One
of the New Seven Wonders of the World
May 1 – 12, 2010
Lima – Cusco – Sacred Valley – Inca Trail – Machu Picchu
ITINERARY
Saturday
May 1, 2010 Toronto
–
Lima
May
we suggest we book you on TACA International, departing Toronto airport at
10:55 a.m. to arrive via San Salvador in Lima at 20:25. Upon arrival in
Lima you will be met by our tour representative who will assist with
luggage and escort you to the hotel, assist with check-in and provide
information for the rest of the itinerary. Welcome drink – perhaps your
first taste of the real Pisco Sour. Overnight at the fine El Pardo
Doubletree Hotel. (In flight meals)
Sunday
May 2
Lima
–
Cusco
After
a good sleep and a great buffet breakfast, return to the Lima airport to
catch LP111
departing Lima a 11:30 a.m. to arrive in Cusco at 12:45 p.m. Upon
arrival at Cusco's airport, you
will be met by our local representative who assists with luggage and takes
you to the hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure to adapt to the
change in altitude. In the evening you may wish to walk to the nearby
Plaza de Armes, where you find a multitude of restaurants serving Andean
and International dishes. Overnight at Jose Antonio Cusco Hotel. (B)
Monday
May 3
Cusco:
City Tour
Buffet
breakfast at the hotel. Afternoon sightseeing tour of the city of Cusco,
the “Navel of the World” for the Incas. Cusco remains today a city
that blends colonial Spanish charm with older, more austere remains of
pre-Columbian glory. The tour includes a visit of the city's most
important historical monuments: Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral, the
Koricancha Temple, and a visit to the surrounding ruin of the Sacsayhuaman
Fortress. Dinner and overnight at Jose Antonio Cusco Hotel. (B, D)
Tuesday
May 4
Piskakucho
(Km 82) –
Wayllabamba
Buffet
breakfast at the hotel. A spectacular early morning drive through the
Sacred Valley of the Incas takes you to the very beginning of the Inca
Trail at Km 82 of the Machu Picchu railroad. After a short break, you
set out by crossing a footbridge to hike a gentle two hours down the
Urubamba Canyon. On the way you pass imposing sculpted Inca farming
terraces and the settlement of Llaqtapata on the banks of the Cusichaca
tributary. You then climb a short way up the Cusichaca valley to
Wayllabamba, the last inhabited village on the trail, to camp for the
night. (B, L, D)
Wednesday
May 5
Wayllabamba
–
Pakasmayu
Today
you climb the steep sided Llullucha Valley past a rushing stream and
through enchanted native polylepis woodland. Crossing the rim of a small
plateau, you abruptly find yourselves in the puna, the treeless grasslands
of the high Andes. The trail traverses an open slope opposite mighty
mountain crags as you ascend to the first and highest pass, Warmiwanusca
(4,200 m/13,776 ft). Here you encounter spectacular views of the trail
ahead to the second pass, and look back to the sweeping snow peaks and
valleys of
the Huayanay massif. The
trail leads to the floor of the forested Pakasmayu Valley, where you make
your night camp. (B, L, D)
Thursday
May 6
Pakasmayu
–
Winaywayna
You
climb up an Inca stairway and ascend again past the small Inca site of
Runkuracay. As you reach the second pass, the landscape opens onto
spectacular new views to the snow peaks of the Pumasillo range. You
descend to the ruins of Sayacmarca (Inaccessible Town), an intricate
labyrinth of houses, plazas and water channels perched precariously on a
rocky spur overlooking the Aobamba valley. The Inca trail, now a massive
buttressed structure of granite paving stones, continues along the steep
upper fringes of the cloud forest through a colorful riot of orchids,
bromeliads, mosses and ferns. At the third pass pinnacles topped with Inca
viewing platforms overlook the archaeological complex of Phuyupatamarca
(Cloud Level Town). Pause to explore the wondrous maze of Inca stone
towers, fountains and stairways that spill down the mountainside here,
before you begin a long descent through ever changing layers of cloud
forest. An Inca stairway, partly cut from living granite, leads finally to
your camp by the ruins of Winay Wayna (Forever Young), the largest and
most exquisite of the Inca Trail sites. (B, L, D)
Friday
May 7
Winaywayna
An
early morning hike takes you across a steep mountainside through lush,
humid cloud forest of giant ferns and broad leaf vegetation. Suddenly you
cross the stone threshold of Intipunku (Sun Gate) and encounter an
unforgettable sweep of natural beauty and human artistry – a backdrop of twisting gorge and forested peaks
framing the magical city of Machu Picchu. You complete the final leg down
the royal flagstone walkway, past outlying shrines and buildings, and into
the heart of Machu Picchu, where you spend the rest of the morning with a
guided tour exploring the highlights among Machu Picchu's multitude of
hidden nooks and cranies. In the early afternoon a bus takes you to the
small nearby town of Aguas Calientes. Dinner and overnight in the
beautiful Inkaterra Resort. (B, D)
Saturday
May 8
Aguas
Calientes –
Machu Picchu
Breakfast
at the hotel. You have the opportunity to experience the Machu Picchu
archaeological site for a second time in a different way. You may also
wish to take a dip into the Thermal Pools, enjoy the hotel surroundings or
take in the local atmosphere by visiting the market, the soccer field,
etc. Tonight dinner is on your own, as there are ample restaurants in town.
(B)
Sunday
May 9
Aguas
Calientes
–
Cusco
Buffet
breakfast at the hotel.
Morning
at leisure and in the afternoon you return to Cusco by train. Upon arrival
at the Cusco train station you will be met by a driver who transfers you
to the familiar Jose Antonio Cusco Hotel. (B)
Monday
May 10
Cusco
–
Sacred Valley
The
morning begins with an excursion to the Sacred Valley, a visit to the town
of Pisac and a walk to the famous Pisac Ruins and the town’s colorful
market fair or “mercado” where the idea of “trueque” (goods
exchange) was used for centuries. Afterwards, a stop at Awanacancha, to
observe traditional Andean weaving and to see the four types of camel
related Andean animals – llamas, guanacos, alpacas and vicunas. Discover
the methods of ancient weaving techniques. Lunch at the lovely Mayu Cocina
Fuzion Restaurant. Finally, a walk around and through the magnificent
ruins of the Ollantaytambo Fortress. Late afternoon return to the hotel.
Overnight at Jose Antonio Cusco Hotel. (B, L)
Tuesday
May 11
Cusco
–
Lima
After
breakfast an airport transfer is waiting to take you to the Cusco airport
to catch LP 030 departing Cusco at 10:30 am and arrive in Lima at 11:55
a.m. Upon arrival in Lima you will be once again be met by guide and
driver who take you on a guided tour of the city of Lima. Also known as
the City of Kings, Lima is long considered the colonial capital of South
America and is a thriving city of some eight million inhabitants. The
historic downtown area has been declared a World Heritage Site by the
United Nations. Its fine architecture should not be missed. You will visit
the city’s principal attractions: Plaza de Armas, Government Palace, the
Cathedral, Santo Domingo or San Francisco convents, and the garden suburbs
of Miraflores and San Isidro. Then continue to the Larco Herrera Museum,
containing a priceless collection of pre Columbian artifacts and ancient
pre Inca erotic pottery, one of South America’s finest collections. Just
a little time to return to the hotel to change and to prepare for the
farewell dinner in the famous La Rosa Nautica Restaurant in Lima.
Overnight at El Pardo Doubletree Hotel. (B, D)
Wednesday
May 12
Lima
–
Toronto
The
time to depart has now come. A last buffet breakfast in the El Pardo is
followed by a transfer to the airport. Again we suggest Brinkman Travel
books you on TACA International to depart Lima at 10:30 a.m. via San
Salvador to arrive in Toronto at 21:50. (B and in flight meals)
PRICE
-
US $2675 per person based on sharing – land only group price, minimum of eight people required; single supplement US $725
-
Airfare pending upon airline and time of booking: Toronto – Lima round trip currently CAD $890 per person including taxes; Lima – Cusco round trip currently US $350. Other gateways available.
-
Optional Extension to Ecuador: Quito and the Galapagos Islands
Non trekkers can stay at the Inkaterra Resort; a supplement applies.
For
more information and to book contact Ineke at Brinkman Travel.
Brinkman Travel Inc, 8 Duke
Street, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada L2R 5W3
Phone: 905.988.9100 Email: mail
[at symbol] brinkmantravel.com
Website: brinkmantravel.com
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