Walk the Inca Trail

A Wonder of the World

Follow in the footsteps of the Incas

Trip of a lifetime

” The whole trip was truly amazing. I did both the Amazon and Lake Titicaca extensions, which logistically was complicated but it was all made easy.

The most impressive thing was that my luggage made it through a total of 5 airport connections and a 10 hour bus ride!

The Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu was the best yet, hard in places (day 2 getting to dead woman’s pass) but so worth it. Met a brilliant group of people, only 8 of us which was the perfect size, Best Group Ever “

Inca trai lactivity level
Inca trail

All the things you need to know

High in the altiplano hills, Cuzco was the geographic, cultural and political centre of a vast Inca empire, which stretched from present-day Quito, Ecuador, to Santiago, Chile, at its peak. After Spanish conquistadors invaded, they built on top of Inca structures, resulting in unique architecture, a fusion of Spanish and Inca styles. There is a noticeboard in the hotel reception with details of where and when the group welcome briefing will be held.

Remember to take it easy on arrival in Cuzco (and drink plenty of water) to help your body adjust to the altitude (11,155ft/3,400m).

Accommodation: MamaSara Hotel (or similar)

 

Adjusting to the altitude will maximise your experience on this trip; therefore, today has been left free for you to acclimatise and explore at your own pace. If you do want to get out, the Plaza de Armas is a fantastic spot for people-watching, and Qorikancha (the Sun Temple) in the Santo Domingo Church and monastery is worth a visit. Mercado San Pedro is the place to try local produce and there are many handicraft markets to shop for souvenirs, such as alpaca jumpers and scarves.

Outside the town are more Inca ruins, notably the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, where the Inca armies made their last stand against the conquistadors. Cuzco is also the gateway to the Sacred Valley of the Incas; if you wish to visit, your leader can help organise an excursion, including Pisac Market (optional).

If you would like something more active, there is an array of other optional activities available from Cuzco, including paddleboarding on a lake, mountain biking, or a combination of via ferrata and zip-lining in the Sacred Valley.

In the evening, you need to pack and weigh your kitbag ready for the Inca Trail tomorrow – remember to keep your passport somewhere accessible for the Inca Trail checkpoint.

Accommodation: MamaSara Hotel (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Early this morning, you will transfer (1hr 30min) from Cuzco into the Sacred Valley. Reaching the town of Ollantaytambo, you will drive for one hour along the final stretch of road to the start of the Inca Trail at Piscacucho, recognised among adventurers as Km82. After greeting your trekking crew, you’ll be shown your passports at the checkpoint and begin the fabled Inca Trail trek. Your route today runs alongside the Urubamba River, beneath the snow-capped peak of Nevado Veronica, passing through cactus gardens and settlements, until you reach the terraced Inca ruins of Llactapata, where you continue up the Cusichaca Valley to camp near the village of Huayllabamba (9,186ft/2,800m).

Accommodation: Huayllabamba Camp (full-service camping)

Distance covered: 7mi (11km)

Ascent: 1,148ft (350m); Activity hours: 8-9

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The morning begins, as all do on this Inca Trail trek, with a hot drink delivered to your tent. Today’s journey is both challenging and rewarding, marking the most demanding and best-known stretch of the trail. A slow and steady climb takes you through a cloud forest to the meadows of Llulluchapampa, then you will summit Dead Woman’s (Warmihuañusca) Pass, the highest point on the trek at 13,829ft (4,215m). After a well-deserved round of high fives and photos at the summit, you will begin your steep descent on original Inca steps to reach the campsite in the scenic valley of the Pacaymayu River (11,811ft/3,600m). Warm up in the dining tent with a hot, fresh meal followed by a well-deserved sleep under the Andean night sky.

Accommodation: Pacaymayu Camp (full-service camping)

Distance covered: 6mi (10km)

Ascent: 3,658ft (1,115m); Descent: 2,018ft (615m); Activity hours: 6-8

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a hearty breakfast, we start the day with a climb, which takes you past the ruins of Runquracay and over the Runquracay Pass (12,894ft/3,930m), your second and final pass. From here, the Inca Trail becomes a clearly defined rolling path of flat boulders, providing access to sites only available to those on foot. One of the standout archeological sites you visit is Sayacmarca (11,893/3,625m), perched high above the green cloud forest. From here, you will enjoy views of Salkantay mountain as you hike to your spectacular campsite on the ridge above the Inca site of Phuyupatamarca (12,073ft/3,680m), where you can enjoy the sunset and sunrise.

Accommodation: Phuyupatamarca Camp (full-service camping)

Distance covered: 7mi (12km)

Ascent: 984ft (300m); Descent: 1,312ft (400m); Activity hours: 5-6

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

From Phuyupatamarca, you will take the famous Inca steps: a 1.2mi (2km) stone staircase that rapidly descends into an immense panorama, with the peaks of the Vilcabamba range above and the Urubamba River far below.

Reaching Wiñay Wayna, you will have plenty of time to explore these beautiful ruins and eat lunch before continuing along a relatively flat section of trail (by Inca standards) through cloud forest and wild orchids to finally reach Inti Punku (the Sun Gate).

From here, you get the first full sight of Machu Picchu, with the Huayna Picchu mountain rising behind… congratulations, you made it!

Inti Punku is traditionally busy with photo-taking trekkers in the morning, so your late afternoon arrival affords unobstructed views of the magnificent ruins. You also get a chance to snap some classic photos of Machu Picchu before you take the 30-minute bus down to Aguas Calientes for a shower and a comfortable bed for the night.

Accommodation: Terraza de Luna (or similar)

Distance covered: 6mi (9km)

Ascent: 394ft (120m); Descent: 3,281ft (1,000m); Activity hours: 6-7

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Well-rested and refreshed, you return to Machu Picchu this morning for your guided tour. Machu Picchu is an architectural and engineering marvel, the staggering mountain backdrop making it even more dramatic. The Spaniards never found it, the Incas left no records of it, and so Machu Picchu remained an enigma, a city lost for centuries in the jungle until it was rediscovered in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. Your guided tour highlights the history, culture, architecture and mysteries that Machu Picchu still holds today.

This afternoon, you will catch the train back to Ollantaytambo (1hr 30min) and continue by private bus to Cuzco (1hr 30min).

Accommodation: MamaSara Hotel (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

You begin the return journeys home after breakfast. But if you’re not ready for the adventure to end, you can always book onto the Lake Titicaca extension, where you explore the sky-high waters by boat, visit an indigenous community and explore the pre‐Incan site of Sillustani. Alternatively, join the Amazon Rainforest extension to explore lakes, rivers and jungle trails in search of tropical wildlife.

Meals included: Breakfast

Every trip has an activity level, so you can make sure it’s the right fit for you. 

There are four days of point-to-point walking with full porterage, reaching a maximum altitude of 13,830ft (4,215m) and an average of 10,000ft (3,050m).

Though strenuous in parts, the Inca Trail is possible for anyone with good health and fitness. However, we would not recommend this trip to someone with no previous walking experience.

If you are not a regular walker, you should put in physical preparation beforehand. The trek is also not suitable for those with bad knees due to the number of steep and uneven steps, particularly on the third and fourth days of the trek. The use of trekking poles will reduce strain on the knees.

Walking hours stated within the itinerary are given as approximates only. Timings stated include lunch and photo stops and vary depending on the group’s pace.

  • Complete the classic Inca Trail, South America’s most celebrated walking route

  • Enjoy camp life in the Andes − the expert staff take care of all the chores!

  • Explore Inca ruins as the knowledgeable tour leader brings them to life

  • Arrive at the famed Sun Gate at the ideal time to see Machu Picchu

  • Refresh after your trek with a stay in charming Aguas Calientes

  • Tour Machu Picchu, your experience enhanced after a restful hotel stay
Information
  • Four hotel nights; three nights of full-service camping with dining and toilet tents
  • Four walking days with full porterage
  • Group sizes normally 4 to 16, plus leader. Minimum age: 16
  • Altitude maximum: 13,830ft (4,215m); average 10,000ft (3,050m)
  • 15lb (7kg) personal weight limit on Inca Trail
  • Travel by private bus and by train
What’s Included 
  • All breakfasts, four lunches and three dinners
  • Four nights en suite hotels and three nights full-service camping
  • All transport and listed activities
  • Tour leader throughout
  • Arrival and departure transfers
  • Full porterage throughout trek
  • Kitbag
  • Inflatable sleeping mat while camping
People 
  • The use of a local guide means you will be well informed about local traditions, and cultural and social sensitivities.

  • This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food, and by supporting other local enterprises.

  • The porters are fairly paid and are also supplied with uniforms, walking shoes and provided with safe transport and community support for them. The trek manager is a leading figure and consultant for the Porters’ Federation, which campaigns for the fair treatment of porters in the region.

  • In Peru, despite trekking the Inca Trail numerous times, most porters never have the opportunity to visit the Machu Picchu ruins. Now with tourist  support more than 160 porters have been involved in a project to change this.
Places
  • By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, you ‘tread lightly’ to minimise the impact on local resources and the environment.

  • Trekking trips have little detrimental impact on the environment and the entry fees to the trail and historic sites contribute directly towards their maintenance and upkeep.
  • This tour operates a zero-impact policy on the Inca Trail removing all waste from campsites and separating it so that it can be easily recycled or composted. This ensures no rubbish or plastic is left behind in the places visited.

  • The local operator has been certified and verified by Rainforest Alliance since 2015.

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We are here to help. Our travel experts will organise and book your dream holiday.
call us today or complete our online enquiry form to start your next adventure.

Let's Chat

We are here to help. Our travel experts will organise and book your dream holiday.
call us today or complete our online enquiry form to start your next adventure.