Ancascocha Trek
(5 Days)

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    Duration

    5 Days/4 Nights

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    Difficulty

    Challenging

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    Starting Point

    Cusco

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    Ages

    All Ages

From: $675.00

Five days and 4 nights to Machu Picchu – One of our best and most rigorous treks!

Get way off the beaten path with this moderately challenging trek.  Have the trail to yourself as you climb 2 big mountain passes and get rewarded with unbelievable views of the milky way, rivers, and the Ancascocha Lake and Valley.  

One of the Sacred Valley’s best kept secrets, this trek takes you through local communities, passed stunning waterfalls, and offers some of the most spectacular 360 degree views in all of Peru.  As an added bonus – you also get to see the beginning of the Classic Inca Trail too.  What more could you want?

This is a full-service trek where you only carry a day pack.  All gear, food, and tents are carried by porters and pack animals.

What's Included

  • Transportation from end to end
  • Private, English speaking guide
  • All meals as listed (can accommodate dietary restrictions with proper notice)
  • Duffel bags for items to be carried by porters (up to 15lbs/7kilos per person).
  • Clean water at every meal stop
  • Accommodation at a 3 star hotel in Aguas Calientes
  • All entrance fees and permits
  • Tents – 2 people/tent (single occupancy available for additional charge.)
  • Sleeping Mat
  • Basic First aid kit including emergency oxygen tank
  • Walking sticks (available for rent)
  • Lunch and Dinner – Day 5
  • Alcoholic Beverages of any kind
  • Gratuity
  • Breakfast – Day one
  • Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain climb (can be reserved in advance available for additional fee of $30 per person)
  • Sleeping Bag (can be rented for $30)
  • Travel Insurance

Departure/Return Locations

Your hotel in Cusco

Departure Time

5am

Day 1: CUSCO – RAYAN – RESERVORIO

Hiking time: 6-7 hours (including breaks and photo ops)

  • We’ll pick you up from your hotel in Cusco and head for the trail!  This trek starts in a community where you’ll have time to chat with some locals while our staff packs the equipment.
  • Today’s hike is mostly uphill and pretty challenging, but the scenery can’t be beat.  We’ll pass a tall a waterfall on the way to our destination for the day – a mysterious cliff-top Inca Site called Perolniyoc.
  • After enjoying the view, we’ll continue on up the mountain to our campsite for dinner and good night’s sleep.

Day 2: RESERVORIO – ANCASCOCHA

Hiking time: 6-7 hours (including breaks and photo ops)

  • Today you will get a taste of some high elevation as we hike up to the first mountain pass at Kuychik’asa (4450m/14599ft).  It gets a little windy at the top, but you’ll really be on top of the world with 360 degree views of the whole Sacred Valley.
  • After lunch, we’ll give your lungs a break and start descending into the valley along the river.  On our way to campsite #2, we’ll meet some friendly animals and see the snow-capped peaks of some of the highest mountains in Peru.

Day 3: ANCASCOCHA – QUESQA – PAUCARCANCHA

Hiking time: 6-7 hours (including breaks and photo ops)

  • Not gonna lie – today will be a tough day on your legs, but it will be oh so easy on your eyes.
  • The big challenge for the day is getting over your second big mountain pass – Huayanay (4650m/15255ft),  but you get there by passing the stunning Ancascocha Lake, several waterfalls, well-maintained Inca sites, rivers, llamas, and the sprawling Quesqa Valley.
  • You’ll be over the pass and enjoying dinner at campsite #3 before you know it.

Day 4: PAUCARCANCHA – KM 82 (INCA TRAIL) – AGUAS CALIENTES

Hiking time: 6 hours (including breaks and photo ops)

  • Our 6 hour walk today will take us to the finish line – Kilometer 82 – the starting point for the Classic Inca Trail.
  • We’ll have one more amazing lunch cooked by our chef here before we finally get to kick our legs up and relax.  From here, we’ll take a scenic train ride along the river to Aguas Calientes – the town at the base of Machu Picchu.
  • We’ll be rewarded tonight with a hot shower, comfy hotel bed, and dinner on us out on the town.

Day 5: MACHU PICCHU- CUSCO

Today is the day, people! Machu Picchu is here!

  • It’s the day you’ve been waiting for – your visit to Machu Picchu!
  • You’ll have a guided tour of the whole city while feeling the magic and energy that make this place one of the most incredible places on Earth.
  • After the tour, we’ll head back to Aguas Calientes, or if you’ve purchased a permit to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (Must be purchased separately in advance), you will go there at the designated time.
  • You will get lunch or a snack in Aguas Calientes on your own before we catch the train back to Cusco.  At your hotel, we will say “hasta luego” to you, our new friends.
For a more detailed itinerary, click here.

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Views from the Trail: