Inca trail trekking holiday
| country: | Peru |
| location: | Inca Trail, Machu Picchu |
| trip type: | Moderate / strenuous walking holidays |
| departures: | 2010: 4 Apr, 2 May, 30 May, 8 Aug, 5 Sep, 10 Oct 2011: 10 Apr, 1 May, 29 May |
| price: | From £1594 - £1668 (7 days) including flights from the UK, from £745 - £775 excluding flights. Single supplement £35. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Inca trail trekking holiday
Cusco and the Sacred Valley
The ancient Inca capital of Cusco is the starting point for our Andean Adventure. A fascinating fusion of Inca and Spanish building styles, combined with the colourful local sights and sounds, means there's plenty to be explored. From here we head to the Sacred Valley via Pisac, famous for its bustling market, to Ollantaytambo where there's time to try white water rafting on the Urubamba River.
Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu
Threading our way through the Cordillera de los Andes, we should enjoy marvellous views of the ancient cloud forest and glaciated peak of Salkantay (6271m) - the 'Maker of Awesome Skies'. We'll camp near crumbling Inca sites where the only access is on foot. Finally, we descend the winding stone steps to Machu Picchu itself: straddling two peaks of the Andes, the terraces, residences and temples perfectly preserve the ancient world of the Incas. After exploring this unique site, we board the train back to Cusco.
Explore the Amazon with a 3-night extension...
It is possible to extend your stay in Peru with a 3-night sojourn in a jungle lodge deep in Amazonia. Flying to Puerto Maldonado, you can explore the Amazon jungle by dugout canoe and also on foot for close-up views of exotic tropical flora. There's plenty of time to relax and soak up the atmosphere.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-2: | Overnight flight via Lima to Cusco On arrival we explore this colourful town. |
| Day 3: | Sacred Valley - Leaving Cusco we visit Pisac and Ollantaytambo, where there's the chance to go white water rafting (optional). |
| Day 4-7: | Inca Trail Following in the footsteps of the Incas, we trek to Machu Picchu, fully supported by our guides & porters. On our final morning we arrive at the Sun Gate entrance to Machu Picchu and after visiting the site, take the train back to Cusco. |
| Day 8-9: | We fly back to Lima and take a city tour before boarding our overnight flight back to the UK. |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. award winner
This tourism business won an Award in our 2008 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Daily Telegraph, World Travel Market, Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society and BBC World News.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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This trip offers travelers with a small group philosophy (maximum group size is 14) the chance to trek the fabulous Inca Trail! In recent years there have been increasing regulations on the Trail aimed at preserving this fragile, world renowned heritage site, and we are pleased to state that we comfortably fit into these regulations and are actively involved in several initiatives which support the communities with which we work in Peru.
On the trek we use look at our impacts at every level - from using eco-friendly toilets, biodegradable soap and eating locally grown produce (such as quinoa soap and lupin stew!), to establishing a relationship with the community of our porters. Aside from ensuring a fair deal for our local team of porters, we work closely with Inca Porter Project in Cusco - involved in educational projects for people of this remote community - and have helped to fund a community hall in the village of Mismanay where they are based (we can sometimes arrange a visit during our spare time in Cusco). Local operators run our optional excursions, ensuring that the money goes directly to the supplier and the community. This tour is led by a local tour leader who is also the trek guide on the trail. The trek guide is supported by the assistant trek guide and our great team of porters. We use locally owned hotels in Cusco, ensuring that more of your money goes to the local community. |
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. |
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