Fly to Lima • Overnight Lima
Arrival evening Lima. You are welcomed by Art Andes and transferred to your garden hotel in Miraflores, just a 40 minute drive outside of Lima.
Overnight Hotel Senorial (senorial.com)

Fly to Cusco • Overnight Cusco
A short mid-morning flight to Cusco. You go direct to the hotel, drop your stuff, have a light meal and head into the hills on foot for a gentle and scenic acclimating walk. This is the perfect area to explore on foot at your own pace with a few guided distance options. Alternatively there is always the possibility to use the hilly city of Cusco as your training grounds!
Overnight Los Andes (cuscoandes.com)

Explore the Sacred Valley • Overnight Cusco
The Pisaq ruins & market make acclimating about as much fun as it can get. You go up one side and down the other of these majestic ruins, complete with stunning views of the valley. Lunch awaits you on the market square at the flavorful Ulrike Cafe. In the early evening, there is a meeting with a staff member of the Mountain Lodges of Peru organization (mountainlodgesofperu.com). You will be briefed of the great journey ahead. Dinner on your own. Overnight Los Andes

Trek towards Salkantay • Overnight Salkantay Lodge
It’s an early start from Cusco by private vehicle .There is a small Inca ruin along the way as well as a village stop for a coffee break. You start your trek at 10, 560 and hike to 12,500. This is a moderate 4 hour hike to the lodge on an old route called the ‘Royal Path’ and it is optional. The lodge takes it’s name from the majestic peak at the head of the valley-the ‘Salkantay’ the 2nd most sacred peak in Inca mythology and at 20,600, the highest in the region.
Hiking 4 hr/optional/moderate/altitude gain 2,200 ft/ lodge at 12,706 ft

Exploration Soraypampa • Overnight Salkantay Lodge
A half day hike to a glacial lake is offered today. This moderate 3-4 hour hike is a great way to prepare for the trek ahead. For anyone not quite up to the altitude yet there is the option to explore around the lodge. The lodge’s outdoor jacuzzi might be the most scenic soak you have experienced.
Hiking 3-4 hr/optional/moderate to challenging/altitude gain 1,484 ft

Hike to Huayraccmachy • Overnight Wayra Lodge
This is the pass you have been waiting for! The four day hike to Machu Picchu offcially starts today. You hike up the valley circling Humantay peak across from Salkantay. The highest point is the pass at 15,000 . At the pass you have stunning views of snow-capped peaks of the Villcabamba range in every direction with the south face of Salkantay towering above you. From the pass you start your descent to Wayra lodge with a hot lunch en route.
Hiking 4-6 hours/Total day 5-7hours/challenging/ altitude gain 2,634 ft/lodge at 12,936 ft

Hike to Collpapampa • Overnight Colpa Lodge
The day starts a little more leisurely today. You begin the trek by going down towards the Salkantay River, through increasingly verdant scenery. The Colpa Lodge is situated at an open promontory with great views of the countryside.
Hiking time 3-4 hours/ easy to moderate/ altitude loss 3,564 ft/lodge at 9,372 ft

Hike to Lucmabamba • Overnight Lucma Lodge
This day is through populated agricultural areas (culture, exercise & scenery, the perfect combo!). You pass through coffee plantations,(said to be some of the best organic coffee in the world), and banana & passion fruit orchards. You have a picnic and relax at the river. Along the way there is a 30 min drive in a private vehicle sent by the lodge. Your lodge is set in an avocado orchard near a small village.
Hiking time 5-6 hours/Total day 6-8 hours/moderate to challenging/altitude loss 2,227 ft/ lodge at 7,095 ft

Hike to Aguas Caliente • Overnight Aguas Caliente
Today is the last day of the trek. You start with a good hike uphill (2-3 hr) to the Llactapata pass where you come across your first view of Machu Picchu, a view few tourists ever glimpse. You also get the added value of visiting the Llactapata ruins, which have recently been restored. From here your picnic lunch is quite scenic. Your final descent (2-3 hr) is through lush bamboo forests, more orchards and coffee plantations. The last 30 minutes to Machu Picchu are by train.
Overnight Sumaq Hotel (sumaqhotelperu.com)
Hiking 4-6 hours/moderate to challenging/altitude loss 895 ft/Aguas Caliente at 6,200 ft

Machu Picchu exploration
Overnight Cusco After an early breakfast, the first bus up to Machu Picchu allows you to experience the mystical and ancient city in the clouds in a quieter setting. An hour and a half tour is offered before you set off on your own. You are in great shape to pick your exploration route. There is a lot to choose from in the diverse cloud forest setting from Wayna Picchu, The Sun Gate or the peak of the Machu Picchu mountain. You will have 4-5 hours to spend at the ruins after the guided tour. The afternoon train back to Cusco departs at 2:30. Tonight you have the run of the town-live it up! You deserve it!
Overnight Los Andes

Flight to Lima/Lima City Tour • Evening departure
The trip isn’t over yet! Plenty to do in Lima still. It’s the historic City of the Kings and you can’t leave without an in-depth look into this lively and complex place. A few different options will be offered, some folks have been to Peru with ArtAndes already and with that in mind, the Mirabus/ double-decker bus tour from the coast to downtown is a route worth taking. This being Sunday, it will be easy to get around and enjoy the city more on this quieter day of the week. The Limeños love their day off, families are milling around and it’s the best day of the week to be in Lima. An evening dinner celebration is in order before your late night flight home.