Classic Inca Trail 4D

• Pre-trek briefing
• Collection from your hotel on the morning of the Inca Trail Trek departure
• Private transport from Cusco to the trailhead and return at the end of the trek
• Inca Trail Permit (includes entry to Machu Picchu)
• English/Quechua/Spanish speaking professional guide, plus an assistant guide for groups over 8
• Tent: 2 people in a 4-person tent, allowing for greater comfort and backpack storage!
• Basic foam mattress. If you require greater comfort during the trek we can rent you an inflatable mattress. See Optional Extras & Upgrades below.
• Cook and cooking equipment, plus assistants for larger groups.
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary. Our professional cooks prepare a combination of traditional Peruvian and Western cuisine. Talk to your guide if you have certain preferences! Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options available. When served, salads are washed in boiled water.
• Porters, who carry camping equipment, food and kitchen utensils. We provide duffel bags at your briefing for your personal items (up to 7kg/15lbs per person). If you wish to take more, you can hire a personal porter. Please contact us for costs.
• Dining tent with camp tables and chairs, and kitchen tent for the cook to prepare meals.
• Tents, sleeping bags and mattresses for our staff to sleep in, plus a budget for their meals.
• First aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle
• Bus between Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu
• Train ticket (Expedition service) from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
• Private transport from Ollantaytambo to Cusco.
• Lunch on the last day.

• Breakfast on the first morning
• Dinner on the last night
• Entrance to the hot springs
• Available for rent if you don’t have one with you.
• Entrance to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain
• Tips for the guide, cook and porters
• Toilet tent is not included on Inca Trail routes because we use facilities provided by the Ministry of Culture

See What To Bring for our comprehensive recommendations on what to pack for your trek. For more great suggestions, check out our blog about How to Prepare for a Trek in Peru!

We offer you the opportunity to personalize your trek and make your experience more comfortable through our Optional Extras and Upgrades. All options are available during the reservation process; please ask your sales consultant for more information.

• Porter to carry your own things
• Sleeping Bag suitable for -5˚C
• Deluxe Sleeping Bag suitable for -15˚C
• Light-weight aluminum walking stick. Two sticks are recommended for tough hikes.
• Thermarest inflatable mattress
• Thermarest inflatable pillow
• Single-occupancy tent supplement
• Aguas Calientes Hotel Upgrade
• Extra Day at Machu Picchu
• If you’d like to hike Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain , let us know at the time of booking as it requires a separate permit.
• If you’d like more flexibility in your return travel to Cusco, consider upgrading to the Vistadome train (Executive Class) for an extra $30 per person. This upgrade must be requested at time of booking.

Important!

• When calculating the cost of renting equipment, calculate using the length of the entire trip, not just the number of trekking days.
• Please be careful with rented equipment! You are responsible for the cost of replacement if something is damaged or broken.
• Any upgrades or trip extensions must be requested at time of booking.

• Students: USD $30 off. A valid student card which clearly shows the expiry date must be presented upon booking.
• Youth 12-17: 5% off. A valid passport must be presented upon booking.
• Children 5-11 years: 15% off. A valid passport must be presented upon booking.
• Children 0-4 years: Free. A valid passport must be presented upon booking. Children under 4 will not count towards the total number of guests in a group. This discount does not apply to train fares. Children under 2 will not be considered to occupy a seat on any train or bus, and instead must ride on a parent’s lap.

Want to join a trek? Ready to confirm a departure date of your own, but interested in having others join you? Then Trekkers Wanted is for you! Our innovative Trekkers Wanted system matches people up who are interested in hiking the same trek, bringing costs down and multiplying the fun for everyone! Read More about Trekkers Wanted, post your trek or search for confirmed departures!
Note: Trekkers Wanted for the Inca Trail ONLY available while permits last for your departure date.

• Each guide has their own preferred route and so the route you trek might not correspond exactly to the route described here.
• The times cited in this itinerary are approximate. Walking times depend on the group, and the guide may change lunch spots and campsites, depending on the progress of the group.
• Campsites or itinerary are subject to change, depending on the time of booking and availability of campsites. The Ministry of Culture, the government institution responsible for operating the Inca Trail, allocates campsites to authorized trekking companies on a first-come, first-served basis, and so we cannot guarantee that all campsites described in this itinerary will be available when you book.
• Wiñaywayna vs Phuyupatamarca campsites. Your last night on the trail will be spent either at Wiñaywayna or Phuyupatamarca campsites. Many people covet Wiñaywayna as it’s just a 2-hour hike to Machu Picchu from there, whereas it is 5 hours from Phuyupatamarca. Being the most popular, Wiñaywayna is allocated first. If you have your heart set on camping at Wiñaywayna, book early! The plus side to Phuyupatamarca is that it is generally less crowded.
• A scanned copy of your passport and a non-refundable deposit must be provided upon booking a Classic Inca Trail trek. This is due to government regulations which require complete passport details and full payment of the Machu Picchu entrance fee in order to issue a permit. Your reservation will only be confirmed when we have your entrance ticket in our hands.
• If your passport number changes after you book, you must tell us immediately or you will lose your booking! If the name or number on your passport is different from the name or number on your Inca Trail permit, you will not be allowed to start the trek and you will not be entitled to a refund
• If you booked a Classic Inca Trail tour at a student rate, you must bring your valid student card on the trail with you. If you do not present your student card, you will not be allowed to start the trek and you will not be entitled to a refund, nor given an opportunity to pay the full rate.
• You must carry your original passport with you on the trail.
• If you’d like to hike Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain , let us know at the time of booking as it requires a separate permit.
• This trek includes transportation by train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo on the Expedition service (Tourist Class), followed by bus transport from Ollantaytambo to Cusco. If you’d like more flexibility in your return travel to Cusco, consider upgrading to the Vistadome train (Executive Class) for an extra $30 per person. This upgrade must be requested at time of booking.
• The Inca Trail is not open in February

Does this trek sound like just what you were looking for? If you’re ready to book or just want to find out a bit more information, fill out the Inquiry Form in the top right-hand corner of this page to get the ball rolling. You’ll be connected with one of our amazing sales people who will be able to turn your dream of hiking in the Andes into a reality. For more information on the entire booking process, please see our How To Book page.

You will be picked up from your Cusco hotel early in the morning in private transport. You should have breakfast in your hotel or bring some snacks. We will stop in Ollantaytambo for last minute purchases, or a quick breakfast if you missed it in Cusco! We will continue to Pisacucho (also known as Kilometer 82) where the Classic Inca Trail starts. On arrival at Kilometer 82, it is necessary to show entrance tickets, original passports and student card (if applicable). Crossing the Urubamba River, we begin our trek through typical dry forest growing prickly pear and other cactus, and the tara tree. We will walk around 3 hours (6kms) to Llactapata the first archaeological site on our journey. From there, another 4 km of gentle uphill through farmland takes us to Huayllabamba and our campsite for the night.

Total Walking Distance – 12kms (8 mi)
Minimum Altitude – 2,700m (8990 ft) / Maximum Altitude – 3,100m (10,000 ft)
Altitude of camp – 3,100ms (10,000 ft)
Approx. night temperature: 10˚C

After a good night’s rest, we will get started on what is generally considered the most challenging day of the Classic Inca Trail trek. We wake early in order to get a good start, then, leaving pastoral villages and farmland behind, we enter the subtropical forest, stopping for lunch around Llulluchapampa. From here we will start a steep ascent towards the highest pass: the Abra de Huarmihuañusca, or ‘Dead Woman’s Pass’, coming in at an impressive 4200m (13,779ft). You’ll feel an amazing sense of achievement upon reaching the top! After a short rest, we continue downwards 600m (1980 ft) over 3 kms (1.8 mi) through very humid forest to the evening campsite of Pacaymayo.

Total Walking Distance – 11kms (6.8 mi)
Minimum Altitude – 3,100m (10,000 ft) / Maximum Altitude – 4,200m (13,780 ft)
Altitude of Camp – 3,600ms (11,810 ft)
Approx night temperature: 6˚C

After another early breakfast, we walk to the beautiful Inca site of Runkurakay, one of the check points and the beginning of the original Royal Inca trail to Machu Picchu, known as Qhapaq Ñan. We continue on to Sayakmarka, one of the most beautiful Inca remains on the Classic Inca trail. After lunch, we enter the cloud forest, trekking through some incredible scenery filled with orchids and hummingbirds. After another hour, we arrive at Phuyupatamarca (‘town in the clouds’), the third highest point on the trail (3680m) where we will have breathtaking views of Salkantay mountain. After feasting our eyes for a moment, we continue downhill through the forest for about 3 hours until we reach Wiñay Wayna (‘forever young’), our campsite for the evening. Steps away from camp is the Inca site of the same name, the most impressive on the trail. No matter how tired you are, talk to your guide and don’t miss out on seeing this wonder!

Please note: Campsites are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, and we cannot guarantee that Wiñay Wayna will be available. If not, the alternative campsite is located at Phuyupatamarca, located farther away from Machu Picchu but generally less crowded.

Total Walking Distance – 12km (10.5 mi)
Minimum Altitude – 2,670m (8760 ft) / Maximum Altitude – 3,900m (12,800 ft)
Altitude of Camp – 2,670m (8760 ft)
Approx night temperature: 12˚C

We will rise very early on this day in order to arrive at Inti Punku (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 enigmatic Machu Picchu. After some time there, we will walk down the last part of the trail to the spot where you can take the classic shot of this ancient city. Finally, we visit Machu Picchu itself! Your guide will give you a 2-3 h walking tour and after this you can explore some of the additional highlights of the mysterious city by yourself.

If you still have energy you can also take 45 min to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain for spectacular views overlooking the ancient citadel! Note: Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain both require a separate permit that must be purchased in advance. Let us know at the time of booking if you think you’d like to do this hike! For more tips on what to see, check out our Visiting Machu Picchu page.

After spending time enjoying Machu Picchu, you will return to Aguas Calientes on your own, either on foot or by bus, where you will meet your guide. There, you will enjoy your last lunch together before heading back to Cusco on the train.

Want more time to explore? Consider our Extra Day Upgrades.

Total Walking Distance – 8km (5 mi)
Minimum Altitude – 2400m (7870 ft) / Maximum Altitude – 2720m (8920 ft)