This is one of the most famous and incredible trekking routes in the world! The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is one of the most impressive examples of the approximate 40000 kilometers of roads built by the Incas some 500 years ago! Inca road roads were built across the deserts, highlands and jungles stretching from south Colombia throughout Peru, Bolivia, Northern and Central Chile and the Northwest part of Argentina! The Inca Trail starts in a typical Andean region and finishes in a jungle region going through cloud forests, Inca tunnels, bridges and snow on the way!! Undertaking this trek is an opportunity to go back in time and live with the Incas for 4 indescribable days , remembers, the Inca Trail is not only for your feet but also for your mind.
We will meet and pick you up from your hotel at 4: 00 am to 4:30am (time to be confirmed at the briefing time) and travel by bus to Piscacucho (trail head) kilometer 82. where the trail starts. Our chef will make a delicious breakfast to load up on energy On arrival at kilometer 82 then we will have sometime to organize ourselves (use the restrooms, put on sun cream, mosquitoes repellent, etc) and then it is necessary to show your entrance tickets, passports. To start the trail (2720m/8923ft), we cross the Vilcanota River and follow its route to the right. The first day is relatively easy (a warm-up on the ‘Inca flat’ terrain) and we will have great views of the site of an Inca Fortress (‘Huillca Raccay’), the vast and incredible Inca site ‘Llactapata’ (officially called ‘Patallacta’), the Urubamba mountain range that divides the jungle and the Andes and the beautiful snow-capped peak of ‘W’akay Willca’ (5860m/19225ft), known in books as Veronica. Our first campsite (Ayapata) will be one hour and a half up the small village of Wayllabamba (3000m/9842ft) in the temperate green valley of the same name. Temperature at night is usually around 5ºC (depending on the month).
Total distance to be covered on day 1: 14km (5 to 6 hours more or less).
After waking up at 5:30am and having a delicious breakfast, we will start a steep ascent towards the highest pass (Warrmihuañusca/’Dead Woman’s Pass’ – 4200m/13779ft). On this day a real sense of achievement is felt on reaching the top! After a rest here, we begin the descent to the lunch stop which is located at Pacaymayo (3550m/11646ft). On the way up to the pass we will be able to see lots of hummingbirds and other birds. Also we will have the time to appreciate an incredible variety of native plants and trees such as the ´Polylepis´ or Q’ueuña trees which grow in the astonishing cloud forest located at 3650/11972m!! After lunch begins the second 2 hours steep climbing to Runkurakay pass (almost 4000 meters), we arrive in our campsite by 5 pm.
Temperature at this campsite around 4ºC during the nights.
Total distance to be covered on day 2: 16km (8 to 9 hours more or less)
This is the most beautiful day so just keep thinking of that on the ascent on day 2! Again we wake up for delicious breakfast at 6 am, and start the day with a gentle climb to visit the archaeological site of ‘Phuyupatamarca’(meaning ‘Town in the Clouds’) and to reach the third highest point on the trail (3680m)). The views from here of the mountains, canyons and surrounding area are spectacular.
The Inca site, ‘Phuyupatamarca’, is located a few minutes walk from the third pass and
after visiting this, we continue walking (3000 steps!) through the cloud forest and the impressive agricultural Inca site of ‘Intipata’ until we arrive at our third campsite Wiñay Wayna (2680m/8792ft). Today we have only walked about 4 to 5 hours and have arrived to camp by lunch time!
A short distance from this campsite is located the Inca site of the same name ‘Wiñay Wayna’ (‘Forever Young’). Even if you are tired after your day’s trek, don’t miss out on visiting the most impressive site on the trail.
Temperature during the night is around 12o C
Total distance to be covered on day 3: 10km (5 hours more or less)
We will wake up around 3:00 am and then we will have a delicious breakfast and wait at the last checkpoint to be one of first to start to hike It is an early start in order to get to ‘Inti Punku’ (‘Sun gate’) (2730m/8792ft) . This is the place from where you will have your first dramatic view of Machu Picchu (2400m/7873ft) with the sun rising over it! After some time there, we will walk down the last part of the trail to the spot where you can take the classic photo ( postcard picture ) of this ancient city. Finally we visit Machu Picchu itself!
A walking tour (approximately 2 hours) exploring the mysterious city with your tour guide to descend to Aguas Calientes for lunch and to be given your train tickets back to Cusco. Train included in all tours is
until Ollantaytambo or poroy if you would like to upgrade your train and then bus to Cusco.
If desired, an extra night in Aguas Calientes can be arranged. This option is very
popular as it allows more time to explore Machu Picchu. You can also go to the
thermal springs in the town – a real treat after finishing the trail!!!
Total distance covered on day 4th : 5km (2 hours hike )
Sleeping Bag (rentals available from Hiking Trails Peru for up to -15°C/5°F)
PERMITS : In order to book your Inka trail , the Peruvian government limited the number of Inca Trail trekking permits to 500 per day. Everyone entering the trail needs a permit including the trekker, guide, porters and other support staff. Permits often sell out several months in advance and you must book well ahead to secure your place. When you send us your personal details required you must fill in alternative start dates that are possible for you to begin the trek. If your preferred date is sold out we will use one of these alternative dates for your permit. Once we purchase your permit from the National Park office, you are 100% confirmed to start this day, this date cannot be changed.
Permits are completely non-refundable or transferable, so please make sure the date you booked is a good date to start this adventure.
If you change your passport after booking your inca trail permit or you are planning to travel with a different passport, you MUST also bring the passport you used to book your permit, or you will not be able to hike the Inca Trail.
STUDENTS: If you want to get student discount there are requirements must be met
Original student ID gives from the university in PVC material and it must have the next requirements: university information, personal student information, student picture, and expiration date valid only for one year, it year must coincide with the year that student visit Machu Picchu, the discount until 25 years old.
If you purchased a permit with the student discount and you do not bring your card or it is not valid at the time of your trek start they will not allow you to enter the trail.
HUAYNA PICCHU: Only 400 people are allowed to climb this mountain per day.and it’s strongly recommended to book in advanced and the price is $75 per person we recommended to climb Huayna Picchu in the 10-11 am time slot as otherwise you miss your guided tour. We recommend booking about 4 months in advance to secure your space as it is very famous and they do sell out well in advance.
EXTRA NIGHT: If you would like to stay spend the night in Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu Town. Just let us know we will organize your return train for the next day. You can either organize your accommodation by yourself or we can assist with making bookings. If you were thinking of going back to Machu Picchu the next day, you will need to book a new entrance ticket to get into Machu Picchu and the round-trip bus tickets to Aguas Calientes
RETURN TRAIN TO CUSCO: The return train is the Expedition train included in the price which departs either at 2:55, 3 :20 , 4:22,. The train that is booked depends on availability and is confirmed at your briefing. if you would like to upgrade your train to the Vistadome train which is an extra $70 per person. Please tell us of your preference at the time of booking. None of the trains go straight to Cusco, they only run either to Ollantaytambo or Poroy but in either case we will be waiting for you and transfer you back by bus to your hotel (2 hours from Ollantaytambo and 25 minutes from Poroy).
FOOD ON THE TREK: The food. It is always fresh and most of it is organic. There is always a lot to eat and lots of options including vegetables, meat, chicken, fish and other types of protein and carbohydrates. We accommodate all dietary requirements including vegetarian options and any food allergies. We do not provide any alcoholic drinks on the trek.
OUR EQUIPMENT: We provide 4-person tents (for just 2 people) and foam mats for everyone. Our dining equipment includes a spacious dining tent, tables and chairs, plates and utensils. We do NOT supply sleeping bags, inflatable air mats or walking sticks, but all can be rented from Hiking Trails Peru.
Important note that if you are over 1.95 meters / 6´4″ tall , you won’t be able to find a sleeping bag rental in Cusco. In this case it is recommended to bring your own.
OUR GUIDES, COOK AND PORTERS: Amazing, helpful, Knowledgeable, fun,, and great people to be around with. Our guides speak good English and are patient and very informative. Our cooks provide amazing family style food for you and our porters and everyone is impressed with what. Your porters will carry everything for you which makes your trek as easy and comfortable as possible, you will see, they are phenomenal! We make sure that all our team of porters are well looked after and we provide all of their equipment so that they can support our trekkers in as much comfort as possible.
STORAGE DURING YOUR TREK: During the Inca Trail trek your main luggage will be stored in Cusco. You will receive a small duffle bag at your Inca Trail briefing to pack your extra clothes in for 4 days. Your team of porters will carry these bags together with the food and equipment for the trail.
Important note that you will not be able to get access to these items until the end of each day as the porters will always be ahead of the group, you should bring a daypack in which you can carry personal belongings such as your camera, water and sunscreen, etc.
The duffle bag carried by the porters must not weigh more than 7kg (15 pounds). You can either store your luggage at your hotel or you can leave it with us.
FITNESS: The Inca Trail is certainly not easy but you do not need to be an athlete or a trekking expert to complete it. Fitness is naturally important but the Inca Trail is the kind of trek that anyone with a positive attitude and determination can do. Obviously the more fit you are, the more you will enjoy the trail, and the more opportunities you will have to enjoy the scenery and Inca ruins along the way. If you do not exercise regularly, it is advisable to do some extra walking, stair climbing or some kind of aerobic activity .
It is $680 per person for our 4D/3N trek, includes a 7kg / 14 pounds weight allowance for your trekking clothes which will be carried by HIKING TRAILS porters . This allows you to walk with just your day pack and enjoy the trek without the additional weight.
We have a minimum of 2 people to start a group and a maximum of 10-12 with two guides. However, most of our groups are of 4 – 6 people. If you are traveling solo, we are very happy to match you up with one of our existing groups.
Please fill in the form from our “Book Now” menu on our website. Then make a deposit of $200 per person which you can do via PayPal . Pay Pal does charge a small fee of 5.5% which is to be paid by the client. This comes to a total of $211 per person including PayPal fees. As soon as we receive both we will book your Inca Trail permits (subject to availability) and email you with a confirmation and your final invoice which can be paid when you arrive in Cusco.
“No”. Once the tickets have been purchased the government does not allow any changes, so we can’t change any departure dates after purchase. Tickets are also not transferable.
Once we pay for your permits and other required tickets, we do not receive any refund from the government or Train Company, so we therefore cannot refund any monies to you.
YES, you absolutely need to bring your original passport and it is very important that it be the same passport number you sent to us to book your Inca Trail permits. If you are in the process of renewing your passport, go ahead and send us your old number to secure your permit, and we can change it when you get your new passport number.
If you want to get student discount there are requirements must be met
Original student ID gives from the university in PVC material and it must have the next requirements: university information, personal student information, student picture, and expiration date valid only for one year, it year must coincide with the year that student visit Machu Picchu, the discount until 25 years old.
If you purchased a permit with the student discount and you do not bring your card or it is not valid at the time of your trek start they will not allow you to enter the trail.
We are an official Inka Trail operator, we are a Peruvian company, we have smaller size groups, the BEST guides, the BEST meals, the BEST camping equipment, private toilets, our camping sites are located at the BEST locations without many other groups around, and very importantly – we are a PORTER FRIENDLY COMPANY, we treat our porters, guides and cooks the best!
We provide 4-person tents but we only put two people in each 4-person tent which means you have plenty of space in your tents to relax and keep your trekking gear.
Yes, we do take our private tent-toilets, And why is it convenient to have private tent-toilets? Because the campsites are not very close to the ranger toilets and it is dangerous to walk at night in the freezing cold and dark.
Absolutely! Our food is the best! We can accommodate your needs without any problem if you are vegetarian, vegan, or have any allergies. All meals are buffet, freshly prepared in the same location where we are camping.
For sure you will have many different varieties of weather as you pass through the numerous microclimates which will depend the day and the elevation you are at, but we definitely suggest you bring clothes for 4 seasons, including waterproof gear. One thing we can say is that weather rarely goes below zero.
It is 45 km / 26 miles
The highest point of the hike is 4215m / 13,829 ft. (dead woman pass) which is on the second day of the hike.
This hike is definitely not easy but is something you can survive, you just need to try to be as fit as possible and believe that this will be a lifetime experience, this is once-in-a-life-time adventure!!
Day 1.- 14 km Day 2.- 16 km Day 3 .- 10 km Day 4 .- 5 km
You will have 1 cook per group. The number of porters depends of the size of the group. For group of : 2 trekkers will have 5 porters + 1 cook 4 trekkers will have 7 porters + 1 cook 6 trekkers will have 10 porters + 1 cook 8 trekkers will have 12 porters + 1 cook 10 trekkers will have 14 porters + 1 cook If by any chance we have a larger group, the number of the porters will increase accordingly.
If the group is 8 people or less you will have 1 tour guide. If the group is 9 or more, you will have 2 tours guides.
It will depend a lot on what kind of illness you get and at which point on the Inka Trail. if you become ill before Dead Woman’s Pass (Day 2 highest point ) and feel you won’t be able to continue the hike, you will return with a porter to the trailhead and take the train to Aguas Calientes and then Machu Picchu. where you will meet up with your group. if you become seriously ill, we will return you either by stretcher or horse to the trail head and bring you back to the clinic. we strongly recommend to have travel insurance in case anything happens along the way. Extra expenses due to illnesses are covered by you.
We can provide legal documentation for your travel insurance company to assist in getting the money reimbursed to you. If you become ill after Dead Woman’s Pass it is actually better to just continue on the trail since you are closer to Machu Picchu and at a much lower elevation, Hiking trails Peru tour guides are extremely well-trained on how to assess the situation in case you need any assistance. Our tour guides bring oxygen tanks and first aid kits with all the typical necessary medications. If you have any special medications from your doctor it is a good idea that you bring them with you.
We will collect you from your hotel in Cusco at 4.30 am on the first day and the average time to wake up each day is at 5am. This can also vary depending on your guide and the speed of the group.
Yes, we will absolutely drop you off at your hotel in Cusco after your hike and also we can also drop you off at any hotel in Ollantaytambo , Urubamba in the Sacred Valley. Just let us know in advance.
You will reach Machu Picchu around 7.30am. It is a 2 hour walk to Machu Picchu from the last campsite.and then You will explore Machu Picchu with your tour guide .
Definitely ,Yes, you can, We will book you in the second slot which begins at 10am. This means that you will have your guided tour first, then climb Huayna Picchu on your own. Huayna Picchu is regulated to only 400 people per day and this means that you need to book it far in advance since it tends to sell out quite a bit ahead of time. The price for a permit to climb this mountain is $75 per person .
Huayna Picchu is about 1½ hours round trip.
We include bus tickets. The buses depart every 5 minutes and it takes about 30 minutes to get down to Aguas Calientes. the buses are comfortable and clean. Make sure you allow enough time to descend to be sure you have plenty of time to catch your train.
Depends on the train availability. We normally book the trains for either 2:55 pm, 3:20 pm or 4:22 pm. All trains are tourist expedition class. It is a beautiful, scenic train ride and ideally you want to do it in daylight. It does get dark around 6pm here.
You can absolutely upgrade to Vistadome train which has slightly nicer seating, domed glass windows which make for better views of the high mountains and a dance show on board the train. The price is $70 per person which includes the transfer the train station to your hotel in Cusco.
Most people take the tourist expedition class train and the train ride is only 2 hours from Ollantaytambo and as mentioned previously – the major difference is the seating and shows, the views are the same on both trains as they follow the same route, though the Vistadome has windows in the ceiling of the train cars, so that you can see the tops of the mountains en route. If you choose to upgrade to the Vistadome train, it will return to Poroy instead of Ollantaytambo. Poroy is about 25 minutes outside of Cusco. So this means you will not stop in Ollantaytambo to catch the 2 hour bus back to Cusco, instead your train ride will be 3 1/2 hours, leave you in Poroy, and we will pick you up from there for the 25 minute drive to Cusco.
Yes, We can purchase your bus tickets and Machu Picchu entrances tickets for you(Please let us know in advance ). You will go back into Machu Picchu on your own since the guide will have gone back on the 4th day. Then you will take the afternoon train in the following day and use our transportation back to Cusco. Sometimes people don’t want to go back to Machu Picchu but want to stay an extra night at Aguas Calientes and take morning train to Ollantaytambo.Just let us know so that we book your trains accordingly.
It is 2 hours by train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo and then another 2 hours from Ollantaytambo to Cusco by bus. If you upgrade to Vistadome, the train is 3 1/2 hours to Poroy, then 25 by taxi to Cusco.
We prefer that you pay by cash at our office (US dollars or Peruvian soles) but you can also use a Paypal We are required to charge an additional 5.5 % since your card is international.
We have two seasons, rainy and dry season, rainy is from November to March. Dry season is from April to October which is considered to be the best months to do the hike. The Inca Trail is closed for the month of February.
The first day is a little muddy, and not as clean since local people use the same trail for their horses. The second day to Machu Picchu is all paved with stone, most of which are uneven and can make it a little hard to walk on but certainly doable. We do suggest you take trekking poles/walking sticks to help balance yourself.
In our opinion, the Inca Trail is the most beautiful hike in the world! It is the only trail that takes you directly though the Sun Gate into Machu Picchu. It is very historically significant and, very importantly, it takes you through many different microclimates, providing amazing views of the Peruvian Andes. Great valleys, waterfalls, flora and fauna are amazing highlights. There are also many other Inka archeological sites along the way that are just as interesting as Machu Picchu ruins.
This is the trail that the Incas walked to Machu Picchu and it will remain with you forever how wonderful and spiritual this hike is.
What else to say about this beautiful, historic and amazing place. We hiked up the Wayna piccu to get an overlook on the maccu piccu and where lucky. It was absolutely breathtaking!
Our trip in May was my second to Cusco and the first one for my friend. I already had in mind to visit WaynaPicchu since I couldn’t do it in my first trip (my kids were too small for such a hike) and it was more than I expected. Maybe it was the anticipation, or maybe it was the hour hike it took to get there…
It was an awesome climb! And it was Not near as physically challenging as the four day Inca Trail. Looks intimidating but it was fairly safe for a 60+ year old (that is in good physical shape). It took my wife & I about 30 to 40 minutes to climb. It had steel cable handrails along the mountain side for many parts of the climb. You should be acclimated to the elevation prior to climbing. And train on hikes and/or stair master. Spectacular views. Worth the climb and price.
