Embark on a 4-day adventure through the Sacred Valley: bike from Abra Malaga to Santa Maria, explore Inca ruins, visit hot springs, and marvel at Machu Picchu.
OVERVIEWLocation: Perú |
| Day 1: Cusco, Ollantaytambo, Abra Malaga, Santa maria. |
| Day 2: Santa Maria, Thermal Springs, Santa Teresa. |
| Day 3: Santa Teresa, Hydroelectric, Aguas Calientes. |
| Day 4: Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu, Cusco. |
ITINERARY DETAILSDay 1: Cusco, Ollantaytambo, Abra Malaga, Santa maria7 AM hotel pickup for the ride to Abra Malaga, (Malaga Pass). We’ll journey through the Sacred Valley of the Incas and see panoramic views of Cusco as we head north. As we pass by the towns of Chinchero, Urubamba, and Ollantaytambo we’ll see the mountain chain Veronica. After 3 hours we’ll arrive at Abra Malaga at 4,315 meters (14239 ft.) From here we’ll start our adventure on mountain bikes passed beautiful landscapes like the immense La Convención Valley then down a warmer area near the jungle’s eyebrow with abundant typical jungle vegetation. We’ll have lunch in the jungle on and on our path we’ll find remnants of an original Inca trail that leads to Machu Picchu. We’ll also visit the archaeological sites of Inkatambo and Wamanmarka. After 5 hours of biking, we’ll arrive to Santa Maria at 1,200 meters at around 5 pm. Here we will stay in a lodge with basic services for the night. Day 2: Santa Maria, Thermal Hot Springs, Santa TeresaIn the morning we’ll have a breakfast of fruit and juices typical of the region. We’ll start to hike at 7:30 am through fruit trees where we’ll see the cultivation of the sacred Coca leaf of the Incas and the harvesting of coffee. We’ll see the flora and fauna of the area as well as medicinal plants, birds, butterflies, snakes, exotic jungle fruits like mangoes, pineapples, papayas, avocado and more. Later we’ll visit a local family and appreciate the beautiful waterfalls of the area. We will cross a river in an Oroya or hanging basket by pulling on the cable that the basket hangs from. We’ll also visit the archaeological complex of Inka Carcel and the thermal springs where you can take a nice hot bath. Afterward, we will arrive in Santa Teresa village at 1,570 meters where we will have dinner and stay for the night. Day 3: Santa Teresa, Hydroelectric, Aguas CalientesAfter breakfast, we will see the Mandor waterfalls, San Miguel and Putucusi mountains before crossing he Vilcanota River in a typical Oroya. We can appreciate the magical, wild landscape, the variety of birds, animals, vegetation, insects, iguanas, butterflies, and medicinal plants. We’ll arrive at the hydroelectric plant and have lunch before continuing on to Aguas Calientes for another 2 hours. In Aguas Calientes we’ll check-in at our hostel, have dinner and rest for the night. (Optional train transportation is available from hydroelectric plant to Aguas Calientes). Day 4: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – CuscoEarly in the morning, we’ll wake up to visit a wonder of the modern world, the citadel of Machu Picchu. After breakfast, we’ll board our bus to go up the hill to the Machu Picchu entrance. We will have a guided tour of the entire complex than have free time to explore and take pictures. It is optional if you want to climb Huaynapicchu to see another spectacular view of the Machu Picchu and the mountains surrounding the Lost City of the Incas. We will descend to Aguas Calientes by bus in time to board the afternoon train back to Cusco. |
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