Day 1

Arrival in Cusco. Pick-up at airport or bus terminal. Transfer to hotel. Night in hotel.

Day 2

Around 9:30 a.m., after breakfast, trip via private transportation to San Pedro Market, where we’ll be surrounded by Andean tastes, colors and smells. This is a real glimpse into local life and is thus the perfect starting point for a visit to Cusco. Next, we’ll go visit the Incan ruins on the outskirts of the city: Sacsayhuaman, Kenko, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay.

For lunch, we’ll go to the Larapa neighborhood, where we’ll eat with the children and teenagers of the Hogar de las Estrellas, a wonderful project that supports differently-abled children.

In the afternoon, we’ll take a walk through the center of town and visit the neighborhood of San Blas, with its aromatic alleys and local artists’ workshops. In the Coca Shop, our friend Kristo (Italo-Peruvian) will tell us about coca’s alternative properties and how it can be used to make various products (infusions, chocolate, cakes, ice-creams, etc.). Night in hotel.

Day 3

At 9:30 a.m., we’ll set off, via private transportation, to explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We’ll visit the astounding Incan agricultural terraces of Moray and Maras, impressive salt mines set against a landscape that will take your breath away. Next, we’ll go to Urubamba, where the children of the Mosoq Runa Home will be waiting for us for lunch. Around 3:30 p.m., we’ll continue on to Chinchero, where we’ll visit its Rainbow Temple. In the late evening, we’ll return to the hotel in Cusco.

Day 4

At 8:30 a.m., after breakfast, we’ll return to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We’ll visit Pisaq, with its impressive ruins and unique agricultural and handicraft market, whose colors and smells are surrounded by the town’s colonial architecture.

Next, we’ll go on to Ollantaytambo, the Incan wonder, with its fortress and town perfectly preserved. In the afternoon, we’ll take the train to Aguas Calientes to begin our Machu Picchu adventure. Night in hotel.

Day 5

We recommend waking up at 5 a.m., eating a big breakfast and taking one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu. We’ll visit the lost city (and hike up Huayna Picchu) until around 2 p.m. In the afternoon, we’ll take the train from Aguas Calientes back to Cusco, where we’ll arrive in the late evening. Pick-up at the San Pedro train station and night in hotel.

Please note the following:

During visits to the Children’s Homes, we are guests. Please always ask permission to take photographs. In addition, it is expressly forbidden to give gifts or candy to the children. All donations can be given directly to the project director or representative.

If the Sacred Valley tour of Moray/Maras/Mosoq Runa/Chinchero falls on a Sunday, the Mosoq Runa children are not there, as they go home to their families. In this case, the itinerary will be modified so as to guarantee a visit to the project (by pushing ahead the visit to Machu Picchu).

The project contribution will go to the projects Mosoq Runa, Hogar de las Estrellas and CEPROF. You will also be supporting the Hogar de las Estrellas and Mosoq Runa through the lunches you eat there.

This tour includes:

Lodging in a family-run, three-star hotel, in double or twin rooms with a private bathroom and breakfast included.

Excursions described in the itinerary, with an English-speaking guide.

Private, English-speaking guide at Machu Picchu (for about two and a half hours).

All transport by car or private minibus.

Pick-up upon arrival in Cusco and transfer to the hotel.

This tour does not include:

Project contribution (US$20 per person) to be paid at the time of the reservation. The contributions will be given in full to the three Children’s Homes, so they may finance their own projects planned for 2010. For more information, please go to the PeruEtico Italia Association website.

Lunches and dinners.

The BTC (Boleto Turistico del Cusco – Cusco Tourism Ticket)

Transport to and from Cusco.

2 people: $ 760.00

3 people: $ 690
4/8 people: $ 660

Price por person in US dollars