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The Vilcabamba region was a pivotal location at the tail end of the Inca Empire. It was here that the last remnants of the Inca Empire fled after a series of battles against the Spanish conquistadors, forming the new capital of the Neo-Inca State in 1539. The Inca emperor, Manco Inca, took his people to this remote location, where the Incas hoped to hold out against the unceasing hostility of the Spanish, to preserve their knowledge, their culture, their freedom and their lives. In 1572, however, the Spanish made a final raid on the Inca’s remote jungle capital, which by then was a city of four hundred houses. The Incas were defeated, and their Empire fell soon after.
It is this story of survival and battle that goes with us on our five-day trek along the route to and through Vilcabamba and then on to Machu Picchu. For anyone interested in the history of the Incas, this trek is hard to beat. It’s also a spectacular route in terms of scenery, passing through high tropical forests and between snow-capped mountain peaks. The route is also far less traveled than the Inca Trail and other alternative treks, making it ideal for anyone who really wants to get away from it all, to experience a far-flung adventure in the footsteps of the last Incas, where few have gone before. Why don’t you try off season? March, April, September and October are particularly good months, either side of high season, the weather is still decent and there are even fewer people!
Special features of our Vilcabamba Trek to Machu Picchu:
Type of Tourism: Trekking, Hiking and Cultural
Places To Visit: Cusco, Sacred Valley, Vilcabamba Trek to Machu Picchu
Duration: 8 Days and 7 Nights
Type of Service: some tours are small group service tours and other tours are private
Accommodation: 4 star hotels at every destination that you will visit. These hotels had been carefully chosen and we can guarantee that you will feel comfortable and pampered
Arrival to Cusco with a transfer to your hotel; a welcome meeting will be organized by your guide for a quick briefing of the tour. The rest of the day can be spent exploring Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, set in the Andes Mountains. Discover Spanish churches and mansions that sit alongside Inca remains, visit the local market of San Pedro and their array of products from handicrafts to vegetable products, fresh juices and items for traditional Andean ceremonies. ...
After breakfast, enjoy a free day to explore Cusco at your ease. The capital city of the Inca Empire is now the undisputed archaeological capital of the Americas, as well as the continent’s oldest continuously inhabited city. You may visit the local archaeological sites of Saqsaywaman, Tambomachay and Qenqo or you can take part in a Peruvian cooking class or chocolate making class, depending on how you want to spend your free day. We can help arrange and suggest all activities a...
Today, our adventure begins when we pick you up from your hotel in Cusco. It will be an early start, as we have plenty of ground to cover before we reach Vilcabamba. We will take the road to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, passing the town of Ollantaytambo before rising up over a mountain pass called the Abra Málaga. We’ll then descend through the puna towards the high jungle and the Vilcabamba area.
Our first stop will be at the archaeological site of...
Today, our trek begins early in the morning, as we have a lot of trekking ahead of us, on what is probably the hardest day of all. We’ll first climb up through the ravine of the Pumachaka River to the Chupana sector of Vilcabamba, where the river begins. Here we will find sections of an old Inca trail, which we will follow, passing through different ecological zones: Quechua montane valleys, cold and dry Suni, and puna shrublands. Among the diverse local flora, we’ll see p...
After an early breakfast, we’ll set of on another tough trek through some mountain passes. First we’ll take the path that climbs to the Yanacocha mountain pass, where we’ll walk through a forest of native qeuña and kiswar trees, at about 4,500 m. From the pass, we’ll have wonderful views of the surrounding landscape and across Yanacocha Lake. Next we’ll hike to the Mojon pass, the last high pass on our trek. Standing here on the rugged puna, you&rs...
Today, we’ll cover the most distance of any day so far, but now we’ll be at a lower altitude, making things much easier. There are also no more mountain passes to tackle! After breakfast we’ll begin our trek with a downhill hike through a spectacular native forest, heading towards the town of Yanatile. The environment will slowly change as we make our way along the trail, turning from temperature jungle into the coffee and fruit plantations that are typical of this a...
To best appreciated Machu Picchu, we’ll wake up early in the morning on Day 5 so we can get to the citadel in good time. You’ll have time for breakfast in Aguas Calientes first, and then your guide will pick you up from the hotel at around 5:40 a.m. We’ll then walk to the bus departure point for the short but zigzagging ascent up the road to Machu Picchu.
We’ll then pass through the gates into the Machu Picchu archaeological site. Here you&r...
After breakfast enjoy your last day at leisure before transferring to the airport for your return flight home via Lima.