Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 4 Days 3 Nights

we will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at around 4:30 a.m. If you are staying in the Sacred Valley, such as Urubamba or Ollantaytambo, pickup will be slightly later after 6:30am. We then drive to Km 82, also known as Piscacucho., the starting point of the Classic Inca Trail. On the way, we will stop in Ollantaytambo for breakfast and any last-minute items you may need for the trek.

Arriving at the Km 82, trailhead by 8:30 am, where you will meet our local team of chefs and porters and give them your duffel bag, keeping only a small daypack with the essentials you need during the hike. After a short briefing, we will head to the checkpoint, present your passport at the main entrance, and begin your 4-day trek to Machu Picchu.

The first day of the Inca Trail is a gentle introduction to the route, with around 3 hours of hiking past small villages and beautiful scenery until we reach the Llactapata Inca site (2,700 m/ 8,858 ft). Here, you can visit the Inca complex of Willkaraqay and enjoy wide views over Patallacta from the lookout point. We then continue for about 1 hour to Hatunchaca, where we will stop for the lunch.

After lunch, we continue hiking for around 2 hours to Ayapata, where we will spend the night at our campsite. Once you have settled into your tents, there will be time to relax, and enjoy the mountain views. Before dinner, we will serve teatime with hot drinks, popcorn, and cookies. After dinner, you will head to bed for a good night’s rest, ready for the next day’s adventure.

Today is the most challenging day of the 4-day hike to Machu Picchu, and one of the most rewarding. After breakfast, we begin a steep ascent for about 4-hour hike to the highest pass, Abra Warmihuañusca known as Dead Woman’s Pass (4,215 m / 13,829 ft), the highest point on the Inca Trail. At the summit, we will stop to rest, take in the views, and enjoy this special moment while your guide shares local traditions and performs a traditional offering to the mountain spirits, the Apus. We then descend for about 2 hours into the Pacaymayo Alto Valley, where we will stop to enjoy a well-deserved lunch.

After lunch, the second pass feels more manageable: a 2-hour hike to Runkuraqay Pass (4,000 m / 13,123 ft), followed by another 2 hours downhill to our second campsite. Along the way, you will explore three important Inca sites: Runkuraqay, Sayacmarca, and Conchamarca. Tonight’s campsite is Chaquicocha (3,600 m / 11,811 ft), a beautiful setting with sunset views over the Vilcabamba mountain range. On clear nights, the sky offers the perfect opportunity to observe the stars and learn about the constellations of the Incas.

We will start with the day with a gentle climb and the route to our final campsite takes around 5 hours and passes through some of the most beautiful sections of the Inca Trail. You will walk through changing ecosystems, cross atmospheric cloud forest, and enjoy panoramic views of Salkantay Mountain, one of the highest peaks in the Cusco region. Along the way, we will visit two remarkable Inca sites: Phuyupatamarca (3,650m/11,975 ft), a mystical place above the clouds.

Then, we wil descend for two hour and a half hours until we reach Intipata, an agricultural place where have time to pause and enjoy the surroundings before we continue to camp, arriving at around 1:00 p.m. for lunch.

Later, we will visit the Inca site of Wiñaywayna (2,680m/8,792ft), the name of the site means “forever young” and is considered one of the most impressive stops on the whole route.

You will explore the site with guide and then back to camp, for teatime, and a small celebration with all your trekking team of guides, porters and cooks.

Afterward, it is time to get to bed early and rest well, as we will be up at dawn the next day.

On the final day of the Classic Inca Trail, we will wake up early in the morning. We will head straight to the checkpoint and wait for it to open at 5:30 a.m. As the sky begins to brighten, we will hike for about 1 hour to the Sun Gate (Intipunku), where the first panoramic view of Machu Picchu comes into sight. On a clear morning, this is one of the most iconic views of the entire route.

After taking in the views from the Sun Gate, we’ll continue on a gentle 1-hour descent toward Machu Picchu, following the scenic upper section of Circuit 1, the best spot for classic panoramic photos of the citadel. After enjoying these views, we continue down to the main entrance and the checkpoint.

Once inside, we will explore Machu Picchu Citadel (2,400 / 7,872 ft) through Circuit 3, visiting some of its most important temples, palaces, water fountains, and ceremonial spaces with one of our expert guides.

After the guided tour, you can also hike Huayna Picchu Mountain on your own with pre-booked tickets Then, you will take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch in a restaurant of your choice and then board the train to Ollanta Tambo. Upon arrival at the train station, your driver will meet you and transfer you back to your hotel in Cusco. Arriving around 8:00 pm.

Important :

On the 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, we will be doing the Circuit 1 &3, there is no way to do another circuit unless you buy an additional entrance to Machu Picchu (Circuit #2) .