Classic Inca Trail Tour 4 days
Download the Tour in PDFAbout this tour
- Start: At 4 in the morning of day 1 at the door of your hotel.
- Duration: 4 days.
- Group. 16 persons (maximum).
- Type of transport: Large fully equipped minivan, train, bus.
- Tickets included (no queues): Machu Picchu Classic Entrance Ticket
- Tour guide: In English and Spanish (shared service).
- Feeding. Cooking team (3 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 3 dinners).
- Porters: They transport food and camping utensils (they do not carry the tourist’s personal luggage).
- Payment methods: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club, PayPal.
- Immediate confirmation.
Description
- Dare to do one of the best walks in the world. The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is a 4-day, 3-night route along the paths traced by the Incas hundreds of years ago. During the journey of almost 40 kilometers, the visitor will appreciate mountainous landscapes and jungles of beautiful vegetation. You will also tour the archaeological sites of Llactapata, Runkuracay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca, Wiñayhuayna and, finally, Machu Picchu, entering through the ancient “Puerta del Sol” just as the Incas did. The tour includes everything: transportation, food (cooks), tour guide, camping equipment, tour guide, permission to walk the Inca Trail and entrance to Machu Picchu. The tourist should only concentrate on reaching the Inca wonder.
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This is the experience
- Enjoy the Classic Inca Trail with the experts. The tour includes absolutely everything you need so that you only have to worry about enjoying the hike: pick-up from the hotel, transportation to the starting point for the hike, equipment for the route, porter service (to carry cooking equipment), first aid supplies, tour guide service every day, specialist cooks (breakfast, lunch, dinner), camping equipment for the evenings, entrance to Machu Picchu, return by bus and train to Cusco. Find out why this route is considered one of the best in the world.
Prices
Inca Trail Tour 4 days
Type of Train | Normal Prices | * High Season Prices |
|---|---|---|
| Expedition | 705 USD | 720 USD |
| Vistadome | 765 USD | 780 USD |
Availability
Itinerary
Day 1:
- The day before we will gather the group to get to know each other and do a ‘briefing’ of what the Inca Trail will be like.
- On day 1 we will pick you up from the door of your hotel in Cusco. Then we will board our tourist transport to go to the starting point of the trek, near the town of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
- Accompanied by the tour guide, we will advance the first section of the Inca Trail, which is a bit difficult since it is ascending for approximately 13 kilometers. From the top we will appreciate the archaeological site of Llactapata.
- In our camp we will make a stop to taste a delicious lunch. Then we will follow the route until we stop at our first camp where we will have dinner and spend the night. The camps, chosen according to availability, are Ayapata, Wayllabamba, Llaqtapata or Llulluchapampa.
Day 2:
- In the morning we will enjoy a nutritious breakfast and then continue along the 11-kilometer route winding high mountains. In this section we will cross the Warmiwañusca pass, the highest point of the entire Inca Trail at 4,215 meters above sea level (13,828 ft).
- After an intense walk, in the afternoon we will stop at our shift camp where we will have lunch.
- Finally, depending on the camp chosen for the second night, we will walk a few more kilometers or stop at the same place for lunch. The camps available are: Chaquiccocha, Pacaymayo, Llulluchapampa or Phuyupatamarca.
Day 3:
- On day 3 we will get up early to enjoy our breakfast and get ready for the walk. Because it will be almost totally downhill (approximately 16 kilometers), it is one of the easiest days and surrounded by incredible landscapes of abundant vegetation.
- During the route we will visit the Inca archaeological site of Sayacmarca. We can also visit the archaeological site of Phuyupatamarca, depending on time availability.
- Then we will continue with the route until we stop for lunch. Then we will continue with the walk until we arrive at our designated camp for that day where dinner will already be served. The camps available for that day are: Phuyupatamarca, Wiñayhuayna or Puente Ruinas.
Day 4:
- On the last day we will get up early to have a nutritious box lunch since we must start descending very early. Thus, we will arrive at Machu Picchu through the Puerta del Sol. With luck we will be able to see the sunrise in the Inca city, one of the best experiences you can have.
- We will descend to the archaeological site of Machu Picchu in the company of our tour guide who will explain every detail of the famous citadel.
- After getting to know every corner of Machu Picchu, we will leave the archaeological site to take one of the buses that will take us to the town of Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town) where we will enjoy lunch (not included in the tour) and have free time to shop. or get to know the place better.
- Finally, at the scheduled time, we will board our tourist train to go to the town of Ollantaytambo and, later, in tourist transport to the city of Cusco where the tour ends.
What is the difference between Trilha Inca Clássica and Trilha Inca Curta?
The Inca Trail tour offers two variants. The first is the Classic Inca Trail of 4 days and the second is the Short Inca Trail of only 2 days. What are the differences between both services?
Classic Inca Trail | Short Inca Trail | |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 4 days | 2 days |
| Kilometres | 39 Kilometres | 13 Kilometres |
| Start | Km. 89 of the railway to Machu Picchu | Km. 89 of the railway to Machu Picchu |
| Final | Machu Picchu and return to Cusco | Machu Picchu and return to Cusco |
| Feeding | Food by cooks (3 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 3 dinners). | Food per tourist restaurant (1 box lunch, 1 dinner and 1 breakfast). |
| Camp | 3 nights of camping under the stars (includes tent and mats). | 1 noche en un hotel turístico del pueblo de Aguas Calientes (Machupicchu pueblo). |
| Tour guide | Includes professional tour guide during the 4 days (in Spanish and English). | Includes professional tour guide during the 2 days (in Spanish and English). |
| Inca temples | Machu Picchu, Llactapata, Runkuracay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca and Wiñayhuayna. | Machu Picchu, Wiñayhuayna and Chachabamba. |
| Tour of Machu Picchu | Classic route circuit 3 | Classic route circuit 3 |
| Reservation | 5 or 6 months in advance | 2 or 3 weeks in advance |
Why is the Inca Trail the best hiking route in the world?
The Inca Trail is considered the best hiking route on the planet along with other amazing hikes such as Annapurna in Nepal, the route to Kilimanjaro in Tanzania or the route to the base of Everest also in Nepal. Learn reasons to choose the Inca Trail.
- The final destination is nothing less than Machu Picchu – The Inca Trail is a hiking route whose final destination is none other than Machu Picchu, one of the 7 wonders of the modern world. The route lasts 4 days and 3 nights of camping. You arrive at Machu Picchu through the Intipunku, the Gate of the Sun. From there you have an incredible first view of the landscape. It is the same entrance door that the Incas used.
- The route is through the historic qhapac ñan – The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu follows the route that the Incas used to reach the Inca citadel and the towns of the eastern jungle. These roads, which in Inca times covered more than 30 thousand kilometers, are called qhapac ñan or royal Inca roads. They are protected by UNESCO as World Heritage.
- The landscapes of the Andes Mountains – The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu runs through spectacular landscapes of the Andes Mountains. The first days you cross high landscapes such as the Abra de la mujer muerte (located at 4,215 meters above sea level). The last two days the mountain landscape turns into a green full of trees and mountains of the tropical jungle of Cusco. There you can see a great diversity of mountain flora and fauna.
- Inca constructions everywhere – The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu runs 39 kilometers where you can see different Inca constructions, such as the archaeological sites of Llactapata, Runkuracay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca and Wiñayhuayna. The last day is a visit to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, recognized as one of the 7 Wonders of the modern World.
- Peruvian food and tour guides – The Inca Trail is done in the company of a tourism agency that includes food for the four days of the tour. That is, the visitor will enjoy delicious Peruvian cuisine made with Andean ingredients. Tour guides provide tourists with thorough knowledge of Peruvian culture throughout the experience.
Map
Includes
- Pick up from the hotel.
- Transportation at the beginning of the walk.
- Hiking equipment.
- Team of cooks (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
- Team of porters (they do not carry the tourist’s personal luggage).
- Tour guide service in English and Spanish.
- Equipment for camping (sleeping bag and poles not included).
- First aid kit.
- Ticket ‘Machu Picchu Classic’.
- Bus and train to return to Cusco.
- Sleeping bag.
- Trekking poles.
- Breakfast on day 1. Lunch and dinner on day 4.
- Tips.
- Cancellations.
The porters are in charge of carrying with them all the necessary utensils for the tourist to carry out the Inca Trail comfortably: tents, food, kitchen utensils, etc. The porters do not carry the tourist’s travel backpack (do not carry the travel backpack, nor the sleeping bag). It is recommended that the tourist carry a travel backpack of approximately 5 kilos (including the sleeping bag).
What to bring?
- Passport (or identity document).
- Sleeping.
- Trekking pole.
- Hat or cap.
- Comfortable clothes for walks.
- A coat.
- Raincoat.
- Snacks and extra drinks.
- Comfortable shoes for trekking.
- Sunscreen.
Where does the tour start and end?
- The tour begins with the tourist’s pick-up at the door of their hotel -valid only for hotels in the historic center of the city- (most tourist hotels are there). If your hotel is not there, the transport will pick you up at some central place in the city, such as a square.
- The tour ends in Plaza Regocijo in the center of the city (a few steps from most hotels and tourist restaurants).
How to prevent altitude sickness?
- Altitude sickness or soroche can cause you some discomfort during your visit such as dizziness, fatigue or nausea. Try to avoid alcoholic beverages and fatty foods before your visit.
- To reduce the symptoms, try to acclimatize one day before to the altitude of the city of Cusco. Drinking coca leaf infusions (a natural plant used by the Incas) is an excellent option.
Group or private services
- The information described applies to shared services (for a varied group of tourists). If you want a private service (for your own group of family or friends) contact us at info@machupicchuterra.com.
Frequent questions
Is it true that I have to book the tour 5 or 6 months in advance?
Yes. The Inca Trail route has limited availability to approximately 200 tourists per day. To get a space it is necessary to book the tour 5 or 6 months before. Otherwise you will not find availability.
Do I have to be an expert mountaineer to do the Inca Trail?
No. Anyone can do the Inca Trail. It is always recommended to be in good physical condition, although there are many cases of children (over 8 years old) and older adults (in acceptable physical condition) who manage to travel the 39 kilometers of the Inca Trail.
What to do if I did not get availability for the Inca Trail?
If you did not get a space for the Inca Trail, you can choose among the other trekking routes to Machu Picchu such as: the Salkantay Trek (5 days of trekking), the Lares Trek (4 days of trekking), the Huchuy Qosqo Trek (route of 3 days of walking) and even the Short Inca Trail (route of 2 days of walking).
After visiting Machu Picchu, is the return to Cusco on foot?
No. The final goal of the Inca Trail is Machu Picchu, just as the Incas did many years ago. After visiting the Inca city, you return to the city of Cusco by train and bus. All included in the tour. The hike is for the one-way trip only.
What luggage should not be missing in my luggage? It’s included?
The tourist must carry a suitable backpack with a recommended luggage of 5 kilos. You should not miss a reusable water bottle, trekking pole, sleeping bag, personal hygiene items, trekking shoes and whatever you consider necessary.
Does the Inca Trail porter carry my luggage?
No, the porter is in charge of carrying the tents, mattresses, kitchens, furniture and food necessary to carry out the tour to the Inca Trail. The tourist must carry his necessary luggage with him. For a correct experience, it is recommended to carry 5 kilos on average.
Can I book an additional porter to carry my luggage?
Yes, the 4-day Inca Trail tour offers the option to book an additional private porter. The porter can carry up to 12 kilos of weight maximum.
Is the Inca Trail suitable for children and older adults?
The 4-day Classic Inca Trail is suitable for adult tourists. Children should like walks in the fresh air. It is recommended that they be over 8 years old. Older adults must be in good physical condition, without any heart problems.
Does the Inca Trail close in February?
Yes, the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu closes in February due to heavy rains on those days. The route is closed throughout February because maintenance work is carried out on the route. The rest of the year the Inca Trail is available to everyone.
Does the Inca Trail tour include a tent and mat?
Yes, the 4-day Inca Trail tour includes tents and mats suitable for nights camping under the stars. It also includes tables, cutlery and everything necessary for food and nights on the route.
Should I tip on the Inca Trail tour?
Gratuity is optional at the end of the 4-day Inca Trail tour. However, most visitors do it as a show of support for the porters, cooks and professional tour guide.
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