Peru's Inca Trail: The Sacred Valley<br>8 days

Board your overnight flight to Cusco today. Meals: In-flight Upon arrival at Cusco airport, transfer to your group hotel. Enjoy the remainder of the afternoon at leisure to explore the city. Start adjusting to the altitude in preparation for our trek and consider joining an optional excursion to the nearby archaeological sites. In the evening, join us for a welcome orientation and dinner. Meet your tour director and fellow young alumni travelers while being entertained by local dance performances.   Inclusions: Transfer from airport to hotel included with purchased AESU group airfare Cusco, gateway to Machu Picchu Welcome orientation and dinner of local specialties   Meals: In-flight, Dinner Elevation: 11,152 ft   Optional activity: Excursion to archeological sites, Sacsayhuaman Fortress and Puca Pucara   This morning we board our private motor coach and start our journey to the Sacred Valley. Our destination, Ollantaytambo, is a small town built around an impressive Incan fortress and soaring peaks of the Andes. For an amazing view and a closer look, we climb up over two hundred steps to admire the astonishing monoliths that make up the Temple of the Sun. This was the site of a rare Inca victory over the Spanish in 1538, led by Manco Inca. After some free time to visit the town and market, we continue to our hotel for the overnight stay in the Sacred Valley.   Inclusions: Guided excursion and hike, led by a local expert Ollantaytambo Inca temples and ruins Sacred Valley of the Incas Temple of the Sun   Meals: Breakfast Duration of excursion: approx. 4 hours | Elevation: 9,160 ft Today we explore the "Sacred Valley of the Incas." We first reach the Moray archaeological site, where giant Incan circular and semicircular agricultural terraces were constructed to be used as a botanical laboratory. Here they experimented on plant domestication and foreign crop acclimatization in the fascinating cloud forest ecosystem. In Maras, we hike down to the largest salt pans in the region, which have been mined continuously since the Incan Empire. Leaving Maras, we arrive at the village of Pichingoto, the top salt producer during the Spanish colonial era. We return to our hotel through the Sacred Valley, lined with corn fields and green prairies.   Inclusions: Guided excursion, led by a local expert Sacred Valley of the Incas Moray archaeological site Maras ancient Incan salt pans Village of Pichingoto   Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (box) Duration of excursion: approx. 6 hours | Elevation: 10,500 ft We check out of our hotel this morning and board our private motor coach to the Ollantaytambo train station. The expedition train will take us on a scenic journey to KM 104 where we join the Camino Inca. From here we start our trek to the Chachabamba site, then ascend to a striking waterfall. After an upwards climb, we arrive at the Incas site Wiñay Wayna called ''Forever Young,'' an impressive complex made up of an agricultural center with terraces, a religious sector and an urban sector. After a boxed lunch, we will then continue for about one hour further onto "Inti Punku" - "The Sun Gate" with an amazing view of Machu Picchu. Return to Aguas Calientes by motor coach and enjoy free time to explore the thermo-medicinal hot springs.   Inclusions: Guided excursion, led by a local expert Ollantaytambo train station transfer Expedition train to KM 104 Trekking to Chachabamba site Chachabamba waterfall Wiñay Wayna Inca ruins Inti Punku 'Sun Gate' Admission to Machu Picchu Amazing views of Machu Picchu Aguas Calientes   Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (box) Duration of excursion: approx. 8 hours | Hike distance: 15 km |Elevation: 8,695 ft This morning, after a short bus ride, we will hike up to the Machu Picchu ruins, a national sanctuary, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, and one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. Our local expert shows us the breathtaking and mysterious ruins as we climb to the top of Mount Huayna Picchu, Quechua for "Young Mountain," on the eastern side of the Central Cordillera. This peak shelters another archaeological site, the Temple of the Moon, which is connected to Machu Picchu. We return to Aguas Calientes for a lunch of Peruvian fare before boarding our train back to Ollantaytambo. Our final destination today is Cusco, where we check-in to our hotel for our last overnight. Share your impressions of the last days with fellow explorers during our farewell dinner of local specialties.   Inclusions: Guided excursion, led by a local expert Citadel of Machu Picchu, UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site Mount Huayna Picchu trek Temple of the Moon Lunch of Peruvian fare Imperial city of Cusco   Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Duration of excursion: approx. 5 hours | Elevation: 8,835 ft After we check out and store our luggage at the hotel, a local historian takes us on a tour of the impressive Imperial City of Cusco, an example of the harmonious coexistence of the Andean and Spanish cultures. We tour the Koricancha, an ancient sacred space the Incas dedicated to the worship of the sun and the moon. We continue to the Main Square with the imposing Cathedral, and the magnificent Jesuit church. The city's colonial buildings compose the most beautiful and captivating sceneries in Peru. We finish our tour with a visit to the bohemian neighborhood of San Blas, known as 'the artists' district,' with narrow winding streets lined with popular arts and craft shops. Later we transfer to the airport for our overnight flights home.   Inclusions: Guided tour of the Imperial city of Cusco with a local historian Koricancha, ancient sacred Incan space Main Square with cathedral and Jesuit church Neighborhood of San Blas, artists' district Transfer from hotel to airport included with purchased AESU group airfare   Meals: Breakfast, In-flight Arrive home with memories of one of the worlds/ most intriguing destinations and plans for your next exciting adventure!