Peru: Women's Expedition

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Peru. Your women’s expedition begins in Cusco – the former capital of the Inca Empire. Sitting at 3400 m (11,150 ft), this city is the perfect place to acclimatise to the high altitude before your day hikes later in the trip. When you arrive, you’ll be met at the airport by an Intrepid representative and transferred to your hotel. You’ll have a welcome meeting at 6 pm to meet your group leader and fellow travellers. If you arrive early, maybe head out to explore Cusco’s streets – this city’s distinctive combination of Inca and colonial influences makes for intriguing architecture where sophisticated Inca stonework stands side by side with baroque convents and churches. After the welcome meeting, join your group for a welcome dinner at Nuna Raymi. This award-winning, female-owned restaurant focuses on plating up authentic Andean flavours using organic, local produce.

After breakfast, go on a guided orientation walk around Cusco with your leader. Start in the heart of the city – the Plaza de Armas, bordered by colonial arcades and four churches including the grand Cathedral of Cusco. See the Stone of Twelve Angles at Inca Roca Palace – this stone epitomises masterful Inca stonework. Then, visit a traditional market filled with the aromas of local food and the colours of traditional handicrafts. Meet a female juice vendor, sample some fresh juice and hear her story of entrepreneurship. The last stop on your walk is Qorikancha – considered the most sacred temple of the Inca Empire. Return to your hotel, then visit Casa Intrepid this afternoon for a mixology workshop with a female bartender. Learn how to make Peru’s national cocktail, the Pisco sour, and get to know this drink’s history. Enjoy a free evening to explore the city at your leisure – ask your leader for recommendations for the best spots for dinner!

Board a private vehicle after breakfast and head to the Temple of the Moon. This ancient Inca temple was built into an open-faced cave on the Huayna Picchu mountain in worship of Mama Killa (the moon goddess). Stretch it out in a yoga session amid the temple’s ruins, led by a skilled female instructor – an experience sure to be far from your standard yoga class! After, begin an easy, downhill acclimatisation walk back to your hotel with your trip leader to help prepare for tomorrow’s hikes. On the way, stop at Sacsayhuaman. This huge fortress overlooks Cusco and is said to have taken 10,000 workers 50 years to build. You’ll also stop at the Cristo Blanco statue (AKA the ‘protector’ of the Inca city) for panoramic views of Cusco. Your afternoon is free for you to relax back at the hotel or keep exploring Cusco at your own pace.

Today, venture into the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Located on the outskirts of Cusco, this fertile valley was known as Wilcamayo to the Incas. Look out over the maize crops lining the river, stopping at the best spots for photos along the way. Then, continue into the Sacred Valley to meet a local Andean community. Hear about their lives here and learn about traditional textile techniques, then make your own bracelet with the local women. Next, take part in an Andean healing ceremony performed by a female shaman. The shaman will guide you through this ritual using ceremonial tools such as Coca Leaf readings, seeds and chicha. These rituals are intended to purify the spirit and give thanks to the Pachamama (Mother Earth). Begin another easy hike on an old Inca trail, starting in the off-the-beaten-track town of Chinchero and heading to Urquillos. A boxed lunch will be provided. After, drive back to your hotel in the Sacred Valley.

Today’s one for those with a sweet tooth! After breakfast, take part in a chocolate workshop at AMA – a restaurant and social enterprise providing job training and employment to vulnerable local women. Turn cacao beans into chocolate in this hands-on workshop led by one of these women – a devoted mother of four who has overcome challenges to create her own opportunities. Later today, go hummingbird watching at the Ensifera Camp Hummingbird Garden in the Mantanay Private Conservation Area. You’ll be accompanied by a naturalist guide who will teach you about the different hummingbird species (there are more than 10!) flittering around you. Return to the hotel and enjoy free time for the rest of the day. Maybe relax at the hotel, admiring the surrounding gardens and mountains. Or, if you’re looking for something more active, maybe try some paddleboarding or kayaking.

Rise and shine for an early breakfast, then transfer from your hotel in the Sacred Valley to a nearby local community. From here, you’ll begin your hike to the lesser-known Pumamarca ruins. During the hike, exchange stories with the female porters joining your group for today. Learn about Pumamarca’s history and see the ruins of this hillside fortress that once guarded the entrance to the Sacred Valley. Continue your hike with a moderate descent following a route along ancient aqueducts and arrive at Ollantaytambo. Make sure your camera is charged – the upper terraces of this village offer a great angle for photos of the town down below. Explore the village, then celebrate three days of Sacred Valley hiking with a traditional chicha (Inca beer) at a local chicheria. Your guide will share the story behind this ancient beverage and how it’s made. Salud! The rest of the afternoon is free for you to relax and prepare for tomorrow’s visit to Machu Picchu.

After breakfast, get ready to tick off a quintessential bucket list item – it’s Machu Picchu day! Board the Voyager train to Aguas Calientes on a scenic train journey. Pass the Sacred Valley, then descend along the Urubamba River until you reach the cloud forest. Disembark in Aguas Calientes, then take a short bus ride up the zigzagging road to Machu Picchu. When you arrive, explore the site on a guided visit led by your trip leader. Learn about the 200 or so buildings that scatter the site as you look down at the city and imagine what life would have been like here during the height of the Inca Empire. Return to Aguas Calientes by bus and have some free time to explore the town. Maybe visit the open-air market, which is full of Andean curios. In the afternoon, take the train back to Ollantaytambo before driving back to Cusco.

With no further activities planned for today, your adventure comes to an end after breakfast this morning. If you’d like to extend your stay in Cusco, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation.