and airport taxes – Visa if required – Beverages – Optional excursions – Travel insurance – All other items not mentioned in the Inclusions.

Additional Information

Please note that you can book thousands of experiences from Intrepid Travel itineraries via Exotik Journeys. There are different travel styles (basix, original, comfort, premium) as well as varying levels of physical activity (from 1 to 5), suitable for every type of traveler. Please ask your travel agent to contact Exotik Journeys for more information or to make a reservation.

DAY 1 ARRIVAL IN CUSCO

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Peru. When you arrive at the airport, you’ll be met by a local representative and taken to your luxury boutique hotel. Your adventure starts in Cusco with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. Cusco is the historic heartland and former capital of the Incan Empire. If you arrive early, maybe visit Casa Intrepid and refill your drink bottle or enjoy a coffee within the historic walls of House Casanova Lastarria, featuring Inca interiors, and take some time to acclimatize to the city’s 3450-metre high (11,150 ft) altitude. After your meeting, you’ll head to the renowned Cicciolina (a farm-to-table sustainable restaurant that works with local organic farms) for a welcome dinner with your group and leader. Your boutique luxury hotel today is something special as you kick back in a beautifully restored 16th-century convent with amenities like marble bathrooms, deluxe bedding and oxygen-enrichment systems that help relieve altitude sickness. Perhaps head over to the hotel spa for a treatment based on centuries-old Incan healing traditions or wander through two exhibition halls filled with ancient Peruvian artifacts.

Meals : Dinner

Accommodation : Cusco for 3 nights

Optional Excursions :
Cusco - Visit of the Cathedral ($)
Cusco - Pisco Making Urban Adventure ($)
Cusco - Pre-Colombian Museum ($)
Cusco - Inca Museum ($)
Cusco - Cusco Eat Street (Price based on 4 participants) ($)
Cusco - Cusco Cooking Class ($)
Cusco - Coricancha Temple ($)

DAY 2 CUSCO

Today, you’ll explore the Inca’s two most well-known archaeological sites an an ‘acclimatization walk’. First, visit Qenqo – a fascinating place with underground tunnels and carved stone channels that twist and zigzag. Inside, there’s a stone table where it’s believed the Incas once mummified their dead. After visiting Qenqo, enjoy an easy downhill walk back to Cusco. On the way, stop at Sacsayhuaman – a huge ceremonial site built by the Incas. It’s said that over 10,000 workers spent 50 years building it and to this day, no one knows exactly how it was made. Continue your walk to Cristo Blanco – a tall white statue that looks over Cusco (locals call it the protector of the city). Then, head to 7 Borreguitos Street. This picturesque lane is great for photos, so have your camera ready. Continue through San Blas, a traditional area known for its art studios, craft shops and cafes, before continuing to L’atelier (a small cafe near the main square), to enjoy a homemade desert and coffee. The rest of the day is free for you to unwind at the hotel or maybe join your leader for an orientation walk around the rest of town. See iconic sites like the Stone of Twelve Angles at the Inca Roca Palace on Hatun Rumilloc Street and admire Qoricancha – the most sacred Inca temple. Explore the vibrant heart of Cusco at the Plaza de Armas, surrounded by arcades and four historic churches, including the Cusco Cathedral, built in the 16th century. Your easy walking distance today will be approximately 5 km or 4.5 hours.

Meals : Breakfast

DAY 3 CUSCO AND KINSA COCHA LAGOON

After breakfast, you’ll travel through the Sacred Valley of the Incas to Pisac. On the way you’ll stop at El Mirador for stunning views over the entire Sacred Valley – a key area of settlement to the Inca. Known for its fertile plains and the high Andes (mountain ranges), the Incas sculpted the mountain flanks with vast contour terracing and irrigation channels. Start your hike outside Pisac, making your way to Kinsa Cocha – a peaceful lagoon tucked high in the Andes, near the local community of Paru Paru. This hike is a perfect alternative if you’re looking for unique trails in Peru. Along the way, you’ll pass two beautiful lagoons – Azul Qocha (the blue lagoon) and Puma Qocha – surrounded by mountain views and Andean plants and wildlife. When you reach the lagoons, watch the local women from Paru Paru perform a traditional Andean ceremony called the ‘payment to the Mamacocha (‘the Mother Water’). This ancient ritual is a way to honour nature and show gratitude for the land. Your hike finishes back in Pisac where you’ll have lunch at a traditional restaurant, before exploring Pisac’s market at your own pace. Wander through the stalls of handmade textiles, local food and traditional clothing before returning to Cusco for the evening. Your hiking distance today will be approximately 9 km or 4 hours. Today’s hike can be relatively challenging for some people due to the altitude, and is mostly uphill all the way to Kinsa Cocha lagoon.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 4 CHINCHEROS AND OLLANTAYTAMBO

Today, you’ll continue exploring the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Starting with a drive to the small mountain town of Chinchero (3750 m), you’ll see Inca ruins, large carved stones and the beautiful adobe church in the town’s main plaza. It is also home to the famous Peruvian weaving you will see throughout your journey. Next, visit a nearby Andean community, where you’ll meet a few friendly llamas before enjoying a mostly downhill hike along an old section of the Inca Trail to Urquillos, stopping at the Poc Poc Waterfall along the way. This section of trail sees very few tourists and is a great way to experience hiking in the valley without the crowds. Then, depending on timing, you’ll have lunch either at a traditional restaurant or at a picnic in a scenic spot with views of the mountains. At the end of the hike, drive to Ollantaytambo (2790m) – a town built over original Inca foundations. When you arrive, take your time to explore on a short orientation walk around town and, if you’re still feeling energetic, perhaps visit the archaeological site, located just next to the main square - the upper terraces offer great views of the town below. Then, head back to your hotel later today and unwind with a well-earned Pisco sour with your fellow travelers. Your hiking distance today will be approximately 8 km or 3 hours, and is mostly downhill.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation : Ollantaytambo for 1 night

DAY 5 INCA TRAIL TREK AND AGUAS CALIENTES

Today, you’ll walk what is considered the best section of the famous Inca Trail – the same path once used by Inca messengers and travelers to reach the sacred city of Machu Picchu. Early this morning you’ll ride the train through the Sacred Valley. This train ride is a highlight in itself and one of the most beautiful journeys that visitors can experience as you travel through the Sacred Valley of the Incas and alongside the Urubamba River to Kilometer 104 – the starting point of today’s hike. After checking in at the control point, you’ll set off, walking along the stone paths originally used by the ancient Incas to move people and goods. Along the way, you’ll explore Chachabamba and then Winay Wayna (2650 m) – one of the most impressive sites on the whole Inca Trail with its carved terraces, temples and water channels. Then, continue for an hour to Intipunku – the Sun Gate. If the weather is clear, you’ll catch your first view of ‘Lost City of the Incas’, Machu Picchu, from above – the perfect vantage point to take in this UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Later today, take a short bus ride down to the town of Aguas Calientes (2040 m), where you’ll spend the night in your 4-star feature stay hotel. For today’s Inca Trail trek, you’ll just need to bring one backpack with your personal items for the overnight stay in Aguas Calientes. Your main luggage will be safely stored at the hotel in Ollantaytambo village. Your moderate level hiking distance today will be approximately 13 km or 7 hours. Today’s hike includes steep paths, slopes, and many steps.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation : Aguas Calientes for 1 night

DAY 6 MACHU PICCHU AND CUSCO

This morning, you’ll take the bus back up the winding road to Machu Picchu. When you arrive, set off on today’s guided tour of this archaeological site. As you walk, take in the surrounding views of the Andes, cloud forest and the Urubamba River flowing through the valley below. As you walk through the site, your leader will share the story behind its the 200 stone houses, temples and terraces. Later, you’ll take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes, where you’ll have some free time to wander the town at your own pace – maybe visit the local market or relax with a coffee. This afternoon, relax on the scenic train back to Ollantaytambo, then continue by private vehicle to your beautiful hotel in Cusco. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner at Nuna Raymi – a sustainable restaurant in Cusco that supports local farmers and uses organic ingredients. Here you’ll try dishes inspired by different regions of Peru and taste the classic drink of staple of Peruvian street culture, emoliente (a traditional warm herbal drink made with barley, herbs and spices).

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation : Cusco for 1 night

DAY 7 DEPARTURE FROM CUSCO

Your trip comes to an end today. As there are no activities planned, you are welcome to leave at any time. If you would like to stay longer, just speak to your travel agent ahead of time.

Meals : Breakfast

Optional Excursions :
Cusco - Pisco Making Urban Adventure ($)
Sacred Valley - Mountain Biking (Price Based on 2 Participants) ($)
Cusco - Cusco Cooking Class ($)
Cusco - Humantay Lake Hike (Based on 4 participants) ($)
Cusco - Full Day Stand Up Paddle Boarding (Based on 4 participants) ($)
Cusco - Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain Hike (Based on 4 paticipants) ($)

HOTEL OPTIONS OR SIMILAR

Cusco

JW Marriott El Convento 5*

Ollantaytambo

Pakaritampu Hotel 3*+

Aguas Calientes

El Mapi by Inkaterra Hotel 4*

Rates in CA$, per person, starting from	Land Package
Fixed departures 2027	Double Occupancy
April 11 May 16 June 20 July 18 August 8 September 5, 26 October 17 November 14 December 12	5275
Supplements
Single occupancy or solo traveler	On request
Optional excursions	On request

Product Code: Intrepid (GGXP)
*These are standard rates; however, promotions are available throughout the year. Please contact your travel agent for the latest offers and special deal.

Booking Conditions

– Non-refundable deposit of $500 per person due at the moment of reservation.
– Non-refundable final payment due 60 days prior to departure.

Special Notes

Please note that you can book thousands of experiences from Intrepid Travel itineraries via Exotik Journeys. There are different travel styles (basix, original, comfort, premium) as well as varying levels of physical activity (from 1 to 5), suitable for every type of traveler. Please ask your travel agent to contact Exotik Journeys for more information or to make a reservation.

**Prices in this document are for information only; they were issued at press time, for the current year. Please note that due to exchange rates and temporary promotions, they can increase or decrease at any time. Contact your travel agent for the price and promotion of the moment. Prices include the contribution of customers to the Compensation Fund for clients of Quebec travel agents.

*** PLEASE CAREFULLY READ OUR TERMS & CONDITIONS. ***

Premium Walking and Hiking in Peru – Detailed itinerary