Itinerary
- Day 1
Sacred Valley to Blue Lagoon Campsite
Your day starts before sunrise with a 4:30 AM pickup from your hotel. You'll head straight to the Lares hot springs where you can soak in the therapeutic pools and warm up before the trek ahead. After breakfast with views of the Andes, it's about a 2-hour hike to Kiswarani village where you'll stop for lunch. From there, another 2 hours of trekking takes you to Blue Lagoon campsite at 3,900 m elevation. Along the way you'll pass potato farms, see waterfalls, and spot llamas and alpacas grazing. By evening, you'll do some stargazing and learn about Inca astronomy from your guide.
- Start point
- Cusco, Cusco, Peru (Pick up from any hotel in Cusco city, 04:30)
- Meals
- Breakfast (Freshly prepared breakfast with Andean backdrop), Lunch (Lunch prepared by trekking chef at Village of Kiswarani), Dinner, Snack
Included Activities
- Soak in Lares hot springs with different temperature pools
- Hike to Village of Kiswarani (approximately 2 hours)
- Hike to Blue Lagoon campsite (approximately 2 hours)
- Pass by potato farms, waterfalls, llamas and alpacas
Landmarks Lares hot springs Village of Kiswarani Blue Lagoon 
- Day 2
Blue Lagoon to Canchacancha
This is the toughest day of your trek. Start early with coffee or coca tea, then climb for about 4 hours to reach Condor Pass at 4,750 m. You'll see wallatas (wild relatives of llamas) near pristine lakes and get panoramic views of peaks over 18,000 ft. At the summit, your guide will perform a spiritual offering. Then you descend for roughly 3 hours through dramatic terrain to Canchacancha, a remote village without modern technology. Spend time meeting local families, visiting the school, and playing games with children. Later, visit a family home to learn about their traditional way of life and how they raise guinea pigs, llamas, and alpacas.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Coffee or coca tea), Lunch, Dinner (Hearty dinner prepared by chef), Snack
Included Activities
- Climb to Condor Pass (4,750 m / 15,583 ft) - approximately 4 hours
- View Wallatas (Andean geese) on pristine lakes
- Spiritual offering to mountain gods at Condor Pass summit
- Descend to Canchacancha (approximately 3 hours)
- Meet local families and visit school in Canchacancha
- Join games with children in the village
- Visit family home to learn traditional Inca lifestyles
Optional Activities
- Bring donations (food or school supplies) to support the community
Landmarks Condor Pass Pitusiray Sawasiray Qolquecruz Canchacancha 
- Day 3
Canchacancha to Ollantaytambo
After breakfast and packing up camp, you'll descend from the highlands toward the Sacred Valley. As you trek, the landscape shifts from cool potato fields to fertile corn lands. The hike to Huaran takes about 4 hours and covers roughly 12 km. Once you arrive, a private bus picks you up and takes you to the Salineras of Maras, where thousands of salt pools cascade down the mountainside. From there, you'll continue to Ollantaytambo, known as the Last Living Inca City with streets and water channels that have been in use for centuries. You'll have dinner at a local restaurant and check into your hotel for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Dinner at local restaurant), Snack
Included Activities
- Descend from highlands to Sacred Valley (approximately 4 hours hiking)
- Reach town of Huaran (2,700 m / 8,856 ft)
- Visit Salineras of Maras - famous salt pools
- Explore Ollantaytambo, the Last Living Inca City
- View centuries-old streets and water channels in use today
Landmarks Salineras of Maras Ollantaytambo - Day 4
Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
An early train departs Ollantaytambo for a scenic 1.5-hour ride along the Urubamba River to Km 104. You'll show your original passport at the Chachabamba checkpoint to enter, then enjoy freshly prepared breakfast before starting the Short Inca Trail. The trek climbs uphill for about 4 hours through Andean scenery to Wiñaywayna (Forever Young), where you'll explore its incredible terraces and have a picnic lunch with mountain views. Continuing to the Sun Gate, you'll catch your first glimpse of Machu Picchu before descending about 1 hour to the citadel, arriving in late afternoon when crowds are smaller. A bus takes you down to Aguas Calientes for dinner and hotel check-in.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Freshly prepared breakfast from expert chef), Lunch (Picnic lunch at Wiñaywayna with mountain views), Dinner (Dinner at local restaurant), Snack
Included Activities
- Train ride from Ollantaytambo to Km 104 (1.5 hours)
- Pass through Chachabamba checkpoint
- Hike to Wiñaywayna (approximately 4 hours)
- Explore Wiñaywayna terraces
- Hike to Sun Gate
- View Machu Picchu from Sun Gate
- Descend to Machu Picchu citadel (approximately 1 hour)
- Bus ride from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes
Landmarks Urubamba River Chachabamba checkpoint Wiñaywayna Sun Gate Machu Picchu 
- Day 5
Machu Picchu and Return to Cusco
You'll wake around 5:30 AM and head to the bus stop to get among the first visitors entering Machu Picchu. If weather cooperates, you'll see the sunrise over the citadel. Your guide leads a 2-3 hour tour through temples, terraces, and hidden corners of the site. After that, you have the option to hike Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain if you've booked tickets in advance. The bus takes you back to Aguas Calientes for lunch (on your own), then you'll catch the Vistadome train and a private van back to Cusco, arriving around 7:30 PM.
- End point
- Cusco, Cusco, Peru (Drop off at any hotel in Cusco city, 19:00)
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel)
Included Activities
- Early morning bus to Machu Picchu
- Witness sunrise over Machu Picchu (weather permitting)
- Guided tour of Machu Picchu (2-3 hours)
- Explore Machu Picchu temples, terraces and hidden corners
- Bus from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes
- Vistadome train from Aguas Calientes to Cusco
- Private van from train station to hotel in Cusco
Optional Activities
- Huayna Picchu Mountain hike - $68 per person (2 hours round trip, must book far in advance)
- Machu Picchu Mountain hike - $68 per person (3 hours round trip, must book in advance)
Landmarks Machu Picchu Huayna Picchu Machu Picchu Mountain 
