Peru - Inca Trail itinerary

Day 1: Arrive into Cusco. Welcome meeting with your trip leader.

We recommend arriving early to take the opportunity of exploring the historic city of Cusco, founded by the Incas and subsequently expanded by the Spanish conquistadors and gently acclimatising to the altitude. Meet your trip leader and the rest of the group at the welcome meeting to receive a briefing for the adventure ahead.

Day 2: Travel to Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley. Visit artisan cooperatives and explore the historic centre.

Today we enjoy a full-day guided tour of the Sacred Valley. We visit a women’s weaving cooperative at Ccaccaccollo where we will observe the dyeing and weaving techniques and learn how this cooperative benefited the local community. We also visit a pottery-making collective at Cuyo Chico, surrounded by the ruins at Pisac, where we can see artisans crafting bowls and plates from clay as well as adobe bricks. We stop at a community-run restaurant in Huchuy Qosco. After lunch, we can choose to explore the ancient, cobbled streets at Ollantaytambo, a beautiful and charming pre-colonial town, or hike up to the terraced Inca storehouses to enjoy the stunning views across the Sacred Valley. We spend the night at a hotel in Ollantaytambo.

(Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 3: Transfer to Inca Trail and trek through valleys to the first campsite.

We transfer by private van to Piscaycucho, also known as KM82, the main starting point for the classic Inca Trail, a drive of about one hour. We meet our trek support crew or porters, cooks and guides and set off on the first day of our trek. The terrain is straight-forward and a fantastic introduction to stretch our legs and warm up for the trek ahead. We follow beautiful streams as they meander their way through Andean valleys and villages and past numerous Inca ruins such as those at Llactapata, emerging from the mountainside. We set up camp for the night and eat together in our dining tent.

5-6 hours, 11km

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 4: Follow the Inca Trail as it climbs up and over the Dead Woman’s Pass.

We set off early to tackle our ascent to Warmiwañusca, otherwise known as Dead Woman’s Pass at an altitude of 4,198m. The scenery gets progressively spectacular as the trail gradually steepens until we achieve our objective, which is also the trek’s highest point. Slow and steady wins the day and we will take every opportunity to stay well hydrated. The jaw-dropping views will be ample reward before we start our descent on the other side to our camp, where we will have ample time to relax and recuperate.

6-7 hours, 12km

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 5: Continue on the Inca Trail, passing ancient ruins and climbing passes with stunning views.

Today we cross two more passes and more ruins, signalling our nearing to Machu Picchu. The first pass is Runquraqay at 3,950m where, on a clear day, we may be able to catch a glimpse of the snow-capped Cordillera Vilcabamba. We continue through cloud forest on a gentle climb to the second pass of the day, walking through original Inca constructions. The highest point of the pass is 3,700m with views of the Urubamba Valley. We will camp at either the ruins of Phuyupatamarca at 3,650m, or continue further down the valley to the Wiñay Wayna ruins at 2,650m.

9 hours, 16km

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 6: Trek in to Machu Picchu. Enjoy a guided tour of the citadel of Machu Picchu. Return to Cusco via train.

We set off pre-dawn to reach Inti Punku (the fabled Sun Gate) as early as possible. This strategic location affords us our first breath-taking views of Machu Picchu and it was believed that this was the point used to control access to the citadel. From here, we walk down to the main visitor entrance to Machu Picchu to await our entry. We will enjoy a guided tour of the UNESCO World Heritage site which will help us to gain a greater insight and understanding of its enigmatic inhabitants. Afterwards, we will have some free time to explore the numerous sacred temples and royal residencies and just soak up the incredible atmosphere of what promises to be an unforgettable experience. From here we will catch a shuttle bus which will wind its way down the zig-zagging road to the road-head town of Aguas Calientes. We board a train for one for most scenic short rail journeys in the world (approximately 2-3 hours) as we head back to Ollantaytambo and transfer via private bus back to Cusco (approximately 2 hours).

2-3 hours, 6km (plus 2 hours for guided tour)

(Breakfast)

Day 7: Depart from Cusco

Tour services end leaving you to depart at your convenience.

(Breakfast)