Inca trail to Machu Picchu

Our team will wake you up early with a hot cup of coca tea to get you ready for the day. Today is our longest day and we will start early. We’ll hike for roughly 4 hours to the highest pass of the trek, Dead Woman’s Pass (4215 meters/13829 feet). On reaching the pass we’ll stop for a short break to enjoy the views before setting off again to descend to the next valley (Pacaymayu Valley – Hidden River). It’s another hour and a half down the side of the valley to our lunch spot and a chance to refill our water bottles. After lunch we begin ascending again to the second pass of the trek. It’s 2 hours to the pass and along the way we’ll stop at a small Inca site (Runcu Raccay) and see two huge waterfalls cascading down the opposite side of the valley. After the second pass, it’s another hour downhill hike to reach the magnificent Inca site, Sayacmarca (an otherwise inaccessible village).

We’ll stop here for a rest and have a quick tour of the site and then watch the sunset over the Vilcabamba mountain range. It’s then just another 20 minutes until we stop for the night at our second campsite Chaquicocha (Dry Lake, 3600 meters). After dinner, if you’re not too exhausted, we can do some star gazing and we’ll point out the fascinating Inca constellations. In the magnificent Southern Hemisphere sky, away from all the artificial lighting,

• Meals: Meals: Breakfast, Snacks, Lunch, Happy hour, Dinner.
• Lowest Altitude: 3300 m/10500 ft
• Highest Altitude: 4215 m/ 13700 ft
• Distance to walk: 16km/10 miles
• Approx. walk time: 10 hours
• Geography: Dry and Humid Mountain

The third day is shortest, we will hike just  6 hours, 10 kilometers or 6 miles. We start to walk around 7:00am and we will finish around 1:30pm. This day is another unbelievable day, because of the views, the vegetation, Inca sites, the Inca trail is mostly original and also we will go around the Mountain, third you will be able to see the second highest Mountain at Cusco region The SALKANTAY Mountain (6270m / 21000ft). This day is mostly jungle and downhill Inca steps.

From our campsite to the third Pass Phuyupatamarca will be 2 hours of hiking with little up and down almost flat, once you reach the third Pass you will be able to see Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu Mountain so the views are really nice, at this place there are toilets. Afterwards we will go downhill Inca steps for 3 and half hours in order to get our campsite, on the way down you will be able to visit two Inca ruins PHUYUPATAMARCA and INTIPATA, both sites are the best you should go. After Intipata ruins you walk 30 minutes more going down to get lunch around at 1:30pm.

After lunch you don´t hike any more you rest all afternoon during this free time you can take a cold shower or whatever you want to do. Later on you will visit the most beautiful Inca site along Inca Trail (Wiñayhuayna), which takes only 10 minutes walk, the tour Guide will explain everything about it  once you have done this, you go back to camp site to enjoy the happy hour and dinner, right after dinner you say goodbye to your porters and also that is the time to tip them. For us it´s important how happy you are about the services so in this case tipping is up to you.

• Meals: Meals: Breakfast, Snacks, Lunch, Happy hour, Dinner.
• Lowest Atitude: 2650 m/ 8480 ft
• Highest Altitude: 3650 m/ 11700 ft
• Distance of walking: 10km/ 6 miles
• Approximate walking time: 5 hours
• Geography: humid warm Mountain

This is the most important day, the last day, you will just hike 2 hours until Machu Picchu, but you need to get up at 3:30am approximately.

This check point still located by the camp site and opens at 5:30am, you have to do a line for about one and half hour at the check point. At 5:30am you hike officially to Machu Picchu: first will be from check point Wiñaywayna to Sungate for 1hour so and this part of trail is little up and down for 45 minutes and last 20 minutes will be up steps to get Sungate. At Sungate you will have the first views of Machu Picchu, from Sungate you really see Machu Picchu unless is cloudy. Afterwards you continue going down gently way for one more hour to reach Machu Picchu city. Once you get there you will go straight to take the postcard pictures or classic photos at Machu Picchu afterwards you go down steps to get the main check point of Machu Picchu and also you have the chance to use the toilets and rest a little bit, by the way the only toilets at Machu Picchu is by the check point make sure to use before going back in Machu Picchu.

The Tour at Machu Picchu is around 8:00am in the morning for about 2 hours and a half visiting the most important places temples, palaces, altar, etc. after the tour your tour you will have free time to visit Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu Mountain if you booked your ticket. Once you have done with Machu Picchu, you catch a bus from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes town to meet up your tour guide to provide your train ticket and have lunch together. After lunch you get ready to go back in Cusco.

Transportation back in Cusco, it will be by train and bus. From Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo town, it will be by train, which will take 1 hour and half, after that from Ollantaytambo to Cusco, it will be by our private van, which will take 2 hours.

• Meals: Breakfast, Snack.
• Lowest Altitude: 2000 m/6400 ft
• Highest Altitude: 2700 m/ 8640 ft
• Distance of walking: 5 km/ 2 miles.
• Approximate walking time: 2 hours.
• Level of Difficulty: Moderate and easy.
• Geography: warm and humid Mountain.