7 Days Trek Along The Inca Trail To Machu Picchu

For most flight itineraries on the Miami to Lima, it will departure at 2:00 am arriving at 6:40 am in Lima-Peru.  Upon your arrival to Lima-Peru, you need to get your connecting flight to Cusco. Domestic flights are departing within the same airport premises, thus, it will not be difficult to find the domestic desk to check your flight.  Your connection flight is scheduled for 09:35 am arriving in Cusco at 10:55 am so you will be welcome to your Long Tour Machu Picchu at the airport.

At this stage, either you can enjoy the Inca city and colonial heritage on your own and provide you some tips to eat at some local restaurants.  Or you might want to rest and wait until later on in the evening when Cusco city shows off its nightlife. At night time, there are several places to have a delightful night and eat too.

Your other option for this first part of your Long Tour Machu Picchu is to get onto a half day tour at an additional price of USD 30 per person. The  half day city tour starting at 13:00 hrs and cover the following places:

• The Koricancha: Temple of the sun.

• The Cathedral: Marvel of the religious art.

• Sacsayhuaman: Majestic place with impressive works in stone, some up to 120 tons.

• Q´enqo: (Labyrinth) a religious center dedicated to the adoration of the Earth.

• Puca Pucara: (reddish place) that was used as a military control center.

• Tambomachay: (Temple of the Water) a center of adoration and worship of water.

Included:

• Transportation

• Professional English speaking guide.

Not included:

• Tourist ticket for entrance to attractions (extra USD 33)

• Dinner

• Gratuity

Today you have the choice: stay in Cusco and or to get an optional tour to the Sacred Valley. As you know The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is one of the most famous routes worldwide and begins at some point within this Sacred Valley. The Sacred Valley is one of the most representative and beautiful landscapes of Cusco.  

We need to leave Cusco during the morning around 08:00 am and head towards Pisac village.  We have chosen this location as part of our Long Tour Machu Picchu because Pisac offers you a fantastic artisans market and a well preserved Inca architecture of the same name as the village.  The artisans market is worthy to visit as all the hand made products are using organic materials, very well made and designed too.

After being in Pisac market,  the Inca ruins in this valley of Pisac is awaiting our visit.  We will head up on private transport and to have also a panoramic view of this impressive and beautiful Sacred Valley.

If visiting Pisac did charm you, then Ollantaytambo will not be less.  We are leaving Pisac in the direction to Urubamba towards Ollantaytambo but before getting to our final destination, we will have a lunch break (not included) on the way.  

Our Long Tour Machu Picchu, to Ollantaytambo Inca site, shows you the magnificent temple of the sun.  This Inca tour shows you also the enormous blocks of rock perfectly carved and polished, stone water fountains, stairs, and terraces similar in a way to Machu Picchu.

Looking at the people of Ollantaytambo, you will notice, their pride in keeping their traditions reflected in their beautifully wearing of typical dresses.  This village is surrounded by its local sacred mountains and Valleys.

Finished our journey to Ollantaytambo, we will be visiting Chinchero market and then return to Cusco at about 18:30-19:00 hours.

Optional: Full day sacred valley tour

Included:

• Transportation

• Professional English speaking guide.

Not included:

• Tourist ticket (extra USD 25 aprox - consult)

• Meals

• Gratuity.

P.S: Tonight we will have a briefing on next day tour at 7:00pm at the hotel lobby.

The total distance to be covered today is 12 km (5 to 6 hours approx.) Breakfast: is not included on this day.

We will pick you up between 4:00 and 4:30 am unless stated otherwise in the briefing, we will be there to leave on time Cusco city.

We will be heading to ‘Piscacucho’ but before that our first stop will be at Ollantaytambo on the way to the Sacred Valley and get there our breakfast.  Finished our first stop, we will continue until we get to ‘Piscacucho’ and get our check-in. We will need to show our passport, student ID, tickets, etc at the control point.  Remember there is limited access to the Inca Trail.

This is the moment to use restrooms, applying sunscreen, insect repellent, etc. We have ahead a marvelous Inca Valley,  used by the great Inca master himself and its royal courtship, to get to Machu Picchu. Now, you are so lucky in tracing the Inca steps all the way of what it was for them a meaningful sacred journey.  

The Trail begins at 2,720m / 8,923 ft and we will be heading across the Vilcanota River on the right side. But the path soon begins to get abruptly lean through the cloud forest. In time will spot the great views of an Inca Fortress called 'Huillca Raccay', as well as the vast and incredible Inca site of 'Patallacta'.  Also, we will see the Urubamba mountain range that divides the jungle, the Andes and the beautiful snow-capped peak of 'W'akay Willca' at 5, 860m /19,225 ft, known as Veronica.

There was so much beauty to admire on this first day out of the Inca Trail 4 day hike,  an incredible encounter with the Andean nature. Now we will set up our first campsite near the small village of Wayllabamba 3, 000m / 9, 842ft in the temperate valley of the same name. Temperatures at night are around 5ºC (depending on the month).

Total distance to be covered on day 2: 16 km (about 8 to 9 hours).

After you have finished your breakfast made by our cooks we will get ready for the day ahead of us.  It is 5:30 am but we will need most of the daylight and strength for what it comes next on our trek.

We will climb a steep ascent which it will take us some hours to achieve. For the Inca, this was part of pilgrimage route, a sacred one, to become one with the Apus (mountains) or the gods protecting the Andes.

After some hours we have reached the highest pass at Abra de Warrmihuañusca or 'Dead Woman's Pass' at 4,200 m / 13,779 ft. This was not an easy task, and you should be proud of yourself because is not easy to get to this point.

After a rest, we begin the descent to our lunch stop which is located at Pacaymayu at 3, 550m /11,646 ft. As we are passing, we will be able to see lots of hummingbirds as well as other birds species. Also, we will appreciate an incredible variety of native plants, trees such as the ´Polylepis´ which only grow in the cloud forest located at 3,650m /11,972ft.

After lunch, we will take another 2 hours steep climb to Runkurakay pass at almost 4,000m and set up our campsite by 5 pm.

Temperatures at this campsite are around 4ºC during the night.

It’s great camping surrounded by incredible landscapes and seeing a unique Andean flora and fauna.

Total distance to be covered on day 3: 10km (5 hours more or less).

Once you have uploaded all the energy you need by finishing your breakfast, we will get ready to follow our trail.   A gentle climb will lead us to our first stop at the archaeological site of 'Phuyupatamarca' meaning 'Town in the Clouds' and reach the third highest point on the trail 3, 680 m.

The views of the mountains, canyons, and surrounding areas are spectacular!

As we are walking to third pass the Inca site of 'Phuyupatamarca'. Then we continue walking 3,000 steps through the cloud forest at the impressive agricultural Inca site of 'Intipata'.  Later on, during our trail, we will arrive at our third campsite Wiñay Wayna at 2,680m/8, 792 ft.

We have walked so far between 4 to 5 hours and will arrive at camp by lunchtime.  A short distance from our campsite is located the Inca site of the same name 'Wiñay Wayna' or 'Forever Young' which is a must to visit and now we are close to complete the Inca Trail hike.

Temperatures during the night are about 12º.

The Inca was the son of 'Inti' (The Sun) and only him was allowed to do this trail as it was its path to the glory among the Apus and enjoyment of his royal house, Machu Picchu.  You are now become part of the Royalty too or feel like it as you have mixed with the Apus on this spiritual journey. Thus, after completing the Inca Trail things are not going to be the same any longer.

Total distance to be covered on day 4: 5 km (around 2 hours).

It is time to wake up, have an early breakfast and get on the road again. On this early start,  we have to get to 'Intipunku' ('Sun gate') (2,730 m / 8,792 ft) before sunrise. You will get your first great view of Machu Picchu (2,400m / 7,873 ft) with the sun rising over it.   

We will spend some time there taking the impressive tour of the ancient city, including the royal house of the Inca.  After some time there, we will walk down the last part of the trail to a spot where you can take the classic postcard picture of the city, and then you´ll have the guided tour to know everything about the archeological site.

Our guide will let you enjoy 2 more hours tour on your own to discover the citadel or to make the hike to any of the mountains: Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu Mountain. Once you’ve finished we will meet our guide in Aguas Calientes, you can get there whether by bus or by foot.

We will have lunch in Aguas Calientes and our guide will give you the tickets back to Cusco. The first train to Ollantaytambo and then bus to Cusco.

You can stay an extra night in Aguas Calientes because this option allows time to explore Machu Picchu again or you can also enjoy the springs in Aguas Calientes.

Please note: allocations or Itineraries are subject to change depending on the time of bookings and campsites provided by INC (National Culture Institute that runs the Inca Trail).

Your flight back to Lima has been scheduled at 19:15 hours and getting to Lima by 20:40 hours. At Lima airport, you will have to wait for your early flight connection back to Miami.