CACHICATA INCA QUARRY DAY HIKE

The Cachicata Trek is an all-day rigorous hike in an area of ever-changing exquisite mountain views visited by few travelers. Its destination, an ancient quarry, offers insights into perhaps the most thought-provoking of the Inca mysteries–how this civilization was able to build its monumental structures and a 14,000-mile network of paved roads with such primitive technology and without the benefit of the wheel. Getting to Cachicata takes 3 to 4 hours. The trail crosses the Urubamba River and ascends gradually, offering stunning views of the Ollantaytambo valley below, the Vilcanota mountain range and Mount Veronica (18,745 ft.) before arriving at the Cachicata quarry. Here you’ll be able to explore where the Incas chiseled and formed the huge boulders for their buildings such as the Ollantaytambo fortress. After a picnic lunch in a spectacular setting, you’ll descend back to the Sacred Valley. For hikers and history buffs, the Cachicata trek is a stimulating way to spend an extra day in the Inca heartland and enhance the experience of a Machu Picchu or other great tours. Back to the hotel in Cusco or the Sacred Valley (B,L)