This Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu & Rainbow Mountain tour package visits the most interesting sites in the Sacred Valley, with all of its ancient treasures and Inca ruins. The Sacred Valley is very large and stretches for miles with many small indigenous towns, secluded weaving villages, outdoor handicraft markets and ancient Inca Ruins including: Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Urubamba. Explore the natural pink salt mines and learn about the natural mining methods that have remained untouched from modern techniques. We will explore incredible ruins and the world famous Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu, which lies at the feet of the Huayna Picchu Mountain. Next, we will enjoy the radiant colors of the recently discovered Rainbow Mountain, hiking through some secluded communities, in which you may interact with the indigenous people who are still holding onto their traditional culture. You will find yourself surrounded by snow-capped peaks, herds of llamas, glaciers and blue lakes, all set within a breathtaking colorful mountain range. The colorful sandstone mountains in the Vinicunca area are some of the most unique treks Peru has to offer and are guaranteed to leave you lost in wonder. This tour is certain to fill you with fascinating culture, stunning landscapes, and all together an unforgettable experience.
Cusco
Max 8 people
Group
Adventure, Trekking
Moderate
Departure every day
Pick up from your hotel at 7:30 am with our private van and head to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
The first stop is the Manos de la Comunidad, which has a variety of Camelids indigenous to Peru like the Llama, Alpaca, Guanacos and the Vicuna that produces very fine wool and can only be shorn every three years. We visit this farm to pet, feed and take pictures with these animals. Also, in the center are local women dressed in traditional garments, weaving items using the wool from these animals. As you exit, you will encounter a museum and souvenir shop. The workers are always around to answer any questions, but you should never feel pressured to buy anything.
Then, we stop at the Mirador of Taray to enjoy a beautiful overhead view of the Urubamba valley, which beautifully accents the surrounding mountains. Next, head to the Pisac archaeological site, see the biggest Inca cemetery with more than 2,000 tombs lining the mountain side. Our knowledgeable guides have prepared tours and are excited to share the rich history. We learn more about the value of this site in terms of agriculture and significance. Explore the many Inca farming terraces, food storage warehouses and water systems. Witness the complex water channels used for irrigation that flowed through a complex irrigation system and were the main reason the Incas were able to grow over 250 types of vegetables.
After a fascinating tour we then start driving towards Urubamba for lunch, passing small farming towns like Coya and Calca before stopping at Urubamba for a delectable buffet lunch. The restaurant has an impressive spread of different foods and is vegan and vegetarian friendly. There is a variety of fresh vegetables, salads, protein dishes, desserts and tea and coffee ready to rejuvenate your energy.
After lunch, continue towards the colonial town of Maras to reach the pre-Inca salt mines. Enjoy this historical site that has been mined pre-Inca and continues to be the bread and butter for this small community. The salt stream above feeds the thousands of salt pans, once the water has evaporated the salt is collected and sold. These salt mines are one of the few left in the world that produce a natural pink salt. They have not adopted any modern techniques for mass salt mining. The locals have full mining rights and to this day supplies Peru with over 90% of its salt. Nearby there is a beautiful local market which presents another opportunity to grab a memorable souvenir.
Visit Moray, which was an experimental farming site built in the form of an amphitheater, with each level at a different temperature making it ideal to grow different types of crops. These levels of terraces were carved before the Incas took control of the Sacred Valley and were later used by the Incas to research optimal growing conditions for their crops. The Incas brought in different soil samples from other regions to optimize their research. The locals were still using it for growing their crops, until the 1970s when it was preserved and protected for tourism.
Later, drive to Ollantaytambo and explore this quaint Inca village and the amazing Inca Ruins on the hilltop above. These ruins are where the Incas fought their last battle with the Spanish conquistadors before they had to retreat and flee into the dense jungle. Most of the structures were unfortunately incomplete before they had to flee. There is a section with a number of boulders that were carved but never made it to their destination. Another speculation, is that the battle was so intense it caused a lot of damage to this massive Inca site.
Finishing up our first day we take time to eat dinner in Ollantaytambo, or grab a takeaway to eat on the train. Then, at 7pm, we will take the train to Aguas Calientes, where we will spend the night in a hotel.
After breakfast at your hotel, board an early bus at 5:30am to Machu Picchu to catch the beautiful sunrise over glorious Machu Pichu. It is a truly mystical site and not something you’ll want to miss! After enjoying the sunrise the guide will provide a guided tour of Machu Picchu, which takes around two hours. During your tour see the most important parts of Machu Picchu Citadel and learn about its significance and rich history.
When you have had your fill of the incredible views of Machu Picchu, take a bus back down to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes, choose one of the numerous restaurants to have lunch (not included). Depending on your train departure time, there may be some time for shopping, or sightseeing.
The Expedition train will take you back to Ollantaytambo at 2:55pm or 3:20pm, following the spectacular Urubamba River you can watch beautiful sections of rushing whitewater on your 3hr ride. Back at Ollantaytambo, the driver will meet you at the exit from the train station to take you back to your hotel in Cusco in our private van. You can expect to arrive at your hotel around 7:00pm.
Note Below:
Your amazing Rainbow Mountain Trek Adventure begins with pick up from your hotel at 4am! We set out on our drive for 3 hours through the South Valley to our trailhead at Llacto (4,638m/15,216 ft). Being an early drive there is not much light; this will give you some time to catch some more sleep before our beautiful destination.
The herds of alpacas and llamas surround us at the traihead, where we stop for a superb breakfast prepared by our very own private chef. We recommend you use this opportunity to use the restroom because unfortunately, the trail restrooms are not in best condition. After our delicious and hearty breakfast we hop back in the van to start on our gradual incline. Driving through a quaint Quechua villages with stunning views of the Ausangate Mountain and glaciers we find a great opportunity to interact with the local people, who are still keeping traditional Quechua culture alive.
Learn about their traditional clothes and the significance of the different hats worn by the men. Ask your guide to teach you a few phrases in Quechua! Due to high elevation we hike at a very slow pace. While the hike is gradual and not very difficult and we will do our best to avoid any unexpected altitude sickness.
After hiking up for about 1.5 hours, we finally reach our destination: Rainbow Mountain, at a staggering (5,020m /16,466ft). The last 600m is a very steep incline at very high altitudes and we encourage you take your time. The end result will be worth every step. After admiring the unique beauty of this colorful landscape, have time to explore the area. Take pictures or just soak up the view.
If you feel up to it, we recommend the short climb up the parrallel mountain to get a better view of the vibrant colors. After spending approximately 30 minutes at the top, we hike 45 metres across to the nearby Red Valley to enjoy the colorfull red valley and mountains. To finish we hike the same trail we hiked up back down to the trail head. Travel back down the mountain together until we reach the same restauraunt we had breakfast, for a revitalizing buffet lunch where we can share pictures and reflect on our unforgettable day.
With sights of beautiful mountains and terraces surrounding us, we embark on the 3-hour drive back to Cusco. You can expect to be dropped off at your Cusco hotel around 5:00pm.
**** There is an option to rent a horse from local people right at the starting point and the mid-way point of the trek! Ask your guide to help you with reservations.
The Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu & Rainbow Mountain tour is available on any date as long as we have a minimum of 2 people!
| No. OF PEOPLE | PRICE |
| 2 to 8 people (with 2 nights hotel) | $ 617 USD per person |
| 2 to 8 people (without hotel) | $ 547 USD per person |
All entrance fees are included and we operate our tours in small groups averaging 5 people, with a maximum of 8!
Please read the following information carefully. It will help answer many of your questions about our services and Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu & Rainbow Mountain Tour.
SAM CORPORATIONS is a family owned travel agency and a tour operator that specializes in tours all over Peru. We are based in Cusco with many years of personal experience trekking and traveling in Peru. SAM CORPORATIONS is a 100% Cusqueñian Company without any shareholders.
Our focus is on creating small personalized tours & treks strictly and only operated by local professional staff catering in PERSONALIZED and HIGH QUALITY SERVICE. We guarantee a luxurious service and promise to never cut corners.
We take pride in our reputation as a RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE tour operator. Our staff are our extended family. We support them financially and ensure long term growth by offering them a fair salary. We are proud of our team, without them we wouldn’t be able to offer the best service and lifetime experiences to our clients.
SAM CORPORATIONS knows how important it is to trust in a reliable honest operator to create an unforgettable adventure while in Peru. We stand by our word and deliver on our promise
We will pick you up from the Cusco airport and take you to your hotel in Cusco. Please let us know your flight details at least 14 days before arrival. Our representative will be holding an orange sign reading SAMCORPORATIONS outside the arrivals terminal. You must exit the terminal to find our representative as they cannot enter. (Please let us know if your hotel is in the Sacred Valley so we can make the necessary arrangements).
The Briefing will be the night before the trek at 6pm in our office which is located at Garcilaso Street 210 , Office Nº:213 (2nd Floor) in the la CASA DEL ABUELO shopping center.
Absolutely!! During the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu & Rainbow Mountain tour your main luggage can be kept in our office or stored at your hotel, both are free.
FIRST, to book your Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu & Rainbow Mountain tour, we need you to fill out our booking form by clicking on BOOK NOW on our homepage or click here – BOOK NOW.
We will need the following information (FOR EACH PARTICIPANT in your group). This information is necessary to purchase the entrance tickets to Machu Picchu the train tickets:
SECOND, we require a deposit of $211.00 USD per person in order to purchase your entrance to Machu Picchu and train ticket. You can make you deposit by clicking on the PAYPAL symbols on the top of our home page, or you can click on the PAYPAL symbols on our booking page.
It is best if you pay in cash at our office (US dollars or Peruvian soles) here in Cusco to avoid the additional 5.5% International Transaction Fee. We have many ATMs within the historical center to withdraw money. You can also pay by PAYPAL online but you will have to pay a 5.5% service charge, charged by PAYPAL. To pay your balance through PAYPAL, you need to log into your PAYPAL account using our email address samcorporations@gmail.com to complete the payment.
Unfortunately, no. Once the tickets have been bought, the government does not allow any changes, so we cannot change any departure date after the tickets has been purchased. Tickets are also non-transferable nor refundable. If you cancel your Machu Picchu Tour, the deposit is non-refundable!
DEFINITELY!! You MUST bring your original passport with the SAME passport number you sent to us to book your entrance to Machu Picchu, train ticket, other entrances and reservations. They will check when you enter Machu Picchu and to board the train.
In case you are renewing your passport or changing your name, please send us a copy of your old passport to secure your permit, and we can change it when we receive a copy of your new passport for a fee of $25 USD per person. We must have a copy of your old and new passport to make the change. Before you change your passport keep a copy of your old one.
If you do not wish to pay this fee you will need to bring both passports to Peru with you. You can enter Peru with your new passport but you will need to show both passports, old and new to enter Machu Picchu or the train. If you do not have both, the rangers will not allow you to enter into Machu Picchu or get on the train.
Remember to check your current passport to make sure it doesn’t expire within 6 months of your arrival to Peru!!! The Government of Peru is enforcing the existing law that requires all foreign travelers to have a passport valid for a minimum of six months past the time of entry into Peru. Peruvian authorities will deny entry into Peru for travelers not meeting this requirement.
The weather is very unpredictable and always changing in the Andes Mountains, so it is difficult to say with any certainty. Commonly we find gusty winds and we recommend that you be prepared for cold weather, possible rain showers (Sam Corporations provides rain ponchos) and a small backpack in case you need to store layers. We recommend that you dress in layers so you may take off or put on clothes as needed.
Of course!! We will drop you off at your hotel in Cusco or the Sacred Valley when we return from the tour. We will also pick you up from the Sacred Valley if you are staying there.
If you’re happy with the services provided, a tip is appreciated. It means a lot to the staff, and their families, who will take care of you during the tour. It inspires better service and is a major part of the tourism industry across many Sam Corporations destinations. Of course you are free to tip as much as you want, depending how you feel about the quality of service and the length of your tour.
Yes!! We are a local sustainable & responsible tour operator which functions according to the ethical principles of tourism: protect the environment and benefit the indigenous communities respecting their culture and religion. We have trained all of our staff to know, understand and respect the local communities and the people living there.
Cusco
Sacred Valley
Pisac
Moray
Salt Mines
Ollantaytambo
Machu Picchu
Rainbow Mountain
Sam Corporations
Our company is 100% locally owned. We directly contribute to economic development and environmental sustainability in Peru.
The quality of our service is one of our most important values which demands all our effort, determination, and courage to be successful in what we are doing and the services we provide
We aim to have a positive impact in all the areas that we visit. Through our training sessions and social projects, we empower women, indigenous communities and children
Our groups never exceed 10 people, giving you a personalized tour in our small comfortable vans
Interested in visiting only specific destinations? No problem, all our packages can be fully customized to suit your budget and schedule. Contact our travel advisors to plan the most comprehensive trip of a lifetime.
We commit socially and culturally to the community and adapt our business strategies to the preservation of the environment
Quality
Contact our travel advisors to plan the most complete trip of your life.
Simplified ease of communication, text us on WhatsApp, email or call us.
Our guides are local and have vast knowledge in Peruvian culture and history.
100% local company. Development and environmental sustainability
Our groups never exceed 10 people, giving you an unforgettable experience
Discover an exceptional journey where perfection meets adventure.
