Machu Picchu & Lake Titicaca

In the morning, transfer back to the airport for a short flight to Cusco, center of the Inca Empire. Meet your guide at the airport and begin a day-long excursion through snowcapped mountains to the Incas’ legendary Sacred Valley. The first stop is Pisac’s hilltop citadel, featuring the civilization’s agricultural terracing along the steep valley walls, panoramic views of jagged granite peaks and the temple ruins. Descend down to the town of Pisac, known for one of the best Andean textile markets in Peru. After taking in some of the local culture and enjoying a traditional lunch, depart for Ollantaytambo (9,185 feet), a small town with an impressive Inca fortress. Stay overnight at a hotel in Ollantaytambo. (B,L)

Spend another day exploring the well preserved archaeological sites and dramatic landscapes of the Sacred Valley. This morning, pass small farms situated in the fertile Urubamba Valley surrounded by snowcapped mountains to reach Moray. This mysterious site includes three circular terraces, thought to have been used by the Incas as an open-air crop experimentation station. Continue past the small village and pre-Inca settlement of Maras. At this photogenic spot, a geo-thermally heated stream feeds hundreds of small salt terraces which create a striking white-on-brown landscape that has been used for salt mining since well before the Incas. Return to your Ollantaytambo hotel in the late afternoon. (B,L)

Start the day off with a refreshing walking tour of the Ollantayambo ruins. Next, head to the train station, where you’ll board the Vistadome train for the first leg of today’s unforgettable journey to Machu Picchu! Enjoy the panoramic views as the train follows the Urubamba River into the lush cloud forest, before arriving at the Aguas Caliente train station. Stop for lunch in town and then  board a bus that will take you to the gates of Machu Picchu (7,875 feet). Spend the afternoon exploring the famous ruins with your guide. Return to Aguas Calientes, where you will have time to relax and enjoy dinner at your hotel. (B,D)

Today, you’ll have the opportunity to experience Machu Picchu during the early morning hours. Explore the numerous ruins including an optional climb to the sacred peak of Huayna Picchu. By midday, you return to Aguas Calientes for lunch and an early afternoon train ride back to Ollantaytambo. Your private vehicle will be waiting at the station to deliver you to the Chinchero textile market, where members of the local weavers’ collective will explain the traditional weaving methods of the Sacred Valley. Continue on to your Cusco hotel for the evening. (10,856 feet) (B)

Huayna Picchu Hiking Details: 1.25 miles; approximately 2-3 hours hiking, the trail is narrow and very steep.

Altitude min/max: from 7,875 ft to 8,835 ft.

Today begins with a guided walking tour through Cusco to see the colorful markets, the colonial cathedral and Koricancha, the impressive Temple of the Sun. After a lunch of regional cuisine, you tour the remaining prominent Inca sights in and around Cusco. These include the fortress of Sacsayhuamán, with its megalithic stone terraces; Kenko, with carved stone surfaces and subterranean altars; Puka Pukara the small fortress that once protected the royal capital; and the water temple, Tambo Machay. In the late afternoon, you’ll return to the comfort of your hotel to relax or continue to explore Cusco on your own. (B)

Embark over the altiplano (high plains) onboard a bus for a full day of high altitude views.  The bus is a full day journey and you’ll have several stops along the way including archeological stops, scenic view points, and lunch. Reach Puno, along the shores of Lake Titicaca and transfer to your hotel. Let us know if you prefer to travel from Cusco to Puno via short flight or full day train experience. (B,L) (12,510 ft)

*Full day train upgrade from Cusco to Puno runs Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. Please inquire for more details.

This morning, you board a boat to explore Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake that is considered the birthplace of the Incan people. These frigid vividly blue waters are the remnant of an ancient inland sea that stands in stark contrast to the parched altiplano, a gorgeous natural gem. The first stop is the floating islands of Uros, where you spend time with locals who share how these islands were created and what daily life is like. Next cruise over to Taquile Island, a small island known for its unique textile weavings and distinct culture, which hasn’t been heavily influenced by outsiders due to its remote location. Enjoy a local lunch and optional hike around the island before returning to your Puno hotel in the late afternoon. (B,L)

You’ll have the morning free to enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the Juliaca airport in the early afternoon. Make a stop on the outskirts of Puno at the mysterious pre-Incan ruins called chullpas (funeral towers), the finest of which sit on a peninsula in Lake Umayo at Sillustani. The Colla people, a warrior tribe that spoke Aymara, buried their elite in these giant cylindrical tombs, some as tall as 40 feet. The stonemasonry is exquisite and many archaeologists and historians find them more complex and superior even to Inca engineering. Explore this area before your late afternoon flight to Lima and your connecting international flight home, marking the end of Southern Explorations services. (B)