Cusco & Machu Picchu Discovery

On arrival in Cusco, we meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. In the afternoon, we ascend to the Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Park to explore the imposing fortress – a serene site built with massive stone blocks rising up to 4 metres. We continue to Q’enqo, an ancient puma temple with an altar carved inside a great rock. We then move on to Tambomachay to see its sacred fountains associated with life and health. En route, we pause for a panoramic view of Puca Pucara, the watchtower that guarded the city’s entrance. Later, we tour the Temple of the Sun Qorikancha, over which the Santo Domingo Convent was built – legend says the temple was once completely gold plated, astonishing the first conquerors. We finish in the Plaza de Armas, Cusco’s main square, with a visit to the Cathedral, home to notable colonial artworks and paintings, including the Cross brought by the earliest conquerors.

Today we explore key sites in the Sacred Valley. We depart for Chinchero, one of the valley’s most traditional and colourful villages, and stop at a textile centre to see Inca dyeing and spinning techniques using alpaca wool. We visit the Inca plaza and its beautiful colonial church, then continue to Moray, an impressive complex of concentric terraces that served as an agricultural laboratory to recreate microclimates. We stop for lunch. In the afternoon we visit Ollantaytambo, known as the last living Inca town, including the Temple of the Ten Windows, the Bath of the Princess and the Sun Temple. We round off the day with panoramic views from the heights of Ollantaytambo before returning to Cusco.

Depending on the season, we travel to Poroy or Ollantaytambo station to board the train bound for Machu Picchu – one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. On arrival in Aguas Calientes, our team assists with boarding the bus for the winding ascent to Machu Picchu, with views of the Urubamba River and its canyon. We explore the site on a guided visit, taking in its terraces, ceremonial shrines, stairways and urban areas. After the tour, we have lunch at a local restaurant. At the agreed time, we return to Cusco by train and are transferred to the hotel.

We transfer to the airport at the agreed time, marking the end of an incredible journey through some of the most impressive sites in Peru.