Guided small group nomadic journeys travel lesser-known Inca Trail from Explora Valle Sagrado to Machu Picchu with Explora team: First Departure May 10, 2025

Explora Lodges continues to innovate high-end nomadic travel. The pioneer of lodges and explorations in South America launched a new way to experience one of the most revered destinations on the South American continent with the Sacred Mountains Expedition: The Unknown Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru. Following a lesser-known and traveled Inca Trail through the Vilcabamba Mountain range and the Sacred Valley of the Incas, the small-group journey to one of the Seven Wonders of the World has three departure dates scheduled in 2025: May 10, June 14, and September 6 – the last exclusively for women.

The Expedition’s fixed-date, 9-day roundtrip itinerary is designed to dive deep, with carefully planned yet flexible activities for a maximum of 8 travelers. Hiking along a richly storied pre-Incan trail, travelers can push their limits on this adventure, fully supported by Explora’s expert guides and experienced mountain team. Restful nights are spent in the award-winning Explora Valle Sagrado lodge and exquisite tented camps in remote locations.

Expedition Itinerary

The first two days of this Expedition set out from Explora Valle Sagrado, the expedition company’s award-winning and modern lodge surrounded by an ancient corn plantation in the Sacred Valley. From there, travelers put one foot in front of the other along ancient pre-Incan paths, passing stunning archeological sites and Andean communities, and crossing forests, rivers, grasslands, and mountains to reach the ancient Inca citadel.

The Sacred Mountains nomadic journey is part of a new line of Explora Expeditions offering guided small-group journeys to uncharted destinations in South America and beyond. The series debuted in late 2023 with Expeditions to Tierra del Fuego and was followed by this year’s launch of Expeditions to Iceland, Explora’s first adventure in the Northern Hemisphere.

Designed by an Explora team of experts in the Sacred Valley, the new Expedition is about venturing into places few have seen, where natural beauty buffers the quiet presence of local communities. The itinerary serves up the Andes in their purest form, with both time and opportunity for travelers to connect with remarkable landscapes and themselves while staying in tented camps exquisitely arrayed with essential luxuries for a fully immersive experience.

True to Explora’s travel philosophy, Sacred Mountains Expedition: The Unknown Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru combines expert guiding from seasoned professionals with world-class hospitality and the highest levels of service. There is also a commitment to safety to ensure secure and seamless experiences and provide travelers with an environment for self-discovery, with opportunities to break through personal barriers through exploration in the wild.

Unfolding as a nomadic adventure over a moderately challenging and rarely experienced route, the Expedition heads into the heart of the Vilcabamba range and the Sacred Valley, with travelers hiking through cloud forests of the Misquiyaco Natural Reserve, with time spent on ancient trails often entirely to themselves. Among the destinations waiting to be explored is Wata, a mountain-top ceremonial center that predates the Incan era, with spectacular views of the beautiful Quebrada Huarocondo, the Salkantay, and the Humantay Mountains.

The Andean Worldview

The Andean worldview is a way of interpreting the world based on profound observation of the natural environment, and at the heart of this understanding lies a deeply spiritual concept of the sacred.  Sacred mountains, known as Apus, exemplify this understanding. Travelers will explore the hidden Ancascocha Lagoon and access the Inca ruin Wiñay Wayna, built into a hillside above the Urubamba River, with two-level housing connected by stairs and fountains, the Inti Punku fortress near the end of the Inca Trail, and, of course, magnificent Machu Picchu itself.

A medium level of physical fitness is required for the Sacred Mountains Expedition, which is the best way for travelers to fully enjoy and engage with explorations and ascents within a mountainous region with diverse ecological zones showcasing remarkable biodiversity and evolving landscapes. Near Machu Picchu, for instance, the cloud forest brims with orchids, ferns, and mosses and is home to abundant butterflies and birds. High Andean puna, as grasslands between 3,200 and 3,400 meters are known, is home to elusive puma and condor, while the Sacred Valley is arrayed with vibrant agriculture that draws wildlife from higher elevations.

Assorted hikes will fill each day of the Sacred Mountains Expedition as travelers reach valleys, paths, archeological sites, and high-altitude locations to glimpse majestic views. Count on support throughout the journey, with an experienced Explora Team Leader and an Explora Guide joining a 15- to 20-member staff in managing every detail of camping, dining, and logistics. Bags are transported between camps by mules, freeing travelers to focus on enjoying the trek comfortably.

Details and Inclusions

Explora’s new 9-day Sacred Mountains Expedition in Peru is priced at US $7,840 per person. Departure dates for the three Expeditions in 2025 are May 10, June 14, and for women-only, September 6. The Sacred Mountains Expedition is also available as a private experience at a custom date for a small group upon request.

With Explora’s skill at planning expeditions of remote regions, every consideration is covered, including:

• All overnight accommodations and meals. Accommodations include luxury tented camps, Hotel Machu Picchu Pueblo, and Explora’s award-winning Valle Sagrado Lodge.
• All campsite amenities are included: high-quality mountain tents, technical sleeping bags, toilets, access to a hot shower, and two days of leg massages at camp.
• A dedicated staff manages dining, campsites, and logistics. Mules transport travelers’ bags between camps.
• All transfers, including train tickets and transportation to and from Cusco.
• This journey is recommended for active travelers. The total distance is 80 km (50 miles), and the hikers will reach elevations up to 4,683 meters above sea level (15,350 feet).