Running to Machu Picchu - Runcation in Peru

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Lima - we'll meet you in the airport and head to our hotel for a good nights sleep!

Stop At: Miraflores District, Lima Peru
Enjoy the mix of colonial and modern in the Miraflores neighborhood.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Dinner: Late night snack upon arrival
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hotel Runcu Miraflores

Day 2: Lima - Cusco

Stop At: Miraflores Boardwalk, Lima Peru
Go for a run, walk or bike along Lima’s beautiful cliff-top path, just steps from our hotel and with amazing views of the ocean in the distance. Run, walk or bike up to 14 km.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Plaza de Armas, Cusco Peru
Cusco is located at more than 11,000 ft above sea level, so be sure to take it EASY today. In the afternoon, you’ll have free time to explore the Plaza de Armas and local markets or relax in the beautiful hotel.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Tierra Viva Cusco Saphi or similar

Day 3: Exploring Cusco

Stop At: Qorikancha, Plazoleta de Santo Domingo, Cusco Peru
Start the day with a guided walking tour of the historic center. Marvel at the hybrid architecture, with Spanish cathedrals built over 16th century Inca stonework
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Planetarium Cusco, Reserva eco turistica privada Llaullipata Km 2 carretera Sacsayhuamán, Cusco 0084 Peru
After dinner, take private transport to a hill-top overlooking the city for a visit to the Cusco Planetarium. Your professional English-speaking guide will teach you all about Inca astronomy and constellations and you’ll even have a chance to use their telescopes to see the rings of Saturn, among other things, in the night sky.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch: We’ll follow lunch up with a Pisco Sour class, where you’ll learn the correct way to make Peru’s national beverage. I
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Tierra Viva Cusco Saphi or similar

Day 4: Cusco to Pisac and the Sacred Valley

Stop At: Ccochahuasi Animal Sanctuary, Perú, 08100, Peru
We'll stop along the way and visit the sanctuary where animals are rescued from illegal traffickers and other places and learn about their efforts to release the Andean Condors into the wild.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Awana Kancha, Km. 23 Pista Cusco - Pisac, Cusco Peru
Learn all about weaving, wool and llamas and alpacas and support local artisans by buying their arts and crafts.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Urubamba River, Sepahua Peru
Enjoy a run along the dirt roads that hug the valley and river and marvel at the views as you gasp for fresh air at 2900 m (9500 ft). Runs up to 10 km. (6 miles)
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Chaska Wasi Pisac or similar

Day 5: Pisac, Pre-Incan Ruins and Hot Springs

Stop At: Lares Hot Springs, Camino Por Los Aguas Termales, Lares Peru
Our private vehicle will pick you up and reunite the group in the town of Calca for a refreshing brunch at the local market. Afterward, the group will board our private van and head into the mountains outside of Calca where we’ll visit a beautiful and seldom-visited pre-Inca ruin site, Ankasmarka, and then proceed to the natural hot springs in the town of Lares. Take a nice long soak in the hot (and cold) pools set in a spectacular mountain-side setting to revitalize the legs and body for the remainder of the trip.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Sacred Valley of the Incas, 0051 Peru
Take in the expansive views of mountains, pasture-land, and tiny towns as you make your way down-stream from Pisaq accompanied by your Gurus and trip-mates. Run/bike/walk distances will vary (up to 10 miles/16 km), with different distances available and all paces and levels of fitness welcome.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Chaska Wasi Pisac or similar

Day 6: Pisac to Ollantaytambo - Zip-lining, via ferrata and running.

Stop At: Urubamba River, Sepahua Peru
Time for some adrenaline! In the morning, the group can decide on either via ferrata (think rock climbing, but with built in ladders – check it out), zip-lining, or elect to have a free morning to explore and rest. In the afternoon, get ready for another spectacularly scenic run or ride or walk, as you continue downstream towards the town of Ollantaytambo, where we’ll spend the night. Up to 8 miles (13 km)
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Intitambo Hotel or similar - Homestay with a Peruvian family option available

Day 7: Ollantaytambo - Long Run Day

Stop At: Sacred Valley of the Incas, 0051 Peru
Wake up to another sunny morning in the Sacred Valley. Run from Ollantaytambo and once again follow the river downstream on one of the most beautiful routes of the trip, with the giant snow-capped, 19,000 ft Mt. Veronica towering above you. As always, your run/ride distance is up to you, but today is the best day for your “long run”, so go for it! Distances up to 12+ miles (20km) available. Finish with our private transport reuniting the group in Ollantaytambo – literally the end of the road in the Sacred Valley. In the afternoon, enjoy some free time to explore the cobbled streets of this tiny town, an ancient Inca stone fortress which retains much of its original architecture, and if you have time, check out the famous Ollantaytambo ruins out your back door.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Intitambo Hotel or Similar - Homestay with a Peruvian family option available

Day 8: Ollantaytambo to Aquas Calientes - Downhill Biking Adventure

Stop At: Ollantaytambo Travel, Ollantaytambo -13.2564803,-72.2648947, Ollantaytambo 08676 Peru
Regroup in the morning for an early, easy run in the beautiful hills surrounding Ollantaytambo (if time allows). Return to your hotel/homestay for a quick shower and breakfast before leaving town. Our private van takes us up the beautiful, winding road to the high pass at Abra Malaga (14,300 ft) and then we’ll hop on bikes and head down, down, down the 50km road into the cloud forest – some 10,000 feet of descent – and then rejoin the van for the remainder of the journey. Arrive in Aguas Calientes in the late afternoon, just in time for a nap to rest up for tomorrow. After dinner, return to the hotel for a good night’s sleep before your visit to Machu Picchu!
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Flowers House or Similar

Day 9: Machu Picchu

Stop At: Santuario Historico de Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu Peru
Rise and shine! An early wake-up this morning to maximize your time at Machu Picchu – one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Make the short hike (1 hour) or take the bus (30 minutes) from Aguas calientes to Machu Picchu where your group will begin its guided tour. Have a bag lunch in the middle of the day and then enjoy free time to explore the site in the afternoon.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Tierra Viva Cusco or similar

Day 10: Cusco - Chocolate Making Class and Home!

Stop At: ChocoMuseo, Calle Garcilaso 210 Int. 216,, Cusco 08000 Peru
Celebrate your last morning in the Andes and all your hard work with… chocolate! Peru is famous for producing some of the worlds best cacao beans, so take advantage of the Cusco Chocolate Museum where you’ll learn about the process and get your hands (deliciously) dirty. Leave the Andes with your own personal, custom chocolates!
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.