Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 4D/3N

«Join Alternative Inca Trails and enjoy unforgetable experience in the andes.»

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is one of the most famous commercial trekking routes in the Cusco region. Inca trails were built across the deserts, highlands and jungles stretching from Colombia in the north to Chile in the south! The Traditional or Classic Inca Trail tour starts in the Sacred Valley and finishes in a high jungle region going through the different ecosystems of the Andes in route.

Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 4D

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Highlight : Famous trek with beautiful archaeological sites along the way, your first impressive view of Machu Picchu from Inti Punku (the Sun Gate)

Location : the trek begins about 3 hours from Cusco at Kilometer 82, near Ollantaytambo district in the Sacred Valley. Finishing the hike in the Machu Picchu district (all in the Urubamba province).

Duration : 4 days/ 3 nights.

Level : Moderate, though still difficult if you have average fitness.

Adventure Rating : For an isolated trekking experience, consider one of the alternative treks which can still be done in a short time.

Inca Trail Permits : 500 permits available every day January to December. Must be booked before October if you are planning to trek next year.

Departure Dates : any day with two people. We offer sustainable priced tours for 2 people so that you can depart depending of your booking.

Acclimatization: Minimum 2 days at altitude recommended.

Combos & Upgrades : Combine with one of our tours for a complete experience and get discount.

Travelers Dream : If you wish to join a group tour, please see travelers dream .You can also form your own tour to be advertised on this page. Maximum group size 10.

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

We will pick you up from your hotel early in the morning in private transportation. Arriving to Ollantaytambo we will stop for last minute purchases, and get a breakfast if you would like. We continue to Pisacucho (also known as Kilometre 82) where the trail starts. Arriving at Kilometer 82, you have to show entrance tickets, passports and (if paying a student rate) Isic student card passing the control point we cross the Urubamba River begining our trek through typical dry forest such us cactus, prickly pears and the Tara tree. Walking around 3 hours (6kms) we get to Llactapata the first archaeological site on our adventure. 4 kilometer of gentle uphill take us to Wayllabamba an our first campsite.
Walking – 12kms or 8 miles
Minimum Altitude – 2,700ms, 8990 feet. / Maximum Altitude – 3,100ms, 10000feet
Altitude of camp – 3,100ms, 10000 feet. / Approx. night temperature: Around 10oC.

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

Our challenging day of the trek. We will wake up early. Getting our breakfast we start a gradual hiking up by sub-tropical forest reaching Llulluchapampa. We will start a steep ascent towards the highest pass (Abra de Huarmihuañusca/’Dead Woman’s Pass’ – 4200m/13779ft). There is an amazing sense of achievement upon reaching the top. We will continue downwards 600ms (1980 feet) over 3 kms (1.8 miles) through very humid forest to the evening campsite of Pacaymayo,
Walking – 11kms or 6.8 miles
Minimum Altitude – 3,100ms, 10000 feet. / Maximum Altitude – 4,200ms, 13780feet
Altitude of Camp – 3,600ms, 11810 feet/ Approx night temperature: Around 6 degrees C.

Day 3: Pacaymayo – Sayakmarka – Phuyupatamarca – Wiñay Wayna:

After another early breakfast we will walk to the beautiful Inca site of Runk’urakay- one of the check points the original royal Inca trail to Machu Picchu. We will continue on to Sayakmarka one of the most beautiful Inca remains on this, the Classic Inca trail. After lunch we hike through beautiful scenery entrance to the cloud forest and place to apreciate pretty nice examples of orchids and humming birds and we will walk for another hour to Phuyupatamarca (meaning ‘second floor on the Clouds’) and reach the third highest point on the trail (3680m). You also have wonderful views of Salkantay Mountain. From here we have 3 hours of downhill into the forest and Wiñay Wayna our last camp. This is the most popular campsite with access to fresh showers. Close to 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. Make sure you ask your guide about visiting this site!
Walking – 12kms, 10.5 miles
Minimum Altitude – 2,670ms, 8760 feet. / Maximum Altitude – 3,900ms, 12800feet
Altitude of Camp – 2,670ms, 8760 feet/ Approx night temperature: Around 12 degrees C

Day 4: WiñayWayna – IntiPunku – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes – Cusco:

This day you will have to wake up very early in order to arrive at the (‘Sun gate’) (2730m/8792ft) before sunrise. This early morning hike is the final part of the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and from the Sun Gate you have your first view of the mysterious and enigmatic Machu Picchu. We will walk down the last part of the trail to the site where you can take the classic photo (postcard shot) of this ancient city. Finally you get a guided tour through Machu Picchu (approximately 2.5 hours). If you still have energy you can also climb Huayna Picchu (2720m/8923ft)!!! It takes around 1 hour to reach the top. (Separately required permit to hike Huayna Picchu) the You will take bus to Aguas Calientes (it can be reached by bus or on foot) for lunch and your guide will  give your train tickets back to Cusco. Note: The train included in all tours is the Backpacker service (to Ollantaytambo) and then bus to Cusco. For those who wish a more flexible train timetable, you might like to upgrade to a Vistadome train. This is an extra $30 per person and must be communicated when you are BOOKING.
Walking – 8kms, 5 miles
Minimum Altitude – 2,400ms, 7870 feet. / Maximum Altitude – 2,720ms, 8920 feet

IMPORTANT – government regulations will not allow reservations without your full name and passport also, full payment of the entrance fee to the Machu Picchu National park. This is to get one space of 500 available per day. Therefore to guarantee your place on the Inca trail trek you must provide 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. In case of passport number change this information must be relayed to us or you will lose your booking. Original passport must be carried on Trail.

Itinerary notes – Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 4 days

• Walking time is approximate depend much how the group goes. The guide can change lunch spots , depending on the progress of the group. Each guide has their own way to do the hike and it might not correspond exactly to the program described here.
• Itinerary is subject to change depending on time of booking and campsites provided by DRCC (institution that runs the Inca Trail).
• The above trek 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 as issued by Cultural Regional Direction, which are responsible for allocating the campsites to the authorized trekking companies. This is importance for the last campsite, as WiñayWayna is the closest campsite to Machu Picchu, only being 2 hours trekking from the famous Inti Punku. (Sun Gate) However there is not enough space at Wiñay Wayna for all the Inca Trail groups. The next nearest campsite is Phuyupatamarca which is a 5 hour trek to Machu Picchu. When we buy the trek permissions for the group the location of the campsites is given by the government.

If having WiñayWayna as your final night campsite is important to you – we strongly recommend that you book your Inca Trail tour as soon as you can or before October for next year. The last 200 permits will be allocated to trekkers who will camp at Phuyupatamarca. As it’s actually to do with campsite location, not number of trekkers, we say «last 200 permits» as a guide, rather than a fixed rule. However, if you are booking last minute, you might expect that you will camp at Phuyupatamarca. The plus side is that it’s a relatively untouristed campsite! We recommend that you upgrade your train to Vistadome, or request to take the late Expedition train back to Cusco. (to maximise your time at Machu Picchu)

• Extra night in Machu Picchu town: let us know that we can change the date of your train ticket to the following day. Hotels, food costs and costs associated with returning to Machu Picchu the following day are additional to trek costs. Please also note that your entry ticket to Machu Picchu is valid for one day only, if you wish to visit the  Machu Picchu on a second consecutive day you will need to purchase Machu Picchu ticket again.

Itinerary notes – Classic Inca Trail 4 days

Aguas Calientes Extra Day (optional) Trekkers of the traditional Inca Trail, with the standard package, return to Cusco at the end of the trek, and they don’t spend a night in Aguas Calientes. This package provides clients the opportunity to stay in Aguas Calientes for an extra night, visit Machu Picchu for a second day and then return to Cusco by the comfortable Vistadome train. Prices – standard extra day in Machu Picchu Town is $ 299 or depending on the quality of hotel that you would like to stay This package includes:

• Second day entry to Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, valued at $70.
• bus up and down to ruins on extra day, valued at $24.
• Dinner at Machu Picchu Town.
• Lunch.
• Return in Vistadome train rather than Expedition train, which give you the opportunity for a more varied timetable and to return in a nicer train, with big windows in the roof.

What’s included?

• Pre trek briefing.
• Collection from your hotel in the morning of trek departure.
• Transport from Cusco to Pisqak’uchu.
• 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 8 people).
• Tents – 2 people in a 3 person tent which allows for greater comfort, and also storage of backpacks.
• Basic foam mattress. If you require better comfort during the trek we can hire you an inflatable mattress.
• Cook and Cooking equipment (Assistants are provided for larger groups).
• 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 food. (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 (7 kg per person). If you wish to take more, you can hire a porter, please contact us for costs.
• Dining tent with camp tables and chairs&Kitchen tent for the cook to prepare meals.
• Tents for our staff to sleep in.
• First aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle.
• Bus down from Machu Picchu Sanctuary to Machu Picchu Town.
• Train ticket (Expedition service) from Machu Picchu Town to Ollantaytambo.
• Private transport from Ollantaytambo to Cusco.
• Lunch on the last day is included in this itinerary. (in one of the best restaurants in Machu Picchu Town)

What is not included?

• Breakfast on the first morning.
• Dinner on the last night.
• Entrance to the thermal springs.
• Entry to Huayna Picchu ($70).
• Tips for the guide, cook and porters.
• Alcoholic drinks.
• Extra snacks.

Optional extras:

We can hire the following to you:Porter to carry your things ($30 per trip day).
Sleeping Bag suitable for – 10deg $5.00 per trip day.
Deluxe Sleeping Bag suitable for -15deg. $6.00 per trip day).
Walking stick lightweight aluminum ($2.00 per day, per stick) Two sticks are recommended for tough hikes.
Thermarest inflatable mattress – $4 per trip day.
Inflatable pillow – $2 per trip day.

Optional extras or comfort camping:

Single tent supplement (if you don’t want to share a tent) $45.00 per person.
When calculating costs for hire of walking stick, sleeping bag, calculate using the length of the tour. Even though you won’t use the equipment on the final day it will still be ‘on the road’ and ‘occupied.’
If you hire equipment and break it – you are responsible for price of replacement /or repair. (Please do the right thing!).

AVAILABLE DISCOUNTS (these discounts are not cumulative):

10% discount on treks only for members of South American Explorers Club (SAE).
Students: US$ 25.00 (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$ 30.00 (up to 10 years of age, passport copy required for all bookings).

• 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.
• Bathers/swimsuit (if you intend on swimming in hot springs).
• Cash – sufficient for snacks, tips and souvenirs.
• 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).
• Binoculars (if you have them).