Cusco and the Inti Raymi

Experience the vibrancy and grandeur of the Inti Raymi Festival, Cusco's most famous cultural event, with a full-day guided tour. This ancient Inca celebration, known as the Festival of the Sun, begins at the historic Qorikancha, the Temple of the Sun, where you'll witness the first sacred ceremonies. The festivities continue with a procession to the Plaza de Armas, featuring traditional music, dances, and elaborate costumes. The day culminates at the Sacsayhuamán fortress with a dramatic reenactment of Inca rituals, including the symbolic llama offering. (note: no actual harm to animals).

Early in the morning, pick up from your hotel in Cusco for your group excursion of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Tour Itinerary:

• Explore Moray: First, visit the archaeological site of Moray, known for its impressive concentric terraces used by the Incas for agricultural experiments.
• Visit Maras: Continue to the Maras salt mines, where hundreds of pre-Inca salt pools are nestled against a scenic mountain backdrop, still in use today.
• Lunch in Urubamba: Enjoy a delicious lunch in Urubamba, sampling traditional Peruvian dishes.
• Tour of Ollantaytambo Fortress: After lunch, head to Ollantaytambo and explore its ancient fortress and terraces, learning about its strategic importance during the Inca Empire.
• Stay in Ollantaytambo: The tour concludes in Ollantaytambo. Spend the evening at your leisure, exploring the town or resting before your train journey.
• Train to Aguas Calientes: Depending on your train schedule, make your way to the station to board your train to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu.

Overnight in Aguas Calientes.

The day starts with an early morning transfer to the bus station for a 30 minute journey, ascending a zigzag path, to the incredible Machu Picchu. Upon arrival, you will embark on a guided tour of the ancient citadel. Highlights include the Main Square, the enigmatic Circular Tower, the sacred Intihuatana (Sun Dial), the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows, and the intricate cemeteries. Lunch in a restaurant at Aguas Calientes town. In the afternoon, back to Cusco by train, and transfer to your selected hotel for overnight. Evening free.

4:00am. Embark on our full day Rainbow Mountain day trip from Cusco. We will travel by tourist bus around two hours to the south until arriving to the village of Cusipata, where we’ll enjoy a delicious breakfast. After the breakfast we will travel by car 1 hour to the trailhead, known as Phulawasipata, where we will start the trek. The trek will last approximately 1.5 hours to 2 hours to Vinicunca Pass, the classic viewpoint for Rainbow Mountain. Along the way, we will appreciate the typical landscape and flora and fauna of the Andes, among which Llamas and Alpacas stand out. Then we will return by the same route to the point where we started the trek (Phulawasipata), where our transport will be waiting to take us back to Cusipata; here we will enjoy the buffet lunch. After lunch we will start heading to back to Cusco for overnight.

Early in the morning, transfer to the airport for your departure to Lima. This marks the conclusion of our travel services, wrapping up an unforgettable journey through the majestic splendors of Machu Picchu.