Michael Wardian - Autographed Hat
List price: $50
Starting bid: $30
This limited edition "Let's Go Mike" trucker hat is a staple of legendary runner and Chaski Coach, Mike Wardian. Support this great cause and get yourself one of these awesome caps autographed (with your own custom message) by the man himself!
Enter your bid below. Minimum bid increment $10. Winners will be the highest bid listed at 11:59pm PDT, April 14, 2021
Chaski Coaching Consult Call with Tyler Andrews
List price: $69
Starting bid: $40
This is your opportunity to ask Chaski Founder, Coach, and pro-athlete Tyler Andrews whatever you want about training, racing, and competing. Ty is a multi-time world record holder on the track, trails, and mountains, and world championship silver medalist at 50km. Ask anything you want on this 60 minute call!
Enter your bid below. Minimum bid increment $10. Winners will be the highest bid listed at 11:59pm PDT, April 14, 2021
Curious about coaching? Schedule your free coaching evaluation with a real human.
Run the most spectacular Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, soak in the Peruvian sunshine, snag a selfie with a llama.
Camp Chaski Peru
Run Machu Picchu
Peru is home to Machu Picchu and so much more. You’ve heard of the ancient city, but summer in Peru’s Sacred Valley is a hidden gem in the world of trail running, hiking, and adventure.
With endless sunshine and nearly infinite miles of trails through the mountains, your trip to Peru will leave you -- literally -- breathless.
June 16-24 2023 (9 days)
Moderate to high challenge
$3,920 - $4,500
Details
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Dates
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June 16-24, 2023
Trip Length: 9 days, 8 nights
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Price
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$3,920 (Chaski Athlete Price)
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$4,900 (Standard Price)
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$300 single supplement (if you want your own room)
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$500 deposit, full payment due 90 days before departure, payment plans available
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Difficulty: Moderate to challenging
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Group Size: 6-12
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Leaders: Two bilingual trip-leaders with years of experience in the region, available 24/7
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Who should come? Any traveler ages 13-70* that enjoys being active outdoors**
* Contact us if you’re over 70 and interested in coming or want to bring someone under 13.
** Is this trip only for runners? Nope! We welcome hikers, cyclists, and lovers of the outdoors. The amount and intensity of the athletic portion of this trip is entirely up to you. We’ve led trips with non-runners who have still had a fantastic experience!
Trip Overview
Peru is breath-taking. The highlands, where our trip is based, is literally so.
But more than just the thin air of the high altitude cities, the well-preserved ancient stonework, the incredible textiles, and the friendliest people you could hope to meet will all equally take your breath away.
As a trail running destination, Peru is a hidden gem. Without the crowds of the Alps or Rockies, Peru still feels like the kind of spectacular landscape where you could get lost for hours (don’t worry, we won’t let you) and not encounter a soul. Yet, the trails and dirt roads which snake out across the valleys in mountains make the Sacred Valley and surrounding highland areas a dream come true for trail runners.
Our adventure starts in the beautiful city of Cusco, highlighted by amazing cuisine and the unique hybrid architecture that is one part Inca Stone and one part Spanish Cathedral, a must see. From there, we’ll head down into the Sacred Valley, where we’ll explore the best single-track and dirt roads you can imagine around the towns of Pisac and Ollantaytambo.
Finally, are you ready to run to Machu Picchu? We’ve established the only option in Peru to run this classic and spectacular route. The “full route” is 40 miles (65 kilometers), but we’ll also have options for 22 miles, 13 miles, and 6 miles. You can also completely bypass this portion if you’re injured or prefer a less active trip.
We’ll wrap up with a full day to explore the ancient city and celebrate our incredible accomplishments as a team before heading back to Cusco. Give your trip-mates and leaders a big hug and then you’re headed home!
Did you know?
June in Peru is actually the winter, but the "dry season" months of June-August are the best for outdoor activities, with nearly constant sunshine, moderate temperatures, and usually no precipitation to speak of (knock on wood!)
Okay, so, what do I get?
With your payment, you get:
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24 hour support and access from your bi-lingual trip leaders on-the-ground and USA-based support crew
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Private transportation from the moment you arrive in Cusco to the end of your trip
Local, high-end and high-quality food, three meals per day
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8 nights lodging (double occupancy)
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Guided runs and hikes through the most spectacular routes in Peru
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All entry fees associated with group activities (National Parks, museums, etc.)
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Meet and greet with local professional athletes and/or coaches (schedules permitting)
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Help from your leaders to organize any free time activities/excursions
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Support from Chaski staff ahead of your trip including training advice, packing lists, and more
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Chaski merch item of your choice
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Free access to Chaski Community Membership - $199 value
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Discounts on future Chaski Programs and partner brands
What else do I have to pay for?
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International flights to/from Cusco, Peru (Airport code: CUZ)
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Approximate prices from
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NYC: $800
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LAX: $900
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MIA: $700
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ORD: $650
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Visa charges (there aren’t any for most countries), overweight baggage fees
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Personal travel Insurance (recommended)
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Personal souvenirs
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Activities outside the groups’ itinerary
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Tips for your drivers, leaders, or anyone else outside of restaurants
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Alcoholic drinks and food/drinks outside of meals
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Single occupancy (i.e. if you’d like a room to yourself)
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Optional 9th night of lodging if your flight departs on the morning of day 10.
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Optional add-ons to the trip, like the Amazon Experience or Mountain Summit
Extend Your Adventure
Optional Add-ons
Got a little more time? I mean, you’ve come this far already. You may never be back in Peru.
Check this out.
Glacier Mountain Climb - 2-5 days - Contact us for pricing!
With 2-5 days - Push yourself to new heights -- literally! -- with a guided climb on one of the Sacred Valley’s high peaks. Depending on your experience level, options could include Pachatusan (15,886′), Jampa (18,044’), or Ausangate (20,945′) Mountains. Chaski only works with UIAGM certified mountain guides. You do not need any experience on high mountains and our professional staff will help you choose the right goal for your level. If you do have experience and want to challenge yourself, the snow-capped peaks around Ausangate provide a perfect playground for snow and ice climbing. Pricing is generally $100-200 per day depending on the level of climb, size of your party, and gear rental.
Contact us to help set up the climb of a lifetime!
Amazon Experience
With 2-7 days - - Contact us for pricing!
THE Amazon -- not the online superstore -- is the most biodiverse environment on Earth. Home to macaws, giant otters, monkeys, caymans, and much, much more, the Amazon Rainforest will feel like a different planet compared to your time in Cusco and the Sacred Valley. That said, it’s remarkably close: A short 30-minute flight from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado makes the region within reach, even if you’re short on time. Trips can range from 2 - 7 days, depending on what you want to see, with prices generally between $100-200 per day.
Sound great? Contact us to help arrange your wild adventure.
Did you know?
The Andes Mountains, which run through the center of Peru, were the stomping grounds of the original Chaskis, the Incan runner-messengers who held the empire together by enabling communication across thousands of miles of rugged mountainous terrain. We'll be running and hiking in their footsteps!
This is a SAMPLE itinerary. Your exact itinerary will be built around the (extremely localized) weather in the highlands
Day 1 - Bienvenidos! Welcome!
Welcome to Cusco! Most itineraries will have flights arriving into Cusco (airport code CUZ) in the morning and your leaders will be waiting to greet you and bring you to our hotel in Cusco. We’ll keep the exertion low today as your body adjusts to the 11,000+ ft of altitude, with a walk around the city to see some of the incredible architecture in the historic center. If you can make it to the evening, we’ll have a visit to the planetarium for some stargazing and learning about the Incan constellations.
Sleep: Casa Andina Premium Cusco (or similar)
Max Altitude: 11,152 ft
Run: Walk around town or very easy jog -- we’re up high!
Day 2 - Into the Sacred Valley
Today, we’ll leave the bustle of Cusco for the Sacred Valley. A short drive takes us up over a spectacular high pass and down into the Valley. We’ll make some stops en route to a local animal rehabilitation center and weaving center (get ready for your “selfie-llama”) before arriving in the small town of Pisac. Take the afternoon to explore and then we’ll hit the spectacular trails -- flat or seriously verty! -- for an easy run or hike.
Sleep: Hotel Chaska Pisac (or similar)
Max Altitude: 9,800 ft
Run/Hike/Bike: 20-60’
Day 3 - Huchuy Qosqo Run and Ruins
We’ll make a short drive from Pisac to Lamay where we’ll begin the climb up to the spectacular ruins of Huchuy Qosqo. Unlike Machu Picchu, these ruins are often empty of visitors, but still spectacularly well preserved and with a view that will literally take your breath away. The run/hike up is steep and rocky, so we’ll take our time and enjoy the increasingly epic views along the way. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can tack on some extra distance on the seldom visited Inca Trail that runs high along the hillside through a secret canyon. This adventure will take most of the day, but we’ll be back in time for a big dinner!
Sleep: Hotel Chaska Pisac (or similar)
Max Altitude: 9,300 ft
Run/Hike/Bike: 20-80’
Day 4 - Apu Linli and Pisac Market and Museum
Apu Linli towers above our little home base and today we’ll have the opportunity to romp around on her flanks. If you’re looking for vert (and are used to a lot), we can hike/run all the way from town to the summit (about 5000 ft of climbing). If not, we’ll have our private vehicle drive us to a higher trailhead where beautiful singletrack will take us through the high Andean paramo (grasslands), dotted with alpine lakes. We’ll head down in time for some free time to make a last visit to the Pisac Market and Museum before heading to our new abode in Ollantaytambo for the night.
Sleep: Ollantaytambo (or similar)
Max Altitude: 14,300 ft
Run/Hike/Hike: Easy walking up to 4-6 hour hike/jog round trip (10 miles, 5000 ft vert).
Day 5 - Ollantaytambo and the Puerta del Sol
Ollantaytambo (pronounced oh-yan-tie-TAHM-bo) is a beauty of a town, with 500-year old streets and walls of Incan stone and gravity-powered canals with trickling water. Across the river, we’ll head up the beautiful Incan Trail to the Inti Punku (Sun Gate). This spectacular trail climbs just over 3000 ft in 5 miles and terminates at the most spectacular overlook you’ve ever seen. We’ll be back in time to explore the town and have a great dinner at one of Ollantaytambo’s great restaurants.
Sleep: Ollantaytambo (or similar)
Max Altitude: 12,600 ft
Run/Hike/Hike: 10 miles (round trip), 3,000 ft vert.
Day 6 - Salkantay - Rest and Prep Day
We’ll have a relaxing morning in Ollantaytambo with an optional shakeout run for our higher mileage runners. After that, we’ll head to Soraypampa, from where we’ll begin our big run on the Salkantay Inca Trail tomorrow! Once there, we’ll have a technical meeting and prepare all the logistics for the big run. We’ll have a big, early dinner and head to bed under the most insane night sky you’ll probably ever see.
NOTE - Anyone who wishes not to take part in the Inca Trail portion of the trip will stay an extra night in Ollantaytambo and take the train to Machu Picchu Pueblo the following day.
Sleep: Soraypampa Domes (or similar)
Max Altitude: 12,631 ft
Run/Hike/Hike: Rest or optional hike / run
Day 7 - Chaski Challenge: Salkantay Inca Trail Day
Today’s the big day to run to Machu Picchu! Get ready for a huge adventure. Running groups will leave early and expect to spend most of the day on this spectacular journey. Enjoy it! Don’t rush!
Remember - there are multiple options today, with the full 65km (40 mile) journey, the 35km (22 miles) route (finishing at the train station), the 13 mile route over Salkantay Pass, and finally the 6 mile route to the pass and back. You can also skip the hike entirely if you’re injured or simply not interested and we’ll arrange for you to meet the group in Machu Picchu Pueblo.
Whatever happens, by the end of the day, the whole group will be reunited in Machu Picchu Pueblo. If you make good time you can even visit the natural hot springs for which the town is named.
Sleep: Tierra Viva Aguas Calientes (or similar)
Max Altitude: 15,255 ft
Run/Hike/Hike: List options
Day 8 - Machu Picchu Day
Welcome to the Wonder of the World, Machu Picchu. We can hike or take the bus up to the ancient city, where our guided tour will begin. We’ll have plenty of time for free exploring, photos, and simply soaking it all in. This will be yet another day you definitely won’t forget.
In the late afternoon, we’ll come back down to town and ride the train back to Cusco, where our journey began, and surely sleep well!
Sleep: Casa Andina Premium Cusco (or similar)
Max Altitude: 9,000 ft
Run/Hike/Hike: Up to and around the ancient city!
Day 9 - A Day to Celebrate!
Don’t worry, we’ll let you sleep in. If you’re feeling up for it, we’ll have an easy shakeout run in the hills above Cusco in the morning before coming back for a great brunch at the hotel. We’ll have time for one final bit of Peruvian culture: a chocolate or pisco sour (Peru’s national cocktail) class. We’ll say goodbye to those with flights leaving this afternoon and those with flights leaving the following morning will have one last dinner in Cusco before departure.
Sleep: En route to your home or Casa Andina Premium Cusco (or similar)
Max Altitude: 11,100 ft.
Run/Hike/Hike: Optional shakeout jog/hike
Day 10 - Celebration and then ¡Hasta luego, Peru!
If you’re adding an Amazon Trip or Mountain Summit Trip onto your program, your leaders will connect you with your new guides and/or make sure you get to the appropriate meeting point, airport, etc.
Note: Some flights may depart the following morning in which case your leaders will escort you to the Airport Hotel.
Did you know?
Only about 20% of Machu Picchu's famous terraces (pictured here) have been fully excavated? The rest our still covered in forests.