QINTI ONE!

Cusco- Condors of the Apurimac in Chonta

Depart from Cusco at  8 am. After leaving Cusco, the drive takes you trough small villages and finally winding up to an elevation of 3550 m  to the  Chonta village.  After check-in and  lunch we take a soft hike to the Condor view point located overlooking the amazing Apurimac canyon.   From here we can observe the majestic condors rise from the depth of the valley.   We enjoy the changing light in the never ending mountains in front of us. At 5 pm we hike back for an hour to our Camp where a sundowner and a cozy camp fire is waiting for us. After dinner we enjoy stargazing from the Campground. 

Overnight in Chonta: Qinti Glamping Experience

We start the day  early enjoying the incredible sunrise around us. Breakfast is in the open with high quality Peruvian coffee, fresh fruit and orange juice, a choice of eggs and local bread and jellies.  After breakfast a local family will host you to visit their home and help harvest and prepare the potatoes and herbs for the Pachamanca lunch, that we will share with the community members. Pachamanca is a local way to prepare food. A large hole is filled with hot rocks and the potatoes, corn and meat. Everything is then covered up for 2 hours and slow cooked until tender. Sharing this experience with local community members is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about life in the Andes.  

After lunch we have the choice of a local hike to a small lake or relax by your porch and enjoy the wonderful light and puffy clouds that continuously form along the Vilcabamba mountain range in from of us. Sunset and sundowner by the campfire, followed by dinner. 

Overnight in Chonta: Qinti Glamping Experience

Morning departure from Chonta at 6 am  to reach Soraypampa (3980 M) towards noon. Non paved road for most of the way. Lunch at Soraypampa. After lunch a nice acclimatisation hike up to the turquoise blue Laguna Humantay at 4200 meters. Plenty of time to stop and admire the beautiful scenery, before reaching the camp back on the meadows of Soraypampa.

Overnight in Soraypampa 

Early start towards the pass. The path climbs steadily over meadows, before following along the immense glacial moraine up to the small and rock dotted plain of Suyroqocha at 4480 Meters. From here it is just a 1 km hike to the highest point, the Salkantay pass (4630m). Lunch and time to admire the scenery of the massive glaciers and the shining white ice towers of Mount Salkantay, at 6271 Meters the high est peak in the Vilcabamba mountain-range. Witnessing the grandeur of the scenery, the hard breathing uphill hike is fast forgotten. And anyway, from here, it’s easier to walk, the lungs breathe free as we descend trough a wild and high alpine valley till we reach our camp ground at Wayramachay (3850m).

Overnight at Wayramachay Camp 

Waking up at Wayramachay is simply beautiful. It might be the coldest morning of the trek, but what a view! Looking up the valley, you have the Matterhorn like tower of Humantay with his hanging glaciers. On the other side of the valley there are glaciers and peaks, finally culminating in its highest point - Salkantay. The camp ground and the valley are of amazing beauty. You can either rest, read a book, enjoy the sun, or join us on small hikes around the valley, visiting small farm steads and points from where you get that special view of the peaks around you.

Over night Wayramachay Camp

After breakfast we start our hike down to the Santa Teresa valley. There is an amazing abrupt change from the high alpine meadows into the lushness of the cloud forest. There is an instant change in temperature, as we follow the Wamantay river downwards, either side age old cloud forests with moss laden trees, chirping birds and the song of the water. After about 3 hours we reach Challhuay (2800m), where our private transport awaits us. The road follows the beautiful Santa Teresa river valley to Lucmabamba. We stop at a coffee plantation for a coffee roasting demonstrating and tasting  and a lunch. After lunch we drive to Santa Teresa (1500m). Evening bath in the hot springs of Cocalmayo.  

Overnight in Hacienda San Roman Hotel. 

Today we enjoy a relaxed morning, before driving to the Hidroelectrica train station. We take the 40 minute train ride through the lush cloudforest to Aguas Calientes where we check into the hotel of our choice (not included). Dinner on own. 

We rise early to take the shuttle up to Machu Picchu.  We enjoy a guided tour through the citadel of the Incas.  Early lunch at the Belmond Sanctuary Restaurant.  Shuttle back to the Aguas Calientes train station followed by the return train ride in the comfortable Peru rail Vistadome train.  Upon arrival to the Poroy train station a private transfer will drop you off at your hotel.

End of services.