Fundraising Trek to Machu Picchu for S.O.S Children’s Village

Itinerary in Brief: Trek to Machu Picchu to Support a Local Orphanage

• Special non-profit fund raising trip
• $500 of your trip cost goes directly to SOS
• Raise money while having fun
• Tour Cusco, the former Incan Capital
• Acclimate in the Sacred Valley
• Trek the magnificent Salkantay trail
• Explore the ruins of Machu Picchu
• Contact us with any questions

Day by Day Itinerary

Trip Overview

Dates:  September 1-10, 15-24  (Minimum 6 people)    

What this is about:  This is a fund raising “charity challenge” being operated on a non-profit basis by Vaya Adventures to raise money in support of SOS Children’s Village in Cusco Peru.  For every participant who does this trek, $500 of the trip cost will be donated to the SOS Children’s Village.  This organization supports orphaned and abandoned children within the city of Cusco and the surrounding area, providing educational resources and a family unit to some of the area’s most destitute children.  The money goes a long way in Cusco.  By challenging yourself and supporting this organization you are directly aiding these children with the home, education and job training they need to succeed in life.

About SOS Children’s Villages:  Operating in over 132 countries and territories, SOS Children’s Villages is an international non-governmental organization focusing on family-based, long term care for children who are unable to live with their biological families.  By providing a stable family environment, schooling and vocational training programs, SOS Children’s Villages helps foster growth and self worth among some of the world’s neediest youth and those coming from extremely challenging situations.  Founded in 1949, SOS Children’s Villages has a proven track record that speaks to its long term commitment to children’s rights and the positive affect a nurturing environment has on a child’s success.  Funds raised on this trek go directly to the village in Cusco.  

Why a “charity challenge”?  Just like Cancer Walk or Aids Ride, this is a physical challenge which you are participating in to raise funds for the SOS Children’s Villages in Cusco.  In conjunction with the $500 being donated on your behalf by signing up for the trek we also encourage participants to get friends, family and coworkers and anyone else you can find to pledge funds toward your goal of completing the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu.  100% of the money raised through sponsors will go to the SOS Children’s Villages in Cusco to help support their work.

Can you do it?  This is both a physical challenge and a challenge to find people willing to donate money to a great cause. If you like the idea of raising money for SOS Children’s Villages and like to trek, then this is for you. No technical experience is required, just a good level of physical fitness.

How to sign up or become a sponsor:  Contact us at info@vayaadventures.com or (510) 548-8487 to sign up or with any questions. Sponsor pledges are fully tax deductible. Every dollar raised from sponsors will go to SOS Children’s Villages to support its village in Cusco. If you can’t participate on the trip but would like to sponsor a participant, please let us know.

Costs and What’s Included:  Land cost for 10 days in Peru of $1998 and includes all accommodations, meals as indicated, all ground transportation, all excursions, and all entrance fees.

What You Have to Do:   $500 from each participants trip costs will be donated to SOS Children’s Villages in Cusco.  With these minimum donations we stand to raise a considerable amount of money for these children and we also welcome any other contributions participants or friends and family are able to raise.  All donations are tax deductible contributions.  Aside from signing up for the trip you will need to buy your international plane tickets (ask us if you need assistance with us), and get in good physical shape for the challenge.

Please visit S.O.S. Children’s Village in Cusco (click link) for more information about the organization you are supporting!

(Included meals as indicated in parentheses:  B,L,D)

Day by Day Details

Day 1 Arrive to Lima

Upon arrival to Lima you will be met at the airport by a local representative holding a sign that reads “S.O.S. Charity Challenge” on it.  This representative will welcome you to the country, transfer you to your hotel and be available to answer any questions you may have upon arrival.
Ramada Costa del Sol

Day 2        Tour of the Sacred Valley

In the morning you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival to Cusco you will be met at the airport to start your full day tour of the Sacred Valley, a good chance to see how people continue to live in traditional ways in the Andes, and a beautiful place to start acclimating for your upcoming trek. First you’ll visit the Pisac ruins, then continue down to the town of Pisac for a short visit of their local market before having lunch (if you like you can walk down from the ruins to the town; just ask your guide about this option). Afterward, you will make a visit to the town and ruins of Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo is one of the few towns to survive in its current layout from Incan times; you might ask your guide about walking the streets. After your tour, you will be dropped off at your hotel in the late afternoon.
Albergue Ollantaytambo (B,L)

Day 3        Cusco City Tour

In the morning you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to Cusco with drop off at your hotel. In the afternoon you will be met at your hotel and start your half day tour of Cusco and the surrounding ruins. Many of the most important of the modern buildings in the colonial part of the city were built on the foundations of Incan palaces, and you can see the incredibly precise Incan stonework as you walk the city. You will also visit the spectacular fortress of Sacsahuaman, which sits on the hilltop overlooking Cusco. This massive complex was where the Incas made their fiercest stand against the Spanish conquerors in the 16th century.
El Balcon (B)

Day 4       S.O.S. Children’s Village

Today you will make a visit to the S.O.S Children’s Village in Cusco, a chance to see where the money raised through your efforts is going and to meet some of the children it will support. Cusco’s Children’s Village consists of twelve family houses, with up to 108 children at any given time. These villages are in fact communities, fostering a support system based on a family or group unit. You will have several hours to visit with children at the center, see what their daily schedule looks like and how this global non-profit works to create a better future for children that are often left behind. You will have the remainder of the afternoon at your leisure.
El Balcon (B)

Day 5       Start Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

In the morning you will be picked up and transferred over Tika-Tika pass, providing your first view of Mt. Salkantay and Humantay. You will then cross the plateau of Anta (Antapampa), an area that’s considered the breadbasket of Cusco, important for grains and cattle. From here you will reach the pass of Limatambo with amazing views of both mountains and the panorama of the lush agricultural valley below. You will stop for a short visit of the Tarawasi ruins, with its long asymmetric Inca stone wall. Afterwards, continue on the paved road for a short while and turn off on a winding road which zig-zags uphill until reaching Mollepata at 9,454ft. You continue on a narrower track for another hour passing Cruzpata, Oncopata and Checchicancha getting your first view of Mt. Humantay up close. The last part of the track brings us to Soraypampa (12,815ft) where there are small settlements of cattle herders. You´ll continue up to the Pampa below Mt. Salkantay where you will camp at (13,599ft). (Trekking: 4 hours).
Camping (B,L,D)

Day 6        Apacheta Pass

Leaving your campsite you head towards the terminal moraine, from here the trail begins to ascend past boulders, reaching a scree slope which we traverse to reach Apacheta Pass at 4,636m (15,210ft), a great opportunity to look towards the other pass at Incachiriaska, into a small lake below Mt. Salkantay’s ice flute and the huge expanse of the moraine. The trail winds its way through the landscape downhill towards a large Pampa called Wayrahmachay (12,858ft). You will then descend all the way to the Sta. Teresa River and arrive at your campsite (9,678ft). (Trekking: 8 hours, Distance: 12kms).
Camping (B,L,D)

Day 7       Lucmabamba

From your campsite you start a slow ascent to Raynapata Pass from where you get an astounding view of Mt. Quiswaq and the valley of Tortora before beginning your descent to Wiñaypoqo, Unuyoc and to the road head. From here a vehicle will pick you up for transfer to your campsite at Lucmabamba at 6,719 ft. (Trekking: 4 hours, Distance: 7kms).
Camping (B,L,D)

Day 8       Q’elloqasa Pass

Today you begin your ascent to the pass of Q’elloqasa at an attitude of /9,430ft. Traversing dense cloud forests with a chance to hear bird calls, you pass a pre-Inca site, surrounded by an immense avocado tree that gives the area its name. From here you get a magnificent view of Machu Picchu´s southern face, a unique vantage point. You continue your descent to the junction of the Aobamba and Urubamba valleys and arrive at the hydroelectric station, from where you take a short train ride to Aguas Calientes where you spend the night at a local hotel. (Trekking: 7 hours Distance: 10kms).
El Mapi (B,L)

Day 9       Machu Picchu

Today you will have a guided tour of Machu Picchu. The exact time of the tour can be discussed with your guide the prior night. The whole day can be dedicated to explore these extraordinary Inca remains, including a visit to Wayna Picchu, the hill overlooking the site. In the afternoon you should return to Aguas Calientes for lunch, and then catch your train back to Ollantaytambo. Upon arrival to Ollantaytambo you will be met at the train depot and transferred by private vehicle back to Cusco for the night.
El Balcon (B,L)

Day 10       Return Home

In the morning you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the airport for your flight to Lima where you will have assistance with making your connecting flight home.
(B)