This is an amazing route that starts in the mountains of Cusco, passes through the archaeological site of Huchuy Qosqo and finishes in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
This tour starts at 7 am in Cusco from where we will take you to the community of Q’enko to begin our hike.
First, we will ascend for about 1.5 km until we reach the highest point of the day, with amazing views of the Cordillera Vilcanota and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The trail will then take us along creeks and agricultural terraces, facing the Vilcanota river and the Urubamba mountain range until we arrive at Pukamarca. In this “Red Village”, we will meet the Inca Trail hidden in a narrow and biodiverse gully, with water channels, ancient stairs and bridges, as well as other archaeological remains amidst breathtaking nature.
We will arrive at Huchuy Qosqo, an important Tambo (strategic military and religious site) in the heights of the Sacred Valley. History tells that this was the refuge of the Inca Viracocha, defeated by the Chancas who invaded the city of Cusco, until his son Pachacutec beat them and recaptured Cusco for the Incas.
After visiting the citadel and enjoying the views and landscape, we will descend back to the village of Lamay to finish our trip at 4 pm (and you will be back in Cusco around 5pm). Gourmet and nutritive box lunch are included en route.
As you probably know, the city of Cusco lies at 3,400m (11,150 feet), which is why you might need a few days of acclimatization here. We recommend you this one-way tour for one of these days to get used to the altitude. As soon as you feel ready to go on longer hikes, you can check out our Multi-Day Tours from Cusco!
Please note: On certain dates, this tour might be unavailable if you book less than two weeks before. Should that be the case, don’t worry! We’ll find a solution together; either changing the date, opening a new group or showing you another similar tour that will be available that day. You also have the option to do the Inca Road to Huchuy Qosqo with llamas. This is a private tour, which can therefore be booked every day. And, of course, the best thing about it is that you will be accompanied by llamas during the whole experience!
Price Includes
During this Huchuy Qosqo hike, an exhaustive interpretation of the environment is given. By doing that, we aim to raise the traveler´s awareness of how important it is to preserve the local flora and fauna. A payment to the earth is made to further increase that awareness, local food will be served, and all packaging is sustainable.
You will pay an entrance fee to enter the archaeological site, which is partly used for conservation projects. Also, part of the income generated through this tour goes into reforestation projects. Around the paths of Lamay, local trees like the Qeuñas (Polylepis) are planted. In 2021, there were 12,000 trees in total!
I was born in Lima, I studied tourism and hotel management at San Martin de Porres University, and I have been living in Cusco for 25 years. My motivation is to preserve the environment and foster sustainable development of the local communities through tourism and other activities coherent with the destination. Together with the communities, I am learning more and more about sustainability. The truth is, the locals often know a lot more about it than we do.
After so many years of seeing how tourism has had a negative impact, I think there is only one way to maintain our activity: adopting an inclusive way of thinking and educating the traveler that the destination belongs to the people who inhabit it.
The difficulty is about a 3/4, there is not much uphill but a lot of downhills, so that is why it is a little bit challenging.
The hike itself is about 6 hours or about 12 kms long (always depending on the group, if you guys are really good hikers maybe it can be faster, but we adapt to your pace).
The activity as a whole has a duration of about 7-8 hours (full day).
This excursion might be shared with other travelers (maximum 12 people). But don’t worry; if there are other people participating, they are most probably nice because let’s face it; this is a unique tour, right?
If you want to do the tour in private, please enquire first, thank you.
No, that is not necessary.
It is 4100 masl (13451.44 feet) when at the Qoriccasa pass.
The Sacred Valley has a typical Andean climate; when there’s sun it’s warm, when there’s no sun it’s cold. The rainy season is from December to April but occasional rains can occur anytime throughout the year.
Find more info about climates in Peru in our blog “Best Time to Travel to Peru“.
Please refer to our article What to Pack for your Trip to Peru for all your questions about packing for your Peru trip. Whether you’re going to the jungle or the mountains, you’ll find the answers you need. You can also download a full Packing List for free.
General questions
For questions about booking a tour, prices, preparation for your trip, health and safety or other themes, please check our Frequently Asked Questions page. If you can’t find your question & answer, email us and we’ll add it!
