Trek the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu & Raft the Apurimac

September 22- October 2, 2010

Here is one of many testamonials that came back after a recent trip: The trip to Peru was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I had such a wonderful time, in fact, I think it was the best vacation I have ever been on. Everything was organized so well. Ario did a great job keeping everything running smoothly. All of our guides were great! The river guides, Ario, Pancho, Piero, Lucho and Leo, were full of youthful exuberance that helped encourage everyone. We attacked all the raging rapids with enthusiasm. I also felt very safe and had a great time each night at camp. Our trail guides, Dalmiro, Edison and Maridsa were full of knowledge about the Inca Trail and the Incan Civilization. I welcomed the challenge of Dead Woman's Pass in the snow and the beauty atop Phuyupatamarca with amazing views of the valley and Salcantay. The porters treated us like Kings and Queens, I am still amazed at their deftness on the trail under such heavy loads. The food over the whole trip was delicious. I am still itching from some of the bites I received, but the trip was worth every scratch. Thanks so much for all your planning for this trip, it proved to be well worth it! -J. Henderson

Here is your chance to see the best of Peru the active way! Raft the upper tributaries of the Amazon River and trek through the Andes to spectacular Machu Picchu! The history and culture of this adventure is almost beyond comparison.

This incredible South American adventure has us arrive in Cusco, situated 11,000 feet high in the Andes. Spend 2 days exploring the ruins of this ancient Incan city and acclimating to the altitude. During the next 3 days you'll paddle the class 4 and 5 rapids of the Apurimac River, one of the upper tributaries of the Amazon. The deep granite gorges, inviting white sand beaches, and world class white water make this river trip one of the best in the world!

The adventure continues on as we hike the Inca Trail. Few hikes in the world can offer such variety of scenery, staggering views, and such a mix of jungle and high sierra. Plus, porters will carry our gear for this four day journey to Machu Picchu. From the Sun Gate, we enter Machu Picchu, perhaps the most awe-inspiring of all the ruins discovered in the 20th century. Step back in time and decide for yourself what is truth and what is legend in this Lost City of the Incas.

The Outdoor Adventure Club is proud to offer this extraordinary cultural and exciting adventure. Please join us.

Trip Details and Itinerary:

If the Incas were the Romans of pre-Columbian America, Cusco was their Rome. The Incas built a vast empire that stretched from modern Ecuador and Colombia to southern Chile. The empire, much larger in size than any previous new world empire, was called Tawantinsuyo- the "Four Quarters of the Earth.” Cusco was the heart of their empire, and its exact center was considered to be the main square of the city. Cusco will serve as our base city during this 11 day trekking and rafting adventure. Come explore Cusco, Machu Picchu and the beautiful Apurimac River on this cultural and adventure-filled journey.

Day One : Arrive in Cusco, Peru. Usually this requires departing the USA on the previous day. You’ll be met at the airport and taken to your hotel, the Picoagua.

Day Two : Explore Cusco and start to acclimatize to the 11,000 feet elevation. In the times of the Inca, Cusco was a holy city, a place of pilgrimage and was vitally important to the Quechuas. Today Cusco is a thriving marketplace. You’ll have the opportunity to join our local guide for a tour of the nearby ruins of Sacsayhuaman, You’ll see stone blocks 26 feet high weighing more than 361 tons. It has been said that these ruins are one of the most astounding megalithic structures of the ancient world; however, these ruins are only a small taste of what you will see at Machu Picchu!

Days Three - Five: The active part of the adventure begins. Start with a four-hour drive to the Apurimac river, an upper tributary of the Amazon river. During the next three days, we will run numerous class IV rapids and one class V rapid in a magnificent gorge.  We camp each night on the river, and our guides will keep you happy with delicious and satisfying meals cooked over an open fire. The Apurimac's deep granite gorge, inviting white sand beaches and world class whitewater, make this river trip one of the best in the world! Night five will bring us back to our hotel in Cusco, where we’ll be on our own to explore the town for dinner and nightlife if you have the energy.

The adventure continues on the Inca Trail.

A few words about the Inca Trail:
The whole of Peru was once crisscrossed with Incan and pre-Incan highways paved with thick interlocking blocks of stone. Sometimes these highways followed the valleys, but just as often they traversed the high mountain sides, tracing impossible pathways and forming narrow ledges over the bottomless gorges of the Andes. The trails were built for men on foot and lightly burdened llamas. Frequently, their gradients gave way to steps, tunnels and long zig-zag trajectories down steep faces. The part of the trail that we trek along was formerly the royal highway to Machu Picchu. The trail was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1915. Few relatively short hikes in the world can offer such variety of scenery, staggering views, and such a mix of jungle and high sierra. Certainly no other walk known to us will lead you along an ancient highway from one secluded ruin to another, each in a breathtaking setting, each almost perfectly preserved, offering shelter, solitude, and views that no pen or camera can ever adequately record.

Day Six: Our hike on the famous Inca Trail begins at Kilometer 77, where we meet our porters and start up the trail. Today's hike is fairly easy with a gradual incline. We will visit archeological sights at Wilkaray and admire the incredible views of the snow capped Wecheywilk. Our trek will also include the sighting of Inca agricultural terraces and more ruins along the way. We will camp at 7,000 feet, we'll below our first 14,000 foot pass. The altitude more than the gradient will test our hiking stamina and endurance. Fortunately, we will be able to call on the strength of the legendary Quechua, whose high altitude lungs bear our burden with greater ease. In addition to carrying the bulk of our load, the porters and support staff will have camp made for us each night on the trail.

Day Seven: We pass through the incredible cloud forests of Yunkachimpa and Corralpunku and slowly work our way up the first pass at 14,000 feet. The views are impressive from up here, as if finding ourselves on an eagle perch above the clouds. We then descend down to the ruins at Runkurakay and sleep for the night. Our porters will charge ahead of us and set up camp. They’ll be a welcome sight with hot tea as we stagger into camp.

Day Eight: We ascend the second pass of 13,000 feet visiting the archeological sites of Sayacmara located on the edge of the jungle. Plant and bird life become more varied and incredible views of the Urubamba river valley come into view. Our last night of camping on the Inca Trail is spent at Peyhupetmarka (above the clouds), an amazing place with views of the 20,000 foot peak Salcantay rising on one side, and the Urabamba river canyon 5,000 feet below on the other side.

Day Nine: This is a spectacular day of hiking as we marvel at the engineering feats of the Inca, showcasing stone stairs carved right into the mountain, tunnels and bridges as we descend into the rainforest. We take a 15-minute detour to visit the haunting ruins of Winay Wayna (meaning “Forever young”) where a well deserved cat nap is a welcome afternoon treat. We arrive at the spectacular Sun Gate of Machu Picchu in the golden light of afternoon after the last tourist buses have left the ruins. Machu Picchu, the lost, mysterious city of the Incas lies before us. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world, Machu Picchu is a perfectly preserved Inca city that was lost in the dense jungle for hundreds of years. This is perhaps the most famous and awe-inspiring of all the ruins discovered in the 20th century. Discovered less than a century ago, Machu Picchu allows us to step back in time and experience the wonder of living in a stone hewn ancient Inca city that continues to mystify scholars with its spectacular engineering. After our brief initial visit we take a bus to the small town of Aguas Calientes nestled in the steep Urubamba river valley. We check into the hotel to rest up and enjoy a delicious dinner with the group at one of the local restaurants.

Day Ten: In the morning, we take a bus up the twisty road back to Machu Picchu (those that still have the energy are welcome to hike the steep staircase straight up to the ruins). We spend most of the day at the ruins with our knowledgeable Peruvian guide that will show us all the wonders of Machu Picchu. In the late afternoon, we climb aboard a first class train for a spectacular ride back to Cusco. The train tracks themselves are a miracle of human ingenuity and tenacity. The ride down the mountain will give you ample time to reflect on your journey by foot and provides us with an early evening arrival in Cusco. After freshening up at the Hotel Picoagua, we gather at the lively Inca Grill on the main plaza in town for a delicious and festive farewell dinner. Cheers to a great trip through magical Peru!

Day 11 : Departure day. Morning in Cusco. Most flights leave early in the morning.

Trip Specifics:

This trip is offered in conjunction with our international river expedition outfitter. Our combined team of professional guides, coupled with the energy of OAC club members will make this experience the trip of a lifetime for many.

Level of experience recommended: Everyone is welcome. While we recommend some rafting experience for your comfort, first timers have been able to participate and enjoy rafting this river. You will receive comprehensive coaching from world class guides who are trained to address your reservations and prepare you for an experience you will never forget. For the trekking portion, you should be in strong cardiovascular shape and be prepared for up to eight-hour days of hiking. Previous full day hiking experience is recommended. Everyone should have an open, tolerant and flexible attitude. International travel is often an adventure in itself and just about anything can (and does) happen.

What's included:

• Professional, English speaking guides on the river and Inca Trail
• Premits for the Inca Trail
• Transfers between the Cusco airport and hotel, to/from the river, and to/from the Inca Trail
• Comfortable hotel accommodations in Cusco and Aguas Calientes - double occupancy
• All meals while on the river and on the Inca Trail, as well as breakfasts in Cusco. You will be responsible for lunches and dinners in Cusco, and dinner in Aguas Calientes
• Porters for the Inca Trail
• Tents and group camping gear for the river and Inca Trail- you'll need a sleeping bag and pad, and a small daypack for the Inca Trail

What you'll need:

A complete gear list will come with your confirmation, but you should be prepared with:

• International airfare to Cusco, Peru (CUZ)
• A sleeping bag and pad for the river and Inca Trail
• A small daypack for the Inca Trail
• Money for lunches and dinners in Cusco and Aguas Calientes, tipping and shopping

Please do not book airline tickets for this trip until you have been confirmed on the trip. Permits for the Inca Trail are limited, and travel plans should not be made until your permit is secured.

Pricing:

OAC Member: $2,750 for the full trip. There is a non-rafting option, which is $2500. Your trip must be paid in full 60 days in advance to obtain the OAC member rate.
Non-member: $2,850 for the full trip. There is a non-rafting option, which is $2600

Arrival day in Cusco for the Inca Trail only trip (no rafting) is July 6.

A non-refundable deposit of $600 is due with your reservation.
50% payment is due 90 days in advance of the trip.
Full payment is due 60 days in advance of the trip.

Let us know if you have any questions about this trip. Please send inquiries to peru@OutdoorAdventureClub.com

Ready to sign up for the Trek the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu trip? Download our registration form and either scan and email it to us at info@OutdoorAdventureClub.com, or fax it to 415 771 1891 ATTN: Richard