You're out of breath. But that's okay. It gives you an excuse to stop and gaze. At the stunning views. At the incredible Inca stonework. At the kids enraptured. Not that you need an excuse. It's only human to pause in the presence of natural beauty, of engineering genius, of youthful wonderment. You'd better get used to it. It'll happen time and again this week. From Sacsayhuamán to the Inca salt pans, from Cusco's market to Ollantaytambo's school. All the way to magical Machu Picchu it'll happen. Long after you're used to the altitude.
Permits to hike the Inca Trail are extremely limited. We recommend booking a minimum of 4-6 months prior to departure in order to significantly increase your chance of securing a permit. If permits are unavailable during some seasons, you will take a train to Aguas Calientes, bus to the entrance and hike into Machu Picchu.
Days 1-2 Local guides share deep insight into Peru's culture and ancient civilizations
Explore Cusco, once the center of the pre-Columbian Inca Empire Visit Coricancha, a Spanish Colonial church built atop the ruins of an Inca temple Kids make traditional Andean pan flutes (zamponas) with a local Cusqueño musician in his instrument workshop Our local guide shares deep insight into Peru's culture and ancient civilizations as we journey through Puca Pucara, Q'enko, Temple of the Moon and Sacsayhuamán A long-time friend and Quechua shaman will teach us the meaning of his indigenous "Pago a la Tierra" ceremony A private live performance of Andean folk music accompanies our picnic in a secluded mountain meadow Discover the superb collection at Cusco's Museum of Pre-Columbian Art.
Day 3 Las Salineras, a stunningly beautiful honeycomb of tiered pools,
where salt has been raked and gathered by families for generations Check out the Colonial church in Chinchero, at 12,400 feet, where residents still wear traditional clothing and live in ancestral homes Bike along dirt roads through the altiplano and Sacred Valley amid a panorama of snowy peaks and traditional villages In Moray, learn how the Inca ingeniously farmed using high-altitude terraces.
Days 4-5 Engage with Quechua culture in a weaving community well off the beaten path,
where master weavers work While grown-ups explore Ollantaytambo's enigmatic ruins, youngsters visit a school and its students Visit the world-renowned ceramics studio of Pablo Seminario Adults enjoy a private dinner at the historical Hacienda Huayoccari while kids participate in an interactive mask-making activity with artisans, followed by dinner at a local home Pedal on paved and dirt roads through the Sacred Valley Explore the ruins at Pisac offering sweeping vistas Kids take part in a fun market challenge Interested in shopping for alpaca sweaters or decorative gourds? You'll find plenty to choose from at the Pisac market A culinary highlight is our exclusive Peruvian cuisine cooking class with Sol y Luna's chef.
Days 6-8 Machu Picchu: the incredible "Lost City of the Incas"
After a train ride, hike the Gate of the Sun trail for a bird's-eye view of Machu Picchu (you may have the option to take the famed Inca Trail) Spend a second full day exploring the "Lost City," contemplating its exquisite stonework and mysterious astrological designs Spend a second full day exploring the "Lost City" A local expert provides insight into the exquisite stonework and mysterious astrological designs of this sacred site Stroll through the grounds of the Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel with a local naturalist to learn more about the local flora and fauna.
Trip Highlights
- Our local guide shares deep insight into Peru's culture and ancient civilizations
- Machu Picchu: the incredible "Lost City of the Incas"
- Kids make Peruvian masks and Andean pan flutes
- Interact with schoolchildren in Ollantaytambo and visit a weaving community in Huilloc
- Cusco, alive with the energy of the Inca and history of the Spanish conquistadors
- Hike to impressive ruins: Tambo Machay, Temple of the Moon and others
- Cooking class of Peruvian cuisine - fun for the whole family!
Premiere Inns
Hotel Monasterio (2 nights): "An outstanding Orient-Express property housed within a converted 16th-century monastery situated just a short stroll from the Plaza de Armas," says Andrew Harper. Condé Nast Traveler Gold List; Travel + Leisure World's Best.
Sol y Luna Lodge (3 nights): "An unpretentious but impeccably maintained lodge set in a wonderful garden surrounded by mountains," according to the Hideaway Report. (pool, spa, tennis)
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel (2 nights): This hotel with Andean-style casitas is just minutes from the ruins of Machu Picchu. Condé Nast Traveler Gold List; Travel + Leisure World's Best. (pool, spa)
Routes 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.
| Daily Route Options | |||||||||||
| Day | Activity | EASYGOING | ACTIVE | AVID | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | |||||||
| miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | ||
| 1 | Other | Cusco guided walk (3.5 hours) | |||||||||
| Kids | Pan flute making class (1 hour) | ||||||||||
| 2 | Walking | 3.4* | 500 | 5.0* | 600 | 5.6 | 600 | ||||
| 3 | Biking | 6* | 100 | 20 | 600 | ||||||
| Biking | 11* | 300 | |||||||||
| Biking | 14* | 400 | |||||||||
| Walking | 2.2 | 0 | |||||||||
| 4 | Walking | 1.9* | 500 | 4.0 | 1200 | ||||||
| Walking | 2.8 | 700 | |||||||||
| Other | Ollantaytambo ruins guided walk (0.6 miles) | ||||||||||
| Kids | Morning: Activities in Ollantaytambo (2 hours) | ||||||||||
| Kids | Evening: Mask making (2 hours) | ||||||||||
| 5 | Biking | 11* | 100 | 19 | 200 | 27 | 300 | ||||
| Biking | 15* | 100 | |||||||||
| Walking | 1.6 | 0 | |||||||||
| 6 | Walking | 2.2* | 800 | 5.5 | 1700 | 6.8 | 2200 | ||||
| 7 | Walking | 2.0 | 2000 | ||||||||
| Other | Machu Picchu guided walk (3 hours) | ||||||||||
| 8 | Other | Early-morning naturalist walk (45 minutes) | |||||||||
On this trip, we'll be using titanium mountain bikes that are just right for the non-technical dirt road riding as well as the paved riding. (approximately 70% dirt and 30% paved).
* Includes a shuttle
2013 Dates & Pricing*
FAMILY TRIPS
- 7/30-8/6 Price: $5398 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1180 for sgl. occ.)
*Prices may change. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed.
2014 Dates & Pricing*
FAMILY TRIPS
- 3/23-30 Price: $4998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $970 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/15-22 Price: $4998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $970 for sgl. occ.)
- 6/29-7/6 Price: $4998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $970 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/8-15 Price: $4998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $970 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/29-8/5 Price: $4998 pp dbl. occ., (+ $970 for sgl. occ.)
*Prices may change. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed.
Recommended Kids Ages
Minimum Ages:
- Recommended minimum age for the trip: 12 years
- Minimum age restriction to ride own bike: 9 years
- No Burleys or Piccolos available on this trip
General Info on Minimum Ages:
We strongly encourage families to join our Family Trips, designed with kid- and adult-friendly features. Please note that we have a minimum age requirement of 1 year for all Inn trips and 2 years for all Camping trips. Other than that, we do not restrict trips to a minimum age except in the rare case of a hotel age restriction. We do, however, recommend minimum ages based on the following criteria:- 12+ amount of cultural appreciation, difficulty of activities, routes
- 9+ difficulty of activities/activity age restrictions, routes
- 6+ several longer dinners, routes are difficult for pulling a Burley and therefore not appropriate for younger children, difficulty of activities/activity age restrictions
Guest Trip Reviews
A fabulous and challenging trip! I especially enjoyed the cultural experiences with the Peruvian people.- Raleigh, NC
I was a little skeptical whether or not the trip would be worth the cost - especially relative to other companies. We just got home and I've already started looking into our next trip with Backroads - within 2 days of returning home! It's when traveling in countries that have language barriers and some instability, like the strike we experienced in Peru, that Backroads Leaders really shine. There was no stress - for us! We were also pleasantly surprised that the biking and hiking were as long and challenging as they were. It's always easier to make a long ride shorter and keep everyone happy, than to have the longest ride not be challenging enough for all. This was perfect!.- Calgary, AB
The plans for my children were ideal. One of my sons went on the scavenger hunt the first day and one went with the adults. Both of them were gushing enthusiasm at the end of the day. The rest of the trip was similar. The flexibility shown for our children was ideal.- Houston, TX