Compare Machu Picchu Adventure by G Adventures vs Peru, The Way Of The Incas by Sky Vacations

Day 1 Lima

Arrive at any time.

If you booked the Lima Cooking Class it does not include extra time in Lima and we highly recommend booking pre-trip accommodation. You will be picked up from your hotel at approx 10:00 (10:30 from Aug-Dec) and taken to a local market and restaurant to prepare and enjoy a traditional Peruvian meal. You will return back to your hotel around 13:00. Please note that hot water shortages and power outages can be fairly common in Peru (even in upgraded hotels and private homes). We appreciate your patience and understanding that these occurrences are outside of our control.

Day 2 Lima/Cusco

Fly to Cusco. Free time to shop and explore. Choose to pre-book the Cusco Cooking Class. Opt for a city tour, visit museums or archaeological sites.

Travel to the airport for the early morning flight to Cusco. Spend the day relaxing and exploring this fascinating city. Our best advice for exploring Cusco is to wear a comfortable pair of shoes. Arm yourself with a city map and set out to explore.

Please note: if you pre-book the Cusco Cooking Class you will be picked up from your hotel at approx 12:30 and taken to a local market and restaurant to prepare and enjoy a traditional Peruvian meal. Return back to your hotel around 16:00.

Day 3 Cusco/Sacred Valley

Enjoy a full-day guided tour of the Sacred Valley. Stop at the G Adventures-supported women's weaving co-op before visiting a local pottery making community. Break for lunch at the G Adventures-supported Parwa Community Restaurant in Huchuy Qosco. After lunch, opt to head out on a hike to the Ollantaytambo storehouses and look out over the ruins. Or, wander around the cobblestone streets and visit a local Chicheria (corn beer bar).

Travel through the stunning Sacred Valley of the Incas, visiting a G Adventures-supported women's weaving co-op. Meet the women and learn about traditional weaving and dyeing. Opt to pick up some handmade souvenirs and textiles directly from the women who made them. Have lunch at the G Adventures-supported Parwa Community Restaurant. Learn about the G Adventures for Good project and eat a delicious buffet-style lunch. Proceeds of this meal go directly back to the remote community.

Day 4 Sacred Valley/Aguas Calientes

Journey to Aguas Calientes and opt to visit the local hot springs and hit the market.

Board a morning train that winds through the spectacular Urubamba Valley to the end of the line: the village of Aguas Calientes, a frontier town nestled in the hills beneath Machu Picchu. Enjoy the rest of the day taking advantage of the hikes and hot springs in the area.

Day 5 Machu Picchu/Cusco

Start early to visit the 'Lost City' of Machu Picchu. Tour the ruins with an expert guide before returning back to Cusco.

Start early to catch the sunrise at the top. Take the bus up to the historic spiritual centre of the Incas, the 'Lost City' of Machu Picchu. Tour the ruins with an expert guide then explore on your own. Later, return by train to Ollantaytambo and meet a private vehicle to head back to Cusco.

Day 6 Cusco

Enjoy a free day in Cusco. Opt to visit the local market, a nearby archaeological site, or get a massage.

Opt to visit and hike the famed Rainbow Mountain, pre-book on the checkout page to include this optional activity on your tour or ask your GCO or travel agent for assistance.

Day 7 Cusco/Lima

Head to the airport and fly back to Lima.

Day 8 Lima

Depart at any time.

Day 1: Arrive in Lima

Welcome to Lima. Upon arrival you will be welcomed by a Sky Vacations ambassador who will assist you with your transfer to the hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore and unwind.

Day 2: Lima city tour

After breakfast at your hotel, the day begins with a tour of the city’s main avenues, boulevards, and squares. Begin with an exploration of Colonial Lima. First, you will stop off at the Plaza de Armas (Main Square). There, you will explore the square by foot and admire the exteriors of the Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace), the Cathedral of Lima, and the Municipalidad (City Hall), all examples of Lima’s still-present colonial architectural opulence. Afterwards, you will visit La Casa Aliaga, a colonial mansion that currently holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously inhabited private residence in the Southern Hemisphere. Next, you will make your way to the Convento de Santo Domingo (Santo Domingo Convent), a religious and architectural gem that houses holy paintings, images, and relics of Peruvian saints, as well as written accounts of the endeavors of the Dominican Order across the country.

Finally, you will leave behind Lima’s Historic Center and begin your journey through the streets of modern Lima as you head toward the most traditional of the residential zones of the capital: San Isidro and Miraflores. In San Isidro, you will pass through the heart of the city’s financial district and then enjoy a panoramic view of the Huaca Hullamarca Pyramid, an important pre-Inca and Incan ceremonial center and cemetery built out of adobe mud bricks. Soon afterwards, you will travel to the district of Miraflores, a perfect spot to enjoy wonderful views of the Pacific Ocean.

You will complete your tour of Lima with a visit to the Bohemian neighborhood of Barranco, a neighborhood called home by countless artists, photographers, and authors. Walk along peculiar streets lined with Republican houses, admire the splendid views, and visit the Puente de los Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs), witness to untold numbers of past and present romances, and source of inspiration for one of Peru’s great composers, Chabuca Granda. Remaining day at leisure.

Day 3: Flight Lima – Cusco

After breakfast at your hotel, transfer to the airport for your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, your will be Sky Vacations representative will give you an introduction to the city and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the morning is at your leisure.

This afternoon, begin your tour as you enjoy the best view of the city of Cusco from atop Cerro Pukamoqo (Red Peak), a natural scenic overlook from which the outstretched arms of Cristo Blanco, a massive white statue of Christ, embrace the city in a benevolent gesture. You will then visit nearby Fortaleza de Sacsayhuamán (Fortress of Sacsayhuamán), a colossal structure of enormous stones, carved and fitted together with incredible precision. As you return to the lower part of the city, you will stop off at the Mercado de San Pedro (Market of St. Peter), which being the city’s main street market, will give you an opportunity to get to know the products of Cusco, overwhelming you with the sights, aromas, tastes, and colors of the region. Just a few blocks away, you will discover one of the most impressive buildings of Incan Cusco: the Korikancha (the Golden Temple)—a temple dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, whose interior walls were said to have been covered in gold. You will complete the day with a stroll through the Plaza de Armas (Main Square), where you will visit the Cathedral and admire its exquisite vestibules and priceless paintings from the Cusco School of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Day 4: Cusco – Sacred Valley

This morning, we will continue our trip towards Valle Sagrado (Sacred Valley) – you will soon reach the must-see stop of Awanakancha. Here, you will learn about the various types of camelids (Llamas, Alpacas, Vicuñas, and Guanacos) that live in the Andes region. Additionally, the local villagers will teach you about the ancestral methods and techniques used to produce their textile art.

A few miles farther along, you will reach Pisac, a beautiful place where Incan and Colonial influences have reached a perfect balance and created the unique way of life of the local inhabitants. You will get a chance to explore this quaint town, famous for its artisan markets where you can find extraordinarily fine jewelry and ceramic and textile craftwork. We take a break for lunch at a local restaurant.

This afternoon, you will visit one of the last remaining Incan towns, Ollantaytambo, which was once fiercely guarded by a massive fortress. Discover the large archeological complex of what used to serve as a wayside inn for royal delegations on long journeys. Surviving structures here include multiple walls and towers that were used to protect the citadel from possible invasions. Time permitting you will get a chance to mingle with the locals at a typical Peruvian Andes establishment, either at a “chichería” (establishment for the brewing and sale of chicha, the famous traditional Andean drink made of germinated corn) or a bakery with still-functioning traditional ovens. Return to Cusco.

Day 5: Cusco-Km 82-Huayllabamba

Early in the morning, we will go from our hotel to Km 82 of the railroad that leads to Machu Picchu. Here we will meet the porters and the rest of the team that will be joining us. We’ll start our trek led by the porters. We will walk down the Urubamba River, as we enjoy a magnificent view of the snow-capped peaks, until we reach the ruins of Llactapata. We then leave the Urubamba Valley behind and follow the Kusichaca river until we reach Huayllabamba, about 3000 meters (9842 feet) above sea level. There we will spend our first night in a comfortable campsite. We will stop for lunch along the way. We will walk approximately 11 kilometers (7 miles) in 6 hours.

Day 6: Huayllabamba-Pacaymayo

An early start this morning, we begin our ascent to the Warmiwayñusca (Dead Woman) pass, at 4200 meters (13780 feet) above sea level, through a narrow path filled with vegetation. After about 5 hours of hiking, we will have arrived at the summit of the pass. From here we will enjoy breathtaking views of beautiful snow-capped mountains punctuating the blue sky. We will stop along the way for lunch. Once we reach the end of the pass, we will stop at Pacaymayo, located at 3600 meters (11811 feet) above sea level, where we’ll set up camp to spend the night. We will walk approximately 7 kilometers (4.5 miles) in 7 hours.

Day 7: Pacaymayo-Wiñaywayna

Today we’ll begin with one of the most beautiful stretches of the Inca Trail, due to the number of archaeological sites we will find en route. After breakfast, we will go up a small hill leading to the circular ruins of Runkurakay, which was used in the Inca era as a military vantage point. We will rest for a while, and then we will begin our descent down a very well-preserved stretch of the Inca trail until we reach the stairs leading to the ruins of Sayacmarca, located in a natural promontory at 3620 meters (11877 feet) above sea level. Throughout the hike we will enjoy spectacular views and we will see many birds and a wide variety of orchids. From Sayacmarca we will enter the cloud forest through a stone path that will lead us to the ruins of Phuyupatamarca (City on the clouds) after crossing a small pass. After that we continue to descend until reaching the ruins of Wiñay Wayna, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful structures after Machu Picchu, at 2650 meters (8695 feet) above sea level. After visiting the ruins we will go to the camping area where we’ll spend the last night of the trip.

From Pacaymayo to Phuyupatamarca we will walk approximately 7 kilometers (4.5 miles) in 6 hours. From Phuyupatamarca to Wiñay Wayna we will walk approximately 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) in 3 hours.

Day 8: Wiñaywayna – Wiñaywayna-Macchu Picchu-Cusco

Prepare to have the experience of a lifetime. We will leave behind our campsite early in the morning and will head towards the Inti Punku, or Gate of the Sun, the last pass on the Inca Trail at 2740 meters (8990 feet) above sea level. From this point, Machu Picchu will appear to be wondrous and unreal. After a guided visit through the citadel, we will have some free time to walk through it again.

We will be assisted at the predetermined time in boarding the train to Cusco from the Aguas Calientes station. Arrival at Cusco and transfer to hotel. From Wiñay Wayna to Machu Picchu we will walk approximately 5 kilometers (3 miles) in 4 hours. From Phuyupatamarca to Machu Picchu we will walk approximately 9 kilometers (5.5 miles) in 7 hours.

Day 9: Cusco departure

A wonderful trip comes to an end – it’s time to say good bye. Transfer to the airport for your onward journey.