1st Day

We leave Cusco at about 7 in the morning after a light breakfast. We take private bus to the village of Tinqui in 3800 masl. On the way we pass through beautiful landscapes and several traditional villages including Urcos, Cattca and Ocongate. We take our lunch in Tinqui while our luggage is being arranged on the mules. We take of after lunch going towards the hot springs in Upis (4200masl), in total about 5 hours walking. On the way we can enjoy the majestetics Cordillera Vilcanota, and the beautiful Ausangate mountain getting closer. In the Upis valley we can see the very traditional lifestyle of the quechua speaking population, and in the wet ground of the valley birdlife like ibis and andean goose.

2nd Day

After a solid breakfast we will start the walk towards the first pass, the Arapa pass in 4850masl, where the view of Ausangate is amazing. From here we have a quite hard descent coursed by the thick layer of gravel on the trail. Soon we will be on the side of the mountain and new view appear, the green lake of Pukacocha and later we reach the turquoise lake Jatun Pukacocha. We set up camp by the lake. From the campsite we will make the climp up to see the lake Vino Cocha and Ausangate on close hold.

3th Day

In the morning we walk up to the second pass of Apuchata in 4900masl. with the turquoise laguna Ausangate Cocha below. Fish lives in the cold water of this lake. Passing the lake we have a short but steep ascend to the Palomani pass in the amazing altitude of 5200masl. Surrounded by floks of llamas and alpacas we walk down from the pass towards the settlement of Finaya Pampa, where we will set up our camp.

We cross green swampy areas in the valley of Finaya Pampa and later we start walking up the valley of Rio Q’ampa. From the valley we have great views of the snowcovered peaks of Tres Picos and Puca Punta. From the small community of Q’ampa and onwards to the pass of same name in 5000 masl. We have good chances to see the small vicuñas famed for their valuable fleece. After making a small “hito” at the pass we walk down to the turquoise lake of Q’omercocha(4580masl), where we set up camp.

5th Day

We take is easy in the morning enjoying the view while having breakfast. Then we start our short daywalk to the village of Pacchanta. On way way we have good time to look at the small settlements along the way and to watch the longtailed viscachas – a cousin of the rabbits. After lunch we will go to the hot thermal springs to relax the tired muscles and in the late afternoon there is a good chance to see an andean village on close hold.

6th Day

We leave our last campsite and the village of Pacchanta walking the about 3 hours back to the village of Tinqui. Here our transport back to Cusco will be waiting. Our horsemen and companions for the last days stays in Tinqui and we go back to Cusco, where we arrive in the late afternoon.

We leave Cusco at 5 am in the morning and arrive to Urubamba, the Pumawanca district later in the morning. In the hacienda Pumawanca we enjoy our breakfast while the muleteers arrange the equipment on the mules. Hereafter we start our slow ascent through an area of Eucalyptus and local plants and trees, then after one and a half hours of walk we arrive to the first resting place where we can take a bath in a nice crystal clear stream (3215masl.). We continue to our lunch spot close to the archaeological site of Inkaracay where we can appreciate an Inca building of 2 floors (3500masl.). In the afternoon we walk towards the first waterfall in 3730 masl. We pass a very typical village with its mud houses covered with Andean ichu grass. From the waterfall we have an amazing view of the landscape we just have been passing through, and we take a small break here. In the way we walk along the typical vegetation of Chachacomo trees. In Toccopampa (3920masl.) we rest a while by the clear creek before walking the last part up towards SIGLLAKASA on the left side of the snow peak Chicon. With the first views of the snow we arrive to our camp called Huyo Pampa in 4075 masl.

2nd Day

We wake up to an amazing view of the mountains around us. We are in a greenish pampa with thousands of the mysterious close-to-extinction native queña trees. After a nutritive breakfast we start the ascent towards the pass. We cross through the queña tree forest on the way to the 4600 masl. generally covered with snow. Sometimes we can appreciate the interesting Viscachas (like rabbits with long tail), and in 4455 masl. we pass the beautiful lagune of Champacocha with the snow peaks as background. From here we have about 30 min. more to the Sicllakasa Pass in 4600 masl. In clear weather we spend a long moment here before starting the descent through the rough stair like stone-formations of volcanic rock, that we find on this side. On the way down we pass beautiful lagunes, the biggest one called Yana Cocha in 4350 masl. Arriving to the top part of the Lares Valley we can appreciate the ecological level called Puna, where we have our lunch with view of small huts and fields of lamas and sheep eating herbs. All afternoon is going smoothly down, we pass the village of Conkani (3670masl.) and continue pass the cemetery of Kelkana before arriving to the thermal baths of Lares (3125masl.), where we arrive in the late afternoon. We enjoy the hot water and relax our feet and tired muscles.

We leave the village of Lares during the morning. On the way back to the Sacred Valley we drive by many small lakes and colourful bushes following the river of Lares. After half an hour we arrive once again to the ecological level of Puna, with the llama and sheep enclosures, surrounded by animals eating pasture. Once again we can also appreciate the typical houses and potato fields almost all the way to the pass. After the pass we go down over a great grass prairie and passing through the canyon of Calca leading to the Sacred Valley. From here we go directly back to Cusco. OBS! Those who go on to Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu leave the group in Calca.

We leave from Cusco at 4:00am in the morning. Arriving at Cachora town at 6:30 in the morning where we will have our breakfast. Hereafter we arrange the equipment on mules and horses. From that place we can observe the majestic PADRAYOC snow-covered peaks, it is 5482 m.a.s.l. The hike on this first day is 21.70 km of distance. On the way we will observe PADRAYOC Y WAYNA CACHORA snow-covered peaks, we can appreciate the beautiful change of the landscape from precipices to snowy mountains.

We have our lunch in a place called Playa Rosalina at 1:00 pm. On the way we will observe APURIMAC canyon with its impressive depth and in SANTA ROSA we will set up our campsite.

The approximate time of the hike is about 10 h. On this day we will pass the samall settlements: La Colmena (2870masl), La Aguada (2915masl), Capuliyoc (2915masl) impressive look out point where we can see all Apurimac Valley, Huayhuacalle (2970masl), Tinajayoc (2630masl), Mirador (2370masl), Cocamasana (2330masl), Torowisqana (2285masl), Chiquisqa (1950masl) grove place where we can find water, Playa Rosalina (camp in 1550 masl), La Huerta (2705masl) and finally we arrive in Santa Rosa (2115masl).

Early morning (5:00 am) after breakfast, we continue our hike going up to Choquequiraw. We will arrive to the archaeological place CHOQUEQUIRAW after 5 hours. Good time to enjoy that majestic place. We will observe the three levels of the excavated ruin, where we can appreciate houses, terraces and other parts of this late Inca-town, like the ruin in progress of excavation and finally areas unexplored that can tell us about this last refuge of the oppressed inca empire. Approximately at 3 o’clock in the afternoon (depends of the weather) we can appreciate “the flight of the Condors”.

CHOQUEQUIRAW is considered as “The Last Refuge of the Inca Empire”. The oldest reports assign to JUAN ARIAS DIAZ as one of the first persons that explored the zone in 1710. Our bilingual guide will explain the history and importance of the site after the Spanish arrived to Peru. We will have our lunch and dinner in RAQAYPATA (2910masl).

3th Day

After an early breakfast we pack and start walking back to CHIQUISQA. On the way we can observe again Apurimac canyon . Here we may be lucky to appreciate the flight of the Condors, the exuberant vegetation and its variety of flowers and orchids.

The time of the hike is about 10h. Altitude: 3033-1950 m.a.s.l. Passing the same small settlements as on the way up. We will stop in PLAYA ROSALINA where we will have our lunch and after that we’ll continue to CHIQUISQA. Here we will spend the night on our campsite.

4th Day

CHIQUISQA CACHORA CUSCO
Early morning after breakfast (5:00 am), we continue to arrive to Cachora town. On the hike we can appreciate again the majestic PADRAYOC snow-covered peak that decorate to APURIMAC canyon.

The time of hike to arrive to CACHORA is about 7 hours. In the way back to CUSCO we make a stop in CCONOC and enjoy of the HOT NATURAL SPRINGS!! Showers are available the same time we can see native product of the area.
We will arrive to CUSCO approximately at 10pm.