Left: Festival of the Snows Photo: Hugh Thomson Right: Peruvian lady with her llama Photo: Steve Berry 62 Download detailed itineraries from www.himalayankingdoms.com e: info@himalayankingdoms.com Peru & Machu Picchu The Royal Inca Trail This longer variant on the Inca Trail, follows a series of forgotten Inca roadways before joining the classic ‘Inca Trail’. It therefore combines the best of the ‘unknown’ Peru with the most famous of all South American treks. Hugh Thomson believes that this route was the original ‘Inca Trail’ that connected Machu Picchu with Cuzco. This spectacular trek will take us past remote Inca ruins and over 4,570m/15,000ft passes well above the tree line before we finally descend into the cloud forest. Along the way we will observe varieties of delicate orchids, rare birds and plants, together with what Hiram Bingham described as ‘the magnificent witchery’ of the Peruvian landscape. We begin our route along little known, seldom travelled Inca trails that once were the main arteries of the highland Inca homeland. We climb over high passes on steep trails that should satisfy the most enthusiastic of trekkers. Then we join the classic Inca trail for a final four days to arrive at Machu Picchu itself, a fitting end to a classic journey. £2,550 £1,760 Dates: Sat 26 Apr – Sat 10 May land only Grade: Vigorous On Trek: 8 days In-country Leader Nights’ Accommodation: Hotels: 3 Camping: 7 Hacienda/Family Inn: 3 Optional: Single Room £230 Single Tent £65 Insurance: £95 (Standard Policy) Days Itinerary Duration: 15 days 1–2 Fly Cuzco via Lima, drive to Sacred Valley –3 Visit nearby Sacred Valley of the Incas 4–11 Trek from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu, via highland route –12 Additional day at Machu Picchu 13–15 At leisure in Cuzco, fly to London Guaranteed to run for a minimum of clients Designed and researched by Hugh Thomson 6 The White Rock Trek – led this year by Hugh Thomson A magnificent trek between two great Inca ruins in the remote Vilcabamba cloud forest of the Peruvian Andes. Beyond Machu Picchu lies a remote, wild region of high mountain passes and hot tropical valleys, known as the Vilcabamba. Here the Incas built a network of roads connecting their settlements, shrines and ceremonial centres which Hugh Thomson and his American exploring partner, Gary Ziegler, have been locating and researching for many years. The trek starts at the capital of the Incas in exile, Vitcos, near the shrine of Yurak Rumi (the White Rock). This is where one of the last Inca emperors, Manco Inca, was stabbed to death by Spanish traitors in front of his son, Titu Cusi: it is an evocative ruin, situated on a hill in the centre of the beautiful Vilcabamba valley. From there the expedition will travel overland by some of the most dramatic Inca roads in the Andes to the large Inca ceremonial site of Choquequirao, a distant replication of its more famous sister site Machu Picchu. £3,250 £2,465 Dates: Tue 30 Sep – Fri 17 Oct land only Grade: Vigorous/Strenuous On Trek: 11 days European Leader: Hugh Thomson Nights’ Accommodation: Hotels: 5 Camping: 9 Hacienda/Family Inn: 2 Optional: Single Room £185 Single Tent £55 Insurance: £149 (Insurance Plus) Days Itinerary Duration: 18 days 1–2 Fly Cuzco via Lima, drive to Sacred Valley 3–4 Visit Sacred Valley, train to Machu Picchu 5–11 Drive to roadhead, trek from Vitcos to Choquequirao 12–13 Two days to explore Choquequirao 14–15 Trek and drive back to Cuzco 16–18 At leisure in Cuzco, fly to London Guaranteed to run for a minimum of clients Designed and researched by Hugh Thomson 6 Festival of the Snows Trek Every year 30,000 Andean Indians gather in a remote mountain bowl in the Andes for Qoyllurit’i, the so-called ‘festival of the snows’, an intense celebration of all that matters most in the Andean world, and one which draws on traditions that stretch back to pre-Columbian times. The festival ends with a spectacular torch-lit procession through the night over several 5,000m/16,400ft passes. Hugh Thomson has attended this extraordinary festival several times and has written about it in his most recent book, Cochineal Red: Travels through Ancient Peru. In 2007, Hugh led what was one of the first treks offered by a British company to visit the area, as the culmination of a 2-week tour of the 'sacred landscape of the Incas', which included plenty of time at Machu Picchu as well as some fabulous lesser known sites such as Huchuy Cuzco. The trek has also been carefully designed to allow acclimatisation before the festival, and maximum enjoyment of what is one of the great occasions in the Andes. £2,995 £2,180 Dates: Fri 09 May – Sat 24 May land only Grade: Vigorous On Trek: 4 days In-country Leader Nights’ Accommodation: Hotels: 6 Camping: 3 Hacienda/Family Inn: 5 Optional: Single Room £295 Single Tent £35 Insurance: £145 (Insurance Plus) Days Itinerary Duration: 16 days 1–2 Fly to Lima & Cuzco, transfer to Sacred Valley 3–8 Local fiesta, day walks to Inca sites and Machu Picchu, drive to Cuzco 9–10 At leisure, drive to Pacchanta 11–13 Festival of the Snows, return to Cuzco 14–16 At leisure, fly to Lima & London Guaranteed to run for a minimum of clients Designed and researched by Hugh Thomson 6

Trekking the Cordillera Blanca Photo: Helen Blackburn 63 tel: 0845 330 8579 (local call rate, UK only) international tel: +44 1453 844 400 www.himalayankingdoms.com Northern Peru The Cordillera Huayhuash Circuit The magnificent circuit of the remote Cordillera Huayhuash is justly considered to be one of the world’s most stunning treks. It really does stand comparison with the best that the Himalaya has to offer. The Huayhuash (pronounced why-wash) is a compact range of mountains, barely 30 kilometres from north to south, with Yerupaja, Peru’s second highest peak, just one of a collection of huge, dramatic fluted ice peaks which form its backbone. This is a demanding walk as most of the trek is spent above 4,000m/13,000ft and to make the complete circuit we have to cross many passes, most of which are over 4,700m/15,500ft. The scenery is spectacular – mountains tower over a wild and beautiful landscape of deep glacial valleys, sparkling blue, trout-filled lakes and tiny mountain settlements. We may see huge condors cruise the thermals and tiny birds darting among lovely wild flowers in the valleys, while llamas and vicuna graze on open hillsides and rabbitlike viscacha sun themselves on boulders. Time will be spent before the trek in Huaraz with walks in the nearby countryside to aid acclimatisation before tackling the main trek. £2,195 £1,395 Dates: Sat 07 Jun – Sun 29 Jun, Sat 30 Aug – Sun 21 Sep land only Grade: Strenuous On Trek: 16 days In-country Leader Nights’ Accommodation: Hotels: 6 Camping: 15 Optional: Single Room £150 Single Tent £70 Insurance: £99 (Standard Policy) Days Itinerary Duration: 23 days 1–2 Fly to Lima, drive to Huaraz 3–4 Acclimatisation walks, sightseeing 5–19 Drive to Quero and trek the Circuit –20 Walk to Llamac and drive to Huaraz 21–23 Drive to Lima, fly to London Guaranteed to run for a minimum of4clients Around Nevado Alpamayo This wonderful trek makes a loop through the Cordillera Blanca, north of the town of Huaraz. We start at fabulous blue lakes of the Llanganuco valley, beneath Huascarán mountain, and then cross several high passes to trek beneath the beautiful west face of Alpamayo. This is a demanding trek and is mostly at high altitude, crossing high passes over 4,600m/15,000ft, but the rewards are tremendous and there will be plenty of time taken acclimatisation. From the very start of the trek we are right close to the high mountains, with stupendous views fabulous fluted snow peaks and dramatic glaciers from one. We climb to high passes to find ourselves face to face with tumbling glaciers, looking down to deep glacial valleys studded with beautiful turquoise lakes, while the peaks of high Andes recede into the distance. Along the way we come across the occasional picturesque village surrounded neatly cultivated fields and encounter local people as they graze their sheep on the high mountain slopes. The sound a shepherd playing his flute in these surroundings is unforgettable experience. £2,250 £1,450 Dates: Sat 21 Jun – Thu 10 Jul, Sat 06 Sep – Thu 25 Sep land only Grade: Strenuous On Trek: 13 days In-country Leader Nights’ Accommodation: Hotels: 6 Camping: 12 Optional: Single Room £150 Single Tent £70 Insurance: £99 (Standard Policy) Days Itinerary Duration: 20 days 1–2 Fly to Lima, drive to Huaraz 3–4 Acclimatisation walks, sightseeing 5–16 Drive to Llanganuco and trek through Cordillera Blanca –17 Descend to Hualcayan and drive to Huaraz 18–20 Drive to Lima, fly to London Guaranteed to run for a minimum of4clients The lively town of Huaraz is the base for some of the most spectacular trekking in Peru. Huaraz, situated 400 km north of Lima, is set between the ranges of the Cordillera Blanca and the Cordillera Negra and Peru’s highest mountain Huascarán can be clearly seen from its bustling streets. We offer two treks in this region and both start with a couple of days in Huaraz for exploration and essential acclimatisation. After your trek in northern Peru, perhaps you would like to visit Machu Picchu. 3, 4 or 5 day extensions possible. Details and prices available on request. Machu Picchu TREK EXTENSION All in red – ladies in Cuzco Photo: Steve Berry