Inca Trail + extra day in Machu Picchu

We will pick you up from your hotel in the early morning for the journey by private vehicle to Piscacucho, a community at Km 82 of the Cusco-Machu Picchu railroad. After crossing the Urubamba River, we will begin our trek. Along the way, you will be met by fine views of snow-capped Mount Veronica (5,850 meters / 19,193 feet). After hiking along the riverbank, we will arrive at the beautiful Inca ruins of Llactapata, from where our route continues to the village of Huayllabamba and our first campsite.

Traveling time:

Cusco – Piscacucho: 91 kilometers / 56.5 miles (paved: 77 kilometers / 47.4 miles; dirt road: 14 kilometers / 8.7 miles); 3 hours

Trekking distance:

11 kilometers / 6.8 miles (5-6 hours)

Altitude:

• Cusco 3,400 meters / 11,159 feet.
• Piscacucho (Km 82): 2,650 meters / 8,692 feet.
• Llactapata: 2,610 meters / 8,563 feet.
• Huayllabamba: 2,968 meters / 9,737 feet

Meals: Lunch, dinner

After a good breakfast, we will begin the day by hiking up to Warmihuañusca Pass (4205 meters / 13795 feet), the highest part on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Along the way, the landscape will change as we move into the sparse vegetation of the high plains. It is possible to spot alpacas and llamas on this section of the Inca Trail. Arriving at the pass, we will have time to rest and enjoy the fine views, before descending to our second campsite at Pacaymayo in time our evening meal.

Trekking distance:

7.6 kilometers / 4.7 miles (6-7 hours)

Altitude:

• Huayllabamba: 2,968 meters / 9,737 feet.
• Llulluchapampa: 3,767 meters / 12,359 feet.
• Warmiwañusca Pass: 4,205 meters / 13,795 feet.
• Pacaymayo: 3,604 meters / 11,821 feet

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Today, the trail will climb to the second pass at Runkuraqay (3950 meters / 12,956 feet), from where there are spectacular views of both the Vilcabamba and Urubamba Mountain ranges. After a short rest, we will descend along a paved Inca Road to the restored ruins of Runkuraqay and Sayacmarca. Here, our route takes us into the cloud forest and in the afternoon, we will hike along a series of stone Inca steps, passing the ruins of Phuyupatamarca (3,640 meters / 11,942 feet) before camping for the night.

Trekking distance:

7 kilometers / 4.3 miles; 5-6 hours

Altitude:

• Pacaymayo: 3,604 meters / 11,821 feet.
• Runkuraqay Pass: 3,950 meters / 12,956 feet.
• Phuyupatamarca: 3,640 meters / 11,942 feet

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

From Phuyupatamarca, the trail descends a vertiginous slope along a remarkable set of stone Inca steps, a descent of approximately three hours to the picturesque Inca ruins of Wiñay Wayna (2665 meters / 8743 feet), surrounded by tropical forest. You will have at least an hour to explore the ruins of Wiñay Wayna. In the afternoon we will walk for another two hours, enjoying spectacular scenery with the Urubamba River far below, until we reach the Sun Gate, from where you will get your first glimpse of Machu Picchu. From here it is a forty-minute walk, followed by a 30-minute bus ride to the small town of Aguas Calientes (2070 meters / 6791 feet).

The last night: We spend in Aguas Calientes town, in a hotel tourist class.

Trekking distance:

8.7 kilometers / 5.4 miles; 5-6 hours

Altitude:

• Phuyupatamarca: 3,640 meters / 11,942 feet.
• Wiñay Wayna: 2,665 meters / 8,743 feet.
• Intipunku: 2,693 meters / 8,833 feet.
• Machu Picchu: 2,460 meters / 8,071 feet.
• Aguas Calientes: 2,070 meters / 6,791 feet.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Today we will make an early start to ensure you will have plenty of time to visit Machu Picchu, the Inca city rediscovered in 1911. Located at the top of a steep, forested hill overlooking the Urubamba River, Machu Picchu was hidden by dense vegetation for centuries until the American explorer Hiram Bingham began to clear the site. Today the city has been extensively restored, creating an unforgettable sight for visitors who arrive from all over the world. Your guided tour includes a visit to the temples, plazas, palaces, watercourses, and residential areas of Machu Picchu.

Optional; after the tour you will have the option of climbing Huayna Picchu Mountain (2-3 hours, subject to availability, please make your booking as soon as possible).

Traveling time:

Machu Picchu – Poroy Train station (train): 99 kilometers / 61.5 miles (3.30 minutes)

Poroy Train station – Cusco (private vehicle): 13 kilometers / 8 miles (30 minutes)

Altitude:

• Machu Picchu: 2,460 meters / 8,071 feet.
• Huayna Picchu: 2,532 meters / 8,307 feet.
• Aguas Calientes: 2,070 meters / 6,791 feet.

You will need to carry your daypack with all the personal items you need during the day. The rest of your luggage will be transported by us (van / porters). Porters are only permitted to carry 8 kilos for each person (including sleeping bag). As a company, Andean Adventures Peru is committed to the well-being of its porters during treks, ensuring that they are properly paid, well fed, and comfortable at our campsites.

That depends on the availability of places on the Inca Trail. We cannot guarantee that once you have booked, your friends will also be able to do so. On certain dates during the high season, we recommend that groups of travelers who want to hike the Inca Trail should do so under a single booking. Refunds are not given for the Inca Trail, and so if your friends don’t manage to get a place on the same date, or if those who succeed in booking decide to cancel the trip, there will be no possibility of a refund.

There is no official restriction on the age limit for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu or other treks in Peru. However, as a responsible trekking and hiking company we recommend that children under 9 years of age should not hike Inca Trail. 12 years is a better age to do the Inca Trail. Also, all children under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

The maximum group size is 16 persons. For more than 16 persons, a second group must be organized. A single guide travels with 8 participants. For larger groups, an assistant guide will also accompany the participants.

If you are traveling alone and are willing to share a tent, with a member of the same sex or partner, family member or friend, then there is no additional cost. If, however, you would like your own private tent an additional supplement will be payable. Please contact us in advance, because this option will depend on the availability of spaces at the campsites designated by the Peruvian Ministry of Culture.

If you want to hire the services of an extra porter to carry your personal gear, then you must let us know at the time you make your booking for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. By letting us know in advance, you ensure we will be able to organize the services of an extra porter for each day of the trek. If you make this request in Cusco just days before the start of your trek, the extra porter will only be able to accompany you during the first two days of the Inca Trail.

The Inca Trail is a 43-kilometer (25-mile) trek through a mountainous region, involving hiking for 5-7 hours a day at high altitude and over rough terrain. Make no mistake, the Inca Trail is a fairly difficult trek and you should be well prepared and healthy prior to starting it. You should be fit and exercise regularly before your trek. It is also important to be well acclimated before starting the trek. We recommend spending 2 or 3 days in Cusco (3400 meters / 11,154 feet above sea level) prior to starting the trek. If you do not take regular exercise or have a heart, respiratory, knee or back problem, do not consider doing the trek.

Both in Cusco and on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, days tend to be warm and nights cold. On the Inca Trail, from April through October, which is the dry season, the weather during the day is warm. During June, July and August nights can be cold, and a good four season sleeping bag is recommended. The rainy season runs from November through March. In February, which is the rainiest month of the year, the Inca Trail is closed for maintenance.

Use of plastic bottles on the network of Inca Trails to Machu Picchu is not permitted. Other treks do not have this restriction but we always recommend and encourage our travelers to use reusable canteens or second use plastic water bottles. Our cook will provide you with boiled water to refill your bottle at all the campsites.

All foodstuffs are purchased immediately before departure to guarantee freshness, and they are correctly packaged and handled by our trained staff to ensure food safety. We use cloth bags when making our purchases, rather than plastic. The produce is fresh and bought directly from local farmers. Also, we pack the produce in cloth bags and hermetic multiuse containers, avoiding the use of plastic in order to make our operations as green as possible.

The minimum number of participants for each group is 2. In the event that we do not reach the minimum number of persons required for a selected date, we will try to offer you an alternative trek date or refund your trek deposit in full. Andean Adventures Peru can operate with a single participant on a private tour basis (many of our clients choose to travel individually).