(4.5/5 ) 5 Reviews
4.5/5

Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Characteristics of our package Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 4D/3N

Specifically, these are the characteristics of the Inca Trail (Cusco – Peru) 4D/3N group tour that you should know before starting this adventure:

Tour type:  Hike with overnight in camps, adventure, history and culture.
Total distance:   43 km / 26 miles.
Recommended: For those who enjoy long walks and are in moderate physical condition.
Considerations:  An entry permit is required (Alpaca Expeditions will obtain it for you as soon as you book with us). Advance reservation is required.
Season:  From March 1 to January 31.
Road closed: February (closed by the government to start maintenance).

 

Experience the renowned Inca Trail Group Tour for 4 days and 3 nights! Get to know the Puerta del Sol for that first magical sighting of Machu Picchu!

Expect no more and be awed by the Inca ruins along the entire trail, while taking in the lush green cloud forest, Andean mountain passes, and vast landscape.

Traveling this trail with Alpaca Expeditions translates into the best experience you have ever had in your life. We’ll take care of everything, including securing the best campsites, pleasing your discerning palate with delicious and nutritious dishes, providing you with top-notch equipment and highly knowledgeable staff that you’ll feel comfortable with.

Our motto is “The journey is the destination” and we promise that this will be your best trip and experience.

 

Includes & Excludes

Itinerary

The first thing that we will do within the Camino del Inca Group Tour 4D/3N service will be to pick you up directly at the hotel in Cusco, Urubamba or Ollantaytambo. In the case of Cusco, we pick you up at 4:30 AM, from Urubamba at 5:30 AM, and if you stay in Ollantaytambo, you can rest a little longer, since we will pick you up at 6:30 AM.

Then we will drive to Km 82, we will pass through the first checkpoint of the Inca Trail to start our trek. Please make sure you have your original passport as you will need it to be able to enter the Inca Trail.

The first 2 hours of the trek are relatively easy, as we will head towards our first Inca site, Patallacta . This is an old Inca checkpoint for the approach to Machu Picchu. From there, we start another 2-hour hike to our lunch spot.

After lunch, we will walk for another 2 hours until we reach the camp for the first night, in Ayapata (3300 meters). In this last stretch, we pass through 2 small communities. There, if you want to buy any energy drinks, snacks, or forgotten essentials like batteries, you can do so.

We will arrive at our camp at 5:00 PM. After you settle in, you can relax and have a hot drink and snack with the team of porters, chef, and guide. At 7:30 PM dinner will be ready, after that, you can have a well-deserved rest.

Walking distance:  8.7 miles/14 km (6-7 hours)
Camp height:  3300 meters (high) above sea level
Considered:  Moderate (Getting used to the Inca Trail)
Weather:  Warm with presence of wind

At the beginning of the second day of the Camino del Inca Group Tour 4D/3N service , the designated porters will have the task of waking you up early with a cup of coca tea, which will help you prepare for the spectacular day ahead.

The start of the day will be very early, since the tour is longer. We will walk for approximately 4 hours to the highest pass of the trek, the Paso de la Mujer Muerta (4,215 metres/13,829 feet). Upon reaching the pass, we will have a brief rest to enjoy the views, and then start again and descend to the next valley, the Pacaymayu Valley – Río Oculto . It’s another hour and a half up the valley side to our lunch spot, where you’ll have a chance to refill your water bottles.

After lunch, we begin to ascend again to the second pass of the trek. It is 2 hours above the pass where we will stop at a small Inca site called Runcu Raccay and we will see two huge waterfalls on the opposite side of the valley.

After the second pass, it is another hour of walking downhill to reach the magnificent Inca site called Sayacmarca (an otherwise inaccessible town). We will stop here to rest and take a quick tour.

Later, we will be able to see the sunset over the Vilcabamba mountain range . It is only another 20 minutes until we stop for the night at our second campsite Chaquicocha (Lago Seco, 3600 meters).

At the end of dinner, if you are not too exhausted, we can do some star gazing, and we will point out the fascinating Inca constellations. In the magnificent sky of the southern hemisphere, away from all artificial lighting, this sky is something to behold!

Hiking Distance:  9.94 miles/16 km (7-8 hours)
Camp Altitude:  3600 meters (high)
Considered:  Main Day (you will have survived the two Inca Passes)
Area:   Andes and Cloud Forest
Weather:  Cold and rainy

 

Completing day 2 and starting day 3 certainly deserves a pat on the back! We will start early again, at exactly 6:30 am.

This day will be the most beautiful of the entire Inca Trail. We will walk for 2 hours along what we like to call the “Inca plane” (gradual inclines) and we will begin to enter the jungle, known as the Cloud Forest .

As we hike, we will have the opportunity to see the Salkantay Mountain , the second highest snow-capped mountain in the Sacred Valley , and a fantastic panoramic view of the Vilcabamba mountain range.

Towards the end of the Inca floors, we will make our way to the last peak at Phuyupatamarka (3600 meters), from where we will have excellent views of the Urubamba River.

Down the valley, we get our first view of Machu Picchu mountain , but the site itself is still hidden. From Phuyupatamarka it is a 3 hour walk up a flight of steps to our last camp, near Wiñay Wayna (Forever Young).

Wiñay Wayna is the most spectacular Inca site on the trail after Machu Picchu and the most popular campsite due to its proximity to Machu Picchu. During the descent, we will visit 2 Inca ruins, Phuyupatamarka (City in the Clouds) and Intipata (Terraces of the Sun). We will arrive at our campsite around 1:00 PM to have lunch.

Then, the rest of the day you can relax so that you are ready for the last day of the tour, in Machu Picchu. Around 4:30 PM your guide will give you a brief orientation, and you will visit the Inca ruins of Wiñay Wayna for an hour and a half. Your guide will explain the importance of the site and combine all the information given during the walk. In this way you will be fully prepared for your visit to Machu Picchu the next day.

One of the things we like to do the most is pamper our guests, so you will enjoy one last banquet with the porters and chefs. As part of our traditions, we will organize a ceremony in the evening to introduce the team to the tourists once again. The purpose of this event is to thank them for a great job done (if you want to provide a tip for them, then you can do so right then).

It is advisable to go to bed at a reasonable time, since the day will start very early and thus be able to reach Machu Picchu at dawn, hoping that the weather will give us a beautiful sunrise over the ruins.

Hike Distance:  6.2 miles/10km (5 hours)
Camp Altitude:  2,600 meters (high) above sea level (cold weather)
Considered:  Easy day – All downhill!
Area:  High cloud forest
Climate:  Hot and very humid

 

This last day of the Inca Trail Group Tour 4D/3N starts at 3:30 AM. We will have breakfast at 4:00 AM and wait at the checkpoint to be one of the first to start trekking when the gates open at 5:30 AM.

We said goodbye to our team of porters and chef to head towards Puerta del Sol (Inti Punk u). From here we have spectacular views of the mountains and Machu Picchu in all its splendor.

We will arrive at the Puerta del Sol at 6:30 am, and then it is only an hour’s walk to reach the Lost City of the Incas. As we walk and get closer to Machu Picchu, the views of the city improve.

Around 7:40 AM we will arrive at the final checkpoint and enter Machu Picchu to begin our 2-hour private guided tour. After the tour, you will be given the bus tickets that will take you on the way to Aguas Calientes, where you will have plenty of free time to explore the city on your own or climb one of the neighboring mountains – Huaynapicchu (must be arranged in advance).

Your guide will offer to meet you in the town of Aguas Calientes to enjoy your last lunch at a local restaurant. This is optional and not included. At lunch, the guide will hand out the train tickets, so if you decide to skip, please coordinate this with the guide to obtain these tickets before dropping you off at Machu Picchu.

Unless you have arranged for an upgraded train, we will reserve an Expedition class train that leaves Aguas Calientes at 2:55 or 3:20 pm. Please make sure you are on the platform at least 30 minutes ahead of time. The trip takes approximately 2 hours to Ollantaytambo or Poroy (depending on the train schedule), where an Alpaca driver will meet you and take you back to the city in our bus, and then drop you off at your hotel.

Considered: The most magical and exciting day (Early start at 3.30 AM)
Area:  Subtropical and high cloud forest
Climate: Hot and very humid (bring plenty of water)

 

Tour Gallery

Client Reviews

Katherine

5/5

“I had the most extraordinary experience exploring Machu Picchu with Machu Pichhu Inka Trek! From the moment we arrived in Peru, everything was impeccably organized and the attention to detail was remarkable.”

Jewel Khan

5/5

“I had the most extraordinary experience exploring Machu Picchu with Machu Pichhu Inka Trek! From the moment we arrived in Peru, everything was impeccably organized and the attention to detail was remarkable.”

Peter Parker

5/5

“I had the most extraordinary experience exploring Machu Picchu with Machu Pichhu Inka Trek! From the moment we arrived in Peru, everything was impeccably organized and the attention to detail was remarkable.”

$240 USD/person

Tour Type:

Group Size:

Organizer:

1-Day Tour

Machu piccu Trek

oR

Get Help

Need Help To Book?

Keriam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo.

Call Us

+51 930 212 433

OTHER TOURS

You Might Also Like

Adventure excursions

2-day Short inca Trail Trek with Hostel

Below we present the characteristics of the short Inca Trail with hotel (Peru – Cusco) that you should keep in mind before starting…

Price Per Person

$ 550.00

Adventure excursions

Inca Trail Group Tour (Classic) 4D/3N

The Short Inca Trail with Camping 2D/1N with Camping Adventure includes a six hour hike on the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu…

Price Per Person

$ 590.00

Adventure excursions

Inca Trail Group Tour (Classic) 4D/3NSho

Specifically, these are the characteristics of the Inca Trail (Cusco – Peru) 4D/3N group tour that you should know before starting…

Price Per Person

$ 750.00

"Experience the Majesty of Machu Picchu in Just One Day!"

Embark on an unforgettable adventure to the mystical ruins of Machu Picchu with our exclusive 1-day tour.