The Leading the Way Machu Picchu Program offers a dazzling array of changing altitude and ecology. The trail moves our student trekkers through fertile ground for studying history, culture, biodiversity, and conservation. The trail will also test individual and group leadership, teamwork, and fitness. It is a unique backdrop for a unique program.
* This tentative itinerary is subject to change.
6/9 Depart US for Lima, Peru
Today students will board a plane for Lima, Peru. Depending on individual flight schedules students will either arrive in Lima in the evening or very early tomorrow morning (4am). Students arriving in the evening will stay overnight in a hotel in the suburbs of Lima (Miraflores) and return to the airport early tomorrow for the flight to Cusco.
6/10 CUSCO
Met on arrival and transferred to the hotel. In the afternoon you will have a guided city tour & visit the nearby ruins of Sacsahuaman, Kenko,Puka Pukara and Tambomachay. You will stay overnight at hotel San Agustin Dorado.
6/11 CUSCO/URUBAMBA
In the morning you will visit Pisac market and ruins. After lunch, you will visit ruins of Ollantaytambo. You will stay overnight at hotel in Cuzco.
6/12 CUSCO/MARAS MORAY/OLLANTA/PACCHAR
Early morning, you will take a bus and visit Moray (an experimental agricultural center from the Inca period), then you continue to Maras, where you will begin to walk to Pichingoto. At this point you will take the bus again to Pacchar (2,700 mts). You will camp overnight.
6/13 PACCHAR - CHILIPAHUA
Early morning you will take a bus from Pacchar to Parpichu Bridge for the start of the trek. The trail climbs via a small ‘pampa’ at Amparaki to the Watuq’asa pass (3900m) where there is an Inca wall and fortress known as Qosqoq’awarina (‘the place where one can see Cuzco’) surrounding the pass. There are also great views of the Vilcabamba massif - Pumahuanca, Chicon and Veronika. Descend from the pass to a small valley with a stream running through it called Anapahua, and then head up the valley to your campsite at the small settlement of Chilipahua (3,700 mts).
5-6 hours of trekking involved
6/14 CHILIPAHUA
This day you will visit the community of Chilipahua to conduct a community service project. You will camp here as well.
6/15 CHILIPAHUA - ANKASCOCHA
A long day of hard trekking to the second highest pass, Pampaq’asa (4,400m). After leaving camp it is a 4-5 hour steady climb to the pass. Once over the pass, a further hour downhill brings you to the lunch spot by the Silque river. After lunch, walk a further 2-3 hours up and down-hill until you reach your campsite at Ankascocha (3,900m), near a lake.
7-8 hours of trekking involved
6/16 ANKASCOCHA - KESKA
The day begins with a steep ascent to the Ankascocha pass (4770 m), from where there are fine views of Mt Huayanay and the Silque Valley. You pass a beautiful glacial lagoon and there are magnificent views snow-capped peaks as well as the Silque Valley. The trail then descends past small farmsteads and patchwork fields to the Keska Valley and Paucarcancha, a recently restored Inca site that was once a checkpoint at the confluence of the Keska and Pampacahua valleys. Camp will be pitched near the village of Keska (3,600)
5-6 hours of trekking involved
6/17 KESKA - Q’ENTE
The trail now follows the Cusichaca Valley through Huayllabamba, a village of corn farmers, to Q’ente which overlooks the Urubamba River. This area is dotted with Inca sites such as Cusichaca, Q’entemarca, Machu Q’ente and Wayna Q’ente. The scenery will change dramatically as you leave the snow-capped peaks behind and enter the tropical surroundings (hearing hummingbirds and smelling the strong scent of eucalyptus). Camp in a very pleasant spot on the edge of the Urubamba River.
3-4 hours of trekking involved
6/18 Q’ENTE - MACHU PICCHU
This morning, depart by train along the Urubamba Valley to Km 104 where we disembark at Chachabamba. Cross the bridge and hike up to the Chachabamba site where there will be time for a brief visit before tackling the long 3-hour climb up to the famous Inca ruins at Winay Wayna. Here we join the standard Inca Trail which cuts across the ridge to Intipunku - the ‘door of the sun’ and the first exhilarating view of Machu Picchu. From Intipunku, head downhill through Machu Picchu. From here it is a short ride to Aguas Calientes and where you will stay one night at Hotel Machu Picchu Inn.
5-6 hours of trekking involved
6/19 MACHU PICCHU - CUSCO
Morning guided tour of Machu Picchu with lunch. This afternoon take the train back to Cusco (approx 3 hours). Met on arrival and transferred hotel. You will stay overnight at San Agustin Dorado.
6/20 CUSCO/LIMA / OUT
Today you will be transferred to the airport for the flight to Lima.