Peru : Soqma Trek / Machu Picchu and Huayhuash Trek

Day 1: Arrival in Lima, night in Miraflores

Arrival in Lima according to your international flight schedule. Meeting with a member of our team and transfer to your hotel in the Miraflores district where we will spend our first night.

• Hotel in Miraflores Standard
• French-speaking guide for the transfer
• Transfer

Day 2: Visit of Cuzco and four surrounding ruins

Morning flight to Cuzco.

Discovery of the colonial city of Cuzco, capital of the Inca Empire. We will visit of Koricancha, “the temple of the sun”, which represented the most sacred place of the Inca Empire. Then we will discover the four neighboring ruins of Qenqo, Pukara, Tambomachay and finally Saqsaywaman, the fabulous rampart above the city.

End of free day in Cuzco. Overnight in Cuzco.

• Hotel in Cuzco
• French-speaking guide
• Entrance ticket to Koricancha
• Entrance tickets to the four ruins mentioned in the program
• Private transport to get to the four ruins
• 2 IDTrek guides speaking French/English/Russian and Spanish

To start we will go to Pisac where we will visit the ruin with its temples and its terraces which were used both for agriculture and to defend this steep site of the sacred valley then we will cross the craft market of the village.

Next, we will move to the site Maras. This is an open salt mine with many terraces forming a unique and amazing landscape. Currently, Maras is still managed by local residents in the form of a cooperative, and Maras salt is known in gastronomy all over the world.

And finally, we will join the Sacred Valley of the Incas again to go to Ollantaytambo where we will visit the incredible ruin just next to the village. Overnight in Ollantaytambo.

• Hotel in Ollantaytambo
• French-speaking guide
• Private transportation
• Entrance tickets for the sites visited with our guide

Transfer to Soqma community (2989m) – Waterfall of Perolnyoq – Archaeological site of Raqaypata – Night under tent in the community of Rayan (3714m).

• Night in tent
• Private transportation
• French-speaking guide
• Bivouac equipment logistics
• All food
• 2 IDTrek guides speaking French/English/Russian and Spanish

Community of Rayan – Col de Rayan (4400m) – Trekking along the ridges facing the snowy mountain range of Urubamba and Veronica – Descent to the archaeological site of Inti Punku above the Sacred Valley and the Village of Ollantaytambo. Overnight in tents at Inti Punku (3738m).

• Night in tent
• French-speaking guide
• Bivouac equipment logistics
• All food
• 2 IDTrek guides speaking French/English/Russian and Spanish

Inti Punku ruins – descent to the Sacred valley to Ollantaytambo village (2,900m). Then transfer by train to Aguas Calientes where we will spend the night.

• Hotel in Aguas Calientes
• French-speaking guide
• Train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
• Breakfast and lunch
• 2 IDTrek guides speaking French/English/Russian and Spanish

We will leave our hotel towards Machu Picchu after breakfast around 5:30 am by bus. We will leave early because at this time the site is less crowded and the morning is a good time to enjoy the peace and the ancient spirit of the most famous archaeological site on the continent. Upon arrival at the citadel around 6:00 am our guide will provide you detailed information about Machu Picchu and the history and culture of the Incas. Afterwards, we will be able to climb the Machu Picchu, which offers an incredible panoramic view. Then a bus will take us to Aguas Calientes and finally we will return to Cuzco by train.

• Hotel in Cuzco
• Train back to Cuzco
• French-speaking guide
• Entrance to Machu Picchu with Montaña Machu Picchu
• 2 IDTrek guides speaking French/English/Russian and Spanish

Morning transfer to Cuzco airport to take a flight to Lima. Transfer to the bus terminal then comfortable day bus to Huaraz where we will arrive at the end of the day. Arrival in Huaraz then transfer to the hotel.

• Hotel in Huaraz
• Flight Cuzco-Lima
• All transfers in Cuzco, Lima and Huaraz
• Bus Lima-Huaraz

Departure from Huaraz after breakfast. It is a journey of about 4.5 hours on the road then on the track to the place called Quartelhuain that will be waiting for you. By vehicle we will cross the Conococha pass (4,117 m) and for the first time see the Cordillera Huayhuash with the famous Yerupaja in the distance, the second highest peak in Peru (6,617m).

This first day of the expedition will actually also be our last day of acclimatization and adaptation to the altitude. This is why the camp will be set up in Quartelhuain itself, at 4170 meters above sea level.

This day there will be no active trekking, just an optional walk on the sides of the mountain to stretch your legs. The goal is to save strength for the pass the next day and above all to have a good night, the first at more than 4000 meters.

• Night in tent
• Private transportation
• French-speaking guide
• Logistics with muleteers and cooks
• All food
• Tents
• Entries due to the communities of the Cordillera Huayhuash
• 2 IDTrek guides speaking French/English/Russian and Spanish

We will start walking at the beginning of the afternoon and will start our trek directly through the Cacananpunta pass at 4690 m. Then, we will descend to the village of Janca in the Quebrada Caliente where we will establish our camp. Then you can walk freely to Lake Mitucocha before returning to the camp. A little less than 10 km await us for this first smooth day.

• Night in tent
• French-speaking guide
• Logistics with muleteers and cooks
• All food
• Tents
• Entries due to the communities of the Cordillera Huayhuash
• 2 IDTrek guides speaking French/English/Russian and Spanish

Our program for today is about 9 km of active hiking. After a good full breakfast prepared by our cook, we will attack the Punta Jirishanca pass (4750 m). At this point we will pass between Jirishanca Chico and Co Yanayana peaks. Then, descending we will pass near Lake Alcaycocha before continuing our walk to Lake Carhuacocha where we will camp for the night.

• Night in tent
• French-speaking guide
• Logistics with muleteers and cooks
• All food
• Tents
• Entries due to the communities of the Cordillera Huayhuash
• 2 IDTrek guides speaking French/English/Russian and Spanish

For this 3rd day of walking we will have the right to a breakthrough in the massif of the Huayhuash cordillera. Indeed, we will take a path closer to the side of the major peaks and particularly Yerupaja (6617 m). There are no less than 4 altitude lakes to which we will be entitled during this day which is certainly one of the most beautiful offered by this trek in the Huayhuash cordillera.

• Night in tent
• French-speaking guide
• Logistics with muleteers and cooks
• All food
• Tents
• Entries due to the communities of the Cordillera Huayhuash
• 2 IDTrek guides speaking French/English/Russian and Spanish

Today we have a journey of about 8 kilometers and our first pass at an altitude of more than 5,000 meters, the impressive Trapecio pass, from where we will discover the southern slopes of the mountain chain.

In the descent we will pass near the Hunacpataycocha lakes. The camp will then be established shortly before the place called Huanacpatay.

• Night in tent
• French-speaking guide
• Logistics with muleteers and cooks
• All food
• Tents
• Entries due to the communities of the Cordillera Huayhuash
• 2 IDTrek guides speaking French/English/Russian and Spanish

About 18 km, another pass at 5000 m. This is the little that awaits us for this 6th day of trekking in the Huayhuash mountain range. It’s clearly the longest day and it starts strong with the Mirador San Antonio pass at almost 5000 m. Fortunately the reward is great, the pass offers us an exceptional view of the southwestern part of the majestic Huayhuash mountain range. This pass is considered one of the best places for a hiker : towering mountain peaks, rocky terrain and stunning views. Most of our way passes over the forest belt, so we can see the surrounding landscape very well.Then, the rest of the day, we will gradually descend along the Rio Calinca to the village of Huayllapa.

• Night in tent
• French-speaking guide
• Logistics with muleteers and cooks
• All food
• Tents
• Entries due to the communities of the Cordillera Huayhuash
• 2 IDTrek guides speaking French/English/Russian and Spanish

On the 7th day of our trek in the Huayhuash mountain range we find ourselves at the western tip of the mountain range. We will climb to the Tapush Punta pass at 4750 m and we will stop just after it passes. We will then be in the Quebrada Gashapampa where we will settle down for the night.

• Night in tent
• French-speaking guide
• Logistics with muleteers and cooks
• All food
• Tents
• Entries due to the communities of the Cordillera Huayhuash
• 2 IDTrek guides speaking French/English/Russian and Spanish

Today we will pass our last big pass, the Yaucha Punta (4847 m), before descending to Laguna Jahuacocha. Along the way we will be able to appreciate once again the beauty of the landscapes that are offered to us during this trek in the Huayhuash mountain range.

• Night in tent
• French-speaking guide
• Logistics with muleteers and cooks
• All food
• Tents
• Entries due to the communities of the Cordillera Huayhuash
• 2 IDTrek guides speaking French/English/Russian and Spanish

For this last day of trek we will pass a last pass, that of Mancan at 4580 meters. We will enjoy the last views of the lakes and peaks of the Huayhuash mountain range. As we pass the pass, we will already see the Cordillera Blanca and the small Cordillera de Huallanca in the distance. And below, more than 1,000 meters, at the bottom of the valley, we will see village of Pocpa. Our transport to Huaraz will be waiting for us here. The return to Huaraz is scheduled for the end of the day, after about 3 to 4 hours of driving.

• Night at hotel (Huaraz)
• French-speaking guide
• Logistics with muleteers and cooks
• All food
• Private transport
• Entries due to the communities of the Cordillera Huayhuash
• 2 IDTrek guides speaking French/English/Russian and Spanish

Transfer from the hotel to the bus terminal. We will take a comfortable bus to Lima where we will arrive at the end of the day. Transfer to the hotel in the Miraflores district.

• Night at the hotel
• Transfers in Huaraz and Lima
• Bus Huaraz-Lima

Unfortunately, our journey is over and we must say goodbye. This last day, you will spend your free morning in Lima and then go to the Jorge Chávez International Airport according to your flight to your country.

• Transfer with driver