MULTISPORT EXPERIENCE IN THE ANDES: 8D7N

DAY 1 – Sacred valley Pisac and Ollantaytambo archaelogical sites

We pick you up at Cusco. After a one-hour drive, we arrive in the Sacred Valley.We will explore the Inca outpost of Pisac and go on nice two-hour hike

Beginning in 1200, the quest for increased territory and natural resources brought the Inca Empire into the Sacred Valley and the jungles of Cusco and Madre de Dios, and that is where Pisac was built. Pisac served as an Inca out post with and administrative, military and astronomical. This was a strategic location to control and conquer other ethnic groups. From here expansion continued northward to where Ollantaytambo is now. Here on the mountain were some of the best corn and crops in the World. There are impressive stone structures remaining and the site is connected by Inca roads. When you visit, you can hike to the cemetery where skulls of puma and religious icons have been found. Hiking further to the religious area you will see a beautiful stone temple carve of fine masonry. The temples were dedicated to the sun, the moon, and the star deities. They are all aligned to the astronomical and solar events. then we will go to the traditional Pisac market. We will take a short break for lunch in the valley.

We then drive one more hour to the archaeological site of the Ollantaytambo Inca fortress where we will embark on a two-hour hike and tour of the ruins.

During the Inca expansion in the 1400s, Ollantaytambo was a fortified city, a fortified fortress, and “Tambo” or administrative center. The stone was quarried across the river and the river itself was a means to carry all the material from across the valley to the site, where materials could then be carried by using rollers ramps and man power. Using mostly huge pink or red perfidious granite rock, weighing 20-80 tons, they carved with extraordinary precision. Here the Incas constructed temples dedicated to the sun and to Mother Earth or Pachamama. This site is aligned to the winter and summer Solstices and to the spring and autumn equinox. This was one of the last refuges for the Incas before they fled to the jungle to regroup, recover, and fight the Spanish forces again. Ollantaytambo was used for administrative purposes, also as a religious retreat and military station. It was a strategic location between three valleys connected to important sites by Inca roads. The Sacred Valley was important because during the expansion of the Inca towards the sacred valley it was the main source of sustenance for the nobility. An important agricultural location, it was used to acclimate crops and fruit trees from the high and the low jungles. Manco Inca also fought to protect territory from the Spanish forces that had several battle ships in the area. Construction never was finished likely because the Inca civil war interfered and then the Spanish forces conquered the Inca in 1536.

All these beautiful buildings were occupied by royalty, nobility and important people and their entourages. These were palaces, religious retreats, plazas, palaces, ceremonial places, astronomical observatories and they also served as military stations, store houses, granaries, and terraces for farming, all connected by Inca roads. Construction included existing rock, the small valley itself, and the mountain. Fine masonry and well carved, well-polished stonework, all assembled without mortar. The work was done by laborers from elsewhere who used ramps, rollers, and manpower.

Eventually returning to stay overnight in the hotel in the Sacred Valley,Ollantaytambo.Next day we will take the trian to the short inka trail.

DAY 2 – White Water Rafting

It will be an early breakfast today and a one and a half hour drive to the river. We will start the river trip following the safety instructions and equipment preparation. Beginners and more experienced rafters will all enjoy this section of spirited class III and class IV rapids. We will have a great time on the water for about three hours and we will stop for a picnic lunch. Afterwards we return to the hotel near the Ollantaytambo Fortress and explore the historic site. We cover a distance of 18 kilometers today. (L)

DAY 3 – Mountain Bike

After breakfast and a one hour drive, we begin a mountain biking trail that is rated easy to moderate. This takes us to the area of Moray, covering about 35 kilometers in three to four hours. Here we visit the archaeological site of Moray, which is known to be one of the experimental fields for agriculture. The trail then takes us down to the Salt Mines at Maras. We have a picnic lunch and the rest of the afternoon is free or optional visit to pottery workshop.(L)

DAY 4 – Inca trail

FIRST OPTION: Inca trail 104 km Inca trail. (Depending the space available).

We board the morning train at the Ollantaytambo station and ride for about one hour until we approach the kilometer 104km marker of the train line. The Inca trail begins here at Chachabamba, at 2100 meters. It is a two and a half hour hike to the archaeological site of Wiñay Huayna at 2920 meters. Wiñay Huayna means “forever young” in the native Quechua language. Here we partake of well-earned lunch and snacks and visit this beautiful site. Two hours more of beautiful hiking on a paved trail brings us to the Sun Gate, where we will have our first stunning view of Machu Picchu. This is the perfect moment for our first introductory briefing about this great Inca site. We hike down to the look out point where we will enjoy great views of the site. From there, the bus carries us down to the town of Aguas Calientes where we can enjoy either a bath in the local hot springs or good shower at the hotel.
We cover 8 miles today. D. hotel included (B, L,).

SECOND OPTION:

Different trails around Machu Picchu Citadel: Intipunku, Machu Picchu Mountain, Huayna Picchu Mountain, Putucusi Mountain, Inca bridge trail, Huchuy Picchu trail, Temple of the Moon trail.
Today our one and a half hour train ride takes us to Machu Picchu district area at about 2060 meters. The train takes us through different ecosystems and archaeological sites along the mythic Urubamba River, which is one of the main sources of the Amazon River. After checking in at the hotel we will go to the bus station and continue by bus for 25 minutes to the archeological site. A private guide will take us on a spectacular tour through the archaeological site. We will have a light lunch and break on site. Upon returning to the town, we will go for a beautiful two-hour, 4 kilometer hike on part of the original Inca road with great views of Machu Picchu from a distance. On this Inca trail, the Sun Gate or “Inti Punku” at 2750 meters is an excellent spot for memorable views and photos. From this remarkable place we see parts of the ancient trail that began in Cusco, almost four hundred years ago. It was a network of trails built during Pachacutec Great Empire, approximately from 1438 to 1472. On this trail we will see several species of orchid and many different birds. If we are lucky we will see some humming birds, a native wren called the “Inca Wren” and several other species.
Today’s hike is good preparation for the second day of hikes that will take us on Inca stone paths that are original from the Inca imperial times, in the area around Machu Picchu, at 2450 meters. We return to the hotel late in the afternoon, after sunset. Dinner out, Optional hot springs visit.(L)

DAY 5 – Machu Picchu

Today we have the tour of the ancient city.Machu Picchu is situated at the beginning, or “eye brow”, of the cloud forest. This allowed access to different altitudes, each with unique ecological conditions. The crops found at Machu Picchu include different varieties of corn, chilies, quinoa, tomatoes, trees, potatoes, suggesting that this was a good place to acclimate and domesticate species from the high and low jungles that later would be successfully introduced into the hanging valleys and elsewhere.This small valley was suitable for the building of temples and astronomical observatories.

Original discover by Agustin Lizarraga a Peruvian local from Cusco who inhabit a farm and explorer who discover Machu picchu in 1902.Nine years after Hiram Bingham rediscover Machu picchu in 1911.

By analysis of soil, seeds, wood, and bones, Carbon Dating situates Incas in the area during the mid-1400s to mid-1500s. Machu Picchu was built by the Inca number 9 who named it “Pachacutek” or “Cusi Yupanqui”. Throughout the site, there is fine masonry and beautiful stonework, all of which is done without mortar. Construction used outside sources for laborers and two large granite quarries nearby. It is believed that the site was occupied by royalty and dignitaries, and that it was visited by the Inca and his entourage or royal court. Even though it was never quite completed, local scholars and historians believe that within a mere 100 years Machu Picchu was built, inhabited, and abandoned.

Several roads connect to bring pilgrims and essential supplies to Machu Picchu, the site of temples and astronomical observatories dedicated to the sun, moon, stars, the universe, the mother earth temple “Pachamama” and the creator “Wiracocha”.

All these beautiful buildings were occupied by royalty, nobility and important people and their entourages. These were palaces, religious retreats, plazas, palaces, ceremonial places, astronomical observatories and they also served as military stations, store houses, granaries, and terraces for farming, all connected by Inca roads. Construction included existing rock, the small valley itself, and the mountain. Fine masonry and well carved, well-polished stonework, all assembled without mortar. The work was done by laborers from elsewhere who used ramps, rollers, and manpower.

And then there is free time to relax, meditate or go on short hikes up one of the nearby mountains, Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu.

We have lunch in town, visit the market and take the train back to Cusco..

DAY 6 – Archaeology sites, Hiking Cusco.

Today is for touring the archaeological sites in the capital of the Inca Empire. We will visit first the formal religious center of the Inca religion “Koricancha”

Koricancha was the main temple built in the 1200s and rebuilt in the 1400s by Pachacutec, the 9th Inca leader. Similar to the Greek Parthenon, this is where all deities were. Just as Mecca is sacred to Muslims, Koricancha was sacred to the Incas who all visited at least once in a lifetime. The extraordinary masonry is an impressive example of Inca engineering and architecture: stones were cut precisely, assembled with extremely narrow joints, and needing no mortar. It is thought that there were temples dedicated to the sun, moon, stars, and rainbows, that this is where solar priests and priestesses lived. This ceremonial site held Inca religious idols and idols of people that they had conquered. The stone for this building came from nearby quarries. The stone is varied and includes andesite, basal diorite and red perfidious granite, volcanic and metamorphic rock. The shape, the angles and the polishing were masterful. Here the Inca solar priest conducted rituals and high ceremonies dedicated to gods and sun worship. Religious artifacts have been found here. Much of the temples were cover with gold, silver, and precious stones positioned in ways relevant to solar and astronomical events. Only people with status, nobility or royalty were permitted to visit here. In 1540 Dominicans built a monastery and convent on the using the Inca ruins and imposed Christianity. Although the Inca were forced out, today you can see the marvelous and amazing work of the Incas.

then we will hike to the fortress of Saqsayhuaman to explore the amazing stone work.

Saqsayhuaman was built with limestone brought from nearby quarries using rollers, ropes, ramps, and manpower. The stone was carved very precisely and required no mortar. This is one of the best examples of Inca masonry. The stones vary in size and they weigh between 20 and 80 tons. Excavations here yielded human remains, mummies, religious paraphernalia, and statuettes of idols that symbolize deities, men, and women. This is where, on June 21st , the Winter Solstice captures the first rays of the sun and from here the rays continue all the way to the imperial city of Cusco, forming the sacred figure of the Solar Puma. Saqsayhuam was the head of the puma and considered to be a sacred animal. Saqsayhuaman has three angled walls that form a zig zag shape. Garcilazo de la Vega, a mixed race Inca writer from the 1600s, claimed there were three towers at the top of the slope with rectangular, square, and circular shapes (temple of the sun) that reached a height of 15 meters and had various uses. At Saqsayhuaman the Incas defended and fought Spanish forces for control of the Inca capital during the Conquest of Cusco. Under the leadership of Manco Inca, despite fighting with great fury and energy against the invading Spanish forces in 1534, this marked the beginning of the collapse of the Inca Empire. The battles continued to the Sacred Valley and Ollantaytambo before the Incas retreated to the rain forest in Vilcabamba where they remained for 36 years until the last Inca was captured in 1572.

All these beautiful buildings were occupied by royalty, nobility and important people and their entourages. These were palaces, religious retreats, plazas, palaces, ceremonial places, astronomical observatories and they also served as military stations, store houses, granaries, and terraces for farming, all connected by Inca roads. Construction included existing rock, the small valley itself, and the mountain. Fine masonry and well carved, well-polished stonework, all assembled without mortar. The work was done by laborers from elsewhere who used ramps, rollers, and manpower.

After lunch we have free time to explore Cusco city, which has a wealth of Inca and colonial architecture and interesting local markets.(L)

DAY 7 Humantay lake hike

late afternoon we wiiil transfer you to the airport for your fly Cusco – Lima and catch your connections in Lima.