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Trek · 4 days

Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Four days on foot along the original Inca Trail, with three nights of camping, archaeological sites along the way and arrival at Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate. For fit hikers who book well in advance.

4 days / 3 nightsAbout 45 km on footPermit and Machu Picchu ticket included3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners
Length4 days / 3 camping nights
GuideSpanish and English
PickupYour hotel in Cusco
Highest pointWarmiwañusca Pass, 4,215 m

Highlights

What you’ll experience

  • WarmiwañuscaDead Woman’s Pass, the highest point of the trail and the main challenge of day 2.
  • Runkuraqay and SayacmarcaInca complexes high in the mountains, explained by your guide.
  • Wiñay Wayna“Forever young” in Quechua: Inca terraces next to the last campsite.
  • Intipunku and Machu PicchuYou enter the citadel through the Sun Gate at sunrise and take the guided tour.

Itinerary

Day by day

Inca Trail permits are limited and sell out months in advance; the trail closes in February for maintenance.

Day1

Cusco – Km 82 – Huayllabamba

LunchDinner

We pick you up early at your hotel in Cusco and drive to Ollantaytambo, the last town before the trailhead, where you can buy anything you still need. Then you reach Piscacucho (Km 82), where the authorities check your passport against your Inca Trail permit.

You start with a gradual climb to Miskay, passing small Inca sites and the Llactapata complex. There the cook serves the first Andean lunch of the trail. Then you hike about two more hours to Huayllabamba (3,000 m), arriving around 5:00 p.m. The crew welcomes you with a snack and coffee or tea, and dinner is served after sunset.

Distance: about 10 km · Hiking: 5–6 hours · Campsite: 3,000 m.

Overnight: Campsite in Huayllabamba

Day2

Huayllabamba – Warmiwañusca – Pacaymayu

BreakfastLunchDinner

This is the most demanding day. You are woken early with coffee or tea and a hearty breakfast. You climb for about five hours, passing Llulluchapampa, to Dead Woman’s Pass (Warmiwañusca, 4,215 m), the highest point of the Inca Trail. There you have time to take in the view while your guide tells you about Andean mythology and traditions.

Then you descend for about two hours to Pacaymayu (3,600 m), where you have lunch and camp. In the afternoon you can rest; tea or coffee is served, followed by dinner.

Distance: about 12 km · Hiking: 6–7 hours · Campsite: about 3,600 m.

Overnight: Campsite in Pacaymayu

Day3

Pacaymayu – Sayacmarca – Wiñay Wayna

BreakfastLunchDinner

You get up at 6:00 a.m. and leave camp at 7:00 a.m. A one-hour climb takes you to the Runkuraqay complex, which you tour with your guide, and then to Runkurakay Pass. From there you descend to the Sayacmarca archaeological site and continue through the cloud forest to Chaquicocha, where you have lunch.

In the afternoon you hike toward Phuyupatamarca and Intipata, some of the last Inca sites on the route, and finish at Wiñay Wayna (about 2,650 m), whose name means “forever young” in Quechua. You explore it with your guide and have dinner at camp after sunset.

Distance: about 16 km · Hiking: 7–8 hours · Maximum altitude: about 3,900 m.

Overnight: Campsite in Wiñay Wayna

Day4

Intipunku – Machu Picchu – Cusco

Breakfast

You wake up at 3:00 a.m. and, after breakfast, say goodbye to the support crew (this is the time to tip them, if you wish). You hike one hour to the Sun Gate (Intipunku), where you see the citadel in the morning light.

You walk down to Machu Picchu for the guided tour of the main plaza, the terraces and the main sectors. If you booked Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu, your guide shows you the entrance. Then you take the bus down to Aguas Calientes, where you have free time for lunch on your own or a visit to the hot springs.

At 6:00 p.m. you take the train to Ollantaytambo, where our representative meets you and drives you to your hotel in Cusco; you arrive around 10:00 p.m.

Distance: about 7 km · Hiking: 2–3 hours.

✓Included

  • Transportation from your hotel in Cusco to the Inca Trail trailhead and back.
  • Professional bilingual guide (Spanish and English) for the entire hike.
  • Inca Trail permit and Machu Picchu ticket.
  • Meals: 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 3 dinners.
  • Camping equipment (tents and sleeping pads).
  • Porter for your personal gear (up to 6 kg per person).

✕Not included

  • Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain ticket (optional).
  • Lunch on day 4 in Aguas Calientes.
  • Tips for the guide and support crew.
  • Extra snacks and drinks.
About Machu Picchu tickets

Machu Picchu tickets and Inca Trail permits are issued through the Peruvian government in each traveler’s name (full name and ID or passport number) and must be paid in advance. Once issued, they are non-refundable and non-transferable. See cancellation terms

Frequently asked questions

About Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

How hard is the Classic Inca Trail?+

It is a demanding trek of about 45 km over 4 days. On day 2 you climb for about five hours to Warmiwañusca Pass (4,215 m), and on day 3 you hike 7 to 8 hours. You need good fitness, and it is best to arrive in Cusco a few days early to acclimatize.

What is included?+

Transportation from your hotel in Cusco and back, bilingual guide, Inca Trail permit and Machu Picchu ticket, 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 3 dinners, tents and sleeping pads, and a porter for up to 6 kg of your gear.

How far in advance should I book?+

As soon as possible. Inca Trail permits are limited, issued in each traveler’s name with their passport, and sell out months in advance in high season.

Where do we sleep?+

At campsites: Huayllabamba the first night, Pacaymayu the second and Wiñay Wayna the third. You spend the last night back at your hotel in Cusco, after the return train.

What language does the guide speak?+

The guide is bilingual, in Spanish and English.

What is the cancellation policy?+

With 45 days or more notice, 70% is refunded; between 30 and 44 days, 50%; with less than 30 days’ notice or if you don’t show up, there is no refund. Machu Picchu tickets and Inca Trail permits are non-refundable once issued.

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