Peru Day Hiker Tour, epic day hikes in the Andes including Machu Picchu
Weavers in the colorful market village of Chincheros
Duration: 9 days
4-12 Travelers: $2275 per person
2-3 Travelers: $2595 per person
For those looking to travel to Peru on a tour that includes epic day hikes in the legendary Andes Mountains and to Machu Picchu along with creature comforts along the way, here is the tour for you. This Peru trip visits all of the significant Inca sites, ending each rigorous day of high-altitude hiking with a hot shower, tasty restaurant meal, and comfortable hotel lodgings. It is a trip filled with roads truly less traveled and sites not seen by most visitors on Peru tours, offering an intimate view of the fascinating cultural mix that has shaped the Andean experience. This unforgettable nine-day trip explores the Inca Empire from Cusco to the hidden city of Machu Picchu on six unique day-hikes, culminating in a visit to Machu Picchu Mountain that starts at Machu Picchu and continues along the stone Inca Trail high above the citadel for a bird's-eye view of these most famous of Inca ruins.
Private departures for the Peru Day Hiker Tour can be arranged so please contact us regarding details and private departure costs.
Peru Day Hiker Tour Itinerary Details
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Day 1 (Sat) ARRIVE LIMA
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Your tour begins in Lima where our representative will transfer you from the airport to your hotel. For anyone arriving early, we can arrange optional tours according to your interests, of the city, museums and other sights. Overnight at a Lima hotel.
Begin Optional Pre-Itinerary Tour Extensions
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Day 2 (Sun) LIMA - CUSCO
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Cusco's central square, Plaza de Armas
You'll be picked up in the morning to fly to Cusco, center of the Inca Empire. There a Southern Explorations representative will be waiting to take you to your hotel, after stopping for a short guided tour of the much-photographed Plaza de Armas. You'll be on your own the rest of the day to acclimatize to the altitude (10,856 ft.) while getting acquainted with the well-preserved colonial city of Cusco. Overnight in your comfortable Cusco lodgings. (B)
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Day 3 (Mon) CUSCO HIKING CITY TOUR
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Today you'll spend hiking in the Inca Empire, learning about the region's rich cultural history. The day starts with a guided walking tour through Cusco's craft markets. You'll visit the colonial cathedral and Koricancha, the Inca's Temple of the Sun, before enjoying a delectable lunch of regional cuisine. The afternoon will be spent visiting the other significant Inca ruins in the vicinity of Cusco including the mammoth fortress of Sacsayhuaman above the city, noted for its megalithic stone terraces, Kenko with its distinctive zig zag-patterned carved stone and subterranean alters, the hillside outpost of Puka Pukara, a small fortress that formerly protected the royal capital and the Tambo Machay water temple that served as royal baths. You'll be returned to your hotel for another free evening in colonial Cusco. (B)
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Day 4 (Tue) DAY HIKE - PIURAY LAKE TO SACSAYHUAMAN RUINS
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After a hearty breakfast, you'll be picked up at your hotel to reach serene Lake Piuray where today's challenging high-altitude hike begins. Over the next several hours, you'll climb through rolling hills with scenic views to an elevation of 13,605 ft. Here you'll be rewarded with panoramic vistas and an opportunity to enjoy the surroundings before dropping into a secluded spot for a delicious gourmet picnic lunch prepared by our chefs. The hike continues downhill to the day's final destination, Sacsayhuaman. You'll have a chance to relax and explore the ruins before returning to Cusco for another free evening and night at your hotel. (B, L)
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Day 5 (Wed) DAY HIKE - COMMUNITY OF AMARU TO PISAC RUINS
View spectacular orchids along the trailside as you hike in the Andes
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After yesterday's climb, you'll enjoy a mostly downhill route today with some options for hiking a little or a lot. From your hotel in Cusco, you'll travel by private van to the village of Amaru where you'll get acquainted with the citizenry before hiking to the once-pivotal Inca citadel of Pisac that includes a Sun Temple, extensive terracing and water ducts. The path to the ruins passes through fields of potatoes, quinoa, wheat and other crops. As you explore the area, your guide will explain the significance and history of this magnificent complex. After a late lunch, anyone interested may hike through the town of Pisac. You'll continue by van through the Incas' Sacred Valley to reach the historic village of Ollantaytambo, a mountain town designed by the Incas and known for its namesake Inca fortress. One of the Incas' last stands against the Spanish took place here. You'll spend the night at a hotel in Ollantaytambo. (B)
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Day 6 (Thu) DAY HIKE - CACHICATA TO OLLANTAYTAMBO.
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Today's rigorous hike takes you to Cachicata, a site of great importance because it is here that the Incas formed the stones for some of their monumental building projects. To get to the quarry, this three to four hour trek takes a gradually ascending trail, crossing the Urubamba River through scenic mountainous areas visited by few travelers on Peru tours. This experience allows visitors to appreciate the great ingenuity of the Incas who were able to construct their colossal structures at locations so distant from their building materials without the benefit of the wheel. After lunch in an idyllic setting, you'll descend back to the Sacred Valley and Ollantaytambo for a free evening and second night at your Ollantaytambo hotel. (B, L)
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Day 7 (Fri) OLLANTAYTAMBO - MACHU PICCHU
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On today's Inca adventure, you'll finally reach the long-anticipated destination of Machu Picchu, symbol of the Inca Empire. To get there, you'll walk from the hotel to the train station for a picturesque ride along the Urubamba River into a cloud forest before arriving in Aquas Calientes, the nearest town to Machu Picchu. You'll go by bus the rest of the way to Machu Picchu at an elevation of 7,800 ft. You'll spend the day exploring the ruins and then return to Agua Calientes in time for a soothing soak in the town's famed hot springs before enjoying a leisurely dinner on your own. Overnight at a hotel in Aguas Calientes. (B)
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Day 8 (Sat) DAY HIKE - MACHU PICCHU MOUNTAIN - CHINCHEROS MARKET - RETURN CUSCO
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Views of Machu Picchu from the Machu Picchu Mtn. Hike
Rising early enough to escape the crowds, today's extraordinary itinerary returns to the royal citadel, starting with what is for most travelers the highlight of their Peru tours, sunrise at Machu Picchu. From here, you'll continue along the Inca Trail ascending another 2,000 feet to the summit of Machu Picchu Mountain for a breathtaking view of the magnificent complex and surrounding area that most travelers never get to experience. This three to four hour hike concludes after returning to Machu Picchu. You'll go by bus to Aguas Calientes and take the early afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo where you'll transfer to a private van to travel to the colorful market in the village of Chincheros. Here you'll visit a community of textile artists who craft original organic pieces according to the techniques of their ancestors, learning how the wool and alpaca are shorn, spun, dyed and woven into the high-quality creations for which this region is known. The visit to Chincheros gives travelers the perfect place to find uniquely Andean souvenirs of their Peru tours. You'll be transported back to Cusco for a final relaxing evening and overnight at your hotel. (B)
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Day 9 (Sun) CUSCO - LIMA - HOME
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In the morning, you'll be transferred to the airport to return to Lima for your connecting international flight. This ends Southern Explorations' services. If your schedule allows time for more Peru tours, we offer a number of fascinating trip extensions to add to your Machu Picchu adventure.
Begin Optional Post-Itinerary Tour Extensions
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Key:
(B)reakfast (L)unch (D)inner
ARTICLES & INFORMATION ABOUT PERU
TOURS AND TRAVEL
CONTACT US
CALL
1.877.784.5400
TOLL FREE
OUTSIDE
THE U.S.A. CALL
1.206.784.8111
2008 SCHEDULED TRIP DATES
Saturday Departures
2 person minimum / 12 maximum
September
06-14
October
18-26
November
11/29-12/07
December
11/29-12/07
Private Departures can be arranged. Please contact us regarding private departure costs.
2009 SCHEDULED TRIP DATES
Saturday Departures
2 person minimum / 12 maximum
January
10-18
February
7-15
March
7-15
April
11-19
May
9-17
June
13-21
July
11-19
August
1-9
September
12-20
October
10-18
November
14-22
December
12-20
Private Departures can be arranged. Please contact us regarding private departure costs.
INCLUSIONS / EXCLUSIONS
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Included in tour cost
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- Meals as indicated
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- All hotel accommodations (twin shared basis)
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- All airport/hotel transfers
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- Entrance fees for all scheduled tours and archaeological sites
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- English speaking certified guides
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- Southern Explorations pre departure services
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Excluded in tour cost
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- Airfare $295 (Lima/Cusco/Lima)
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- International round - trip airfare to and from Peru
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- Airport taxes international (around $30) and local (around $5)
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- Tips and gratuities
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- Travel insurance
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- Continental breakfasts are included at all hotels. All other meals are not included unless specified in the itinerary.
PHYSICAL RATING
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Difficult to Strenuous
PERU ACCOMMODATION
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Peru Day Hiker Accommodation:
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8 nights hotels
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
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Additional $505
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- Single Supplement is the additional cost of a single traveler not sharing a room in double occupancy. We will match you with another same gender traveler unless you request single accommodations.
Prices based on 3% cash discount
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