Itinerary
- Day 1
Cusco to Upis
You'll get picked up at your Cusco hotel at 4:30 am for a 3.5-hour drive through highland scenery to Upis village at 4,350m/14,270ft. After meeting your muleteers and horses, there's breakfast before you start hiking gradually uphill for 2.5 hours through a valley where you'll see llamas and alpacas with Mount Ausangate coming into view. Lunch happens at Pampa Rapa (4,600m/15,090ft), then you'll continue trekking for another 3.5 hours to reach Arapa Pass at 4,800m/15,750ft, the day's highest point. From there, it's a 1.5-hour descent down to your first campsite at Yanacocha (4,650m/15,250ft), which sits right by a beautiful lagoon.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hearty breakfast at Upis village), Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hotel pickup from Cusco
- Drive through scenic highlands with viewpoints
- Meet local muleteers and horses at Upis
- Hike through highland valley with llamas and alpacas
- Hike to Arapa Pass (4,800m)
- Trek to first campsite at Yanacocha
Landmarks Mount Ausangate Arapa Pass 
- Day 2
Yanacocha to Qomercocha
This day starts with sunrise and breakfast, then you're hiking through a series of ups and downs past turquoise lagoons at the base of Ausangate. After 1.5 hours you'll begin a winding climb to the second mountain pass at 5,000m/16,400ft with dramatic views of the Vilcanota range and glaciated peaks. You'll descend into the valley and head uphill again for lunch at Ananta (4,650m/15,250ft). After eating, you've got a 2-hour trek uphill to Warmisaya Pass at 5,000m/16,400ft where you can see Rainbow Mountain in the distance. The final 30 minutes is downhill to your second campsite at Qomercocha (4,680m/15,350ft).
- Meals
- Breakfast (Delicious breakfast before trekking), Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Sunrise viewing and breakfast
- Hike through ascents and descents
- Second mountain pass (5,000m)
- Hike to Warmisaya Pass (5,000m)
- Trek to second campsite at Qomercocha
Landmarks Vilcanota Range Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) - Day 3
Qomercocha to Ausangate Qocha (Rainbow Mountain)
Early breakfast, then you'll hike for about 1.5 hours to reach Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) at 5,050m/16,570ft. You'll get there early enough to have roughly 45 minutes mostly to yourself before crowds arrive, giving you time to take in the striped landscape created by mineral deposits. The hike back takes you to Ananta where you'll have lunch around 12:30 pm. After that, you'll trek for 3 hours to the next campsite at Ausangate Qocha (4,700m/15,420ft) for dinner and the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Early breakfast before Rainbow Mountain hike), Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Early breakfast
- Hike to Rainbow Mountain (5,050m)
- Early morning access to avoid crowds
- Hike back to Ananta
- Trek to third campsite at Ausangate Qocha
Landmarks Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca / Montaña de Siete Colores) - Day 4
Ausangate Qocha to Jhampapampa
Today's shorter distance means less hiking but you'll reach the highest point of the entire trek. After breakfast you're heading uphill to Palomani Pass at 5,130m/16,830ft, which requires taking it slow because of the altitude. The payoff from the pass is substantial, looking across at a pink lake between colorful mountains with large glaciers. You'll hike down into a mountain valley for lunch, then trek for about 2 hours to your fourth campsite at Jhampapampa (4,700m/15,420ft). Later you can have coca tea and rest up, knowing the hardest parts are behind you.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Breakfast
- Hike to Palomani Pass (5,130m) – highest point
- View of pink lake and glaciers from the pass
- Hike to valley lunch spot
- Trek to fourth campsite at Jhampapampa
- Coca tea upon arrival
Landmarks Palomani Pass - Day 5
Jhampapampa to Ninaparayoq
After breakfast you're gradually climbing to Jhampa Pass at 5,060m/16,600ft, the final mountain pass on the route, with views of glaciated peaks ahead. Then comes a gentle 2-hour downhill walk while passing lakes and looking for alpacas and chinchillas. You'll reach the last campsite at Ninaparayoq (4,700m/15,420ft) for a substantial lunch. The afternoon is free time to relax and enjoy the mountain surroundings since the tough stages are finished. There's dinner and your final night sleeping under the Andes sky.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Big lunch upon arrival at final campsite), Dinner
Included Activities
- Breakfast
- Hike to Jhampa Pass (5,060m)
- Downhill hike past lakes
- Wildlife viewing – alpacas and chinchillas
- Trek to fifth campsite at Ninaparayoq
- Afternoon relaxation time
Landmarks Jhampa Pass - Day 6
Ninaparayoq to Pacchanta to Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
You'll start with hot coca tea and a good breakfast, then hike downhill for 2.5 hours to Pacchanta town where the trail ends. The local hot springs there are perfect for stretching out tired muscles, and you'll have lunch while going over the trek memories. After saying goodbye to your muleteers, cook, and support staff, you're boarding private transportation for a 4-hour drive to Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley. There you'll walk around the town checking out cobblestone streets and the traditional market. Around 7 pm you'll board a train to Aguas Calientes (the town below Machu Picchu) and check into your hotel, then head out for dinner and pisco sours at a local restaurant.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hot coca tea and breakfast), Lunch (Lunch in Pacchanta), Dinner (Dinner celebration with pisco sours at local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Breakfast with coca tea
- Final 2.5-hour downhill hike to Pacchanta
- Relax in local hot springs
- Private vehicle drive to Ollantaytambo
- Exploration of Ollantaytambo town
- Train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
- Dinner celebration with pisco sours
Landmarks Ollantaytambo Pacchanta Hot Springs 
- Day 7
Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu to Cusco
An early start means breakfast in Aguas Calientes before your guide picks you up around 5:40 am. You'll walk to the bus departure point for the winding climb up to Machu Picchu. Your guided tour with an English-speaking guide lasts roughly 2 hours and covers major areas like the House of the Guardian, Intihuatana, Temple of the Sun, Sacred Plaza, and agricultural terraces with mountain and gorge views. After the tour you have your own time to wander, including less-visited spots like the Inca Bridge. You'll take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch (on your own), then board the train back to Poroy and Cusco before heading to your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast in Aguas Calientes)
Included Activities
- Breakfast in Aguas Calientes
- Bus transportation to Machu Picchu
- Guided tour of Machu Picchu (approximately 2 hours)
- Visit to House of the Guardian
- Visit to Intihuatana
- Visit to Temple of the Sun
- Visit to Sacred Plaza
- Free exploration time at Machu Picchu
- Optional visit to Inca Bridge
- Bus return to Aguas Calientes
- Train from Aguas Calientes to Poroy and Cusco
- Hotel return in Cusco
Optional Activities
- Lunch in Aguas Calientes (not included in tour price)
Landmarks Machu Picchu House of the Guardian Intihuatana Temple of the Sun Sacred Plaza Inca Bridge
