The best roundtrip for people, who have problems with high altitudes. After your arrival in Cusco (3,400 m), we take you directly to the Sacred Valley (2,400 m), to avoid any kind of syptoms, connected to the altitude sickness.
On the way, you enjoy the landscape, surrounding the Vilcanota-river. Then you have an entire day to visit Machu Picchu, before your return to Cusco, ending your journey with a city-tour
1st day: Arrival in Cusco – Sacred Valley
You will be picked up at the airport in Cusco and transferred directly to the Sacred Valley. We recommend an arrival in the morning, so you can enjoy the ride. Cusco was originally built in the form of a Puma and when you pass the archaeological site of Sacsayhuaman, an inca fortress, you are at the head of the Puma. Other sides you pass are Q´engo, Puca Pucara, Tambomachay, before you get to Pisac, where visit a typical inca-market. Above Pisac are the astonishing ruins of Pisaqa.
Next we will visit the inca-fortress of Ollantaytambo, with its huge terraces. The fortress was built to protect the Sacred Valley from a possible invasion of bellicose tribes, coming out of the jungle. Then we spend some time in the charming village, with its narrow, cobbled streets and you might understand, what value this military, religious and cultural center had had during the inca-imperium.
2nd day: Machu Picchu
Early morning, you will be transferred to the train station and in 2 hours you will reach Aguas Calientes, located at the base of Machu Picchu. With a short bus ride you then will get to the entrance of the “Lost City”. In a guided tour you visit the main plaza, the round tower, the sacred sundial, the royal chambers, the temple of the 3 windows and other famous sites of this citadel. Then you have enough time to explore this wonderful site by yourself. In the afternoon, you will go back down to Aguas Calientes and with the train to Ollantaytambo, where you will stay for the night.
3rd day: Ollantaytambo-Salineras-Moray-Chinchero-Cusco
After breakfast, we wil drive back to Cusco, with stops at Salineras, an inca salt extraction plant, at the inca agricultural site of Moray and in Chinchero, a picturesque village with ruins of the royal hazienda of “Tupac Inca Yupanqui”. Admire the intact inca walls at the main square and visit the colonial church with frescoes in the entrance, built on an inca temple. Back to Cusco, you will be dropped off at your hotel.
4th day: City Tour Cusco.
Today we start with a relaxed walk through Cusco. We will visit the cathedral at the main plaza and the sun temple of Coricancha and the bohemic San Blas, where you find the best artworkers with their work. In the chapel of San Blas, you can admire the impressive pulpit, built in a filligree woodwork, representing typical fruits of the area. You also will visit tallers of the artists around the Plaza. On the continuation down to the main plaza, you see “Hatunrumiyoc, the stone with 12 corners. In the Plaza, we get on a bus and drive to the inca ruins of Q´engo, Tambomachay, Puca Pucara and especially the fortress Sacsayhuaman, built. Sacsayhuaman is wordwide know for its huge, carved but precise stones of the outer walls. Some of these stones are higher than 9 meters and weigh more than 120 tons. After this exciting roundtrip through the Inca Capital, you will be transferred to your hotel.
5th day: Goodbye Cusco.
Unfortunately your journey through Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas has finished. For those, who leave Cusco, we transfer you to the Cusco Airport on time.
