Join us for 10 days in the Sacred Valley as we explore the ancient strongholds, terraced marvels, and spiritual heart of the Inca Empire.
For the Incas, Cusco was the geographic and spiritual heart of the Inca Empire.
Renavira offers two Sacred Valley itineraries to ensure our guests get the most out of their trip. Option 1: The Salkantay Trek, crosses a 15,000-foot pass through glacier country, past a turquoise lake, then down into cloud forest and coffee country. Option 2: The Lares route takes you through villages, and working farms at a much easier pace.
Machu Picchu comes on day nine: an early ride up in our premium Sprinter vans, a guided walk through the citadel, and — if permits allow — a climb up Huayna Picchu for a view over the whole valley. A last dinner in Cusco and a morning of chocolate, coffee, and a cooking class close things out.
Days 1, 2, 9, and 10 are the same, for both route options, to accommodate varying interests.
Arrival in Cusco, with transport straight to our hotel in the historic center. After lunch, choose a walking tour of the city or a free afternoon to rest. We close the night with dinner and a briefing on the days ahead.
Overnight: Cusco's Hotel (11,400’ / 3,400m)
A visit to the Sacsayhuamán ruins and its llama park, followed by lunch with a view over the city. Afterward, choose the San Pedro Market and Inca Museum, or a free afternoon. Dinner brings a briefing on the trek ahead.
Overnight: Cusco's Hotel (11,400’ / 3,400m)
The classic version — six committed days through remote high country, one big pass, and a real sense of accomplishment.
A stop at the Quillarumiyoc ruins en route to Mollepata, then lunch at El Pedregal, a working farmhouse in the village. From Challacancha, begin the hike to Salkantay Lodge along the historic Camino Real.
Trekking Time: Approximately 3 hours
Hiking Level: Easy to Moderate
Overnight: Salkantay Lodge (12,690’ / 3,869m)
An ascent behind Salkantay Lodge leads to Humantay Lake, its glacier-fed waters turquoise beneath the Humantay glacier. Relax lakeside, then join a traditional ceremony honoring la Pachamama, Mother Earth.
Trekking Time: Approximately 4 hours
Hiking Level: Moderate
Overnight: Salkantay Lodge (12,690’ / 3,869m)
Optional Activities
Chakana excursion : Horseback/hiking combo up the steep hills adjacent the lodge. The destination, a dramatic lookout point over the Salkantay River Valley marked by an oversized Inca Chakana (cross). This excursion will replace the hike to the glacier lake. Duration: Approximately 5 hours (1.5 — 2 hours on horseback)
Horseback riding After lunch, spend a leisurely afternoon exploring Soraypampa on horseback. Duration: Approximately 2 hours.
The trail circles Humantay Peak across boulder-strewn plateaus, then climbs switchbacks to Salkantay Pass, the trek's highest point at 15,213'. A dramatic, often fog-shrouded descent follows on the other side.
Trekking Time: Approximately 6 hours
Hiking Level: Challenging
Overnight: Wayra Lodge (12,812’ / 3,906m)
Descend along the Salkantay River into the cloud forest, where butterflies and orchids appear and homes of local Andean families line the trail. Colpa Lodge awaits at the confluence of three rivers.
Trekking Time: Approximately 3 - 4 hours
Hiking Level: Easy to Moderate
Overnight: Colpa Lodge (9,414’ / 2,870m)
A rolling trail through the Santa Teresa River Valley, past fruit orchards and glacier-fed waterfalls, ends at Lucma Lodge. After lunch, visit one of the area's organic coffee plantations.
Trekking Time: Approximately 5.5 hours
Hiking Level: Moderate to Challenging
Overnight: Lucma Lodge (7,003’ / 2,135m)
A climb on original Inca steps through the cloud forest reaches Llactapata Pass — and a rare southeast view of Machu Picchu. After a picnic lunch, descend through bamboo forest and coffee plantations to the Hidroelectrica train station for the ride into Aguas Calientes.
Trekking Time: Approximately 4 - 6 hours
Hiking Level: Moderate to Challenging
Overnight: Aguas Calientes (6,693’/2,040m)
A gentler, culture-forward version — most days offer a choice between hiking and village life, with textile weavers, working farms, and far fewer people on the trail.
A drive into the Sacred Valley starts at Chinchero, a small Andean village built on old Inca terraces. From there, choose a downhill hike to the town of Urquillos, or an afternoon among the circular terraces of Moray and the salt pans of Maras.
A morning choice: hike from Amaru to Viacha, or spend it in Pisaq's market and ruins. Either way, the group reunites in Viacha to learn about traditional Andean farming, with a Pachamanca dinner to close out the night.
A scenic drive into the Lares Valley and a stop at the seldom-visited Ancasmarca ruins. From there, sit with local weavers in a remote village, or hike past turquoise lakes to Huacahuasi, where the group comes back together for the night.
Choose your pace: a cultural morning with Huacahuasi's weavers and farmers followed by a cooking class, a short hike to nearby waterfalls, or — for the ambitious — a full day on the high-altitude Trail of a Thousand Lakes, past grazing alpaca and llama.
A drive to the village of Huilloc, then a choice between a hike to the Pumamarka ruins or time with a local sheepherding community, before continuing on to Ollantaytambo for the night.
An optional early hike to the Inca storehouses above town, then a guided tour of the Ollantaytambo fortress before a scenic train ride along the Urubamba River into Aguas Calientes.
Want to walk the last stretch instead of riding the train? A one-day add-on hike along the classic Inca Trail, from KM 104 up to the Sun Gate, is available on this route — permits are limited, so ask early if you're interested.
An early bus ride brings us to Machu Picchu's Watchtower, Temple of the Sun, and royal residences on a guided tour. Free time follows, with an optional climb up Huayna Picchu*. We return by scenic train and transfer to our hotel in Cusco.
Trekking Time:
Hiking Level:
Overnight:
A quiet morning before checkout, with chocolate and coffee museum visits and a cooking class — or a free morning to rest and shop. We collect our luggage for the transfer to the airport, where the trip concludes.
Neither route is a fallback for the other, Salkantay for committed trekkers, Lares for a gentler pace with more village life. Tell us a bit about your group and we'll help you pick!
Send a note and tell us when you're thinking of going. We'll come back with a real itinerary built around your group.