After an invigorating early breakfast at 6:00am in Santa Maria, we'll embark on a walking trail filled with natural vegetation as dawn rises. During today's walk you'll be able to see tropical birds, fruit trees, orchids, coca and coffee crops, orchards, large rivers, and with luck, some of the exotic animals of the region. Not only is the landscape here truly overwhelming, but we'll also walk along an original Inca trail which stretches for about a half mile, winding around precipitous drops. We'll continue the descent until reaching our lunch site, the very small tropical riverside town of Qellomayo, around noon.
After lunch and a rest, we'll follow the Vilcanota River towards the town of Santa Teresa (1650 meters above sea level) at about 1:00pm, arriving two hours later. You'll have the option to visit to the Cocal Mayo Hot Springs. We'll have dinner in a local restaurant at approximately 7:00pm and spend the night in simple but comfortable lodging.