Early in the morning, pick up from your hotel in Cusco will be at 7:30 am. We will drive to Tambomachay (3800 MASL - 12467 FASL), an archaeological complex situated in the Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Park. Tambomachay is made up of a series of ceremonial
water fountains, believed to have been dedicated to the cult of water. The day's hike will begin at this point, and continue through puna landscapes and over the Sicllaccasa Pass at 4100 masl / 13186 FASL where we will have spectacular views of two valleys. To your right, you will see the capital of the Incas, Cusco, with impressive mountains surrounding it. Your tour guide will tell you how and where the Incas arrived in this area, and about its conquest by the Spanish. There are two Inca sites at the bottom of the valley, and to your left, there will be a beautiful landscape of mountains and farmland.
From the pass, we will follow the side of the valley, making our way to the top to cross over to the other side. It is about a 45-minute hike to the top end of the valley. Once we get there, we will cross a small stream that divides the valley and begin to make our way to our lunch spot at Lake Qoricocha. The landscape at the lake is quite arid because the entire area is a high puna between the mountains, and is covered in hardy Andean grass called Ichu. It is possible to see a wide variety of birds, such as Andean geese, lapwings, and partridges, among others. After lunch, we will continue to our campsite in the village of Patabamba. We will head to the top of one of the ridges, and as we descend, we will circle around Lake Qoricocha (Golden Lake). It is about a two and a half hour hike to the village where we will be greeted by groups of locals who are always happy to welcome us into their community. After settling in and having a steaming cup of coca tea, we will visit one of the local families to learn about their way of life. If you have brought any gifts, you can share them with the family at this time. After visiting the family, we will have time to relax, and your tour guide will teach you more about the Andean way of life.
Hiking distance: 14 km. / 8.6 miles.
Hiking time: approximately 6½ to 7 hours.
Climate: hot during the day and cold at night.
Accommodation: Camping.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner.
Maximum altitude: 4350 masl. / 14271 feet
Minimum altitude: 3700 masl. / 12139 feet

Este sendero lo llevará primero al pequeño pueblo de Sihua y luego hasta el paso de Pukamarca (4150 MASL - 13615 FASL) que domina el pueblo con el mismo nombre. Aquí, tendrá un espléndido mirador de la cordillera de Urubamba y el Valle Sagrado. Después de llegar a la parte superior del paso, hay una caminata cuesta abajo de 2 km / 0.6 millas (aproximadamente 30 minutos) a la comunidad de Pumamarka para el almuerzo.
Después de esto, continuará su caminata hacia el cañón Puma Puncu ("la puerta del puma"). Desde aquí, caminarás por un sendero inca original, que ha sido restaurado como parte del proyecto Qapacñan. Este sendero lo llevará al aislado y misterioso sitio inca de Huchuy Qosqo ("el pequeño Cusco") encaramado sobre el Valle Sagrado de los Incas a 3600 msnm / 11811 FASL. Una vez en el sitio, su guía lo guiará y le mostrará todos los increíbles edificios incas del sitio, como templos sagrados, almacenes, terrazas incas para la agricultura y el embalse inca utilizado para almacenar agua durante la estación seca.
Después de su visita guiada por el sitio, comenzaremos nuestra caminata de 2 horas cuesta abajo hasta el pueblo de Lamay (2800 MASL - 9186 FASL) junto al río Urumbamba en el Valle Sagrado, donde un autobús lo estará esperando para llevarlo de regreso a su hotel. en Cusco
Walking distance: 12 km. / 7.4 miles.
Walking time: approximately 6½ to 7 hours.
Climate: hot in the day and warm at night.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Maximum altitude: 4150 meters above sea level / 13615 feet.
Minimum altitude: 3848 meters above sea level / 12624 feet.