Peru walking and cultural holiday
| country: | Peru |
| location: | Inca Trail |
| departures: | This trip can be organised at any time (except February when the Inca Trail is closed) with a minimum of two people. Note: itinerary can be adapted to suit your requirements. |
| price: | From US $4700 (14-16 days) including flights. Price includes transfers, tours, trek, accommodation and meals as per itinerary. All food on trek, English speaking guide, porters and mules/horses. We are a UK based company and prices are also available in GB pounds |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Walking in Peru with Luxury Inca Trail, 14 day tour: Enjoy several days in Cusco visiting the numerous ruins and soaking up the atmosphere of this amazing Inca city before travelling to the Sacred Valley where you will be based in a beautiful lodge with access to a variety of activities including walking, horse-riding, tennis, spa treatments and even paragliding! This also provides vital acclimatisation time before you embark on the Inca Trail.
The five-day Inca Trail trek itinerary allows time to explore and enjoy the amazing archaeological sites, landscapes and nature along the trail. While some other programmes speed through the stunning high altitude Inca Trail, you can take the time to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience. You camp for just three nights, enjoy great meals and sturdy tents. You will walk for six to seven hours each day including time to explore sites you pass through and to take in the unparalleled scenery. On the fourth afternoon you will arrive at Machu Picchu after the crowds have left, and have time to explore the tranquil ruins. You then return to Machu Picchu to see the ruins in the early morning light the following day. In the afternoon you return to Cusco by train. This specific itinerary is designed to offer a relaxed trek and a deep understanding of Inca culture. Afterwards take the famous first class train over the altiplano to Lake Titicaca where a fast boat brings you to Taquile Island, famous for a culture and lifestyle unchanged over the centuries.
Using stylish accommodation throughout, often in historic hotels, this is the ideal way to experience this fascinating country with its many cultural sites and breathtaking mountain scenery.
Walking in Peru with Lodge Alternative (no camping), 16 day tour: The itinerary is similar to the one above but instead of camping along the Inca Trail we offer an alternative trek route to Machu Picchu with no camping, using luxury mountain lodges instead. The six-day trek allows time to explore and enjoy the archaeological sites, landscapes and nature along the trail. You will enjoy tasty meals and luxurious accommodation in the company of expert guides. This specific itinerary is designed to offer a relaxed trek and a deep understanding of Inca culture and the ethnic communities en route. You will walk for six to seven hours each day including time to explore sites you pass through and to take in the unparalleled scenery. You will then arrive at Machu Picchu and have a full day to explore the site. You return to Cusco by train.
Best time to go: Best weather in the high Andes is from May to September, which is dry season.
The five-day Inca Trail trek itinerary allows time to explore and enjoy the amazing archaeological sites, landscapes and nature along the trail. While some other programmes speed through the stunning high altitude Inca Trail, you can take the time to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience. You camp for just three nights, enjoy great meals and sturdy tents. You will walk for six to seven hours each day including time to explore sites you pass through and to take in the unparalleled scenery. On the fourth afternoon you will arrive at Machu Picchu after the crowds have left, and have time to explore the tranquil ruins. You then return to Machu Picchu to see the ruins in the early morning light the following day. In the afternoon you return to Cusco by train. This specific itinerary is designed to offer a relaxed trek and a deep understanding of Inca culture. Afterwards take the famous first class train over the altiplano to Lake Titicaca where a fast boat brings you to Taquile Island, famous for a culture and lifestyle unchanged over the centuries.
Using stylish accommodation throughout, often in historic hotels, this is the ideal way to experience this fascinating country with its many cultural sites and breathtaking mountain scenery.
Walking in Peru with Lodge Alternative (no camping), 16 day tour: The itinerary is similar to the one above but instead of camping along the Inca Trail we offer an alternative trek route to Machu Picchu with no camping, using luxury mountain lodges instead. The six-day trek allows time to explore and enjoy the archaeological sites, landscapes and nature along the trail. You will enjoy tasty meals and luxurious accommodation in the company of expert guides. This specific itinerary is designed to offer a relaxed trek and a deep understanding of Inca culture and the ethnic communities en route. You will walk for six to seven hours each day including time to explore sites you pass through and to take in the unparalleled scenery. You will then arrive at Machu Picchu and have a full day to explore the site. You return to Cusco by train.
Best time to go: Best weather in the high Andes is from May to September, which is dry season.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive Lima, hotel |
| Day 2: | Fly Cusco, hotel |
| Day 3: | City tour, hotel |
| Day 4-5: | Sacred Valley, hotel |
| Day 6-9: | Trek, arrive Machu Picchu |
| Day 9: | Hotel Machu Picchu |
| Day 10: | Train to Cusco, hotel |
| Day 11: | Train or bus to Lake Titicaca, hotel |
| Day 12: | Visit Uros and Taquile Islands, hotel |
| Day 13: | Fly Lima, hotel |
| Day 14: | Tour ends |
Lodge departure: Please note that the lodge alternative departure includes a 6 day trek of Machu Picchu on days 6-11, with the rest of the trip proceeding as above.
how this holiday makes a difference
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We operate this trip in conjunction with the most ecologically aware tour operators in Peru.
For hiking the Inca Trail we buy fresh local produce. In preference we choose local over imported goods, encouraging the use of Andean products in our cooking. On our treks we minimize waste by using products with minimum packaging, leaving no litter and keeping all water sources clean, leaving camp-sites cleaner than we find them. Rubbish is carried out. We ask for your full consideration and co-operation concerning all ecological matters, especially in the disposal of rubbish. Our local staff will outline for you the procedures we use in Peru. We are involved in the ongoing training of our trek staff. All our porters on hiking the Inca Trail carry a maximum We support the Tourism Concern Porters Policy and are involved with the social project Huchuy Yachaq . We are happy to distribute your donations of much needed warm clothes and shoes to Peruvian children through this organization - please contact us for details of how you can help. Volunteers are welcome to work on the project. Please note that as a result of a recent government environmental improvement scheme, metal tipped walking poles are no longer allowed on the Inca Trail so please ensure you pack rubber tips. Plastic water bottles are also banned so please remember to take your water carriers or platypus hydration systems with you. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |