7 Days Along the Inca Trail Trek - Discover Peru's Iconic Journey

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN CUSCO

Arrival in Cusco with a transfer to your hotel. A welcome meeting will be organized by your guide for a quick briefing of the tour. The rest of the day can be spent exploring Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, set in the Andes Mountains. Discover Spanish churches and mansions that sit alongside Inca remains and enjoy the vibrant nightlife or sample Peruvian restaurants.

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DAY 2: CUSCO - THE INCA CAPITAL

After breakfast, enjoy a free day to explore Cusco at your ease. The capital city of the Inca Empire is now the undisputed archaeological capital of the Americas, as well as the continent’s oldest continuously inhabited city.

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DAY 3: THE INCA TRAIL - AYAPATA CAMP

Hiking distance: 9.7 km (6 miles) ; Camp elevation: 2,950 m (9,678 ft)

Breakfast: not included on this day.

The meeting point will be at the Hotel at 4:30. Once at Piscacucho, we will check-in. We will need to show our passport, tickets, etc. at the control point. Remember there is limited access to the Inca Trail. This is the moment to use restrooms, applying sunscreen, insect repellent, etc. We have ahead of us a marvelous Inca Valley, used by the great Inca master himself and its royal courtship, to get to Machu Picchu. You are lucky enough to retrace the Inca steps all the way of what was for them a meaningful sacred journey. The Trail begins at 2,720 m (8,923 ft) and we will be heading across the Vilcanota River on the right side. But the path soon begins to get abruptly lean through the cloud forest. In time, we will spot the great views of an Inca Fortress called Huillca Raccay, as well as the vast and incredible Inca site of Patallacta.  We will also see the Urubamba mountain range that divides the jungle, the Andes and the beautiful snow-capped peak of W’akay Willca at 5,860 m (19,225 ft), known as Veronica. There is so much beauty to admire on this first day on the Inca Trail hike, an incredible encounter with the Andean nature! Now we will set up our first campsite near the small village of Wayllabamba, 3,000 m high (9,842 ft) in the temperate valley of the same name. Temperatures at night are around 5ºC (depending on the month).

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DAY 4:  THE INCA TRAIL ADVENTURE - CHAQUICOCHA CAMP

Hiking distance: 10.5 km (6.5 miles) ; Camp elevation: 3,350 m (10,991 ft)

After you have finished your breakfast made by our cooks, we will get ready for the day ahead of us. It is 5:30, but we will need most of the daylight and strength for what comes next on our trek. We will climb a steep ascent for several hours until we achieve the summit. For the Inca, this was part of a sacred pilgrimage route, to become one with the Apus (mountains) or the gods protecting the Andes. Once we reach the highest pass at Abra de Warrmihuañusca or Dead Woman’s Pass at 4,200 m (13,779 ft), you will feel the immense satisfaction and pride of having achieved this amazing exploit!  After a rest, we begin the descent to our lunch stop which is located at Pacaymayu at 3,550m (11,646 ft). On our way, we will see lots of hummingbirds as well as other bird species. We will also appreciate an incredible variety of native plants and trees such as the Polylepis, which only grows in the cloud forest located at 3,650 m (11,972 ft).

After lunch, we will take another 2 hours steep climb to Runkurakay pass at almost 4,000 m (13,123 ft) and set up our campsite by 17:00. Temperatures at this campsite are around 4ºC during the night.

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DAY 5: THE INCA TRAIL - WIÑAY WAYÑA CAMP

Hiking distance: 8.9 km (5.5 miles) ; Camp elevation: 3,650 m (11,975 ft)

We will wake up in a great camping surrounded by incredible landscapes and unique Andean flora and fauna.

Today's hiking distance of 10 km should be walked in about 5 hours. Once you have recuperated all your energy thanks to a delicious breakfast, we will continue our trek on the Inca Trail. A gentle climb will lead us to our first stop at the archeological site of Phuyupatamarca, meaning Town in the Clouds, and we will reach the third highest point on the trail, that is 3,680 m (12,073 ft). The views of the mountains, canyons, and surrounding areas are spectacular! Then, we will keep walking 3,000 steps through the cloud forest and the impressive agricultural Inca site of Intipata. Later on, we will arrive at our third campsite, Wiñay Wayna, at 2,680 m (8,792 ft). We have walked so far between 4 to 5 hours and will arrive at camp by lunchtime. A short distance away from our campsite is located the Inca site of the same name Wiñay Wayna or Forever Young, which is a must to visit. We are now close to complete the Inca Trail hike.

Temperatures at night are about 12º.

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DAY 6: MACHU PICCHU IN ITS GLORY! 

Hiking distance: 10.5 km (6.5 miles) ; Final elevation: 2,400 m (7,874 ft)

The Inca was the son of Inti (The Sun) and only him was allowed to do this trail as it was his path to the glory among the Apus and enjoyment of his royal house, Machu Picchu. You are now part of the Royalty too or feel like it as you have mixed with the Apus on this spiritual journey! Today, we will cover 5 km in about 2 hours. It is time to wake up, have an early breakfast and get on the road again. On this early start, we have to get to Intipunku (Sun Gate), at 2,730 m (8,792 ft), before sunrise. You will get your first great view of Machu Picchu (2,400 m / 7,873 ft) with the sun rising over it. We will spend some time there taking the impressive tour of the ancient city, including the royal house of the Inca.  Once you took the most of this magical place, we will walk down the last part of the trail to a spot where you can take the classic postcard picture of the city, and then you will have the guided tour to know everything about the archeological site. Our guide will let you enjoy 2 more hours on your own to discover the citadel or to make the hike to any of the mountains: Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu Mountain. Once you’ve finished, we will meet our guide in Aguas Calientes, which you can reach by bus or on foot. We will have lunch in Aguas Calientes and our guide will give you the tickets back to Cusco (first train to Poroy and then bus to Cusco).

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DAY 7: TRANSFER OUT, BYE CUSCO! 

After breakfast, enjoy your last day at leisure before transferring to the airport for your return flight home via Lima.

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