The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu tour is a classic for lovers of hiking and landscaping. This route offers you the best experience, from the first day you will take your tour you will witness the best preserved natural and archaeological wonder of the powerful empire of the Incas. Andean Great Treks has been working on this route to Machu Picchu for more than 15 years. Thus, we offer different routes with connection to the Inca trail.
The classic 4-day Inca trail that was one of the first trails to be visited by tourists in the 60s. It continues to captivate with its landscape and archaeological charms, it is a 45 km trail, which in its 4 days offers you the best ecosystem ranging from the inter-Andean valley, subtropical mountainous forest, and the cloud forest jungle. Where the largest amount of natural flora and fauna reserves in Cusco are located. Its historical attractions in themselves describe a past full of power and magnificence, which this road represented in the Inca era. That is why you will have the opportunity to explore its religious, urban, agricultural and magical centers throughout its total area. Every day you will visit a different landscape with your route guide, who will explain and answer all your questions about this Wonder. And to finish the tour you will have the advantage of seeing the citadel of Machu Picchu from the famous Puerta del Sol.
The short Inca trail tour is designed for people who are not very used to taking long walks, however this small route will delight you with its exclusive natural attraction of beautiful orchids, waterfalls, viewpoints, and the imposing palace of Wiñaywayna, which belonged to the most famous emperor of the Incas Pachacutec. From where you can see how it has an exquisite contrast with the mountains and the Verónica snow-capped mountain. On both tours you will visit the sacred city of Machu Picchu, you will see all the most important sectors, such as the temple of the three windows, royal palace, temple of the sun, sacred rock, houses of the nobles, granaries and terraces. For all of the above, you should visit Peru, a country full of wonderful places, and the best culinary destination in South America.
With 15 years of experience in designing private trips for our amazing customers, our Inca Trail experts always focus on the quality of Inca Trail Tours to provide the unforgettable moments and highlights of each destination to travellers.
From Valley to Mountains the Inca Trail is blessed with the vast natural beauties dotted around different microclimates. The diversity of beautiful landscapes here including scenic rivers, lush dense cloud forests, uniquely shaped hills, ancient terraces, that could amaze those who are seeking epic nature photos.
The Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is know to be one of the most special archaeological sites all over the world. Throughout the route of the Inca trail there are different Inca monuments that still look full of mystery and unique beauty.
Peru is one of the most popular cuisines in the world. Peruvian culinary art offers travellers around the world a hearty feast of andean, coastal and jungle ingredients, wich flavours is a rich blend of many cultures. You will get a chance to have a tasty treat of many delicacies, different in taste and color.
Cusco is truly the home of the cultural diversity. Various lifestyle, as well as great long-lasting traditions, have made a colourful indigenous culture with a wholehearted freindliness of Peru. Our Inca Trail porters are well know to be hardworking and polite.
Discover the largest trail used by the Incas, to communicate between the sacred cities of Machu Picchu and Choquequirao, passing through the high mountains of the snowy Salkantay. Our tour is designed for lovers of the most demanding trekking circuits.
The Ausangate Trek is renowned for its otherworldly natural scenery. It’s considered by many to be one of the world’s best high-altitude treks, the trek takes hikers over several high passes, into low alpine valleys, and through traditional Peruvian villages.
Explore the Manu Amazon Rainforest & Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu, you will enjoy the best adventures in Peru, exploring amazing inca trail routes and the best amazon wildlife with our local tour guides, in small groups.
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.
Ancascocha Trek & Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu will take you through beautiful landscapes and snowy mountains surrounded by colorful lakes and waterfalls. You will discover ancient inca ruins, local flora and fauna of Machu Picchu.
Salkantay Trek and the Inca Trail Hike to Machu Picchu, you will enjoy the impressive landscape,with an incomparable variety of flora and fauna,snowy peaks,bird watching.
The salkantay trek with the short Inca trail to Machu Picchu, amazing trek with beautiful landscapes of mountains and forests, explore the original Inca trail to Machu Picchu.
The 5-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is a trek that will show you the best landscapes and Inca ruins. This option is recommended for lovers of culture and a more leisurely pace of walking.
The 2-day Inca trail to Machu Picchu, is the shortest version of the Inca trail circuits to the sacred citadel of Machu Picchu. Andean Great Treks organize this trek with the best local guides and hotels in Machu Picchu. We work only in small groups, the premium service for your delight in Cusco.
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.
The best season to do the Inca Trail hike is during the dry season. However, you should know that whether you come in the dry or rainy season, it will have advantages and disadvantages. If you do the Inca Trail from November to January, you won’t see as many tourists as during the other months. This is because the rainy season starts in November. If you do the Inca Trail from May to August, you will notice crowds of people, which means you won’t have that much privacy. However, the weather is pleasant and there is no rain.
Tips: It is important to pack light and consider the climate of the time of the year you are coming to do the inca trail 4 days. If it is during the rainy season, you need to buy a rain poncho and bring a raincoat. Wear always sunscreen no matter the time of the year.
JANUARY
Warm - Heavy Rain
20 °C / 7 °C
FEBRUARY
Warm - Heavy Rain
20 °C / 6 °C
MARCH
Warm - Light Rain
20 °C / 5 °C
APRIL
Hot - Warm
21 °C / 4 °C
MAY
Hot
21 °C / 0 °C
JUNE
Hot
20 °C / -5 °C
JULY
Hot
21 °C / -3 °C
AUGUST
Hot
21 °C / -1 °C
SEPTEMBER
Hot
21 °C / 3 °C
OCTOBER
Hot - Warm
22 °C / 5 °C
NOVEMBER
Hot - Warm
23 °C / 6 °C
DECEMBER
Warm - Light Rain
21 °C / 7 °C
Nothing gets you closer to a country than walking through it, and we’ve got trips to suit walkers of all levels and interests.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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).
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.
‘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.
‘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.
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