A Machu Picchu & Colca Canyon Adventure
Days
9+
Activity Level
Moderate
Host City
Cusco, Peru
From
$2,995 USD
A Machu Picchu & Colca Canyon Journey
Join The Explorer’s Passage (TEP) on an unforgettable journey! Explore the high Andes to the depths of one of the world’s deepest canyons on this unforgettable adventure through Peru. Discover the ancient wonders of Machu Picchu, where Inca stonework and mist-shrouded peaks evoke a timeless sense of mystery, then venture south to the Colca Canyon, a dramatic landscape of terraced valleys and soaring condors. Along the way, experience the warmth of Andean culture, vibrant colonial cities, and breathtaking natural beauty that reveal the heart and spirit of Peru.
Trip Highlights
Let’s Plan Your Trip Today:
TRIP COST
From $2,995 USD per person
Our Peru trips are all-inclusive, crafted with the intent of providing you with an unforgettable adventure travel experience.
*More info. on pricing
More questions? Read more about pricing here
Start dates
Custom dates are available every month
To inquire about a custom date,
please contact us!
Duration
Starts at 9 Days / 8 Nights
Hiking on the Inca Trail for 1 Day
Accommodations
Relax in comfort & luxury
*Various Options
8 Nights in Hotels
Choose between a 3.5 / 4 Star, 5 Star, or 5+ Star hotel package option.
ACTIVITY LEVEL
Moderate
Sample Trip Itinerary
Inca Trail Express Route map
Want more information? Download a detailed itinerary.
Itineraries include detailed descriptions of each day, tips on travel arrangements, regional highlights, and more. It’s the perfect resource to help you choose!
Day 1: Arrival in Cusco, Peru
Bienvenidos a Peru! Upon arrival at Cusco International Airport, you will be greeted by a member of our team. Experience the scenery and history in the beautiful capital city of Cusco as you are then transported to your hotel. This afternoon and evening, after settling in to your hotel, you will have free time to explore this extraordinary high-altitude city (~11,000 feet / ~3,350 meters above sea level). Later, you will enjoy dinner with a special VIP guest at one of our favorite restaurants in Cusco. Additionally, your guide will coordinate with you to provide a detailed pre-trek Inca Trail Express briefing on Day 1.
Day 2: Cusco
After a hearty breakfast, embark on a private half-day tour of Cusco. Discover this UNESCO World Heritage Site’s highlights by van and on foot. Visit the archaeological sites of Sacsayhuaman, Tambomachay, Pukapukara, and Q’enqo, and explore the Cusco Cathedral and Qorikancha temple. Experience the unique blend of ancient and modern Cusco, where traditional attire and bustling city life intersect. Enjoy the rest of the day exploring the city and savoring its culinary delights at your leisure.
Day 3: Sacred Valley Tour
After breakfast, embark on a full-day tour of Maras, Moray, and Ollantaytambo with a restaurant or picnic lunch. Begin with a visit to Moray, an ancient agricultural site with circular terraces designed to create diverse microclimates for crop experimentation. Next, enjoy a picnic lunch amid stunning mountain scenery. Explore Maras, known for its striking salt ponds where locals mine salt from thousands of colorful terraces. Learn about traditional salt extraction and taste the renowned Maras salt. In the afternoon, visit Ollantaytambo, a town preserving its original Inca street layout. Climb the terraces of the Inca fortress for breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. Return to your accommodation for dinner and rest before starting the Inca Express trail tomorrow.
Day 4: Inca Trail Express Hike
After breakfast, we will meet our private transportation and head to the town of Ollantaytambo, where we’ll board the train. The train will chug alongside the Urubamba River in the Sacred Valley; we’ll see a noticeable change in our surroundings as we enter the verdant and misty cloud forest of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary. We’ll disembark at KM104 and cross a hanging bridge that spans the mighty river, and visit the ruins of Chachabamba, which is believed to have been a spiritual center dedicated to water deities. Now it’s a 3-hour ascent to a second important spiritual center, Wiñay Wayna. These ruins are built into a steep slope on the way up to the Sun Gate. After we explore for a bit, we’ll cut across the ridge above Machu Picchu to reach Inti Punku, Gate of the Sun. This is a dramatic moment, as we look down on the magnificent Machu Picchu ruins spread out far below, gaining a glimpse into a mystical, forgotten world. We’ll spend the night in a hotel in the village of Machu Picchu.
Daily trekking distance: approximately 7.3 miles / 11.7 kilometers (i.e. ~6 hours of hiking)
Day 5: Machu Picchu
Now that you have experienced the beautiful Inca Trail, you will hike Huayna Picchu in the morning which will be followed by lunch. Then you will have time to explore the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu (7,972 feet / 2,430 meters above sea level) on a three-hour guided tour. As part of the enhanced experience, you will do the Circuit 2 tour route (the longer route through the citadel). Having the privilege of wandering the various sectors and entering some of the houses and temples will really bring this iconic site to life and leave you with a sense of reverence and awe for what the Inca were able to achieve so long ago. This will be followed by an option of either a standard scenic train ride or a luxury train ride on the Hiram Bingham to Ollantaytambo Station. From there, you will be transported by private vehicle to your hotel in Cusco.
Day 6: Cusco to Arequipa
Today you will enjoy your last morning in Peru before being transferred by private vehicle from your hotel to Cusco International Airport for your flight to Arequipa. Upon arrival at Arequipa Airport you will be transferred to your hotel to settle in. In the evening you will have time to explore the city on your own. We will provide you with a number recommendations for restaurants and sites to visit.
Day 7: Arequipa to Colca Canyon
Start your morning with a relaxing breakfast at the hotel and then a specialized city tour for the morning of Arequipa’s best sites. Then, after lunch, you will have a scenic transfer to the breathtaking Colca Canyon. Upon arrival, settle into your accommodations where you’ll be surrounded by dramatic landscapes and Andean charm.
Day 8: Colca Canyon
After breakfast you will head out on enriching journey through Peru’s Colca Canyon, exploring the traditional villages of Sibayo and Canocota. Sibayo, known as “Rumillaqta” or “stone town,” is a high-altitude village at 3,800 meters, characterized by its stone and mud constructions with thatched roofs, preserving its colonial-era layout since 1776. Visitors can immerse themselves in the local culture by staying in homestays, participating in daily activities like alpaca herding, and exploring attractions such as the colonial Church of San Juan Bautista and the Collagua Culture Ecomuseum, which showcases traditional textile techniques .
Day 9: Final Day in Peru
Today you will enjoy your final morning in Peru. At the appropriate time you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home. We hope you have enjoyed your adventure with us!
Customizing Your Peru Adventure
Are you interested in another activity or destination in Peru? Planning to spend extra time in the region, or interested in specific travel dates? Want to visit Lake Titicaca, or experience the culinary delights of Lima? Perhaps you would like to spend more time in the Scared Valley? No problem. As experts in tailored trip planning, we can weave your interests and your timeframe into our customizable itineraries so that every detail of your extraordinary trip unfolds precisely the way you want it to. Click the options below to learn more:
Contact us today to get started customizing your dream trip to Peru!
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Trip Accommodations
5+ Star Accommodations
Belmond Palacio Nazarenas | Cusco, Peru
Bedding down in a former convent isn’t necessarily what you might expect. Lovingly restored, 17th-century architecture gives each artistic room and suite a distinctly colonial feel. Recline on a four-poster bed splashed with hand-embroidered silk coverlets. Bathe beneath hand-painted frescos using soap perfumed by the Palacio’s own flowers. Some suites feature original Inca stonework; others boast balconies with hypnotic views of Cusco’s distant, mist-wrapped mountains.
Belmond Palacio Nazarenas website
Sol y Luna | Urubamba, Peru
Each of their forty-three casitas is surrounded by gardens filled with flora native to the Sacred Valley and all face the Andes Mountains where the Incas believed their gods dwelled. Within each sanctuary, an outdoor terrace leads into the high ceilinged living space with terra cotta tile floors and some of our favorite Sacred Valley artifacts, Spanish colonial style furniture, a king size bed or two double beds made with goose feather duvets and Peruvian pima cotton sheets, and a spacious marble bathroom with deep soak bathtub.
Belmond Sanctuary Lodge | Aguas Calientes, Peru
Sitting in the shadows of the Lost City, our lodge is an oasis of calm before or after a day exploring Machu Picchu. Unwind with a yoga session, take part in a traditional shaman ceremony in the garden, or sip muña tea in the Tampu Bar. Tranquility, wonder and beauty are at the heart of our unique experience. Cool botanical fabrics are offset by cherry-colored woods. King-sized beds provide space to unwind. Outside your windows, the mountains ripple into the distance.Signature dishes like a Jungle Landscape salad or Sacred Valley grilled trout evoke the Andean setting. Take a seat and let our authentic menu kickstart your Peruvian adventure.
5 Star Accommodations
Palacio del Inka | Cusco, Peru
Located in the heart of Cusco, Palacio del Inka is walking distance to shopping, restaurants, and museums. It is also located across from the Koricancha, the most sacred temple in the Inca Empire. The spacious rooms are exquisitely appointed, combining Peruvian art, handcrafted furnishings, as well as state-of-the-art technology. The on-site restaurant, Inti Raymi, serves particularly authentic Andean specialties, with ingredients organically grown in the Sacred Valley. Take advantage of the full service spa that draws on the ancient healing mysticism of the Andes.
One of the finest hotels in Peru and part of Starwood Resorts’ Luxury Collection, the Palacio del Inka is a 16th century mansion once occupied by Gonzalo Pizarro, half-brother of Francisco Pizarro (the Spanish conquistador who conquered Peru).
Tambo del Inka | Urubamba, Peru
Escape to a luxurious and mystical journey at Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa. This hotel in Peru is nestled in the heart of the Sacred Valley and stands as a doorway to the vast cultural richness of this region. You’ll love lingering in your elegantly designed hotel room or suite with mesmerizing views of the Andes and the Vilcanota River from a private balcony. Savor the dining options available, with on-site restaurants featuring organic ingredients and local products.
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo | Aguas Calientes, Peru
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is an intimate Andean village with terraced hills, waterfalls, stone pathways and 83 whitewashed adobe casitas tucked away in the cloud forest. The property has 12 acres of exquisite natural beauty, where 214 bird species – such as the golden-headed quetzal and the iconic Andean cock-of-the-rock – as well as the world’s largest native orchid collection (372 species) have been registered. The hotel also features an on-site restaurant overlooking the river, as well as a relaxing spa and sauna.
Additionally, the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Resort was rated the #3 hotel in Central and South America in Travel and Leisure’s 2015 World’s Best Awards.
3.5 / 4 Star Accommodations
Novotel | Cusco, Peru
The centrally located Novotel Cusco hotel is the perfect base for exploring this historic city and its surrounding wonders. Nestled in the heart of Cusco, the hotel seamlessly blends colonial charm with modern comforts. The architecture reflects a harmonious fusion of old and new, and this unique style extends into the spacious, elegantly appointed rooms, each equipped with free Wi-Fi to keep you connected during your stay. After a day of adventuring through the vibrant streets and ancient ruins of Cusco, unwind in the serene ambiance of the hotel’s lush courtyard. Relax under the shade of the canopy on the patio of this beautifully restored colonial house while sipping a traditional coca tea.
Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado Hotel & Villas | Urubamba, Peru
The hotel is located in the Sacred Valley of Cusco. It’s only a 30-minute bus drive away from the City of Cusco. It’s a cozy environment in the middle of the Urubamba Valley. Ideal if you want to relax and be close to the main tourist attractions of the valley. Alma Restaurant & Bar offers a breakfast buffet and a wide range of dishes. The hotel has games for children and they can also feed the sheep. The hotel organizes “pachamancas” [traditional Peruvian dish made with the aid of hot stones, of lamb, mutton, pork, chicken or guinea pig, marinated in spices].
Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado Hotel & Villas website
El Mapi | Aguas Calientes, Peru
Step into the smart, contemporary and cozy confines of El Mapi, amidst the picturesque Machu Picchu Pueblo. Discover an efficient, lively and friendly atmosphere, welcoming guests expecting an unfussy, down-to-earth break. The flowing lobby creates a sense of vitality. Lofty ceilings, panoramic windows and an open café allow natural light to filter between tall eucalyptus dried branches, creating an ambience of order and wellbeing. Relax in a pleasant and wholesome ambience after your enlightening visit to Peru’s most famous destination: the Machu Picchu archaeological site!
Arequipa Accommodations
Hotel San Agustín Posada del Monasterio
Set in a beautifully restored 18th-century colonial building, Hotel San Agustín Posada del Monasterio offers a stay steeped in history beside the iconic Santa Catalina Monastery. Guests enjoy charming courtyards, traditional stone architecture, and comfortable rooms that blend Arequipa’s heritage with modern amenities.
Costa del Sol Arequipa
Located just steps from the city’s main square, Costa del Sol Arequipa combines colonial elegance with contemporary style. Its spacious rooms, lush courtyard gardens, and inviting pool create a peaceful oasis in the heart of the city, perfect for relaxing after exploring Arequipa’s historic landmarks.
Cirqa Hotel Arequipa
Housed in a 16th-century monastery, Cirqa Hotel captures the soul of Arequipa’s colonial past with luxurious modern touches. Thick white volcanic stone walls, vaulted ceilings, and bespoke service create a serene and intimate atmosphere for travelers seeking a refined retreat steeped in history.
Colca Accommodations
Casa Andina Standard Colca
Surrounded by sweeping Andean landscapes, Casa Andina Standard Colca offers a cozy village-style escape in the heart of the Colca Valley. Its rustic stone cottages and warm interiors reflect local charm, providing a welcoming base for visiting the nearby hot springs and Colca Canyon.
Casitas del Colca
Tucked away amid terraced hills and river valleys, Casitas del Colca offers a secluded luxury experience surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty. Each private casita features panoramic views, fireplaces, and terraces with outdoor showers, inviting guests to unwind in comfort and connect deeply with the Andes.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Check here for our Frequently Asked Questions for the Machu Picchu & Colca Canyon Adventure, and if you can’t find the answer you are looking for then send us a message.
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Trip Support
There is no other operator in the travel industry that will provide the same level of personal attention to your travel experience.
Personal Attention & Preparation Before Every Trip
We get very involved with our travelers before each trip by offering a series of pre-planning calls in the months and weeks before departure. This provides you with an opportunity to hear directly from us on preparation, trip experience, and training. It also gives you the platform to ask questions about any aspect of the trip. We also provide comprehensive packing lists, pre-adventure checklists, and other detailed information.
Staff Support & Logistics
We go above and beyond our competitors in handling every aspect of your trip, so that you can focus exclusively on experiencing all that Peru has to offer. Our knowledgeable support staff takes care of the details of your in-country ground transportation, lodging, meals, tours, permits, and activities. We’ve even scheduled a bit of free time for you to explore, relax, shop, or eat on your own.
Additional Trip Information
Check out our detailed educational content on the Sacred Valley, written by our adventure team. The article provides a complete overview of everything that you need to know about this amazing journey in Machu Picchu.
