Inca Trail, Titicaca & Nazca

Welcome to Lima, the busy capital of Peru. There’s plenty of adventure on your trip, but today’s all about settling into the hotel. You will be met at the airport and transferred to our hotel in the Miraflores district of Lima. Around 6pm, say hola to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Your tour leader then ensures a big Peruvian welcome by arranging a group dinner. Want more time in Lima? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

We set off around 5.30am and drive south (four to five hours) to the port of Paracas. Here, we take a boat to the Ballestas Islands, a national park with one of the highest concentrations of marine birds in the world. There are also sea lions here and the Paracas Candelabra, a curious pre-Inca design on the hillside, only recognisable from the sea. The boat trip lasts around two hours, and once we’re back on dry land we drive for around an hour to Ica, in the heart of Peru’s wine-growing region. At the Huacachina oasis, just outside Ica, there are high dunes where we may have time to try sand surfing (optional). Upgrade to a deluxe room today – speak to your sales representative for more details

We arrive at Nazca in the afternoon with time to marvel at the Nazca Lines from viewing platforms. These are one of the world’s great archaeological mysteries, consisting of enormous drawings and patterns etched in the desert sand. Afterwards, for those who wish, there is the chance to take a scenic flight over the Nazca Lines (optional). Upgrade to a superior room today – speak to your sales representative for more details

We turn inland from the coastal desert, climbing high into the Andes on a long (11 to 12 hours) but spectacular drive. This region has only recently become easily accessible due to an upgrade of the Abancay-Chalhuanca road. We may see vicuñas (a smaller wild relative of the llama), as this area is the largest vicuña reserve in Peru, while flamingos are also usually sighted at high Andean lakes near the road. The altitude here can make physical exertion difficult (the highest point we reach today is Negro Mayu at approximately 15,090ft/4,600m). We stay in Abancay tonight and we recommend resting after the long drive.

We set off towards Cuzco this morning, stopping en route to visit the unique Inca Saywite stone and Tarawasi ruins. The glaciated summits of the Vilcabamba mountain range and the descent into the Apurimac River valley demonstrate the dramatic contrasts of the Andes, and we should expect stunning scenery throughout today’s five to six-hour drive.

Cuzco has a multitude of attractions in and around the city, both active and historical, and today is free to explore. An optional visit to the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the Pisac ruins is available, as is the option to try paddleboarding on a high-altitude lake on the plateau just outside the city.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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).

Today we travel for 10 hours by private coach along the Vilcanota River and onto the altiplano, the high plains separating the Andes from the jungle. Although it is quite a long drive, it is interesting and often spectacular. There are scheduled stops at interesting sites to break up the day and all along the route we feel the immensity of the Andean landscapes. A packed lunch is included today. This afternoon, we arrive into Puno (12,470ft/3,800m) on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Upgrade to a suite today – speak to your sales representative for more details

We take a boat to the floating island of Uros, where the Uros people have been living on reed rafts for centuries. Although many have now moved to the mainland, there are still a couple of thousand who remain on the islands anchored close to Puno. A reasonable amount of their income is now provided by strictly regulated tourism, but they also still fish the lake and barter with mainland communities to obtain essential daily items. After, we continue to Taquile Island, home to a community known for their remarkable weaving and traditional lifestyle. The panoramic views of the lake from the island are incredible, and it is often possible to see the snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Real in the distance. There is the option to eat lunch on the island before we return to Puno. Upgrade to a suite today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Today we transfer approximately one hour to Juliaca Airport and fly back to Lima in the afternoon. In the evening, there is the chance to go for a final meal together at one of the local restaurants (at own expense).

Begin your return journey home after breakfast. Alternatively, journey into the wilds on our Amazon Rainforest extension and explore lakes, rivers and jungle trails in search of the abundant wildlife that lives there.