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8 days:
US$2440 / UKŁ1230
Daily departures based on availability
It's the classic Inca Trail experience with an extra day in the Cuzco
area to acclimate and participate in your choice of outdoor activity:
biking, whitewater rafting or horseback riding.
Why hike the Inca Trail with us? Our guides are the best in the business, with an excellent
knowledge of the trail, the Incas,
the flora and fauna, and excellent English to go along with it.
The cooks we use are also top-notch, serving up delicious food the
entire way. All you've got to do is walk the trail and enjoy the
incredible sights and vistas unfolding before you. And another
bonus of hiking the Inca Trail with Southern Crossings is included
airport transfers! Also included is a day in Cuzco and Lima
for sightseeing.
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Day |
Location |
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1 |
Arrive
Lima |
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2 |
Cuzco |
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3 |
Choose your own activity! |
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4-7 |
Inca
Trail/Machu Picchu |
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8 |
Morning flight to Lima |
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Want more time in Peru?
We can customize a trip for you, or check out our
15 day
or 22 day
trips.
Add-ons available: Nazca Lines Lake Titicaca Amazon rainforest
ACTIVE INCA TRAIL TRIP ITINERARY
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Day |
Activity/Location |
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1 |
Arrive in Lima and transfer to our hotel. If arriving during the
day, your hotel will be in the neighborhood of Miraflores, with good
shopping and restaurants, and you'll have an included city tour in
the afternoon. If arriving late at night, you'll be close to
the airport for a bit more sleep before your next day's flight, and
you'll have a tour of Lima upon your return.
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2 |
Morning flight over the Andes to Cuzco.
After checking into our hotel, we'll head to the Plaza de Armas, the center of old Cuzco, then climb up to the
ruins of Sacsayhuaman above town for great afternoon views over the
city. Depending on your arrival time, there may be time for
shopping or more sightseeing in the afternoon.
Early to bed as the Inca Trail begins tomorrow!
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3 |
We've got one more day to
acclimate before hiking the Inca Trail, and you've got your
choice of how you'd like to spend it!
1. Mountain biking to the
market and ruins of Pisac: This is an excellent
downhiller, all the way to the Sacred Valley, where we'll visit the
famous handicrafts market then hike or drive (your choice) up to the
Inca fortress/temple of Pisac. After a visit to the ruins, we
zoom back down to the valley floor on another twisty road, then
head back to Cuzco in the late afternoon.
2.
Whitewater rafting the Vilcanote River: We will be
navigating class III and IV rapids through the Yaucat Canyon on the Vilcanote River, which
was the Inca's most sacred. Lunch on
the banks of the river, then an early afternoon return by car to
Cuzco.
3.
Horseback ride to the ruins above Cuzco:
A more relaxed option as we
follow old trails to Tambo Machay, an Inca water shrine, and Puka
Pukara, an Inca fort, in the beautiful countryside above Cuzco.
This is a half day excursion, leaving you in the main square with
time to shop or stroll in the afternoon.
4.
If you'd just like a free day, that's fine too and we're happy to
point you to the best coffee or the nicest alpaca sweaters in
town...
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4 |
Our Inca Trail adventure begins this morning! Our first day is an easy
one to get further acclimated, as we gently climb through Andean valleys to the village of Huallabamba, making our first camp just above it.
Parakeets, bromeliads and the major Inca site of Patallacta are some
of today's highlights.
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5 |
Up up up to Dead Woman's Pass, near the
top of the world at 4200 meters (14,000 ft.). The air is thin, but
the view is not to be believed. We then continue on to a valley
below the ruins of Runku Rakay, where we'll camp.
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6 |
Today we continue trekking past three of the
most beautiful Inca sites anywhere in Peru: Sayacmarka,
Phuyupatamarka, and Winyaywaina. We camp at the Inca terraces of
Intipata or at the nearby youth hostal.
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7 |
A pre-dawn departure brings us to the Gate
of the Sun to watch the first rays of sunlight strike the sacred
city of Machu Picchu. We'll descend to the ruins and have a tour by
our guide before setting off for independent exploration. In
the afternoon we'll catch a train back to a hot shower and the other
comforts of Cuzco.
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8 |
Early morning flight to Lima. International flights may be
scheduled any time after noon today.
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TRIP
DETAILS
8 days:
US$2440 / UKŁ1230
Daily
departures
Is this trip for me?
Active Inca Trail
is an eight day adventure tour which includes a four-day, moderate trek,
some public transport, and an optional multi-sport activity. No trekking
experience is required, but one should be in average physical shape and
not suffer from any heart or respiratory conditions. As always, a certain patience is required for the
inconsistencies and delays of developing-world travel.
Joining the tour and Trip
Briefing
You will be given the name, address and phone number of our joining hotel
before departing, but that won't be necessary.
On all Southern Crossings tours, you are met at the airport by
one of our representatives (holding a Southern Crossings placard), who
will accompany you to our joining hotel. No bargaining or being
ripped off by airport taxis!
What's included in the trip
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Airport pickup at the
beginning of trip and drop off at end of the trip
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Southern Crossings bilingual guide
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Accompanied Transport
from
the Lima airport to your hotel
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All other
internal transport (excluding transport to optional
restaurants, bars, sights and excursions)
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Internal
flights, Lima-Cuzco, Cuzco-Lima
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Four
nights of hotel accommodation,
three nights of camping (while
hiking the Inca Trail)
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Four day Inca
Trail hike, including bilingual guide, cooks, porters,
tent and mat.
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One of
the multisport activities listed on Day 3 of the
itinerary above
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Three breakfasts, lunches, and dinners while on the Inca
Trail
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Breakfasts
with
every hotel stay
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The Cuzco
Visitor's Ticket,
which
includes entrance to the ruins in and around Cuzco and the Sacred
Valley, and many churches and museums in Cuzco
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Machu Picchu
costs, including bilingual guide, return train fare,
transportation to/from ruins/Aguas Calientes, and entrance to
the Machu Picchu sanctuary
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Southern Crossings T-Shirt or Cap
What's not included
International flight to/from Lima,
international airport departure taxes (US$28 from the Lima airport), pre-
& post- tour accommodation, visas, vaccinations, personal insurance,
meals except where specified above, drinks, laundry, souvenirs, tips while
on optional excursions and other items of a personal nature. Travel
insurance is not included through Southern Crossings though we do
require that you have a policy. Check
www.travelguard.com to purchase
a policy for your trip.
Extra Accommodation
We
will gladly arrange additional accommodation for you
before or after your trip:
In Lima: $110 double/$90 single
In Cuzco: $95 double/$70 single
Single Person Supplement: $480
Please add this to
your total payment if you will be travelling alone or wish to have
private accomodation
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Pre-Trip Planner
Required documents
All travelers
to Peru are required to have a passport valid for at least six months
from date of entry. Visas are not required for E.U., U.S.,
Canadian, Australian or New Zealand passport holders. For other
nationalities, please consult the nearest Peruvian embassy or
consulate. An onward ticket and proof of funds may also be required at
entry and should be available to show to immigration. Traveler’s checks,
currency, or a bank statement, from the bank or printed off the
internet, are sufficient for proof of funds.
Required immunizations
No
immunizations are required of travelers to Peru. Travelers may
wish to receive hepatitis vaccinations and should be current on all
other standard vaccinations. The rainforest area of Peru (approx. 3500
ft. and below, east of the Andes) is a malarial and yellow fever zone,
and travelers may wish to receive a yellow fever vaccination and take
malarial prophylaxis. Please consult your physician or local health
department for more information.
Things to bring
Our trip will
be a backpacker-style adventure. One
should come well prepared for outdoor activity at temperatures ranging
from 30 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and for extremes of sun and the
possibility of rain. A list of things to bring would include:
Please
note: While walking the Inca Trail, porters will accompany us to carry most of our
things, including all the camping gear. Each passenger is allowed 15
pounds of personal items which will also be carried by the porters. Such
items would include warm clothing for camping, toiletries, a book, CD
player, or other entertainment, etc. During the day we’ll be using a
daypack and will just need to carry water, snacks, rain gear, and a
layer or two for changing weather conditions. Of course most people
also carry a camera.
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Passport and, if necessary, visa
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Traveler’s checks and/or cash card
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Airline ticket
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Photocopies of airline ticket and documents
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Wearable pouch for documents and money
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Large, sturdy backpack or suitcase
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Smaller, comfortable day pack
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Trekking/walking boots, comfortable and worn-in
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Sandals or flip-flops
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Rain poncho or jacket
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Waterproof pants
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Sun hat
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Hat for cold weather
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Good, warm clothing for cold weather (think layers!)
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Scarf and gloves
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T-shirts
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Socks (thin wool or biking socks are best), undergarments
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Towel and swimsuit for hot springs
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Camelback or Nalgene bottle (optional)
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Flashlight (head lamps are very handy)
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Sunscreen
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Insect repellent (15% DEET recommended)
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Lip balm
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Earplugs
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Alarm clock or watch
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Sanitizing hand wipes or gel
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Camera and film/digital memory cards
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Camera batteries
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Playing cards, games, reading material
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Prescription medications
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Toiletries
Note that
common clothing, batteries, film, medications, and such toiletries as
toothpaste, toothbrush, toilet paper, deodorant and feminine hygiene
items are available in Peru.
It is best to bring from home such items as prescription meds, eyewear
and care, extra large clothing, shoes, unusual film and camera
batteries. Also note that most digital camera memory cards can be
downloaded and burned onto a CD in internet cafes in any large city.
Climate
Rain is
possible at any time of year, especially in high mountains and cloud
forest, and one should always be prepared. The climate in sites we will
visit is as follows:
Cuzco:
days are warm if sunny, slightly chilly if cloudy. Nights are cold in
Cuzco. We are traveling in the dry season but no guarantees!
Lima:
warm to hot days, cool evenings, almost never any rain. Often overcast.
Money guide
The unit of
currency in Peru is the nuevo sol. Current currency conversion
1 U.S. dollar = 2.8 nuevo soles
1 GB pound = 6.18 soles
Automatic cash
points are available in Lima and Cuzco. Visa, MasterCard, Plus, and
Cirrus are the most common usable types of cards. Traveler's checks
(American Express is best!) or a Visa or MasterCard for cash advances
are also options. Do not bring MoneyGrams or International Money
Orders, as they are extremely difficult to exchange. Banks and exchange
houses are available in Lima and Cuzco. For currency, U.S. dollars are
recommended and most easily exchanged. Please
note that cash must be untorn. It can be older-looking, but even the
slightest tear on an edge will make it un-changeable. Acceptable bills
come out of the ATMs in country.
Expect to spend
about US$3-10 on a meal, US$2 on a beer, water or soft drink in Peru.
Shopping prices are usually lower than people expect. Alpaca sweaters,
for example, run between $5 and $30.
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