Aventura Quechua Journeys - Cusco, Peru

Day 1 LIMA

Reception at the airport in Lima and transfer to the hotel in Miraflores,
Meals on your own. 

Accommodation Hotel

Day 2 CUSCO

According to your flights schedules, you have to be transferred to the airport 2-3 hours before departure. Reception at the airport in Cusco and transfer to the hotel in downtown, today you will be visiting the Cusco city and surrounding’s sites, Cathedral, Sun Temple (Koricancha) and archaeological sites: Sacsayhuaman, Q’enco, Tambomachay, normally the visit takes 3 to 4 hours. You will have included: guide, transport and entrance fees to sites.
Meals on your own.

Accommodation Hotel Meals B

Day 3 CUSCO – PISAC – MORAY MARAS URUBAMBA

Early pick-up at your hotel, transfer to Pisac where you will be visiting the ruins, you will be taking a tour to explore the archaeological site at your own pace and time. After the visit to the local artisans market, you will be travelling to Moray, another stunning Inca complex, then you will follow the trail to reach the Salt Mines of Maras, local people still collect salt for their herds in the pampas. Following the trail you will descent to the Urubamba River, at the bridge you will be met by your transport to be transferred to the Hotel in Urubamba. You will have diner and then preparation for the trek next morning. Today you will have included: guide, transport and entrance fees to sites, also lunch and dinner.

Accommodation Hotel Meals B, L, D

Day 4 URUBAMBA – PUMAHUANCA VALLEY PACHASCHIOK

Early breakfast in your hotel, and then start of the hike from the same city, you will be meeting also by the local horse-drivers and they will take care of packing their horses while you start the hike with your guide. The valley is well populated and rich at the lower parts, but as soon as you get within the secondary narrow valley the exuberant vegetation, sort of rain forest humid area, you can enjoy seeing the abundant bird life. After a few kilometers you will be gaining altitude and the ambiance changes to Puna surroundings, less vegetation and some typical Andean shrubs called polylepis (quenuales), which grow comfortable above 12000ft. Camp at 13530ft, in comfortable tents. (5 - 6hr trek)

Accommodation TENTS Meals B, L, D

Day 5 PACHASCHIOK – CUNCANI

Your breakfast will be ready and warm in the dining tent, after breaking camp, you will continue your ascend to the highest point of the trek today, Paso Pumahuanccajasa, stunning views of the Cordillera Urubamba, and the lakes below, you will then continue the hike descending an easy path to Cuncani, our head cook is original from this village, you will enjoy company of his family and local people this evening. Our campsite is located near the village. (6 - 7hr trek)

Accommodation TENTS Meals B, L, D

Day 6 CUNCANI – YANACOCHA LAKE

After saying good-bye to the new friends in Cuncani, you will quickly start ascending the mountains to reach the upper part of the valley, you will be meeting certainly some farmers with their alpaca herds, and they will show you some of their handicrafts, alpaca wool blankets, and hats, it is ok to bargain, bring some Peruvian soles with you; always in small notes or many coins. You will be reaching the upper part of the Huacawasi valley, you will be at today’s pass before noon, Huancahuasjasa, 15345ft, and again you will be facing the Sacred Valley of the Incas. A very well market path lead you to the lakes lower and soon you will be in the campsite by the Millpo Lake. Last night to enjoy in the campsite the silence and remoteness of the place, (6hr trek)

Accommodation TENTS Meals B, L, D

Day 7 YANACOCHA LAKE – YANAHUARA – OLLANTAYTAMBO – AGUAS CALIENTES

Last day of hiking, after breaking the camp up, the path to follow is all the way downhill. You will have an easy day hike to the Yanahuara valley, a lot warmer as you descend towards the vehicle, then you will say good-bye to your horse drivers and will be transferred to Ollantaytambo, where you will have a guided tour of the archaeological site. Late in the evening you will be taking the tourist train to Aguas Calientes (schedule depending on availability). Aguas Calientes is a small town, very busy with tourists, dinner in town and night in a Hotel. (3hr trek)

Accommodation Hotel Meals B, L

Day 8 MACHU PICCHU – AGUAS CALIENTES - CUSCO

The first shuttle to Machu Picchu is around 6:30, today in the company of your guide you have a full day to explore and discover the archaeological site. If you wish to climb to Huayna Picchu make arrangements with your guide as early as possible as for now, there is a limited number of people allowed to climb to the summit. There are other places, as the Moon Temple, The Inca Bridge or the Inti Punku that you can visit if time permits. You will have lunch in Aguas Calientes before return to Ollantaytambo by train and take the transport back to Cusco in the evening.
Shuttle tickets, entrances and lunch included, Night in Hotel in Cusco, dinner on your own.

Accommodation Hotel Meals B, L

Day 9 CUSCO – LIMA – HUARAZ

According to your flights schedules, you will be transferred to the airport at proper times. Once in Lima you will be met by our local representative to transfer you to the bus station. The bus service to Huaraz leaves at 13:30 and takes 8 hours the journey to Huaraz. Once in Huaraz you will met at the bus station and transferred to the B&B Mi Casa, our family lodge.
Bus tickets, transfers in Cusco Lima and Huaraz and dinner included, B&B Mi Casa.

Accommodation  B&B Meals B, L, D

Day 10 HUARAZ

A free day to relax and enjoy the views of Cordillera Blanca, Lunch and dinner included in B&B Mi Casa, our family lodge.

Accommodation B&B Meals B, L

Day 11 HUARAZ - HUALCAYAN - HUISHCASH

After a good breakfast in the B&B, you will be taking the minibus to travel along the valley called “Callejon de Huaylas”, passing by cities as Carhuas, Yungay and Caraz. After Caraz we leave the paved road to follow a winding dirt road that takes you to Hualcayan, start of the hike. Hualcayan is a small farmer’s settlement that stills preserves the ancient pre-Incan Wari settlements. Here also you will meet the local donkey drivers and their pack animals, while they pack you will start the hike. You will follow a horse llama track-like path that ascends rapidly to the slopes of the Andes. To the west you will have always the Cordillera Negra, (dark range) basically called likewise due to the lack of snow. Your first campsite is located over an amazing spot to see the sunset, Huishcash, a short walk to the ridge to see also the snow-covered peak - Milluacocha. (5hr trek - Camp at 4250m

Accommodation TENTS Meals B, L, D

Day 12 HUISHCASH - RUINAPAMPA

You will continue the ascent towards the Cordillera Blanca, today you will be reaching a stunning lake, Cullicocha, amazing views to Mt Santa Cruz. After the lake the climb continues rapidly gaining altitude to reach the first pass Osoruri 16038ft, afterwards a short quick descent takes you at the base of the second pass Vientunan 15740ft. Now you have traversed the major challenges of the day, and a beautiful and very wide valley is ahead of you, “Quebrada los Cedros”. At the bottom of the descent you will be stopping for the campsite at Ruinapampa. (7hr trek - Camp at 4200m.)

Accommodation TENTS Meals B, L, D

Day 13 RUINAPAMPA - JANCARURISH

An easy day is ahead of you, following the valley the hike gains only 330 ft to reach our campsite for the night. But is worth the small effort as you can explore and wander around the campsite to take pictures of Alpamayo at sunset, you are at the feet of this amazing mountain. You also have a good evening rest to follow the next few days’ hike (2hr trek - Camp at 4300m)

Accommodation TENTS Meals B, L, D

Day 14 JANCARURISH - HUILCAPAMPA

An early start is worth to ascent the following pass, to enjoy the sunrise and beautiful sharp colors in the Andean mornings. Today’s pass is called Gara Gara 15949ft. you will be entering into the northern area of the Cordillera Blanca; a very wide basin called Mayobamba, covered with ”ichu” the local straws that the local people use to cover their house roofs. Your campsite is near the farmers’ house in Huilcapampa. Many alpacas and sheep around (7hr trek - Camp at 4050m)

Accommodation TENTS Meals B, L, D

Day 15 HUILCAPAMPA - JANCAPAMPA

After breakfast and packing all equipment, you will continue the hike, ascending to the Yanacon pass 15213ft, from this pass is very possible to see condors from time to time. Mt Pucahircas are near and the descent quickly takes you to the lower parts of the valley, abundant vegetation again, making it humid and rich in flowers and fauna. Today the campsite is low and warmer overlooking the glaciers and maybe listening at the distance the ice cracking. Not to worry the campsite is miles away from the nearest glacier. (8hr trek - Camp at 3500m)

Accommodation TENTS Meals B, L, D

Day 16 JANCAPAMPA - LAGUNA HUECRACOCHA

In the early morning, on the Jancapampa plain, you probably will be visited by children from all the farm houses below the valley, astonishingly, they appear from everywhere, curious as any other children, probably wondering where you are from, the opportunity is nice to meet the locals and interact a bit with them. Today you will have an easy pass, for you after all the hiking you have been doing, the pass called Tupatupa 14390ft, , another valley another ambiance, you will be camping at the Huecracocha lake which dominates the valley called Lucma. (7hr trek - Camp at 4055m)

Accommodation TENTS Meals B, L, D

Day 17 LAGUNA HUECROCOCHA- HUARIPAMPA

One more pass one more day, today you will be ascending quickly to the Pucaraju pass (15675ft). A very well marked path takes you to the top of the trail, and you will find another lake Orgoncocha, greenish color. Once on the top of the pass, if fortunate with weather; you will see many snow capped mountains, Taulliraju, Artesonraju, Piramide, and Chopicalqui. The descent is very easy and soon you will be in the Huaripampa valley, yet again the ambiance changes from semi-arid puna-like grounds to forest and abundant vegetation, (8hr trek - Camp at 3800m)

Accommodation TENTS Meals B, L, D

Day 18 HUARIPAMPA – VAQUERIA - HUARAZ

Your last day hiking, last day in the middle of the Andes, and your hike will take you to Colcabamba, a small yet vibrant town that holds the clearly Andean life as once it was many years ago, simple and quiet. A short ascend takes you to the end of your hike, Vaqueria, here the transport awaits and also you will say goodbye to your new friends in the Andes, donkey drivers go back home and you will take the bus to Huaraz, before finishing you will as well see more mountains from the Portachuelo pass, Huascaran, Chopicalqui, Chacraraju, Huandoy, to finish the hike with the best views in the range. (3hr trek – Bus journey 3hr), you will have a good bye dinner in the B&B.

Accommodation B&B  Meals B, L

Day 19 HUARAZ – LIMA

You will be transferred to the bus station and bus to Lima, journey takes 8 hours. Once in Lima there is transfer included to the Hotel in Miraflores, (meals on your own)

Accommodation Hotel Meals B

Day 20 LIMA - END OF JOURNEY

You will be transferred to the airport according to your flight schedules.

Meals B