Machu Picchu and Far Beyond... Adventeers Wanted
11 days / Year Round
Pricing: Pricing is based on group size and seasonality, please check with us to secure the best pricing.
Highlights:
• Explore one the greatest ancient sites in the world – the stunning Machu Picchu.
• Take adrenaline-soaked zip line rides through the tropical rainforest canopy, go white-water rafting down the Sacred River of the Incas, and hike through peerless vistas.
• Contribute in a real and material way to the region’s environment by helping at the local reforestation project and participating in an Andean ceremony to thank Mother Earth.
Start Map
Day 1: LIMA
A private guide will pick you up at the airport and bring you to your hotel.
Day 2: LIMA
After breakfast, you visit one of the Miraflores Beaches, which we will choose based on surfing conditions. You will meet your surfing instructors, who will provide all the gear and instructions that you need to get in the water and try surfing. Afterwards, take a tour of Lima’s main attractions, including the lovely downtown, cathedral, catacombs, and main districts. Return to Miraflores for lunch at a restaurant in Larco Mar Mall. Take the afternoon and evening at your leisure. Dinner is on your own.
Day 3: LIMA AND CUSCO
Catch a morning flight to Cusco and then take a private vehicle to your hotel. Rest and acclimate to high altitude (10,496 ft) in the morning. In the afternoon, you will be met by your guide, who will take you on a lovely city tour of Cusco and its surrounding archaeological sites. The tour begins the main Plaza and its cathedral, and then moves on to the main Inca temple of Koricancha. Then, you’ll visit Cusco’s outskirts and Sacsayhuaman, Kenko, Pukapukara and Tampumachay. Dinner will be served at Incanto restaurant located in Cusco’s main plaza.
Day 4: CUSCO AND SACRED VALLEY
After breakfast, we will take a short hike around the community, which will allows us to observe people going about their daily activities. We will even visit one of the family houses in order to learn more about how the locals live in harmony with nature. We will then drive to Pachar, where we will begin our white-water rafting adventure on the Sacred River of the Incas. You can admire the spectacular views of the mountains and archaeological remains, continuing towards Ollantaytambo and its amazing Incan terraces. We will tackle Class II and Class III rapids, finishing with “El Resbaladero” (The Slide), a strong Class III that includes waves and small whirlpools.
We will then have lunch in a traditional restaurant located on the riverside and owned by the local community. This is a great chance to enjoy the Andean cuisine while supporting community projects. After lunch, we’ll visit the local reforestation project located near the restaurant. Here everyone can plant a native tree and contribute with a UNITED NATIONS project named “1 Plant For The Planet” which seeks to plant 1 native tree per human being on Earth. After this, we’ll hike to camp and enjoy a leisurely dinner.
Day 5: SACRED VALLEY
Spend the day getting your hands dirty at the reforestation project. You might build a fence, or finish digging the water store pool, or even help restoring the Greenhouse, where seedlings grow before being planted. You’ll eat a boxed lunch to keep your energy up. After you’ve finished your work you will hike back to camp for dinner and a “Pacha Mama” Ceremony that’s dedicated to worshiping Mother Earth. It will be held by “Pako,” an Andean Shaman, in order to thank Mother Earth for her blessings and protections.
Day 6: SACRED VALLEY TO MACHU PICCHU
In the morning, we’ll decamp to Ollantaytambo station to catch the Vistadome train to Machu Picchu. You’ll enjoy the spectacular views from the train’s windows as we approach the site. Then, we’ll have a guided tour of Machu Picchu, and discuss its rich history and the theories about its past. After visiting Machu Picchu, we will catch a bus back to Aguas Calientes, where we will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Dinner will be served at Indio Feliz Restaurant.
Day 7: MACHU PICCHU AND SANTA TERESA
Spend the morning on your own, exploring the town of Aguas Calientes before you board a local train to Santa Teresa. This stunning town is hidden in the Amazon cloud forest just 15 kilometers from Machu Picchu. We’ll take a drive to the Santa Teresa Campsite and then unload our gear before we hike to the start of the zip line. You will get a safety briefing before putting on your helmet, gloves and harness, and then WHOOSH, off you go, flying through the rainforest. This adrenaline-pumping ride includes six sections of zip line, totaling nearly 2.5 kilometers of high wire. Crisscrossing the valley, you begin the ride about 820 ft. above the valley floor and finish at the bottom. You’ll unwind from your adventure with a hike back to camp and boxed lunched. After a short rest, we will hike to a local farm where we will learn about the local crops and then return to the camp for dinner.
Day 8: SANTA TERESA AND AGUAS CALIENTES AND CUSCO
After an early breakfast, we’ll take a quick drive and then a hike to Lucmabamba, which provides a rare and breathtaking view of Machu Picchu. We’ll enjoy the panorama while eating a boxed lunch before continuing our trek down to Aobamba and onto the Hidroelectric train station. From there, we’ll catch a train back to Aguas Calientes, grab our luggage, and then continue on train back to Cusco. You will find dinner on your own after we’ve checked into our hotel.
Day 9: CUSCO AND PUMACANCHIS AND RAQCHI
On our way to Raqchi, we will stop at Pumacanchi and its lovely Four-Lagoon Circuit, where we will enjoy a mountain-bike ride around one of the lagoons. Then we’ll continue on to Raqchi, a small Andean community where settlers have organized guestrooms in their courtyards to accommodate tourists, providing a unique and in-depth cultural experience with the local population. Raqchi also boasts a fantastic three-story temple honoring the God Wiracocha, the creator of the universe. After we get settled at our family houses, we will enjoy a traditional Andean lunch. After lunch we will visit the remains of the Wiracocha Temple. Then we’ll enjoy a great dinner accompanied by traditional music and dances.
Day 10: RAQCHI AND CUSCO
After an early breakfast with your host family, we’ll take a private vehicle back to our hotel in Cusco. Spend your day exploring the city. You’ll need to find lunch and dinner on your own.
Day 11: CUSCO AND LIMA – DEPARTURE
Catch a short flight back to Lima in order to catch your return flight.
• Help hold back the tide of deforestation by working at a local project intended to preserve the rainforest. You will get your hands dirty by actually planting a native tree as well as providing material support for the project.
• Contribute to the local economy in a significant way by staying at the guests houses in the Andean village of Raqchi. You will get to know the people and directly support the villagers when you stay with them, allowing them to forgo the large-scale tourism that can be so damaging to their fragile environment.