Machu Picchu + Humantay Lake 6D/5N

Upon arrival at Cusco Airport, our team will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. You'll be welcomed with a warm cup of coca tea — the traditional Andean remedy that helps your body adjust to the altitude. You will have a free afternoon to acclimatize, as the city of Cusco is at an altitude of 3,399 m (11,151 feet). 

We suggest a visit to the Plaza de Armas with its colonial and Inca temples, The Regional History Museum, The Contemporary Art Museum, the Museum of The Qoricancha, and the Museum of popular art. These places will make your trip an even more unforgettable experience and give you the perfect insight into local culture. 

It is important to drink plenty of water at high elevations to help with acclimatization. During your first few days at altitude, stick to light meals, as digestion slows down. Later on, you will have the opportunity to try the famous guinea pig—a dish revered since Inca times, remaining a iconic delicacy in the Andes reserved for special occasions and celebrations.

If you're feeling well, consider visiting the Centro Qosqo of Native Art — a spectacular show of traditional dances, costumes, and music that begins at 7:00 PM.  But, the show begins at 7pm, but we recommend that you arrive 30 minutes earlier and wait in line, as many people want to go to the see this unique spectacular. If you have the “boleta turistica” included in your package, you will have free access to this incredible show.

• Tip: Drink coca tea each morning. It helps with acclimatization. Avoid it late in the evening — it has a similar effect to caffeine. Stay hydrated, eat light, and wear comfortable walking shoes.
• Overnight: Hotel in Cusco  
• Meals: None  
• Check-in: 12:00 PM | Check-out: 9:00 AM

After breakfast and your morning coca tea, we begin our Cusco city tour — a journey through 3,000 years of history. First, we visit the Plaza de Armas, built on the foundations of the Temple of Inca Wiracocha, and the Cathedral, which houses over 300 paintings belonging to the Cusco School of Art.  Next, we visit Qorikancha, the Quechua name for 'Temple of Gold.' As the most sacred site in the Inca Empire, this magnificent temple—the first built by the Incas—was once adorned with extraordinary amounts of gold and silver. 

We leave the city center to visit Sacsayhuaman, the monumental fortress built with megalithic stones weighing over 150 tonnes. During Inca times, it was the Temple of Lightning, dedicated to the deity Illapa. Nearby, Q'enqo — a sacred site carved into living rock, where the Incas made offerings to Mother Earth. Then Puka Pukara, the "Red Castle," and Tambomachay, a temple dedicated to the cult of water, believed to have served as a purification bath for Inca governors. We return to Cusco in the afternoon, dropping you at your hotel or the Plaza de Armas.

• Overnight: Hotel in Cusco
• Meals: breakfast

Today you discover the Sacred Valley of the Incas —  the fertile heartland where ancient civilizations flourished between Cusco and Machu Picchu.

After breakfast, we arrive at the artisan community of Pisac, where local craftsmen have preserved textile techniques passed down through generations. You'll watch them work, learn about their methods, and have the chance to purchase authentic Peruvian textiles — pieces of genuine Andean artistry you won't find anywhere else in the world. 

From there, we climb to the hilltop archaeological site of Pisac: a stunning complex of agricultural terraces and ceremonial structures cascading down the mountainside, with panoramic views of the valley below. The stonework here speaks to the precision of Inca engineering, set against some of the most dramatic scenery in the Andes. We descend to the town of Pisac and its famous handicraft market, where local artisans sell handmade goods using ancestral techniques — textiles, ceramics, silver jewelry, and traditional Andean crafts. 

Continuing through the Sacred Valley, we stop in Urubamba for lunch. The meal features local specialties: ceviche, Andean soups, roasted guinea pig, seasonal salads, and traditional desserts — a genuine taste of Peruvian cuisine at one of the valley's finest tourist restaurants. After lunch, we visit the imposing fortress of Ollantaytambo — a strategic Inca stronghold built to guard the entrance to the valley. Walk through its narrow cobblestone streets and you'll feel the layers of history: military outposts, religious temples, and residential quarters that reveal how this site functioned as a living center of Inca power. 

As the afternoon fades, we board the tourist train to Aguas Calientes — the town at the base of Machu Picchu. The journey follows the Vilcanota River through a narrowing valley, and with each mile, the anticipation builds. Tomorrow, you meet the legend. On arrival, your hotel representative will be waiting to take you to your accommodation.

• Overnight: Hotel in Aguas Calientes
• Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Early in the morning, your guide collects you from the hotel for the 30-minute bus ride up to the Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu also known as “The lost city of The Incas”. As the citadel emerges from the morning mist, you'll understand why this is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. On arrival at the citadel with your guide, we will queue at the entrance to Machu Picchu and we will begin our tour of this mind-blowing, archaeological site. Your guide leads you through the Plaza Mayor, the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana (Sacred Sundial), the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows, and the Temple of the Condor — each one a masterpiece of Inca engineering and spiritual design. After the guided tour, you'll have time to take photos before descending by bus to Aguas Calientes for lunch in one of the many restaurants (important: lunch is not included). In the afternoon, we board the train back to Ollantaytambo, where a representative will assist you to the bus station for your transfer back to your hotel in Cusco.

• Overnight: Hotel in Cusco
• Meals: Breakfast

We depart early for one of the most breathtaking hikes in the Peruvian Andes. The drive takes us through traditional Andean villages and the town of Mollepata, where we stop for breakfast before continuing to Soraypampa — the starting point of the trek. Along the way, your guide shares insights into the local flora, fauna, and the customs of the communities that have inhabited these highlands for centuries. 

From Soraypampa, the hike to Humantay Lake takes approximately two hours — a steady ascent through open highland terrain that rewards you with one of the most photographed landscapes in Peru. The turquoise waters of the lagoon sit at 4,200 meters, framed by the massive glaciers of Humantay and Salkantay. The contrast of color against stone, water against sky, creates a scene that stays with you long after you descend. After time to absorb the view, we return to Soraypampa for the drive back to Mollepata, where a buffet lunch awaits — traditional dishes prepared with local ingredients. We return to Cusco by evening.

• Overnight: Hotel in Cusco
• Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Depending on your flight time, we transfer you to Cusco Airport for your departure. Take a moment to look back at the mountains that held you for six days. This marks the end of our services.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Check in: 12:00 / Check out : 9:00 am