21-day Mountaineering expedition from Machu Picchu to Chachani (6,057m) in Peru

Airport reception. Transfer. Free time to visit Lima. Overnight at San Agustin Colonial or similar.

Flight to Cusco. Historical capital of Peru, built on the foundations of the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, it is undoubtedly a testimony of architecture, urban planning and advanced socio-political organization.The afternoon is spent exploring the city center, where colonial churches and Spanish palaces are superimposed on the Inca walls; the Plazza de Armas, the cathedral and the convent of Santo Domingo built on the remains of Korincancha and the ancient temple of the Inca Sun. Around the city, visit the Saqsayhuaman Temple and its Cyclopean blocks; Qenko, important sanctuary with altars of sacrifice of llamas and alpacas, and buildings torn from limestone. Visit to Pucapucara, fort at the capital entrance which, thanks to its location, offers a beautiful view over the valley and peaks far away, and Tambomachay, the bath of the Inca, vestige of the glorious past of the Incas.Overnight at Munay Wasi hotel or similar

This site is unique in Peru for its majestic edification that dominates the Sacred Valley and from which the Incas controlled and dominated the Sacred Valley. This site will surprise you with its amazing terraces, fountains, neighborhoods, observatories and the largest cemetery in the region (nearly 10,000 people were buried here). The Sacred Valley is embedded between the high peaks of the Umbubamba mountain range and its plain unfolds a harmony of shades and transparencies of meadows and cultures, ranging from red to green, to the yellow of wild flowers and to the purple red of quinoa and quiwicha. Our day will continue with the descent to the colonial village of Pisaq (2900m) and a visit to the traditional market. We continue our route following Urubamba “The Sacred River”, we cross some picturesque villages that have preserved the traces of an imperial and prosperous past. At the end of the afternoon, we will end our day with a visit to the fortress of Ollantaytambo (2750m), a model of Inca urbanism: a singular Inca village of the fifteenth century, that remained almost unchanged since its creation. Our day will end in Ollantaytambo to take the train that will crisscross the Sacred Valley dominated by the pristine sumitt of La Veronica (5820m). Our train will run along the magnificent Urubamba Canyon and will bring us to Aguas Calientes (hot waters), at 2000m.- Altitude difference: – 200m (on foot) 2h walk

We visit the salt mines of Maras and the archaeological site of Moray. The salines of Maras, about 48 km from Cusco, are thousands of pits to extract salt with the traditional method used by the Incas. The water that comes out of the mountain is warm and very salty, then it goes through irrigation channels that fill the pits. Then we will visit the archaeological site of Moray, a former huge laboratory for agricultureal experiments. They are circular terraces with a certain temperature at each level, and it is believed that the Incas experimented here before extending the cultivation of a certain food to the whole empire..Back to Ollantaytambo. – Transportation by train to Aguas Calientes.

Night at a hotel.

We get up early in the morning. Short bus ride to the famous Machu Picchu site, the 2450m “old summit”. You will discover this mysterious site, hung on the slopes of the mountain of the same name and located in the middle of a generous tropical vegetation, where tranquility is only disturbed by the sound of the Urubamba River. Discovered on July 24, 1911, by the American explorer Hiram Bingham, Machu Picchu remains incontestably one of the pillars of the Inca architecture. Quarters, squares, royal houses, large agricultural areas, paths, observatories among others are the constituents of this master Inca work. We will have some free time to discover this unique site, the jewel of the Inca architecture. We will return by train to Ollantaytambo and then transfer by bus to Cusco.

Breakfast is included.

A private bus takes us to the south east of the city. Stop in the city of Urcos. Our route goes up to the Pilluyo pass from which we can already appreciate “Apu Ausangate”, guardian of the city of Cusco and all the villages of the region.We arrive at Ocongate, then we continue to finally arrive at Tinqui (3900 m). Meet with our team of muleteers (“arrieros”). Beginning of our adventure. Camp facing the Ausangate (6378 m) before going back to the hot springs of Pacchanta (4315 m), where we install our camp.

NB: private bus to Tinqui. 4 hours 30 walk. Altitude difference: + 480 meters. Night at camp. Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We continue our adventure and we enter the region dominated by giants that exceed 6000m. Little by little we start to climb. We cross the beautiful Ccomercocha Lake (4580 m), with grandiose views of the beautiful cirque of glaciers: Quinsa Cruz (5960 m), Santa Catalina (5800 m) and Maria Huamantijlla (5300 m). We continue our superb trekking walking towards a bar of moraines that lead us to the pass of Jampa (4900 m). From here we admire the beautiful views of the Cordillera Vilcanota and its peaks: Puca Punta (5700 m), Collque Cruz (5960 m), Tres Picos (6093 m). Then we descend to Lake Ticllacocha (4850 m) and we continue to Huano Huano hamlet, which is the site of choice for our camp. 8 hours of walking (05 hours on the pass). Elevation gain: + 585 meters / – 300 meters. Night at the camp. Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We find some shepherds’ houses as we continue in the Huanohuano Valley. We walk to Q’año, on a small plateau where we find a remarkable amount of alpacas and sheep. We then climb to the Q’año area where we have a wonderful view of Nevado Santa Catalina and the Q’ampa Valley. Finally, we continue on a regular mountain path to the small village of Quilleta, where we set up our camp, at 4790 m.3 hours of walking. Elevation: + 100 meters. Night at camp. Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

After a good breakfast, we start the day with a steady climb to the highest point of our route: the Condor Pass, located at 5250 m. We can enjoy the view of some wild vicuñas. We continue on a path that goes up again. From here we can see the mountain range. At the end of the day we descend regularly to our campsite, which is near Lake Sibinacocha at 4900 m. 7 hours of walking. Altitude difference: + 460 meters / – 350 meters. Night at the camp. Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day off. Optional excursion around the lake. Meals: breakfast,  lunch and dinner.

We leave early near Lake Sibinacocha, arriving at the small village of Yayamari. Crossing an imemse plain we see llamas, alpacas, with some luck it is possible to see vicuñas. We arrive at Ccascana Pass (5000 m) and we go down to Lake Ccascana, Here we will be surrounded by snowy peaks. Possibility of watching flamingos and Huallatas (wild geese).

7 hours of walking. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Early in the morning  we leave Ccascana. You will walk about three and a half hours to reach Phinaya, a small Andean village where you will be greeted by its friendly inhabitants. This is where you will have lunch before setting up camp, close to the Represa Sibinacocha. 7 hours of walking time.

In the morning, we leave the mountains of the Vilcanota massif, by bus, to reach Puno (3812 m). Beautiful trail between mountains and altiplano. We pass the La Raya Pass (4338 m). We arrive in Juliaca (3900 m), commercial capital where is the largest alpaca wool market of the Altiplano. Arrival in Puno at Lake Titicaca, a real inland sea located between Peru and Bolivia.

NB: private bus to Puno (8h drive). Night at the hotel. Breakfast. Overnight at hotel Casona Plaza or similar.

Today you embark on a collective boat (group tour) to join the floating islands of the Uros, made entirely of totora (reed), moored to stakes avoiding drift and whose area varies from a few tens to a few hundred square meters. The inhabitants live on fishing, crafts, hunting, collecting eggs and selling them in Puno. You continue by boat to the island of Taquile, covered with terraced crops, where its people live a form of primitive communism as under the Incas. If the property is private, the work is collective: the 300 or so inhabitants work for them and one day for the community. Taquilé lives in a relative autarky, with the Inca principles of “do not steal, do not lie, do not falter”, customs that have remained identical for centuries. From the heights of the village, the view of the lake, the bay of Puno, Bolivia (Cordillera Real) in the mists and the Altiplano rewards all efforts. Back to Puno. Overnight at hotel Casona Plaza or similar.

Departure by bus to the funerary towers of Sillustani, crossing the mountain range and its spectacular and sparsely populated landscapes. Isolated villages and lakes are part of this magnificent landscape. Arrive in Chivay, in the valley of Colca Canyon. 7 hours drive. Overnight at hotel Colca inn or similar.

Early in the morning, we leave towards the Cruz del Condor (4000 m). There, the condors fly over the gigantic breach of a canyon, among the deepest in the world, approaching the 2500 m! Nice walk to Cabanaconde. In the afternoon, return to Chivay.

By bus, we leave Chivay and we go back to the Mirador de Volcanes pass, from where we will observe our end of journey challenge, the majestic Chachani. We continue to Base Camp (5000m). There we start a 2-hour climb to camp 1 (5100m), where we will spend the night before the assault of the summit the next day.Night in tents. Transport: private bus (3h)3 hours of walking. Elevation: + 350 meters.Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Very early in the morning we gradually begin the ascent to the top of Chachani (5 to 6 hours). From the magnificent summit we enjoy a spectacular view over other summits of the of the volcanic mountain chain, the crater and the city of Arequipa. Then we go down to the base camp (3 hours) and then we continue to Arequipa.

Night in hotel.

Transport: private bus (3 hours). 9 hours of walking time. Altitude difference: +750 meters – 1100m.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Flight to Lima. Night at a hotel. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.