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[yurechavez]

IF YOU USE A LOCAL OPERATOR AND 3 STARS HOTELS/HOSTALS THIS ITINERARY COSTS, LESS THAN 90 US $ PER DAY, INCLUDED HOTELS + ALL BREAKFASTS, TOURS, TRANSFERS, ENTRANCE FEES, ETC
FOR ALL THE TOURS YOU JOIN ORGANIZED GROUP TOURS
DAY 1: LIMA - AREQUIPA
Upon arrival reception, assistance and transfer to the hotel.
In the afternoon City tour; visit: Chilina view point, Yanahuara District, The Cathedral, The Jesuits Church & Cloisters, Santa Catalina Monastery and the Juanita mummy Museum. Overnight Arequipa.
DAY 2: AREQUIPA – COLCA
Early morning drive from Arequipa to Chivay trough the Aguada Blanca National Reserve where you will observe Vicuñas wandering on the high plateau. On the way we will enjoy nice views of the Volcanoes: Misti, Chachani and Ampato.
In the afternoon take a hike and visit the Calera Hotsprings (entrance fees not included). Overnight Colca Valley.
DAY 3: COLCA CANYON – PUNO
Tour of the Colca Canyon: Early departure to the Cruz del Condor site, the best place to admire the Colca Canyon and the Condor’s flight. On the way it is possible to appreciate archaeological remains, Incan terraces still on use and typical towns like Maca, Achoma and Yanque. After Lunch car ride from Chivay to Puno, (5-6 hours), Overnight Puno.
DAY 4: TITICACA LAKE
Full day excursion to the beautiful Titicaca Lake, the highest navigable lake in the world. Visit the Floating Islands made of Totora reeds: Uros with the population that still live as their ancestors did a thousand years ago. Later visit the Taquile island a remarkable community also with a great ethnic and cultural value; with the best weavers in the region. Quechua, the language of the Incas is kept alive and the islanders preserve their traditional very old costumes and have a very kind treat toward the visitors. Pm return to the hotel in Puno.
DAY 5: PUNO – CUSCO
This day you will have a bus ride with guided visits. Ride from Puno - Cusco visiting on the way a very beautiful chapel: Andahuaylillas; known as Sistine chapel of South America, and the temple of Wiracocha (a very impressive Inca site). Arrival and transfer to the hotel in Cusco.
DAY 6: CUSCO
Free morning to visit the city and its museums.
Afternoon Combined tour; visit the Koricancha (Temple of the Sun), the Cathedral, Sacsayhuaman, Kenko, Puca-Pucara and Tambomachay.
DAY 7: SACRED VALLEY: PISAC MARKET & OLLANTAYTAMBO (overnight)
Visit PISAC located right at the entrance to the Sacred Valley, where you will see the famous "Indian Market" and the handicrafts or "souvenirs" market, this is your chance to enjoy a blend of color, traditions and people, and bargain for exotic craftworks. After Lunch at Yucay or Urubamba Village, tour to the oldest continuously inhabited dwellings in South America, where people are still living in the same houses and palaces as 500 years ago; the ancient Incan town of OLLANTAYTAMBO, with its very impressive constructions built with huge boulders and its ancient heritage that will leave us astonished. Overnight Ollantaytambo.
DAY 8: OLLANTAYTAMBO – WAYLLABAMBA
Early morning pick up from your Hotel and transfer by bus to the kilometer 82, where we meet the porters and cooks and start to hike with amazing landscapes of the snow capped peaks. We pass near the Inca town of Llactapata, and after lunch continue following the Kusichaca River upstream until Wayllabamba, a very typical Andean Village and the last settlement on the Inca Trail before reaching Machupicchu.
DAY 9: WAYLLABAMBA – PACAYMAYU
After Breakfast we go uphill for 4-5 hours towards Warmiwañuska pass (dead woman’s pass), this day will be the hardest because we get to this highest pass (4200 mts – 13780 ft), after having amazing views from the pass we start our way down to get to the Pacaymayo valley for lunch, and camp.
DAY 10: PACAYMAYU – WINAYHUAYNA
This day will be the longest, but considered the most beautiful part of the trail, on the way up to the 2nd pass we visit the semicircular archeological remain of Runkurakay. Walking over the original Inca Trail paved with flagstones we pass through the elfin forest where we see many orchids and other exotic endemic plants and birds. From the pass we again have a spectacular landscape of the cloud forest and some snow capped mountains around. On the way down we will visit the Inca site of Sayaqmarka located on a rocky promontory. Our trek continues through the cloud forest with vines, exotic vegetation (a big variety of Orchids, ferns. tree ferns, mosses, etc) and luxuriant trees and birds. After lunch, and a visit of the ruins of Phuyupatamarca, we start the long way down until Wiñaywayna, were we will visit and other fascinating Inca citadel and camp.
DAY 11: WINAYHUAYNA – MACHUPICCHU
After a very early breakfast and a somewhat easy walk we will arrive to Inti Punku (the Sun Gate) for the sunrise, also we will enjoy the first fantastic view of the “Lost City of the Incas”: Machupicchu; set up over a grandiose spot with astounding landscapes around. After taking many pictures, we walk downhill to arrive and visit Machupicchu.
After the guided visit you can go to the town of Aguas Calientes to rest at the hotel or relax at the hot springs.
DAY 12: MACHUPICCHU – CUSCO
On your own, early visit of Machupicchu again; to spot again the amazing sun rise and visit more of its wonderful temples, palaces, and take short hikes to Huaynapicchu Peak, the temple of the Moon, and the Inca Bridge. Afternoon train to Ollantaytambo and transfer to the hotel in Cusco.
DAY 13: CUSCO – LIMA
Transfer to the airport to take the flight to Lima, from where you will take the international flight.