Huchuy Qosqo Trek 3 Days

Day 1: Tambomachay to Pumamarca

At 06:00 am our private transport will pick you up from your hotels and bring you to Tambomachay (3700m). We’ll begin our hike on an ancient Inca Trail used to travel to the Sacred Valley, Pisac and probably all the way to Machupicchu! From here you can observe panoramic views of traditional neighborhoods such as Santa Ana, Santiago, Puquinetc, and the valley of Qorao. To the left side of the path we’ll see ancient Incan terraces used by farmers to maximize crops. Then we’ll continue our descent along the trail where you’ll see beautifully green valleys for as far as the eye can see as we cross into high open country. At the top, we’ll see Lake Qoricocha (Golden Lake), where we’ll descend for twenty minutes until we reach our lunch spot.

After lunch we’ll continue to climb another 300m to reach the highest point at 4380m. From here there are great views of Chincheros, Piuray lake, Salkantay, and Veronica. Then it’s a 1-2 hour walk down to Pucamamarca (3,980m), our camping spot. We’ll set up camp and enjoy our dinner underneath the stars.

Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Maximum Altitude: 4350m
Minimum Altitude: 3700m
Distance Travelled:16 km
Approximate Walking Time: 6-7 hours

Day 2: Huchuy Qosqo, Taucca, Chincheros, train to Aguas Calientes, Machupicchu.

Early wake up at 6:00 am, breakfast, and then we’ll leave our campsite by 07:00am. It’s an easy walk to the end of the valley, through a narrow canyon, where we’ll be able to see a recently restored trail with wooden bridges. Huchuy Qosqu is only a one hour walk from here. We’ll have a guided tour for 1.5 hours and after, time visit and explore this interesting Inca complex on your own. Huchuy Qosqo was originally an administrative and military center. At 10:00am we’ll continue our hike for nearly three hours until we reach Taucca Pass (4400 m). From here we’ll begin our last gentle descent for one hour until we stop for lunch. After lunch, our private vehicle will transport us to Chincheros, then Ollantaytambo, where at 16:30 pm we’ll board our train to Aguas Calientes. Here, our guide will take you to your hostel for the night. There will be an opportunity for you to visit the hot springs at this time. At dinner, your guide will inform you about our plans for Machu Picchu the next morning.

Please Note: If some passengers experience altitude problems or find the hike too difficult, there is an option to walk down from Huchuy Qosqo to Lamay in the Sacred Valley, where our vehicle will transport you to Ollantaytambo to board the train to Aguas Calientes.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hostel in Aguas Calientes
Maximum Altitude: 4450m
Minimum Altitude: 3900m
Distance Travelled:12km
Approximate Walking Time: 5-6 hours

Day 3: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Cusco

We’ll wake up at 4:00am to have breakfast before the first bus to Machupicchu departs at 5:30am. Just 30 minutes on the bus and we are at the entrance of Machupicchu, ready for our guided visit! Our expert tour guide will explain to you the most remarkable temples, residences, and alters, while providing relevant history and archaeological information. After the guided tour you will have extra time to explore by yourself. By 14:30 pm we’ll take a bus back to Aguas Calientes for lunch. At 16.45 pm we board a return train to Poroy station (25 minutes from Cusco). Private transport will return you to your hotel in Cusco.