Highlights of Cusco and the Sacred Valley (5 Days)

We will pick you up at the airport in Cusco and bring you to your hotel. After your check-in and a little rest, we will do a walking tour through the historic center of Cusco. Our local guide will show you the most fascinating spots of the Inca Capital, such as the main square, the famous 12 angled stone, the Sun Temple (Qoricancha) and the traditional market of San Pedro. Later, you have free time to explore the vibrant city and local restaurants by yourself.

Optional: If you like to, you can also choose the add-on of an evening food tour, where our guide shows you the best restaurants of Cusco and explains more about the culinary delights of Peruvian cuisine. You get the chance to try local plates like anticuchos, guinea pig and picarones, and discover authentic eating places. Please let us know when booking if you want to add this evening food tour ($60.00 USD per person).

After breakfast, our dedicated transfer staff will escort you to Umasbamba, a charming local community near Chinchero. You will immerse yourself in their rich customs and traditions through engaging workshops that showcase the authentic Andean way of life, captivating farming demonstrations, a glimpse into potato and alpaca farming, weaving showcases, and the opportunity to partake in seasonal volunteering activities such as crop harvesting, house building, animal care, or weaving.

Following a delicious lunch thoughtfully prepared by a local family, we’ll participate in a Mother Earth Offering ceremony guided by our knowledgeable shaman from the Q’eros community. This beautiful ceremony is dedicated to expressing gratitude for the abundance in our lives. Afterward, we’ll continue our journey to Ollantaytambo, where you’ll enjoy a restful night at a comfortable hotel.

We will enjoy a large breakfast at the hotel and then explore the remarkable archaeological site nestled in the village of Ollantaytambo, offering breathtaking valley views. We then take the train to the village of Aguas Calientes. This little town has a beautiful vibe and we have enough time to relax at our hotel or have lunch at one of the restaurants there. Later, we will meet up with our guide and visit the beautiful waterfall of Alcamayo, which is a 20-minute walk away from the center. We will do a little meditation and connect with Pachamama (Mother Earth). This place is one of the less crowded spots of Aguas Calientes. We will have enough time to explore the village by ourselves and stay at a wonderful hotel there.

Today, after breakfast we will take a 30-minutes bus ride up to the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. We will go through the checkpoint and explore every inch of this World Wonder. Our local guide will explain the most fascinating facts about Inca history and the purpose of Machu Picchu. We will have enough time to take pictures and enjoy the special vibe of this site. Later, we will take the bus back to Aguas Calientes, have some time and then take the train back to Ollantaytambo/Poroy. Our transfer staff will pick us up and bring us back to Cusco.

After breakfast, we will bring you to the airport, where you take your national flight.