Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu
$4000 per person
Peru: Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu
This is an experience of a lifetime. The Inca Trail was constructed by the Incas over 500
years ago and you’ll walk on those very stones laid down by thousands of workers on this most famous stretch of the Inca road system on our 4-day, 3-night classic trek to amazing Machu Picchu – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll complete the hike on the 4th day on the trail as you arrive at Machu Picchu’s Sun Gate in time to watch the sun rise over the misty ruins, with plenty of precious time to explore the ruins before the tour buses arrive.
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Destination
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Dress Code
Casual and Comfortable clothes and hiking boots for trekking -
Included
AccommondationBreakfastDinnerLunchTours (see tour details) -
Not Included
International and internal flightsTipsTravel insurance
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This is an experience of a lifetime.
The Inca Trail was constructed by the Incas over 500 years ago and you’ll walk on those very stones laid down by thousands of workers on this most famous stretch of the Inca road system
1
Day 1:
We will meet you at the Cusco airport at 11 AM, or our downtown Cusco hotel at noon and head for a wonderful introductory lunch.
Our destination today is the quaint village of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley outside of Cusco, which is at 2750 meters (over 9000 feet) above sea level. We’ll spend our afternoon acclimatizing to the altitude while we hike around town for several hours and visit the archaeological remains. Ollantaytambo was an important fortified city, built to control the roads to the jungle and, according to many historians, to allow the great Incan capital to protect its people from their enemies, the Antis. From there, we will check into our hotel and enjoy dinner and perhaps our first wonderful sips of coca tea.
2
Day 2:
After breakfast, we shuttle to the Moray agricultural laboratory, also located in the Sacred Valley.
This impressive off-the-beaten-path site has a cavernous amphitheatre-like bowl with dozens of concentric terraces, each with its own microclimate. The Incas used this outdoor laboratory to determine the optimal conditions for growing crops of each species. From there, we hike to the nearby town of Maras for a lunch prepared by our local guide and staff. Afterwards, we’ll continue on foot to visit the nearby salt pans, where local families make their living mining salt. Our total hiking time today is approximately three hours and will help us acclimatize for our trek. We’ll return to Ollantaytambo for a pre-trek route talk about packing, a wonderful dinner and our comfortable beds.
3
Day 3:
After a morning transfer by private motorcoach to the town of Piscacucho (2750m/9075 ft), which is also Kilometer 82 of the railway, we have an introduction to our equipment, the route and our porters, and begin trekking through semi-arid terrain along the left bank of the Urubamba River, with magnificent views of snow-capped mountains on the horizon. After two hours we arrive above the ruins of Llactapata (2650m/8745ft). Here we leave the Urubamba and set off up the Kusichaca River Valley to our camp near Wayllabamba (3000m/9900 ft). Walking from Piscacucho to Wayllabamba is approximately 12 kilometers and takes us four to five hours.
4
Day 4:
After a healthy breakfast, we begin to walk uphill to the great Warmihuañusca (Dead Woman) pass, which at 4200m/13860ft is our highest point on the trek. We have a steep climb in the morning with a gain of 1200m/3960ft. This is a day we’ll be very happy to have porters! The top of the pass offers a view you will not soon forget, and we allow plenty of time at the top to appreciate it. We descend 2000 feet on stone steps to Pacaymayo (3600m/11880 ft), our second camp. Note this is the most difficult of the four days and will be very challenging for most people. The key is to go slowly and steadily. Walking time from Wayllabamba to Warmiwañusca Pass is nine kilometers and four to five hours. Walking time from the pass down to the campsite is about two kilometers and another one to two hours.
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Day 5:
From our campsite, we take a steep but short ascent to the Runkurakay circular ruins, a lookout point over the passes below. From here there is no sign of human life, only great forests and abrupt hills. The uphill continues for a short while after the ruins and then we head down on a well-preserved section of trail to the Sayacmarca ruins (3580m/11814 ft). These ruins are another short but steep climb off the main trail and are well worth visiting. After lunch the trail heads into jungle terrain and a spectacular cloud forest before arriving at our third camp (3760m/12400 ft), where we’ll have a view of the surrounding peaks like you’ve never seen! Walking distance for the day is eight kilometers and four hours, so we have plenty of time to explore Runkurakay and Sayacmarca. Although we will have several ascents and descents, our total elevation gain will be only 40m/132ft.
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Day 6:
We rise early today, our final day on the trail, to watch the sun’s rays splash onto the surrounding mountaintops. The entire morning will be downhill on stone steps. We stop for a brief visit at the ruins below our campsite, Phuyupatamarka, before continuing our descent through the jungle to the Wiñay Wayna Ruins (2650m/8745ft). These are significant ruins, second only to Machu Picchu. We continue to Inti Punku (also known as the Sun Gate), our final mountain pass and from here you’ll have your unforgettable first glimpse of Machu Picchu. It is a short one-kilometer descent from the Sun Gate into Machu Picchu itself (2400m/7920ft) and from there we will take a quick shuttle (sitting on a bus never felt so good!) to our hotel. You might be tired from your days on the trail, but you will definitely want to take time to explore bustling little Aguas Calientes, the town directly below Machu Picchu, and perhaps purchase some last-minute souvenirs. Walking time from Phuyupatamarca to Wiñay Wayna is seven kilometers and three hours and on to Machu Picchu is another six kilometers and two to three hours. We have a total elevation loss of 1240m/4092ft.
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Day 7:
We will return to Machu Picchu today, just in time to see the sun rise, and we’ll have it mostly to ourselves for a few hours (before the hordes of visitors arrive by train from Cusco). You’ll have the option to learn more about its fascinating history via your own guided tour or to take a challenging hike up the steep mountain of Huayna Picchu (we need to purchase ahead of time a separate permit for each person who elects to participate in this option) before returning to Aguas Calientes. We will then return to Ollantaytambo by train and then transfer by private coach to Cusco (which takes a little over three hours) before enjoying our farewell dinner in town.
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Day 8:
Our final day of exploration is in Cusco, the cradle of the Incan Empire and a beautiful city. The day includes options of a walk-through Sacsayhuaman ruins, a guided walk through the city or time for you to explore and shop on your own. After lunch, we will transfer to the Cusco airport at which time you are free to depart the country or extend your vacation in Peru.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this rich and culturally diverse experience in Peru.
Tour Location
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Price per person:
- $4, 000 per person double occupancy (6 person group minimum.) Single Supplement: $1,000
- 7 nights accommodation in hotels and tents
- All meals from lunch on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 8
- Air-conditioned ground transportation
- Airport transfers to/from airports
- Services of local professional guide each day
- All group camping equipment including tents and sleeping bags as well as permit and entry fees to hike on the Inca Trail and visit Machu Picchu and other ruins.
- Roundtrip flight from your home city to Lima and internal roundtrip flight between Lima and Cusco (we’ll book the internal flight for you and let you know the price ahead of time)
- Emergency medical and evacuation insurance
- Items of a personal nature-laundry, phone calls, internet, alcoholic drinks
- Any meals not listed in the itinerary
- Transportation outside of the stated itinerary activities
- Tips for guide and driver
- Sleeping bag rental of $100
- Permit cost of $75 to climb Huayna Picchu
Susan Beach Minor, Los Angeles, CA
I’m always traveling with Jack’s Active World Journey Adventures. They are fun and active, lots of cultural immersion, and plenty of opportunities to taste the local foods and drinks. The Inca Trail Trek and the Holy Land Tour were once in a lifetime experience for me!! Cuba was amazing too!
Erwin Vertlieb, Los Angeles, CA
I’ve traveled with Jack and his Active World Journey groups to Costa Rica, Peru and Machu Pichu, The Holy Land of Israel/Palestine/Jordan, and most recently Egypt. The tours are very exciting and it’s always such a fun group of people to travel with – in fact it feels like family each and every time. Jack is very motivational, and you can tell he loves organizing and hosting these wonderful active world journeys.