When should I go?
Generally we recommend this holiday any time between March and November. The most stable weather should be between May and September.

The holiday can be taken at any time of year except February and early March when the Inca Trail is closed for maintenance.

March to November is the time to go for the Inca Trail since you have the greatest chance of clear weather though nights are cold. The same is true of Lake Titicaca.
Arequipa has a fairly stable, sunny and pleasant climate year round.

The Amazon is hot all year and it rains a good deal, particularly from December to February.

How active?
On the Inca Trail the pace is relaxed and a team of porters carry your things as well as setting up the tents and cooking.

The trail covers 40km over four days. However, it is at high altitude and the going can be slow and fairly tough. You must be used to hill walking.

Lake Titicaca too offers some walking, hiking, canoeing and even swimming – you set a pace that suits you.

The focus of this holiday is on walking exploration, wildlife and culture.

How comfortable?
In the Amazon stay in a charming and comfortable jungle lodge with 34 en-suite thatched cabañas.

Five star colonial style hotel in Cusco near the centre.

Fully portaged camping on the Inca Trail. Dining and toilet tents are provided.

Aguas Calientes (at Machu Picchu), is an uninspiring town. Stay in a comfortable hotel.

In Puno stay in a four star lakeshore hotel with beautiful views. On Lake Titicaca stay in an exclusive and comfortable lodge located on a private island.
First class hotel in the colonial centre of Arequipa with restaurants and shops nearby.

How independent?
This is a tailor made holiday so you are not traveling as part of a group although you will be with others during your holiday as follows:

In the Amazon you are led by lodge guides and so will be joined by other guests of the lodge.

In Cusco and the Inca Trail you will either have private services or be joined by other Pura Aventura clients.

We only run dedicated Pura Aventura departures on the Trail with a maximum group size of 16 with two guides. Our Inca Trail groups are usually around eight.

Shared boat and guide service across Lake Titicaca.

On the island you have a choice of excursions led by a lodge based guide.

How responsible?
Pura Aventura is passionate about the places it visits.
To help preserve the integrity of these destinations we:

• Keep groups small to minimise environmental impact.

• Work directly with local businesses and organisations to directly benefit local economies.

• Work with local guides so that our holidays are more interesting for clients and more beneficial locally.

• Make payment to suppliers before our clients arrive.

We strictly adhere to the Porter Protection Policies which govern porters’ work in Peru.

Pura Handmade Holiday

This tailor made walking holiday in Peru is unique to Pura.

We have designed and deliver this holiday using our own people and carefully selected local suppliers to create a Pura Handmade holiday.

You are looked after by a Pura team on the ground in Cusco/Sacred Valley and the Inca Trail which means that we can far better control the quality of this crucial part of your experience.

What makes our Peru different?

You have longer to walk the Inca Trail giving you the best possible chance of enjoying the walk fully.

The hotels and lodges we have chosen very carefully to best reflect the places you are visiting.

On Lake Titicaca we are careful to avoid the usual tourist route so you get an insight into life in this most peaceful of environments.

Your holiday is carefully paced to allow you time both to stretch yourself and also to relax and just enjoy being in this absolutely fascinating country.

Pura Aventura’s Inca Trail

At Pura Aventura we only operate our own dedicated Inca Trail walks and we take longer to do it. By doing this we can be sure that you will get the most from your walk to Machu Picchu and avoid the crowds.

Permit system
Each day the Peruvian Government allows 500 people onto the trail. This includes all guides and porters so actually equates to about 200 hikers each day. If this sounds like a lot, frankly it is, but there are ways to avoid the crowds.

Their way
The vast majority of those 200 walkers do the three day trail which aims to arrive at Machu Picchu at sunrise. Once they arrive, they visit the site and catch that afternoon’s train back to Cusco. Those going at this pace on the Inca Trail suffer a couple of disadvantages.

Firstly, you have less time to acclimatise as you tackle the highest point of the trail on only the second day.

Secondly, the campsites are very busy, particularly the last night in Winaywayna which can have over 300 people spending the night. That equates to a lot of tents, a lot of noise and some fairly unpleasant sanitary conditions.

Thirdly, your first views of Machu Picchu can be rather compromised as people jostle for a perch in a small viewing area at the Sun Gate.

This a quote from one, very good, operator “Almost every group wants to be at the sun gate for sunrise. Sheer numbers require an early start to make sure people are in place for the sunrise.”

Lastly, since Machu Picchu is in a cloudforest, sunrise happens probably around 30% of the time. More normal is that the clouds gradually drift clear later. If the weather isn’t good, they will not get to see the site in all its glory as they will be on a train back to Cusco that same afternoon.

Our way
Meanwhile…Pura Aventura clients are half a day behind the main group of walkers as you set off in the afternoon of day one.

Because you do not cross the highest pass until day three, you have an extra day to acclimatise. Our guides work hard to make sure that you walk in the peaceful conditions at any time of year. You enjoy a quiet, often empty, trail ahead of you. The places we camp are very peaceful.

You arrive in Machu Picchu in the twilight when the site is at its prettiest and quietest. That afternoon you stroll down through the site to soak up the atmosphere before spending a welcome night in a hotel nearby.

The following morning you come back up to the citadel – early enough to catch sunrise if you like. You have your full guided tour before returning to Cusco by train that afternoon.

In all you have about 24 hours at Machu Picchu spread over two days, giving you the best possible opportunity to see the site at its best.

Pura Aventura’s Porters

Your porters work extremely hard on the Inca Trail. In particular, the meals they prepare is the subject of much admiration from Pura clients. We work with a set team from a particular village.

We can trust them to do a good job for you, they can trust us to treat them well.

By the end of day one you are likely to really appreciate the work your porters are doing for you.

In the mornings they are there to wake you for breakfast with a cup of tea and warm water for a wash. As you set off walking for the day, they pull up camp, overtaking you a while later fully laden with all of the gear.

A couple of hours later you come across them again and they will have prepared a three-course lunch for you on the side of the trail. After this, you waddle onwards and upwards only to be overtaken again soon afterwards.

By the time you get to the day’s stopping point, the team will have set up the campsite, have supper on the go and greet you with a cup of tea!

Pura Aventura adheres strictly to the Porter Protection Policies in place on the Inca Trail. In fact our porters are from the community of Chacllanca, about 45km from Cusco.Generally they are subsistence farmers who supplement their earnings by working on the Inca Trail.

Our two head chefs, Virgilio and Herlin are in charge of getting the teams together. Your team of porters is usually therefore made up of friends, family and neighbours who respect one another and work well together.

Useful Links

As you already know, Pura Aventura is dedicated to safe and responsible travel. The links below provide useful content and more information about Peru. Please call us of any special requirements on 01273 676 712.

Country Information

FCO

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office provides useful travel advices on Peru.

BBC News

BBC News provides useful information about Peru. Read more about it.

Official Government website

Find out more about Peru, by visiting its official governement website.

Prepare your holiday

Health

Before you go on your holiday to Peru, please ensure you have the correct vaccinations. Check out the NHS website for advices and visit your GP or a travel clinic.

Currency Exchange

For the latest information on the Peruvian Nuevo Sol currency, visit the ICE website.

Weather

To know the forecast in Peru, visit wunderground.

Pura’s Amazon shop

Find out our own Peru selection in Amazon.co.uk for a wide range of travel essentials, such as books, gadgets, clothing, etc. in preparation for your upcoming holiday.

Train ticket

If you are leaving from the UK, and want to be easy in your mind before you leave, book your train ticket or airport hotel now.

Flight deals

Find the best flight deals for your holiday to Peru with Kayak, Expedia, Vayama and Opodo.