Overview
This tour is all exclusive and lodge based that does not involve hiking but all the comfort of a perfect trip eather you travel with family with kids as couples, you will be exploring the main attactions in Cusco including the Colonial Cathedral, Temple of the Sun Qoricancha; Saysayhuaman, Salt mines of Moras, Sacred Valley and of course the incredible Inca city of Machu Picchu, Peru by Locals puts everything together from the airport to airport, we arrange entrance tickets to all attraction to be visited, transportation, hotels, train tickets, meals,
guides and full 24 hours support.
Cusco was the heart of the Inca Empire and the most important place for the Incas. It is nowadays considered one of the two most beautiful cities in South America. Inca and Spanish architecture are intermixed in it’s narrow streets that survived several earthquakes.
The Sacred Valley itself is unique with many Incan sites along the valley, offering to travellers spectacular views of snowcapped mountains and the Urubamba river (the main river of Cusco area).
Machu Picchu has always been the mysterious place in the Peruvian history. When visiting the place, it is amazing to see the high quality of the architecture, hydraulic engineering and astronomical observatories.
Perfect for: This tour is very recommended in small groups of friends, family with kids, couples, honey moneys.
- Day 1: Arrival and city tour
- Day 2: Sacred Valley tour
- Day 3: Machu Picchu tour
- Day 4: Departure from Cusco
HIGH LIGHTS
- Tour with our professional and passionate guides
- Travel with free worry and enjoy our exclusive tours
- Savor the Peruvian cousine at the top rated restaurants
- Tour the most classic tour attractions in Cusco
- Enjoy the train ride to Machu Picchu
Details
- Type of tour: Lodge based, historical, van transport and train ride
- Trip service: All exclusive
- Type of transport: Private van in every tour from the start to the end and train rides
- Duration: 4 days / 3 nights
Group size: Our tour group sizes are very important to guaranty the quality of our service of giving you a personalized trip thats the reason we run with an average of 2 to 7 guests . This is not only to guaranty the quality of your service but make you feel as our family. Can you imagine having 20 people in a groups and trying to hear or see your guide? not the same than having close to you all the time and learning about this amazing country.
Accomodation: The hotels we use are 3 and 5 star, in time of your booking you have the choise to pick up the hotel type.
Our guides: PERU BY LOCALS was a dream that came true on 2015 for Jose Condor who guided tours in Peru and especially Cusco from 2004 until today and have been to Machu Picchu for over 1000 times, now Peru by Locals has a group of top guides around among men and women that had a university degree and get refresh trainning every year, with NOLS (National Oudoor Leadership Shool) training about WILDERNESS FIRST RESPONDER and in history, archaeology, biology so you get a full experience while you are vacationing, we invest on our guides because we believe they are the main ingredient of any trip.
Peru by Locals is not only a travel company but a group of great staff and tour leaders who love sharing their passion with you and being with travelers.
YOUR BOOK WITH US YOU GO WITH US, Peru By Locals does not re-arrange tours with other companies since we are based in Cusco – Peru and we operate all our tours.
Location: This trip starts in Cusco city or Sacred Valley at your request, you will need to fly to Lima which is the capital of Peru, then to Velasco Astete of Cusco airport which is a small domestic airport.
Departures: This hike is operated by PERU BY LOCALS 100%, when you book your hike or take any tour package. You go with us, we don’t rearrange tours, and we depart every day and year-round; the size of the groups is from 2 to 5 people on average, which allows us to give you personalized service.
We take bookings year round and this hike does not need to book with a long time in advance so, anytime you are ready join us and reach us for any questions you have to our 14/7 number +51 989585967 or email us to info@perubylocals.com
Itinerary
DAY 1: ARRIVAL AND CITY IN CUSCO
When you arrive to Cusco airport, your designated guidewill meet you and drive you to your hotel. On the way he/she will show you some samples of Incan and colonial constructions and give you all instructions about the activities especially on day one, we will arrange your hotel in the historical center nearall restaurants and main attractions.
After lunchyou will meet your guide who will guide you to the main attractions in the city. You will tour the ColonialCathedral of Cusco, where you can view colonial paintings by the Cusco school of painting at the time, including a painting of the Last Supper with the local specialty, cuy (guinea pig) as the main dish. The local painters managed to capture the culture and history in uniquely historical way in the art work suchpaintings.
The following place will be Qoricancha or the Temple of the Sun that still keeps amazing architectureon its walls that stood up earthquakes for centuries, it is one of the greatest examples of the Inca civilization.
Next you will visit Saqsayhuaman, where you will have a guided tour of this incredible site, built with stones that weigh up to 120 tons and amazingly fit together without the help of a mortar! There is probably not a place in the world that can beat the architecture of this place. Afterwards you will tour the Inca archaeological site of Qenqo, considered to be the Temple of the Mother Earth and also once probably the tomb of the most important king of the Incan empire Pachakuteq.
Includes. Pick from airport, lunch, entrance tickest to attractions to be visited, tour guide and transport during the tour. Over night Cusco
Note on your arrival time: Make sure you arrive to Cusco before noon so, to enjoy a great lunch and tour the mencioned atractions.
DAY 2: SACRED VALLEY + SALT MINES TOUR
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is an incomparably beautiful stretch of small villages and ancient sites spread across a broad plain and rugged mountain slopes northwest of Cusco. It is the main valley of Cusco, capital of the Inca Empire. It was the best place for maize production in Peru as well as a great source of natural wealth.
The first Incan site you will visit will be Chinchero, a beautiful site with it’s ancient Inca cemetery, terraces that still remain from Inca civilization and unbelievable views of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Leaving Chinchero the drive journey will offer you great views to Sacred valley and farm fields then you will have a guided tour to Salt mines an espectacular places where you will encounter over 3000 salt ponds where the locals process the salt by hand the way their ancestors did. The tour will be followed by visiting Moray, the agriculture experimentation place of the Incas where later archeologists found evidence of coca leaves and cotton, which impressed them because that place is very high in elevation to grow those products but the Incas managed to grow almost everything.
Our lunch today will be at Huacatay restaurant one of the top restaurants in the Sacred Valley for sure itsa treat.
Ollantaytambo Inca site is the last place to be visited with it’s majestic Inca architecture, terraces, Sun temple, princess bath; this tour may take about 1.5 hours and will be the last placebefore you catch a scenic train to Machu Picchu town for about 1.40 minute ride.
Includes. Brackfast at the hotel, Entrance tickest to attractions to be visited, tour guide, private transport during the tour, lunch, Vistadome train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu town, one night hotel. Over night at Machu Picchu town
DAY 3: MACHU PICCHU TOUR
Machu Picchuconsidered a masterpiece of architecture and engineering. Its unique architectural features and landscape contribute to a veil of mystery woven around much of the literature published about the site. The magic and mystery of Machu Picchu is internationally recognized and it has been on the List of World Heritage Sites of UNESCO since 1983 as part of a cultural and ecological site known as the historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu.
In the morning you will take an early bus to Machu Picchu, in time for sunrise. Your guide will give you a detailed tour on the culture and history of the Seven Wonders. You will visit the main temple, the Temple of the Condor, Inca palaces, the stone quarry and the sun observatory, this tour usually lasts for about 3 hoursfor a complite understanding.
You will the be back in Machu Picchutown aound 10am for a great lunch before the train ride back to Cusco
Includes. Breackfast at the hotel, bus ride from Machu Picchu town to Machu Picchu round trip, entrance ticket to Machu Picchu, tour guide, lunch, transfer from train station to hotel, dinner in Cusco and train back to Cusco
DAY 4: DEPARTURE FROM CUSCO
Today basically you will be free to walk around the city, go for shopping and leave Cusco at the time you booked your fligh for, one of therepresentatives willmeet you at the hotel to take you to the airport of Cusco at the arranged time for your journey home or to your next destination.
Note: If your flight is late at night why not join us to a half day Rainbow mountain hike, advice us if you are interested.
Services
SERVICES INCLUDED
- All entrance tickets to attractions to be visited
- 3 lunches, 3 dinners 3 breakfast
- 3 nights hotel
- Tour guide
- Private transport on tours
- Train ride to Machu Picchu
- Shared bus ride from Machu Picchu town to the ruins of Machu Picchu
SERVICES EXCLUDED
- Airfares
- Gratitudes
Packing list
- Original passport – Please remember to bring your original passport, which should be the current one;if you have acquired a new one after you made your booking, bring both (the one you used for booking your trip and the new one). The information you provided us in time of your booking have to match your tickets in Machu Picchu
- Good walking shoes – They should be broken already; if you have acquired new ones, make sure to break them down before you come. They should be comfortable for your feet
- Down warm fleece – The jacket should be warm enough for the nights
- Few t-shirts – Made for hiking; as you will sweat a lot, you may consider bringing at least 3 or 4 of them
- Socks – Bring at least 3 pairs
- Sun hat – As some days can be sunny, we recommend you to bring a sun hat that can keep the sun off your face because most tours are outside.
- Light long pants – They are recommended since the temperatures can be warm sometimes.
- Sunscreen – SPF 35+ recommended
- Sunglasses
- Camera – With spare batteries or phones take great pictures nowadays
- Bug repellent – There are mosquitos all year round so make sure you pack your bug repellent for Machu Picchu
- Water bottle – Machu Picchu national park does not allow to bring plastic bottles, please make sure you have a Nalgene bottle or camel bag, before we leave the hotel in Cusco make sure you have filled up your water bottle for the first day then you will be able to get more from us whenever you will need it.
- Toiletries
- Prescription medicines, please inform your trip leader of any medications you are taking
- Book to read – you will have some spare time during drives to read your favorite book or those that are about Machu Picchu that may make your journey more interesting (the following books are recommended by us:Last Days of the Incas by Kim MacQuarrie, Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time by Mark Adams
Important information
OFTEN ASKED QUESTIONS
WHERE DO I MEET THE TEAM?
The day you arrive to Cusco airport your guide will be there with a sign of PERU BY LOCALS and your name (Cusco airport is domestic and very small)
HOW LONG BEFORE SHOULD I BOOK THIS TRIP?
The Machu Picchu permits should be booked in advance, We recommend you book this trip at least with a month in advance of course it is much better to book once you have your travel dates.
WHAT IS THE WEATHER LIKE IN MACHU PICCHU DURING THE YEAR?
Weather in the region is extremely variable and you should pack for a variety of conditions. In addition, our trek passes through ten bio-zones ranging from high altitude alpine conditions to high jungle. During a sunny day, you can expect temperatures of about 18–25°C (65–77°F), however, on the second day the weather is very unpredictable and temperatures can drop to 6°C (42°F) during the day at the pass (but you won’t spend a lot of time up there).
The Machu Picchu area has a humid climate and tends to be warmer since it is located at a lower altitude and near the Amazon Jungle. The average temperatures at Machu Picchu are between 23°C to 25°C (73°F and 77°F), with the minimum temperature around 18°C (64°F). The Cusco area has only 2 well-defined seasons: the wet season and the dry season. The wet season starts in November and ends in March, During this period, it rains almost every day for three or four hours, but also there are several sunny days. The dry season begins around March and lasts until October. June and July are the coldest months. Paradoxically at noon, the temperatures can reach 23 °C (77°F), the annual highest temperature.
WHAT I AM GOING TO EAT ON THE TRIP?
All restaurants we use are a la carte so, you have many options from meat to vegetarian options. If you are vegan or have a strict diet le us know so, we can get you speciazed restaurants for your diet.
SHOULD I TIP THE PORTERS AND GUIDES? IF I DO, HOW MUCH I SHOULD I TIP?
We recommend tip your guide 10%and with 5% for the driver at the end of your trip.
HOW BIG MY GROUP IS GOING TO BE?
We are specialized in small groups, because that way our clients get personalized service especially when you encounter lots of things on tours, such as Incan sites, flowers, flora, and fauna – your guide spends lots of time with you so you can learn more about our culture and history.
We limit the size of our groups on treks to up to 8 people, but we almost always end up from 2 to 5 guests.
HOW DO I GET WATER ON THE TOURS?
We will ahev wáter available in the car we sue for the tours so, We recommend you to bring Nalgene water bottles or camel bags so that way we can make less garbage., you will encounter locals selling bottled water along the way but not everybody is responsible, many people litter and that is sad. We need to take care of our home and nature – that is why we recommend you refill your bottles when you can and thank you for being part of our green home, hotels in Peru don’t have spots to fill your wáter bottles.
CAN I PAY THE REST OF THE BALANCE ON THE CREDIT CARD OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE IN CASH?
We take the balance of the payment in cash, so you won’t need to pay extra fees, Of course, you can use PAY PAL or CREDIT CARD, but you will need to pay the fees that are usually over 6%.
On the day of your briefing when your guide will meet you, one of the representatives will meet you too to collect the rest of the balance for your trek.
PERUVIAN CURRENCY
The Peruvian sole is the currency of Peru, and usually fluctuates in the 3.3 to 3.8 Nuevo sol to 1 US Dollar.
LANGUAGE
Spanish is the national language of Peru, also a 20% of Peruvians speak Quechua (Inca language) Our guides are fluent in Spanish and English.
Why Peru by Locals
- Peru by Locals offers tailor-made treks and tours and we cater to your interests when we plan your tour
- We are committed to providing world-class tours based on exceptional customer service.
- We are a locally owned and highly experienced travel company based in Cusco, Peru.
- Our staff consists of members which have decades of first-hand experience in the Peruvian tourism sector.
- All the management and staff in Peru by Locals speak English, Spanish, and Quechua (the language of the Incas).
- Our guides and staff members are professionally trained and educated in the history of the Incas, Peruvian history, culture and traditions, first aid in the wilderness, guiding treks and tours, the fauna and flora of the region, and tourism management.
- We are committed to protect our environment.
- We are committed to creating Jobs and empowering local people. We believe in fair labor practices and honor and treat all our employees with dignity.
- We have programs to help with the development of the porters’ families and communities, such as planting trees and buying school books and school equipment for poor local communities.
- We honor native communities that have stewarded the land you visit
- We have also started an Education Fund to support the education of the children of porters. A percentage of income from every tour and trek goes to education of needed once.
- Our trips are designed carefully to your needs and we create diverse unique itineraries from 1 to 15 days in length, a we offer wide range of tours and treks and all the tours. We guarantee you the experience of a lifetime!
- Peru By Locals organizes free worry trips for you to enjoy fully.
Peru small group specialists
Our tours are designed for those who love adventure, want to explore new places, experience the local culture, love food, like history or photography for all ages whether you are traveling alone, with friends, in couples, family. At Peru by Locals there is not
Small groups are the best and the average tour or trek group is around 4 to 8 people. Why is this great? Well, have you ever waited in line while 40 other people get a coffee in the morning? Believe it or not, it is not fun. Taking small groups allows us the flexibility to take you on an adventure to places that nobody else goes.
Prices
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