Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu

Your Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu Begins!

Your Inca Trail Trek To Machu Picchu adventure begins in Cusco, the heart of the Inca Empire. At 2 p.m., your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby for a walking tour through the city’s living history: colonial arcades, ornate churches, the bustling Plaza de Armas, and the legendary Stone of Twelve Angles at Inca Roca Palace—a masterpiece of Inca stonework and Spanish influence.

Then it’s time to indulge your sweet tooth. At Choco Museo, we roll up our sleeves for a two-hour bean-to-bar chocolate workshop, roasting cacao husks for tisane tea and learning the entire chocolate-making process from harvest to the final silky bite.

The evening ends with heart and purpose at Mamá Seledonia’s, a restaurant that empowers women and young mothers from rural Peru. Over a nourishing meal, you’ll taste local flavors, share stories, and connect with a community of women turning challenges into opportunities. It’s the perfect first taste of Peru—rich, soulful, and unforgettable.

Included Meals

Dinner

Accommodations

Casa Andina Premium Cusco Hotel

Weaving Stories

We journey into the Sacred Valley, bound for the ancient town of Ollantaytambo. Here, the Urubamba River winds past Inca-era cobblestones, adobe homes, and stone terraces that feel almost otherworldly. From the upper terraces, you’ll capture unforgettable photos of the town’s square-grid layout spread out below.

In the Awamaki community, we step into the rhythms of traditional Andean life. Over lunch with a local family, the women share their deep-rooted connection to textiles. You’ll watch a weaving demonstration, then try your hand at creating a small keepsake. Beautifully woven items are also available for purchase, with proceeds going directly back to support the community’s artisans.

By late afternoon, we return to our hotel for a relaxed dinner and some down time. Our guide will walk us through how to pack and prepare for the adventure ahead—the legendary Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Tomorrow, the real journey begins: a once-in-a-lifetime trek where history, challenge, and wonder meet!

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Samanapaq Hotel

Travel

About 2 hours of driving

Inca Trail Begins

After breakfast, it’s time to gear up for the adventure of a lifetime! We weigh our duffle bags—each must be under 15.4 pounds (7 kg), including your sleeping bag and Thermarest. Out of respect for our porters, your personal gear should be no more than 11 pounds (5 kg). The rest of your luggage will be safely stored in Ollantaytambo and returned to you on Day 7 when we head back to Cusco—so pack light, pack smart, and pack with purpose. Please note that duffle bags are provided but not kept.

From here, we drive to Km 82 (Piscacucho), the official gateway to the Inca Trail. The path begins gently, tracing the winding Urubamba River and leading us across a bridge at Km 88. Here, we pause for a celebratory trail lunch at Tarayoc—your first taste of life on the trail—before continuing upward for two rewarding hours of hiking.

Our first camp at Huayllabamba marks not just today’s summit, but the true beginning of our journey into history and heart.

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Tent Camping

The Hike

9.94 miles (16 km), which takes about 8–9 hours (depending on the group’s pace)
Altitude: 9,022 feet (2,750 m)
Maximum Altitude and Campsite Elevation: 10, 170 feet (3,100 m)
Elevation Gain: 1,148 feet (350 m)

Dead Woman’s Pass

We begin our Inca Trail trek around 7 a.m., climbing for three to four hours toward Llullcha Pampa, where we stop for lunch with sweeping views of Mt. Huayanay. As the trail winds through a hanging valley, we enter the surreal Andean cloud forest, passing through the rare Queñua woodlands with their twisted polylepis trees found only at high elevations.

After lunch, the challenge rises with the ascent to Dead Woman’s Pass—the highest point of the Inca Trail and one of its most iconic landmarks! Named for the mountain ridges shaped like a woman at rest ( how cool right?), this section is as breathtaking as it is demanding. From the summit, we descend for two to three hours, depending on the group’s pace and photo stops, before camping under the stars at Pacaymayu.

This night in the Andes is a true highlight of the Machu Picchu hike—remote, wild, and unforgettable.

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Tent Camping

The Hike

We hike 6.2 miles (10 km), which takes approximately 6–8 hours
Altitude : 10,170 feet (3,100 m)
Maximum Altitude: 13,828 feet (4,215 m)
Campsite Elevation: 11, 811 feet (3,600 m)
Elevation Gain : 3,000 feet (900 m)

City above the Clouds

We kick off the day climbing to the semicircular Runcuraqay ruins (*Runkurakay means “collapsed house” in Quechua) before ascending to Runcuraqay Pass. From here, it’s all downhill, baby!

For nearly two hours, we descend on ancient Incan stairs to the ridgetop ruins of Sayaqmarka, even passing through a tunnel carved by hand—no modern tools in sight. The trail shifts again into lush, dripping cloud forest before we break for lunch at Chaquicocha.

Recharged, we continue on to the Phuyupatamarka ruins, perched above the fast-flowing Vilcanto River. This is the final pass of the Inca Trail, and we spend the night here at one of its most breathtaking campsites. In Quechua, Phuyupatamarka means “City Above the Clouds,” and from our tents the views toward the sacred Salcantay peak are nothing short of sublime.

From our campsite we get to fall asleep —closer than ever to the spirit of the Andes.

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Tent Camping

The Hike 

We hike 7.4 miles (12 km), which takes approximately 5–6 hours
Altitude: 11,811 feet (3,600 m)
Maximum Altitude + Campsite Elevation: 13,779 feet (4,200 m)
Elevation Gain: 2,000 feet (600 m)

Gateway to a Dream

This morning, we thank our incredible porter team with a formal tipping ceremony—an expression of gratitude for their strength, encouragement, and the kindness that carried us along the trail!

From there, we begin a steep descent along the famed Royal Highway, winding through cloud forest alive with delicate orchids until we reach the Wiñayhuayna ruins and the terraces of Inti Pata. After lunch at the Wiñayhuayna campsite, we traverse remarkable Inca stonework toward the iconic Gate of the Sun.

And then—there it is. Machu Picchu, revealed in all its glory. Stunned, you’ll float downhill as though in a dream to the site itself ( trust us!), before continuing on to Aguas Calientes for the night.

Here, we celebrate this dream-come-true journey with a set menu dinner, hot showers, and the sweet comfort of real beds. After the big things, the little things feel even more extraordinary. And as we rest, one truth lingers: we walked in the footsteps of the Incas—and discovered just how far we could go.

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

El Mapi by Inkaterra Hotel

The Hike

We hike 5.5 miles (9 km), which takes approximately 6–7 hours
Altitude: 7,874 feet (2,400 m)
Maximum Altitude: 11,811 feet (3,600 m)
Campsite Elevation: 7,874 feet (2,400 m)

An Elevated Experience

We return to “the Sanctuary” by bus for our guided exploration of Machu Picchu, the crown jewel of the Inca Trail. A local expert leads us through the site’s most iconic sectors, from the urban and agricultural terraces to the mysterious Intihuatana, the solar clock that marked sacred time for the Incas.

At 7,972 feet (2,430 m), this ridge-top citadel radiates resilience and mysticism. Watching the sun rise over the Andes from this sacred citadel is pure magic—one of those rare moments that shifts something inside you.

After our guided tour, we descend by bus to Aguas Calientes and board the scenic train back to Ollantaytambo, followed by a private transfer to Cusco. That evening, we gather for a reflective farewell dinner—still giddy, goosebumpy, and grateful from our once-in-a-lifetime Machu Picchu experience.

Note: In accordance with Machu Picchu visiting regulations, all visitors must follow a designated one-way circuit during the guided tour. Re-entry and personal exploration beyond the tour are not permitted.

Included Meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Accommodations

Casa Andina Premium, Cusco

Reflections & Rejuvenation

After breakfast, the day is yours. Unless you’re heading to the airport, take the chance to wander deeper into Cusco’s colorful corners. For a true local touch, sip an emoliente—a traditional herbal infusion said to heal body and spirit.

This unscheduled time is an invitation to pause and reflect. Let the memories of the trail settle in—those quiet mountain moments in the clouds, the laughter shared with new friends, and the awe of standing at Machu Picchu. Whether you journal in the plaza or wander, linger over tea, or simply sit in the sun, this is your chance to rejuvenate before heading home, carrying the strength, beauty, and spirit of the Andes with you.

Included Meals

Breakfast