From the mysterious Inca city of Machu Picchu to the colorful wildlife of Manu Cloud Forest. Explore Cusco, Sacred Valley of the Incas, trek the last portion of the Inca Trail from KM 104 to Machu Picchu and enter Machu Picchu through the famous Sun gate or Inti Punku and experience the incredible variety of wildlife in the Manu Cloud Forest.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrive in Cusco

Arrive in Cusco, home of the Inca Civilization at 3400m / 11,154ft, meet your Incatrekkers guide and transfer to your hotel. This afternoon, set out to discover the capital of the Inca civilization. The first day will be for getting used to the altitude with relaxing day and night walking exploration of Cusco that includes Plaza de Armas, Plaza Regocijo, Plaza San Francisco and Plaza San Blas, each with their beautiful fountains. You will also see the Cathedral and other highlights such as San Pedro market, Choco Museo with an optional workshop, 12 angled stone and original Inca walls.

Day 2: Cusco City Tour

The tour starts at the Temple of the Sun Qorikancha, main religious center of the Incas dedicated to the Sun cult. From here we go by private transportation to visit the four Inca Archeological Sites, such as the enormous Sacsayhuman, with its magnificent, 120-ton monoliths and impressive Inca Architecture that overlook Cusco. Other archeological sites included in the tour are the Qenqo Inca site where we are going to see the impressive Incan altars, Puka Pukara Incan military lookout point and the final stop on our tour is Tambomachay a water temple with the impressive water fountains. (B)

Day 3: Explore Sacred Valley - Chinchero - Moray - Salt Ponds

This morning we will pick you up from your hotel at 07:30am, head to Chinchero, home of Quechua people who demonstrate traditional dyeing and weaving techniques. Discover Moray, an important Inca site that was used as an agricultural experimentation center. Continue to the impressive Maras Salt ponds. Each salt pond is owned by an individual local family who still harvest salt like our ancestors. After lunch, visit Ollantaytambo (Living IncaTown), a formidable stone structure of massive terraces situated on the hill-top of the mountains with the impressive views of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Overnight in Ollantaytambo, in the afternoon relax on your own. (B)

Day 4: Start the Inca Trail - Km 104 - Chachabamba - Wiñaywayna - Machupicchu

Today we will start early, we will pick you up from your hotel in Ollantaytambo at 06:00am. We take the train for about 1 hour 30 minutes to the starting point of the Inca Trail trek, at km 104. Located at 2050 m / 6,725 ft. The train track follows the right site of the Urubamba River and has a spectacular view of the Sacred Valley of the Incas and of the snow-capped mountains.

After the train ride we cross over the Urubamba River to reach the main entrance to the Inca Trail where we are going to show our permits and original passport. Once we checked we will have some time to get ready for our day hike, then continue our hike to the archeological site Chachabamba and begin a 4 hours ascent to Wiñaywayna (forever young) archeological site located at 2650 m / 8,694 ft. After exploring the ancient archeological site, we will continue hiking through the cloud forest for about 1 hour to Intipunku (Sun Gate) at 2720 m / 8,923 ft. where we will have the first panoramic view of Machu Picchu at 2400 m / 7,874 ft. After a short hike down to Machu Picchu we will enjoy the afternoon before descending by bus to Aguas Calientes for dinner and for the overnight. (B,box lunch)

. Trekking distance: 14 km / 8.69 miles

. Estimate time: 6-7 hours approx.

. Maximum altitude: 2720 m / 8,923 ft

. Machu Picchu altitude: 2400m / 7,874 ft

Day 5: Machupicchu - Cusco

We wake up early this morning to have breakfast in the hotel then take one of the first buses to Machu Picchu. Once we arrive at Machu Picchu, enjoy the morning light and private guiding tour of the most important temples and sectors for about 3 hours. After exploring, return to Aguas Calientes by bus, have lunch and board the train back to Ollantaytambo where our private transportation will be waiting to transfer you to Cusco hotel. (B)

Day 6: Cusco to Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge

Our overland journey begins at 3,400m/11,150 ft, with an early departure from the highland city of Cusco. Today’s destination is the lush cloud forest region where the Andes fall away to the Amazon basin. This is a day of scenic drama and striking contrasts. We first visit a mountain wetland habitat teeming with migrant and local waterfowl, before crossing two mountain ranges between the Cusco valley and the Paucartambo valley, to a maximum altitude of 3,900m/12,790ft. Finally, we follow a sinuous ribbon of highway on its plunge through an extraordinary world of forested cliffs, waterfalls and gorges. We take leisurely stops to see mountain villages, a hilltop necropolis of chullpas (pre-Inca burial chambers), and the abrupt ridge top of Ajanaco, which marks the final high point where the Andes begin their swoop into the Amazon basin. In clear weather we will see a breathtaking panorama of cloud forest and mountain giving way to the lowland rainforest plains far below us. After a lunch we descend through the startling and rapid environmental transformations characteristic of the tropical Andes, passing from grassland and stunted trees through elfin forest, until we wind through a lush and magical world of overhanging trees, giant ferns, monster begonias, countless orchids and bromeliads, and a diverse and teeming birdlife.

We make frequent spontaneous stops, perhaps spotting a brilliantly feathered quetzal, a trogon, or the wild turkey-like Guan. We reach the comfortable Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge. (Box Lunch, D)

Day 7: Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge

Along the road and trails. -In the early morning, we have a chance to view the Cock-of-the-Rock in full, raucous courting display. This lek and its observation blind are famous among birders, since nowhere else on the planet allows so many of these spectacular blazing red birds to be seen so easily. (Note that the very best months for viewing Cocks-of-the-Rock are in September, October and November, although the males display throughout the year.) Afterwards we can stroll along the clearing formed by the nearby road, spotting other birds, and with luck some Brown Capuchin or Woolly Monkeys.

After a hearty breakfast we can explore the forest overhanging the gravel road near the lodge, or some of the miles of trails that wind through the valley, to see high elevation cloud forest birds. This is a relaxed and enchanting day. As we amble among the woods and waterfalls we can marvel at the extraordinary variety of orchids, bromeliads, ferns, begonias, lichens and mosses -- and we also have a chance of sighting Woolly and/or Brown capuchin monkeys. Along the way we may encounter some of the most colorful denizens of the cloud forest, such as the brilliant Golden-headed Quetzal, Gray-breasted Mountain Toucan, Blue-crowned Motmot, Umbrella Bird, Blue-banded Toucanet, fruit-eating tanagers, Red-crested Cotinga, Banded-tail Fruit-eater, and a variety of flycatchers.

In the afternoon we can relax at the lodge, enjoying the dining hall viewing platform, or our private forest-overlook balcony. (B, L, D)

Day 8: Cock of the Rock Lodge to mid-elevation rainforest

After an early breakfast we set off Our journey continues by ground transport to the mid-elevation forest and to witness how the last Andean foothills yield to the vast Amazon basin.

We will reach the Amazon River port of Atalaya at about noon. Upon arrival we will spend the rest of the afternoon walking mid-elevation rainforest trails in the company of our guide. This type of habitat is very special as several upland and lowland species of birds mingle at this elevation. For example, we may have the chance to see the Military Macaw, an endangered species of parrot that lives only at this elevation or perhaps we will see some monkeys.

This unique habitat is the beginning of the lowlands rainforest and you may enjoy an extraordinary vista of the Amazon Basin surrounded with several small hills as well as the Andean Range, a paradise for birdwatchers and nature lovers who have had the opportunity to spot exotic species of birds like the Mask-Crimson, Blue-gray and Paradise Tanagers, the Blue Crowned Trogon, Blue headed Parrot, the Blue-headed Macaw, the Bluish fronted Jacamar, Rufous-Crested Coquette and many other species of hummingbirds.

We will return to the Lodge in the late afternoon. (B, L, D)

Day 9: Cock of the Rock Lodge to Cusco

After an early breakfast we set off once more up the cloud forest highway, pausing here and there to alight and stroll in search of more birds: ones we have already seen, but are too spectacular to ignore, and birds we are seeing for the first time. Or perhaps we will glimpse monkeys that have so far eluded us. We wind our way through the enchanted mountain landscape on our route back to Cusco, knowing

that the memory of this will remain with us for years to come. (B, Box Lunch)

Please note that the program may vary slightly so as to maximize your wildlife sightings, depending on the reports of our researchers and experienced naturalist guides based at the lodge.

Day 10: Cusco- Flight Lima – Return home

Enjoy a last morning to explore Cusco at your own pace. Our tour leader will be happy to offer suggestions for places to go and sights to see. We will take you to the airport in our private transportation for your flight back across the Andes to Lima to connect with your flight home. (B)