the 2015 paucartambo trip

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the

2015 paucartambo

trip

14 days

Starts and ends in Cusco

The most famous of all of Peru’s all-singing, all-dancing religious festivals, the Fiesta de la Virgen del Carmen in Paucartambo is a trip into the heart of Peru's culture and customs. This trip includes all the best that Peru has to offer: action and history in Cusco and the Sacred Valley; hiking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu or taking our own adventurous, jungle route there; cultural encounter and incredible scenery on Lake Titicaca, and the headline attraction,

Paucartambo: two days of non-stop music, parades, games, dances, and fireworks.

Please make sure you’re reading the correct version of this trip itinerary - it changes from year to year to accommodate shifting festival dates!

Day 1 Sunday July 5 2015 Cusco, Peru – the Inca capital

Welcome to Cusco! We’ll meet you at 1pm for a traditional Peruvian meal at a local favourite restaurant. In the afternoon your guide will lead a relaxed walking tour around Cusco’s stunning historic centre – it’s important to take it easy if you’ve arrived from sea level today, as you need to acclimatise to Cusco’s 3000m+ (10,000ft+) altitude.

Accommodation: Comfortable hotel in Cusco

Included meals: lunch, dinner

OPTION A: JUNGLE INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU

Day 2 Monday July 6 2015 Chinchero, Moray and Salineras

Our first stop today is Chinchero, a quiet little town known for its outdoor weaving studios, terraced Inca ruin, and intricately-frescoed colonial church. Next is the Inca’s mysterious crop laboratory, Moray – three massive amphitheatres of incredible engineering precision and stern, magnificent beauty.

After an al fresco lunch, an easy stroll (or ride in the bus if you prefer) through rolling farmland and views of the high Andes brings us to one of the best-kept secrets in the region, Salineras, a still-functioning Inca salt mine. This surreal and beautiful

patchwork of pools and paths carved out of the side of an Andean mountain is an incredible sight you won’t soon forget.

Accommodation: Cosy family-run hotel, Ollantaytambo

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Day 3 Tuesday July 7 2015 Backdoor bike ride to Machu Picchu

This morning we drive up to 4350 metre (14,000 feet) Abra Malaga (Malaga Pass). Here we cross from the eastern to the western side of the Andes – we’re now on the upper slopes of the mighty Amazon Basin, and will lose nearly 3000 metres (10,000 feet) of altitude over an incredibly scenic 71 kilometre descent into tropical cloud forest. We’ll provide a bike for you, which you can use as much or as little as you like. Many guests spend this whole day taking photos – of grazing llamas, waterfalls, sheer rock faces, tiny, isolated hamlets, misty jungle vistas, and constantly changing

ecosystems – as we descend from the High Andes to the high jungle in one amazing day.

Accommodation: Rustic eco-lodge in the rainforest outside Santa Teresa

Included meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 Wednesday July 8 2015 Adventures on the jungle trail to Machu Picchu

Today you have a choice. You can spend the morning experiencing Cola de Mono, South America’s highest zipline (flying fox), and one of the most exciting and scenic activities we’ve ever encountered, then relaxing in the Baños Termales de Cocalmayo, natural mountain hot springs beside a raging river. Or if you’re feeling energetic, you can undertake the taxing but rewarding mountain hike to Llactapata, a recently

discovered Inca ruin. Late in the day we’ll take a short train ride to Aguas Calientes, the tiny town with no road access just below Machu Picchu.

Accommodation: Aguas Calientes hotel

OPTION B: STANDARD INCA TRAIL HIKE TO MACHU PICCHU

Day 2 Monday July 6 2015 Start hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu!

We’ll get up very early this morning to take the bus to Kilometre 82, the start of the Standard Inca Trail. The hike begins in the Sacred Valley as we follow the Urubamba River, climbing ever higher and eventually heading off up the Cusicacha Valley, through semi-arid forest and farming villages, to Wayllabamba, where we’ll camp for the night.

Walking : 12 kilometres or 7.5 miles

Minimum Altitude: 2,700 metres, 8,860 feet

Maximum Altitude: 3,100 metres, 10,171 feet

Altitude of camp: 3,100 metres, 10,171 feet

Accommodation: Luxury camping on the Inca Trail

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Day 3 Tuesday July 7 Over Dead Woman’s Pass

Most of our walking time today is taken up by a stiff 1200 metre climb up to

Warmiwayñusca, or Dead Woman’s Pass, the high point of the Inca Trail. From here if it’s clear we’ll enjoy incredible views back the way we came, and onwards towards the distant, snowcapped Vilcabamba Range. Then we descend steeply into Pacaymayo, our campsite for the night with one of the best views in the Andes.

Day 4 Wednesday July 8 Runkurakay, Sayacmarca and Wiñaywayna

Today’s hike takes us through some of the most stunning scenery in Peru, with cloud forest, orchids, hummingbirds and mountains on all sides, and to three gorgeous little ruins– Runkurakay, Sayacmarca, and Wiñaywayna, next to the evening’s campsite. Along the way we cross the watershed of the Andes – this is one of the best days trekking in the world.

Day 5 Thursday July 9 Machu Picchu!

An early start rewards us with sunrise at Machu Picchu - a peak moment for anyone. A spectacular stone city surrounded by incredibly steep, incredibly green mountains, Machu Picchu needs no introduction and is deservedly one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. A guided tour is a necessary start to orient you in this massive site, then you’ll have plenty of time to explore on your own before we catch the train back to Cusco for the night.

Day 6 Friday July 10 Free day in Cusco

There are things to do in Cusco to suit every mood and personality: churches, museums, and art galleries; adventure activities like rafting and horse riding, and organised tours. This is also the perfect day to just wander around and enjoy the spectacular mountain views, traditionally dressed locals, excellent cafes and charming architecture that characterise the historic centre of Cusco.

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Day 7 Saturday July 11 Peru’s history in one day!

The ride from Cusco to Puno is a trip through Peru’s incredibly long and varied human history, from pioneering prehistoric art, to Inca heartland, to colonial silver capital. The archaeological complex of Pukara gives us a sense of just how long ago human civilisation got started here, and the enormous adobe Templo de Wiracocha speaks to the scale and grandiosity of the Inca empire. The incredibly ornate colonial church at Andahuaylillas is living evidence of the wealth the conquistadores extracted from Peru. Today we’ll see all these sights on our way to Puno, the bustling port town on the shores of Lake Titicaca that’s our destination for the night.

Accommodation: Comfortable hotel in Puno

Day 8 Sunday July 12 Lake Titicaca tour begins

This morning we take to the waters of Lake Titicaca. Our first, brief stop is the very interesting but extremely touristic Uros Islands – the famous floating reed islands of Lake Titicaca. On Amantani Island we’ll head home with our homestay hosts for a lunch including sopa de quinua

(quinua and vegetable soup – so tasty it seems to be more than the sum of its parts). In the afternoon we’ll take on the locals in a game of soccer (which we will inevitably lose), and hike to the top of the island for what may be the most beautiful sunset you’ll ever see.

Accommodation: Homestay on Amantani Island, Lake Titicaca

Day 9 Monday July 13 Textiles and trout on Taquile Island, Lake Titicaca

After breakfast a short cruise across Lake Titicaca brings us to scenic Taquile Island. Here we’ll explore winding island paths across rolling green hills and through idyllic villages, and enjoy stunning views across the lake to the snow-capped peaks of Bolivia to the east. Taquile is the most famous textile centre in the Andes and we’ll learn about colourful, storytelling weavings, before enjoying a lunch of fresh-caught trout in the island’s co-operative restaurant. In the afternoon we return to Puno for a memorable dinner – Puno is home to some of Peru’s finest

novoandino (new Andean fusion) restaurants.

Accommodation: Comfortable hotel in Puno

Day 10 Tuesday July 14 Lampa and Raqchi

In colonial times, Lampa was one of the richest towns in Peru, thanks to silver mining. These days, llamas graze in the Plaza de Armas and the wind whistles through the arches of the bullfighting stadium. We’re here for a tour of Lampa’s cathedral – one of the most amazing things we’ve seen anywhere. Among many other marvels, it houses a collection of hundreds of artistically arranged skulls and skeletons – a jaw-dropping sight that inspired Katy to add Lampa to the Lonely Planet Guide to Peru. We’ll spend the night in the homes of our friends in the tiny Quechua village of Raqchi.

Accommodation: Homestay in Raqchi

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Day 11 Wednesday July 15 Paucartambo 2015

Tiny, timeless Paucartambo comes to life once a year for la Fiesta de la Virgen del Carmen. In uniquely Andean fashion, devotion to the Catholic Virgin Mary has become intertwined with local folklore, so the Fiesta de Paucartambo is a religious, historical, colourfully-costumed, riotously festive, indescribable, week-long parade and party. This afternoon we’ll wander the streets and take in the sights. Tonight, if you wish, we’ll take a late-night car ride to Tres Cruces, on the very edge of the Andes – from here you look straight down into the Amazon Basin. In June and July, thanks to very specific climactic conditions, sunrise here is often accompanied by optical illusions – this is a morning you’ll never forget.

Accommodation: Basic accommodations in Paucartambo

Day 12 Thursday July 16 Central day of Paucartambo 2015

Today each of the 12 comparsas (companies) of dancers perform their hearts out in honour of

Mamacha Carmen - the entire day is a non-stop orgy of Andean dance and costume. Each

comparsa represents a specific mythical or historical character – the Saqra (devils), and

Quyacha (little queens), are some of the most famous. In the afternoon they all accompany the

Virgin through the town in a joyous procession. We’ll watch from a strategic position and your guide will explain what the dances and costumes represent – everything from moments in Peruvian colonial history to the mythic battle between good and evil!

Accommodation: Basic accommodations in Paucartambo

Day 13 Friday July 17 Closing ceremonies, return to Cusco

The last day of the fiesta is its most structured, with the playful guerilla (little war) in the Plaza de Armas, and a solemn procession to the cemetery to pay our respects to the departed. In the afternoon there’s time for a little more exploration in Cusco, before a memorable final dinner together.

Accommodation: Comfortable Cusco hotel

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 14 Saturday July 18 Departure Day

You can book your flight out of Cusco for any time today. If you’re staying on in Peru, we’re delighted to help out with suggestions and assistance for the rest of your time here.

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What’s Included:

All accommodation

All ground transport

All activities specified in itinerary

Dedicated Aspiring Adventures guide

Entrance to all attractions specified in itinerary

Extra permit to climb Huayna Picchu at Machu Picchu (if available at time of booking)

All meals except lunch and dinner on free day

Drinking water with meals

What’s NOT Included:

Tip for your guide/s

Drinks apart from with meals

Extra cost for Option B, Standard Inca Trail Hike (US$300)

GOT MORE TIME IN PERU?

If you have more time to explore Peru and South America, we’d love to help! Check out our short (half a day to six days long) tours based around Cusco on the short trips page of our website.

We also run custom trips in Patagonia, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands and can provide travel help and advice on any country in South America.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Accommodations on our Peru trips are our favourites in each town. In Puno, Cusco, Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes we stay in comfortable hotels (generally of three star standard) that are quirky and individual. In Santa Teresa we stay in a rustic eco-lodge. On the Inca Trail we sleep in tents.

In Raqchi and on Amantani we stay in humble family homes. In Paucartambo we stay at the most luxurious accommodation available, which is very far from fancy. For these nights, conditions are basic, but any slight discomfort you experience will be well compensated by the insight into a very different way of life.

Food at paucartambo

Paucartambo is a small, rural Peruvian town where choice is limited and hygiene standards are not the same as you are used to. Your guide is there to make the best possible food choices for you and you are more likely to be bothered by some of the food on offer (sheep stomach lining, cow udder etc) than hygiene issues. Food at this event is suitable for people who consider themselves adventurous. Vegetarians will face limited choice, and should bring extra fruit and snacks. We provide water with meals. Bottled water is readily available to buy in between times.