Stunning Inca Empire
Peru, a land where ancient civilizations intersect with awe-inspiring landscapes, is a traveler’s dream waiting to be unveiled. In just four days, you will embark on a remarkable journey, exploring Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and the mystical Machu Picchu. This expedition promises to transport you through time, revealing the incredible history, culture, and natural wonders of this extraordinary region.
Peru, a country synonymous with ancient mysteries and modern marvels, beckons travelers with its rich tapestry of history, culture, and geography. Over the course of four remarkable days, you will embark on a whirlwind expedition through some of Peru’s most revered destinations, where the past and the present flow seamlessly. This is a journey through a symphony of cultures and landscapes, where each movement is more enchanting than the last.
Your adventure commences in the charming city of Cusco, where cobbled streets and colonial architecture intermingle with the ancient Inca heritage. Nestled high in the Andes at over 3,000 meters above sea level, Cusco once served as the capital of the mighty Inca Empire. As you explore the city, you’ll uncover the intricate stonework that characterizes Inca architecture, while Spanish influence is evident in the grand cathedrals and churches.
Cusco’s historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site, offers a delightful blend of history and modernity. The Plaza de Armas serves as the heart of the city, and its surrounding streets are lined with bustling markets, authentic eateries, and shops filled with vibrant textiles and traditional crafts. It’s a place where centuries-old traditions and contemporary life seamlessly coexist.
From Cusco, your journey will lead you to one of the world’s most iconic and enigmatic archaeological sites: Machu Picchu. Your path will wind through the breathtaking landscapes of the Sacred Valley, a place where terraced fields, ancient ruins, and the Urubamba River combine to create a tableau of natural and historical splendor.
Machu Picchu, the crown jewel of Inca engineering, is a sight to behold. Perched atop a mountain crest in the Andes, this ancient citadel is a wonder to behold. As you explore its terraced fields, temples, and residential areas, you’ll sense the echoes of the Inca civilization that once thrived here. It’s a place of deep spiritual significance and incredible archaeological importance, and the mystery surrounding its construction and purpose will leave you in awe.
This four-day journey is an odyssey through time and space, unveiling the stories, cultures, and natural wonders that define this corner of the world. It’s a pilgrimage to the heart of the Andes, where echoes of ancient empires resonate on cobbled streets, where the enigma of Machu Picchu beckons from the mountain’s peak, and where the tranquil waters of the Sacred Valley offer a glimpse into the timeless traditions of Andean communities. Your voyage through Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu is a cinematic adventure that will leave you with memories to cherish for a lifetime.
**All our programs can be modified according to your requirements on duration, interests, activities, flight reservations or other additional destinations.**
On arrival, you will be assisted and transferred to your hotel. We suggest resting the rest of the morning to acclimatize to the altitude.
In the afternoon, we will get to know Cusco city on a guided tour, visiting the Main Square, the Cathedral and the Temple of the Sun or Korikancha. The tour continues outside the city to visit the Kenko, Tambomachay and Puca Pucara archaeological complexes and the impressive Sacsayhuaman Fortress which was strategically built on a hill dominating Cusco. It is famous for its huge carved stones, put together with amazing precision to form the external walls of the complex. Some of these stones are over 9 meters high and weight more than 350 tons.
Meals: None
Tour to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, on the Vilcanota River where you will be able to see the typical Indian market and experience its people´s customs. (On Sundays, the mass is celebrated in Quechua the native language). Lunch in a valley’s local restaurant.
In the afternoon stop by Calca and Urubamba on our way to the Ollantaytambo fortress and citadel, built to guard the entrances to this part of the valley and protect it from possible invasions from the rainforest´s inhabitants. It is formed by a series of overlapping terraces. We will have the chance to walk through the towns’ streets so we can have a clear idea of how this military, religious and agricultural strategic center was during the Inca Empire.
Overnight at the Sacred Valley.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Visitors will be transferred to the train station early in the morning, to start their trip to the Machu Picchu citadel, also known as “The Lost City of the Incas”. They will get off the train at the Aguas Calientes station to take a bus that will take them to the wonderful citadel in a 30-minute-long trip through a zigzagging road. Once there, we will have a guided tour over the citadel, visiting the Main Square, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Sundial, the Royal Chambers, the Temple of the Three Windows and the cemeteries. Lunch in a restaurant in Aguas Calientes. In the afternoon, they will return to Cusco to be taken to their hotels.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
After breakfast, transfer to the airport or bus station.
Meals: Breakfast
| Destination | Tourist | Superior tourist | Superior | Deluxe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cusco |
Antawasi |
Casona Plaza Cusco |
Xima |
Casa Andina Premium |
|
Sacred Valley of the Incas |
Ollantaytambo Lodge |
San Agustín Urubamba & SPA |
Del Pilar Ollantaytambo |
Casa Andina Premium |
| Price per person: USD | 607 | 656 | 834 | 1079 |
| Cusco | Antawasi |
| Sacred Valley of the Incas | Ollantaytambo Lodge |
| Price per person: USD | 607 |
|---|
| Cusco | Casona Plaza Cusco |
| Sacred Valley of the Incas | San Agustín Urubamba & SPA |
| Price per person: USD | 656 |
|---|
| Cusco | Xima |
| Sacred Valley of the Incas | Del Pilar Ollantaytambo |
| Price per person: USD | 834 |
|---|
| Cusco | Casa Andina Premium |
| Sacred Valley of the Incas | Casa Andina Premium |
| Price per person: USD | 1079 |
|---|
Prices per person in US Dollars, based on double occupancy.
INCLUDES:
NOT INCLUDED:
PRICES
All rates are expressed in US dollars, per person, based on double occupancy and are subject to change without notice.
ITINERARY
All our itineraries have been very carefully prepared taking your trip’s best operation into account. However, changing the order of some tours or routes might be necessary in some cases. Although these changes occur in few instances, the itinerary details should be taken as a basic guide.
AIR TICKETS
If Colourful Peru oversees buying and issuing local-flight tickets, their prices may vary until the date of the flight’s booking and payment. Furthermore, the airline might change the flight number as well as its departure hour.
Once the flight reservation and payment are made, the latter will not be reimbursable. Changes regarding name, flight, route, trip’s date or cancellations are not allowed.
Hotel reservations that are not part of an organized trip
Cancellations and Reimbursements
Booked trips
Cancellations and Reimbursements
(*) Note: some suppliers consider stricter cancellation conditions, consequently, they reserve the right to charge additional fees for other penalties in such cases.
Regarding the Inca Trail: the reserve is subject to its payment and there will not be reimbursements in case of cancellations, moreover, neither name nor date changes are allowed.
During peak season, the company reserves the right to change the cancellation regulations in case the suppliers apply other penalties or make the aforementioned changes.
LIABILITY
Live Corporation carries out your trip’s arrangements, books transfer services, hotel rooms or other travel services required on your behalf, consequently, the company takes no responsibility for the loss of items, flight or tours delays due to events of force majeure, accidents or other events.
Important!
Live Corporation disclaims any liability for medical conditions, pregnancy, mental or physical limitations that might put at risk the health or integrity of the passenger or third parties during the operation of the booked tours or that might jeopardize the trip’s progress. Therefore, the company will not be obliged to any refunds or to address claims regarding the aforementioned reasons, even when there are not noticeable problems in normal circumstances.
Given this, it is important for the passengers to inform the company whether there is any of the aforementioned impediments, so we can offer and suggest suitable services according to the existing limitations.
CLIMATE
The climate in Peru can be divided by zones: the western Andes that has a dry and cold climate in winter and its very rainy during the summer. The rainforest that has a hot, wet and rainy climate and the desert coast with a warm climate without regular rainfall.
Cusco has a mild climate with temperatures that go from 14 ºC to 16ºC with warm days and cold nights. The rainy season is from December to March.
Machu Picchu has a semi-tropical climate with warm days and cold nights. The rainy season is from November to April.
TIME ZONE
Peru Time Zone according to Greenwich Mean Time is -5 (GMT -5), same as Bogotá and Mexico throughout the year and same as New York during summer. When it is midday in Peru the hour in the most important cities is:
| São Paulo | 14:00 |
| Frankfurt | 19:00 |
| Nueva York | 13:00 |
| Londres | 18:00 |
| Hong Kong | 01:00 + 1day |
| Singapur | 01:00 + 1day |
ALTITUDE
In Cusco: 3,360 meters above sea level
In Machu Picchu: 2,400 meters above sea level
In the Sacred Valley: 2,850 meters above sea level
WE RECOMMEND
HEALTH
The Peruvian Andes are at high altitudes, so it is necessary to take precautions to avoid altitude sickness or “soroche”. It is important to rest a few hours, to walk slowly and to eat light before beginning any tour. We also recommend drinking coca tea that helps with acclimatization. Even though water is potable in most cities, it is advisable to drink bottled water to avoid any problems.
VISA
To know if you need a visa to enter Peru, please go to the closest consulate since the requirement may vary at any moment. For more information, please go to:
Visa types to enter Peru
LANGUAGE
Peru’s official language is Spanish, which is spoken by 80% of the population. However, there is a large portion of the population that speaks Quechua and Aymara (especially in the Peruvian Andes). Moreover, we can find 55 dialects in the Amazonian rainforest.
ELECTRICAL CURRENT
Electricity in Peru is 220 Volts and 60 Hertz. In some hotels, you may find dual voltage outlets, however, we suggest checking your appliances’ voltage and take precautions by having a power adapter or converter.
PERUVIAN GASTRONOMY
During the last years, the Peruvian gastronomy has become famous because of its variety and exquisiteness. Among the most known dishes you can find the ceviche, a dish made of fish and seafood marinated in lemon juice.
There is a new gastronomy trend in Cusco called “novoandina”. The novoandina cuisine is based on the creation of new dishes using local ingredients such as quinoa, quiwicha, potato, alpaca and trout. This way, we have dishes such as alpaca tenderloin with “quinotto” (risotto made of quinoa instead of rice) or grilled trout with sautéed vegetables and native potatoes.
Restaurants during your trip:
Cusco: international, local and vegetarian food restaurants.
Aguas Calientes: international and local food restaurants.
IMPORTANT
Colourful Peru reserves the right to make any changes without prior notice due to weather conditions, river levels, transport departures or arrivals, etc., to assure a better development of your trip’s operation.
Stunning Inca Empire
Our team will be contacting you as soon as possible.