Enjoy this amazing and picturesque hike from Huchuy Qosqo Trek to Machu Picchu. Is your idea of the perfect vacation a tour to Machu Picchu but away from the crowds? If the answer is yes, look no further. You will spend 3 days touring breathtaking landscapes while observing beautiful villages and encountering llamas and alpacas as you witness towering mountain peaks and an amazing variety of local flora and fauna.
In addition, you will meet new friends in the local communities, immerse yourself in their world and learn all about their customs and traditions as you walk in the footsteps of their ancestors on parts of the mythical Inca Trail. This is the perfect trip for those who are short on time and want to live a true rural Andean experience.
Join us today for the adventure of a lifetime!
Whether you are traveling with friends, family or as a couple, you can join our 3-day adventure to Machu Picchu with expert guides passing through the most incredible Andean landscapes. The Huchuy Qosqo tour is like taking a journey into the past, so it’s hard to believe that such an adventure is so close to Cusco. Make the most of your time in the land of the Incas by taking this unique and out of the ordinary hike.
From the moment the trip begins, this tour takes you away from the typical tourist route. You will walk along ancient trails and visit and stay overnight in a local community where you will immerse yourself in the local culture and be amazed by the vast landscapes.
On the second day, you will visit the little-known archaeological complex of Huchuy Qosqo, a pre-Inca site that was conquered by the Incas as part of their empire in the early stages of their expansion. This site offers an interesting mix of pre-Inca and Inca architecture and is located on the side of a beautiful hill in an incredible location overlooking the Sacred Valley.
After exploring this fascinating complex, you will begin your journey to Ollantaytambo, where you will board the train to Aguas Calientes. From here, we will visit the most famous Inca site of all: Machu Picchu; this amazing Inca citadel is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO; you should not miss the opportunity to see it during your stay in Peru. What are you waiting for?
Join us in this epic experience traveling through ancestral lands until you reach the most incredible fortress.
HIGHLIGHT
ITINERARY SUMMARY
DAY 01: TAMBOMACHAY – QORICOCHA LAGOON – PUCAMARCA – QENQO COMMUNITY
Start your hike from Tambomachay and have lunch at the Qoricocha lagoon. In the afternoon, hike another four hours to reach the campsite on the terraces of the Qenqo community.
DAY 02: QENQO COMMUNITY – LAMAY – OLLANTAYTAMBO – AGUAS CALIENTES
In the morning, explore the Huchuy Qosqo complex before lunch in Lamay. Later, board the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes for an overnight stay in a hotel.
DAY 03: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – OLLANTAYTAMBO – CUSCO
After spending the morning exploring Machu Picchu, we will descend to Aguas Calientes for lunch. From there, board the train to Ollantaytambo, where our private transportation will be waiting to take you to your accommodation in Cusco.
Highlight of the day: Walk through the impressive Andean landscape.
To start your Huchuy Qosqo trek, we pick you up at your hotel at 6 a.m. and take you to the Inca site called Puca Pucara (3,700 meters). It is only 20 minutes from the city of Cusco. We will start walking slowly uphill for an hour and a half until we reach the first pass (4,100 meters), 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 give you information about how and where the Incas arrived in this area and about the conquest of 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 continue along the side of the valley, making our way to the top, to cross to the other end. It is about a 45 minute walk to the upper end of the valley. Once we get there, we will cross a small stream that divides the valley and arrive at our lunch spot, at Queullacocha Lake. The landscape at the lake is quite arid because the whole area is a high puna between the mountains and is covered with hard Andean grass, called Ichu. It is possible to see a great variety of birds, such as Andean geese, lapwings, partridges, among others.
After our lunch, we will continue to our campsite in the village of Qenqo. We will continue our trek over the top of one of the ridges as we descend and circle around Lake Qoricocha (Golden Lake). It is a two and a half hour hike to the village, where we will be greeted by groups of locals who are always proud to welcome us into their community.
After settling in and having a hot drink of mate de coca, we will visit one of the local families to learn about their lifestyle. If you have brought any gifts with you, 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 lifestyle.
Highlight of the day: Tour the unique Huchuy Qosqo complex and learn all its secrets.
Explore the fascinating site of Huchuy Qosqo
This day our staff will wake you up with a cup of hot coca tea so you can welcome a nice day and take the opportunity to pack your personal belongings and then enjoy a delicious breakfast. We begin our hike from Quencco to the Inca site of Huchuy Qosqo. After approximately two hours of hiking, we will reach a stretch of the original Inca Trail, just below the village of Pumamarca.
Along the way, we will see many local people grazing their llamas. Once we reach the Inca Trail, the landscape changes from high mountains to a secluded valley. This valley is a beautiful microclimate, full of lush vegetation. Many small birds can be seen, including a variety of hummingbirds feeding on the flowers. As we drive through the valley, we will be able to see snow-capped mountains and the famous Urubamba mountain range. There will be plenty of time to take in many of the picturesque views.
We will head towards the main site, pass through an Inca gate and finally arrive at the magnificent Inca site of Huchuy Qosqo (Little Cusco – 3,600 meters), which towers over the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Here you will see Inca buildings, such as sacred temples, storehouses, Inca terraces for agriculture and an Inca reservoir used to store water in the dry season.
Your guide will take you on a spectacular tour and sites where he will teach you about the Inca antecedents. Before lunch you will have time to explore the site on your own. From here, we will begin our hike downhill into the Sacred Valley, which takes approximately two hours less to reach the village of Lamay (2,800 meters) on the Urubamba River, where our private transportation from Tunqui Expeditions will be waiting to take you to Ollantaytambo.
We will have dinner at a restaurant before taking the 7 pm train and then we will board the train to Aguas Calientes, once there you can rest at the hotel.
Hot showers will be available.
Highlight of the day: Explore every inch of the amazing feat of humanity, Machu Picchu.
Tour the incredible Inca citadel of Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is the most important part of our trip. We suggest waking up to have breakfast and then board one of the first buses to Machu Picchu.
All these buses start their service from 5:30 am. Once we arrive at the citadel of Machupicchu your guide will lead you to a strategic point from where you can observe the Inca architecture of Machu Picchu, and will go to a well located place from where we observe the sunrise (depending on the weather).
You will be able to take your postcard photo of Machu Picchu, then you will start the guided tour through the main sectors of the citadel, for a time of 2.5 hours. During this guided tour, you will learn a little more about the history and culture of the Inca Empire.
At the end of the tour, you will have some more free time so that you can continue with the photo shoots and explore what is left to visit on your own or, if you have arranged to hike Huayna Picchu* (must be booked in advance, as they are sold out and cost $75 per person), your guide will show you where to begin this hike, which will take no more than 2 hours round trip.
After having enjoyed Machupicchu, you will return to Aguas Calientes on your own in the park’s buses and enjoy lunch in the village, and then board your train to Ollantaytambo. Once you arrive in Ollantaytambo, we will board our private transportation from Tunqui Expeditions and you will be in Cusco at approximately 8 p.m. where our service will end at your hotel.
At Tunqui Expeditions we specify the included and non-included services for all the itineraries listed on our website. We take care of all the logistics, but please check the details to make sure you do not miss anything. Some items may be different for certain programmes, so please read carefully before booking with us.
WHAT IS INCLUIDED?
Permits & Tickets
The Machu Picchu Circuit 2 ticket offers the most complete tour of the citadel and is the most popular. For this reason we recommend that you book well in advance to ensure your entry. (Circuit 2)
High Quality Service & Safety
You’ll meet your guide and group at our office for a pre trek briefing. There you’ll receive your duffle bags, which will be carried by our horses. The meeting is at 17:00 the evening before the trek.
Our official guides speak English and Spanish and are professionally trained and certified. We choose them for their experience, responsibility, unbridled passion for exploration and pride in sharing our culture and history. On every experience they will keep you safe and comfortable, so you can enjoy your time worry-free!
All equipment is carried by our team of porters.
On the trek you can carry your personal belongings up to a maximum weight of 7kg / 15.4 lb (this weight includes your sleeping bag).
All Tunqui Expeditions guides have received specialised first aid training. We hold mandatory training sessions with our guides every February. Your guide will always carry a first aid kit for basic emergencies (altitude sickness, traveller’s diarrhoea, cuts, abrasions, etc.) as well as oxygen. If necessary, we’ll evacuate you from the trail as quickly as possible and get you to a clinic for treatment.
We believe that attention to detail is what sets us apart from other local companies. You’ll receive a cover to protect your rucksack on the road and a rain poncho.
We have a telephone service available 24 hours a day for easy communication with Tunqui Expeditions prior to your trek.
Your comfort is our first priority. Although our guides are prepared for emergencies in the mountains, calling a doctor, hospital or friend can make you feel more secure. For this reason, every Tunqui Expeditions guide carries a satellite phone to call anywhere in the world from anywhere on the mountain.
Accommodation
Tunqui Expeditions use the best tents to ensure your safety and comfort (e.g. Eureka Timberline or Mountain Hard Ware tents).
You will spend the last night of the trek in a comfortable hotel in Aguas Calientes, including luggage storage, while you visit Machu Picchu.
*Accommodation is in double, twin and triple rooms.
Meals
Our chef prepares the most amazing dishes in the middle of the mountain. Our passengers love our food! We respect all diets (vegetarian, vegan or special menus are available at no extra cost), so please let us know on your booking form if you have any special allergies or restrictions and remind your guide during the briefing. You’ll enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as hot drinks and snacks.
We’ll provide you with boiled, filtered and chilled water throughout the trek, from your first lunch to your last breakfast. You will need to bring a camel bag or an empty bottle (we recommend a capacity of 2 litres).
Every morning at the campsite you’ll be woken with a cup of hot coca tea. Our staff will bring the tea to your tent so that you are warm from the inside out before you start your day.
Every afternoon before dinner, the cooks will provide you with popcorn, biscuits, coffee, hot chocolate, tea, hot water, etc. After a long day of trekking, you don’t have to wait until dinner to relax, warm up and enjoy a bite to eat!
Before you start your trek, your guide will provide you with a cloth bag containing local fruit, biscuits, chocolate, caramels, etc. We’ll refill it every morning so you can enjoy your snacks on the trail.
We’ll provide you with a cloth bag for your snacks – perfect for storing wrappers and keeping the environment clean. Feel free to use it throughout the walk!
Transportation
On days 1 and 2, cargo mules will carry all the camping equipment and your baggage allowance (7 kg / 15.4 lb). Muleteers will be responsible for your duffle bag and personal items.
Muleteers and Porters (Tunquis)
During the Salkantay Trek, our muleteers and porters (tunquis) will carry all our camping equipment, from personal tents, clothes and sleeping bags to extra tents for eating and cooking, food, water, tables, chairs and a gas stove. We will include the personal service of a porter to carry your duffel bag and personal belongings.
They will be responsible for transporting all camping equipment and food, setting up and taking down each camp, and assisting the cook with food preparation. By law they can only carry a maximum of 20 kg, a rule we take very seriously.
Extras
We believe that it is the attention to detail that sets us apart from other tour operators. As we wrote above, each walker receives
Taxes and Fees
All taxes and permit fees associated with this trek are included in our price. There are no hidden charges.
The Tunqui Difference
The following list is less tangible, but equally important and part of everything we do and include at Tunqui Expeditions.
He started in the industry as a porter and understands your needs better than anyone. We are committed and promise a better life for every member of Team Tunqui.
This includes better wages that they can live on so they don’t have to beg for tips to make ends meet. This is our job. We provide them with all the equipment they need, including warm down jackets, proper walking boots, rucksacks, hats, headlamps, sleeping bags and mats, and tents for them to sleep in.
We also help their families by supporting their village schools, bringing doctors and dentists to the families and planting trees in their valleys. We are committed to our social projects and the more than 300 porters on our team appreciate this.
While our porters trek to Machu Picchu dozens of times a year, they never enter our famous citadel. We make four trips a year to take our team inside and spend two days touring the important ruins, allowing them to touch and see the history of their ancestors.
Although the numbers are not yet equal, we look forward to the day when we have 50/50 men and women working in the mountains as part of the Tunqui Expeditions team.
We use local products that are biodegradable and organic wherever possible.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED?
You can hire one from us if you don’t have your own. Our sleeping bags are effective and durable, protecting you from temperatures as low as -18ºC (0ºF). They are mummy-shaped and include a sleeping liner. They are cleaned after each use and have a maximum use of 30 trips.
Walking sticks (with rubber tips) can be very useful on rough terrain and for ascending and descending. You can hire a set from us if you’d like.
You can climb the famous mountain that you always see in photos behind the archaeological site of Machu Picchu. It’s a 45 minute climb and the descent can be scary if you’re afraid of heights. You can do this after your guided tour of Machu Picchu. Permission must be obtained at least two to three months in advance due to high demand. Bear in mind that there may be changes to protect your safety, especially due to weather conditions.
Machu Picchu Mountain is another of the mountains surrounding the archaeological site of Machu Picchu. It offers less steep, wider and visually less frightening trails than Huayna Picchu, and it takes 1.5 hours to reach the top. This walk requires an entrance ticket, which we can arrange for you if we have time in advance.
Tipping is the norm on any trip to Machu Picchu. Although we pay our entire team well, a little extra is always welcome, especially considering the hard work they put in. Typically, group members collect their tips to share with the drivers and cooks.
Landslides, bad weather, changes in itinerary due to safety concerns, illness, pandemics, changes in government policy, political instability, strikes, acts of God, etc.
We want to make your trip to Peru as memorable and worry free as possible. In this section you’ll find the answers to all your questions about travelling with Tunqui Expeditions in one place. Please read the following information carefully – it will help you with any questions you may have about our services.
Is it for me?
The Huchuy Qosqo Trek to Machu Picchu is an excellent alternative to the Inca Trail trek and is better suited for more adventurous trekkers who can handle higher altitudes and longer distances.
Plastic-Free Huchuy Qosqo Trek
Join us on this journey toward a plastic-free Huchuy Qosqo Trek, where the beauty of the landscape is matched only by our commitment to environmental stewardship. Together we will pave the way for a more sustainable and responsible adventure through the heart of history.
How many days do I need to acclimatise in Cusco before the Huchuy Qosqo Trek?
It’s very important to be well acclimatised to the altitude before embarking on a trek. We recommend that you arrive in Cusco at least 2 or 3 days before the start of the trek to help you acclimatise and avoid any problems with altitude sickness during the trek.
You may have been in another area of Peru at high altitude before arriving in Cusco. If this is the case, we still recommend that you spend a full day in Cusco to rest, recover from the journey and enjoy the sights and sounds of Cusco before starting the trek.
Here are some suggestions for activities to do around Cusco before starting your adventure trek:
Briefing or information meeting
All information meetings and briefings are held at our main office in Cusco (or your hotel) at 17:00 the night before the tour starts. These meetings last between 30 and 45 minutes. If you can’t make it, you will need to arrange another time by email, phone or in person at the Tunqui Expeditions office.
Trek balance payment (in Cusco)
If you have an outstanding balance, you must pay it 2 days before your trek. Otherwise your reservation will not be confirmed.
If possible, we would appreciate it if you could pay the balance for the trek/tour in cash, either in US dollars or local currency, at our office in Cusco. You can withdraw money from several ATM’s along the Avenida Sol, which offer both US Dollars and Peruvian Soles.
Alternatively, you can pay by credit/debit card or PAYPAL, either online or in person, but please note that a 5% service charge will be applied by our payment gateway (Niubiz) and PAYPAL. We regret to inform you that we are unable to accept bank drafts or traveller’s cheques as payment for the balance.
Duffle bag or canvas bag
You’ll be given a duffel bag or canvas bag during your briefing. Our team of porters will carry it with you throughout the trek and hand it to you at each camp. They measure 60 x 24 x 22 cm (23.6 x 9.45 x 8.66 in).
A maximum of 6 kg / 13.2 lb is allowed for each duffel, including the weight of your sleeping bag, sleeping mat, clothes and other personal items.
Can I store my luggage in your office?
Of course you can! During the trip your main luggage can be stored at our office (you can arrange this with us on the day of the briefing or by email) or at your hotel, both free of charge.
Any equipment you don’t need on the trek can be safely stored at your hotel. Almost all hotels offer this service. Don’t leave anything of value with your luggage; put it in the hotel safe and get a detailed receipt (in the unlikely event of theft, many insurance companies require a copy of the receipt detailing everything). It’s best to put items such as credit cards in a sealed, signed envelope for extra peace of mind.
Collecting guests
Please note:
Returning to Cusco from Machu Picchu
Returning from Machu Picchu requires some logistics, but don’t worry. It is all included in your tour!
Note: Your tour includes a one way bus ticket Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu, so you can choose to use it from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu or from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes. If you want a return bus ticket, you’ll have to pay an additional US$ 12.00.
Group Tours
Group tours are made up of different types of people, therefore physical conditions and ages may vary. By agreeing to join a group tour, you accept that some people may be faster or slower than you. Therefore, everyone will be able to move at their own pace.
There may be occasions when a group wishes to make changes to the tour, but it is up to the guide to decide, in consultation with all participants, whether such changes are possible.
Strikes and demonstrations
Strikes and demonstrations are common in Peru and may interrupt some of our tours. Roads may be blocked and railway lines may be occupied. However, we will try to keep your trip as originally planned, even if this means leaving the night before the scheduled date.
Tours may be cancelled in these circumstances. In the event of a change or cancellation, our Operations Department will liaise with you. Your safety is our number one priority and our decisions will be made to protect it.
Lost items
Please be careful where you leave your belongings and remember to take everything with you when you leave your transport, accommodation or restaurant. You are responsible for your belongings while you’re on the tour.
BASICS
CLOTHING
EQUIPMENT
The porters will carry up to 7kg of your personal belongings. This should include your sleeping bag and air mattress (if you are bring/renting one). In our case these two items weigh 3.5kg.
RECOMMENDED
“Huchuy Qosqo Trek 3 Days” is available any day of the week, from March to January. We do not operate this itinerary in February due to the rainy season and route maintenance. In addition, during this month, our Tunqui Expeditions team – guides, cooks, porters and muleteers – receive training and plan the year to ensure that you, our travelers, enjoy the trekking experience with us to the fullest.
Cost
Group Price: US$ 550.00 per person.
Required Pre-payment : US$ 200.00 per person.
Balance (Cusco): US$ 350.00 (Commonly paid in Cusco after briefing).
This small group tour is guaranteed to operate with just 2 people.
Please note that PayPal charges a 5% fee, which we ask the client to cover as it is due to the use of their service. This tax is only for online deposits so you will pay the rest in cash (on the day of the briefing in Cusco) without charge.
Extensions and Offers
There are several extensions that can be included in your Peru Adventure.
Additional Equipment
There are additional items that you can include in this trip. Below is a quick list of prices.
Add-ons and Upgrades
Complementary services and upgrades that you can include in this trip:
Price guarantee
Once your reservation is confirmed, we guarantee that the price will not increase, whatever the circumstances. So, before you book, please make sure you have read all our important information about the tour.
Student Discount
Student discounts apply to anyone 17 years of age or younger. To receive the discount, we require a copy or clear photo of your passport at the time of booking. It must be current and not expire within the dates of travel. Please send it to info@tunquiexpeditions.com.
Whether you are traveling with friends, family or as a couple, you can join our 3-day adventure to Machu Picchu with expert guides passing through the most incredible Andean landscapes. The Huchuy Qosqo tour is like taking a journey into the past, so it’s hard to believe that such an adventure is so close to Cusco. Make the most of your time in the land of the Incas by taking this unique and out of the ordinary hike.
From the moment the trip begins, this tour takes you away from the typical tourist route. You will walk along ancient trails and visit and stay overnight in a local community where you will immerse yourself in the local culture and be amazed by the vast landscapes.
On the second day, you will visit the little-known archaeological complex of Huchuy Qosqo, a pre-Inca site that was conquered by the Incas as part of their empire in the early stages of their expansion. This site offers an interesting mix of pre-Inca and Inca architecture and is located on the side of a beautiful hill in an incredible location overlooking the Sacred Valley.
After exploring this fascinating complex, you will begin your journey to Ollantaytambo, where you will board the train to Aguas Calientes. From here, we will visit the most famous Inca site of all: Machu Picchu; this amazing Inca citadel is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO; you should not miss the opportunity to see it during your stay in Peru. What are you waiting for?
Join us in this epic experience traveling through ancestral lands until you reach the most incredible fortress.
HIGHLIGHT
ITINERARY SUMMARY
DAY 01: TAMBOMACHAY – QORICOCHA LAGOON – PUCAMARCA – QENQO COMMUNITY
Start your hike from Tambomachay and have lunch at the Qoricocha lagoon. In the afternoon, hike another four hours to reach the campsite on the terraces of the Qenqo community.
DAY 02: QENQO COMMUNITY – LAMAY – OLLANTAYTAMBO – AGUAS CALIENTES
In the morning, explore the Huchuy Qosqo complex before lunch in Lamay. Later, board the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes for an overnight stay in a hotel.
DAY 03: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – OLLANTAYTAMBO – CUSCO
After spending the morning exploring Machu Picchu, we will descend to Aguas Calientes for lunch. From there, board the train to Ollantaytambo, where our private transportation will be waiting to take you to your accommodation in Cusco.
Highlight of the day: Walk through the impressive Andean landscape.
To start your Huchuy Qosqo trek, we pick you up at your hotel at 6 a.m. and take you to the Inca site called Puca Pucara (3,700 meters). It is only 20 minutes from the city of Cusco. We will start walking slowly uphill for an hour and a half until we reach the first pass (4,100 meters), 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 give you information about how and where the Incas arrived in this area and about the conquest of 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 continue along the side of the valley, making our way to the top, to cross to the other end. It is about a 45 minute walk to the upper end of the valley. Once we get there, we will cross a small stream that divides the valley and arrive at our lunch spot, at Queullacocha Lake. The landscape at the lake is quite arid because the whole area is a high puna between the mountains and is covered with hard Andean grass, called Ichu. It is possible to see a great variety of birds, such as Andean geese, lapwings, partridges, among others.
After our lunch, we will continue to our campsite in the village of Qenqo. We will continue our trek over the top of one of the ridges as we descend and circle around Lake Qoricocha (Golden Lake). It is a two and a half hour hike to the village, where we will be greeted by groups of locals who are always proud to welcome us into their community.
After settling in and having a hot drink of mate de coca, we will visit one of the local families to learn about their lifestyle. If you have brought any gifts with you, 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 lifestyle.
Highlight of the day: Tour the unique Huchuy Qosqo complex and learn all its secrets.
Explore the fascinating site of Huchuy Qosqo
This day our staff will wake you up with a cup of hot coca tea so you can welcome a nice day and take the opportunity to pack your personal belongings and then enjoy a delicious breakfast. We begin our hike from Quencco to the Inca site of Huchuy Qosqo. After approximately two hours of hiking, we will reach a stretch of the original Inca Trail, just below the village of Pumamarca.
Along the way, we will see many local people grazing their llamas. Once we reach the Inca Trail, the landscape changes from high mountains to a secluded valley. This valley is a beautiful microclimate, full of lush vegetation. Many small birds can be seen, including a variety of hummingbirds feeding on the flowers. As we drive through the valley, we will be able to see snow-capped mountains and the famous Urubamba mountain range. There will be plenty of time to take in many of the picturesque views.
We will head towards the main site, pass through an Inca gate and finally arrive at the magnificent Inca site of Huchuy Qosqo (Little Cusco – 3,600 meters), which towers over the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Here you will see Inca buildings, such as sacred temples, storehouses, Inca terraces for agriculture and an Inca reservoir used to store water in the dry season.
Your guide will take you on a spectacular tour and sites where he will teach you about the Inca antecedents. Before lunch you will have time to explore the site on your own. From here, we will begin our hike downhill into the Sacred Valley, which takes approximately two hours less to reach the village of Lamay (2,800 meters) on the Urubamba River, where our private transportation from Tunqui Expeditions will be waiting to take you to Ollantaytambo.
We will have dinner at a restaurant before taking the 7 pm train and then we will board the train to Aguas Calientes, once there you can rest at the hotel.
Hot showers will be available.
Highlight of the day: Explore every inch of the amazing feat of humanity, Machu Picchu.
Tour the incredible Inca citadel of Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is the most important part of our trip. We suggest waking up to have breakfast and then board one of the first buses to Machu Picchu.
All these buses start their service from 5:30 am. Once we arrive at the citadel of Machupicchu your guide will lead you to a strategic point from where you can observe the Inca architecture of Machu Picchu, and will go to a well located place from where we observe the sunrise (depending on the weather).
You will be able to take your postcard photo of Machu Picchu, then you will start the guided tour through the main sectors of the citadel, for a time of 2.5 hours. During this guided tour, you will learn a little more about the history and culture of the Inca Empire.
At the end of the tour, you will have some more free time so that you can continue with the photo shoots and explore what is left to visit on your own or, if you have arranged to hike Huayna Picchu* (must be booked in advance, as they are sold out and cost $75 per person), your guide will show you where to begin this hike, which will take no more than 2 hours round trip.
After having enjoyed Machupicchu, you will return to Aguas Calientes on your own in the park’s buses and enjoy lunch in the village, and then board your train to Ollantaytambo. Once you arrive in Ollantaytambo, we will board our private transportation from Tunqui Expeditions and you will be in Cusco at approximately 8 p.m. where our service will end at your hotel.
At Tunqui Expeditions we specify the included and non-included services for all the itineraries listed on our website. We take care of all the logistics, but please check the details to make sure you do not miss anything. Some items may be different for certain programmes, so please read carefully before booking with us.
WHAT IS INCLUIDED?
Permits & Tickets
The Machu Picchu Circuit 2 ticket offers the most complete tour of the citadel and is the most popular. For this reason we recommend that you book well in advance to ensure your entry. (Circuit 2)
High Quality Service & Safety
You’ll meet your guide and group at our office for a pre trek briefing. There you’ll receive your duffle bags, which will be carried by our horses. The meeting is at 17:00 the evening before the trek.
Our official guides speak English and Spanish and are professionally trained and certified. We choose them for their experience, responsibility, unbridled passion for exploration and pride in sharing our culture and history. On every experience they will keep you safe and comfortable, so you can enjoy your time worry-free!
All equipment is carried by our team of porters.
On the trek you can carry your personal belongings up to a maximum weight of 7kg / 15.4 lb (this weight includes your sleeping bag).
All Tunqui Expeditions guides have received specialised first aid training. We hold mandatory training sessions with our guides every February. Your guide will always carry a first aid kit for basic emergencies (altitude sickness, traveller’s diarrhoea, cuts, abrasions, etc.) as well as oxygen. If necessary, we’ll evacuate you from the trail as quickly as possible and get you to a clinic for treatment.
We believe that attention to detail is what sets us apart from other local companies. You’ll receive a cover to protect your rucksack on the road and a rain poncho.
We have a telephone service available 24 hours a day for easy communication with Tunqui Expeditions prior to your trek.
Your comfort is our first priority. Although our guides are prepared for emergencies in the mountains, calling a doctor, hospital or friend can make you feel more secure. For this reason, every Tunqui Expeditions guide carries a satellite phone to call anywhere in the world from anywhere on the mountain.
Accommodation
Tunqui Expeditions use the best tents to ensure your safety and comfort (e.g. Eureka Timberline or Mountain Hard Ware tents).
You will spend the last night of the trek in a comfortable hotel in Aguas Calientes, including luggage storage, while you visit Machu Picchu.
*Accommodation is in double, twin and triple rooms.
Meals
Our chef prepares the most amazing dishes in the middle of the mountain. Our passengers love our food! We respect all diets (vegetarian, vegan or special menus are available at no extra cost), so please let us know on your booking form if you have any special allergies or restrictions and remind your guide during the briefing. You’ll enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as hot drinks and snacks.
We’ll provide you with boiled, filtered and chilled water throughout the trek, from your first lunch to your last breakfast. You will need to bring a camel bag or an empty bottle (we recommend a capacity of 2 litres).
Every morning at the campsite you’ll be woken with a cup of hot coca tea. Our staff will bring the tea to your tent so that you are warm from the inside out before you start your day.
Every afternoon before dinner, the cooks will provide you with popcorn, biscuits, coffee, hot chocolate, tea, hot water, etc. After a long day of trekking, you don’t have to wait until dinner to relax, warm up and enjoy a bite to eat!
Before you start your trek, your guide will provide you with a cloth bag containing local fruit, biscuits, chocolate, caramels, etc. We’ll refill it every morning so you can enjoy your snacks on the trail.
We’ll provide you with a cloth bag for your snacks – perfect for storing wrappers and keeping the environment clean. Feel free to use it throughout the walk!
Transportation
On days 1 and 2, cargo mules will carry all the camping equipment and your baggage allowance (7 kg / 15.4 lb). Muleteers will be responsible for your duffle bag and personal items.
Muleteers and Porters (Tunquis)
During the Salkantay Trek, our muleteers and porters (tunquis) will carry all our camping equipment, from personal tents, clothes and sleeping bags to extra tents for eating and cooking, food, water, tables, chairs and a gas stove. We will include the personal service of a porter to carry your duffel bag and personal belongings.
They will be responsible for transporting all camping equipment and food, setting up and taking down each camp, and assisting the cook with food preparation. By law they can only carry a maximum of 20 kg, a rule we take very seriously.
Extras
We believe that it is the attention to detail that sets us apart from other tour operators. As we wrote above, each walker receives
Taxes and Fees
All taxes and permit fees associated with this trek are included in our price. There are no hidden charges.
The Tunqui Difference
The following list is less tangible, but equally important and part of everything we do and include at Tunqui Expeditions.
He started in the industry as a porter and understands your needs better than anyone. We are committed and promise a better life for every member of Team Tunqui.
This includes better wages that they can live on so they don’t have to beg for tips to make ends meet. This is our job. We provide them with all the equipment they need, including warm down jackets, proper walking boots, rucksacks, hats, headlamps, sleeping bags and mats, and tents for them to sleep in.
We also help their families by supporting their village schools, bringing doctors and dentists to the families and planting trees in their valleys. We are committed to our social projects and the more than 300 porters on our team appreciate this.
While our porters trek to Machu Picchu dozens of times a year, they never enter our famous citadel. We make four trips a year to take our team inside and spend two days touring the important ruins, allowing them to touch and see the history of their ancestors.
Although the numbers are not yet equal, we look forward to the day when we have 50/50 men and women working in the mountains as part of the Tunqui Expeditions team.
We use local products that are biodegradable and organic wherever possible.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED?
You can hire one from us if you don’t have your own. Our sleeping bags are effective and durable, protecting you from temperatures as low as -18ºC (0ºF). They are mummy-shaped and include a sleeping liner. They are cleaned after each use and have a maximum use of 30 trips.
Walking sticks (with rubber tips) can be very useful on rough terrain and for ascending and descending. You can hire a set from us if you’d like.
You can climb the famous mountain that you always see in photos behind the archaeological site of Machu Picchu. It’s a 45 minute climb and the descent can be scary if you’re afraid of heights. You can do this after your guided tour of Machu Picchu. Permission must be obtained at least two to three months in advance due to high demand. Bear in mind that there may be changes to protect your safety, especially due to weather conditions.
Machu Picchu Mountain is another of the mountains surrounding the archaeological site of Machu Picchu. It offers less steep, wider and visually less frightening trails than Huayna Picchu, and it takes 1.5 hours to reach the top. This walk requires an entrance ticket, which we can arrange for you if we have time in advance.
Tipping is the norm on any trip to Machu Picchu. Although we pay our entire team well, a little extra is always welcome, especially considering the hard work they put in. Typically, group members collect their tips to share with the drivers and cooks.
Landslides, bad weather, changes in itinerary due to safety concerns, illness, pandemics, changes in government policy, political instability, strikes, acts of God, etc.
We want to make your trip to Peru as memorable and worry free as possible. In this section you’ll find the answers to all your questions about travelling with Tunqui Expeditions in one place. Please read the following information carefully – it will help you with any questions you may have about our services.
Is it for me?
The Huchuy Qosqo Trek to Machu Picchu is an excellent alternative to the Inca Trail trek and is better suited for more adventurous trekkers who can handle higher altitudes and longer distances.
Plastic-Free Huchuy Qosqo Trek
Join us on this journey toward a plastic-free Huchuy Qosqo Trek, where the beauty of the landscape is matched only by our commitment to environmental stewardship. Together we will pave the way for a more sustainable and responsible adventure through the heart of history.
How many days do I need to acclimatise in Cusco before the Huchuy Qosqo Trek?
It’s very important to be well acclimatised to the altitude before embarking on a trek. We recommend that you arrive in Cusco at least 2 or 3 days before the start of the trek to help you acclimatise and avoid any problems with altitude sickness during the trek.
You may have been in another area of Peru at high altitude before arriving in Cusco. If this is the case, we still recommend that you spend a full day in Cusco to rest, recover from the journey and enjoy the sights and sounds of Cusco before starting the trek.
Here are some suggestions for activities to do around Cusco before starting your adventure trek:
Briefing or information meeting
All information meetings and briefings are held at our main office in Cusco (or your hotel) at 17:00 the night before the tour starts. These meetings last between 30 and 45 minutes. If you can’t make it, you will need to arrange another time by email, phone or in person at the Tunqui Expeditions office.
Trek balance payment (in Cusco)
If you have an outstanding balance, you must pay it 2 days before your trek. Otherwise your reservation will not be confirmed.
If possible, we would appreciate it if you could pay the balance for the trek/tour in cash, either in US dollars or local currency, at our office in Cusco. You can withdraw money from several ATM’s along the Avenida Sol, which offer both US Dollars and Peruvian Soles.
Alternatively, you can pay by credit/debit card or PAYPAL, either online or in person, but please note that a 5% service charge will be applied by our payment gateway (Niubiz) and PAYPAL. We regret to inform you that we are unable to accept bank drafts or traveller’s cheques as payment for the balance.
Duffle bag or canvas bag
You’ll be given a duffel bag or canvas bag during your briefing. Our team of porters will carry it with you throughout the trek and hand it to you at each camp. They measure 60 x 24 x 22 cm (23.6 x 9.45 x 8.66 in).
A maximum of 6 kg / 13.2 lb is allowed for each duffel, including the weight of your sleeping bag, sleeping mat, clothes and other personal items.
Can I store my luggage in your office?
Of course you can! During the trip your main luggage can be stored at our office (you can arrange this with us on the day of the briefing or by email) or at your hotel, both free of charge.
Any equipment you don’t need on the trek can be safely stored at your hotel. Almost all hotels offer this service. Don’t leave anything of value with your luggage; put it in the hotel safe and get a detailed receipt (in the unlikely event of theft, many insurance companies require a copy of the receipt detailing everything). It’s best to put items such as credit cards in a sealed, signed envelope for extra peace of mind.
Collecting guests
Please note:
Returning to Cusco from Machu Picchu
Returning from Machu Picchu requires some logistics, but don’t worry. It is all included in your tour!
Note: Your tour includes a one way bus ticket Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu, so you can choose to use it from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu or from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes. If you want a return bus ticket, you’ll have to pay an additional US$ 12.00.
Group Tours
Group tours are made up of different types of people, therefore physical conditions and ages may vary. By agreeing to join a group tour, you accept that some people may be faster or slower than you. Therefore, everyone will be able to move at their own pace.
There may be occasions when a group wishes to make changes to the tour, but it is up to the guide to decide, in consultation with all participants, whether such changes are possible.
Strikes and demonstrations
Strikes and demonstrations are common in Peru and may interrupt some of our tours. Roads may be blocked and railway lines may be occupied. However, we will try to keep your trip as originally planned, even if this means leaving the night before the scheduled date.
Tours may be cancelled in these circumstances. In the event of a change or cancellation, our Operations Department will liaise with you. Your safety is our number one priority and our decisions will be made to protect it.
Lost items
Please be careful where you leave your belongings and remember to take everything with you when you leave your transport, accommodation or restaurant. You are responsible for your belongings while you’re on the tour.
BASICS
CLOTHING
EQUIPMENT
The porters will carry up to 7kg of your personal belongings. This should include your sleeping bag and air mattress (if you are bring/renting one). In our case these two items weigh 3.5kg.
RECOMMENDED
“Huchuy Qosqo Trek 3 Days” is available any day of the week, from March to January. We do not operate this itinerary in February due to the rainy season and route maintenance. In addition, during this month, our Tunqui Expeditions team – guides, cooks, porters and muleteers – receive training and plan the year to ensure that you, our travelers, enjoy the trekking experience with us to the fullest.
Cost
Group Price: US$ 550.00 per person.
Required Pre-payment : US$ 200.00 per person.
Balance (Cusco): US$ 350.00 (Commonly paid in Cusco after briefing).
This small group tour is guaranteed to operate with just 2 people.
Please note that PayPal charges a 5% fee, which we ask the client to cover as it is due to the use of their service. This tax is only for online deposits so you will pay the rest in cash (on the day of the briefing in Cusco) without charge.
Extensions and Offers
There are several extensions that can be included in your Peru Adventure.
Additional Equipment
There are additional items that you can include in this trip. Below is a quick list of prices.
Add-ons and Upgrades
Complementary services and upgrades that you can include in this trip:
Price guarantee
Once your reservation is confirmed, we guarantee that the price will not increase, whatever the circumstances. So, before you book, please make sure you have read all our important information about the tour.
Student Discount
Student discounts apply to anyone 17 years of age or younger. To receive the discount, we require a copy or clear photo of your passport at the time of booking. It must be current and not expire within the dates of travel. Please send it to info@tunquiexpeditions.com.
