Inka Trail with Machu Picchu and alternatively the Salkantay Trek

For group travel from Oslo, we meet and depart from Oslo Airport early in the morning and arrive in Lima early in the evening - but in our minds it is late at night, so we will probably take an early evening. For most people, a similar trip will arrive the same evening, for some you have to count on an extra day of travel. We stay overnight in a good hotel at the airport.

After breakfast we fly to Cusco, 3350 m above sea level. The afternoon is at your leisure. We take it easy this day to get used to the altitude. Overnight stay at a hotel in Cusco. In the evening there will be a small meeting with information about the rest of the trip, where we will talk about how to pack for the mountain trip.

In the morning we take a sightseeing tour of the Temple of the Sun, before driving a little higher up the mountainside and exploring Sacsayhuaman and Tambomachay. These are Inca ruins that have meant a lot to the Inca Indians. This is a small preview of what awaits later on the trip. Here there is a nice view of the city and a good chance of meeting a llama or two. The afternoon is at your leisure. Here you can stroll around and see daily life, shop for some souvenirs or equipment you need for the hike. The cathedral is also worth a short visit. We spend the night at our hotel in Cusco.

We spend the whole day on an excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Here we visit Ollantaytambo, a small town surrounded by an Inca fort. This valley was a very important agricultural area in the Inca era, which is evident with the many ruins on the road between Cusco and Machu Picchu. This is a nice warm-up hike through the characteristic “terraces”, with fantastic views. After lunch we continue through the valley to the picturesque market and ruins of Pisac. The start of this tour is a couple of hours drive from Cusco, and we return to Cusco for the night.

This day has no fixed program so you can make the final preparations for the mountain hike. There are opportunities to explore more of Cusco, relax at the hotel or perhaps treat yourself to an Inca massage. If you are in good shape, there are also opportunities for an arranged bike ride or trip to "Rainbow Mountain". As the name suggests, this is a colorful mountain, with 7 different colors or minerals that lie layered in the mountain. This will be a day trip with 2-3 hours of driving each way, and a 2-hour hike up to the summit at 5000 m. No activities this day are included in the price.

We start by car from Cusco and drive over the Tika-Tika pass and the Limatambo pass, both with good views of the mountains and the green agricultural valley below. We then drive up the side valley to the village of Tomacaya, where the road ends. Here we have our first outdoor lunch of the trip, before we get a leisurely start to the hike, which is important for the rest of the 7-day trekking trip. We go to Tocobamba at 3700 m. The horsemen, with luggage and tents, have already arrived and have set up camp by a small river.

After breakfast we begin the ascent to Muyuhorko, a pass at 4,060 m. Here ceremonies took place in pre-Inca times, and we have a good view of the grassy mountains in the distance. Then we go down to Tinkocleven at about 3,900 m and spend the night at Collpa (4,160 m). We keep a leisurely pace, and the distance of 11 km is estimated to take around 6 hours. The fair tent offers good food and a good atmosphere in the evening.

We start the day walking slowly up the slope towards the Tocto pass at 4,800 m above sea level, the highest we reach on this day. It takes time and the slope turns into a long gentle uphill slope. When we finally reach the top of the pass, we may be lucky and have a great view of Mount Salkantay itself. Then all the hard work is forgotten and we embark on a new beautiful valley that lies ahead of us. Here there is a lot of nature to rest our eyes on, while we slowly walk down the slope. We eventually have lunch and then continue a two-hour hike down to the valley floor and our camp at about 3,900 m above sea level with a dominant view of the eastern wall of the mountain. It is noticeable that the air is thinner, but even though we are at a height there are still flowers along the path, and you will probably see wild horses strolling around the mountain area.

From Sisaypampa the trail continues down the valley. Gradually we walk along the river which is a canal from the Inca era that flows through the valley, where the Indians run their small farms. At the end of Pampa the trail becomes somewhat steeper and we pass the tree line again. This day we camp at the Paucarcancha ruins, 3150 m above sea level, where the Pampacahua and Keska valleys meet. Now it is not far to the Inca Trail that we will enter the next day. Here there is the opportunity to have a makeshift and cool shower, and with a little luck we will be able to buy beer or soda from the lady in the house. This evening we say goodbye to the horsemen who have followed us around Salkantay, and meet the porters who will join us on the Inca Trail. We repack and send some luggage back to Cusco, and continue with only the most necessary things.

The day begins quietly at low altitude. We visit the village of Huayllabamba, before beginning the steep climb to the Huayruro River. Here we meet the Inca Trail, where there are more tourists. However, we do not see many since we arrive late. After crossing over to the Llullucha Gorge, we walk through a unique forest of Unca trees, a rare local species that is only found in a few isolated places. Once out of the forest, we reach Llulluchapampa at 3,750 m. with a view of Mt. Huayanay, where lunch will be prepared. After lunch, we continue up the stone steps that lead over Warmiwanusca or "Dead Woman's Pass" at 4,200 m. Here we get panoramic views of both the path we have followed and the road ahead. From here, we descend into the valley via ancient steps that the Incas built 500 years ago, and camp and have dinner at Pacaymayu at 3,500 m. On some trips we camp at Llulluchapampa and cross "Dead Womans Pass" the next morning instead. This is decided by the local camp authorities from trip to trip.

After breakfast we continue uphill again to the ruins of the Runkuraqay fort and a pass at 4,050 m. From here we descend to Sayacmarca at 3,620 m. where we walk on the original Inca Trail, pass a dried-up lake and see the first signs of the rainforest. This is a beautiful area with beautiful views, which gives us the opportunity for a breather and a relaxing hike while enjoying the impressive nature. We continue along the edge of this landscape and are at the same time surrounded by amazing mountains. We continue until we reach Phuyupatamarca (the city on the edge of the clouds) where we camp at 3,700 m. The night camp definitely lives up to its name, providing accommodation with exceptional views!

We leave the camp and embark on many many steps down through lush forest with views of the rainforest below. The trail takes us to the Intipata ruins and ends at Wiñay Wayna where we have lunch. From here we continue along the original Inca Trail and arrive at the "Sun Gate" with spectacular views of Machu Picchu below. We see the goal, but the view will have to suffice today, we will spend tomorrow exploring. So we continue down the Inca Trail for about 45 minutes before taking the bus down to the small town of Aguas Calientes for accommodation at a simple, local hotel. Here we can finally have a shower and sleep in a bed. The hike today is 10 km, almost all downhill (from 3700 to 2000 m.) and takes 6-7 hours.

This day is dedicated to discovering these special Inca ruins located at 2,400 meters above sea level. We start the day early. First an hour with a guide, then some time to stroll around on your own. In the afternoon we take the train to Ollotaytambo, and then our bus back to Cusco.

After breakfast, we will be transferred to the airport to fly back to Lima. We will stay in a good hotel in Miraflores, the nicest part of Lima, and have the afternoon at leisure. We will spend one last evening with the group before tomorrow's flight home.

Before the return trip we will do some sightseeing. The tour will start with a short tour of modern Lima, followed by a walk through Lima's historic center. The group will visit the Santo Domingo Church, Plaza Mayor with its colonial buildings, the Catacombs of San Francisco and walk along the Jirón de la Unión. We may also visit Plaza San Martín and its emblematic buildings, before having lunch in the area and heading to the airport for the return trip.

For many, today will be the day we arrive home. For group tours from Norway, we will have a flight change and return to Norway in the afternoon, most likely, perhaps with a few souvenirs in our bags that will give us everlasting memories of our Peru adventure.