EXPERIENCES / INTERNATIONAL
Peru
Overview
The trip will include
- 4 days acclimitatisation hikes in and near Cusco.
- The 10 day Choquequirao trek. This is a wilder and more spectacular trek than the more famous Inca Trail.
- 4 easy days in Pisac and Cusco
- A 9 day trip to the Peruvian Amazon.
- A high altitude day walk near Huraz.
- The 9 day Huayhuash trek.
We will have muleteers who will carry everything except your day pack with lunch and snacks, warm clothes and water etc, maybe 5-7 kg.
Guides:
Rob & Judy Clayton
This page is a DRAFT. There may be changes but, if so, they should be minor.
INTERNATIONAL
15 July - 22 Aug 2026
By giving you some of the responsibility for preparing yourself properly and providing a carefully laid out acclimatisation itinerary, we can take you to places others won’t visit at anywhere near the same price. No full pack carrying for this trip. We will have muleteers who will carry everything except your day pack with lunch and snacks, warm clothes and water etc, maybe 5-7 kg.
Much of the trip is at high altitude so we begin with a few acclimitisation days near Cusco before beginning our first major walk.
The Choquequirao Trek
The ancient Inca citadel of Choquequirao – translating from Quechua as ‘Cradle of Gold’ – looks out over the Vilcabamba valley from the slopes of the snow-capped Mount Yanacocha in Peru. It is roughly 50km south of Machu Picchu though those km are punctuated by rising and falling mountains, rivers and valleys.
The ancient Inca citadel of Choquequirao – translating from Quechua as ‘Cradle of Gold’ – looks out over the Vilcabamba valley from the slopes of the snow-capped Mount Yanacocha in Peru. It is roughly 50km south of Machu Picchu though those km are punctuated by rising and falling mountains, rivers and valleys.
Choquequirao is known as the 'sacred sister' of Machu Picchu. Both Inca sites were built in the 15th century and are architecturally similar and very scenic. The biggest difference is numbers. “There are usually around 10-20 people daily who visit Choquequirao. You get around 5,000 people visiting Machu Picchu every single day. Even during the high season, the most people you get visiting Choquequirao in one day is 50-60. No more.”
At the end of the trek, we visit Machu Picchu, arriving well before the crowds.
We then have a few days in and near Pisac onthe shore of Lake Titicaca before returning to Cusco.
Next we visit the Manu Biosphere Reserve in the Peruvian Amazon.
The Manu Biosphere Reserve
is
a large, exceptionally biodiverse protected area in southeastern Peru, located at the meeting point of the Andes Mountains and the Amazon Basin. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is known for its rich variety of species and ecosystems, including lowland tropical rainforest and cloud forest habitats.
a large, exceptionally biodiverse protected area in southeastern Peru, located at the meeting point of the Andes Mountains and the Amazon Basin. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is known for its rich variety of species and ecosystems, including lowland tropical rainforest and cloud forest habitats.
We will visit them all, on foot and by boat as we marvel at the incredible plants, wonderful birds and amazing wildlife.
We then return to Cusco, fly to Lima and take a bus to Huaraz. As we are not back at high altitude, we begin with a day walk to Lago 69 before beginning the toughest trek fo the trip.
The Huayhuash Trek
This is a challenging circuit in Peru's Cordillera Huayhuash range. It is considered one of the world's most beautiful treks, offering views of high peaks, glaciers, and turquoise glacial lakes. We will be there during their dry season.
The trek itself is about 130km in total, almost all of which is between 4000m and 5200m. There are 8 passes above 4500m so we'll be glad we put so much effort into acclimatisation and that we have pack horses to carry most of the load.
At the end of the trek, we return to Huaraz, then to Lima where the trip ends.
Details
DATES
15 July - 22 August 2026
PRICES
Full price: US$10,990
GROUP SIZE
6-10 including our guides.
CAMPSITES & ACCOMMODATION
In Towns
- Cusco: Fully services and comfortable 4-star equivalence including breakfast in a shared room. Close to Plaza de Armas and museums. Most rooms are 2 bedrooms, some with double beds, some singles.
- Pisac: Family run hostel in the centre of town, shared or single rooms
- Lima: Overnight between flights only. Accommodation close to the airport (TBC)
- Huaraz: Two nights before and one after our Huayhuash trek. Fully services and comfortable 4-star equivalence including breakfast in a shared room.
- shared or your own tent (high quality) with sleeping mats. We recommend bringing your own sleeping bag and inflatable mattress (we always do).
- 3-4 star accommodation on one night of our first trek.
SWIMMING
Swimming in the natural hotsprings in the Manu Reserve only.1
WILDLIFE
Amazon:
Large number of birds in the Amazon (1000 species recorded) including the incredible Cock of the Rock. We stop at a bird sanctuary that brings us face to face with literally hundreds of hummingbirds (bring binoculars), a wide array of mammals, including 13 species of monkeys, jaguars, giant otters, capybaras, tapirs, and peccaries. Frogs and an array of spiders.
Treks: The Andean Condor, vicuna, alpacas, the Andean Duck, a species found in high-altitude South American lakes, creates nests within dense marsh vegetation near the water's edge, where the female builds the nest out of grass to conceal it from predators. Fascinating to watch.
CLIMATE
It will be hot & steamy in Manu but be prepared for anything and always pack a long raincoat. In 2025, we needed our warm clothes as well. Mild to cold during the other days, very cold at night on the higher sections. Rain is likely in Manu.
Rain not likely on the higher altitude treks but possible. These will be very cold to freezing overnight and windy especially in the mountain passes.
Rain not likely on the higher altitude treks but possible. These will be very cold to freezing overnight and windy especially in the mountain passes.
ADDITIONAL EXPENSES
Details in the PDF trip notes, link below.
WALK RATING - MODERATE TO DIFFICULT
Terrain
Almost everything from flat and easy to steep climbs on tracks. Much of the walking will be at high altitude so the aclimatisation time we have built into the itinerary is absolutely essential.
Tropical in Manu.
Alpine on the other parts of the trip.
Distance
4-6 hours per day of walking on the longest days.
Pack Weight
Day packs all of the time. We will have pack horses on the treks.
Download detailed trip notes
15 July - 22 August 2026This is a major expedition. Please do not book until you have read the PDF trip notes, link below.
PDF Trrip Notes
Itinerary
If you click 'View more' below, the rest of the gallery pictures are in chronological order.
