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A fast moving adventure program designed for those who wish
to experience the excitement and mystery of Inca Peru in the shortest time
available...
From our years of personal experience, we have carefully
compressed several premiere activities into an
exciting one week vacation. Starting with an
introduction to Inca Cusco and the Sacred Valley, we
follow with a deluxe, safari style horse pack trip
into the nearby high Andes along seldom used Inca
trails. After a pampered night at our favorite
Sacred valley lodge, we treat you to the famous
narrow gauge train ride and a quick, intensive visit
to the new world's finest archaeological monument --
MACHU PICCHU.
IT-PERT02
Rates: including most meals and all lodging from Cusco, Peru, 3 riding
days
7 day/ 6 night $ 2,215 Single+
$225
Dates 2008:
06/08-06/14 06/29-07/05
08/24-08/30
08/31-09/06 11/16-11/22
check availability
HT SPECIAL $400 OFF
for trips in 2007
Single travelers: no extra charge if willing to
share
Airport: Lima/Cuzco
Meeting: Cuzco
Tack: South American
Horses: Criollo / Paso mix
Pace: Slow with some canters where the terrain allows. Steep riding
country.
Level: Novice+,
but
in good physical condition
Min/Max Riders: 4-15
INCLUSIONS: The price includes
accommodations in safari style camps, tourist class or better hotels and inns
(double occupancy), land travel, meals except in Cusco, all trip gear, horses,
tack, bilingual guide and local support staff, entrance fees.
EXCLUSIONS: Not included are airport taxes, alcoholic and bottled drinks,
gratuities, optional activities, personal expenditures, meals in Cusco, costs
resulting from illness or injury and emergency evacuation, program changes and
delays beyond our control.
Itinerary
Day 1 Sunday).
Arrive in Cusco, the ancient Inca capital, on an
early flight from Lima. We greet you at the airport.
Following a brief orientation and a cup of
traditional coca tea, you have the morning to rest
up. Later, we organize an afternoon introductory
trek around town. We visit the famous Inca temple of
the Sun, the Coricancha, one of the finest examples
of Inca architecture and the ceremonial center of
Cusco during Inca times. We will tour several other
important cultural and historical sites around town.
Most will need the time to rest and recover from
yesterday’s travel. Refreshed and eager, we meet for
dinner at a favorite restaurant. We talk about
ancient legends, Manco Inca, the lost cities of
Vilcabamba or perhaps just get to know each other.
Some may opt for evening festivities in this
bustling international city. We lodge in the very
comfortable (Cable CNN and BBC news even if you
don’t want it) Andes de America hotel close to the
main plaza (or sometimes another quality hotel). D
Day 2 Monday) Leaving Cusco in the rear
view mirror, we travel by van over a low pass then
down into the famous Sacred Valley following a visit
to the big walled ceremonial complex above town,
Sasayhuaman. The Incas used this as their fortress
headquarters during the siege of Cusco in 1536.The
scenery is unsurpassable, close and distant snow
peaks glistening in the sun. An interesting drive of
several hours takes us over another Andean pass to
our trailhead, waiting horses and trail crew. Our
guide gives a helpful riding lesson, a review for
more experienced riders and necessary trail
instructions, as duffels and gear are expertly
sorted, matched and loaded on mules by a colorful
group of Quechua speaking wranglers. Abandoning
tents and baggage to follow on the mule train, we
set off, riding through the mountain town of Lares.
Looking something like the trail worn vanguard of
Francisco’s Pizarro’s army arriving in Cusco in
1533. Men loading a truck stare in wonder. Curious
kids at a nearby school stop their football game to
watch us clip-clop by on the cobblestone street.
Soon we are on an ancient trail climbing steeply out
of the valley past small potato fields and adobe
houses. Giant blue Lupine bushes line the trail.
Late afternoon finds us on a high broad ridge with a
level area suitable for our tents. We make camp near
the village of Vilcabamba, a few scattered simple
houses with friendly occupants. When we camped here
for the first time in May of 2004, the locals said
that we were the first outsiders to pass through in
their memory. (B L D )
Day 3 Tuesday) The Andean dawn breaks colorfully
to the east. We linger over a last cup of strong
cowboy coffee as restless mounts wait impatiently to
begin the days journey. Crossing a deep quebrada, we
angle around another ridge to arrive at the weaving
village of Cachin. We may be lucky enough to buy or
bargain for some of the most prized of Andean
textiles produced here. Riding on, past curious, red
-ponchoed locals working small potato fields with
ancient digging sticks, we follow a well worn
pathway once trodden by Inca pack trains laden with
jungle goods from the nearby lowlands. We stop for
lunch at Chupani, a small isolated village of
stone-walled, grass roofed huts perched casually on
a broad alluvial fan protruding down from the
junction of two immense canyons. Hot Coca tea,
boiled potatoes, roasted corn and avocado salad
fuels us for the remainder of the day’s journey.
Continuing up into a broad high open region, we pass
by a number of small villages. This high pampa with
its beautiful view was probably a place for breeding
and raising of llamas used for carrying supplies
along the royal roads. We continue our climb passing
herds of grazing alpacas. Mountain vizcachas
(related to the chinchillas) scurry amongst boulders
washed down from the higher peaks. Ahead in a
majestic circular bowl crowned by a deep blue lake,
our wranglers have set up a ring of green tents
awaiting our arrival. Some of us stretch our legs by
walking the last mile or so to Camp. Shortly, we are
sipping hot chocolate and munching fresh popcorn
near grazing alpacas. Savory aromas from the cook
tent drift across the pampa. Our kitchen crew sets
out a bottle of good Chilean wine. Several of the
bold sip one our famous expedition martinis awaiting
arrival of the first course of soup that announces
the arrival of dinner. (B L D)
Day 4 Wednesday) Startling flocks of puna ducks,
teals and Andean geese, we trot out and upward into
the morning mist. Today is a long ride through
spectacular scenery. Following lunch we cross over
another high, unpronounceable pass named
Huacahuasicasa. The trail narrows as we wind through
towering metamorphic sentinels guarding the
approach. The view from the top of this 4500 meter
high pass easily equals the best the Andes has to
offer. Now in the downhill back toward the Sacred
Valley, the horses pick up energy as they know they
are pointed toward home. The rose colored glaciers
of Nevado Pumahanca hang overhead, lit by the glow
of the fading Inca Sun God Inti as we reach the
evening camp. (B L D)
Day 5 Thursday) The day breaks bright and sunny
(we hope). Fresh fruit, yogurt and hot cakes start
our day. Duffels packed for the waiting mules, we
head down valley. Its all downhill today along the
Aruraycocha and Mantacnayoc rivers (streams
actually). We pass through stands of rare, original
Qeuña woodland. This is the genus Polylepis, home
for some of the rarest birds on earth. A giant
Andean Hillstar Hummingbird darts out as we clatter
down the rocky trail. Herder's huts and chacras
(small farms) become numerous. We pass grazing cows,
barking dogs and children coming and going along the
trail. Reaching the Sacred Valley at Yanahuara, we
ride on through farmlands along the Urubamba River.
A final ride along a colonial period lane into urban
Urubamba completes our magical journey. We sadly say
good-bye to the cooks, wranglers and hardworking
ponies. Ride Finishes here
with return to Cusco. Tomorrow begin a
new adventure! We overnight at our selected country
inn. Dinner and good conversation follows...we slip
off to our rooms to ponder the mystery of the last
Incas before drifting into undisturbed slumber.(
B:L:D)
Day 6 Friday) We board the morning narrow gauge
train heading down valley at our hotel.* An
interesting hour or so of click, clack and sway with
all of the accompanying sounds and smells of rural
Peru takes us to our final destination, Machu Picchu
and the bustling backpacker town of Aguas Calientes,
located some 2,000 ft. below Hiram Bingham’s great
1910 discovery. MACHU PICCHU is one of the most
magical and mysterious places on Earth! Situated on
the spine of a jungle cloaked granite peak towering
some 2,000 ft. above an entrenched meander of the
roaring river below, the site is frequently shrouded
in misty clouds pierced by the powerful equatorial
sun, the INCA GOD INTI. Constructed from precisely
sculptured granite blocks carefully joined with the
projecting exposed stone of the surrounding
mountain, the site may well be the finest
architectural achievement of the new world. The day
is yours to explore and photograph
Note: We use the Sacred valley Railroad leaving from
Urubamba. This train arrives much earlier than the
Cusco trains allowing us to visit Machu Picchu
before the tourist hoards arrive from Cusco also
permitting more time at the site.
We later meet at the Intihuatana stone. Our
guide concludes the story of the raise and fall of
the ancient civilizations of the Andes with the
tragic end of the Inca and the unresolved mystery
that this "lost city" remains. We return to Cusco on
the afternoon train. The evening is yours to shop
and wander around. The city abounds with small shops
and street side vendors selling their wares.
Colorful weaving and handmade alpaca sweaters are
popular gifts for friends at home. We meet for a
final dinner then migrate to the Cross Keys, Cusco's
only authentic English Pub, for drinks and lively
conversation with the resident congregation of
guides, expatriates, adventurers, treasure hunters
and smugglers from far corners of the universe.
Humphry Bougard and Harrison Ford usual have the
back table next to the pool table. (B.L.)
Day 7 Saturday) Depart Cusco for Lima and your
flight home. Additional services can be arranged in
Lima if your schedule does not connect directly to
your international flight. B. |
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THE
PROGRAM:
This is a safari style quality adventure using
pack-stock to carry all gear and camping amenities.
An experienced staff of bilingual guides and local
packers accompany a small group of guests.
Comfortable camps offer delicious meals prepared
from fresh meats, grains and vegetables served in
our large dining tent with tables and stools. One or
two persons are assigned a weather tight, quality,
four person sleeping tent. Each day begins with a
pan of hot water and coffee or tea served at your
tent. Before the evening meal, we enjoy happy hour
with popcorn, assorted hot beverages and for those
who imbibe, our famous expedition vodka martini
(shaken, not stirred) and select Chilean wine. Our
well trained, sure-footed, no nonsense horses (we
own and train them ourselves at our Sacred Valley
facility) are smaller than American saddle horses
but carry us over the high passes with amazing
energy. We do limit rider weight to 220 lbs/100kg.
Comfortable padded, new, South American-style
saddles are used.
Riding
ability:
Extensive riding experience is not a prerequisite
but due to the steep rugged terrain, prior
familiarity around horses is recommended. However we
do teach the basics required. We require that all
participants be in good health and physical
condition. Some hiking is necessary over steep short
sections of poor trail. We travel up to seven hours
on the longest day.
We own
special
mountain bred horses descended from noble Spanish
Barbs brought from Spain in the 1500s...Crossed with
the comfortable but less sure-footed Paso breed our
mountain horses give a strong, comfortable ride with
greater endurance, stability and reliability needed
for steep Inca trails.
TRIP LEADERS:
NICOLE ERB Age 32, Swiss, is scheduled to lead our In Search of Machu
Picchu departures. Nicole was born in 1969 in Weisendangen, Switzerland. She is
fluent in English, French, Spanish and German, her mother tongue. Nicole¹s
academic career has led her to studies in Switzerland, England, Costa Rica and
Peru. She holds diplomas in languages earned after her education in Switzerland.
Nicole has been active in mountain environments from the time she lived in the
Alps of her native country and has transferred this knowledge and respect of
mountain wilderness environments to her home in Peru. After leading trips for
adventure travel companies in Peru since 1992, she now is an exclusive trip
leader for our Peru trips. Respected for mountain and language skills, she has
extensive Andean knowledge and is an expert on the history of the conquest of
Peru, the Inca and traditional highland culture.
DAVID ESPEJO: Age 38, Peruvian. David is as
close to a living Inca as one can get. A Cusco native, his family history goes
back to before the Conquest. An avid student of Andean history and culture, he
is a veteran of many explorations and expeditions in remote areas seeking to
unravel the mysteries of lost civilizations. He holds a degree in anthropology
and Inca studies.
David's first language is his native Quechua. He speaks Spanish and English. He
is one of Cusco's most experienced backcountry guides. Based upon his first hand
knowledge, In June, 2000, he starred as the Shaman in a Discovery Channel film
about the discovery and exploration of Inca ruins in the far Vilcabamba led by
Gary Ziegler.
*Some departures may occasionally be led by a
guest guide who will be equally qualified
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT PERU IS SUBJECT TO STRIKES, LANDSLIDES, ETC, BE PREPARED
FOR EVENTS BEYOND OUR CONTROL WHICH MAY CAUSE DELAYS AND UNAVOIDABLE CHANGES IN
OUR PROGRAM.
See Add on days:
Other Add Ons: Nazca Lines and Lake Titicaca - ask for quotes.
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