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THE TRAIL: The Inca Trail is a 4-day, 3-night ancient trail that takes people from km 82 to Machu Picchu. It is known in the native Quechua language as “El Qhapaq Ñan” and is made up of a complex road system that includes pre-Inca and Inca roads. During the 15th century, the Incas unified and built this system as part of a great political, military, ideological, and administrative project known as Tawantinsuyu.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES: During the 4-day, 3-night Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, you will have the opportunity to visit several archaeological sites, including Patallacta/Llactapata, Runkurakay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca, Inti Pata, Winay Wayna, Intipunku, and Machu Picchu.
CLIMATE: Cusco has two climates: rainy weather and dry weather. The weather is varied and unpredictable and depends on the month.
Rainy months: January, February, and March. In February, the Inca Trail is closed for heavy rains and maintenance.
Coldest months: May, June, and July. During the day, it is very hot, and at night, it is very cold. These months are considered “friaje” months. During the day, the temperature is around 21°C (70°F), and at night, it drops to -1°C (30°F).
DAY 1: CUSCO – KM82 – AYAPATA
Walking distance: 14 km
Elevation at the beginning of the hike: 2,720 m/8,923 ft.
Elevation of the campsite: 3,300 m/10,829 ft.
Difficulty of hike: moderate
Climate: warm to cold
Archaeological sites to visit: Ccanabamba and Llactapata
DAY 2: AYAPATA – PASS OF DEAD WOMEN – RUNKURACCAY PASS – CHAQUICCOCHA
Hiking distance: 16 km
Elevation at the beginning of the trek: 3,300 m/10,829 ft.
Elevation of the campsite: 3,600 m/11,800 ft.
Difficulty of the hike: challenging
Climate: cold
Archaeological sites to visit: Runkuraccay and Sayacmarca
DAY 3: CHAQUICCOCHA – PHUYUPATAMARCA PASS – WIÑAYWAYNA
Walking distance: 10 km
Elevation at the beginning of the trek: 3,600 m/11,800 ft.
Elevation of the campsite: 2,680 m/8,792 ft.
Difficulty of the hike: challenging
Climate: cold
Archaeological sites to visit: Phuyupatarmarca, Intipata, and Wiñay Wayna
DAY 4: MACHU PICCHU – THE SACRED CITY OF THE INCAS
Walking distance: 6 km
Elevation at the beginning of the hike: 2,680 m/8,792 ft.
Elevation of Machu Picchu: 2,400 m/7,873 ft.
Difficulty of the hike: moderate
Climate: warm
Archaeological site to visit: Machu Picchu City Tour
THE TRAIL: The Inca Trail is a 4-day, 3-night ancient trail that takes people from km 82 to Machu Picchu. It is known in the native Quechua language as “El Qhapaq Ñan” and is made up of a complex road system that includes pre-Inca and Inca roads. During the 15th century, the Incas unified and built this system as part of a great political, military, ideological, and administrative project known as Tawantinsuyu.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES: During the 4-day, 3-night Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, you will have the opportunity to visit several archaeological sites, including Patallacta/Llactapata, Runkurakay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca, Inti Pata, Winay Wayna, Intipunku, and Machu Picchu.
CLIMATE: Cusco has two climates: rainy weather and dry weather. The weather is varied and unpredictable and depends on the month.
Rainy months: January, February, and March. In February, the Inca Trail is closed for heavy rains and maintenance.
Coldest months: May, June, and July. During the day, it is very hot, and at night, it is very cold. These months are considered “friaje” months. During the day, the temperature is around 21°C (70°F), and at night, it drops to -1°C (30°F).
Day 1: Cusco – Piskacucho Km 82 – Llactapata – Ayapata Camp
Peru Infinite Travel will pick you up from your hotel in private transportation between 4:00 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. We will head to Ollantaytambo to have breakfast (not included) and for any last minute shopping for necessary items for the 4 days of the Inca Trail. After breakfast, we will continue our journey to Piscacucho, which is the starting point of the Inca Trail at kilometer 82. Here, we will have time to use the restrooms and make any final arrangements with our camping equipment before passing through the first checkpoint.
After the checkpoint, we will hike for approximately 3 hours until we reach the site of Llactapata for a brief archaeological visit. We will then continue hiking for another 2.5 hours to reach our lunch spot. After lunch, we will hike for an additional 2.5 hours to arrive at our first campsite in Ayapata, which is at an altitude of 3,300 meters or 10,800 feet above sea level. We should arrive at camp by approximately 5:00 p.m. Here, our guide will introduce you to our support staff, including the porters and cooks. You will also have the opportunity to meet them. Our support staff will prepare tea time while our guide briefs you about the next day’s schedule. Finally, dinner will be served and we will rest up for the longest day of the trek tomorrow.
Hiking distance: 8.7 miles/14 km (6-7 hours)
Camp Altitude: 3300 meters / 10,800 feet above sea level
Difficulty: Moderate (Getting used to the Inca Trail)
Climate: Warm with presence of wind.
Day 2: Dead Woman’s Pass (WARMIWAÑUSCA)- Runcuraccay Pass – Chaquiccocha
You will be awakened by our support staff at 5:00 am with a cup of coca tea. After packing your personal belongings, you will be served an Andean breakfast at 5:30 am. Before starting the hike, you will have time to use the restrooms and receive water for your respective bottles.
We will begin our 2-hour hike, ascending 500 meters through an Andean forest with endemic trees until we reach Llulluchapampa, located at an altitude of 3800 meters / 12,460 feet. There, we will take a rest for 15 minutes, use the restrooms, and take pictures of the landscape. After the break, we will ascend 400 meters / 1,300 feet for 2 hours on a path of steps exposed to the sun and nature until we reach the pass of the dead woman, known in Quechua language as Warmiwañusca, located at an altitude of 4,215 meters / 13,800 feet. We will rest and enjoy the view, taking pictures of the landscape, especially of the surrounding mountains. We will then descend for 2 hours by steps to our lunch spot, Pacaymayo. Our support staff will have lunch ready and prepared. After lunch, we will rest for 20 minutes before starting our 1-hour hike to the archaeological site of Runkurakay. Our guide will give you information about the site. After the guided visit, we will walk for another hour to reach the second pass, Runkurakay, which is located at 4000 meters / 13,100 feet. We will rest and take pictures before descending for an hour and a half to the archaeological site of Sayacmarka, where we will visit with our guide and learn about the history of the Incas. After the guide, we will walk for 25 more minutes to reach our camp, Chaquicocha, located at 3600 meters. We will have tea time, and our guide will provide information about the next day. Dinner will be served, and after dinner, we will rest.
Hiking distance: 9.94 miles / 16 km (10 hours)
Camp altitude: 3600 meters / 11,800 feet.
Considered: Main day (you will have survived the two Inca Passes).
Area: Andes and Cloud Forest
Climate: Cold and rainy
Day 3: Chaquiccocha – Phuyupatamarka – Intipata – Wiñaywayna
On this day, we will wake up at 06:00 am with coca tea. After breakfast, we will begin our 2-hour hike through a cloud forest, where we will observe the beautiful flora of the place with orchids, shrubs, and endemic trees, until we reach the third pass known as Phuyupatamarka, located at 3600 meters / 11,800 feet. From this point, we will be able to observe the summit of Machu Picchu mountain. After a rest, we will begin to descend to the archaeological site of the same name, Phuyupatamarka, where our guide will give us information about the site. Once the guide is finished, we will start descending stairs for 3 hours to the archaeological site of Intipata, located at 2700 meters / 8,850 feet, where we will take many pictures and observe the Urubamba Valley. We will descend for 20 more minutes and arrive at our lunch spot, which at the same time will be our campsite, known as Wiñaywayna. We will have lunch, and then your guide will give you free time to rest for 2 hours. At approximately 4:30 pm, we will meet to have a short walk of 20 minutes to reach the archaeological site of Wiñaywayna, unique in the area because of its location, where the Incas used to celebrate ceremonies in honor of the water. Afterwards, your guide will give you free time to have a moment of meditation. At 5:30 pm, you will have tea time and then dinner. After dinner, you will have the opportunity to meet again with our support staff to say goodbye to them after 3 days of trekking. At this time, we will be able to give our personal appreciation to each of our porters and cooks. Then, we will go to sleep.
Hiking distance: 6.5 miles / 10 km (6 hours)
Camp altitude: 2,600 meters / 8,500 feet above sea level.
Considered: Easy day – All downhill!
Area: High cloud forest
Climate: Warm and very humid.
Translation is correct.
Day 4: Wiñaywayna – Sun Gate (Inti Punku) – Machu Picchu
Our support staff will wake you up at 3:30 am. We will have breakfast at 4:00 am and then wait at the last checkpoint which opens at 5:30 am. We will start walking along an easy trail for 1 hour until we reach the archaeological site known as the Sun Gate (Inti Punku), from where Machu Picchu and the sunrise can be observed. Then we will descend for 45 minutes to the top of Machu Picchu, known as the Guardian’s House, to take classic photos. After our free time, we will descend to the exit gate to use the restrooms. Our guide will hand out the entrance tickets to Machu Picchu and we will all enter as a group again to have our 2-hour guided tour. At the end of the guided tour, we will board the bus that will take us to the town of Aguas Calientes, where we will have our last lunch (not included). Then, the guide will give you your return train tickets. You should be at the train station 30 minutes before. The train ride will take 2 hours to reach the town of Ollantaytambo. In Ollantaytambo, our driver will be waiting for you to take you back to the city of Cusco and then drop you off at the hotel of your choice.
Considered: The most magical and exciting day (early start at 3:30 AM).
Area: Subtropical forest and high cloud forest
Weather: Warm and very humid (bring water)
Translation is correct!
Orientation: The night before starting the trek, you will attend an orientation meeting where we will provide you with information about the 4-day Inca Trail trek. If you have paid for an extra porter, you will receive a bag with the company’s logo that you can use to carry your personal belongings during the trek. Please note that the weight of this bag cannot exceed 7 kilograms (14 pounds).
Professional Guides: Our guides are highly experienced and serve as ambassadors of our culture.
Permits: Upon making your reservation with a deposit, we will purchase your entrance ticket to the Inca Trail. Once purchased, the ticket cannot be transferred to another person. However, you may change the passport number for renewal purposes. In such cases, you must bring both your old and new passports.
Porters: Our porters will carry part of the camping equipment and your rented bags, including the 7-kilogram bag.
Camping Equipment: You will have spacious tents to accommodate two people, sharing an Eureka Timberline tent with a capacity of four people. Additionally, our porters will carry a dining tent, kitchen tent, tables, chairs, and cooking utensils.
First Aid Kit: Our guide will carry a first aid kit with basic medicines to treat altitude sickness, cuts, diarrhea, etc. The guide will also carry a small oxygen tank.
24/7 Customer Service.
Meals: You will be provided with three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners.
Wake-Up Tea: Every morning from day 2 onwards, our support staff will wake you up with mate de coca and take you to your camp tent with coffee with milk, black coffee, hot chocolate, or your preferred beverage.
Water for the Trek: Cold boiled water will be provided from after the first lunch on day 1 until after the last breakfast on day 4.
Tea Time or Happy Hour: Every afternoon before dinner, we will enjoy a moment with our afternoon tea, such as hot water, popcorn, cookies, chocolate, etc., offered by our support staff.
Return Train Ticket: You will be provided with a return train ticket from Aguas Calientes town to Ollantaytambo train station. The service is Expedition and departs at either 14:55 or 15:20. If you prefer to upgrade to the Vistadome Train class, you may do so for an additional $75 per person.
Bus Ticket: On day 4, you will be provided with a bus ticket from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes town.
Private Transportation:
Day 1: We will pick you up from your hotel and transport you to kilometer 82, the starting point of the Inca Trail.
Day 4: We will pick you up and transfer you from Ollantaytambo station to Cusco city.
Note: A professional physiotherapist will provide a post-trek massage for muscle relaxation, which is included in the package.
VERY IMPORTANT:
TOILETRIES:
How many days of acclimatization do I need before starting the Inca Trail trek?
We recommend that you arrive in Cusco city at least 2 or 3 days before to adapt to the altitude and avoid possible altitude sickness during our 4 days and 3 nights tour. For this, we offer tours around the city of Cusco, such as CITY TOUR, SACRED VALLEY, MARAS MORAY, MARAS SALT MINES, WALKING TOUR, which will help you acclimatize to the altitude.
Season: The season starts from March 1 to January 31.
Road closed: February (closed by the government for maintenance).
Briefing:
Briefing meetings are held one night before the start of the hike. You will get information about the 4 days and 3 nights of the tour. This meeting lasts approximately 30 to 45 minutes. In case you are unable to attend, you must let us know by mail so that we can arrange your meeting with your guide on another date or at another time.
Payment of the balance of the trek (in Cusco):
Payment of the balance of the trek must be made at the time of the meeting or one day before. We would appreciate it if you pay the balance in cash. You will have the option of withdrawing money at ATMs in Cusco’s Plaza de Armas or on Avenida El Sol, which is Cusco’s commercial street, where you will find banks, ATMs, etc. We do not accept bank checks or traveler’s checks.
Travel bag or duffel bag:
If you pay for an extra porter, you will receive a duffel bag or travel bag, and a porter will carry this bag with your clothes, sleeping bag and sleeping mat, which you will use for the 4 days. The cost of paying for an extra porter is USD 70 dollars for 6 kilos and USD 140 dollars for 12 kilos.
NOTE: If you do not wish to rent an extra porter, you will have to carry your clothes, sleeping bag and sleeping mat in your backpack for the 4 days. Our recommendation is to rent an extra porter so that you can walk comfortably and enjoy your trip.
Huayna Picchu / Machu Picchu Mountain:
The citadel of Machu Picchu is most beautiful when seen from above, so hiking up one of the mountains next to the ruins is best.
Huayna Picchu: This is the most popular and must be booked in advance, as it sells out very quickly. This hike takes approximately 45 minutes to the top and another 45 minutes down. Tickets are sold in time sessions that indicate when you can start this hike.
First session: from 7 a. m. to 8 a. m. Second session: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
This refers to the time period in which you can begin your walk. Normally, we reserve the second session so that you can enjoy your tour of the Machu Picchu citadel with your guide. Afterwards, you will do this hike on your own, although your guide will show you where to start.
Machu Picchu Mountain: The hike to Machu Picchu Mountain is slightly longer than the one to Huayna Picchu. It takes approximately 1.5 hours to ascend to the top and another 1.5 hours to descend.
The first session to start the hike is from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., and the second session is from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Peru Infinite Travel will provide the second session for this tour.
Strikes and demonstrations are unfortunately common in Peru, and they can disrupt our tours. If roads are blocked and trains are stopped, we will do our best to ensure your trek continues as planned, even if that means leaving the night before the start date. However, in some cases, tours may need to be cancelled. Our operations department will coordinate with you in such situations, and your safety is always our top priority.
Each client is responsible for their belongings throughout the tour. Please be careful where you leave your items, and remember to pick up all items from our vans, stores, restaurants, etc. Other hikers or teams may accidentally pick them up.
After your visit to Machu Picchu, logistics will be required to return to the city of Cusco. Here are some of the logistics that are included in the tour:
