Compare Nazca Lines, Machu Picchu, Cusco & Sacred Valley Tour by Andean Discovery vs The Inca Trail in Comfort by Exodus Travels

Day 1: Home | Lima, Peru

Upon arriving in Lima this evening, a member of our staff will transfer you to your hotel, just steps away from the airport. Enjoy dinner on your own this evening.

Day 2: Lima | Paracas

Meals: Breakfast

After an early breakfast, travel 4 hours by private vehicle to the Nazca Lines. Originally thought to be the remains of irrigation lines beyond the verdant Nazca Valley, it wasn’t until they were seen from the air that the lines were recognizable as giant animals and geometric figures. The lines are thought to have been etched by three different groups from 900 BC to AD 630. Take to the sky to see for yourself during a short, comfortable flight. Please note that, due to weather conditions, a short wait should be expected before boarding your flight. Lunch and dinner today are on your own.

Day 3: Paracas | Lima

Meals: Breakfast

This morning transfer 45 minutes to the pier in Paracas for a group boat trip to the Ballestas Islands. This extraordinary archipelago is teeming with wildlife including thousands of resident and migratory sea birds—pelicans, boobies, cormorants, terns, and penguins among them—along with sea lions and fur seals. The famous candlestick design, a Nazca civilization figure etched on the desert face, can also be seen during the boat ride. After returning to the mainland, explore Paracas National Reserve with your guide. A UNESCO World Heritage Natural Site, the reserve is home to 216 bird species. As you explore, learn about pre-Inca cultures who thrived in this rugged landscape over 1000 years ago. Transfer to Lima in the late afternoon and enjoy lunch and dinner today on your own.

Day 4: Lima | Cusco | Pisac | Urubamba

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

This morning transfer to the airport for your short flight above the Andes Mountains to Cusco. Then journey down a winding mountain road into the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The first stop is the indigenous market in Pisac, a centuries-old market that sells a variety of foods and colorful indigenous handicrafts. Above the market lies the largest fortress-city complex of the Incas. Your guide will lead you on a walking tour through the ruins and the hillside terraces, part of the sophisticated Inca agricultural system. You may opt to hike to the ruins from the Pisac market. After lunch check in at your cozy Andean lodge.

Day 5: Urubamba | Machu Picchu

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Experience one of the world’s great train rides, with stunning views of the Urubamba river gorge, on your way to Machu Picchu. Upon arrival in the quaint village of Aguas Calientes, you will be greeted by staff from your luxurious eco-lodge. This afternoon choose from several activities at the lodge, including a nature walk in the orchid pavilion, natural sweat lodge-sauna, bird observation, or relax on your own. An additional visit to the Machu Picchu ruins can be scheduled for this afternoon if desired. This evening enjoy dinner at the lodge.

Day 6: Machu Picchu | Cusco

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

This morning take a short bus ride to the sacred ruins of Machu Picchu for a private tour. Explore the Temple of the Sun, the Royal Tomb, ceremonial fountains and baths, and the Sacred Plazas. Opt for an exhilarating one-hour hike up the steep trail to the summit of Huayna Picchu (Young Peak) for a breath-taking bird’s-eye view of Machu Picchu. (Tickets must be purchased in advance.) After your visit, transfer to Aguas Calientes for lunch and board the train for Ollantaytambo. Upon arrival, you will be met by your driver and transferred the rest of the way to Cusco. This evening enjoy dinner on your own at one of Cusco’s many fine restaurants.

Day 7: Cusco

Meals: Breakfast

This morning continue your exploration of the illustrious history of the Inca civilization. Travel by foot and private vehicle during a city tour that takes you down Cusco’s cobbled streets and narrow passageways with brightly painted balconies overhead. Visit the historic Plaza de Armas, the Coricancha, the Inca’s Sun Temple, the Incan fortress of Sacsayhuaman, and the ceremonial pools of Tambo Machay. Enjoy lunch and dinner on your own. This evening stroll around the main plaza for views of the Cathedral lit up at night.

Day 8: Cusco | Lima

Meals: Breakfast

This morning is yours to explore Cusco on your own. This afternoon you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Lima. Upon arrival in Lima, our staff will help you check in for your international flight home. Lunch and dinner today are on your own.

Day 9: Arrive Home

Day 1 Start Cuzco; free time to explore the Inca capital

Set amid hills in the altiplano, the Imperial City of the Incas, Cuzco (11,155ft/3,400m) was the geographic, cultural and political centre of a vast empire which, at its peak, stretched from present-day Quito in Ecuador to Santiago in Chile. After the Spanish conquistadores invaded the city, they started building on top of the Incan structures, resulting in unique architecture, a fusion of the Incan and Spanish colonial styles. Depending on what time your flight arrives, there may be time to wander the cobbled streets, visit the museums, churches and pre-Columbian buildings, such as Qorikancha – the Sun Temple, or to sit in a café and enjoy a coca-tea. There will be a briefing in the evening. Accommodation: Hotel San Agustin Plaza (or similar)

Day 2 Visit the Sacred Valley; continue to Ollantaytambo

Today we visit the magnificent Sacred Valley of the Incas, which runs along the Urubamba River near Cuzco. It’s the true heartland of Incan culture and tradition, with the high Andean scenery dotted with old towns and pre-Columbian villages. Here we visit the incredible Pisac ruins, a former citadel that guarded a road from the lowlands and gives way to terraces carved into solid rock. We then visit the Inca ruins at Ollantaytambo (9,186ft/2,800m), the one-time royal estate of Inca emperor Pachacuti. Here huge stone terraces occupy the valley sides and hint at the scale of things to come. Accommodation: Hotel Pakaritampu (or similar)

Day 3 Start Inca Trail trek from Km82; walk along Vilcanota River; climb to Huayllabamba

Early this morning, we transfer (1hr 30min) from Cuzco into the Sacred Valley. Reaching the town of Ollantaytambo, we drive for one hour along the final stretch of road to the start of the Inca Trail at Piscacucho, recognized among adventurers as Km82. After greeting our trekking crew, we show our passports at the checkpoint and begin the fabled Inca Trail trek. Our route today runs alongside the Vilcanota River, beneath the snow-capped peak of Nevado Veronica, passing through cactus gardens and settlements, until we reach the terraced Inca ruins of Llactapata, where we continue up the Cusichaca Valley to camp near the village of Huayllabamba (9,186ft/2,800m).  Accommodation: Huayllabamba Camp (full-service camping)

Day 4 Summit Dead Woman's Pass; descend to Pacaymayu

The morning begins, as all do on our Inca Trail trek, with a hot drink delivered to your tent. Today’s journey is both challenging and rewarding, marking the most demanding and best-known stretch of the trail. A slow and steady climb takes us through a cloud forest to the meadows of Llulluchapampa, then we summit Dead Woman’s (Warmihuañusca) Pass, the highest point on the trek at 13,829ft (4,215m). After a well-deserved round of high fives and photos at the summit, we begin our steep descent on original Inca steps to reach our campsite in the scenic valley of the Pacaymayu River (11,811ft/3,600m). Warm up in the dining tent with a hot, fresh meal followed by a well-deserved sleep under the Andean night sky. Accommodation: Pacaymayu Camp (full-service camping)

Day 5 Over Runquracay Pass to ruins of Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca

After a hearty breakfast, we start the day with a climb, which takes us past the ruins of Runquracay and over the Runquracay Pass (12,894ft/3,930m), our second and final pass. From here, the Inca Trail becomes a clearly defined rolling path of flat boulders, providing access to sites only available to those on foot. One of the standout archeological sites we visit is Sayacmarca (11,893/3,625m), perched high above the green cloud forest. From here, we enjoy views of Salkantay mountain as we hike to our spectacular campsite on the ridge above the Inca site of Phuyupatamarca (12,073ft/3,680m), where we can enjoy the sunset and sunrise. Accommodation: Phuyupatamarca Camp (full-service camping)

Day 6 Walk down Inca steps to Wiñay Wayna and Machu Picchu via the Sun Gate

From Phuyupatamarca, we take the famous Inca steps: a 1.2mi (2km) stone staircase that rapidly descends into an immense panorama, with the peaks of the Vilcabamba range above and the Vilcanota River far below. Reaching Wiñay Wayna, we have plenty of time to explore these beautiful ruins and eat lunch before continuing along a relatively flat section of the trail (by Inca standards, through cloud forest and wild orchids to finally reach Inti Punku (the Sun Gate). From here, we get our first full sight of Machu Picchu, with the Huayna Picchu mountain rising behind… congratulations, you made it! Inti Punku is traditionally busy with photo-taking trekkers in the morning, so our late afternoon arrival affords us unobstructed views of the magnificent ruins. We also get a chance to snap some classic photos of Machu Picchu before we take the 30-minute bus down to the town of Aguas Calientes for a shower and comfortable bed for the night.  Accommodation: Hotel Casa Andina, Aguas Calientes (or similar)

Day 7 Guided tour of Machu Picchu; return to Cuzco by train and road

Well-rested and refreshed, we return to Machu Picchu this morning for our guided tour. Machu Picchu is an architectural and engineering marvel, the staggering mountain backdrop making it even more dramatic. The Spaniards never found it, the Incas left no records of it, and so Machu Picchu remained an enigma, a city lost for centuries in the jungle until it was rediscovered in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. Your guided tour highlights the history, culture, architecture and mysteries that Machu Picchu still holds today. This afternoon, we catch the train back to Ollantaytambo (1hr 30min) and continue by private bus to Cuzco (1hr 30min). Accommodation: Hotel San Agustin Plaza (or similar)

Day 8 End Cuzco

The trip comes to an end after breakfast. Either start your return journey home or join one of our exciting extensions, either to explore the jungle trails of the Amazon Rainforest or the high-altitude waters of Lake Titicaca. Speak to your sales representative to book.