Walking and Hiking Inca Trails

An Active Journey to Peru

TRIP DETAILS

9 days from $3,899

May 11–19, July 13–21, Sept. 14–22, Oct. 19–27, 2024

Maximum Travelers: 18

Highlights

• Lima: Tour the Larco Museum with a curator, watch a ceviche-making demonstration, and visit an ancient pyramid in the heart of the city.

• Sacred Valley and Cusco: Hike amid Inca ruins in Chinchero, Ollantaytambo, and Pisac; and visit a planetarium. Take a cooking class and meet an archaeologist at the Machu Picchu Museum.

• One-Day Inca Trail Trek: Take to the legendary Inca Trail on an optional full-day hike, trekking past lesser-known Inca settlements to the Sun Gate overlooking Machu Picchu.

• Machu Picchu: Visit the “urban” section of the mountaintop citadel or take in incredible views as you arrive on foot from the Sun Gate; return the next morning for an expert-led tour.

Itinerary

Days 1–2: Lima, Peru

Arrive in Lima and transfer to your hotel in the elegant Miraflores district. Gather for a welcome briefing and take an evening stroll to a nearby restaurant for dinner. The next day, join a curator for a private tour of the Larco Museum, home to a worldrenowned collection of pre-Columbian ceramics and art. Attend a ceviche-making demonstration and enjoy lunch at the museum’s garden restaurant. Take a walk along the Malecón de Miraflores, then head to the hotel’s rooftop terrace for a pisco sour.

(D;B,L) Pullman Lima Miraflores

Day 3: Cusco and the Sacred Valley

Fly to Cusco, high in the Andes mountains. Descend into the Sacred Valley and stop for a picnic lunch. In the village of Chinchero, hike amid Inca terraces and ruins with a local guide. Check in to your hotel and take part in a traditional welcome ceremony conducted by a shaman. (B,L,D)

CasaAndinaPremiumSacredValley

Day 4: Sacred Valley

Follow trails through ancient staircases and terraces above the vibrant market town of Pisac. Then explore the town’s main square and market. Stop for a typical Peruvian lunch at a community-run restaurant, and continue to Ollantaytambo to explore its Inca temple-fortress. Stargaze at the hotel’s planetarium before a traditional pachamanca meal.

(B,L,D) CasaAndinaPremiumSacredValley

Day 5: Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu

Catch the train to Aguas Calientes. If you wish, disembark at the Kilometer 104 marker for a full-day hike on the historic Inca Trail, trekking through the ruins of Wiñaywayna and arriving at the Sun Gate, overlooking Machu Picchu. Or disembark in Aguas Calientes and ride the bus up to Machu Picchu for a guided tour of the site’s lower section. Meet up for dinner tonight. (B,D) HotelTaypikalaMachupicchu

Day 6: Machu Picchu and Cusco

Return to Machu Picchu with your guide to discover the iconic viewpoints and monuments of the citadel’s upper section. Enjoy lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge, located next to the ruins, then return by train to Ollantaytambo. A scenic drive brings you to Cusco for an evening at leisure. (B,L) Sonesta Hotel Cusco

Day 7: Cusco

Choose a hike or a cooking class today. Hikers will tour the Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman, then drive to the Temple of the Moon and follow ancient trails back to Cusco, stopping for a picnic en route. Or venture into the local market to select produce for a cooking class with a local chef. Learn to prepare Peruvian favorites and feast on the dishes you’ve created. After free time, dine together at a local restaurant. (B,L,D) Sonesta Hotel Cusco

Day 8: Cusco and Lima

Visit the Machu Picchu Museum with an archaeologist to see artifacts that were returned to Peru from Yale in 2011. Fly back to Lima and enjoy a free afternoon. Tour Huaca Pucllana, a pre-Inca adobe and clay pyramid in the center of Miraflores, and toast your adventure at a farewell dinner next to the site. (B,D) Pullman Lima Miraflores

Day 9: Return home

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight home. (B)

Activity Level: Moderate

This journey includes hiking options of up to 5 miles per day, at times over steep and uneven terrain at elevations between 7,000 and 12,000 feet.