Machu Picchu or Bust!

Machu Picchu is a place where reality surpasses anything you could have possibly imagined!

Peru is so beautiful and Machu Picchu is just awesome! When we decided to design a group itinerary to Machu Picchu we knew it had to be just as impressive, so what we decided to do is trek to Machu Picchu in style, staying overnight in privately booked, beautiful, secluded luxury mountain lodges. There will be no camping or roughing it on this trip. Quite the opposite. We have our own chef to cook hot gourmet meals, hot tubs to relax in after long treks and you even get a total body massage after a full day’s hike.

Highlights

• Stay in privately booked, incredibly beautiful luxury mountain lodges
• Hot tubs, massages, hot meals......there is no roughing it!
• Explore the magnificent Machu Picchu with our expert guides!
• Private tour of Sacred Valley with lots of ruins and plenty of local culture
• Private tour of Cusco
• Lots and lots of Incan ruins
• You’re going to get a great workout from this trip!

Dates:
July 12 - 22, 2010
Do these dates not work for you?

Tour Length: 11 days, 10 night

Price: $4,387.00
Deposit: $500
Single supplement: $800

Group Size: 10 max.

After arriving at the Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cusco, you will be greeted by your friendly escort from Falk Custom Adventures who will be anxiously awaiting your arrival at the front gates.

Your escort will be easy to spot. They're the one jumping all over the place and making a bunch of noise because WE LOVE PERU!

We will begin our adventure with a transfer to our fantastic lodge, ARANWA Lodge, which is truly a paradise in the middle of Urubamba Valley.

We will have a welcome dinner, meet the rest of our group and turn in for the night.

Overnight: ARANWA Lodge

Today we have arranged a full-day guided excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

After a big breakfast, we'll be ready to pack up and head out.

Our first stop is the beautiful, picturesque town of Chincheros where we will get our first look at an ancient Incan civilization. Next we continue down the Urubamba Valley to reach the charming town of Ollantaytambo, where again we will take in the views, meet the locals and explore ancient Incan structures. After lunch, we will visit the small village of Pisac and its open air market. It is here that we will watch the locals barter, trade and sell local produce and their handicrafts such as ceramics and beads.

Our last stop will be the native weaving cooperative of Awanakancha. The cooperative was established to help insure that ancient Peruvian textile crafts are passed on to future generations and it is fascinating to watch as these artisans create fantastically colorful textiles the way they were done hundreds of years ago.

Overnight: ARANWA Lodge, (Breakfast, Lunch)

After breakfast, we will begin our transfer to our first mountain lodge, Soraypampa.

On the way to our lodge, we will stop to view the Incan ruins of Tarawasi, get a cup of coffee, and then we'll begin our four-hour hike to reach our base camp for the next two nights.

After a warm welcome from the staff, we’ll get settled in and relax, possibly near the fireplace or outdoors surrounded by the incredible views.

Overnight: Soraypampa, Elevation 12,705 ft. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Today is spent relaxing, letting our body prepare for our journey ahead.

Later in the day we can take a three- to four-hour hike up to a glacial lake where the last one in is a rotten egg! If the glacial lake doesn't sound appealing to you, maybe a soak in the outdoor Jacuzzi back at our lodge does.

Tonight at dinner, our guides will go over what to expect for the next few days and we’ll rest for tomorrow.

Overnight: Soraypampa, Elevation 12,705 ft. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Today we officially begin our trek to Machu Picchu!

After a hearty breakfast, we begin our hike to the top of Rio Blanco Valley, circling Humantay Peak across from the Salkantay. Along the way we will stop to take in the splendid views of snow-capped peaks surrounding us.

We’ll reach an elevation of 15,000 ft. during our trek before beginning our descent toward our lodge for the evening, Wayra Lodge.

Total hike time today was 4 - 6 hours. We'll sleep good tonight.

Overnight: Wayra Lodge, Elevation 12,936 ft. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

After yesterday’s strenuous hike, today's a piece of cake.

After a delicious breakfast cooked by the lodge chef, we will begin our trek by hiking downhill, enjoying the lush scenery as we walk just above the Salkantay River.

We’re probably hungry, which is good because upon our arrival at Collpa Lodge we will encounter a "Pachamanca" (traditional underground stone cooking) lunch.

We will spend the rest of our day at our leisure and you always have the option of relaxing in the outdoor hot tub, which is surrounded by prominent views of lush green mountains and small distant villages.

Total hike time today was 3 - 4 hours.

Overnight: Collpa Lodge, Elevation 9,372 ft. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

After breakfast, we will begin our trek down the Santa Teresa River Valley, through coffee plantations (said to be some of the best organic coffees in the world) banana trees, orchards and more populated rural areas.

We will stop for a hot lunch before we continue our hike for another hour. That is when we will be picked up by vehicle and taken to the beginning of the Llactapata Inca Trail.

From there it is only a short climb before we reach our lodge for the evening, Lucma Lodge, set deep in an avocado orchard. We should have enough time to explore the local village and meet with members of the local community.

Total hike time today was 4 - 6 hours

Overnight: Lucma Lodge, Elevation 7,095 ft. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Today is the last day of our trek!

After an early breakfast, we begin walking uphill for a few hours until we reach Llactapata Pass. It is here we get our first peak at one of the most extraordinary places in the world, Machu Picchu.

We will eat lunch here as we gaze with excitement in anticipation for what's to follow.

After lunch, we’ll begin our final descent to the Vilcanota River through lush bamboo forests and more orchards and coffee plantations.

We will board a train for the short, 30-minute scenic ride to reach our lodge.

After hiking for so long, we couldn't think of a better place to kick up our feet and relax than the luxurious Inkaterra Pueblo Hotel.

Total hike time today was 4 - 6 hours.

Overnight: Inkaterra Pueblo Hotel, Elevation 6,200 ft. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Today we spend our time exploring one of the most beautiful and mysterious ancient sites in the world.

After an early breakfast at the hotel, we’ll take the short bus ride to Machu Picchu. Our extremely knowledgeable guide will educate us on this ancient Incan city while we spend hours discovering this incredible wonder.

After our thorough exploration of Machu Picchu, we will hop on the bus for our return to the Inkaterra Pueblo Hotel for lunch. Then we’ll catch the afternoon train back to Cusco, arriving sometime after 6:00 pm.

We will stay at the exquisite Casa Andina Private Collection Cusco for the next two nights.

Overnight: Casa Andina Private Collection Cusco, (Breakfast, Lunch)

We came all the way to Peru and there is no way we can leave without touring the beautiful city of Cusco!

Today we’ll spend our time touring Cusco, visiting the Main Square - Plaza de Armas - and the Temple of the Sun, also known as Korikancha. We’ll also take a pleasant walk through the bohemian district of San Blas, where the most well-known craftsmen of Cusco reside.

I hope you have your cameras ready because on our return to the Main Square, we will pass by the famous 12-angled stone on Hatunrumiyoc Street.

We are then going to take a short trip outside of Cusco to visit the Incan sites of Kenko, Tambomachay, Puca Pucara and the impressive fortress of Sacsayhuaman, which has been built strategically on a hill overlooking Cusco.

Tonight we have our farewell dinner as we talk about our incredible trek to Machu Picchu and all of the other magnificent things that we have been able to see and do while in this fantastic country.

Overnight: Casa Andina Private Collections Cusco, (Breakfast)

After a final breakfast in Peru, we will be transferred to the Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport in Cusco where we will say our goodbyes and fly to Lima where we will catch our international flight home.

End of trip: (Breakfast)