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Destinations South America Peru
Days: 13 | From: $8,890/per person
Perfect for those who enjoy trekking more than camping: hike through magnificent landscapes between glaciers and jungle, with nightly stays in remote, comfortable lodges. Get to know the culture in Lima and Cusco, explore the Incan citadel at Machu Picchu, and finish your trip in the beautiful Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Talk to a Vaya Travel Specialist
We tailor itineraries to your dates and interests, adjusting hotels, excursions and length as desired.
We consistently receive 5 star reviews from our discerning clients.
All itineraries are fully customizable. We will send you a personalized variation that reflects your interests and travel dates at no extra cost. Call to discuss your travel plans with one of our Specialists who know this region firsthand.
Find out why our discerning travelers consistently rate us with 5-stars.
Arrive to Lima, former capital of the Spanish empire in the Americas, and transfer to your first class hotel in Miraflores, Lima’s main cultural and commercial district. This is a great area for strolling around and is home to many of Lima’s best restaurants.
Peru has emerged as a star in the culinary world, and Lima showcases some of its best offerings. In addition to world-renowned dining, Lima offers lively markets and interesting cooking classes. We also arrange private tours of Lima or visits to any of the city’s museums, and art tours for those with special interests. If you’re ready to dive into the local cuisine, we can make reservations for a multi-course tasting menu at one of Lima’s top restaurants.
Housed in a renovated 1940s townhouse in the chic Miraflores district, this six-room hotel provides a relaxed atmosphere with excellent service. Atemporal offers its guests an alternative lodging experience in three room categories: Grand, Charming, and Cozy. Atemporal is entirely private, meaning only guests and those they invite can use its exclusive spaces, with their offbeat but functional collector’s aesthetic, including a veranda, salon and private garden.
Upgrades and alternatives: Hotel B , Miraflores Park Hotel , and others
Take a private tour of Lima. Visit the government and historic buildings, see the colonial highlights of the city, and have some time at the highly-rated Larco Museum. Lima is a great place to explore, with many interesting sights and great views of the Pacific Ocean. With your private guide you have the flexibility to see what really interests you and move at your own pace.
Later in the afternoon, set out for a different type of Lima tour: one focused on the city’s highly-rated gastronomic scene. Visit four exclusive restaurants, each with its own specialties. Relax at a bar over the ocean and sample Pisco Sour, the national drink, then try a variety of Amazonian appetizers at an award-winning restaurant specializing in dishes from the jungle. Enjoy a gourmet Peruvian dinner amid illuminated pre-Incan ruins at la Huaca Pucllana, followed by a walking tour of the colonial, bohemian Barranco district with a typical Peruvian dessert.
*Includes: Breakfast, Dinner
Fly over the Andes to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, where your private guide will take you to your hotel. Enjoy the afternoon free to acclimatize to the altitude and explore a bit on your own. Cusco is located at 11,000 feet and you’ll have the next 2 nights here to get accustomed to the altitude as you prepare for your trek.
El Mercado is located in the heart of Cusco. Formerly part of the old farmer’s market, El Mercado has been designed to incorporate some of the element of the market, with original decor, a friendly casual atmosphere, and innovative cuisine. The hotel has 32 rooms and features a restaurant, bar, and lovely courtyard.
*Includes: Breakfast
Upgrades and alternatives: Palacio Nazarenas , Palacio del Inka , Inkaterra La Casona Cusco , Belmond Hotel Monasterio , and others
Get to know Cusco with your knowledgeable private guide, visiting the historical highlights of this fascinating city. Visit Sacsahuaman, the massive Incan fortress on the hills above the city, where you can enjoy views out over Cusco and the entire surrounding area.
This afternoon you will meet your fellow hikers and have a brief orientation to prepare for your trek.
Start your voyage with a scenic drive into the Vilcabamba mountain range. As Cusco disappears behind you, the road takes you through small towns dotting the roadside on your way to Soraypampa.
Make a visit to the little-known Inca ruins of Tarawasi before switching to a dirt road that lead to the first lodge. You have the opportunity to hike the last few miles to the lodge (about 4 hours) or continue by vehicle right up to the door.
*Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Enjoy the day at leisure as you acclimatize to the altitude. One good option is a half day hike up to a small glacial lake, which serves as a good initiation into hiking at this altitude. For the brave there is the possibility of taking a dip in these chilly waters! There is also the option of relaxing in the Jacuzzi back at the lodge, with the peaks of Humantay and Salkantay in the background.
Hike up the Rio Blanco Valley toward Mount Salkantay. After a few hours the trail starts up a series of switchbacks offering great views down the valley to the lodge you left behind. You will soon find yourself passing the highest point of the trek, just over 15,000 feet, with the south face of Salkantay towering over you. Start down to your second lodge, Wayra, passing by an ancient Inca road and rural settlements.
Trek down the valley, following the flow of the Salkantay River. Leaving the rocky and shrub-filled highlands, the vegetation grows increasingly dense as you drop in elevation into the cloud forest. Colpa Lodge is situated on a bluff overlooking the confluence of three rivers and has excellent views of the surrounding mountains.
Perched on a 1,000 foot bluff above the river, the Colpa Lodge is surrounded by forest and overlooks the Colpampa Valley. The 6-room lodge has an outdoor hot tub, reading room, and fireplace. A cozy stop on the Salkantay Trail.
Take a short climb up the hill opposite Colpa Lodge before heading down the Santa Teresa River Valley. Pass by coffee plantations and passion fruit trees, following the river. The trail ends at a dirt road, where you will be transferred by private vehicle to the Llactapata Inca Trail, finishing with a 30 minute hike up to Lucma Lodge.
Ascend along the ridge line toward the Llactapata Pass. After tackling the final summit of your trek, you will begin your descent to Machu Picchu. This trail offers spectacular views of Machu Picchu from vantage points seldom seen by tourists. Pass by the Llactapata Ruins, then cross the Aobamba River and make your way to the train station. From here you will board the train to Aguas Calientes and transfer to your hotel for the night.
This hotel sits on its own 12 secluded acres in Aguas Calientes, the town located at the base of Machu Picchu. The hotel is ideally located in natural surroundings, a short walk to the train station and the shuttles that take visitors to the ruins, but just outside the town, which is quite touristy. Guests follow stone pathways to their rooms, located in comfortable one- or two-story whitewashed casitas. Unlike the other hotels in Aguas Calientes, the Pueblo is set in a natural cloud forest, allowing you to experience the beauty of this unique ecosystem during your stay.
Upgrades and alternatives: Belmond Sanctuary Lodge (LOCATED RIGHT AT THE GATE TO THE RUINS; A GOOD OPTION FOR THOSE WANTING TO AVOID WAITING IN LINE FOR THE SHUTTLE BUS) , Sumaq (A HIGH END OPTION IN TOWN ALONG THE RIVER)
Visit Machu Picchu with your guide and trekking group in the early morning to explore the ruins. This is a great way to experience the site when there are fewer people around. You’ll also have the chance to hike to the top of Huayna Picchu, the mountain that towers above Machu Picchu (about 2 hours round trip).
After visiting the ruins, catch the afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo, where your local guide will transfer you into the Sacred Valley of the Incas, a long, fertile river valley surrounded by snowcapped peaks that lies between Cusco and Machu Picchu.
The Sol y Luna Lodge is located in Peru's Sacred Valley of the Incas, not far from the town of Urubamba. Peruvian art adorns each of the first class, comfortable adobe cottages, whose terraces offer spectacular views of the mountains. A place that does things the right way, this hotel has long been among our traveler favorites due to the superb accommodations, location, and service. The property offers two outstanding restaurants. There is also a stable with beautiful horses that can be taken out into the surrounding mountains on horseback riding excursions. This is a Relais & Chateaux property.
*Includes: Breakfast, Lunch
Alternative lodging options: Albergue Ollantaytambo : FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO STAY RIGHT IN OLLANTAYTAMBO
Spend the day exploring the Sacred Valley, seeing less-visited sites that will deepen your understanding of the local culture.
Discover the unique Incan site of Moray and the nearby town and ancient salt pans of Maras. After a scenic picnic lunch, visit Ollantaytambo, one of the few towns to survive in its current layout from Incan times.
Head to the airport for your flight home or to your next destination.
Spend some time before or after your trek in the beautiful Sacred Valley of the Incas, a long fertile river valley surrounded by snowcapped peaks that lies between Cusco and Machu Picchu. There are plenty of things to see and do in the Sacred Valley: explore Incan ruins, visit local villages and markets, go mountain biking, hiking, or horseback riding, and more.
Take part in a Pachamanca, a traditional Andean cooking ceremony on the shores of Lake Piuray.
Add a few nights in the Peruvian Amazon or Lake Titicaca, both easily accessible from Cusco.
Add extra days in Lima or Cusco: Both are worth exploring on your own, and we can arrange a variety of activities, including city tours, culinary excursions, visits to ruins and historical sites, and active options such as hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding.
Include some downtime for rest and relaxation! Some free time to unwind or have a massage will allow you to feel refreshed and ready for the remainder of your trip. Many of our properties include excellent spas or wellness centers. We can help arrange these services or include properties that offer health & wellness amenities.
Contact us to learn about more options for designing and customizing your trip.
We just loved everything about our Salkantay trek and would highly recommend Mountain Lodges of Peru.
Lucy Tremols
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