Machu Picchu, Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain

A representative of Salkantay Trekking will be waiting for you at the Cusco Airport to take you directly to your accommodation. Cusco is located at an altitude of 3,400 m / 11,155 ft, so you’ll need some time to acclimatize. We recommend spending the morning relaxing in your hotel and perhaps sipping on some coca tea.

After lunch, we’ll pick you up from your hotel to explore Cusco on an afternoon City Tour. Our tour begins in the fascinating Qorikancha, or Temple of the Sun, the most important Inca place in Cusco. While you take your time to marvel at the exquisite architecture of the place, our guide will share a bit of the history of the Incas.

We’ll then continue to the Plaza de Armas (Main Square) to visit the Cusco Cathedral, famous for its 300 paintings from the “Escuela Cusqueña.” The Plaza de Armas is also a wonderful place to sit and immerse yourself in the local atmosphere.

Later, we’ll visit the impressive Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman in northern Cusco. This place features gigantic rocks weighing hundreds of tons. Ancient Inca architects cut and polished these giant rocks to build zig-zag walls spanning hundreds of meters. Even though only a small portion of the original site remains, the immense dimensions of Sacsayhuaman continue to surprise its visitors.

Later, we’ll continue to the Qenqo temple, a giant rock formation with artificial tunnels, one of which forms an amphitheater. Its original purpose has been lost over time, but most experts agree that the area was used to worship the sun, moon, and stars, very important bodies in Inca culture. We’ll then go to Puca Pucara, a site the Incas used as a military control center.

Our tour ends in Tambomachay, an Inca archaeological site that boasts a series of aqueducts and channels with two water fountains that still run spectacularly in front of your eyes.

At the end of the day, we’ll take you to the door of your hotel to enjoy a relaxing night and some dinner in a place of your choice.

We'll pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at 07:30 a.m. after you’ve had a tasty breakfast. We'll head to our first stop in Chinchero, a beautiful place known for its impressive landscapes and the quality of its textile art. We'll visit a local craft house, where you'll learn some textile techniques inherited from generation to generation. The very high quality of Chinchero fabrics makes this an ideal opportunity to shop for a gift for someone back home.

As we continue our journey, you'll witness endless farming fields, small traditional communities, and huge snow-capped mountain peaks. We’ll then stop at Moray to visit its spectacular circular terraces. Studies indicate that Moray was a genuine agricultural experimental site where crops from different altitudes and climates could be grown, even though it looks like something almost extraterrestrial.

Next, we'll go to the Maras Salt Mines, an extraordinary site operated since pre-Inca times. Be amazed by the more than 3,000 salt pools flooded daily by water inside the earth.

At noon, we'll head to Urubamba to enjoy a well-deserved lunch. We'll continue our tour of the Sacred Valley and arrive at Ollantaytambo, considered by many to be the last and only living Inca city to this day. Its streets maintain the original layout of the ancient Peruvians, and the water still runs through the canals found next to the main roads. It’s a quaint and lovely place to visit.

After touring this picturesque historic place, we'll go to the Ollantaytambo station and begin our train ride through the last portion of the Sacred Valley. It'll be an hour and forty-five minutes next to the roaring Vilcanota River.

We'll arrive at Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Town), an intense miniature metropolis where you'll spend the night in a comfortable hotel.

Today’s to visit one of the Wonders of the World! You’ll need to wake up before dawn to enjoy breakfast in the hotel before you board the bus in Aguas Calientes at 5:30 a.m. The journey takes around 25 minutes and will take you to the entrance of Machu Picchu.

We'll be one of the first groups to arrive so you can observe the World Wonder without all the annoying tourist crowds. As soon as you step inside, the immense energy of the site will wash over you. This pre-Hispanic marvel of architecture and engineering is built on the top of a mountain in complete harmony with Mother Nature.

You’ll explore the most important nooks in the Citadel with your guide for about 2 hours. You’ll learn about the history, discovery, and recent theories of this extraordinary Inca City, which holds the title of South America’s Leading Cultural Destination. Visitors are always impressed by Machu Picchu, so you won’t be the exception. After the tour, and if you have tickets, you can also climb the famous Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountains for spectacular views over the sanctuary.

At the end of this unforgettable tour, you can choose one of the many restaurants in Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included in the tour). Then, depending on your train’s departure time, you'll return to the Ollantaytambo station, where our transport will take you to the door of your hotel in Cusco.

We'll start this adventure to the high Andes early in the morning. We'll pick you up from your hotel at 5:00 a.m. and go on our transport to the starting point of our trek in the small town of Upis (4,250 m / 13,944 ft). On the way, you'll witness picturesque towns and beautiful lagoons in the Vilcanota Valley.

After breakfast, we’ll start walking on a plain facing directly to the impressive Ausangate glacier (6,372 m / 20,905 ft)—the highest peak in Cusco. As we continue, we'll come across local people wearing their beautiful and colorful traditional clothes. Herds of llamas and alpacas will also accompany us along the way. We'll arrive in around 3 hours at the thermal baths of Upis (4,400 m / 14,436 ft) to enjoy our lunch.

After a filling meal in the middle of the mountains, we’ll continue walking for two-and-a-half hours in a beautiful high Andean valley towards the Arapa Pass (4,800 m / 15,748 ft). The spectacular Ausangate mountain will be by our side the entire way.

From the summit, the beauty of the landscape gets even more majestic. You'll be able to see the sheer size of the mountain range and, if you're lucky, even glimpse the flight of the largest flying bird in the world, the condor. Our knowledgeable guide will also share fascinating information about the local flora and fauna

Then, we'll descend for two-and-a-half hours until the crystalline multi-colored lagoon of Yanacocha (black lagoon) and another hour to reach Hatun Pucacocha (red lagoon). We’ll set camp here and have time to take a re-energizing nap.

In the afternoon, you’ll get to explore the vicinity of the lakes. As always, before you sleep, you’ll enjoy a nutritious dinner cooked by our talented chef.

There’s nothing better for your body than waking up to a hot herbal tea of coca leaves—this fantastic plant has been used since Inca times to give you an energy boost. Get up early to start one of the most beautiful days of the entire excursion. Today, you’ll be in awe at the stunning views of the snow-capped mountains and deep green valleys.

After a hearty breakfast to get you going, we’ll hike up to Puca Pass (4,870 m / 15,978 ft). You’ll feel the impressive presence of the Apu Ausangate and take photos of its beautiful turquoise lagoons. Once you reach the top, you’ll come face to face with the gigantic Apu Ausangate (6,384 m / 20,945 ft) right in front of you. You’ll also observe the extended beauty of the Chilca Valley, where llamas and alpacas will be grazing peacefully. From this opening, you’ll already see the start of the Rainbow Mountain range with its striking, colorful stripes.

After taking some stunning photos, we’ll continue with a gradual descent for an hour and a half to our lunch point located in Anantapata (4,750 m / 15,584 ft). Once we’re full and rested, we’ll continue with an ascent to Warmisaya Pass (4,985 m / 16,355 ft). From there, you’ll feel like a bird as you observe the vastness of the horizon.

We only have to descend for an hour to the Surinecocha lagoon, where our camp for the night will be waiting for you. In our camp, we’ll enjoy happy hour (drinks and snacks) and then dinner before you head to your cozy beds.

After a tasty breakfast at 4:00 a.m., we will walk for 2 hours to Rainbow Mountain to contemplate this colorful valley lit by dawn. You’ll arrive early enough and before the tourist crowds and have plenty of time to enjoy this paradise for about an hour.

Our expert guide will take you directly to the key places to get the best pictures and explain in detail why this mountain has such unique colors. Rainbow Mountain is one of the most amazing places in South America and one of Peru's main natural attractions. The only other colored mountains can be found in China.

Once we get to the Rainbow Mountain viewpoint, you'll have enough time to take pictures of this prestigious geological phenomenon.

Once we get to the Rainbow Mountain viewpoint, you'll have enough time to take pictures of this prestigious geological phenomenon. You’ll also see the Ausangate Mountain in the distance. Then, we'll descend to Llacto for an hour, where our transport awaits for a drive to a local restaurant. There, we'll satisfy our appetite with a local lunch.

As you finish the day, you can enjoy the beautiful Andean landscape at sunset from the transport while you return to the city. We'll arrive in Cusco at approximately 6:00 p.m. and drop you off at your hotel for a well-deserved rest.

Today, you’ll wake up, have breakfast, and pack your bags, as it’s time to say goodbye to the imperial city of Cusco for now. We’ll organize a time to collect you and take you to the airport or bus station to continue your vacation or return home.

This isn’t a forever farewell, and we’re sure you’ll be longing to come back to relive all the special moments, learn more about the ancient city and cultures, and try out more of the excellent restaurants and their delicious cuisine. So, it’s not goodbye, but rather see you soon!