Welcome to this 5-day, 4-night tour through Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and the 7 Colors Mountain, also known as Vinicunca Mountain. This journey will take you through the most important landmarks of historic Cusco and the ancient Inca Empire.
In Cusco, we will visit the Cathedral and the Sacsayhuamán fortress, two of the city’s most iconic sites. The Sacred Valley awaits us with the archaeological sites of Pisaq and Ollantaytambo, where you will discover Inca architecture and history.
Machu Picchu, recognized as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, is the highlight of the trip. We will explore the Inca citadel while enjoying the stunning mountain scenery that surrounds it.
To wrap up the tour, we will visit the 7 Colors Mountain (also known as Vinicunca or Rainbow Mountain), famous for its natural, colorful geological formations ranging from red to turquoise. From the summit, you’ll enjoy breathtaking views of the snow-capped peaks of the Vilcanota Mountain Range.
We will welcome you at the Cusco airport and transfer you to your hotel. After checking in and taking some time to rest, we will begin the Cusco City Tour and visit the nearby archaeological sites. Pickup is approximately at 12:40 p.m. from your hotel.
We will start by visiting the Cusco Cathedral, rich in history and valuable works of art, and then continue to the Qoricancha (Temple of the Sun), the most important temple of the Inca Empire. Here, you will admire the Inca stone walls with their perfectly fitted masonry and learn how the Incas once covered the walls with sheets of gold to worship the Sun god (Inti).
Next, we will head to Sacsayhuamán, the Inca ceremonial fortress located on the outskirts of Cusco. It is famous for its three platforms built with massive stone blocks that can weigh up to 125 tons, perfectly assembled without the use of any mortar.
The tour continues to other nearby archaeological sites: Qenqo, a ceremonial center with underground galleries carved into rock; Puka Pukara, an Inca military checkpoint that guarded the entrance to Cusco; and finally Tambomachay, a ceremonial fountain dedicated to the worship of water, with aqueducts and channels that still function today.
We will return around 6:30 p.m. near Cusco’s Main Square (Plaza de Armas).
Overnight stay at a hotel in Cusco
The Sacred Valley tour starts early. At around 7:00 a.m., we will pick you up from your hotel and begin by visiting the Pisac Archaeological Site, located about 45 minutes from Cusco. In Pisac, you will see the agricultural terraces built into the mountainsides, the religious sector with its Intihuatana, and the Inca urban structures. After exploring the archaeological site, we will head down to the town of Pisac, where you will have time to visit the artisan market.
At midday, we will travel to the town of Urubamba, where you will enjoy a buffet lunch featuring traditional dishes from Peruvian cuisine. In the afternoon, we will visit the Ollantaytambo fortress, an important Inca stronghold that once served as a military and religious center. From the upper terraces, you will have beautiful views of the town, which still preserves its original Inca layout.
Afterward, we will board the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, where we will spend the night.
Overnight in Aguas Calientes
We will start our day very early. Our guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the bus station, where we will board a 25-minute ride up to the Machu Picchu sanctuary. There, we will enjoy a guided tour along the Main Circuit (Circuit 2 – subject to availability) and take the classic photo from the main viewpoint of the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu.
This is where we begin our visit with our guide, who will help you discover everything this wonder represents: a masterpiece of engineering, art, and architecture in perfect harmony with nature and ancestral wisdom. We will walk through the agricultural and urban sectors, exploring its temples, paths, stairways, terraces, aqueducts, and more. You will also learn about the importance of its structures, built with massive stone blocks carefully fitted one on top of another. The guided tour lasts approximately 3 hours.
After finishing the tour of the Machu Picchu Citadel, you will return to the town of Aguas Calientes, where you will have free time for lunch before boarding the return train. Upon arrival in Ollantaytambo, we will be waiting to transfer you back to your hotel in Cusco, bringing our Machu Picchu Tour to an end.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Cusco
The Rainbow Mountain excursion in Cusco offers an unforgettable experience, starting with hotel pickup at 4:00 a.m. The journey takes about two hours and brings us to the district of Cusipata, where you will enjoy a delicious breakfast. After a short break, we will pass through two base checkpoints in the communities of Tintinco and Paucarpata, and Chillihuani, before beginning a 1 hour and 30 minute hike to Vinicunca Mountain, also known as Rainbow Mountain. From the summit, you’ll witness an impressive palette of natural colors ranging from green to red, along with majestic views of the Andes Mountain Range. The mountain reaches an altitude of 5,389 meters (17,680 feet) above sea level, similar to Everest Base Camp. The tour includes breakfast and an Andean lunch, and ends around 6:00 p.m. near the Historic Center.
OPTIONAL: On this day, you can switch to the Maras Salt Mines and Moray Archaeological Site Tour
Overnight stay at a hotel in Cusco
Breakfast at the hotel. After that, we will transfer you to the airport for your departure flight, bringing your Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and Rainbow Mountain tour to an end.
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Upon your arrival at the Cusco airport, we will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel so you can check in and rest. Then we will begin the Cusco City Tour and visit the Inca sites located around the city. We will pick you up shortly before 1:00 p.m. We will start at the Cusco Cathedral, decorated with carved woodwork, altars, and paintings by local artists from the Cusco School.
Afterward, we will walk through the streets of the Historic Center of Cusco until we reach Qoricancha, also known as the Temple of the Sun, dedicated to the deities of the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Rainbow, Thunder, and Lightning. Here we will see the Inca stonework, with cuts in hard stone so precise that not even a sheet of paper can fit between the joints, and that remain stable despite earthquakes.
Next, we will visit Sacsayhuaman, located 3 km from the city of Cusco. Its esplanade offers a panoramic view of the city. Sacsayhuaman was built with massive limestone blocks weighing between 25 and 130 tons, made up of three zigzagging, overlapping terraces. This site was used for celebrations such as Warachikuy and Inti Raymi.
We will visit Qenqo, which means “labyrinth.” Located one kilometer from Sacsayhuaman, it is a limestone structure with stone carvings and features used for astronomical, religious, and mummification studies.
We will also visit Pukapukara, which means “red fortress” in Quechua. It was a strategic site for controlling and monitoring access into and out of the imperial city of Cusco, and was used as a territorial boundary.
As our final stop, we will visit Tambomachay, located 9 km from the city of Cusco, known as the Baths of the Inca for its water fountains with a constant flow. The tour ends near Cusco’s Main Square (Plaza de Armas).
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The transfer will pick you up at your hotel at approximately 7:00 a.m. We will travel for about 1 hour until we arrive in Pisac. We will visit the Pisac Archaeological Site, located on the upper part of the town. You will see how local communities still use Inca agricultural techniques to farm on the slopes and achieve better productivity.
Then, we will visit the Pisac artisan market. At midday, we will enjoy a buffet lunch at a tourist restaurant located in the Urubamba Valley. After that, we will head to Ollantaytambo, located 76 km from the city of Cusco. There, we will see carved stone blocks, some weighing over 100 tons. These stones were transported up the mountain to be used for astronomical purposes.
Ollantaytambo is located between three valleys, marking the transition toward the high jungle. The town of Ollantaytambo has been recognized as the “Best Tourism Village in the World.” It is considered a town frozen in time due to its Inca-colonial architecture, featuring a hydraulic engineering system that distributes water through channels that run along its streets.
From Ollantaytambo, we will head to the train station to depart to Aguas Calientes, on a journey of approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes. Along the way, you will see lush cloud forest vegetation and the Vilcanota River. Upon arrival, you will be taken to your hotel. You will have the rest of the afternoon free to explore the town, walk through its streets, shop for souvenirs, or enjoy dinner at local restaurants.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Aguas Calientes.
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On this day, we will visit Machu Picchu. We will start early, and the bus ride takes approximately 25 minutes to reach the Inca citadel.
Upon arriving at Machu Picchu, we will take the tour along Circuit 2 (depending on availability) and take the classic photo of the citadel. We will walk through the agricultural and urban sectors, made up of temples, terraces, stairways, paths, aqueducts, and more.
We will admire the mountains that surround Machu Picchu and the Urubamba River flowing toward the mountain rainforest. The tour of Machu Picchu lasts approximately 2 and a half hours, during which our guide will provide all the information and answer your questions.
Afterward, we will return to the town of Aguas Calientes to board the train back to the Ollantaytambo station, where our transportation will transfer you to your hotel in Cusco.
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Today we will visit one of Cusco’s newest natural attractions, “Rainbow Mountain”, also known as VINIKUNKA (Stone Neck), which has been declared a “Unique Natural Treasure in the World.” It is located on a summit at 5,100 m.a.s.l. (16,732.28 feet) and it is worth highlighting that this altitude is similar to Everest Base Camp, the highest mountain in the world. It lies 100 km southeast of Cusco. If you are looking for information about the Rainbow Mountain tour price, here we detail what is included in our experience:
We begin very early. We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at approximately 4:00 a.m. and travel south by vehicle for about two hours until we reach the district of Cusipata - Paucarpata in the province of Quispicanchi, where we will enjoy breakfast.
After a short break, we will continue on a 20-minute drive to the first base checkpoint in the rural communities of TINTINCO and PAUCARPATA. From here, we will continue for about 25 minutes to reach the second base checkpoint in the rural community of CHILLIHUANI. This is where we will start a hike of approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes toward the mountain ranges of the Red Valley, the gateway to the incredible landscape of Rainbow Mountain, also known as Vinicunca. Along the hike, you will have the chance to admire the unique flora and fauna of the Andes, with the possibility of seeing llamas and alpacas in their natural habitat.
Upon reaching the Vinicunca viewpoint (5,100 m.a.s.l.), our guide will give an engaging explanation about the region’s geography, ecosystem, and the colors of the mountain. Rainbow Mountain is a natural wonder created by the oxidation of various minerals that make up these geological formations. The slopes and peaks display colors ranging from red, purple, green, and pink to yellow, creating an incredible range of shades. We will also see the majestic Ausangate Glacier with its stunning view and altitude of 6,385 m.a.s.l. This mountain is the 5th highest in Peru. At the Vinicunca viewpoint, we will take the opportunity to capture memorable photos with the mountain and admire the breathtaking scenery.
Later, we will return along the same trail to the starting point of the hike. Our transportation will be waiting to take us back and enjoy a delicious Andean lunch. After lunch, we will begin our return journey to the city of Cusco, arriving at approximately 6:00 p.m.
HIKING LEVEL
The hiking level to Rainbow Mountain is rated from level 1 to 4:
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OPTIONAL: On this day, you can switch to the Maras Salt Mines and Moray Archaeological Site Tour
On the last day of the tour, we will have breakfast at the hotel. At the appropriate time, we will escort you to the airport for your departure flight, bringing your 5-day, 4-night journey through Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and the amazing Rainbow Mountain to an end.
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Train The Voyager Or Expedition
2* Hotel
Hotel 7 Ventanas - Hotel Casa Elena, in Cusco
Hotel Wiracocha Inn - Hotel Terrazas De Luna, in Aguas Calientes
Important: Depending On Availability, A Hotel Of Similar Category Will Be Assigned.
Train The Voyager Or Expedition
3* Hotel
Hotel Inkarri - Hotel Tika Wasi - Hotel Sueños Del Inca, in Cusco
Hotel Tara Machupicchu - Hotel Retama Machupicchu, in Aguas Calientes
Important: Depending On Availability, A Hotel Of Similar Category Will Be Assigned.
Train The Voyager Or Expedition
3* Superior Hotel
Hotel San Agustin Int. - Los Portales Cusco, in Cusco
Hotel Taypikala Machupicchu - Hotel Inti Punku, in Aguas Calientes
Important: Depending On Availability, A Hotel Of Similar Category Will Be Assigned.
Train The Voyager Or Expedition
4* Hotel
Hotel Costa Del Sol - Hotel Sonesta - Hotel San Agustin Plaza, in Cusco
Hotel Jaya Machupicchu - Hotel Hatun Inti Boutique, in Aguas Calientes
Important: Depending On Availability, A Hotel Of Similar Category Will Be Assigned.
IMPORTANT:
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