Inca Jungle Trail 4D

You will be collected from you hotel at 6:30am where you will travel by private transportation to Ollantaytambo, passing through a section of the Sacred Valley. After a 20-minute stop to have a quick breakfast, stretch your legs, or make use of the restrooms, you will continue on until arrival at Abra Malaga (4,316 m). This is the point of departure for the first activity, biking. After a briefing from your guide, all necessary gear will be distributed and you can begin the three-hour descent on bike. You will cover a distance of around 56 km. On this part of the trip you will zigzag down the mountains as stunning last scape and quant villages fly by. The ride will also be marked by rapid change in climate and temperature, from dry and cold to warm and humid (round half way). You will finish the bike tour in Huamanmarka. From there you will drive 30 minutes to Santa Maria for lunch. At this point those who have chosen to include rafting in their trip will depart on the three-hour run of class III and IV rapids on the Vilcanota River. You will finish the day by returning to Santa Maria, where you will spend the night in the basic, but clean and comfortable accommodations.

You will be up at 6:30am to enjoy the sunrise in the high jungle and an early breakfast. Then you will begin the hike towards Santa Teresa. The first two hours are uphill (a Peruvian flat!), but the climb will be punctuated by breaks to better appreciate the views, local trees, plants and fruit- to name some. One stop will include a visit to the home of a local family where you can relax, stock up on water, and taste some tropical fruits. The family will give you a demonstration on how the coffee is harvested, cleaned and roasted. You even have the opportunity to take part in this process and try to organic coffee. This area of Cusco’s main export is coffee and it is distributed all over the world. Over the course of the ascent, you also observe a variety of plantations, including, coca, coffee, cacao, pineapple, mango orange, banana, avocado, etc. Your guide will keep you fully informed throughout the trip. Once you finish the ascent, you will be able to take in an impressive view of the valley and Huancarqasa Canyon from the highest point of our journey (1,700 m). Next you will embark on a section of the ancient Inca trail, which connected the sacred Incan citadel Machu Picchu with another city, Vilcabamba. This leg will be accompanied by an explanation by our guide about Incan history and the communication networks used at the time. Continuing then down to the town Quellomayo, where you will stop for a tasty lunch and a reinvigorating rest in some hammocks. Finally, the last two hours of the hike through the valley and along the river. You will cross the Vilcanota River by “oroya” a cable car and local means of transport, to arrive to the hot springs of Cocalmayo. You can spend a good bit of time at this pleasant spot, relaxing in the hot springs, before taking the 15-minute shuttle to Santa Theresa, where the second evening will be spent.

After a 7:00am breakfast, you will be taken to the zipline basecamp, just 10 minutes away. There you will enjoy a thrilling 2 hours pumping up the adrenaline on the ziplines. With Vertikal Zipling Company you will experience views like no other as you superman over valleys. Afterwards, the private shuttle will take you to an area known as “La Hidroeléctrica” to pass through a government checkpoint. This is recognised as the entrance to the National Park that is home to Machu Picchu. You will then continue walking for a short time until the lunch spot. After a nice rest, you will hike along the train tracks for approximately three hours until we reach Aguas Calientes. This is an easy and very picturesque trail that runs parallel to the river and is shadowed by the majestic Machu Picchu Mountain. You will finish the hike upon arriving at Aguas Calientes, where the last night will spent in a hotel with hearty meal to fuel you for the next day.

The journey for the most important day of the trip will begin at 4:00am. In order to reach the gates of Machu Picchu for a once in a lifetime sunrise, it is essential to leave as early as possible. The climb towards the iconic citadel of Machu Picchu costists of a 20-minute walk on flat ground followed by an hour-long ascent by stairs built into the jungle. After reveling in the magic of the sunrise (with plenty of time to take pictures) your three-hour guided tour of the Machu Picchu will begin. Your guide will provide extensive history and explanations on the most important structures of the citadel. For example, you will visit The Temple of the Sun, The Temple of the Three Windows and the Sun Gate. This is followed by a period of free time to explore on your own and engage with the mystery that shrouds these ancient ruins. There is also an option to climb to Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountains- with some of the most incredible views in the Peru (as stated by National Geographic). These hikes are not included in the trip and tickets need to be purchased in advanced. Once it is time to return home, you will take the train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo. You will then be taken in private transport back to Cusco.