Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu 5 Days
CREATING AUTHENTIC TOURS IN PERU
Explore the Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu in Peru
CREATING AUTHENTIC TOURS IN PERUExplore the Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu in Peru
Trip OverviewTrip Overview
The Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu is considered one of the best treks in the world due to its exquisite beauty and natural environment. This includes different ecological areas from high Andean deserts to rainforests. Following this ancient Inca Trail hike, passing through mysterious archaeological sites covered by vegetation environments, creating the impression of being discovered for the first time, to finally reach the lost city of the Incas: Machu Picchu.
The Inca trail Hike begins at Km 82. Our highly trained guides, who are deeply familiar with these ancient Inca footpaths, will expertly lead us through the magnificent Andean terrain. Along the way, we’ll traverse breathtaking high alpine passes, lush valleys, dense cloud forests, and rushing rivers. We’ll pass through ancient Inca remains of Andean settlements, ultimately arriving at Machu Picchu via Intipunku (the Sun Gate).
Each night, our team of porters and skilled cooks will have a delicious hot meal and a comfortable camp already set up for your convenience. Since we highly value sustainable tourism, we’ll have very little impact on the land, communities, and environment we encounter along the trail, and we will also take steps to enjoy a tranquil hike, avoiding crowds of fellow trekkers.
INCLUDEDINCLUDED
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE 5 DAY INCA TRAIL HIKE TO MACHU PICCHU:
- Pick up at your hotel
- Private transport from Cusco to Piscacucho (starting of the trek)
- 4 person Igloo tents (large and comfortable) for 2 people
- 3 nights in camping sites
- 1 night hotel in aguas calientes
- English speaking professional guide
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary (optional vegetarian food with prior request)
- First-aid kit including emergency oxygen tank
- Porter to carry tents, food, cooking equipment
- Hot water for washing purposes
- Train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo and transport to Cusco
- Admission Ticket to the Inca trail
- Entrance to Machu Picchu
- Bus tickets from Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes (2 ways)
- Dining and cooking tents with tables and chairs
- Chef, cooking equipment
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
- Travel insurance
- Sleeping bag - you can rent in our office for $ 20 usd
- Trekking poles - you can rent in our office for $ 20 usd
- Huayna Picchu: US $80 – will need to be booked way in advance, if you would like to add an extra hike. Please let us know at the time of booking.
- Meals not mentionated (first day breakfast, last day lunch)
- Tips for the crew, guide, cook and porters ,tips are optional but greatly appreciated by them.
Trip HighlightsTrip Highlights
- Inca Trail takes us to the majestic Machu Picchu after 5 days of walking, a tremendous experience to be told.
- Disconnect from the world and enjoy pure air and what nature offers.
- Discover the ancestral path of the Incas, which was used by the Inca messengers and royalty, we make this route where we always visit many groups with the company of our professional guide who knows the historical legacy.
- Learn about the monumentality and beauty of the Inca constructions of this circuit offers you the best view and unusual campsites.
- The best views with a wide variety of flora and fauna of the Machu Picchu National Park
- Unique sunrises and sunset that will be recorded in his memory.
- The best cuisine of Peru prepared with the best chefs.
- Visit Machu Picchu twice and spend more time at each Inca site
ActivitiesActivities
The level of physical condition is important because it facilitates the route and good performance in the walk, the whole route is along stone paths between mountains, for this reason your pace of life prior to your visit must include daily walks to be adapted to the route and weather changes that will occur. This route cannot be done freely. Andean Great Treks will assign you an authorized specialized guide who knows the route, culture and history, porters with experience in walks, the best chefs who will delight your palate and the best team as far as camping is concerned. more comfortable and pleasant your visit. The variety of weather starting with a cold climate from Cusco 19 Cº in the rainy season in the dry season 15 Cº to Machu Picchu that has a sub tropical climate of 25 Cº, warm and humid.
The jackpot for each traveler is to observe Machu Picchu from the top of an Inti Punku mountain and receive all the energy of nature, until descending to the wonderful town of Aguas Calientes.
AccommodationsAccommodations
Inca Trail Camping Tents: 3 nights
The overnight stays during the Inca Trail are made in double-roofed tents, which are installed by the accompanying team. The tents are equipped with thick foam mattresses that are carried by the porters. Sleeping bags can be rented on site for a fee prior to the start of the trek. The camps have permanent sanitary facilities, some have toilets, but most of them are of the “squat” variety. They may not be the most hygienic, but try to use them instead of nature, remember you are in one of the most amazing natural environments in the world. Please bring toilet paper with you. A dining tent offers enough space to eat together and end the evening in peace.
RETAMA MACHU PICCHU: 1 night
The Hotel Hotel Retama Machupicchu is located, 700 meters from the hot springs of Machu Picchu, it is the most beautiful and quiet area of the town, in the Wiñaywayna Park located three blocks from the Peru Rail station, overlooking the river and the moutains; It offers free WiFi and a tour desk. The accommodation offers luggage storage and a currency exchange service. Room service, 45-inch plasma AOC TV, 24-hour hot water, Hair dryer, Towels for thermal baths, Buffet breakfast.
ItineraryItinerary
- Inca Trail Hike – The sacred river of Vilcanota, Viewpoint photo stop
- Inca Trail Hike – K’anabamba, Archeological Site
- Inca Trail Hike – Patallaqta & Huillcarakay Archeological Site
- Inca Trail Hike – Valley of Tarayoc, Viewpoint photo stop
PACKING LISTPACKING LIST
WHAT TO BRING TO THE 5 DAY INCA TRAIL HIKE TO MACHU PICCHU
When packing for your Inca Trail hike to machu picchu , you should keep in mind that it is best to dress in layers due to the weather variation. The variety of clothes that you must pack to dress in layers is key to your walk, from the morning when it is quite cold until mid afternoon when the temperatures rise and reach their peak and then freeze again at night. Stratification is also useful as you ascend high passages that are exposed to winds or descend into shady valleys.
Effective stratification only works if each layer allows moisture to pass and escape into the external environment. In fact, the best layered clothing, such as wool, promotes moisture transfer through its absorbent properties. Cotton and denim absorb moisture and, therefore, should be avoided.
warm jackets
Hydration bladder
wool socks
camera
scarf
first aid kit
hiking shoes
Dry bags
Trekking Poles
sun cream
Snack
sun hat
bathing suite
rain coat
Sandals
insect repellent
Passport
Down Jackets
toilet paper
daypack
Wool cap
head lamp
gloves
sun glasses
cap
extra cash
Trekking pantsFAQFAQ
ALL WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE INCA TRAIL HIKE TO MACHU PICCHU
The starting point of the Inca Trail 5 days and 4 nights Network is located in the Piscacucho km 82 community, in the district of Ollantaytambo, province of Urubamba.
Most people will get to Cusco by air. Please remember that the Cusco airport is for domestic travel only. If you come directly from overseas through Lima, you must get your bags in Lima and re-check them for your flight to Cusco. Four airline carriers fly roundtrip between Lima and Cusco. That includes LATAM Airlines, AVIANCA Airlines, Star Peru, and Peruvian Airlines. They all offer similar schedules and in-flight service, but we usually recommend either LATAM airlines or AVIANCA. They tend to be the most helpful when unexpected flight cancellations or delays occur
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is a 26 miles/42Km stretch of a stone-paved road built by the Incas in the XV century which was rediscovered in the year 1911. It is considered the best and most beautiful hiking destination of South America.
In the present, it takes on average four days for people to complete the entire length of the inca trail to Machu Picchu. Archeologists have widely heralded the Inca road system as one of the feats of civil engineering in the New World, which is only comparable to the famous ancient Roman roads.
At the height of the Incan empire, these inca trails stretched for over 40,000 Km / 25,000 miles, linking its capital, the city of Cusco (Qosqo in the native language of the Inca), to its far-flung domains, and crisscrossing some of the world’s most rugged and inhospitable terrains. It is a hundred percent proved that the Incas built upon, improved, and expanded the roads left by the people and nations that preceded them and the conquered people.
All the infrastructure built along the inca trail network, such as bridges, waypoints, checkpoints, garrisons, administrative centers, and religious shrines, were thought to be part of a whole that manifested the power of the Inca Empire. The inca trails were considered fundamental to the functioning of their political, social, religious, and economic system. They were used as a tool of coercion and persuasion of the people that lived under their domain. The inca trail displayed their disposition to perpetuate their power and influence over the inhabitants of these lands for generations to come.
Two main inca trails were running in parallel from south to north, one through the highlands of the Andean mountain range, from Quito Ecuador to the northwestern part of Argentina in Tucuman, and the other stretching along the coast all the way from Tumbes in northern Peru to the Maule river in Chile, crossing hundreds of rivers and ending in the Pacific ocean and the Atacama desert.
Just as these inca trails were fundamental to the expansion of the power of the Inca People from Cusco, they also played a key role in the defeat of the Inca at the hands of the European conquerors coming from Spain. They facilitated the movement of troops and resources fundamental to the success of the Spanish forces in taking over the Inca Empire.
The Inca trail trek is famous because it provides hikers the only way to arrive in Machu Picchu by means of hiking. Upon the re-discovery of Machu Picchu by the American scholar Hiram Bingham, the Inca trail to machu picchu was also brought back to life.
Teams of archaeologists and local peasants explored what remained of this ancient inca trail, finding many Incan complexes and temples along the way that became some of their most beautiful attractions. Machu Picchu was named a UNESCO world heritage site in 1983, and one of the seven new wonders of the world in 2003, which made it a famous must-see travel destination.
The Inca Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu began receiving more tourists when Peru entered into a phase of pacification in coming out of a kind of civil war that bled the country from the early ’80s up until the mid-’90s. By the end of the last century, thousands of people flocked to this beautiful destination to arrive in the Sungate of Machu Picchu at sunrise. Only the people who hike the trail to machu piccu can experience such an event.
Just like every other outdoor activity, hiking involves a dose of risk-taking. However, the Machu Picchu hike is not dangerous at all.
There are no places where one’s safety might be compromised. In any case, the best way to minimize any danger level is by acting proactively and taking the necessary measures to prevent any such situations. For instance, proper acclimatization will prevent you from getting altitude sickness, which is the number one reason why people fall ill.
ESSENTIAL TRIP INFORMATIONESSENTIAL TRIP INFORMATION
ESSENTIAL TRIP INFORMATION ESSENTIAL TRIP INFORMATION
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
View Essential Trip InformationBest Season to TravelBest Season to Travel
The best time to visit Peru is during the dry season, between May and November, when the weather is dry and bright, with more frequent rainfall occurring between November and April.
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DecemberPRICE & AVAILABILITYPRICE & AVAILABILITY
PRICE & AVAILABILITY
To book this tour, a minimum of $ 500 USD per person is required, the remaining balance will be paid upon arrival in Peru, at the Cusco office.
Any other additional information, please coordinate with your travel agent.
Choose your preferred departure date to proceed.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE INCA TRAIL PERMITS TO MACHU PICCHU
The Inca trail to Machu Picchu is one of the most fascinating excursions and full of much history, this is a religious type trail that at the time of the Inca empire was only used by the families closest to the Inca leader. Currently it is still possible to see their temples, aqueducts, houses and cultivation terraces that are preserved just as they left it more than 500 years ago.
Due to all the aforementioned connotations, many travelers want to visit this route to Machu Picchu every year, so the reservation for this attraction must be made at least 6 months in advance.
When Andean Great Treks receives your reservation request, it will immediately try to coordinate the reservation of your tickets for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, for this our work team must evaluate that the necessary spaces are available for you and your crew of cooks, porters and guides. Since according to the Inca Trail regulations, our company takes care of the health and protection of the worker, so each of our porters will only carry the allowed weights. We usually work with small groups (2 to 8 travelers) in private service for which we assign a sufficient number of porters who carry all the equipment such as tents, chairs, tables and food.
What to expect from our
Treks in Peru
Nothing gets you closer to a country than walking through it, and we’ve got trips to suit walkers of all levels and interests.
How fit do I need to be?
All our Walking trips are graded from ‘Easy’ through to ‘Challenging to Tough’. On our online trip itineraries you’ll find a chart showing the daily walk distances, timings and information on the route including the terrain, altitude. Generally, no specific training is needed but you might feel more comfortable if you’ve got out walking a few times in the lead-up to your trip.
What will the group be like?
As with all our trips, every group is different but the ‘average’ group consists of roughly half couples and half solo travellers - all sharing a passion for exploring the world on foot. You’ll always have someone to keep you company along the route, but you don’t always have to walk together. Wherever possible your Andean Great Treks leader will allow everyone to walk at their own pace, regrouping regularly along the route.
Will I need to walk every day?
Mostly of our hikes in the mountains in Peru and Cusco like the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Ausangate Trek, Lares Trek, Ancascocha Trek, Salkantay Trek , involves an average of walking hours of 7-8 hours per day, this timing includes stops for taking photos, lunch, breaks for recovery the energy, and the most important we adapt to your walking pace. This relaxed style of trip involves to know all the attractions in greater depth.
What about the logistics?
On nearly all our Walking trips, porters or mules will carry all the camping equimpent, so your main luggage will be transported for you. We recommend walk with a light rucksack, you will carry water, snacks, a camera, a small first aid kit and any extra clothing or sun protection. On more remote or challenging treks, additional guides are there to assist the leader tour guide and provide support to the group.
INCA TRAIL FAQs
WHAT IS THE ALTITUDE OF THE INCA TRAIL HIKE ?
Along the trek, you will walk through different terrains, and experience diverse microclimates and altitudes. All of these factors contribute to the great biodiversity that is unique to this area.
- Lowest altitude is 2050 m / 6561 ft – Aguas Calientes town (last day)
- Highest altitude is 4200 m / 13779 ft – Warmiwañusca Pass or Dead Woman’s Pass (second day)
DOES THE 4 DAY / 3 NIGHT INCA TRAIL HIKE INLCUDE THE ENTRANCE TICKET TO MACHU PICCHU?
The permits or entrance ticket for the Inca Trail Hike includes the entrance to Machu Picchu citadel, but it does not include the entrance to the extra hikes to the mountains from where you can see the citadel from above.
For example, Huayna Picchu mountain costs $80 USD per person. In case, you want to hike it you have to buy the entrance ticket to the mountain in advance.
RESTRICTION ON THE AGE LIMIT FOR THE INCA TRAIL 4 DAYS
Actually, there is no government restriction on the age limit for the inca trail to machu picchu. However, because of the challenging trek, we consider it to be best for visitors above 15 years old to 55-year-old adults. Of course, they must be in good physical condition. Certainly, In case a child travels with you, you may need to hire the service of a personal porter who will assist your child along the hike and carry his backpack.
Above all, Adults over 55 years old, should have hiking experience and be in good health condition. This way, they will be able to arrive in Machu Picchu safely.
HOW HARD IS TO COMPLETE THE INCA TRAIL?
From 1 to 5 it’s 3, moderately difficult. The Inca stairways to walk up and down in different temperatures and high altitude all that makes this level of difficulty. You can rent walking poles before you start your hike. Those will help you in many ways, we would recommend you get ones if you have some issues with knees or ankles, poles would absorb some pressure from those parts and also help to keep your balance! We recommend you to have a look how to prepare yourself for the Inca Trail.
ANDEAN GREAT TREKS TOURS DIFFERENCE
UNRIVALLED KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE
Every Andean Great Treks holiday has been thoughtfully planned and crafted by our specialists. They draw on their own extensive travel experience and the guidance and expertise of our local partners to create superb holidays. Our specialists are committed to making every aspect smooth and enjoyable; they genuinely want to ensure that the holidays they create leave you with wonderful lasting memories.
AMAZING TOURS & AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES
Every Andean Great Treks traveller is accompanied by an experienced tour guide, you will be immersed in Historic cities, ancient ruins and unfamiliar landscapes are all brought to life by our carefully selected local guides. They want to share their expertise and help you make your own discoveries too; their sole mission is to ensure you enjoy every moment.
FLEXIBILITY & CHOICE
Giving you the freedom to make your holiday even more memorable. We know how much our customers look forward to their holiday and we pride ourselves on the choice and flexibility that we offer to enhance every aspect of your experience. Whether it’s getting to the airport, upgrading your room or booking an additional excursion, we can help.
GUIDED BY THE LOCAL GUIDES, TRUE EXPERTS!
Our guides are the stars of the show; it is their unrivalled knowledge, passion and expertise that will transform your tour experience from good to truly extraordinary!
Because the have grown up in the area and know it like the back of their hand, so they can help you experience whichever aspects most interest you. They’re passionate about sharing their corner of the world with you, and as you explore together, they’ll open your eyes to the intricate details, provide background to enhance your understanding of what you’re seeing, and share stories that will bring everything to life.
ALL OF OUR NATIONAL TOUR GUIDES...
- Have at least five years guiding experience
- Are fluent in English
- Are born and raised in Cusco, Lima, Manu Jungle, Puno
- Go through rigorous and ongoing training programmes
- Are at your service 24 hours a day
OUR TRAVELS SHAPE YOURS
“Your inspiration for a trip can be a single word or a highly evolved outline, but it's the conversations we have that help us understand the experience you're looking for. Meanwhile, I'm looking back on the time I spent at the destination.
‘The great thing about working with a specialist at Andean Great Treks is how they take your complete jumble of ideas and turn them into something absolutely spectacular.’
As you begin to share your ideas with your specialist, it will connect them immediately back to a time in their own travels. Conjuring a picture of the rest time they made that same discovery, reminding them how it felt.
Your specialist understands that, when the journey is right, it has the power to excite your emotions in the most profound ways after all, that was the effect on them.
They carry a treasure box of moments, captured over many journeys, into every suggestion they’ll share with you, as they ask you how you want to feel on your trip.
MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES, REAL CONNECTIONS
EXPERIENCES THAT CALL TO YOU
It’s what you do in a destination that helps bring it to life. It’s why we strive to choose experiences that help you connect to a place, absorbing a little of its complex character. Wherever your passions lie, we’ll recommend experiences that speak to you, and we’ll recommend the guide or local expert who’s most qualified to help you explore. Packing your holiday full of special experiences means some early starts and long days, but you can be sure that you’ll return home with many incredible memories! Read our Tours and check the Physical Ratings to see if the pace and activity levels are right for you.
STAYS WITH DIFFERENCE
We know that where you stay is a cherished part of your travels. So, we go to great lengths to find places to stay that exceed expectations, or go above and beyond the ordinary, whether in their character, hospitality, or location. Over the years, we’ve discovered the very best properties, trying and testing them, so we can choose the right one for you. We’ve nourished long-standing relationships with these establishments and the people who founded them, and we’ve stayed there many times often, we’ll even know which rooms have the best views (and reserve them for you).
TRAVELLING THE RIGHT WAY
Our style of travel — authentic, thoughtful, and focused on building meaningful connections to the people and places you visit — is inherently respectful and considerate of the destinations we love. We design each aspect of your trip exactly as you want it, which includes its sustainability. That might mean choosing a train journey instead of a flight, staying at eco-friendly wildlife lodges, or opting for experiences that give back to the communities you’re visiting. The choice is yours.
Responsible travel has always been at the heart of what we do. First and foremost, because it gives you the best experience, but, also because it helps to preserve the communities and landscapes you visit. This isn’t new for us we collaborated with local communities and outside experts so we can grow to be better ambassadors.
The most authentic and interesting experiences often directly benefit the local people. We prefer to buy local products that are produced in the organic farms of the Sacred Valley, we also have alliances with local artisan organizations who provide us with souvenir items for our clients, your money directly benefits the local economy.
Our style of travel — authentic, thoughtful, and focused on building meaningful connections to the people and places you visit — is inherently respectful and considerate of the destinations we love. We design each aspect of your trip exactly as you want it, which includes its sustainability. That might mean choosing a train journey instead of a flight, staying at eco-friendly wildlife lodges, or opting for experiences that give back to the communities you’re visiting. The choice is yours.
Responsible travel has always been at the heart of what we do. First and foremost, because it gives you the best experience, but, also because it helps to preserve the communities and landscapes you visit. This isn’t new for us we collaborated with local communities and outside experts so we can grow to be better ambassadors.
The most authentic and interesting experiences often directly benefit the local people. We prefer to buy local products that are produced in the organic farms of the Sacred Valley, we also have alliances with local artisan organizations who provide us with souvenir items for our clients, your money directly benefits the local economy.
WE EXPLORE WITHOUT AFFECTING THE ECOSYSTEM
We want travel to change us, and not the World
‘There’s a saying: we don’t inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. When we show you our country, this philosophy guides everything we do. It’s our responsibility to preserve the environment and wildlife, and support communities. That means using slower modes of transport, like cycling, employing local people, and working with communities who’ll benefit directly from your visit. This also gives you the best, most authentic impression of the places we want to share with you.
We prefer to buy local products in ecological bags, to avoid the use of plastic bags, likewise we teach the use of soaps and ecological products in each tour that we organize. We also work on reforestation projects with local communities who take care of landscape resources such as communal reserves, national parks.
We want travel to change us, and not the World
‘There’s a saying: we don’t inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. When we show you our country, this philosophy guides everything we do. It’s our responsibility to preserve the environment and wildlife, and support communities. That means using slower modes of transport, like cycling, employing local people, and working with communities who’ll benefit directly from your visit. This also gives you the best, most authentic impression of the places we want to share with you.
We prefer to buy local products in ecological bags, to avoid the use of plastic bags, likewise we teach the use of soaps and ecological products in each tour that we organize. We also work on reforestation projects with local communities who take care of landscape resources such as communal reserves, national parks.
DISCOVER MORE SIMILAR TOURS: INCA TRAIL HIKE TO MACHU PICCHU 5 DAYS
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CLASSIC INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU 4 DAYS
The classic Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu is one of the world's greatest hikes. Along the 45 km you will explore unique andean valleys, lush mountain forest.An exquisite architecture of the Inca sanctuaries, which will dazzle you for its fineness and location within the Andes.
INCA TRAIL EXPRESS TO MACHU PICCHU 1 DAY
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