Discover the hidden gems of Anta near Cusco. Stay in rural hotels where you will feel like part of the family. Discover hidden archaeological complexes and connect with nature on guided walks. Try healthy delicacies from the organic gardens in the area and interact with your hosts… and much more!
Day 1 We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco in the morning and head to the town of Zurite in Anta (3,405 m). We will visit the beautiful Plaza with its church San Nicolás de Bari and its mural paintings that can be seen next to the access door to the temple. Then we will visit the impressive Inca agricultural platforms, there are about 40 stone constructions up to 1,500 meters long and three meters high divided into four sectors. It is said that they were built by the Inca Wiracocha and are still used today. In addition, rooms and complex irrigation systems have been found that modified the Andean landscape in favor of the population of the empire. Before the Incas, there were already different clans occupying this territory that, once they were conquered, formed ayllus, that is, extended family groups that share a common area and that carry out collective work.
A delicious outdoor lunch will be waiting for us at Pumatambo Hostel, where we will also stay tonight. This is a charming rural hotel with a lot of history. Children love this place since in the garden there are numerous games to delight them. In the afternoon there is the option of a hike with your guide to explore the Inca complex of Quentequentíyoq located on a mountain with a panoramic view of the Pampa de Anta. In the afternoon a delicious dinner awaits us at the Pumatambo hostel. It also has a bar. Accommodation is simple but cozy, there are dorms for families or groups of friends with shared bathrooms.
Day 2 After breakfast we will continue our journey through the Pampa de Anta to Killarumiyoq (3,600 m), an important Inca ceremonial complex at the foot of the Apu Soq’omarka. Here you will find terraces, water channels, cultivation areas, and an ushnu, as well as a small cave inside which there are petroglyphs. In the middle of all this is a huaca (sanctuary) with a semicircular carving, in the form of a throne, dedicated to Killa, the Goddess Moon. After exploring this wonderful site and enjoying the views of Anta and the snow-capped mountains of the Cordillera Vilcabamba, we will continue our journey descending to the subtropical valley of Limatambo. We will make a stop at the Inca complex of Tarawasi which was a ceremonial ushnu.
From here you can see the Sondorf Estate, a 19th-century manor house built by a German, surrounded by gigantic palm trees, where a delicious homemade lunch awaits us. You will be cared for by the lovely family that lives there and you will have the opportunity to learn about the history of this extraordinary place that to this day maintains a strong aura of times past. You may also learn how to prepare a delicious fruit cake, a specialty of the house, before sampling it with a cup of coffee. We will continue our journey to Limatambo where we will make a stop at the beautiful Plaza before continuing to Andean Spirit Lodge in the community of Pichuímarca, our base for the next nights. Full board.
Day 3 Today we will get up early and after breakfast, we head towards the village of Mollepata where we will make a short stop to appreciate the beauty of the Plaza with its church. We will continue our trip to Soraypampa at the foot of the snow-capped Salkantay and Humantay which is also the starting point to make the trek to Machupicchu. We will have a coca tea to adapt to the altitude (3858 m) before starting our trek to the Humantay Lagoon. Horses can also be rented here for an additional cost. We will start the ascent that will last approximately two hours.
The landscapes are spectacular with the glaciers always in sight. Our efforts will be rewarded when we reach the beautiful lagoon with turquoise waters. Here we will rest, have our picnic lunch and enjoy the dramatic panoramas before descending and returning to Andean Spirit Lodge in the afternoon for a well-deserved rest. Overnight at Andean Spirit Lodge. Breakfast, picnic lunch, and dinner.
Day 4 This morning we will have the opportunity to enjoy the gardens of the Lodge with its views of the snowy Humantay and a little path through the small forest where you can see parrots, grosbeaks, anis, pigeons, and sometimes owls sleeping on the branches. The idea is to relax… Around 11.00 am we will start our one-and-a-half-hour trip to the picturesque village of Chonta in the highlands of Limatambo. At the entrance booth for the Condor Viewpoint of Chonta, we will have a delicious picnic lunch prepared by the Lodge and drink a coca tea before starting the hike that will take us to the Apurimac River Canyon. The hike to the last viewpoint lasts an hour and a half and is worth it for the beauty of the landscape and flora. Hopefully, we will spot the condors rising with the thermal winds from the canyon below. It is a privilege to observe the majestic Andean condor, the representative of the Hanaq Paccha or world above and the cosmos, in its natural habitat. It can rise up to 8,000 m above sea level. In the afternoon we will return to Andean Spirit Lodge where a delicious dinner will await us. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Day 5 The morning is free. Stroll through the gardens or just relax. After lunch at the Lodge, we will return to Cusco. Or if you wish you can book an extra night and take a yoga class at the Lodge. Breakfast and lunch.
Includes:
- One night at Pumatambo Hostel in Zurite (shared bathroom)
- Three nights in a bungalow with private bathroom at Andean Spirit Lodge
- Meals as described in the itinerary
- English speaking Guide
- Private transport
- Entrance fees
- Peruvian taxes
Not Included:
- Meals not included in the itinerary
- Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks
- Yoga Class (optional)
- Extras not mentioned in the itinerary
- Tips and gratuities
Prices per person in USD:
1 person USD 1995.-
2 people USD 1,095.- per person
3 people USD 925.- per person
4 or more people USD 785.- per person
Zurite Church Hacienda Sondorf