5 Day – Ancascocha Hike to Machu Picchu

We are going to pick up at the hotel at 4:00 am the first morning and drive for about 2 hours to the trailhead Soqma (3,205 m / 10,512 ft). There we will meet our porters and riders and make a final check of the equipment.

The hike begins with a moderate 2-hour walk to the Perolniyoc waterfall. If the weather is warm, you can take a short climb to the falls, or just stay on the trail and take the first pictures. A half-hour later, we arrive at the Inca site of Perolniyoc, perched on a clifftop with spectacular views of the surrounding valley. Our guide will provide a quick history lesson as you enjoy the sights, also our lunch is here.

After lunch, we are climbing a steep section for about an hour to the basecamp at Rayan (3,700 meters / 12,139 feet).
The clear nights in the Andes are a marvel in themselves, and as we prepare for dinner, you can appreciate the sky fill with constellations.

There is no need to set an alarm as our staff will wake you up with a cup of tea or coffee and hot water in small containers to take a nice shower. When everyone is ready, we’ll have breakfast together and will refill our water bottles.

You will need this fuel when we start with a steep 3-hour climb to the Kuychiccasa Pass (4,450 m / 14,599 ft). On the way, we will pass through rustic farms, will see alpacas or even a Condor flying, and always with the snowy peaks in the background.
However, there is no race to the top, and we will pause together after an hour to enjoy the 360-degree views of the Chancachuco valley and the lunch at (4,312 m / 14,147 feet).

After lunch, we make a short climb with beautiful views of Veronica peak (5,822 m / 19,100 ft) before an easy 3-hour walk towards the Ancascocha community (3,700 m / 12,139 ft) for our second dinner and camp.

Once again, day 3 starts with a climb, but this time only for 1 hour. Your reward with Breathtaking views of the nearby glacier, well-preserved Inca remains, and the blue Ancascocha lagoon. Taking a deep breath, we take a 2-hour climb to the highest point of the hike, the Huayanay Pass (4,650 m). Throughout this section, you will see an original paved Inca trail. After all this effort, we will take our time to enjoy the incredible views from the summit before taking an easy 45-minute walk to our lunch stop at Inca-racay site.

The afternoon hike is much easier as we descend to the Quesqa community and the Paucarcancha site (3,133 m / 10,278 ft). At this lower elevation, the vegetation is lush and green, and we will have a chance to see the Classic Inca Trail in the distance, as well as the remote communities of the Quesqa Valley.

Upon arrival to Paucarcancha, your guide will provide you a guided tour of the site before settling in our evening camp and another excellent dinner.

Today is the easiest day of all; because it is 6 hours way down to the Km 82 (the official start of the Classic Trail) by the Classic Inca Trail section for Lunch that will be served at Km82.

After lunch, we will drive to Ollantaytambo (2,792 m / 9,160 ft) to board the train to Aguas Calientes (2,040 m / 6,692 ft). Train travel offers a different perspective on the mountains.

When you arrive at Aguas Calientes, you will register in your pleasant hotel and room, where you can rest until dinner in a local restaurant. Or, if you still have energy, the hot springs are also a great place to relax.

The hotel offers an early buffet breakfast, then we are going to make a line to board the bus and travel to Machu Picchu, it is about a 25-minutes drive.

Upon arrival, your guide offers you a two-hour walking tour of the site, named as one of the new 7 wonders of the world by the most important temples, places, and houses, the guide explains to you the history and function of each site. Then you can walk through the remains, perhaps find a lonely place to reflect on this impressive Inca conquest, or if you choose to climb the Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountains, you can start the trek as soon as your guided tour is over.

Your guide will arrange a time for you to return to Aguas Calientes by bus in time to make your train connection back to Poroy or Ollantaytambo. From here, you will travel by private van to your hotel in Cusco. Arrival times vary by traffic and connections but should be around 8:30 pm.