Day 2: Arrive Cusco (Overnight in Cusco hotel): Fly from Lima to Cusco where you will meet your tour leader for the trip.  Transfer to hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax and acclimatise.  Take a look round Cusco’s beautiful Main Square with its colonial architecture or take an optional city tour (this can be arranged by your tour guide).

Day 3:Tour of the Sacred Valley (Overnight in Ollantaytambo): Travel through the Sacred Valley and visit the towns and Inca ruins of Pisaq and Ollantaytambo.  Get a chance to learn a little about the local people, their way of life and their traditional weaving techniques.

Day 4: Lares Trek (camping): The early start (6 am) allows us the best possible views of our incredible mountainous surroundings, dotted with rural villages throughout. Our hike begins in the village Qeshwarani, from which we begin our gentle pace through the valley of Cuncani, before the high pass of Cuncani.  After lunch we continue on our path to the highland village of Cuncani, our destination for tonight. From our campsite, we will have stunning views of snow-capped Colque Cruz. Approx. walking time 5 hours.

Day 5: Today we proceed around Sondor Mountain to a high pass (an altitude of 4440m), from which we will have great photo opportunities: scenic Huacahuasi Lake and snow-capped Veronica Mountain (amongst others!) are visible from the path. After a good morning’s hike, we stop for a quick rest in a living Inca settlement, where many still farm the traditional crop of potatoes in the same way that their ancestors did. We resume our hike upstream to the second pass, Ipasayqocha (4550m) and then descend to our campsite near Lake Ipasayqocha for the night.  Approx. walking time 8 hours.

Day 6:(Overnight Aguas Calientes): Today we will have ample photo opportunities: our gentle path is covered in Andean flora, and animals such as llamas and alpacas can be seen grazing along the mountainside. If we’re lucky, we might even catch a glimpse of Andean geese, puna ibis, Andean cara caras or condor. You will feel firsthand the warm welcome of the Quechua people and will have the rare opportunity to see how they live.  Our descent takes us through the spectacular valley of Patacancha, where everything remains as it has since ancient times. After our five-hour hike, we reach the town of Patacancha, where we eat lunch and wait for our private bus to take us to Ollantaytambo, we catch the train for an incredibly scenic ride to Agua Calientes, where we will spend the night in a hotel.  Later you may have time to relax aching muscles in the therapeutic hot springs.    Approx. walking time 5 hours. 

Day 7: Visit Machu Picchu. (Overnight Cusco): Rise early to take advantage of viewing Machu Picchu in the early morning light, the best time to view the 'Lost City of the Incas'.  There is free time to explore on your own after our tour, and the opportunity to climb Wayna Picchu, which will allow you to view Machu Picchu from a different vantage point.  In the afternoon we return to Cuzco by train, then bus, arriving in the evening.

Day 8: Cusco (Overnight Cusco): Free day in Cusco.  Shop for souvenirs or take a look round Cusco’s beautiful Main Square with its colonial architecture or take an optional city tour (this and many other activities can be arranged through your tour leader).