Discovering the Land of the Incas

From Chinchero, spectacular panoramic views of the sacred 'apus',  spiritual energy centers of the Inca cosmology.

Day 1 - Cuzco: We will greet you on arrival in Cuzco (the name of the city in Quechua is 'Qosgo') with reception at the airport and transportation to your hotel*.  Here you will enjoy the traditional Andean tea called maté de coca to help you acclimate to the altitude of nearly 11,000 feet.  at least two hours of rest and acclimatization to the altitude  is recommended before commencing the day's activities.

We will explore the streets of Cuzco, visiting the cathedrals on the Plaza de Armas, the street of the artesans, the San Blas neighborhood, and the stone of the twelve angles among other sites.   In the afternoon we will focus on Inca archeological sites in the vicinity of Cuzco.  These include the archeological park of Saqsayhuaman fortress, the funeral temple of Kenko, the Inca baths at Tambomachay, Pucupucará, and El Koricancha, an Inca temple dedicated to the Sun.

You'll enjoy the fine Cuzqueño restaurants and might even opt for roast cui (guinea pig), one of the classic delicacies of Inca royalty.

Day 2- Cuzco/Chinchero:   In the morning  we will depart Cuzco for Chinchero, one of the great power centers of Inca cosmology.  You'll be awed by the panoramic views of the sacred 'apus' and feel the surge of energy at the sacred 'huacas.'   You'll thorough enjoy the scenic Andean views from Chinchero to the Sacred Valley and the lovely town of Urubamba where we will check into our hostal and enjoy a dinner of sacred valley cuisine.
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Day 3 - Pisac/Urubamba: After breakfast we'll travel to Pisac, a small village famous for its Indian markets and Catholic mass spoken in Quechua, the ancient Inca tongue.  You will enjoy the bright colors and bustle of local artisans and vendors at the famed Quechua Indian market.  The shopping at the Pisac market is among the best in the Sacred Valley featuring a nice variety of typical Andean art and craft as well as items of more esoteric interest.  After lunch we'll ascend to the Inca ruins of Pisac above the town for an afternoon of discovery.  The views of the Sacred Valley from the ruins are spectacular.   At the end of the day we will return to our hostal in Urubamba for the evening.

Day 4 - Urubamba/Ollantaytambo: After breakfast we will hike along the Rio Urubamba enjoying the natural beauty of the steep surrounding mountains, plants, wildlife, indigenous people and fertile valley basin.  The 18th century Spanish naturalist Antonio de León Pinelo pronounced Urubamba to be the biblical Eden.  Later in the morning we will travel on to Ollantaytambo where we will visit the great fortress of Ollantaytambo, a site of great military and spiritual importance to the Incas.  The fortress contains seven huge pink granite monoliths which were not  mined in the Sacred Valley.  Ollantaytambo is considered to be the best preserved of the old Inca sites. We will spend Wednesday night here.

Day 5-6 - Ollantaytambo/Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu: After breakfast we will catch the train from Ollaytaytambo to Aguas Calientes, a small town located in the Urubamba valley below Machu Picchu.  We will spend the next two days at the magnificent pre-Colombian Inca sanctuary Machu Picchu. We will marvel at the vast panoramas; incredible montane escarpments and the deep Río Urubamba canyon.  The Inca reverence for Nature...the mountains, the sun, the moon, the stars and the stones is evident everywhere.

You will marvel at the innovative technology employed by the Incas  to meet the urban needs of water, food, banks, palaces, plazas, temples, homes, and prisons, all constructed of stone, some of it mined scores of miles away.

Machu Picchu is one of the world's great sacred sites and is perhaps the most impressive known example of human architecture in harmony with Nature.   We will enjoy exploring the high jungle habitats around the small town of Aguas Calientes and visit the hot springs for which it is named.  We will return to Cuzco by train on Friday evening.

Day 7 - Cuzco/Lima: You will leave Cuzco early for Lima where you will spend the final day before departure to your next destination.  Best options for your time in Lima include the safe and attractive urban Miraflores district and/or the famed Gold Museum featuring an incredible private collection of pre-Columbian textiles, Inca gold artifacts, original erotic ceramic art from the Moche and Chavín cultures and historic arms from around the world.  Activities in Lima are not included in the cost.

Discovering the Land of the Incas
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