Itinerary for Inca Trail (Peru)

Cuzco to Machu Picchu

Day 1 Thursday: Fly from home to Lima, and on to Cuzco.

Day 2 Friday: Arrival in Cuzco. Free day with optional group tour of city. Kabalat Shabbat, dinner and overnight in hotel.

Day 3 Shabbat: The perfect day for acclimitization in Cuzco. Overnight in hotel.

Day 4 Sunday: We travel by road and rail to trailhead and begin trek. After a couple of hours, we pass Llactapata (or Qentemarca), and then ascend the Huayllabamba Valley, stopping for lunch beside a fresh mountain stream. Our campsite is near the small village of Huayllabamba. (The hike may continue to Yumkachimpa or Llulluchapampa, depending on the group's ability).

Day 5 Monday: As we leave our campsite and the edge of the tree line behind, the trail ascends very steeply towards the pass across the hillside of Puna grassland and brings us to Warmiwa?usca pass (4,200 meters/13,776 ft.). From here the trail descends to the Pacaymayo River, climbs slowly past the Runkuraqay ruins, and then crosses over a lower pass to Sayacmarca, the "waiting village". We follow a clear Inca Trail across a causeway on a dry lake past a cave, and then continue along a ridge to Phuyupatamarca (Translated from Quechua= the town at the edge of the clouds) where we camp.

Day 6 Tuesday: After continuing along a buttress and passing the Phuyupatamarca ruins, the flagstone trail winds sharply down into the cloud forest to the ruins of Wi?ay Wayna .Located below the ridge on the same water course as the previous site, it has well-restored Inca ruins. After a two hour walk through a cloud forest-covered Inca Trail we arrive at Intipunku, the "Gateway of the Sun". Overnight at a hostel in the village.

Day 7 Wednesday: The day is devoted to exploring these extraordinary Inca ruins, and includes a visit to Wayna Picchu, the mountain overlooking the site. We return on the mid-afternoon train to Cuzco. Overnight at our hotel.

Day 8 Thursday: Transfer to airport for flight to Lima and connecting flights home.

Day 9 Friday: Welcome home and Shabbat shalom.