Day 1 – Arrive in Cusco and travel to Pisac, the beginning of the Sacred Valley
Arrive Cusco airport 3500 m / 11480 ft. Depending on whether you’re flying in this morning or the night before, Health Moves with Anna will collect you from the airport or the joining hotel in Cusco. You’ll have lunch before traveling over the Ccorao Pass to Pisac, making some scenic stops along the way. This will be a rest and acclimatization day as you will be doing a fair amount of activity at high altitude over the next few days. Pisac is lower than Cusco (around 2800 m / 9182 ft) so you’ll take an easy walk around this gorgeous town in the Sacred Valley and explore the local craft market. There will also be a chance to practice yoga or meditate in the beautiful gardens of the hotel.
- Lunch and dinner included
Day 2 – Explore Parque de la Papa and Pisac
This morning you wake up in Pisac and enjoy yoga and breakfast in the hotel before taking a scenic drive up to Parque de la Papa (the Potato Park), home to some of Peru’s almost 3000 varieties of potatoes. You’ll begin your first hike for today at Azulqocha (4100 m) and loop back down to Kinsaqocha. This great acclimatization track will take you around 2 hours. You’ll have a picnic lunch here with local villagers before heading back down to explore the Pisac Inca Ruins. Here you’ll begin to learn about the fascinating Inca culture walking through the ruins and back to your hotel.
- Total hiking distance: Approximately 9km
- All meals included
Day 3 – Hike Huchuy Qosqo (Little Cusco)
This morning you set off early for the hike to Huchuy Qosqo which means ‘Little Cusco’. You take a short drive from Pisac then begin the hike at 3800 m. The trail takes you up over a pass of 4200 m and across to the plateau of this incredible archaeological site. Taking in the spectacular views and doing some mediation overlooking the Sacred Valley and the Vilcabamba mountain range, you will have a picnic lunch and then explore this unique heritage site before returning the way you came. You’ll stay tonight in Urubamba at the hotel nestled in amongst an acre of incredibly peaceful greenspace and continue to sample culinary delights from the region. For the Inca Trail you’ll have a pre-hike briefing to make sure you’re ready for the next few days.
- Total hiking distance: Approximately 10km
- All meals included
Day 4 – Classic Inca Trail starts: Km82 to Huayllabamba
Early in the morning, you take the way leading from Urubamba to Km82 (2750 m / 9130 ft). This is the check point at the beginning of the trek. The trail follows the river valley for a while; this is a good training day before the second more challenging day. Along the way you will pass Wilkaracay with its impressive view of Patallacta which are both important Inca remains. It is just the beginning of a holy trail full of sanctuaries. Today, after about 7 hours walking, stretching on route you will reach your first camping place at Huayllabamba (3000 m / 9842 ft). On reaching the camp for the evening you will be met by your trek team, the porters who will have already set up camp and the cook who will be preparing your evening meal.
- Total hiking distance: 12 km
- All meals included
Day 5 – Inca Trail Huayllabamba to Pacaymayo (Dead Woman's Pass)
Ever optimistic, the sun will be shining on your second day as you follow the Inca Trail to Warmiwañusta (Dead Woman’s Pass). This is considered to be the most challenging trek day as you cross this highest point of the trail at 4200 m (13779 ft). Prepare for a steep uphill until you summit. The sense of achievement is a reward in itself, then a beautiful stone trail will show you the way as you descend to your tents in the campsite at Pacaymayo (3580 m / 11740 ft). On reaching the camp for the evening you will be met by the trek team who will have already set up camp and the cook who will be preparing your mouth-watering evening meal.
- Total hiking distance: 11 km
- All meals included
Day 6 – Inca Trail Pacaymayo to Phuyupatamarca
Wake up just in time to be served a hot drink, with your tents pitched within the surroundings of the cloud forest. After a good and healthy breakfast and morning stretch yoga session you continue along this ancient trail passing small marshes, continuing over the second mountain pass of the trek. It is the second highest point of the hike (3,900m / 12,950 ft). As you descend you will see the flora and fauna become more abundant with hummingbirds accompanying you along your route. You have lunch at Chaquicocha (3500 m / 11,620 ft), a fine place for a break in the middle of the cloud forest. The last two hours of the day are some of the most memorable and breathtaking views of the Inca Trail. You reach your last campsite when the sun sets at Phuyupatamarca, a befitting name meaning 'town in the clouds'.
- Total hiking distance: 12 km
- All meals included
Day 7 – Inca Trail Phuyupatamarca to Machu Picchu
You begin the final leg of your trek to the lost city of Machu Picchu. You descend for 3 hours, about 900 m below from Phuyupatamarca. On the way down there are a couple of Incan archaeological sites: Intipata first, and then Wiñaywayna which is just 2 hours before the Sungate entrance (“Inti Punku”). Having taken time to enjoy the first glimpse of Machu Picchu, you walk down to the astonishing complex for a full tour to learn from your guide all about this fascinatingly unique citadel, making some time to meditate in this incredible environment. Later you take the bus down to Aguas Calientes for a lunch with the rest of the group. You’ll take the train back to Ollantaytambo, and from here, you’ll return to Cusco.
- Total hiking distance: 7.3 km
- All meals included
Day 8 – Cusco free day
Today is a free day to explore the incredibly bustling city of Cusco. Sleep in, practice yoga and breathwork before breakfast.
Day 9
A morning yoga practice before you visit the San Pedro market and explore Sacsayhuaman and other local ruins. You’ll visit the famous San Pedro market this morning for a delicious freshly made juice from the traditional caseras! From here you’ll drive a short way above the city to the ruins of Tambomachay and slowly make your way back by foot exploring the local archaeological sites such as Puca Pucara, Qenko, and Sacsayhuaman. You’ll spend your last night in Cusco eating another sumptuous meal in this incredible city.
- Total hiking distance: Approximately 7-8 km
- All meals included
Day 10 Fly to Puerto Maldonado and stay in a jungle eco lodge
Just as the mighty Amazon starts as a tiny stream high up in the Andes, you too will make your way towards the jungle. You take a morning flight to Puerto Maldonado, a town right in the heart of the Amazon basin and travel up the Tambopata river—one of the main tributaries of the Amazon River—to a beautiful jungle eco lodge. This afternoon you will settle into your bungalows and later you’ll go for another short boat ride in search of caiman and to see how the jungle comes to life at night.
Day 11 – Jungle eco lodge
This morning you wake up early and take a short boat ride and early morning forest walk to visit a local lake in search of the “lobos del Rio,” the giant river otters. You head back to the lodge for some yoga and lunch and a short rest and later, get kitted up for your kayak adventure. Gliding silently downriver will give you another chance to look for turtles, birds and capybara, the world's largest rodent!
Day 12 – Return to Puerto Maldonado and farewell
Another early morning start, you’ll head out before dawn to see parrots gathering at the clay lick for their morning minerals. You’ll return to the lodge for breakfast and then it’s nos vemos la selva (see you later, jungle). You will head back to Puerto Maldonado, in time for your departing flight to Cusco.
- Breakfast included
- Return flight to Cusco included (this can be removed if guests prefer to organize their own flight to Lima)