trek Peru actionchallenge on Our trek offers an off the beaten track experience from the fascinating ancient city of Cusco and leading us to the mysterious Machu Picchu ruins. It s a journey through forgotten wind-swept valleys, over wild mountain passes and tiny, isolated Andean villages, giving you a rare taste of the real Peru away from the crowds on the Inca Trail. Cusco with its impressive colonial architecture, pretty cobbled streets and lively atmosphere is the ideal spot for the start of this challenge. As we take time to acclimatise, we explore the city and the nearby ruins of Saksayhuaman, our first taste of Inca culture. As a team, we start our journey by descending into the Sacred Valley before heading high to the Andes from Calca. Our trail soon climbs to the spectacular pass of Abre Huillquikasa before descending through the beautiful laguna s of Quellacocha. The s have many hidden treasures - enjoy a good soak in the Inca s Baths, or perhaps take a scenic trek along the river. We explore the impressive Inca ruins dotted along our route as we climb steadily into the tropical cloud forest with its wild orchids and jungle atmosphere. We are fortunate to enjoy the historic ruins of Machu Picchu early morning, as the mist lifts to reveal one of the world s true wonders. We spend time exploring the incredible lost city, marvelling at the Inca s incredible design and architectural skills and the spectacular Andean setting. at a glance Activity: Trekking Location: Cusco - Machu Picchu, Peru Duration: 10 days / 5 days trekking Difficulty: Moderate to Tough Distance: 70 km Group size: 15-25 trip highlights Experience the real Peru - offf the beaten track Camp under starry Peruvian skys Explore the ancient Inca capital of Cusco Trek through Sacred Valley Mingle with the locals and learn some Quechua Bathe in the Banos del Inca Visit Machu Picchu! Action Challenge have been leading inspirational team adventures across the world for individuals, private groups, charities and corporate clients since 1999. Our trips enable people to experience the world s most exhilarating locations, often in aid of charity. At the heart of every challenge is team spirit and fulfilment; together we take on once-in-a-lifetime adventures, achieve formidable goals and forge friendships for life. www.actionchallenge.com
introduction Our beautiful and remote six day challenge begins in the fascinating ancient city of Cusco and leads to the mysterious Machu Picchu ruins. After a day acclimatising just outside the city at the intriguing ruins of Saksayhuaman, we begin our journey in the Sacred Valley, and on through forgotten wind-swept valleys, over wild mountain passes, alongside beautiful lakes, and through tiny, isolated Andean villages. This challenge offers a rare taste of the real Peru; a fantastic alternative to the Inca Trail, and provides an insight into the local culture, alongside a challenging, but stunning trek. brief itinerary DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 Departure from London Cusco Acclimatisation day in Cusco Trek to Quisuarani Trek to Huaca Huasi what s included DAY 6 DAY 7 DAY 8 DAY 9 DAY 10 Trek Patacancha to Huilloc Trek to Ollantaytambo Machu Picchu National Park Explore Cusco Arrive in London International and domestic flights Action Challenge trek leader Full support team, including local guides UK medic All accommodation All meals, except in free time Airline taxes All transfers in local vehicles National Park entrance fees Celebration dinner in Cusco Invitation to a challenge briefing in London Discounted training weekends in the Peak District, Snowdonia & Brecon Beacons Fitness and training guide Discounts from UK retailers Reduced rates at Nomad Travel Clinics and Masta Health Please visit our website for more details All inclusive trip cost from 2,049 for 2015 or 2,099 for 2016 Initial 399 deposit to sign up Three payment options available Although the distance walked may not seem that great, we will be walking at altitude so the pace will be slower. The terrain is undulating and there will be some long up and down hill stretches. We will trek in and out of gorges and at times some scrambling will be involved. Why not stay on after the challenge and explore some more of Peru s highlights? Extensions include: A rainforest adventure The Huacachina Oasis Exploring Lake Titicaca the action challenge journey Your journey begins as soon as you register. You ll receive a challenge pack in the post including a training guide, kit list and discounts. If you re raising money for a charity, we will sort out all the formalities, so you can concentrate on your own preparation and fundraising. We offer pre-challenge briefings and training weekends in the UK, where you can meet our mountain leaders and test your kit and fitness! The Action Challenge team have undertaken many of our challenges and are here to answer any questions. On the day of departure, we will meet our Action Challenge leader and group at the airport in London and take our flight to Cusco, via Lima., where we will meet the local guides and have a thorough briefing on the challenge. In Cusco, we overnight in a hotel, and each night on the trek we dine and sleep in our private camp. Lunch will be served en route in our seated mess-tents. Our day at Machu Picchu National Park is long, but fascinating, and this evening, we celebrate our achievements together into the night! After a free morning exploring Cusco, we head home weary-eyed and jubilant! The best time to complete this challenge is between August - November and April - June. It is recommended that the winter and peak summer months are avoided because temperatures during the summer can reach over 40 degrees and, during the winter, winds can become extremely strong in the mountains.
itinerary DAY 1 - Departure from London We depart London on our flight to Lima. Meals: L,D* Accom: Flight / Hotel* *(dependent on flight schedule) DAY 2 - Cusco This morning we connect with a short domestic flight to the breathtaking southern city of Cusco (3,300m). We transfer to our centrally located hotel and have the rest of the day to relax and enjoy one of the most celebrated cities in South America. We re-group in the evening for a welcome meal and briefing on the days ahead. Meals: B,L,D Accom: Hotel DAY 3 - Acclimmatisation day in Cusco Today we have an acclimatisation walk above Cusco at 3,700m to the ruins of Saksayhuaman; allowing our bodies time to adapt to the rarefied atmosphere. The ruins are fascinating and there is a good chance that we will spot our first Alpacas onsite. Our trek back into town provides fantastic views of the city below. This evening we dine together at a local restaurant before getting a good night s sleep in preparation for tomorrow s early start. Meals: B,L,D Accom: Hotel Distance: Approx 5km DAY 4 - Trekking to Quisuarani Departing Cusco early, we descend into the Sacred Valley before heading high into the Andes from Calca. Leaving our vehicles behind, we start the trek up an ancient Inca trail, through a narrow canyon, passing ancient Inca burial tombs along the way. This is a perfect opportunity for us to experience the affects of a full day s trekking at altitude, and acclimatise further before we embark on a higher altitude trek tomorrow. After a steady climb to the head of the valley we are met by our support vehicles for a short transfer before trekking the final distance to the small community of Quisuarani where camp is waiting for us. Meals: B,L,D Accom: Camping Distance: 10km Breakfasts each morning will be in camp. Lunches will be en route and evening meals will be freshly prepared in camp or our hotel in time for your arrival. All meals are full of carbohydrates, protein and nutrients to keep us well fuelled throughout the trip. We can cater for all dietary requirements if informed in advance. Four / five nights in comfortable 2/3* hotels Three nights camping on the trek All accommodation is on a twin/tripleshare, single-sex basis and we will pair you with someone of a similar age, where possible. If you wish to share a room with someone you are travelling with, please specify this on your registration form. If you decide that you would like to have your own room on the challenge, we can accommodate this in the majority of places. DAY 5 - Trek to Huaca Huasi - 4,445m Today we have a shorter distance to trek as we climb to the spectacular pass of Abre Huillquijasa at 4,445m, before descending through the beautiful Laguna s of Queullacocha to the small Andean community of Cuncani at 3,800m. The s have many hidden treasures and this afternoon we have a number of options available to us; either a short walk over the ridge to the village of Huacahuasi, a scenic trek along the river, or an old Inca trail to the Lares hot-springs to enjoy a good soak in the Banos del Inca The Incas Baths a selection of perfectly heated pools. Tonight we set up camp on the village football pitch. Meals: B,L,D Accom: Camping Distance: 8km Insurance - approximately 60 Vaccinations - up-to-date on boosters. Tips for local staff - recommended amount 30 Airline fuel surcharge / supplement as applied by airlines. Please note that this is capped at a maximum of 150.
DAY 6 - Trek Patacancha to Huilloc Now fully acclimatised and rested, we set off to climb up to our highest point of the challenge over a 4,600m pass. Taking it very slowly, we stop beside beautiful lakes and hope to arrive at the pass just after lunch for spectacular views of the snowy mount Veronica. We then descend along an old mule trail and camp by a river in Huilloc, located just below the village of Patacancha. Meals: B,L,D Accom: Camping Distance: 9km Difficulty: DAY 7 - Trek to Ollantaytambo Huilloc is famous for being the home of many of the traditional porters for the Inca Trail. Traditional dress is always worn, Quechua is spoken and this is our last chance to barter for fine Andean weavings. We trek up a short sharp climb, which brings us to the impressive and rarely visited ruins of Pumamarca. After visiting this extensive site, we follow an ancient Inca trail along the many terraces of the Huilloc valley before descending through eucalyptus forests to end in the town of Ollantaytambo. From here we take a train (with fantastic views and enormous windows!) along the Urubamba valley floor to the town of Aguas Calientes, where we arrive early evening at our hotel. Meals: B,L,D Accom: Hotel Distance: 8km DAY 8 - Machu Picchu National Park We wake early to take one of the first buses up the short winding trail from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu. We are fortunate to enjoy the historic ruins in the early morning, as the mist lifts to reveal one of the world s true wonders. After an extensive guided tour of the ruins we descend back to Aguas Calientes for lunch before transferring back to Cusco. This evening we come together once more for a final celebratory dinner and party! Meals: B,L,D Accom: Hotel A kit list will be sent to you on receipt of registration. Many everyday items can be used on this challenge, and we offer a kit hire service to keep costs down. If you are planning on travelling to Peru before the challenge or wish to organise your own flights, we do offer a land only option, with a significant discount off the trip price. You will be required to meet your group at the hotel on day two of the itinerary. Alcoholic drinks Drinks and food outside of meals, other than water Travel insurance Personal kit / equipment Single supplement Local airport taxes Tips for local guides DAY 9 - Explore Cusco This morning we have some free time for some sightseeing and last minute souvenir hunting.it is a fabulous city with a wealth of things to see and explore. We then transfer back to the airport for our return journey home. Meals: B DAY 10 - Arrive in London Today, we arrive back into London, proud of our fantastic achievement, and bid farewell to our new friends! We run a number of training weekends from May - September in both the Peak District and Wales. These are fullyinclusive - 2 night s accommodation and all meals. You ll get the chance to meet our mountain leaders, test out your kit and fitness and have a challenge briefing. It s also a great way to meet other likeminded people! You will also receive an invite to a challenge briefing in central London.
payment options A REGISTRATION DEPOSIT of 399 for 2015/16 is required to secure your place. We offer 2 deposit payment options: OPTION 1: Deposit paid in full, by card at the time of registration. OPTION 2: Deposit paid in two 50/50 split payments. The first 50% is paid when you register and the second is charged to your payment card at the end of the following month. For this option, a 10 supplement will be charged with the first instalment. ATOL is a scheme that protects you from losing money or being stranded abroad if your travel company collapses. Action Challenge is 100% ATOL bonded, which provides you with full financial protection. On receipt of your registration fee, you will receive an ATOL certificate explaining your protection. Once registered, there are 3 PAYMENT OPTIONS to fund the balance of the trip cost. Full details are on our website. 1) SELF FUNDED For anyone who wants to pay for the entire trip themselves. It s then completely up to you whether or not you choose to raise any money for a charity of your choice. The total all inclusive cost of this trip is 2,049 for 2015 or 2,099 for 2016, which, after you pay the 399 Registration Deposit, leaves a balance of 1,650 for 2015 or 1,700 for 2016. This final balance is due for payment 10 weeks before your departure along with any fuel surcharges levied by the airline. 2) SPONSORSHIP FUNDED This is for anyone who wants to take on this challenge and will link it with fundraising a significant sum of money for a charity of their choice. You would have to raise at least 3,300 for 2015 or 3,400 for 2016 via sponsorship and donations from friends, family and colleagues, and be confident at the outset that you can achieve this total. Pay the Registration Deposit and nominate a charity to fundraise for. All fundraising goes directly to your charity and providing that you raise at least 3,300 for 2015 or 3,400 for 2016, your charity will pay for the balance of your trip costs to Action Challenge. That balance, paid by your charity, is 1,650 for 2015 or 1,700 for 2016 (the same as if you were you were Self Funded ) - the charity will retain at least 1,650 for 2015 or 1,700 for 2016 to help fund their work. You will have to pay any airline fuel surcharges 10 weeks prior to departure. 3) MIXED FUNDED A mix of the 2 options above! You pay about half the trip cost yourself, and also fundraise for your charity. They pay the remaining balance of your trip costs. Ideal for anyone who wants to take on the challenge and also fundraise for a charity, BUT is happy to pay a reasonable proportion of the trip cost themselves, which with your registration deposit, is set at a level that covers at least the costs of flights & accommodation; perfect for those who feel more at ease asking for sponsorship in respect to the challenge component of their trip. Pay the Registration Deposit and nominate a charity to fundraise for. All fundraising goes directly to your charity and providing that you raise at least 2,475 for 2015 or 2,550 for 2016, your charity will pay a portion of your trip cost to Action Challenge. That balance, paid by your charity, is 1,000 for 2015 or 1,020 for 2016. At the same time, you will be required to pay the remaining balance yourself, which will be a figure of 650 for 2015 or 680 for 2016. (These two amounts add up to the same as the Self Funded final balance) - the charity will retain at least 1,475 for 2015 or 1,530 for 2016 to help fund their work. You will have to pay any airline fuel surcharges 10 weeks prior to departure. how to book To book on to this challenge, please visit our website; www.actionchallenge.com for a full list of prices and all available dates. private groups If you are a charity, business, school or private group with a minimum of 10 people and fancy your own bespoke trip, please call us on +44(0)207 609 6695 or you can send us an email to events@actionchallenge.com for more information. @actionchallenge www.facebook.com/actionchallenge Action Challenge UK Ltd United House North Road London N7 9DP United Kingdom +44 (0) 207 609 6695 www.actionchallenge.com events@actionchallenge.com