Day 1: Cusco – Lares – Cuncani – Kiswarani The excitement of your Lares trek to Machu Picchu will help you arise early for your pickup at 5:00am whether in Cusco. Then, we drive for 2.5 to Cuncani community, Breakfast is served high in the mountains, looking down at the deep gorges with awesome views of the valleys. Time to get our packs ready, put our boots on and begin our first 3 hours gradually ascending to Hullquijasa Pass (4,200m/13,779ft), enjoy the amazing views of lakes, valleys and much more. Then, we will have our lunch. Finally, we head down to Kiswarani community being the most isolated and self-sustainable community, traditional to the core. Make your connection with nature and the realness of life with the locals that share their homes. It would be well appreciated to share some toys, old useful clothes, notebooks, fruit or any items with the locals. Two hours later, we have completed our first trekking day and have arrived at our campsite. Boots off, time to enjoy afternoon tea with amazing views of the frozen Andean peaks and water fall. After dinner, our guide will show you the Inca’s constellations in which they depended on for their agricultural guidance and still do to this present day. Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Afternoon Tea Time – Dinner Accommodation: Camping facilities Distance: 12kms / 7 miles Time: 6hrs approximately Difficulty: Moderate Day 2: Quishuarani – Pachaqutec Pass -Cancha Cancha We wake up to begin our second day feeling refreshed…
DAY 1: CUSCO – ANDAHUAYLILLAS – RACCHI – LA RAYA – PUNO We pick you up at your hotel at 6.30am to take you to the bus station (Inca Express or First Class). Both companies provide royal class service with an English-speaking tour guide, and a waiter who is ready to assist you with hot, and cold drinks on board. During the trip, you will stop to visit some Inca ruins, museums and the Andahuaylillas Church, which is considered to be the Sistine Chapel of South America because of its amazing frescos. Then, we stop at the Racchi Inca ruins, which used to be a religious and resting place for Inca travelers. The next visit is at La Raya, the border between Cusco and Puno, where the most traditional animals of Peru can be seen, llamas and alpacas. In Pucara, we will visit a museum where it is possible to see some pre-Inca remains. Finally, by 5.30 pm we arrive in Puno, where our representative will pick you up to take you to your hotel. Meal: Breakfast – Lunch Accommodations: Casa Andina Classic Puno 3* or Tierra Viva Puno 3* Accommodations: Casa Andina Private Collection 4* or Sonesta Puno 4* DAY 2: PUNO – UROS ISLANDS – AMANTANI ISLAND After having breakfast in your hotel, the tour leader will pick you up to take you to the port of Puno. There, you will embark on a 30-minute boat ride until arriving at the floating islands. You will be welcomed by the locals, who…
If you’re considering a trek or tour to Machu Picchu or a hike on the Inca Trail, you might be tempted to plan your own trip and go it alone. Before you make any decisions, however, it’s important to understand what you can and cannot do without a fully licensed tour operator. Do You Need a Tour Guide for an Inca Trail Trek? No matter how experienced you are as a hiker or how much you’d like to trek the Inca Trail without a guide, the official Inca Trail regulations require all hikers to be a part of an organized group led by a duly licensed and authorized tour guide. Because only a limited number of companies have the required licensing and authorization, you must do your research and choose your tour agency carefully. Only licensed providers can purchase the necessary permits. Double-check that your agency is purchasing the permits, because they sell out quickly. You must also be careful when booking your trek because, unless you book with a direct provider of a Classic Inca Trail Trek, you will be handed off to an unknown third-party tour agency. It’s also important to note that tour operators are allowed to book up to 16 hikers per trek. If you find yourself in a group that size, you may not have a good experience if not enough guides, porters and other support team members are present. Likewise, some companies have last-minute cancellation policies if not enough people book a trek. That…
Today more than ever, visitors to Machu Picchu – and the tour companies that assist them – must practice environmental and social responsibility. Sometimes referred to as eco-tourism, these principles and practices allow visitors to enjoy a rich, interactive experience without exerting any adverse effects on the culture, economy, social structure or natural environment of this unique locale. At SAM Travel Peru, we are committed to operating under truly sustainable principles. As a local tour operator based in Cusco, we lead by example with our environmentally and socially responsible practices, fostering understanding, awareness and respect for this incomparable region. Eco-Tourism & Machu Picchu Whether you prefer eco-tourism or ecotourism, this phrase is used often by tour companies around the world. For tour operators providing treks and trips to Machu Picchu and the surrounding areas, it’s even more common – and for good reason. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Machu Picchu faces countless risks due to its popularity as a tourist destination. Unless tour companies exercise great care, this fragile site and the pristine environment of the region may become irreparably damaged. Not only do the ruins and environment face risks but the culture of the region and the well-being of its indigenous peoples are also vulnerable in a variety of significant ways. Why We Must Be Environmentally & Socially Responsible Environmental responsibility is critical for anyone visiting Cusco, Machu Picchu and any of the surrounding areas. The onus is on tour companies to ensure that their operations have no negative…
Boutique travel to Machu Picchu and alternative locations, including luxury and all-inclusive tour and trek packages, might not hit all the highlights that you’ve dreamed about. If you encounter this challenge, consider booking a customized tour package. When you work with a tour operator who will work with you to customize the adventure of your dreams, you can rest assured that your trip will be everything you imagined it could be. Options for Customizing Your Peru & Machu Picchu Tour Package The popular Machu Picchu travel options include treks up the Inca Trail to the Citadel and traditional (non-hiking) tours. Most travelers use Cusco as a launching point, and many choose to include the Sacred Valley as a part of their adventure. That said, you have a virtually endless supply of other locations to visit, including Salkantay, Lares, Huchuy Qosqo, Choquequirao, Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain. Choquequirao, for example, is home to a truly magnificent archaeological site. You might prefer to add a stop there and take a private tour of the palaces, temple and ritual water fountains. Or perhaps you would prefer to trek from Lares to Machu Picchu, allowing you to meet indigenous peoples in the remote villages along the way. Designing Your Custom Machu Picchu & Peru Itinerary Virtually all of southern Peru and the areas surrounding Machu Picchu offer an unbelievable combination of culture, scenery, history and ecological diversity. So much so, in fact, that you may struggle to decide what you want to include in your…
