The Best of Cusco and Machu Picchu 4-Day

Meet our representative at the Cusco airport and transfer to your accommodation. You will have some free time to acclimatize to the altitude taking things very slowly wandering around the magic city of Cusco also considered as the Navel of the World.
In the afternoon you will be picked up from your hotel on a vehicle to the city’s greatest landmarks. Explore the magical capital of the Incas in a tour that includes the Plaza de Armas, the famous Baroque style Cathedral considered one of the most splendid Spanish colonial churches in the Americas, built over an important Inca temple, with amazing altars, intricately wood carved pulpits, choir and multitude of paintings of the Cusqueña school, including a Marcos Zapata painting of the Last Supper with a local specialty, cuy (guinea pig), as the main dish. You will continue with the visit of the Santo Domingo monastery, which was built over the Koricancha temple, one of the most important temples dedicated to the worship of the sun. According to the chronicles, it was covered in gold leaf and filled with golden representations of nature. Stop at San Cristobal lookout point for a magnificent view of the city of Cusco, before proceeding to the nearby remarkable Inca ruins in the area: the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, the temple and amphitheatre of Kenko, and the archeological site of Tambomachay, where the god “water” was worshipped. Return to your hotel. On your own you can explore the nightlife in Cusco´s varied and exciting pubs where there is plenty of live folk music and good food to enjoy in a lively atmosphere.

MAKE IT DIFFERENT (OPTIONAL)

Love to Cook? Peruvian Cuisine is widely regarded one of the most delicious and diverse in the world. Our rustic kitchen set in the countryside of Cusco provides the perfect setting for your hands-on cooking lessons and demonstrations with our talented Peruvian chefs. Our products are bought from the local markets and providers, whom you will get to know during our market tour. You can also hand-pick some of your own ingredients from our very own on-site garden and greenhouse.

If you are more active, ATV, biking, rafting, yoga classes in front of a beautiful lagoon or Via Ferrata excursions can be arranged according to your preferences.

ASK OUR EXPERTS TO UPGRADE YOUR EXPERIENCE

THE ORDER OF THIS TOUR MAY BE MODIFIED WITHOUT PREVIOUS NOTICE, AND AS YOU WILL STAY IN OLLANTAYTAMBO TO TAKE THE TRAIN TO AGUAS CALIENTES YOU MAY PROBABLY LOSE SOME ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE THAN CAN BE VISITED ON THE RETURN WAY TO CUSCO CITY

You are one step closer to the highlight of this trip: Machu Picchu the most treasured city of the Incas, but to reach the Lost City, you have to venture into the Sacred Valley of the Incas, which is full of surprises.

Early in the morning, we will pick you up from your hotel to the town of Chinchero, which is about 40 minutes from Cusco, on the way you will enjoy beautiful Andean landscapes highlighted by the beauty of the snowy Chicón and Verónica of the Urubamba Mountain Range . Chinchero is a clearly Inca town, with its unique colonial church built by the Spaniards on top of an Inca palace where the past persists stubbornly, as if the spirit of a millenary culture clung to this place refusing to disappear. The native settlers, dressed in colorful traditional costumes, come down from their communities and gather in the main square to exchange their products, preserving many of their ancestral traditions. Seeing this group of people with deep cultural roots is a sight worth admiring.
Afterwards, you will visit the Inca agricultural laboratory of Moray, where several groupings of terraces were formed in an almost perfect circular shape at different heights, in order to achieve a gradient of microclimates with the aim of getting perfect crops. There, the Incas cultivated important foods for their diet such as corn, or the grain of quinoa, also various medicinal plants such as panti, ornamental as the flowers of Kantu and carried out many experiments of cultivation for recreation of their masters. A system of canals where today the rain is deposited assured the irrigation of the hanging terraces of the great amphitheater, the perfection of Moray was such, that to this day, it works impeccably.
Then you will visit to the famous salt mines of Maras, which were very important for the Incas as a salt supply and are still in operation today. For a few Soles you can buy a package of this salt, famous for having many more minerals than sea salt. In addition to its historical importance, the salt mines of Maras also offer an unforgettable view with the stark white of its steeply descending salt pans juxtaposed against the green of the surrounding mountain slopes.
Next, you will continue with the visit to the impressive archaeological complex of Pisac allowing you to enjoy some of the best archaeological complexes in the area. Its exquisitely carved walls are among the most perfect of all Andean architecture, surrounded by an impressive group of terraces that are still used as well as its granaries and pantries that are still preserved in the hillside irrefutable proof of the wisdom of the men who populated that zone. Then you will go down to the famous market town of Pisac, where you will test your bargaining skills in a colorful and cheerful environment, and you can stock up on souvenirs for friends and family!
Finally, you will visit the formidable fortress temple of Ollantaytambo, the spectacular archaeological complex that seems to have been a kind of walled gate that stopped in several war expeditions trying to reach the Inca treasure, the great steep andeneria, which protects this spectacular fortress, marks one of the few places where the Spanish conquerors lost an important battle in the year 1537.
In the highest part you will find a ceremonial center with huge blocks of stone perfectly carved in a very fine work. To build it, stones from the quarry located on the other side of the Urubamba River were used 6 km away. from distance, which shows the great ability of the Incas to transport these huge blocks using an ingenious technique that would allow them to transport them across mountainous areas and the torrential Urubamba River.
After this complete day, you will hop on board of one of the prettiest train rides in South America with final destination Machu Picchu, which rises enigmatic among the clouds of the majestic Andes (Expedition train leaving 19:04 arriving 20:45). The citadel was probably the most impressive urban creation of the Inca Empire in its heyday. Its giant walls, terraces and ramps look as if they had been carved naturally in the escarpments of the rock.
This natural environment located on the eastern slopes of the Andes encompasses the upper Amazon basin, with its rich diversity of flora and fauna. At night, visit the bars along the railroad tracks to share stories with some of the hikers who successfully completed the Inca Trail, or end your fantastic day relaxing the muscles in the hot springs.

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We highly recommend having an extra day in the Sacred Valley. Many visitors without a lot of time on their hands almost race through the valley’s highlights and markets on a daylong guided tour. Seeing it this way is certainly a worthwhile experience, but it really doesn’t compare to experiencing everything the valley has to offer at a more leisurely pace that allows you an overnight stay or two in the valley and the chance to soak up the area’s immense history, relaxed character, stunning scenery, and in the dry season, gorgeous spring weather.

IMPORTANT NOTES!

• If you do want to see the beautiful scenery and ancient buildings of Machu Picchu, book your trip early. The Peruvian Government has placed a limit on the number of people allowed to hike the trails of the citadel per day and entrances tend to book up quickly.
• For active people there is the option of hiking the one-day Inca Trail or the more demanding 4 days trekking but be sure to inform us well in advance as in high season they tend to book up quickly, ask our expert travel planners to upgrade your experience
• For those who want to hike the Huayna Picchu mountain reservations has to be made well in advance, as the local authorities just allow 400 persons per day in two shifts of 200 persons each one (there is an additional to pay for this entrance)
• You must be interested in upgrading your train experience, please contact our expert travel planners

When, in 1911, the American archaeologist and historian Hiram Bingham discovered “The Lost City of the Inca Empire”, he could not imagine that he had reached the most enigmatic Inca ruins, one of the most spectacular and overwhelming places on earth that still conserves its mystery, charm and mystical appeal, despite its enormous popularity, even more so after having been designated one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Exploring the place continues to be an exciting experience, especially at dawn, when the scenic rays of light extend over the Andean peaks. At the indicated time you will approach the station to board the bus that goes up to the citadel. After the guided tour, you will descend from the archaeological zone to the station, and embark on the train Expedition leaving 15:20 and arriving 19:05, which will meander slowly through the Andean landscape until you reach Poroy train station, where you will be transferred to the vehicle that will take you back to Cusco.

At scheduled time transfer to the airport for your departure flight.

At scheduled time transfer to the airport for your departure flight.

ASK OUR TRAVEL EXPERTS ADVISORS TO UPGRADE TO A PRIVATE TOUR FOR A MORE PERSONALIZED EXPERIENCE.