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Route Rating Level 2 to Level 4

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Premiere Inns
  • From $4,398
    To $4,598 pp dbl. occ.
  • (+From $900 To $1,390
    for sgl. occ.)

Reserve early for the best available price. More Info

7 DAYS, 6 NIGHTS
ROLLOVER DATES BELOW FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
2008 DATES
CLASSIC TRIPS
2009 DATES
CLASSIC TRIPS
2010 DATES
CLASSIC TRIPS
ROLLOVER DATES ABOVE FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
TRIP NOTES

All meals included except 2 lunches.

Cancellation Policy

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Meet / Depart

Cusco, Peru

Special Interest

Culture & History, Exotic Adventure, Geological Wonders, Natural Beauty &/or Wildlife, Rainforest Exploration, Romance &/or Honeymoon

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Contact Us

Call: 800-462-2848
or 510-527-1555
Fax: 510-527-1444
E-mail us

801 Cedar St.
Berkeley, CA 94710

Business Hours:
7 days a week
from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time

Or contact your travel agent

Peru Walking Tour

Peru Hiking

From Cusco to Machu Picchu

With legendary Machu Picchu as its centerpiece, this Backroads hiking adventure offers an intimate introduction to Peru’s bounty of cultural and geographic treasures. Join us to trace the path of an ancient civilization, beginning in Cusco, where Inca-built stone walls attest to its long history. Venture into the Sacred Valley of the Incas, where relics and ruins of the distant past still shape the vibrant Andean culture of the present. Visit colorful Quechua markets, marvel at towering glacier-capped peaks and, finally, feel your heart race as you follow a stretch of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, one of the world’s most magnificent archaeological wonders.  

Permits to hike the Inca Trail are extremely limited, we recommend booking a minimum of 4-6 months prior to departure date in order to increase the chances of acquiring authorization. If permits are unavailable during some seasons we will take a train to Aguas Calientes, bus to the entrance and hike into Machu Picchu.

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Days 1-2 Cusco

Meet in Cusco, which rests at 11,200 feet Take a guided walk through the cobbled stairways of the historic city center and view the remains of Coricancha, once the Inca empire’s grandest temple  Hike in the hills above Cusco to Tambo Machay  After a picnic lunch, continue to the Temple of the Moon  Accompanied by our local guide, investigate the extraordinary Sacsayhuaman ruin, called the "Stonehenge of the Andes."

Days 3-4 Urubamba

High above the Urubamba River Valley, hike through the altiplano and ancient salt pans, which are still farmed today Rub elbows with the locals at Pisac’s lively market In the peaceful town of Ollantaytambo, climb the ruins of an Inca temple and fortress before walking along the terraced river valley  Journey into a remote valley to visit local school children and a weaving community hidden in the hills Back in Urubamba, take the opportunity to shop for Andean ceramics crafted using traditional Inca techniques.

Days 5-7 aguas calientes

After a morning train ride, hike on the Inca Trail - still lined with ancient stones and stairs - and arrive at the "Gate of the Sun" for an unforgettable view of Machu Picchu  Spend the next day strolling through Machu Picchu to view the Lost City’s intricate stonework and mysterious religious designs Feeling intrepid? Summit Huayna Picchu for a bird’s-eye look at the ruins  Return by train to Ollantaytambo, where we catch a bus bound for Cusco.

Route Rating What's this? Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Each offers options for more or less activity, so you can decide exactly how much you want to do day by day.

Lodging What's this? Our lodgings are divided into three different categories.

Premiere Inns:These lodgings possess both elegance and authentic regional flair.

Casual Inns:These lodgings are comfortable and appropriate to the areawith such characteristics as authenticity, scenic settings and proximity to our activities.

Deluxe Camping:We set up the tents (and take them down), handle every camp chore and perform culinary magic.

Detailed Itinerary

Reserve This Trip!

Guest Trip Reviews

Another great trip full of new experiences, people and culture. But, most of all I love your flexibility. You offer levels for everyone, from the die-hard to the not so die-hard. I can say this is one of the main reasons why I'm coming back to Backroads. It's beginning to feel like family whenever I contact you.
Evi Alford - Campbell, CT

More Reviews of this Trip

All Guest Reviews

For more than 30 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Peru tour experts. For walking tours and hiking tours in Latin America, trust our in-depth connections. To see all our Latin America walking tours and hiking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Latin America biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Latin America multisport tours click here.

Peru Hiking

INCA HOSPITALITY: Premiere Inns

Hotel Monasterio

Cusco (2 nights): A five-star hotel, originally a 17th-century seminary, with a tranquil courtyard and garden and refined Spanish-Colonial décor.

Sol y Luna Hotel

Urubamba (2 nights): At this beautiful hotel in the Sacred Valley, enjoy the pool and admire the views from the terrace of your private bungalow. Or, Willka T’ika, an acclaimed retreat with Spanish-Colonial garden cottages.

Inkaterra Machu Picchu Hotel

Aguas Calientes (2 nights): This graceful Peruvian hotel, with charming adobe cabañas surrounded by tropical gardens and a pool, is embellished with traditional handicrafts and stylish furnishings, and is 100 percent carbon neutral.

Peru Hiking Peru Hiking

Sol y Luna Hotel

Peru Hiking

Route Rating

Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Day 1
  • Level 1 1 Route Option Available
  • Walking Tour of Cusco 3.5 hours
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 2
  • Levels 1 to 3 3 Route Options Available
  • Walking 3.5, 5, 5.6 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 3
  • Levels 1 to 3 3 Route Options Available
  • 2.2, 4.4, 6.2 miles
  • 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
Day 4
  • Levels 1 to 3 3 Route Options Available
  • 1.9, 2.8, 4.7 miles
  • 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
Day 5
  • Levels 1 to 3 2 Route Options Available
  • 2.2, 6.8 miles
  • 500 - 2500 feet elevation gain
Day 6
  • Levels 1 to 2 2 Route Options Available
  • 2.2, 3.7 miles
  • 0 - 2000 feet elevation gain
  • Guided Tour of Machu Picchu
Day 7
  • Conclusion of Trip

* Please note that altitude will increase the perceived difficulty of some routes.  

Peru Hiking Peru Hiking

Trips For All Abilities

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Activity Level Average Time Average Distance
    Biking Walking
& Hiking
1 2-3
hours		 10-20
miles		 2-5
miles
2 2-4
hours		 21-30
miles		 5-7
miles
3 3-5
hours		 31-40
miles		 7-9
miles
4 4-6
hours		 41-55
miles		 9-11
miles
5 5-7+
hours		 56-75+
miles		 11-13+
miles