Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley of the Incas
Premier and Luxury Inns

Go Get Lost Reviews

4.9

Based on 116 Reviews

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Tour Type:

Hiking

Comfort Rating:

Casual/Premier/Luxury

Activity Level:

Easy/Moderate

Duration:

8 Days

This adventure is unique in that it’s a fusion of cultural encounters, historical sites, and local cuisine with a couple of easy hikes thrown in to experience the magnificence of the high Andean scenery. Your destinations will include fascinating archaeological sites, thought-provoking agricultural and commercial Andean cooperatives, and bustling towns and markets showcasing the flavors of the region as well as the wares of its skilled artisans. Most importantly, you will travel to hidden communities unchanged for centuries for a unique up-close visit with local people. You’ll hike on easy routes along seldom-traveled highland trails surrounded by towering peaks, through small farmsteads and past roving bands of alpacas and llamas. At each day’s sunset, settle into deluxe mountain lodges to prepare for a new day of multi-activity adventure and exploration. Get off-the-beaten path with Go Get Lost® and experience a world of stunning beauty and ancient history.

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Day 1 - La Bienvenida a Peru

Upon arrival in Cusco, one of the highest cities in the world at 11,352 feet, you'll make your way to your 5-star hotel in the city center. Later this evening you'll meet your Tour Leader for an orientation about your trip, then sit down to an excellent arrival dinner. The mountains of Peru are known for variety. Andean cuisine features a variety of stews, soups, meats, and delicious desserts made from grains, fruit and dairy.

Peruvians love to use traditional clay pots over a wood fire to create their most iconic dishes. Hearty is the key word for most of their family-style recipes. As far as drinks, chicha corn beer was the traditional beverage of the ancient inhabitants of the Andes, and the tradition still lives on today. Don’t forget to try the breads and the wawas, santiagos, and bolitos de agua pastries, which will most likely be a new taste sensation for your palate.

Day 2 - Cusco

This morning we will embark on a comprehensive city walking tour with a visit to two iconic sites just outside the city. First is the Fortress of Sacsayhuaman, built in the 15th century on a mountaintop at over 12,000 feet overlooking the city of Cusco. Excellent views of the city are possible from its walls. Next you'll visit the nearby temple complex of Qenqo, a fascinating archaeological site which was believed to be the site of ancient Inca ritual sacrifices. Heading back into the old city, you'll visit the beautiful Koricancha or Sun Temple, the Cathedral of Cusco (really a combination of three churches) and end up in the Plaza Mayor.

You'll have the rest of the afternoon and evening free to explore Cusco on your own. There is shopping galore, interesting local museums, and many excellent restaurants...your local Tour Leader can give you some tips on their favorite places.

Today is rated EASY as much of the day is spent walking on paved paths and streets.

Day 3 - Sacred Valley of the Incas

After breakfast today you'll board your private coach and begin your journey through the Urubamba Valley, also know as the Sacred Valley of the Incas. This scenic valley is one of the most important destinations in South America, with beautiful traditional towns settled since colonial times. In this area the Incas built ancient citadels such as Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero. They also cultivated a great diversity of agricultural products on terraces carved out qf the steep mountainsides

Your first stop will be the charming town of Chinchero, a small Andean village famous for its textiles. The women of ten different communities have partnered to pool their talents to create an amazing co-op. You can participate in the weaving and dyeing demonstration as you learn how the villagers perfected their craft over the centuries.

After lunch we'll visit the nearby Inca ruins of Moray. This fascinating site, known for its ingenious engineering and irrigation system, was thought to be an experimental farm used by the Incas to develop new cultivation techniques and to study the effects of altitude and temperature on different crops. The site is composed of three groups of circular terraces that descend 490 feet from the highest terrace to the lowest. Each terrace has 12 levels with the largest depression having a diameter of 600-feet. As you're surrounded by the towering Andes mountains, looking into the depths of these man-made craters will fill you with awe and wonder.

Near to Moray is another intriguing site...the salt mines of Maras. Originally built by the Wari civilization who predated the Incas, there are over 3000 salt pans connected by an underground network of canals that have been in continuous use since 500 AD.

Day 4 - Pisaq

This morning after breakfast we'll visit the fascinating Awana Kancha South American camelid exhibition center, highlighting all camelids indigenous to both this region and other high-altitude regions throughout Peru. I addition to displaying the beauty and benefits of vicuñas, alpacas, llamas and guanacos, presents the products obtained from them through a combination of traditional and modern techniques. This is a true living museum, involving and benefiting several camelid breeding communities in the area. Here you'll be able to interact with all the species, including the rare vicuña, whose wool produces sweaters costing thousands of dollars!

After Awana Kancha we'll visit the nearby town of Pisaq to explore it's lively streets and colorful artisan marketplace. Then on to Viacha - a small, isolated town where artisanal potato farming is central to the economy. Here we'll learn about their traditional Andean farming practices.

After enjoying simple packed lunch in a nearby village, we'll have an easy downhill walk along a restored part of the Inca trail that leads to the stunning archaeological site of Pisaq (10,826 ft), which dominates the valley below. Alternatively, you can be driven to the site to explore Pisaq ruins with your guide. The site offers breathtaking views of the Inca terraces and Pisaq town as a backdrop. Afterwards you will be driven to Lamay Lodge (9,600 ft) in the town of the same name.

We'll start our evening with a demonstration of the classic Peruvian drink...the Pisco Sour. Of course we'll all get to have one of our own, just to understand the complex flavors. Then a classic Pachamanca - a typical Andean dish traditionally prepared underground - awaits you for dinner. A relaxing dip in the lodge’s heated outdoor whirlpool will be the perfect end to the day.

Today's hike to Pisaq is rated EASY, with a total distance of 3 miles, starting at 12,952 feet and ending at 10,016. The hike is almost all downhill, with an elevation loss of 2,936 feet.

Day 5 - Huilloc - Ollantaytambo

We'll begin the day with a scenic drive to the community of Huilloc to visit the village for yet another glimpse of typical Andean life.
At the nearby sheepherding community of Marcacocha we'll witness a traditional Andean ceremony to honor Pachamama (Mother Earth) and her blessings for the health of the community livestock.

After a simple Andean mountain lunch, we'll enjoy a visit to the Pumamarca archaeological site, an off-the-radar ancient Incan fort guarding the entrance to the valley. From Pumamarca there is a lovely, easy hike from the ruins to the lively town of Ollantaytambo, our home for the evening. Here you can spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the maze-like alleys and passageways of this charming Sacred Valley town.

Tonight before dinner we'll be treated to an interesting tour and tasting of we'll be ensconced in a simple but snug lodge in the town of Ollantaytambo, very near to the famous ruins of the same name. After a group dinner of typical Andean specialties, we'll relax and prepare for our exciting day tomorrow.

Today's afternoon hike is rated EASY with a distance of 2.4 miles, 26 feet of ascent and 1309 feet of descent. The trailhead is the highest point at an altitude of 10,715 feet, and the end of the hike is at 9,432 feet. The trail generally flat and downhill, the surface is packed and rocky.

Day 6 - Aguas Calientes

Begin your day with an exploration of the historic Ollantaytambo Fortress, which gave it's name to the town. You can climb more than 200 steps to the top where the Temple of the Sun (formed of six gigantic monoliths, whose total weight exceeds 50 tons) and the Terrace of the Ten Niches look out over the valley. Once on the top you also have great views of the town below and across to the Temple Hill. Later in the morning we'll board the classic Urubamba Valley train at Ollantaytambo for a scenic ride along the Urubamba River to the charming town of Aguas Calientes, and the base of Machu Picchu. We'll enjoy a free afternoon in the exciting mountain town!

Tonight we'll relax in our beautiful lodge in Aguas Calientes and share stories of the amazing scenery we beheld today.

Day 7 - Exploring Machu Picchu

Today is all about exploring the ruins of the Machu Picchu citadel. After breakfast at the hotel, our journey begins with a rollicking uphill bus ride from the valley to the heights. There we'll enter the one of the most famous (and picturesque) archaeological sites on the planet. Most recent archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was constructed as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). The Incas built the estate around 1450 but abandoned it a century later, at the time of the Spanish conquest. The site itself was occupied from 1420–1532. After a two-hour guided tour of the citadel, if time permits you will have free time to explore on your own.

After the visit we'll have lunch in Aguas Calientes before the return train ride to Ollantaytambo and a scenic sunset drive back to our hotel in Cusco . As night falls and you arrive amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, you will be touched by a feeling of peace and rejuvenation that will linger long after your journey home.

Tonight we'll have a farewell dinner at a local eatery. The perfect time to relive the adventures, laugh at the misadventures, and plan our next adventure!

Today is rated EASY as the primary activity is the 2 hour walking tour of the ruins.

Day 8 - Adios

Today your Go Get Lost tour ends at the hotel after breakfast. You can easily arrange a taxi to the airport to catch your departure flight.

HOTELS

Due to availability at the time of booking, hotels listed may change to similar hotels

Cusco - 5 Star Aranwa Cusco Boutique Hotel Aranwa Cusco Boutique Hotel is a 5-star boutique hotel, located in the heart of the Inca city, which combines the essence of history, luxury and well-being. Cusco Boutique has elegant rooms, finely decorated with every detail in mind for the delight of its guests. So that their guests have moments of relaxation and rest, the rooms have an intelligent oxygen system, and their spacious bathrooms with a spa concept, with an Electric Underfloor Heating system (SRE), Scottish showers and hydromassage tubs. All this complemented by welcoming service. DELUXE ROOM

Urubamba - 5 Star Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba is a contemporary hacienda-style hotel of 5 stars in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, in-between Cusco and Machu Picchu. Immersed in the countryside in a gorgeous area, Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba spans approximately 100 acres surrounded by imposing green mountains.

An Earth to Table concept is operated with a 10-acre organic plantation where guests are welcome to pick their own produce. Carbon-free crops such as quinoa, Urubamba giant corn, medicinal herbs and a variety of potatoes are farmed with traditional hand tools and oxen, as done centuries ago.
SUPERIOR DELUXE ROOM

Lamay – Lamay Lodge The Lamay Lodge is an idyllic hideaway in the quaint Sacred Valley village of the same name. Resplendent sun and green, flower-dotted gardens with picturesque pastoral views create a calming sensation that envelops you from the moment you arrive. The outdoor hot tub and firepit in the center garden are welcoming spaces to gather, as are the cozy indoor nooks. The Lamay Lodge blends traditional heritage with original contemporary design. The large garden on the grounds is the center of activities and an excellent place to soak in the Andean Mountain views. A large Jacuzzi is an ideal place to relax at the end of a long day of adventuring. An inventive menu of International and Peruvian cuise provide a refreshing take on the region’s most iconic dishes. All offerings are locally sourced, from organic coffee blends to healthy snacks. STANDARD ROOM

Ollantaytambo – 3 Star El Albergue Hotel Located in the heart of the Sacred Valley, El Albergue Ollantaytambo is a family-owned boutique hotel offering exceptional hospitality, sustainability, and community involvement. Their commitment to these values ​​is reflected in every aspect of their hotel, from our on-site organic farm to their support of education and conservation.
Originally opened in 1925 under the name of Hotel San Rosa, El Albergue is a historic and romantic hotel, located at the Ollantaytambo train station, just over an hour from Machu Picchu and Cusco.
At El Albergue,their gardens are visited by hummingbirds, enveloped by the aroma of fuchsias, floripondios, peach and avocado plants. SUPERIOR BALCONY OR SUPERIOR GARDEN ROOM

Aguas Calientes – 5 Star Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Popular with those heading to the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu, Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel of 5 stars is an intimate Andean village with terraced hills, waterfalls, stone pathways and 83 whitewashed adobe casitas tucked away in the cloud forest. The property has 12 acres of exquisite natural beauty, where 214 bird species – such as the golden-headed quetzal and the iconic Andean cock-of-the-rock – and the world’s largest native orchid collection (372 species) have been registered. After a day spent exploring the area, guests can enjoy the Unu Spa, which combines the classic nurturing with a mystical Andean approach. Natural products are derived from local botanical extracts (mint, eucalyptus and orchids), thus providing a pleasing spiritual, sensual and soothing experience. The first-class restaurant features stunning views of Vilcanota River, and shares the secrets of Peruvian cuisine with a contemporary twist. SUPERIOR DELUXE ROOM

• 7 Nights Double Occupancy Accommodations at listed hotels (or similar)
• 7 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 6 Dinners
• All events, visits and guided hikes as listed
• All land transportation as listed
• Sightseeing and entrance fees as specified in itinerary
• Completely escorted by a professional English-speaking Tour Leader
• Gratuities for local day guides, waiters at group meals, and coach drivers, EXCEPT for your primary local tour leader and assistant guide
• A lifetime of unforgettable memories!

• International airfare package
• Departure taxes and visa fees, if applicable
• Meals not specified in itinerary
• Beverages (alcoholic and soft drinks) at meals (water is always included)
• Arrival transfers and departure transfers. Tour begins on Day 1 at the hotel in Cusco, tour ends after breakfast on Day 8 at the hotel in Cusco
• Gratuities for your primary local tour leader and assistant guide
• Trip Cancellation/Interruption and Medical Insurance (strongly recommended), call for details
• Items of a personal nature; phone calls, laundry, etc.