Cusco - Sacred Valley - Rainbow Mountain - Machu Picchu 6 Days / 5 Nights

You will be welcomed at the Cusco airport by our staff and escorted to your hotel or hostel.
After lunch, your adventure in Cusco begins with a horseback tour of the incredible ruins and scenic mountainsides which surround the city. You will begin with your guide at the Qenqo archeological site, then head towards Puka Pukara, Tambomachay, and Sacsayhuaman. As you ride through these historic treasures, you´ll encounter the countryside´s quaint homes and charming inhabitants. At the end of your tour, a driver will be waiting to bring you back to your hotel or hostel.

• Horseback Tour Start Time: Approximately 1:30-2:00 pm
• Horseback Tour End Time: Approximately 4:30 pm
• Difficulty: Light to Moderate
• Weather : Warm and windy, with temperatures a bit cooler early in the morning and late in the afternoon

Your day will begin with an 8:00 am pickup from your hotel or hostel and an approximate hour and twenty minute drive to Cruzpata – Maras, where you´ll begin your tour. In this beautiful valley town, you´ll receive your mountain bikes, helmets, and gloves, then set out on a picturesque trail beside Huaypo Lake.

Our first stop is at Moray, where a group of terraced craters 150 meters deep has prompted speculation for centuries. Many historians believe the site was a type of agricultural experimentation center, where the Incas tested crops in different microclimates. Today, one of the Moray craters has been replanted, to give visitors an idea of how the original site may have functioned and looked.

We will continue along the biking  to Maras, a small colonial village where we will eat lunch. From Maras, we will ride downhill for an hour to the Maras salt mines, where three thousand stunning, snow-white salt wells line the walls of a verdant valley. You can buy the salt produced here in the Maras market, as well as in several different locations throughout the Cusco region.

After our visit to the salt mines, we will ride for about an hour longer and then end our tour in Tarabamba, in the Sacred Valley. Transportation will be waiting to return you to Cusco by approximately 4:30 pm.

• Tour Start Time: 8:00 am
• Tour End Time: Approximately 4:30 pm
• Riding distance: Approximately 35 kilometers
• Difficulty: Moderate to High Moderate
• Weather : Very warm and sunny

The tour begins at 8:00am with pickup at your hotel or hostel and a picturesque ride to the village of Pisac for a visit to its famous craft market. Located 33 kilometers from Cusco, the village of Pisac sits below one of Cusco´s most important archeological sites, where you will be able to explore an ancient Inca agricultural center and its stunning terraces. In Urubamba, or “The Heart of the Sacred Valley,” you can eat lunch (not included) in the shadow of snow-capped Chicon Mountain and explore the lush, palm-filled Plaza de Armas before continuing with the afternoon portion of the tour.
Next, you will arrive in Ollantaytambo, where villagers still live in ancient stone houses built by the Incas around Hanan Huacaypata Square. You will experience the majesty of one of the Inca´s most impregnable fortresses, as you climb to the scenic Temple of the Sun and admire the sophisticated engineering of the Baths of the Princess.
Finally, you will board the 4:30 p.m train to Aguas Calientes, After an approximately two-hour journey through the Andes, you will arrive at Aguas Calientes train station, where you will be greeted by our staff and escorted to your hotel and hostel to spend the night before your day at Machu Picchu. At dinner, you will be briefed on the next day´s tour and itinerary.

• Tour Start Time: Approximately 8:00 am
• Arrival in Aguas Calientes: Approximately 6:15 pm
• Difficulty: Light
• Weather : Warm and sunny, with cooler temperatures at night.

After an early wake-up call and breakfast, you will ascend to Machu Picchu either by bus or on foot to watch the sunrise. A guide will escort you through all the most important places within the ruins. Hiking to the peak of Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain is also available for an additional fee (USD $20).
After you´ve explored Machu Picchu, we will return to Aguas Calientes for lunch before taking the afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo (please note you must be in the station 30 minutes before the your train´s departure). You will be greeted at the Ollantaytambo station and driven back to Cusco.

• Tour Start Time: Approximately 4:00 am
• Arrival in Cusco: Approximately 10:30 pm
• Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
• Weather : Warm and humid; insect repellent recommended.

Your day will begin with an early pickup from your accommodation in Cusco, between 4:30 and 5:00 am. Our private transportation will take you from the south of Cusco to the town of Cusipata. The transfer lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Upon arrival in Cusipata, we will have breakfast. After breakfast, we will continue our trip to the Rainbow Mountain for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. On the way to the mountain, you will have the chance to enjoy beautiful landscapes and to see the wildlife.

We will start our adventure with a walk uphill for about 1 hour and a half, appreciating in the background snowy mountains and wonderful landscapes. Then, we will finally reach the point to which we will be able to appreciate the colors of the Rainbow Mountain and the stunning view it offers.

After visiting and taking pictures, we will return the same way we came with a 1.5-hours hike, have lunch, and start the drive back to Cusco, arriving between 6:00 and 6:30 pm.

• Tour Start Time: Approximately 4:30 am (pickup from your hotel or hostel)
• Tour End Time: Approximately 5:30 pm (return to Cusco)
• Total Walking Distance: Approximately 8 kimoleter round trip
• Altitude: 4,326 m / 14275ft– 5,020 m /16566ft
• Difficulty: Challenging
• Weather : Cool and windy. Layered and thermal clothing highly recommended.

We will pick you up from your hotel and bring you to the airport for your flight to Lima.

At Inka Trail Backpacker, we offer you the basic and essential version of the popular treks in the region. We are a 100% local company that wants to provide everything you will need at the real cost of operations—never unfair upcharging! That is why our slogan is “Fun, Not Fancy Trip.”

Inka Trail Backpacker has been a Licensed Inca Trail Tour Operator since 2014. All companies managing the Inca Trail must be certified and have an Inca Trail operators license. This license is issued annually each December; Inka Trail Backpacker is licensed through the year of 2020.
Our license as an Official Travel Agency is under the name Inka Trail Backpacker E.I.R.L
Our License as an Inca Trail Operator is under the name of INKA TRAIL BACKPACKER E.I.R.L We also work with partner company licenses, such as INTI SUN TREK E.I.R.L and GRUPO CAMINOS DEL PERU E.I.R.L. For tourists´protection, getting the permit for the Inca Trail from the government is a complicated and stringent process: in order to guarantee an Inca Trail Permit for all the tourists that have decided to book their adventure with us, we are registered to book using any of the above mentioned company licenses. We are all registered on the official Government web site: www.machupicchu.gob.pe.

Yes, we absolutely take care of our porters. We do not charge you less than other companies at the expense of our porters’ pay and wellbeing. Since the end of 2014, Inka Trail Backpacker has been paying our porters a wage of 450 soles for the 4 day trek, plus their transportation costs. That is nearly 20% above the legally required minimum wage agreed upon with the Porters Union. Following talks with our porters, they have told us that they know of only a few trekking companies that offer such competitive pay and benefits. Only two companies pay slightly more (and charge their clients almost US$100 more than us). Of the remaining 170 other licensed trekking operators, only about 60% pay the legal wage and 40% pay less than the legal wage. Some companies pay only 70% of the legal wage. Unfortunately, this is difficult to prove as their porters receive a low wage but are asked to sign receipts showing they received more!
However, improving porter welfare is not just about paying fair wages. It is important that the porters have adequate food, a warm and dry place to sleep, and access to medical attention, just the same as any other member of the group.
The wages that the porters get paid are by no means high by Western standards, but you have to look at wages relative to other professions in Peru. For example, a school teacher gets paid the equivalent of about US$350 per month and has trained for 5 years to become a professional. A porter, if he works 4 treks a month, receives about the same if you include his tips. Most porters are seasonal workers and have no formal qualifications. For just 16 days work per month, they receive wages similar to a teacher who works 22 days. Inka Trail Backpacker also tries to help the porters in additional ways, such as financial and educational support for their families.

As a traveller, you know that one of the most rewarding and memorable experiences of going to new places is meeting people along the way. When you book a tour with us, you can be confident that your group will be filled with similar travellers looking for adventure in the Peruvian Andes. Our groups provide a great opportunity to meet new people and bond with them in an exciting environment. You never know who you will meet!

We are really proud of the work we do for our community. This is a main focus for our company. We have worked with villages directly to help supply them with needs, buy all our food from local farmers and markets, and serve the freshest ingredients.

Our office is located at 392 Calle Triunfo (the street is also called Sunturwasi), inside the Centro Artesenal Arte Inka Building, which is on the corner across the street from the Museo Arzobispal and the Twelve-Angled Stone, by a small fountain. We are on the second floor, in Suite 209.

When you pay with a credit card or PayPal, there is a 6% service charge added to the total cost of your tour. However, there is no service charge if you pay with cash; for this reason, the total cost of the tour will be higher when you pay with a credit card.

Our team of guides are all local to the Cusco area and speak both Spanish and English fluently. Many of them also speaking Quechua (the native language of Peru). With degrees in tourism and with two years minimum of experience under their belts, they are full of energy, information about the native flora and fauna, and the Inca sites, with a vast knowledge of ready sourced stories and legends told by the Andean people.

Group size depends on the day´s activity: the Sacred Valley Tour will have about 25-30 people, the Rainbow Mountain Tour will have twenty people maximum, and Machu Picchu will have sixteen people maximum.

If you plan to renew or change your name on your passport between making your trek booking and starting your trek, you can book your trek or tour with your current passport number or name, but you must send us a copy of your old passport and a copy of your new passport when you have them. We can then make the change with the government before you arrive. The extra cost to make the change is US$25 per person. (This will cover the change in number or name for your Inca Trail Permit, Machu Picchu Entrance, and train.)

If you do not advise us of the change or do not want to pay the fee, bring the original of both passports (the old and new one). You can enter Peru with your new passport but you must show the government authorities your old passport in order to enter the Inca Trail, Machu Picchu or train. If you cannot do so, you will not be allowed to start your trek by the government officials. All names and numbers must match!!

Tips for porters, cooks and guides are always welcome. The porters are also very grateful for small gifts, such as clothing and school equipment for their children. A normal amount for the group to tip is S/60-80 for each porter and S/120 for the chef. The group will pool money for the tip, this is not an individual amount.

If Inka Trail Backpacker fails to confirm the reservation, your payment will be refunded in full.

We offer standard meals as well as a vegetarian meal option. Just let us know if you want vegetarian meals when you book your trek.
Vegetarian meals have no red meat, chicken or fish. We will assume that eggs and dairy are OK. We can also cater to lactose-intolerant and gluten free diets (mild reactions only, no life threatening allergies accepted- see below). We reserve the right not to accept a tour booking based upon dietary requirements, this may be because we already have several people booked requiring special meals and don’t want to further inconvenience our cook. Thanks for your understanding.

Meal options:

• Standard (no dietary requirements, will eat everything), Vegetarian,
• No red meat (chicken & fish ok)
• No fish (red meat and chicken ok)
• Lactose-free (mild reactions only)
• Gluten free (mild reactions only)

Unfortunately, we don’t offer a combination of the above i.e we don’t accept vegetarian AND Gluten-free.

You can leave any of your belongings at your hotel or hostel you were previously staying in. These hostels/hotels usually have a secure, locked room where you can store your belongings. If you do not trust your hostel, we would be more than happy to securely store your belongings for you.

We always book through the MamaSimona, Ecopacker, Kokopelly in Cusco, and Tambo Inn or Tambo B&B hostels in Aguas Calientes,  These hostels offer comfortable beds, hot showers, WiFi, and breakfast.
However, we can only guarantee these hostels will be reserved for you if you book your trek 2 months in advance. Otherwise, we may be forced to offer you an alternative hostel to stay in.

Every traveller has their own expectations for accommodation and that is why we offer you the option to book your own hostel independently. The hostels that Inka Trail Backpacker books are considered basic and if you wish to upgrade to a hotel you need to either do this yourself or ask us to book the new hotel for you.
If you wish to book a hostel independently, a US $10 discount is given per person off the tour price. You can use this money to pay for an alternative hostel.

If you have booked far enough in advance to secure morning entrances to Machu Picchu, you may take the 5:30 a.m. bus, or you can hike for approximately 90 minutes up the famous stairs to the entrance of Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes.
You will receive your return train tickets for you return trip to Cusco once your guide has finished your walking tour of Machu Picchu.

At Inka Trail Backpacker, we are committed to providing your ideal experience in Peru. Therefore, if there are any adjustments you would like to make to reflect your fitness level, lifestyle, or personal interests, we are happy to help! Our itineraries are reasonably flexible and activities can be removed or substituted as necessary.

We recommend that you book your tour approximately two months in advance. This allows you maximum choice in selecting the details of your day at Machu Picchu; morning entrances to the site are extremely popular and sell out quickly. Although it is possible to book your tour closer to your expected travel date, your options will be more limited.

Yes, transportation to and from the airport is included in your tour. Please be sure to send us your flight details as soon as possible.

As of July 1, 2017, visitors to Machu Picchu must follow one of three circuits through the site with their guide. Circuit 1 is the most physically demanding, and follows the classic route through the upper portion of the site before curving down to the lower portion. Circuits 2 and 3 will take you through the middle and lower portions of the site. You must choose which circuit you want when you buy your ticket.

The train travels between the town of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley and Aguas Calientes, a small town located fifteen minutes below the Machu Picchu complex. The journey from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes is an hour and forty minutes. (The return journey will be about three and a half hours, because the drive from Ollantaytambo station to Cusco is about an hour and forty minutes.) From Aguas Calientes, it is either a fifteen minute bus ride or hour hike up to Machu Picchu. There is no direct train from Cusco to Machu Picchu. Although there is an additional station located at Poroy, about 25 minutes from Cusco, it is not always open. Train service from Ollantaytambo, meanwhile, is constant and reliable. Furthermore, taking the train from the Poroy station extends the total length of your journey between Cusco and Aguas Calientes to more than four hours, instead of three and a half.

A tip is customary, but the amount is at your discretion and whatever you feel is appropriate based on the service you have received; please remember to always be courteous and respectful with our guides.

There is no minimum group size; however, if a group is especially small (fewer than four people), we reserve the right to combine tours and activities with groups from other tour operators in order to keep costs down.

All of our guides are bilingual and speak both Spanish and English.