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Moonstone Sun Temple Trek – 8 Days
Visit the “Lost City of the Incas” on this Andean trekking experience concealed away from the crowds to one of the highlights of Latin America. After a brief tour of Lima you will fly to Cusco before embarking on your challenging hike towards your destination. The breathtaking mountain landscape and endless striking archaeology makes for a unique alternative to the traditional Inca Trail. You will be rewarded for your efforts by witnessing the morning daylight appear through the sun gate and reveal the sublime beauty of Machu Picchu.
Age Range
This tour is designed for adults over 18 years old. While most passengers are aged from 25 to 55, every year we get people both above and below this age range. All travellers over the age of 55 will be requested to complete a self-declaration of fitness.
Peru
Peru boasts a diverse mixture of stunning architecture, sandy beaches, beautiful rainforest and towering peaks, all hiding some of Peru’s most spectacular mysteries. Machu Picchu is the most famous enigma of all; a city lost within the mountains but finally rediscovered early in the 20th Century.
Climate
The summer or wet season is from November to April with an average daytime temperature 25°C, with mild nights and rainfall a common occurrence in the afternoons. The rest of the year is known as the dry season. It is a little cooler but rarely rains. In the mountains, the daytime is around 20-25°C all year round. In the dry season nights are cold, sometimes below freezing, especially from July to September. The Amazon basin is generally hot and humid, but in the dry season the temperature can fall to around 10-12°C.
Tour Information
After your arrival in Lima, there will be plenty of time to stroll around the nearby “Plaza de Armas” and discover the country’s capital, as you await the following morning’s flight to Cusco and the beginning of your Andean adventure trip to the lost Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.
You will land in Cusco, where the scenery will overwhelm you and you will gradually adjust to the high altitude (3,350m) of your new surroundings. Historical colonial churches and other buildings shadow the narrow, cobbled streets as you take time to relax and explore the former Inca capital.
The hike begins on Day 4 when you will travel west across the high Anta Plain, following the royal Inca Road route to reach our starting point at the sacred Inca shrine of Quillarumi (meaning Moonstone). You will commence trekking northwards, above the Huaracondo River and pausing at the pre-Inca fortress of Huatta.
At the end of your first trekking day you will camp at the hamlet of Chiripahua. The following day you hike over the 4,500m Accoccasa Pass to savour the breathtaking views of snow-capped peaks to the north and west, before descending to camp at the Chancachuco valley.
On Day 6 we hike past a now-abandoned Inca aqueduct and reach our final pass and visit the spectacular Inca shrine Huayrapunku, camping at the edge of the colossal Cachiqata quarry. Descending on our final day’s hiking we finally approach the Sun Temple at Ollantaytambo.
After spending a night in a hotel at the base of the ruins in Aquas Calientes, we await the sunrise and enter the site of Machu Picchu early in the morning.
You will have ample time to explore the citadel under the supervision of an informative tour guide before boarding the train back to Cusco.
Accommodation
On this tour, all en route accommodation nights (HP) are INCLUDED in the tour cost. During the tour accommodation will encompass a mix of hotels and tents. Accommodation may vary, depending on location and availability. En-suite twin-share will be offered at hotels, but due to unforeseen variables triple-share may be required on occasion. Tents are made for 3-4 persons, but will only sleep two. A therma-rest mattress will be provided.
Stops
Day 1: Arrive Lima (HP)
Day 2: Cusco (HP)
Day 3: Cusco (HP)
Day 4: Moonstone Sun Temple Trek
Day 5: Moonstone Sun Temple Trek
Day 6: Moonstone Sun Temple Trek
Day 7: Machu Picchu (HP)
Day 8: Cusco
Dates and Prices
29 May
5 June
12 June
19 June
26 June
3 July
10 July
17 July
24 July
31 July
7 August
14 August
21 August
28 August
4 September
11 September
18 September
25 September
2 October
9 October |
This tour has a set price of £569 for these dates |
Optional Activities
Here are some examples of additional excursions that may be available to you after the Moonstone trek package. They can be arranged locally in Cusco:
- Lima city tour
- San Francisco Church and Catacombs
- Cusco city tour
- Cusco BTG all museum pass
- Mountain biking
- Horseback riding
- Sacred Valley tour
Included in price
- One-way aeroplane ticket from Lima to Cusco with transfers (return flight also available – please contact us for information)
- Four nights’ hotel accommodation
- Services of English/Spanish-speaking tour leader
- Four-day Moonstone Trail hike with local guide, cooks & horse support. Camping equipment provided except sleeping bag
- Train ride from Machu Picchu to Cusco
Not Included
- International flights
- Travel Insurance
- Spending Money
- All meals not described above
- Local payment of $65 to be made at the start of the tour
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