INCA JUNGLE - MACHU PICCHU 4 DAYS
Sinse the Inca trail was reduced to the number of visitors we been forced to open new tours to Machu Picchu that now are available. If you are looking for an alternative trip this is the one. Inca Jungle is a combination of biking, trekking and rafting through the impressive Peruvian Andean mountains to the Amazonian rain forest. This trip ends with a guided tour to Machu Picchu on the 4th day.
Departure: 8:00 am
Duration: 4 days
Location: Rain forest Machu Picchu.
Season: All year
Itinerary
DAY 1 CUSCO-CARRIZALES-SANTA MARIA
Passengers will be collected from their hotels at 8:00 am. Our bus journey take us through the Andean villages of Poroy, Chichero, and Maras until we arrive to Urubamaba and then to Ollantaytambo both located in the Sacred Valley. Here we have a little stop where passengers can have breakfast or buy the last supplies for the Inca jungle trail. We start going up until Malaga path (14,500 ft 4,350 m above sea level). From here the scenery is amazing, snow caped mountains, waterfalls and Andean comunities. One more hour driving and we will be in Carrizales where is the beginning of the trip. This down hill is porbably one of the best Peru bike tours available. Before we start biking we will try the bikes following by a briefing about the route and some other safety precautions. Scenery changes while we are biking, from the Andean cold wind to warm rain forest, the first hour is down hill through paved road and the rest of the trip changes to death road, crossing small rivers, small up and down hills not difficult, banana, papaya and other jungle plantations we arrive to Santa Maria, small town in the rain forest. Overnight at Santa Maria. (1 lunch-1 dinner).
DAY 2 SANTA MARIA-SANTA TERESA
Today there are two options, the first option is two hike until Santa Tresa and the second option is doing rafting.
Hiking option. After a nice energetic breakfast we start the trip. Today the trekking is quite easy, we have some small up hills, the first three hours are going to be a little steep and later easy hiking. Crossing banana, papaya and other kind of plantation we will arrive to an small place near to the river where we can relax and have lunch. The scenery is fascinating with a big mountains in the side and the Urubamba river along the road until Santa Teresa (1800 meters sea level). Santa Teresa is an small village located in the rain forest a couple of hours away from Machu Picchu. In this town we are going to rest in a little guest hostel. Optional Santa Teresa hot springs ($ 2 per person).
Rafting option. We can have the rafting tour with a 50 additional dollars. For a really adventurous people we recommend this trip, the weather is usually warm, the rapids and the nature will make out of this tour a nice day and gives to the tour a different way to see the Amazon jungle. Before the rafting there is a briefing about the rafting. We will be in the water running rapids class II, III and IV, finishing around 1 pm., there after we will go by car to Santa Teresa to join the rest of the group, here we are going to rest in a small hostel. There is a nice hot springs few minutes away form the hostel, the entrance is $ 2 but this is not included in the price.(1 breakfast-1 lunch-1 dinner)
DAY 3 SANTA TERESA-HIDROELECTRIC- CALIENTES
Today there are 2 options in this Inca jungle trail. The first is the easiest, walking following a dirt road track for 3 hours until Hydroelectric and then another two and a half hours through the rail road until Aguas Calientes. The second choice is the One that we recommend, we take a local bus for about 30 minutes until Lucmabamba which is the beginning of the trekking. The scenery changes as you wander through coco bean plants, banana trees, oranges and avocado trees walking through a very well preserved Inca trail . After 3 hours walking up hill, we arrive to the archelogical complex of Llactapata (known also as Patallacta) that means "Town of hill side". Originally discovered by Hiram Bingham at the same time as Machu Picchu. Some explorers say that this place could be bigger and more important than it is. This is a place where is possible to have the first view of Machu Picchu, rest and take some pictures of the scnery. From here takes two more hours until Machu Picchu Hydroelectric. After lunch we will walk for 2 hours and 30 minutes more until Aguas Calientes (town bellow Machu Picchu). Some clients take the train from Hydroelectric to Aguas Calientes, it takes 20 to 30 minutes, but the train ticket is not included in the price (8 $ train ticket from Hydroelectric to Aguas Calientes). In Aguas Calientes we will check in to a lovely hostel for a nice evening. (1 breakfast-1 lunch-1 dinner)
DAY 4 AGUAS CALIENTES-MACHU PICCHU-CUSCO
Today we recommend to start our trekking early in the morning. The idea is to arrive to Macu Picchu to see the sun rise that for many of our clients this is a wonderful natural spectacle. Walking from Aguas calientes take 2 hours and 30 minutes aprox. until Machu Picchu. Our guide will take you around the area for two hours to guide you in the wonders of the impressive Inca site. Machu Picchu citadel is only located about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Cusco the Inca capital, it was never found by the Spanish and consequently not plundered and destroyed, as was the case with many other Inca sites. Over the centuries, the surrounding jungle grew over much of the site, and few knew of its existence. On July 24, 1911, Machu Picchu was discover by Hiram Bingham.
There is always time to take pictures, walk around the places that we like the most and then we meet with the rest of the group at Aguas Calientes to catch the train to Ollataytambo and form there take a bus to the hotels in Cusco, with this we finish the Inca jungle trail to Machu Picchu.
What´s included.
Private bus from Cusco to Carrizales, 3 nights simple accommodation 1 night hostel, meals (3 breakfast 3 lunches and 3 dinners), english speaking guide, entrance fee to Machu Picchu, bus ticket from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes, train in back packer service to Ollantaytambo and bus to Cusco, all biking gear with suspension and disk breaks, helmets, knee and elbow protection. If rafting is choosen all the rafting gear, wet suits, life vest, paddles, boat, safety kayak and helmets.
What´s not included.
First breakfast and the lunch and dinner in Aguas Calientes ( day 4 ), bus tickets to from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu and entrance fees to hot springs in Santa Teresa or Aguas Calientes, train ticket from hydroelectric station to Aguas Calientes.
What to bring
Hiking shoes, mosquito repellent, couple t-shirt, hat or cup, swimsuit, towel, sandals, shorts, photo camera, things you consider necessary during this Inca jungle trail.
You can upgrade you hostel in Aguas Caleintes, ask for more information.