Hiking to Machu Picchu - The Path Less Travelled

Trek through stunning scenery staying in comfortable lodges
Travel to Machu Picchu on trails less travelled
Support local communities in this remote area
Gain an insight into the rich cultural heritage

Your adventure starts in Cuzco, where you meet your fellow adventurers. Enjoy a briefing with your expedition leaders offering tips and advice about the next week of your lives adding a taster of some of the amazing delights that you will witness.

This trip is not only designed to offer you the chance to explore little visited regions in Peru and reach Machu Picchu from the path less travelled, but is also designed to allow you an insight into the rich cultural heritage of the area.

You will have time to visit the local villages in this surrounding area and experience a number of sustainable tourism projects, including colourful textile weaving, for which Peru is perhaps famously known.

The enchanting valley of Soraypampa is the starting point of the four-day trek to Machu Picchu itself, one that is much less travelled but more scenic and exclusive than the famous “Inca Trail” offered by many companies. However, the wilderness experience does not mean you are without home comforts as we use the best mountain eco-lodges in the region. Trekkers spend one night each at three lodges located at strategic points along the route, Huayraccmachay, Collpapampa and Lucmabamba, each with their own sense of style and comfort, with hot water and private bathrooms – not to mention incredible views.

Highlights include a hike up the Rio Blanco valley, circling Humantay Peak across from the Salkantay, with the highest point on the trek being a pass at 4,600 m (15,000 ft). At the pass you can view the breathtaking snow-capped peaks of the Vilcabamba Range in every direction, the south face of Salkantay towering above us, where you can see Andean Condors soaring above.

Tour Date
26 August 2010 - 06 September 2010 (12 days)

Costs
From: £2,695 per person based on sharing a twin/double room.