Classic Inca Trail 4D/3N

Today begins your adventure of a lifetime with the Classic Inca Trail!  Your guide will pick you up from your Cusco hotel in our van at 4:30am.  Then we travel to Piskacucho, which is known as Kilometer 82, where the Classic Inca Trail begins.  Along the way, we stop for a wonderful breakfast in Ollantaytambo at about 6:30-7:00am to perpare for our first big day.

Arriving at KM82 (8:30am), we will finish organizing ourselves, use the restrooms, apply sunscreen and insect repellent. Here you meet the porter and give them your duffel bag, keeping only a small daypack with the essentials you need during the hike. Check our packing list for more information. Once at the Inca Trail checkpoint, be ready to show your passports and your student ID card, (if you booked as a student) your guide will have all of your permits and tickets.

At the start of the trail (2,720m/8,923ft) you will cross the Vilcanota River and follow its scenic route. The first day is relatively easy, a warm-up along the rolling “Inca flat terrain.”  There you will enjoy great views of the Inca Fortress of Huillca Raccay, the vast and incredible Inca site of Llactapata, (also called Patallacta), the Urubamba mountain range that divides the jungle, the Andes Mountains and the beautiful snow-capped peak of Veronica (5,860m/19,225ft), also known as W’akay Willca. You stop for your first gourmet lunch at Hatunchaca, after you only have about three hours of walking to camp.

Our first campsite is about 2 hours past the small village of Wayllabamba (3,000m/9,842ft) located in the temperate green valley of the same name. Temperatures at night can be as low as 5ºC, depending on the season. It is generally colder in the dry season from May to September.

When you arrive at camp, your afternoon tea and appetizers will be waiting. Settle into your tent, which will already be set up for you.

• Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, snacks, afternoon tea and dinner
• Accommodation: Camping facilities
• Distance: 12kms/7.5mls (about 6 hours hiking)
• Difficulty: Easy/Moderate

Your guide will wake you up with a hot mug of tea or coffee at 5:30am, feel a bit spoilt as you enjoy this hot drink in your sleeping bag before getting up for a delicious and hearty breakfast. With your daypacks as light as possible, you start a steep ascent towards the highest pass, Abra de Warmihuañusca, also known as Dead Woman’s Pass at (4,200m/13,779ft).  On your way up towards the pass, you will see an array of hummingbirds and a variety of other species of birds. There will be plenty of time to appreciate the incredible variety of native plants and the Polylepis, or Q’ueuña trees, which grow in the astonishing cloud forest located at (3,650m/11,972ft)! On this day, you will feel a real sense of achievement reaching the top! After a well-deserved break for photos, you begin the descent towards your lunch spot, which is located at Pacaymayu (3,550m/11,646ft).

After a gourmet lunch, you begin the second two-hour steep climb towards Runkuraqay pass (4,000m/13,123ft). You arrive at your campsite by 5 pm, where your afternoon tea and appetizers are waiting for you. Temperatures at this campsite are around 4ºC during the night.

• Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, snacks, afternoon tea and dinner
• Accommodation: Camping facilities
• Distance: 16kms/10mls (about 9 hours hiking)
• Difficulty: Moderate/challenging

This is the most impressive day so far, so keep this in mind as you ascend on day three! The guide will wake you up at 6am with a hot mug of tea or coffee in your tent before you get up for breakfast. Start the day with a gentle climb towards the archaeological site of Phuyupatamarca, which means “Village in the Clouds”.  Here, reach the third highest point along the Inca trail (3,680m/12,073ft). The views of the mountains, canyons and surrounding areas are without a doubt spectacular!

The extensive Inca site of Phuyupatamarca, is located a few minutes’ walk from the third pass.  After visiting this site, continue walking down 3,000 stairs through the cloud forest to the impressive Inca site of Intipata. Descend from the mountains, feel the temperature rise. From here you are approaching not only Machu Picchu, but also the beginning of the Amazon jungle! After taking some time to visit Intipata, continue to the third campsite Wiñay Wayna (2,680m/8,792ft). Today, only walk about 4 to 5 hours, arrive at camp by lunchtime.  Temperatures during the night are about 12º C.

A short walk from your campsite is the famous Inca site of Wiñay Wayna which means “Forever Young” in Quechua. It is named after a special orchid which grows abundantly in the area.

• Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, snacks, afternoon tea and dinner
• Accommodation: Camping facilities
• Distance: 10kms/6.2mls (about 5 hours hiking)
• Difficulty: Moderate

Wake up time is at 3:30 AM. We’ll eat breakfast at 4:00 AM and wait at the checkpoint to be one of the first to start trekking when they open the gates at 5:30 AM. This is the final part of the journey, arrive by 6:00am to the Sun Gate, also known as Inti Punku. At that point, the majestic Machu Picchu Citadel will be spread out in front with its mystic beauty – an incredible sight for all to see. At the Sun Gate, watch sunlight spreading down over the citadel like melting gold, as the sun rises from behind. Finally, walk downhill towards Machu Picchu Citadel (2,400m/7,872 ft.)

After walking about 40 minutes, enter the Citadel of Machu Picchu from the top through the “House of the Guardians”where everybody takes the famous postcard pictures of Machu Picchu.  From there, proceed towards the control point, where we register and leave any large backpacks or walking poles. You are only allowed to take small bags into Machu Picchu, such as camera bags. Walking poles are not allowed because they can damage the stones.

The guide will give a full guide tour and educate you about the history of the ruins which takes about two hours. See most of the important parts of Machu Picchu and learn about how Machu Picchu is divided into three sectors: agricultural, residential and religious.

After the tour, enjoy sometime exploring the ruins and taking photos. For those who have booked in advance for the extra hike up Huayna Picchu, check your ticket for the entrance time, the hike up will be on your own. When you have had your fill of the exceptional views of Machu Picchu, you will take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included). Depending on your train departure time, you may also have time for some shopping, sightseeing or a visit to the museum or hot springs.

The Expedition Train at 2:55 or 3:20pm will take you back to Ollantaytambo, following the spectacular Urubamba River. Close to Aguas Calientes, the canyon is narrow and the river has many beautiful sections of whitewater. See Wiñay Wayna from the train if you look up high on the steep canyon wall! Back at Ollantaytambo, the driver will meet you at the exit from the train station and drive back to the hotel in Cusco in our private vehicle. Expect to arrive at your hotel by 7:00pm.

Meals included: Breakfast
Distance: 6kms/3.7mls
Difficulty: Easy