| Day | Location |
|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive into Lima. Included city tour today or upon your return |
| 2 | Flight to Cuzco. City and ruins tour |
| 3 | Choose your own multisport activity! |
| 4-7 | Inca Trail/Machu Picchu |
| 8 | Morning flight to Lima / Departure Day |
Next date with permits available Mar 2, 2012 Next open date with full moon:Mar 8, 2012
Active Inca Trail
US$2395 domestic flights and porters included
8 days, 4 trekking
Looking for something less expensive?
Econoclass tour $1850
It’s the classic Inca Trail experience with an extra day in the Cuzco area to acclimate and participate in your choice of an outdoor activity: biking, whitewater rafting or horseback riding. Why hike the Inca Trail with us? Our guides are the best in the business, with an excellent knowledge of the trail, the Incas, the flora and fauna, and excellent English to go along with it. The cooks we use are also top-notch, serving up delicious food the entire way. All you’ve got to do is walk the trail and enjoy the incredible sights and vistas unfolding before you. And airport transfers, as well as domestic flights, are always included.
NOTE: IF YOUR PASSPORT NUMBER CHANGES, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTIFY US IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU ARE HIKING THE INCA TRAIL, YOU MUST BRING AT LEAST A COPY OF THE PASSPORT WITH WHICH WE PROCURED YOUR INCA TRAIL PERMIT.
Other Inca Trail trips:
Classic Inca Trail – 8 days
Inca Trail + Amazon and Lake Titicaca – 15 days
Peru Explorer – 21 days
ACTIVE INCA TRAIL TRIP ITINERARY
| Day | Activity/Location |
|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive in Lima and transfer to your hotel. If arriving during the day, your hotel will be in the neighborhood of Miraflores, with good shopping and restaurants, and you’ll have an included city tour in the afternoon. If arriving late at night, you’ll be close to the airport for a bit more sleep before your next day’s flight, and you’ll have a tour of Lima upon your return. |
| 2 | Morning flight over the Andes to Cuzco. After checking into your hotel, we’ll head to the Plaza de Armas, the center of old Cuzco, then climb up to the ruins of Sacsayhuaman above town for great afternoon views over the city. Depending on your arrival time, there may be time for shopping or more sightseeing in the afternoon. |
| 3 | We’ve got one more day to acclimate before hiking the Inca Trail, and you’ve got your choice of how you’d like to spend it! 1. Mountain biking to the market and ruins of Pisac: This is an excellent downhiller, all the way to the Sacred Valley, where we’ll visit the famous handicrafts market then hike or drive (your choice) up to the Inca fortress/temple of Pisac. After a visit to the ruins, we zoom back down to the valley floor on another twisty road, then head back to Cuzco in the late afternoon. 2. Whitewater rafting the Vilcanote River: We will be navigating class III and IV rapids through the Yaucat Canyon on the Vilcanote River, which was the Inca’s most sacred. Lunch on the banks of the river, then an early afternoon return by car to Cuzco. 3. Horseback ride to the ruins above Cuzco: A more relaxed option as we follow old trails to Tambo Machay, an Inca water shrine, and Puka Pukara, an Inca fort, in the beautiful countryside above Cuzco. This is a half day excursion, leaving you in the main square with time to shop or stroll in the afternoon. 4. If you’d just like a free day, then what you’re looking for is our Classic Inca Trail tour. |
| 4 | Our Inca Trail adventure begins this morning! Our first day is an easy one to get further acclimated, as we gently climb through Andean valleys to the village of Huallabamba, making our first camp just above it. Parakeets, bromeliads and the major Inca site of Patallacta are some of today’s highlights. |
| 5 | Up up up to Dead Woman’s Pass, near the top of the world at 4200 meters (14,000 ft.). The air is thin, but the view is not to be believed. We then continue on to a valley below the ruins of Runku Rakay, where we’ll camp. |
| 6 | Today we continue trekking past three of the most beautiful Inca sites anywhere in Peru: Sayacmarka, Phuyupatamarka, and Winyaywaina. We camp at the Inca terraces of Intipata or at the nearby youth hostal. |
| 7 | A pre-dawn departure brings us to the Gate of the Sun to watch the first rays of sunlight strike the sacred city of Machu Picchu. We’ll descend to the ruins and have a tour by our guide before setting off for independent exploration. In the afternoon we’ll catch a train back to a hot shower and the other comforts of Cuzco. |
| 8 | Early morning flight to Lima. International flights may be scheduled any time after noon today. |
TRIP DETAILS
8 days: US$2395
Currency Converter
Daily departures based on availability.
Is this trip for me?
Active Inca Trail is an eight day tour which includes a four-day, moderate trek, some public transport, and an optional multi-sport activity. No trekking experience is required, but one should be in average physical shape and not suffer from any heart or respiratory conditions. As always, a certain patience is required for the inconsistencies and delays of developing-world travel.
Joining the Tour
On all Southern Crossings tours, you are met at the airport by one of our representatives (holding a Southern Crossings placard), who will accompany you to our joining hotel. No bargaining or being ripped off by airport taxis!
- Airport pickup at the beginning of trip and drop off at end of the trip
- Southern Crossings bilingual guide
- Accompanied Transport from the Lima airport to your hotel
- All other internal transport (excluding transport to optional restaurants, bars, sights and excursions)
- Domestic flights – Lima-Cuzco, Cuzco-Lima
- Four nights of hotel accommodation – three nights of camping (while hiking the Inca Trail)
- Four day Inca Trail hike, including bilingual guide, cooks, porters, tent and mat.
- One of the multisport activities listed on Day 3 of the itinerary above
- Three breakfasts, lunches, and dinners while on the Inca Trail
- Breakfasts with every hotel stay
- The Cuzco Visitor’s Ticket – which includes entrance to the ruins in and around Cuzco and the Sacred Valley, and many churches and museums in Cuzco
- Machu Picchu excursion – including bilingual guide, return train fare, transportation to/from ruins/Aguas Calientes, and entrance to the Machu Picchu sanctuary
- Lima City Tour
- Southern Crossings T-Shirt
What’s not included
International flight to/from Lima, airport taxes (approx. US$32), pre- & post- tour accommodation, visas, vaccinations, personal insurance, meals except where specified above, drinks, laundry, souvenirs, tips while on optional excursions and other items of a personal nature. Medical travel insurance is not included through Southern Crossings though we do require that you have a policy. Check www.travelguard.com to purchase a policy for your trip.
Extra Accommodation
We will gladly arrange additional accommodation for you before or after your trip:
In Lima/Cuzco/Machu Pichu: $140 double/$130 single
Single Person Supplement $430
Please add this to your total payment if you will be travelling alone or wish to have private accommodation
PRE-TRIP PLANNER
Required documents
All travelers to Peru are required to have a passport valid for at least six months from date of entry. Visas are not required for E.U., U.S., Canadian, Australian or New Zealand passport holders. For other nationalities, please consult the nearest Peruvian embassy or consulate. An onward ticket and proof of funds may also be required at entry and should be available to show to immigration. Traveler’s checks, currency, or a bank statement, from the bank or printed off the internet, are sufficient for proof of funds.
Required immunizations
A yellow fever vaccination and certificate is required to travel to the Amazon. Travelers may wish to receive hepatitis vaccinations and should be current on all other standard vaccinations. The rainforest area of Peru (approx. 3500 ft. and below, east of the Andes) is a malarial and yellow fever zone. The yellow fever vaccination with the official certificate is required, and travelers may wish to take malarial prophylaxis. Please consult your physician or local health department for more information.
Things to bring
One should come well prepared for outdoor activity at temperatures ranging from 30 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and for extremes of sun and the possibility of rain. A list of things to bring would include:
Please note: During our trek, mules will accompany us to carry most of our things, including all the camping gear. Each passenger is allowed 15 pounds of personal items which will also be carried by the mules. Such items would include warm clothing for camping, toiletries, a book, CD player, or other entertainment, etc. During the day we’ll be using a daypack and will just need to carry water, snacks, rain gear, and a layer or two for changing weather conditions. Of course most people also carry a camera.
- Passport and, if necessary, visa
- Traveler’s checks and/or cash card
- Airline ticket
- Photocopies of airline ticket and documents
- Wearable pouch for documents and money
- Large, sturdy backpack or suitcase
- Smaller, comfortable day pack
- Trekking/walking boots, comfortable and worn-in
- Sandals or flip-flops
- Rain poncho or jacket
- Waterproof pants
- Sun hat
- Hat for cold weather
- Good, warm clothing for cold weather (think layers!)
- Scarf and gloves
- T-shirts
- Socks (thin wool or biking socks are best), undergarments
- Towel and swimsuit for hot springs
- Camelback or Nalgene bottle (optional)
- Flashlight (head lamps are very handy)
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent (15% DEET recommended)
- Lip balm
- Earplugs
- Alarm clock or watch
- Sanitizing hand wipes or gel
- Camera and film/digital memory cards
- Camera batteries
- · Playing cards, games, reading material
- · Prescription medications
- · Toiletries
Note that common clothing, batteries, film, medications, and such toiletries as toothpaste, toothbrush, toilet paper, deodorant and feminine hygiene items are available in Peru.
It is best to bring from home such items as prescription meds, eyewear and care, extra large clothing, shoes, unusual film and camera batteries. Also note that most digital camera memory cards can be downloaded and burned onto a CD in internet cafes in any large city.
Climate
Rain is possible at any time of year, especially in high mountains and cloud forest, and one should always be prepared. The climate in sites we will visit is as follows:
Cuzco: days are warm if sunny, slightly chilly if cloudy. Nights are chilly in Cuzco.
Lima: warm to hot days, cool evenings, almost never any rain. Often overcast.
Inca Trail: variable depending on altitude, from hot to very cold, with rain always a possibility.
Machu Picchu: lower and warmer than Cuzco, with rain possible all year round.
Baggage
For your international flights, please check with your airline. Within Peru, you are allowed 23 kilos (46 lbs) of checked baggage, as well as one carry-on and another small, purse-like item. The carry-on size regulations are the same as international carry-on size regulations.
Money guide
The unit of currency in Peru is the nuevo sol. Current currency conversion
Automatic cash points are available in Lima and Cuzco. Visa, MasterCard, Plus, and Cirrus are the most common usable types of cards. Traveler’s checks (American Express is best!) or a Visa or MasterCard for cash advances are also options. Do not bring MoneyGrams or International Money Orders, as they are extremely difficult to exchange. Banks and exchange houses are available in Lima and Cuzco. For currency, U.S. dollars are recommended and most easily exchanged. Please note that cash must be untorn. It can be older-looking, but even the slightest tear on an edge will make it un-changeable. Acceptable bills come out of the ATMs in country.
Expect to spend about US$3-10 on a meal, US$2 on a beer, water or soft drink in Peru. Shopping prices are usually lower than people expect. Alpaca sweaters, for example, run between $5 and $30.
Southern Crossings did an excellent job of organizing our tour. They checked with us during the tour to insure that everything was to our satisfaction. It was a hassle free vacation. Special mention to Kris, Alcria, Ican and Pedro for their part. We would use Southern Crossings again in the future and recommend their services to our associates and friends.
- William & Donna Flahr, Canada – Classic Inca Trail & Lake Titicaca
“You guys really do set the standard for what a travel adventure company should be. You came through on your promise of personalized service from the beginning to the end of the trip. During our trip (especially at the train station), we heard horror stories from tourists that booked their vacations with other companies. We are so glad that we found you guys! Margo and Kris were extremely helpful from something as routine as where to exchange our currency to helping us not only to book, but arrange for us to sit in an oceanfront restaurant serving ceviche! We’re gonna be recommending you guys to our friends and family. Top notch!”
-Ray and Katherine Ky, USA, The Sun Gate, September 2008
Southern Crossings did a wonderful job of welcoming us to Peru and arranging for our transfers, hotels, and tours. The “experience” of Peru was truly memorable and makes me want to visit again very soon. The Inca Trail was a challenging hike with sights and vistas that could not have been experienced any other way. I am truly glad that I chose this trip!
- Charlene Angel, Travel Services, USA – Classic Inca Trail
“Our trip to Peru was so wonderful thanks to S.Crossings. Everything was personalized for us. Our guides were excellent in their knowledge of the area. The highlight was Machu Picchu. Ali did an excellent job helping us get around and explaining the whole ruins. We couldn’t of asked for a better tour. I’d recommend your company to anyone.”
-Mark and Linda Smith, USA, Inca Blitz, April 2008