USD $760 / per person

Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 4D/3N

 

The Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is Peru’s number one trek and one of the most well-known and popular routes in the world, offering four days of trekking through a variety of Andean ecosystems, passing magical Inca archaeological sites along the way. We will pass through high Andean grasslands and dense cloud forest, watched over all the time by great snowcapped peaks.

You’ll feel that all the effort was worthwhile when you approach Machu Picchu and see the sunrise over the ruins from the Sun Gate.

Our Classic Inca Trail service is perfect for individual travelers, families, groups of friends and even honeymooners. Smaller groups benefit from the expertise of an experienced and professional guide, while each participant will have their own porter to carry up to 7 kilos of their personal gear.

We offer daily Inca Trail to Machu Picchu departures (except in February, when the trail is closed for maintenance).

Check Availability Here

Please note: We recommend that you book your Inca Trail at least 4 months in advance. This is one of the world’s most popular treks and permits sell out very quickly.

4 Days

Machupicchu

12+ age

  • Departure:

    Pick up from your Hotel
  • Destination:

    MachuPicchu
  • Departure Time:

    06:00 AM
  • Return time:

    6:00 PM (Approximately)
  • Clothing required for the tour:

    Rain gear, rain ponchos, strong footwear, waterproof trekking boots, warm clothes, including jacket, fleeces, gloves, scarf and beanie/touktthermal clothing
  • Included:

    Transportation, guide, tents, cooking equipment, meals, hygiene services, porters, staff sleeping tents, a first aid kit, transportation, and lunch on the last day of the itinerary.
  • Not included:

    Breakfast on the first morning, dinner on the last night, entrance to the thermal springs, and the option to enter Huayna Picchu for an additional $60 fee.

Day 1: Cusco – Ollantaytambo – Km 82 – Llactapata – Wayllabamba

You will be picked up from your Cusco hotel early in the morning in our private vehicle for the drive through the Sacred Valley of the Incas as far as the village of Ollantaytambo. Here it is possible to make any last minute purchases, and also to eat a good breakfast, if you wish. From Ollantaytambo, we will continue to the trailhead at Pisacucho (also known as Kilometer 82). On arrival at Kilometer 82, we will be asked to show our trekking permits, passports and (if you are paying a student rate) student cards. After crossing the Urubamba River, we begin our trek by hiking through a typical dry forest ecosystem. We will walk for around 3 hours (6 kilometers) to Llactapata, the first archaeological site on our journey. An easy hike of around four kilometers through farmland will take us to the village of Wayllabamba, where we will camp for the night.

Hiking distance: 12 kilometers / 8 miles

Minimum altitude: 2700 meters / 8990 feet

Maximum altitude: 3100 meters / 10,000 feet

Altitude at camp: 3100 meters / 10,000 feet

Approximate nighttime temperature: Around 10 Celsius

Day 2: Wayllabamba – Llulluchapampa – Dead Woman’s Pass – Pacaymayo

This is considered the most challenging day of the trek. We will wake early in order to get a good start. Leaving small villages and farmland behind, we will enter subtropical forest. We will stop for at Llulluchapampa, from where a steep ascent will take us up to the highest pass on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu (Warmiwañuska / “Dead Woman’s Pass”, at 4200 meters / 13,779 feet). From the high pass, we will descend around 600 meters (1980 feet) over 3 kilometers (1.8 miles), passing through humid cloud forest as far as our next campsite at Pacaymayo.

Walking distance: 11 kilometers / 6.8 miles

Minimum altitude: 3100 meters / 10,000 feet

Maximum altitude: 4200 meters / 13,780 feet

Altitude at campsite: 3600 meters / 11,810 feet

Approximate nighttime temperature: Around 6 Celsius

Day 3: Pacaymayo – Sayakmarka – Phuyupatamarca – Wiñay Wayna

Today we will walk to the beautiful Inca site of Runkurakay, which originally served as one of the checkpoints on the royal Inca highway to Machu Picchu. From these ruins, we will continue to Sayakmarka, one of the most beautiful Inca sites on the entire Inca Trail. After stopping for lunch and to enjoy the surrounding scenery, we will trek through a beautiful landscape, entering a cloud forest filled with several species of orchids and hummingbirds. We will walk for another hour to the Inca site of Phuyupatamarca (“Town in the Clouds”), reaching the third highest point on the trail at 3680 meters (12,070 feet). From this section of the trail there are fine views of Mount Salkantay. From this pass we will hike for another three hours downhill into the forest, arriving at the spectacular Inca site known as Wiñay Wayna, where we will camp for the night. It is possible to have a hot shower at this campsite, and even buy a cold beer! The Inca ruins are situated a short walk from the campsite. The Quechua name of the ruins means “forever young”. This site is described by many hikers as the most beautiful archaeological site on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

Walking distance: 12 kilometers / 10.5 miles

Minimum altitude: 2,670 meters / 8760 feet

Maximum altitude: 3,900 meters / 12,800 feet

Altitude at campsite: 2,670 meters / 8760 feet

Approximate nighttime temperature: Around 12 Celsius

Day 4: WiñayWayna – Inti Punku – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes – Cusco

We will start our day early in order to arrive at the Sun Gate (2730 meters / 8792 feet) before sunrise. This early morning hike is the final part of the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and from the Sun Gate you will have your first view of the city of Machu Picchu. After taking time to enjoy this spectacular sight, we will walk downhill along the final section of the trail to the spot where you can take the classic picture postcard photograph of this ancient city. We will take a walking tour of the ruins lasting approximately 2.5 hours, in the company of our expert guide, after which you will have time to explore this Inca city independently. Those who have the energy can opt to climb Huayna Picchu hill above the ruins (2720 meters / 8923 feet). It takes around 45 minutes to reach the top (a permit to climb Huayna Picchu must be obtained in advance, when booking your Inca Trail). Finally, we will meet up again with the rest of the group and go down by bus or on foot to the small town of Aguas Calientes, where we will have time to eat before boarding the train to Cusco.

Please note: The train included in all tours is the Expedition/Tourist Class service (to Ollantaytambo, from where we will take a bus to Cusco). Those wanting a more flexible train timetable can coordinate directly with us.

Walking distance: 8 kilometers / 5 miles

Minimum altitude: 2400 meters / 7870 feet

Maximum altitude: 2720 meters / 8920 feet

PLEASE NOTE: Government regulations mean that it is not possible for us to make your reservation for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu without the full passport details of the client and full payment of the entrance fee to the Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary. Limits on the capacity of the Inca Trail mean that only 500 people a day are permitted to hike the trail. Therefore, in order to guarantee your place on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, you must provide us with a scanned copy of your passport and a non-refundable deposit. Your reservation will only be confirmed when we have your entrance ticket in our hands. If your passport number changes before you start the tour, you must relay this information to us or risk losing your booking. You must take your original passport with you on the trail.

Itinerary notes: Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu (4 days)

The times mentioned in this itinerary are approximate. Walking times will depend on the progress of the group and the guide may change lunch spots and campsites, depending on the progress of the group. Each guide has their own preferred route which may not necessarily correspond exactly to the route described here.

Itineraries may be subject to change depending on time of booking and campsites provided by the Ministry of Culture (the institution responsible for managing the Inca Trail).

The above trekking itinerary is our preferred option for this route. However campsites used during the Inca Trail section of the trek are subject to change depending on availability of spaces allocated by the Ministry of Culture, which is responsible for managing the campsites used by the trekking companies authorized to operate within the Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary. This is particularly relevant for the last campsite, as Wiñay Wayna is the closest campsite to Machu Picchu (just 2 hours from the Sun Gate overlooking the ruins). There is not enough space at Wiñay Wayna for all Inca Trail groups, and the next campsite is Phuyupatamarca, which is a five hour walk from Machu Picchu.

If having Wiñay Wayna as your final night’s campsite is important to you, we strongly recommend that you book your Inca Trail tour as soon as possible. As a rough guide, of the 500 permits issued each day, the last 200 permits will be allocated to trekkers who will camp at Phuyupatamarca. Those booking at the last minute may find themselves camping at Phuyupatamarca.

Another option we recommend is an upgrade for your train to Vistadome/Executive Class. You can also opt to take the later Expedition/Tourist Class train back to Cusco (to maximize your time at Machu Picchu).

If you would like to spend an extra night in Aguas Calientes please let us know, so we can change the date of your train ticket to the following day. Hotels costs and costs associated with returning to Machu Picchu the following day will be considered in addition to the cost of the trek. Please also note that your entry ticket to Machu Picchu is valid for one day only. If you wish to visit the ruins on a second consecutive day you will need to purchase another ticket.

What is included?

  • Pre trek briefin
  • Collection from your hotel in the morning of trek departure.
  • Transport from Cusco to the trailhead
  • Inca Trail Permit (includes entry to Machu Picchu, but not to Huayna Picchu)
  • English/Quechua/Spanish speaking professional guide (you will have an assistant guide for groups over 6 people).
  • Tents – 2 people in a 4 person tent which allows for greater comfort, and also storage of backpacks.
  • Basic foam mattress. If you require greater comfort during the trek we can hire you an inflatable mattress (eg. Thermarest) .
  • Cook and Cooking equipment (Assistants are provided for larger groups)
  • One textile snack bag per person, to avoid the usage of plastic bags that contaminate our environment
  • Toilet paper
  • Toilet tent is NOT included the Inca Trail part of the route, because we use facilities provided by the Ministry of Culture.
  • Meals as indicated in the itinerary (optional vegetarian food). Our professional cooks prepare meals that incorporate elements of the western diet and also traditional Peruvian delicacies. (Please communicate with your guide/cook during the trek if you have a preference for certain types of dishes). Salads, if served, are washed in boiled water.
  • Porters (for equipment and personal items) They carry camping equipment, food and kitchen utensils. We provide duffel bags at your briefing for your personal items (up to 7 kg per person). If you wish to take more, you can hire an extra porter.
  • Dining tent with camp tables and chairs & Kitchen tent for the cook to prepare meals
  • Bio-degradable personal hand soaps
  • Tents for our staff to sleep in
  • First aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle
  • Bus down from Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu
  • Train ticket (Expedition service) from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
  • Private transport from Ollantaytambo to Cusco.
  • Lunch on the last day is included in this itinerary.

What is not included?

  • Breakfast on the first morning.
  • Dinner on the last night.
  • Entrance to the thermal springs
  • Entry to Huayna Picchu ($60)
  • Tips: please note that our agency staff is well paid so please feel free to tip or not as you wish
 
 

What we recommend that your bring

  • A light day pack with a change of clothes for the whole period of the trek – prepare for a vast range of changes in temperature
  • Rain gear (jacket and pants if available) or rain poncho. Plastic ponchos can be bought for about $1 in Cusco .
  • Strong footwear, waterproof trekking boots recommended.
  • Warm clothes, including jacket, fleeces, gloves, scarf and beanie/touk. Thermal clothing is also recommended, especially for sleeping.
  • Camera, films and batteries (batteries consume more quickly under cold conditions)
  • Hat or cap to protect you from the sun, rain and cold
  • Sun block
  • After-sun cream or hydrating cream for face and body
  • Insect repellent – minimum recommended 20% DEET – although no malaria risk has been reported
  • Snacks: biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits, muesli, etc.
  • Non-disposable canteen (Nalgene type) and water for the first morning.
  • We advise you to bring water sterilizing tablets in case you collect water from streams.
  • Your own medical kit with any special medications that you might require, paracetamol, second skin for blisters etc.
  • Small towel or sarong
  • Bathers/swimsuit (if you intend on swimming in hot springs )
  • Cash – sufficient for snacks
  • Original passport & ISIC (International Student Identity Card) if you have one.
  • Walking sticks or poles (we can hire these to you. Please note poles with metal tips cannot be carried into Machu Picchu and should be left at your hotel on the final day)

Available discounts these discounts are not cumulative

  • Students: US$ 30.00 (students require a valid International Student Identity Card. Please beware that Youth Travel Cards are not valid)
  • Teenagers: US$ 20.00 (up to 15 years of age, passport copy required for all bookings)
  • Children: US$ 45.00 (up to 10 years of age, passport copy required for all bookings)
  • Check Availability Here.
 

Price 2024

# People 2 3 4 5-6 7-8 9-12
Price USD (per person) US$ 1455 US$ 1155 US$ 980 US$ 900 US$ 860 US$ 760

     

Optional Extras

  • Deluxe Sleeping Bag suitable for -15deg. $5.00 per trip day
  • Walking stick lightweight aluminum  $2.00 per day, per stick) Two sticks are recommended for tough hikes.
  • Inflatable Mettress $5 per day
  • Aguas Calientes Extra Day & Upgrade

How to make a booking
If you would like to make a reservation for this program, please go directly to the Booking Online section of this website.

  • Once you have chosen your tour, please read the Booking Terms & Conditions, as your booking is subject to these terms.
  • Then fill out and submit the Reservation Form that you will find in the Booking Online section of this website.
  • In case your reservation is confirmed, a money deposit will be requested to secure your reservation.
  • Once we confirm the deposit reception, your booking is confirmed. A Service Confirmation Form will be sent to you including all the details of your program.

In case you have any doubts, queries or require additional information, please contact us, we will be very glad to assist you. Your request will be answered by return mail

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CONTACT US

Phone: +44 7798 793 963
Email: reservas@trailsperu.com