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1st Departure:
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07.03.2010
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Destination:
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Central and South America > Peru
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Duration:
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11 days
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Skill Level:
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Intermediate
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Challenge:
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Comfort:
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Welcome into the living past: "Step by step, hill by hill Neruda ascends the stair-stepped cordillera of the Andes, until he reaches the enchanted citadel of the Incas where only ghosts of the past and majestic condors dwell." As author Isabel Allende describes the arrival of the famous Chilean poet Pablo Neruda; we too arrive in Cusco, the capital of the Incas ready to embark on an insightful and personal journey. We have two days to wander the maze of ancient streets and marvel at the impressive Inca walls and Spanish colonial architecture. Our colonial 4-star hotel is our retreat while we acclimate to the high altitude and prepare ourselves for the active days to come.
After a scenic drive into the cordillera, we arrive at river put-in, deep in the rugged Apurimac river canyon and launch the rafts for our 3-day journey down the Class 3-5 Apurimac whitewater. Each night we camp on sandy beaches under the sliver of sky afforded by this steep, dramatic rock canyon. We scout the important rapids and plunge down mile after mile of exciting, technical whitewater. When we finally arrive at a break in the canyon's grandeur, we meet our vehicle and drive back for a welcome night of comfort and hot showers in Cusco.Please note if you are not a rafter, we have a long list of other options which you may subsitute for the rafting trip.
Early morning finds us traveling to Kilometer 77, the start of our Inca Trail trek. While the whole of Peru is criss crossed with Inca trails, this trail is the most famous of all - because it ends at stunning Machu Pichu. We hike an average of 8 miles a day, over 2 high Andean passes, with porters carrying all the gear. A daypack is all you need. Our tents are set up by our camp staff and dinners are enjoyed in a comfortable dinning tent. After 4 days on the trail, we arrive to Machu Picchu via the sungate. There are no words to adequately describe the feeling of arriving at Machu Picchu by foot, the way the ancients did. We spend the night at a beautiful hotel in Aguas Calientes and arise early the next day for a full day of exploring the ruins with our knowledgeable guide. We return to Cusco by train in time for a festive farewell dinner toasting a wonderful adventure in Peru. (If you do not want to raft we have many other options which may be substituted for the rafting trip.)
