ALTITUDE: 1500 - 4600meters
HIGH-SEASON: April to December
DURATION: 13 days and 12 nights

The trek that will lead us from Choquequirao to Machu Picchu, passing through Vilcabamba, it’s an absolute must for those who love to explore landscapes, and who want to learn a bit more about the Inca history and to rediscover their lost past. We will visit these three important Inca capitals while crossing some of the most impressive landscapes this part of the Andes has to offer us.
This is a physical trek because of the large change of altitude during the trek, sometimes in hot temperatures and with heavy weathers that can be found there.
We'll hike trough a lot of different landscapes that will take your breath away, going from deep canons, cloud-forests or snow-peaks through high fields, the entrances of the jungle, lakes and a lot more. The whole route is filled with signs of Inca-presence, ruins of different importance.
Because of all these different altitudes and corresponding weathers, we'll come upon an incredible variety of fauna and especially flora with some plants yet unknown to science.
The occidental light of the mountain range of Vilcabamba bathes the landscapes in a beautiful emerald shine at certain hours of the day. Hidden in foggy clouds, great constructions of impressive Inca walls and terraces with perfectly curved stones seem to reach for the sky, appear now and then before our eyes.
On the way we'll have the opportunity to visit some of these Tambos (resting-places and food supplies along the Inca Trail) such as: Vitcos Rosaspata, Ñustahispana, the Cave of Quellqamachay or Inca Tambo.
Not only will we be amazed by the enormous variety of plants and flowers on this trek, it is also the natural habitat of three important spiritual and symbolical animals in the Andean culture The snake represents the world below, the puma that represents the earthly world and of course the condor, the largest bird of prey in the world, representing the heavenly world.
We will also be able to experience meeting with local people that continue to live and work their lands the ancestral way. They hold on to their ancient traditions and wear typical clothes that seem to be out of our time.
The river that flows through the landscape and that is known by the Incas as Wilkamayu will lead us through a gigantic garden with an incredible amount of orchids until we reach the majestic Inca ruins of Machu Picchu (2400m) A historical and religious capital, an agricultural and astronomic center floating in the sky, hidden by clouds Mystical and wonderful.

1st Day - Cusco - Cachora - Chiquisca (2850m - 2800m - 1930m)
At dawn we'll take a transport heading west of the Inca archeological capital, Cusco, and from there to the village of Cachora (2850m). During this bus-ride we'll have the opportunity to admire the majestic snow-peaks of the Tucarhuay (5880m), Salkantay (6264m) and Humantay (5217m).
We'll enter the valley of Limatambo and Curahuasi with a very mild weather and tropical vegetation, on the road to Cachora-village. Cachora will be where we'll meet with our expedition team: our porters and horsemen, this will be our departing point for this trek
We'll start hiking heading to the Apurimac Canyon and go through the Capuliyoc-pass (2800m) with impressive views over the Padreyoc snow-peak (5771m). From here we'll go down to our campsite Chiquisca (1930m). We'll be hiking about 7 hours. Lunch-box and dinner are included.

2nd Day - Chiquisca - Playa - Choquequirao (1930m - 1550m - 3030m )
Early in the morning we'll hike down to the Choquequirao-bridge or beach (1550m) from where we'll walk the toughest part of the trek, straight up until we arrive at the community of Choquequirao, halfway between the Santa Rosa-communities and Marampata (2850m). Near the entrance of the Choquequirao-site (3030m) we'll be surrounded by majestic snow-peaks like the Padreyoc, Qorihuayrachina, Pumasillo, Panta and Ampay that are all over 5000meters high. Our camp site will be at Choquequirao. We'll be hiking about 8 hours. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.

3rd Day - Choquequirao - Choquequirao-pass - Rio Blanco (3030m - 3270m - 1900m)
Watching the sunrise over Choquequirao is an impressive sight even more with the explanation of a professional tour-guide concerning the ruins and recent excavations. Soon we'll start hiking again on an Inca Trail to the Choquequirao-pass, going to the archeological site of Pinchaunuyoc (2450m) in full restoration. Before the sun sets we'll be hiking down to the deepest part of this trek, run through by a river called Blanco (1900m) on which's shore we'll camp. Our trekking time will be about 6 hours. Breakfast, lunch and diner are included.

4th Day - Rio Blanco - Maizal (1900m - 3000m)
We'll rise in the morning and hike upwards a fair amount of the path before the weather gets too hot. On the trek we'll have some time torest, because the pathway is really steep through the forest to the community of Maizal (3000m), which will be our camp site. Our trekking time will be about 5 hours. Included are breakfast, lunch and diner.

5th Day - Maizal - Paso san Juan - Yanama (3000m - 4170m - 3530m)
Early morning, we have the second steep part the atmosphere is more tropical and the trail isn't always in a very good shape which is the reason why we'll take our time until we arrive at the San Juan pass (4170m). The weather should be terrific to observe the Vilcabamba mountain range with snow peaks that are over 5000meters high. The last part of the trek we'll hike down to the community of Yanama (3530m) where we'll camp. We'll be hiking about 7 hours. Breakfast, a box-lunch and diner are included.

6th Day - Yanama - Yutupata - Quellccamachay - Lazuna pampa (3530m - 3300m - 3900m)
The trek in the morning will be going up and down through the forest of Yutupata (3300m) and continue upwards on an Inca Trail to the next campsite called Lazuna pampa (3800m), situated at the foot of the Choquetacarpu snow-peak. We'll be hiking about 7 hours. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.

7th Day - Lazuna pampa - Choquetacarpu pass - Azulccaca - Huancacalle (3900m - 4600m - 3800- 3100)
The hill to climb today is quite steep which is why we'll do it in zigzag up to the highest point called the Choquetacarpu pass (4600m) which will be the highest point. From this point it's not far down to the campsite called Huancacalle (3100m). We'll be hiking about 8 hours. breakfast, a lunch-box and dinner are included.

8th Day - Huancacalle - Vitcos & Ñustahispana ruins - Abra Azutina - Inca Wasi (3100m - 4000m - 3650m)
In the morning we'll be climbing down upon the archeological remains of Vitcos Rosaspata and Ñustahispana, buildings from the last Inca dynasty ruled by Manco Inca. We'll arrive in the Huancacalle-area, where we'll take another Inca Trail heading to the Machu Picchu sanctuary.
Afterwards, we'll hike up to the highest part called the Azutina-pass (4000m) and from there we'll hike downwards for a while on an Inca Trail through the valley to our campsite called Inca Wasi (3650m). We'll be hiking for about 7 hours. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.

9th Day - Inca Wasi - La playa - Raqachaca - Hatun pampa (3650m - 3500 - 3700m - 4000m)
This will be a quiet day where we'll visit the Racachaca community (3700m), learning about their habits and traditions. Afterwards we'll be hiking upwards to the campsite called Hatun pampa (4000m). We'll be hiking about 5 hours. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.

10th Day - Hatun pampa - Abra Yana cocha - Tullu tacana - Soyro cocha - Mojon - Mutuypata (4000m - 4500 - 4550m - 4410 - 4500m - 3250m)
On our way up we'll enjoy magnificent views due to the simple fact that we're at the first high part of this trail called the Yana cocha pass (4500m), the second, and highest, Tullu tacana-pass (4550m) and at the last one Mojon-pass (4500m) with a length of over 3 kilometers going up and down. We'll continue on this Inca Trail surrounded by majestic snow-peaks and beautiful mysterious lakes that keep their many secrets, through the yunga region and tropical forest to our campsite called Mutuypata (3250m). We'll be hiking about 9 hours. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.

11th Day - Mutuypata - Yanatile - Santa Teresa (3250m - 2200m - 1830m)
Following the Mutuypata-forest and the Sacsara-river we'll hike down on a trail that will lead us to the Yanatile community (2200m). This community is very rich in growing coffee and fruit. We are now very near the deepest part of this valley and the shore of river Wilcamayu, also known as Vilcanota. Near here there's a village called Santa Teresa, there we'll spend the night in a hotel. An option is also to visit the hot baths nearby. We'll hike about 5 hours. Also we have a truck service from Yanatile to Santa Teresa.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.

12th Day - Santa Teresa - Aguas Calientes (1830m - 2050m)
This day we'll be able to sleep a bit longer for those who want it, we'll start hiking at 9h00am. Soon we'll come upon a typical transport of this area, the cable-car that will allow us to cross the river Wilcamayu safely. During this hike you'll be able to appreciate: The falls of Mayumbamba and the sight of Machu Picchu-mountain with different Inca Trails. Continuing through this warm and humid weather we'll be arriving at the Hydro-Electrical station (1900m) which is the place where we take the train to Aguas Calientes (2050m), the touristic town beneath the ruins of Machu Picchu, there we'll spend the night in a hotel. Our trekking-time will be about 3 hours. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.

13th Day - Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Cusco
The sunrise over Machu Picchu is a breathtaking sight. Therefore, after an early rise and breakfast, we'll take the first bus up to the ruins (2400m), at 6 o’clock. After enjoying the sight and taking pictures of an almost empty Machu Picchu we'll have a guided tour with a professional Machu Picchu-guide. After this tour that will last for about two hours you'll have plenty of time to wander around the ruins by yourself and, for the bravest among us, there is always the ascension to Huayna Picchu or the nearby Temple of the Moon. We'll all meet afterwards to go down to Aguas Calientes (2050m) where we'll take our train back to Cusco.
The weather in Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu is rather warm and humid with mosquitoes.

INCLUDED:
·  Transportation
·  Professional Guide
·  Porter
·  Cook
·  Food (breakfast, lunch, dinner with optional vegetarian meals)
·  Bus from Cusco to Cachora
·  Lodging in Santa Teresa
·  Lodging Hostel in Aguas Calientes
·  Entrance-fee for Choquequirao
·  Entrance-fee for Machu Picchu
·  Bus going up from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
·  Train from the Hydro electrical station to Aguas Calientes
·  Train from Aguas Calientes to Cusco
·  Camping Equipment (tents, Air-mattresses, dining-tent, tables, stools)
·  Horses and horsemen (to carry food and camping equipment)
·  Emergency-horse
·  First-Aid-kit and oxygen-bottle

NOT INCLUDED:
·  Lunch in Machu Picchu the last day
·  Bus from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes (6US$ or 45 minutes walk)
·  Sleeping-bag (if you wish we can rent you one at our office in Cusco)