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From: Pick up at HostelÂ
To: Inka Jungle Trek, Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes; Back to Cuzco
Departure time: 05:00 am
Returning time: 20:30 - 21:00 pm
*INKA JUNGLE TREK BRIEF:  Our guide will meet you at your hostel/hotel 1 or 2 days prior to your departure date at 6:00 p.m - 7:00 p.m. Please let us know where you are staying and at what time you would like to meet our guide for your brief.
This is a new and thrilling route to Machu Picchu combining downhill mountain biking with jungle trekking passing amazing and pristine scenery dotted by indigenous villages along the way. |
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Day 1: Cuzco - Santa Maria Today we leave Cuzco early in the morning to journey by road in a private van passing the Sacred Valley and climbing up to the Malaga High Pass (4,500 meters) where our guide will provide us with a safety briefing before we begin our adventurous ride down into the jungle descending 3,000 meters atop mountain bikes. In the afternoon we will arrive to Santa Maria village (1,500 meters) where we will stay overnight in a hostel. |
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Day 2: Santa Maria - Santa Teresa  After an early morning breakfast, we will begin our trek through the jungle mountains to observe beautiful pristine landscapes, abundant flora and fauna and friendly local people.  In the afternoon we will arrive to Santa Teresa village (1,680 meters) where we will stay overnight in a hostel. |
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Day 3: Santa Teresa - Machu Picchu Today we will hike for about 4-6 hours depending on our pace to reach the train tracks and follow the path until we reach Aguas Calientes town in the afternoon. Tonight we will have time to relax, wander around town and relax our sore bodies in the hot springs for a well deserved bath. |
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Day 4: Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu (2450m) - Cuzco.  We will have breakfast at 5:00 am then catch the one of the first busses (05:30 am) to Machu Picchu (25-minute ride) in order to appreciate the magnificent city as the mist dissipates at sunrise.  A walking tour (approximately 2 hours) is given by your guide and after this you can explore the mysterious city by yourselves. If you still have energy you can also climb Huayna Picchu (2720m/8890ft)!!! It takes 45-60 minutes to reach the top (this is an extra walk, please talk to your guide for arrangements to climb this mountain prior to your arrival to the archaeological site.  Tickets can be purchased to access Huayna Picchu before entering the site).  You will meet your guide in Aguas Calientes which can be reached by bus or on foot for lunch and to receive your train tickets for the return trip back to Cuzco. The train usually leaves at 15.55 and we will arrive back in Cuzco at about 20.20. *If desired, an extra night in Aguas Calientes town can be arranged. (Please let us know whether you would like to stay an extra night when booking your tour.) |
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MACHU PICCHU GUIDED SITE VISIT: The one and only, the most spectacular (and not to mention most popular) archaeological site in all of South America. Your guide will take you on a 2-hour tour of Machu Picchu walking you through the most important sites and covering the history of the place (if you haven't already heard it all during the Inca Trail Trek). Then you will have free time to explore on your own and take pictures at your leisure. When you decide to head back down to Aguas Calientes, there are buses departing every 15 minutes from the entrance or you can take the walking trail down if you feel like another 1 hour stair stepping downhill to Aguas Calientes town. |
Machu Picchu was (relatively recently) "discovered" by American historian, Hiram Bingham, in 1911 while searching for the legendary "lost city of the Incas". Hiram Bingham and his local guides stumbled across the site which was then covered in thick vegetation which was later cleared revealing the magical mountain-top archaeological site and opening up the possibility for archaeologists to conduct research on the site by 1915. |
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Whether arriving via Inca Trail or entering from Aguas Calientes don't miss the excellent photo opportunities from the following spots: Hut of the Caretaker of the Funerary Rock (a restored building with a thatched roof), Sacred Plaza with views of the Cordillera Vilcabamba in the distance and Rio Urubamba below. Hike up the steep (and sometimes muddy) peak named Wayna Picchu* (45 - 60 minutes) for unforgettable views of Machu Picchu from a coveted perspective (you must purchase a ticket before entering the site in order to do the hike - note: there are only about 200 tickets available for the 7:00am and 10:00am entry times to Wayna Picchu.) For 2 other views of the site, walk out to the Inca Drawbridge (30 minutes) and Inti Punku (45 - 60 minutes).Â
*If you are coming from the Inca trail, speak with your guide regarding purchasing a ticket for Wayna Picchu since they may sell out early. |
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AGUAS CALIENTES: Have a delicious lunch at any restaurant you desire and then head over to the hot-springs to soak your sore body in the rejuvenating waters. There are internet cafes, cafes with board games and cards, plenty of shops and places to relax. Visit the local marketplace right next to the train tracks where you can shop until the train whistle blows signaling your return to Ollantaytambo. From Ollantaytambo, you will take a bus for the last section of highway to Cuzco arriving back around 10:30pm. |
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WHAT IS INCLUDED?
• Pre-departure briefing
• Professional Bilingual Guide
• Cuzco Hotel Pick-Up
• Tourist bus Cuzco - starting point of trek
• Round Trip Tourist Bus Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu
• Machu Picchu Entrance Fee, Tourist train Aguas Calientes - Ollantaytambo
• Tourist bus Ollantaytambo - Cuzco
• 3 nights hostel accommodation (Santa Maria, Santa Teresa, Aguas Calientes)
• Meals: 3B/3L/3D/3 snacks with typical menus
• Mountain Biking equipment (bicycles, helmet and gloves)
• First Aid kit, Emergency oxygen bottle. |
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NOT INCLUDED:
• Day 1 Breakfast
• Day 4 Lunch
• Bottled Water
• Optional Wayna Picchu Trek ($26 soles in advance)
• Tips for guides.
SUGGESTED PACKING LIST: Bring or Rent in Cuzco: sleeping bag, hiking poles, rain pants, rain poncho, trekking boots, sandals, warm socks, sweater, thermals, hat, gloves, sun hat, sun block, sun glasses, flashlight/torch, camera, extra batteries and memory card, charger (electricity available on night 3), waterproof bags for your camera, hand sanitizer, personal first aid kit, water bottle, water purification tablets or filter. Bring extra cash for snacks, water, gatorade which doubles or triples in price along the trail.  Bathing suit for hot springs in Santa Teresa and/or in Aguas Calientes town (these activities are available at an additional price). Â
DON'T FORGET THE ESSENTIALS: Â Original Passport (and student card if applicable), insurance card, personal medications
*Tips are recommended for porters (20 soles per person to be divided by the porters - not 20 soles per porter) and for your guide (20-30 soles per person for the guide). These amounts are only suggestions and would be a nice gesture for the hard working porters and guide.
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