The Inca Empire (Tawantinsuyu, Quechua for ‘Realm of Four Parts’) was a powerful ancient civilization. Most of its history is shrouded in legend, but it is thought that the Incas were originally a pastoral tribe who may have arrived in Peru and built their capital, Cusco, around 1100 AD. From there they grew in power, and invaded and seized control of the surrounding areas. Their power was eventually crushed by civil war, disease, and invasion by Spanish explorers and conquistadors in the 16th century. This award-winning 14-day Inca Trail Tour begins in Lima and finishes in Cusco. After arriving, the travel group meets and enjoys a group night out on the town. Together, they visit local bars and restaurants before taking a bus the next day to Nazca. They can experience a traditional Pachamanca dinner before catching another overnight bus to Arequipa, the “White City.” Travelers can enjoy its history and architecture, visit the Santa Catalina Monastery and enjoy the local cuisine, including alpaca, shrimp, pork and soup. The next day includes a full-day tour and an overnight excursion to the Colca Valley and Colca Canyon — one of the deepest canyons in the world and an excellent venue to see Andean condors flying. From here, travelers journey by overnight bus to Cusco before heading to the Sacred Valley, the site of the Ccaccaccollo community center, and the women’s weaving cooperative, where travelers can see local garment weaving and dying techniques. Travelers stay overnight in local community homestays before journeying through the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo. Here, they can take a Sacred Valley tour to visit the Pisac ruins, a local market and the Ollantaytambo ruins. The next three days are spent hiking the Inca Trail. It passes through Warmiwanusca, known as Dead Woman's Pass, the highest point of the Inca Trail and named for its notable rock-formed silhouette of a woman lying down. The trail traverses two more passes to the Inca ruins of Phuyupatamarca, the "town above the clouds," an archaeological site so named due to its high altitude. The final day begins before dawn with a hike to Machu Picchu, a 15th-century Inca citadel and UNESCO Heritage site and an impressive testament to the Inca Empire’s power. The tour concludes with a bus journey to Aguas Calientes and a train ride back to Cusco.
G Adventures is a sustainable, small group tour company that has been leading travelers for 35+ years. They have been pioneers in community tourism and their trips directly benefit the local communities they visit. They have a responsible travel effort called G For Good and partner with the nonprofit Planeterra, dedicated to ensuring communities touched by tourism benefit from it. They were rated one of CATALYST PLANET’s 8 Best Sustainable Travel Companies.