Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CUZCO TO MACHU PICCHU
Heart of the Inca
Empire
Start with a leisurely couple of days acclimatizing in
(1) Cuzco
, strolling around the
Plaza de Armas and visiting the area's churches and ruins. Highlights include the ruins of
Qorikancha (the remains of a temple) and Sacsaywamán (a sawtooth shaped fortress), as
well as a visit to the baroque cathedral, which contains a trove of colonial art. While
you're in Cuzco, be sure to enjoy the area's delicious highland cooking.
Head out of the city to somewhat lower altitudes in
(2) Pisac
, a charming Sacred Val-
ley town with a bustling market and a set of ancient ruins precariously perched on the
mountain above it. Travel on to
(3) Ollantaytambo
, an amiable Quechua village criss-
crossed by ancient canals and capped by an impressive Inca fortress. Spend the night here
then continue by train to
(4) Aguas Calientes
. This cloud-forest village serves as the base
for exploring
(5) Machu Picchu
. Spend at least two days here - one seeing the most im-
portant ruins, and one exploring the myriad hiking trails.
CUZCO TO MACHU PICCHU ON FOOT
To Machu
Picchu along the Inca Trail
Arrive in
(1) Cuzco
and allow for a leisurely first day of strolling and acclimatization
amid the city's labyrinthine cobblestone streets. Afterwards, transfer by car or train to the
Sacred Valley village of
(2) Ollantaytambo
, a rural settlement that is home to an import-
ant Inca fortress. (A hike here is a good warm-up for the big trek.)
From Ollantaytambo, spend the next four days walking along one of Peru's most
renowned footpaths, the
(3) Inca Trail
. Built by the Incas to connect the points in their
empire, this incredible trek will take you over high passes and along steamy cloud forest,
with views of majestic Andean peaks in the distance. It's studded with plenty of lesser
Inca ruins, too.
On the last day, you will emerge at the so-called Sun Gate mountain pass where you
will get your first glimpse of the majestic
(4) Machu Picchu
. Spend a day or two explor-
ing the site, overnighting in
(5) Aguas Calientes
, before taking the train back to
(6)
Cuzco
. Here, you can do some leisurely urban exploring before you depart. As a reward,
treat yourself to a well-deserved meal at one of Cuzco's of-the-moment eateries and do a
little crafts shopping in the artisan quarter of San Blas.
