Compare Coffee Trails to Machu Picchu (4 days, 3 nights) by Keteka vs Peru with Machu Picchu 2023 Classic Group by Insight Vacations

Day 1: Sacred Valley-Huayro

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

You will depart in the morning for the jungle town of Huayro. The ride will begin with a climb to Abra Malaga (the Malaga Pass), where you will enjoy panoramic views of the Sacred Valley, then slowly descend to the warm, humid “eyebrow of the jungle.” Huayro is an agricultural town that is famous for its tea. You will spend the night there with a local family and learn about tropical fruits, tea, and other plants that grow on the family’s property.

Day 2: Huayro-Lucmabamba

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After breakfast, you’ll say goodbye to your host family, then continue by van to a small coca farm near the town of Santa Maria. Coca is an economically and culturally important crop throughout the Andes and you will learn about the historical and current importance of coca, its cultivation, and more before continuing on to Santa Teresa for lunch and a soak in the Colcamayo hot springs. In the late afternoon, you will head to Lucmabamba, where you will spend the night on a host family’s coffee farm. Here, you will have a chance to roast and grind your own organic coffee and sample fried yucca and avocado grown on the farm, then relax for a bit before dinner. In the evening, you can enjoy a campfire, or hang out on the porch and look for fireflies.

Day 3: Lucmabamba-Aguas Calientes

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

If you are up for a physical challenge, rise early and hike to the Llactapata ruins for your first views of Machu Picchu.  If not, sleep in a bit and enjoy a later breakfast with your host family. In the late morning, you will depart for the hydroelectric station, to begin the hike into Aguas Calientes. Aguas Calientes is the small town located directly below Machu Picchu, and it will take about 3 hours to arrive there on foot. You will check into your hotel there mid-afternoon, then take the time before dinner to shower, rest up and visit the town`s hot springs (optional).

Day 4: Machu Picchu-Cusco

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

After an early breakfast, you will take a short bus ride (20 min.) to the Machu Picchu archaeological complex. After an approximately 2.5 hour tour of the ruins with your guide, you will be free to explore on your own and/or climb Huayna Picchu. Other interesting and less visited sites at Machu Picchu include Inti Punku (the Sun Gate), the Inca Bridge, and Machu Picchu Mountain. (Note: Some of these sites, including Huyana Picchu, require additional entries entry fees). After a late lunch, you will board the return train for an evening arrival in Cusco.

Day 1: Welcome to Lima

Arrive in Lima for the first day of your journey. In the evening meet your Travel Director and fellow travelers at the hotel bar for a welcome dinner and drinks.

Day 2: Explore Lima Relaxed Start

Explore the colourful capital of Peru this morning with your Local Expert. Delve into its colonial past and see key attractions, including the Cathedral of Lima, the Government Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace and City Hall. Visit the San Francisco Monastery and its underground cemetery. One for those with an appreciation for art, head to Museo Larco, a private museum located in Lima’s Pueblo Libre District. It is the highest-rated museum in South America and houses the largest collection of Pre-Columbian art. Indulge in a Highlight Lunch with an 18th-century garden as your backdrop. After lunch, meet a local guide who will take you around the Museo Larco and share the museum’s private collection with you. Delve into Peruvian culture, its ancient history and the country's religious beliefs. Return to your hotel and enjoy an evening at leisure.

Day 3: Lima to Sacred Valley

Take a transfer to the airport in the morning, where you'll catch your flight to the ancient capital of Cusco. Begin your tour of the Sacred Valley, while taking in impressive views on your scenic drive along the way. After a few stunning photo stops, enjoy lunch at Altar Inca, surrounded by some of the most impressive views of the region. Enjoy a leisurely trip to your hotel for the next couple of nights, where the evening is yours to do as you please. We recommend that you rest in order to adjust to the altitude comfortably.

Day 4: Explore Sacred Valley Relaxed Start

Start the morning off with a visit to the Maras salt pans, where the Incas harvested their salt. Today, the salt from Maras is exported to the entire world. Move on to an Incan laboratory in Moray, an archaeological site close to Cusco. Find out more about the ideal altitude to grow crops in the Sacred Valley. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience as you visit a local traditional Quechua weaver in the Sacred Valley and learn about the importance these textiles have in shaping personal and regional identities. Afterward, make your way to Laguna Piuray, where you’ll enjoy a Pachamanca, a traditional Peruvian feast, for your Highlight Lunch. In the evening, transfer to Hacienda Huayoccari, where you'll discover this gem of the Sacred Valley while exploring its grounds and small museum. Sit down for a special Peruvian dinner before heading back to your hotel, the luxurious Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel.

Day 5: Explore Machu Picchu

Transfer to the station for your IncaRail train ride. Enjoy lunch on your way to Machu Picchu pueblo, the gateway village to Machu Picchu. On the way, visit the Ollantaytambo ruins, followed by a stop at a local house in the village’s cobblestoned old town and visit with the family living there. In the afternoon, visit Machu Picchu, where you’ll meet your Local Experts for a guided visit in small groups. They will take you through the ruins and explain their historical and archaeological significance, as well as the importance of their location. Set high in the Andes Mountains, it offers spectacular scenery and history, dating back to the 15th century. End your day with a relaxing dinner and drinks at your hotel.

Day 6: Machu Picchu at Leisure

Take in the breathtaking landscapes of Machu Picchu for a second time. Spend your morning exploring at your own pace, with your Travel Director on hand to answer any queries you may have. The afternoon is yours at leisure. Relax back at your hotel or perhaps explore the town of Aguas Calientes on your own. Spend the evening as you please before sitting down to a Highlight Dinner with your fellow travelers.

Day 7: On to Cusco

After breakfast, return by train to Ollantaytambo, where you will transfer to the ancient city of Cusco. Once the capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco showcases a mix of Spanish colonial architecture, ancient remains and a lively cosmopolitan scene for modern inhabitants. On arrival in Cusco, head out on a walking tour with a Local Expert. Visit its cathedral and the Korikancha temple, the most important temple in the Inca Empire. The evening is yours at leisure. Ask your Travel Director for local restaurant and bar recommendations.

Day 8: Exploring Cusco

Start your day with a walking tour of Sacsayhuaman, a citadel built in the reign of Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, the ninth Sapa Inca of the Kingdom of Cusco. Afterward, choose to join a local expert on a guided hike of the Inca ruins at Puca Pucara. Alternatively you can explore the artisan bohemian neighborhood of San Blas and visit the prestigious art galleries. After lunch at Pachapapa, visit San Blas Church and the surrounding streets, before making your way to San Pedro Market, where you will find local produce. Later, make your way to the city’s planetarium, for a private, after-hours tour. Learn about astronomy, cosmology, and its influence on Andean culture. While here, try some local delicacies paired with hot wine.

Day 9: Leisure time in Cusco Relaxed Start

Choose between an optional visit to Rainbow Mountain, the ChocoMuseo, where you’ll learn more about the chocolate making process, or perhaps relax and simply enjoy the facilities at your hotel? Set in a beautiful 16th century building, make the most of this boutique hotel’s signature spa and Andean-inspired healing treatments, massages, facials and custom spa packages. In the evening, join your fellow travelers for a memorable Celebration Dinner at Calle del Medio, where you will toast to your adventures and end of your trip.

Day 10: Depart Cusco

It’s time to say goodbye to your fellow travelers as your trip comes to an end. Take a private transfer to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport.