Meals: B Breakfast L Lunch D Dinner
Upon your arrival in Lima we will pick you up from the International airport of Lima and we will take you to your hotel located in Miraflores. You will have the remainder of the day to relax or walk around. You will spend the night at your hotel.
At 8:45a.m., we will pick you up from your hotel in order to start a city tour. During this city tour, we will take you to downtown Lima where you will visit the Cathedral, the main square, the Catacombs, the San Pedro church, and the "Plaza San Martin". This tour will include a visit to the Larco Museum. After enjoying the beautiful architecture and art of downtown Lima and the Museum, we will take you to the airport in order to take an afternoon flight to Arequipa. Upon your arrival to the airport of Arequipa we will pick you up and we will drive you to your hotel located in downtown Arequipa. You will spend the night at your hotel.
In the morning you will have time to walk and enjoy the beautiful colonial style of the city. At 2:00p.m., you will start a guided city tour. This tour will include a visit to the Cathedral, the Monastery of Santa Catalina, Casa Tristan, Carmen Alto and Yanahuara. You will spend the night at your hotel.
At about 7:30a.m., we will pick you up from your hotel. A comfortable minibus will take you to Chivay, where the Colca Valley is located, after about a 4 hour trip. On the way, you will observe llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas in their natural habitat as well as several Andean birds. Upon arrival in Chivay, you will enjoy lunch and after that you will be accommodated at your hotel. In the afternoon you will enjoy the natural hot springs of the region. You will spend the night at your hotel.
At about 7:00a.m., we will pick you up from your hotel in order to start a guided tour of the beautiful Colca Valley. Your first stop will be the Condor Cross where you will observe the impressive Andean condor flying in its natural habitat. After watching this spectacle, we will take you to the Andean town of Maca where you will visit the local church and rest before continuing. Upon arrival to the town of Chivay, you will enjoy lunch and immediately after we will take you to your hotel in Arequipa. You will be in Arequipa at about 5:00p.m. You will spend the night at your hotel.
Early in the morning we will pick you up from your hotel and we will drive you to the airport of Arequipa where you will take a flight to Cusco. Upon your arrival in the airport of Cusco we will pick you up and we will drive you to your hotel located in downtown Cusco. At 2:00p.m. you will start a guided city tour. This tour will include a visit to the Cathedral, the Temple of Qoricancha, and the Inca ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay. This tour will let you learn about the Inca culture as well as some aspects of the conquest of the Inca's Empire and the colony. At about 6:00p.m., you will be back at your hotel. You will spend the night at your hotel.
At about 8:30a.m., we will pick you up from your hotel in order to start a guided tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. This tour will let you observe an amazing view of the Urubamba River and the valley as well as a visit to the ruins of Pisac and the marketplace of the same name. After lunch, which is included on the package, we will take you to the Andean town of Ollantaytambo where you will have a guided tour of the incredible Inca ruins of the town. You will spend the night at this enigmatic town.
At about 8:30a.m., your guide will pick you up from your hotel and at that time you will meet your group for the hike. Once your entire group gets together at the main square of Ollantaytambo you will head to the Km. 82, also called Piscacucho, where you will start the trek. The Inca Trail will take you through beautiful landscapes towards your lunch camp located near to the ruins of Llactapata. After lunch, you will continue your hike towards your first campsite located at Huayllabamba located about 10,160 feet above sea level. Once at your campsite you will eat dinner. Today you will hike for about 5 hours.
After breakfast you will start the most difficult day of the trek. You will hike at a constant incline until you reach the pass known as Warmiwañusca or Dead Woman's Pass located about 13,770 feet above sea level. The views at this point are incredible. After resting, you will start going down towards your campsite named Pacaymayo. At Pacaymayo you will enjoy lunch and dinner. If it is not cloudy at night, the sky will provide you an incredible sky full of stars. Today you will hike for about 6 or 7 hours.
After breakfast you will start the most beautiful day of the trek. Your first stop will be the ruins of Runkurakay and then the second pass of the trek named after the ruins. Your next stop will be the ruins of Sayacmarca. After a short tour at Sayacmarca, you will eat lunch and then you will start hiking again. On the way to your last campsite at Wiñaywayna you will stop at the ruins of Phuyupatamarca. At the camp you will be able to take a hot shower and then eat dinner. Today you will hike for about 7 hours.
You will eat a very early breakfast around 4:30a.m. and then you will start your hike towards the gate of the sun or Intipunku. If it is not cloudy, you will have an amazing view of Machu Picchu. Once at the Citadel, you will have a guided tour of about two hours. After that you will have time to wander around or climb the Huayna Picchu Mountain. Around midday, you will meet with the rest of the group to take a bus down to Aguas Calientes. In the afternoon, you will take a train towards Ollantaytambo. Upon arrival to the Ollantaytambo train station, transfer to your hotel in Cusco will be provided. You will spend the night at your hotel.
Day at leisure. You will spend the night at your hotel.
Today, we will pick you up from your hotel and we will drive you to the airport of Cusco in order to take a plane to Lima. End of our services.
Note: Porters will carry the heavy gear; you will hike carrying only your personal pack, sleeping bag and pad. If you are considering bringing some photography equipment or other heavy accessories, or just simply don't want to carry anything, please request the services of an additional porter to carry your personal belongings; this way you will freely enjoy the hike. (This is highly recommended if you have never hiked over 10,000 feet). Cooks handle all the kitchen chores.
| ACCOMMODATION | Price per traveler (USD) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option | LIMA | AREQUIPA | COLCA | CUSCO | OLLANTAYTAMBO | DOUBLE | SINGLE |
| Tourist | La Castelllana (Lima) | Viza (Arequipa) | Colca Llaqta (Colca) | Antawasi (Cusco) | Ollantaytambo Lodge (Ollantaytambo) | $2,175 | $2,425 |
| Superior | La Hacienda (Lima) | Casa Andina (Arequipa) | Pozo del Cielo (Colca) | Tierra Viva Plaza (Cusco) | Pakaritampu (Ollantaytambo) | $2,355 | $2,855 |
| Premium | BTH Lima Golf (Lima) | El Cabildo (Arequipa) | Casa Andina (Colca) | Casa Andina Premium (Cusco) | Casa Andina Premium (Ollantaytambo) | $2,649 | $3,469 |
| Deluxe | Casa Andina Premium (Lima) | Casa Andina Premium (Arequipa) | Colca Lodge (Colca) | Palacio del Inka (Cusco) | Tambo del Inka (Ollantaytambo) | $3,365 | $4,889 |
NOTE: We book the hotels listed in the itinerary whenever possible. During busy seasons or when booked within 90 days of the tour date, we may need to substitute hotels of equal or higher category.
+ Vistadome train upgrade Aguas Calientes to Poroy: USD $95.00
Arequipa is Peru's second largest city and often called the "White City" because its colonial architecture is built from pale sillar volcanic rock. The UNESCO-listed Monastery of Santa Catalina is a city within a city — a vast 16th-century complex of vivid courtyards, cloisters, and plazas. The city is surrounded by three volcanoes including the active El Misti. Arequipa is also the gateway to the Colca Canyon, one of the world's deepest canyons.
The Colca Canyon is roughly twice as deep as the Grand Canyon and one of Peru's most spectacular landscapes. Your tour starts from Arequipa, driving through high puna grasslands with vicuña and alpaca herds. The highlight is the Cruz del Condor viewpoint, where Andean condors ride thermals at eye level from mid-morning. You also visit traditional Andean villages, terraced hillsides, and the hot springs of Chivay. Lunch in Chivay is included.
Yes. Chivay town has good mid-range hotels with hot water, central heating, and comfortable rooms. Evenings in Chivay are cold (temperatures can drop below 0°C) so warm clothing is essential. The hot springs near the town are a wonderful way to relax after a long travel day. We book well-located hotels in advance.
The tour route — Lima to Arequipa (start), Arequipa to Cusco (after the Colca tour), and Cusco to Lima (at the end) — covers Peru's southern circuit efficiently without backtracking. Flying Lima–Arequipa and Arequipa–Cusco (rather than taking buses) saves 20–30 hours of road travel and lets you use that time seeing attractions. All three flights are included in the package price.
Lima is at sea level. Arequipa sits at 2,335 m (7,660 ft) — high enough to feel some effects but manageable. Chivay in the Colca Valley is at 3,633 m (11,916 ft). The Cruz del Condor viewpoint reaches 3,900 m (12,795 ft). Cusco is 3,400 m (11,150 ft). The Inca Trail peaks at 4,215 m (13,828 ft). The gradual ascent through Arequipa and Chivay before reaching Cusco actually helps acclimatization.
The Arequipa and Colca sections are light to moderate — the Colca Canyon tour involves some walking on uneven paths but is not strenuous. The Cusco city tour and Sacred Valley day are leisurely. The 4-day Inca Trail is the physically demanding portion: moderate to challenging, with long hiking days and a high mountain pass at 4,215 m. A reasonable base fitness level for 8 weeks before departure is recommended.
Yes. Arequipa rewards extra time — we can add a day for the volcanic hiking tour around El Misti's base, a visit to the Juanita ice mummy at the Andean Sanctuaries Museum, or simply more time in the monastery. In Cusco, additional days allow visits to Moray, the Maras salt pans, or the Chinchero weaving community. Contact us to customise the itinerary.
The Inca Trail permit component is non-refundable once purchased. For the non-trek portions: cancellations more than 60 days before departure receive a full refund minus admin costs; 30–60 days before receive a 50% refund; less than 30 days no refund. Domestic flight cancellation fees may also apply. We strongly recommend travel insurance covering trip cancellation and medical evacuation.
Yes — lunch during the Sacred Valley day (Day 7) is included. You will stop at a buffet restaurant in the valley serving traditional Peruvian cuisine with a wide variety of dishes. Lunch is also included on the Colca Canyon day (Day 4 and Day 5) in Chivay. Check the specific meals listed for each day in the itinerary for complete details.
The Arequipa addition elevated this from "great" to "perfect." The Santa Catalina Monastery was jaw-dropping — I could have spent an entire day there. Seeing condors soaring at the Colca Canyon the next morning was extraordinary. Then the Inca Trail to cap it all off. Three completely different types of awe in 13 days.
Worth every penny for the included domestic flights alone. Arequipa is a stunningly beautiful city that most Peru itineraries skip entirely. The Colca Canyon exceeded my expectations — the condors are enormous and seeing them at eye level just metres away is unlike any wildlife encounter I have had. The Inca Trail to finish was the icing on the cake.
I appreciated that the Arequipa altitude gave me a genuine stepping stone before Cusco. I had struggled with altitude on a previous trip to Cusco but this time had zero problems — I credit the gradual acclimatization through Arequipa and Chivay. The Inca Trail was the hardest physical challenge I have attempted, and also the most rewarding.
The organisation was meticulous — every transfer ran on time, guides were knowledgeable and personable at every stop. The Colca hot springs after a long travel day were a perfect touch. I am a solo female traveller and felt completely safe and well looked after throughout the 13 days. The Sun Gate at dawn reduced me to happy tears.
Dreamed of doing this trip for years and it delivered completely. Arequipa's colonial architecture is stunning, the condors at Cruz del Cóndor were spine-tingling, and the Inca Trail was brutally beautiful. Our Inca Trail guide was a local expert who brought the ruins to life in a way no guidebook can. Unforgettable from Day 1 to Day 13.
Secure your spot with a deposit starting from US$ 250. Permits are limited and popular dates sell out months in advance.