Huchuy Qosqo is a perfect trek if you only have a few days in Peru. You will pass through scenic mountains, visit Quechua communities, and explore the famous archeological site of Machu Picchu. This trek begins in Cusco, the ancient capital of the Incan Empire, and ends in Huchuy Qosqo, also known as “small Cusco” in ancient times. The Incas built the Inca trail system through the Andes, and on this trek, we will hike part of the Inca trail. You will pass through stunning mountains, farmlands, and Inca sites. You will also have an opportunity to visit a local family and learn more about Andean life and the cultural traditions still practiced today. The tour will end with a visit to Machu Picchu.
DAY 1: Cusco – Puca Pucara – Pumamarca Community
DAY 2: Pumamarca – Huchuyqosqo – Lamay – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes
DAY 3: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Cusco
Highest Point: 4,100m/13451ft
Distance: 21km/13mi
Overall Difficulty: 1 2 3 4 5
We pick you up from your hotel in Cusco and drive 30 minutes to the Inca site called Puca Pucara (3700m) were we will start our trek. We begin hiking gently uphill for 1.5 hours to get to the first pass (4100m). Here we will enjoy the spectacular views of two valleys. On one side you will see the capital of the Incas, Cusco, containing two Inca sites surrounded by stunning mountains. On the other side there are beautiful landscapes of mountains and farmlands. From the pass we continue along the valley to Queullacocha Lake. The scenery at the lake is quite barren, but in this area it is possible to see a wide variety of birdlife such as Andean Geese, and Lapwings. The area is also home to hundreds of llamas!
Passing over another ridge, we descend to another beautiful lake called Qoricocha Lake (Golden Lake). Two and a half more hours of hiking will bring us to the village of Pumamarca where we will camp. Once we settle in, you will have the opportunity to visit one of the local families and learn about their way of life. If you brought gifts with you, then you can share them with the family. This community is a great place to purchase souvenirs from the Andes.
Meals: L, D
Maximum Altitude: 4,100m / 13,451ft
Minimum Altitude: 3,700m / 12,139ft
Distance: 14km / 8.7mi
Walking time: 7 hours
From Pumamarca we will hike to the Inca site of Huchuy Qosqo, and our path will include a stretch of original Inca trail. Along the way we will pass by many local people tending to their llamas, and our terrain will change from mountains to lush valley. We will pass through an adobe Inca gateway to arrive at the magnificent Inca site of Huchuy Qosco (Little Cusco – 3600m) which is perched above the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Here, you will see amazing Inca buildings, sacred temples, storehouses, Inca terraces for agriculture and an Inca reservoir used to store water in the dry season. Your guide will take you on a tour of the site as he explains the history of the Incas. Afterwards, you will have time to explore the site on your own before we have lunch.
After lunch, we begin our hike downhill to the Sacred Valley. It takes about 2 hours to get to the village of Lamay (2800m) on the Urubamba River where our private transport will be waiting to take us to Ollantaytambo. We will have dinner at a restaurant in Ollantaytambo before taking the 7:00pm train to Aguas Calientes for a night at a hotel.
Meals: B, L
Maximum Altitude: 3,600m / 11,811ft
Minimum Altitude: 2,800m / 9,186ft
Distance: 7km / 4.3mi
Walking time: 4 hours
DAY 3: AGUAS CALIENTES –MACHU PICCHU-CUSCO
You will wake up very early to take one of the first buses to Machu Picchu in order to see the sun rise over the ruins. Your guide will take you on a very informative 3-hour tour, and then you will have plenty of time to explore on your own and/or hike to the Sun Gate or Huayna Picchu.
•Note: If you choose to hike Huayna Picchu, this requires a separate entrance ticket which costs $40 per person and must be purchased online, far in advance of your visit.
In the afternoon, we return to Aguas Calientes and catch the train back to Ollantaytambo. There, a private van will take you back to your hotel in Cusco.
Meals: B
PRICES:
PRICE: $650 USD per person when booking 2 people
PRICE: $610 USD per person when booking 3 people
PRICE: $570 USD per person when booking 4 people
PRICE: $530 USD per person when booking 5-6 people
PRICE: $500 USD per person when booking 7- 9 people