Ultimate 4 Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Get ready for an adventure of a lifetime with Visit Machu Picchu & Local Operators! We’ll start our day bright and early, picking you up from your accommodation in Cusco, Urubamba, or Ollantaytambo. Don’t worry about the time, we’ll make sure to confirm the exact pick-up time during your briefing. After enjoying a delicious breakfast prepared by our talented cook, we’ll take you to the Porter House in Ollantaytambo where you’ll meet your incredible team of porters and your knowledgeable guide.

Then, we’ll hop on a drive to Km 82, passing through the first Inca Trail checkpoint to begin our trek. Make sure you have your original passport with you to enter the Inca Trail. For the first 2 hours, we’ll take a relatively easy walk to our first Inca site, Patallacta, an ancient Inca checkpoint for the approach to Machu Picchu.

From Patallacta, we’ll continue hiking for another 2 hours to reach our lunch stop. After refueling, we’ll embark on a 2½ hour hike to reach our first night’s campsite at Ayapata, 3300 meters high above sea level. Along the way, we’ll pass through 2 small communities where you can purchase any energy drinks, snacks, or essential items that you may have forgotten, such as batteries.

We’ll arrive at our campsite by 5:00 PM where you can relax and enjoy a hot drink and snack with your team of porters, chefs, and guides. By 7:30 PM, you’ll be treated to a delicious dinner, and after, you can finally get some well-deserved rest.

Today’s trek covers a distance of 8.7 miles/14 km and will take around 6-7 hours. It’s considered a moderate day, perfect for getting used to the Inca Trail. The weather will be warm and windy, making for an unforgettable day of adventure. Get ready for tomorrow, because we’ll continue on our journey towards Machu Picchu!

• Walking distance: 8.7 miles/14 km (~7 hours).
• Campsite altitude: 3300 meters (high) above sea level.
• Considered: Moderate day (getting used to the Inca Trail).
• Weather: Warm and windy.

Day 2 of your adventure with Local Experts is going to be epic! Your porters will be up bright and early to greet you with a steaming hot cup of coca tea, guaranteed to give you the energy you need to tackle the day ahead. We have a long hike ahead of us, so we’ll need to set off as soon as possible.

Our destination for the day is Dead Woman’s Pass, the highest point of the trek at a whopping 4215 meters (13829 feet) above sea level. It’s going to take us around 4 hours to reach the top, but trust us, the views will be well worth it! Once we arrive, we’ll take a short break to catch our breath and soak up the incredible scenery before continuing on to the next valley.

From there, we’ll descend for about an hour and a half to reach our lunch spot, where you’ll have a chance to refill your water bottles and refuel your body with some delicious food prepared by our skilled chefs. After lunch, we’ll begin our ascent to the second pass of the trek. It’s another 2 hours of hiking over the pass, where we’ll stop at a small Inca site called Runcu Raccay to take in the sights of two magnificent waterfalls cascading down the opposite side of the valley.

As we reach the end of our hike, we’ll come across the breathtaking Inca site of Sayacmarca. Here, we’ll take a moment to rest and enjoy a quick tour before taking in the stunning sunset over the Vilcabamba mountain range. From there, it’s just a short 20-minute hike to our second campsite at Chaquicocha, situated by a beautiful dry lake at an altitude of 3600 meters. After dinner, we’ll take some time to do some star gazing and point out the fascinating Inca constellations. Trust us, the sky in this part of the world is a sight to behold!

This is considered the top day of the trek, and you’ll be able to say that you’ve survived the two highest passes. The walking distance for the day is 9.94 miles (16 km) and will take 7-8 hours to complete. Remember to dress warmly and be prepared for the chilly and rainy weather that we may encounter in the Andes and Cloud Forest. Get ready for an unforgettable day with Local Experts!

• Walking distance: 9.94 miles/16 km (~8 hours).
• Campsite altitude: 3600 meters (high) above sea level (chilly weather).
• Considered: Top day (you will have survived the two highest passes)
• Area: Andes and Cloud Forest.
• Weather: Cold and rainy.

Day 3 of your Inca Trail adventure with Local Experts is where the real magic begins! After completing Day 2, it’s time to give yourself a pat on the back and prepare for the most picturesque day of the entire trek. Rise and shine at 6:30 am, as we start with a 2-hour hike along the gentle inclines of what we call “Inca flat,” before making our way into the Cloud Forest. 

Along the way, we’ll have the pleasure of witnessing the grandeur of Salkantay, the second highest snow-capped mountain in the Sacred Valley, and the stunning Vilcabamba mountain range. As we approach the end of the Inca flats, we start our ascent to the last peak, Phuyupatamarka (3600 meters), from where we’ll be able to marvel at the beauty of the Urubamba River below us. Here, we get our first glimpse of Machu Picchu Mountain, but the site itself remains concealed. After Phuyupatamarka, we’ll head down a flight of steps for a 3-hour trek to our last campsite, located near Wiñay Wayna (Forever Young). This site is the most remarkable Inca ruin on the trail after Machu Picchu, making it the most popular campsite due to its proximity to the world-renowned attraction.

As we descend, we’ll visit two Inca ruins, Phuyupatamarka (Town in the Clouds) and Intipata (Terraces of the Sun). We’ll arrive at our campsite around 1:00 PM and have lunch, followed by a well-deserved break to recharge our batteries for the next day’s adventure at Machu Picchu. At around 4:30 PM, our expert guide will give you a short orientation, and we’ll visit the Inca ruins of Wiñay Wayna for an hour and a half, where you’ll learn about its historical significance and tie in all the information gathered during the trek. This will give you a full picture of what’s in store for your visit to Machu Picchu the following day. We love to indulge our guests with a farewell feast and celebrate with our incredible team of porters and chefs. 

It’s customary to organize a ceremony in the evening, introducing the team to the guests once again and thanking them for a job well done. If you wish to provide tips for the team, you can do so at this time. We recommend getting to bed early so that you can rise early in the morning and arrive at Machu Picchu at the crack of dawn, hoping to catch a breathtaking sunrise over the ruins.

• Walking distance: 6.2 miles/10km (~5 hours).
• Campsite altitude: 2,600 meters (high) above sea level (chilly weather).
• Considered: An easy day with all downhill walking! 
• Area: High Cloud Forest.
• Weather: Warm and very humid.

Get ready for the most exciting and magical day of your journey with Local Experts! We’ll wake up bright and early at 3:30 AM, have breakfast at 4:00 AM, and wait at the checkpoint to be one of the first groups to enter the gates of the Inca Trail when they open at 5:30 AM. After saying goodbye to our team of amazing porters and chefs, we’ll set off towards the Sun Gate (Inti Punku).

As we hike, we’ll be greeted with spectacular views of the mountains and a breathtaking sight of Machu Picchu in all its glory. We’ll reach the Sun Gate by 6:30 AM and witness an incredible view of the Lost City of the Incas. Then, it’s just an hour trek down to reach Machu Picchu. The closer we get to the city, the more the views will take our breath away!

At 7:40 AM, we’ll reach the final checkpoint and enter Machu Picchu to begin our 2-hour private guided tour. After the tour, you’ll have the option to explore the city on your own or climb one of the neighboring mountains – Huaynapicchu (arrangements must be made ahead of time).

Your guide will offer to meet you in the village of Aguas Calientes for lunch at a local restaurant. This is optional and not included. During lunch, your guide will give out train tickets, so make sure to arrange to get these before leaving him at Machu Picchu. We’ll book the Expedition class train departing Aguas Calientes at 2:55 PM or 3:20 PM (unless you arranged for an upgraded train). Please be on the platform at least 30 minutes ahead of time. The train ride will be 2 hours to Ollantaytambo or Poroy (based on which train you get), where an Alpaca driver will meet you and drive you back to the city on our bus, then drop you off at your hotel.

Be prepared for a hot and very humid day, so make sure to bring plenty of water. This day will truly be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we can’t wait to share it with you!

• Considered: The most exciting and magical day (early wake up 3.30 AM).
• Area: High Cloud and Subtropical Forest.
• Weather: Hot and very humid (bring lots of water).