Putucusi to Machu Picchu Trek

We pick you up from the airport/your hotel in Cusco in the morning to take you by our private transport to the railway station at Ollantaytambo (1 hour and 40 minutes far away from Cusco) that is located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. There, you board a train towards Aguas Calientes, a small town just below Machu Picchu. Your Tour Guide welcomes you at the town´s railway station and takes you to your hostel where you check-in and leave your baggage, Afterwards, you start the today´s hike surrounded by an astonishing landscape! First, you follow the Vilcanota River (the upper Urubamba River that is called with an Aymara name in this part; the name changes to Urubamba within the Convencion Province) walking along a railway with direction to Hidroelectrica (hydroelectric plant). You can see steep mountain cliffs protruding all around. You leave the railway after an hour walk to turn towards the Mandor Waterfall. On the way, you pass through a fertile country with banana, avocado and coffee plantations, fruit orchards and later a cloud forest where the amazing Mandor Waterfall is situated! There, you can also find a small pool offering you a pleasent refresh! Then you enjoy a box lunch before heading for the next point of interest – Putucusi Mountain. You follow a recently discoverd authentical Inca path leading you through the cloud forest including pristine areas where bromeliads and over 90 kinds of orchids grow! If you are lucky, you can spot a spectacled bear as well as hundreds of bird- and butterfly- species, many of them are endemic!! The trek includes many rocky steps and several vertical wooden ladders (up to 30 metres) so you should be in a very good shape and not to suffer from vertigo to be able to undertake it! In the end, you get to the Putucusi Mountain (2,560 m.a.s.l./8,400 f.a.s.l.), a high round-shaped mountain. There surrounded by clouds, you are given a feeling to appear in a dreamy place with its overwhelming views of Machu Picchu!!

In the end of the day, you return to your hostel when you can have a rest or alternatively, you can visit the hot springs of Aguas Calientes (entrance fee of 10 Soles is not included in the trek).

After an early morning breakfast, we hike for 2 hours up to the mysterious city of Machu Picchu that we enter for the early morning best photos opportunities! Then our Tour Guide shows us around the Incan city and explains us about its history and purposes. After the guided tour, you climb by yourself for about 45 minutes up to Huayna Picchu, a peak above Machu Picchu that serves to take some panoramic pictures of the Incan city. Then, we are given time off to spend and explore Machu Picchu on our own.
In the afternoon, we return by train to Ollantaytambo (alternatively to Poroy), from where we are taken by van back to Cusco.

Machu Picchu is both, the best and the least known site of the Incas as it is not mentioned in any Spanish conquistador´s chronicle so that contemporary archaeologists can not do anything more than just speculate on its functions. Local Quechuan farmers had known about Machu Picchu for centuries before an 11-year-old boy showed the American historian Hiram Bingham (who was in a search of Vilcabamba) this site on the 24th of July 1911. At that time, all the rest of the world became aware of its existence. However, the site was covered with thick vegetation so Hiram Bingham along with his team returned and within the years of 1912 and 1915 cleared its surface. Over the years, plenty of work has been done on excavating and studying the site. Despite these efforts, many unanswered questions remain.

• Pre-trek briefing with your Tour Guide (our guide will visit your hotel a day before);
• Pick-up from your hotel or airport in Cusco;
• A private transport Cusco – Ollantaytambo;
• Accommodation: Hotel (1 night);
• Entrance fee to Machu Picchu;
• Meals: 1x breakfast, 1x box lunch, 1x dinner;
• Professional bilingual Tour Guide;
• Guided tours of Machu Picchu and Putucusi Mountain;
• A train round trip Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes (Expedition Service)

• Breakfast on the day 1 and lunch on the last day;
• Travel insurance;
• Entrance fee to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain ($80)
• A shuttle bus between Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes Town ($ 12 – one way, $ 24 – a round trip);
• Tips to local staff (please note: it is a custom to give tips in Peru; however, it is not obligatory);
• Other extras not mentioned.

Solo Traveler: Please note that if you prefer your own single room, you need to tick a “Solo Traveler” option.
Local flights: No local flights are included in the tour´s price!

Appropriate Clothing along this trek

Hiking pants and T-shirts are recommended during the day, complemented by sweaters, fleeces and waterproof jackets. It is very convenient to have light raingear available in the daypack (rain poncho or jacket and/or rain pants) as the weather changes easily and rains can suddenly occur. At night, warm clothing is required, down jackets can be useful, otherwise a fleece and a jacket. During the third day (if sunny) and in Machupicchu, convertible hiking pants are useful, as can be switched into shorts if necessary. Machupicchu has a warm climate, getting only cold at night. The rest of necessary implements are included in the “What we recommend that you bring” list.

What to bring for this trek to Machu Picchu

• Original passport (+ copies for a case of lost),
• Pocket money in Nuevos Soles,
• A backpack
• A small rucksack,
• Rain gear (a rain-jacket and a waterproof trousers or a rain poncho – this can be purchased in Cusco),
• Resistible footwear, waterproof trekking shoes are recommended,
• Sandals (for a higher comfort while at a campsite),
• Warm clothes such as a jacket, a fleece (thermal clothing is also recommended for cold nights during camping),
• Hat or a cap (to protect you against the Sun, rain as well as cold),
• Sun cream or sun block,
• After-sun cream or hydrating cream for face and body,
• Insect repellent – recommended minimum is 20% DEET (please note that no malaria cases have been reported during this trip!),
• Camera and its charger/batteries (please note that batteries are consumed quickly under cold conditions),
• Flashlight/headlamp + batteries,
• Handkerchiefs and toilet paper,
• Small towel and toiletries,
• Sufficient reserve of underwear,
• Swimsuit (to visit the thermal baths of Aguas Calientes),
• Snacks (biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits, muesli, etc.)
  Please note: we do provide a daily morning snack and our meal service is very complete and well supplied. The recommendation of taken own snack applies only for customers who like a specific snack that might not be in our menu.
• Bottled water for the first morning and a water bottle to be refill.
• Optional: walking sticks; you can also rent it from us,
• Please note: we provide with filtered boiled water during the entire trek, but if you like to use water from streams along the trail, you need to take some water-purifying tablets with you.

This trail starts at Km 104, reached by train from Ollantaytambo. The first day is comprised of hiking the traditional Incan trail, finishing in Aguas Calientes. This offers the opportunity to hike the famous Inca trail without any camping along the trail, and is a good option if all the spots available for the full 3-4 day trip are gone. The second day is an early morning hiking tour of the surrounding area, followed by a tour of the city of Machu Picchu itself. 2 days Inca Trail Machu Picchu.

Short Inca Trail

A more isolated route to Machu Picchu than the more famous Inca Trail but still similar in many ways, the Salkantay trek to the lost city of the Incas passes through cloud forests and mountain trails, and the solitude offered by the relatively few number of tourists on this trek makes for a relaxing, if also quite challenging trek. While Salkantay doesn’t sell out the same way as the Inca Trail, but tickets to Machu Picchu and the return train tickets do, so it is important to book ahead of time. Hiking through the mountains, there is also the possibility of seeing the magnificent Andean Condors. Salkantay Trek 4 Days.

4-Day Salkantay Trek

Starting in the city of Cusco, travelers enjoy private transportation to Ollantaytambo, a relaxing train ride with views of the surrounding countryside and villages, and a night in a charming hotel in Aguas Calientes, where there are also the famous hot springs to enjoy. The following day, an early morning bus ride to the majestic city of Machu Picchu, where travelers are given a professional guided tour, rich with historical information about the Incan ruins, and then plenty of free time with which to explore and take pictures. That afternoon, they return to Cusco via the train and bus, which is a perfect time to rest or reflect on the magical experiences of the day.
Tour Machu Picchu 2 Days

Machu Picchu tours from Cusco

This unique hike reaches an altitude of 4,400 meters above sea level, where there are incredible views of the surrounding mountains. Other sites along this trek include beautiful mountain lakes, a waterfall, Incan water channels, archeological sites, Incan quarries, and the Intiwatana temple. The trip begins in the Sacred Valley, and after a night in Aguas Calientes (reached by trail from Ollantaytambo), ends with a tour of Machu Picchu. This is certainly one of the most beautiful trips to the famous Incan city, and certainly less known. Cachiccata Trek to Machu Picchu.

Inca Quarry of Cachicata hike