The 5-day Inca Trail hike tour is the best way to discover the only ‘off the beaten track’ Incan sites of the Inca Trail. Explore Machu Picchu twice in this exclusive tour catered for the ones who crave the unexplored
Trek Details:
- Hike Distance: 31 miles
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Duration: 5 days
- Elevation Gain: 428m/1404ft.
- Weather: See below
- Seasons: From March 1 until January 31 (February is closed for maintenance).
- Hike Trail Map: See below
- Cusco Drive Time: 2hr 45min+
- Town Nearest Hike: Ollantaytambo
- Scenary: Dry andean valley, Last stretch of Sacred Valley, Urubamba mountain range views, scenic trail, Cactus area, local villages, wildlife: prairie horses and dogs, Vizcachas and andean foxes, Birds; torrent tyranulettt, black-chested buzzard-eagle, Chiguanco thrush.
- Activities: Hiking trail, archaeological site tours, nature and Andean community visits.
Inclusions:
- Professional, bilingual Tour Guide.
- Assistant Guide (for groups of 9 or more people).
- Transportation from your hotel to the starting point of the Inca Trail on day one and back to your hotel in Cusco on day five. This second part includes the combination of the tourist train to Ollantaytambo and private van or taxi from Ollantaytambo to Cusco.
- Water (Not included for first 4 hours of trek, we will provide you with boiled water for drinking for the remainder of the tour).
- Entrance fees to the Inca Trail hike tour and Machu Picchu
- Two Visits to Machu Picchu (Sunset and Sunrise views)
- Visit to off the beaten path attractions. (No other tourists go there)
- Buffet food. 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 afternoon snacks, 4 dinners and various snacks to be eaten throughout the day. (Breakfast on day 1 and lunch on day 5 in Aguas Calientes are not included).
- Dining tent with tables and chairs.
- Cook.
- 3 way bus tickets. Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes.
- 3 person tent for 2 people.
- Sleeping pads
- Porters (to carry cooking and camping equipment). YOU NEED to hire an EXTRA PORTER if you don’t wish to carry your own belongings on the trail. We recommend this as the best thing to do when booking a tour with us.
- Oxygen bottle.
- First Aid kit.
- Hotel 3 stars in Aguas Calientes on day 4. Our hotel of choice is Andina Hotel.
2024 PRICE: From $1200 per person based on group size.
(See Price chart below)
Prices
|
Number of People
|
Price
|
|
One person
|
$2800 USD
|
|
Two to three people
|
$1600 USD
|
|
More than four people |
$1400 USD
|
*Permits are needed for your chosen start date. Private tour prices are based on the number of people in a group.
**Prices are valid from December 1 2024 through January 1, 2025.
***Upgrade to semi-luxury for an extra 1000USD per person and get some of the exclusive perks of our luxury tours such as a double occupancy luxury tent with beds, and hot showers.
ITINERARY
Day One
Start time
4:30 AM
Highlights of the day
Our trek starts at the 82Km or Piscacucho. As opposed to every other travel company, we won’t enter into the National Sanctuary of Machu Picchu at this location. Instead, we will walk along the right bank of the Urubamba river toward Qoriwayrachina or 88Km. As we follow an original off the beaten track Inca Trail we will pass the Incan sites of Rumipunku and Salapunku; these are some of the Incan sites that no other trekker on the Inca trail gets to visit. At Qoriwairachina, We will not check in with the park rangers yet; instead, we will hike for an extra mile to visit the impressive Incan site of Machu Q’ente. After our guide gives us a brief presentation of this wonderful place, we will walk back toward Qoriwairachina to make our official entry into the National Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. At Qoriwairachina we will see the foundations of an ancient Incan hanging bridge and a watchtower. After a well-deserved lunch break; we will walk uphill for one hour to visit the impressive Incan site of Wayna Qente; another of the off the beaten track archaeological sites that only our exclusive tour allow us to visit. In this place, We will explore the ruins of Wayna Qente and enjoy the breathtaking views of the Urubamba mountain range and the snowcapped peak of Wakay Willca (Veronica), which stands at 5860m/19225ft. We will stop here to watch the sunset over a nice cup of hot cocoa before we return to our campsite at Chamana next to the Incan site of PataLllaqta.
Difficulty level
Moderate. The trail starts at 2720m/8923ft climbing to 3000m/8984ft at Wayna Qente.
Meals
Lunch during the hike and dinner at our campsite in the evening. Vegetarian options are available. Please advise us if you require this option.
Accommodation
Camping in tents at a campsite in the small village of Chamana next to the Patakllaqta incan site. The temperature at night is usually around 10°C/50°F.
Other information
Entrance tickets and passports will need to be shown at the check point in Qoriwayrachina or 88 KM.
Day Two
Start time
6:00 AM
Highlights of the day
On this day, we will walk towards the Llaqtapata Incan site, which is a massive city built at the juncture of the Urubamba and Wayllabamba rivers. We will visit the religious area of Pulpituyoq and part of the urban area before we continue hiking towards Wayllabamba. From Wayllabamba we will take a brief detour to explore the Incan site of Inca Rakay, before we return to have lunch at Wayllabamba. In the afternoon, the trek will turn a bit strenuous as we start the climb toward our campsite. Due to the vast changes in the ecosystems in the area, flora and fauna on this part of the trek are incredibly varied. You will see many birds such as hummingbirds and other exotic birds, plants, and trees such as the ‘Polilepys ‘ or Q’ueuña tree which grows in the astonishing cloud forest located at 3650m/11972ft! You will feel a real sense of achievement reaching the campsite at Lluluchapampa from where we will be able to see the highest point of the trail, the Huarmihuañusca/’Dead Woman’s Pass’ 4200m/13779ft.
Difficulty level
Hard. We climb from Llaqtapata 2850m/9020ft to Llulluchapampa 3650m/12030 ft. We camp, only 2 hours away from the highest point of the 5-day Inca Trail hike tour, the Huarmihuañusca/’Dead Woman’s Pass’ 4200m/13779ft.
Meals
Breakfast at our campsite, lunch on the trek and dinner at our evening campsite.
Accommodation
Camping in tents at Llulluchapampa 3550m/11646ft. Temperature around 6°C or 42°F.
Other Information
Our evening campsite at Lluluchapampa is a unique location and sometimes we will be the only group in this area.
Day Three
Start time
6:00 AM
Highlights of the day
This is a challenging day for us. We will keep climbing the mountain towards the Abra de Huarmihuañusca/’Dead Woman’s Pass’ 4200m/13779ft. The views from here are simply amazing. Once we get to the the highest point and we take the mandatory pictures, we will proceed to go downhill for about 2.5 hours, toward Pacayamayo, our lunch spot. After we reach this place and we have the mandatory
In the afternoon we will climb the second mountain pass of the trail. Along the way, we will visit the unique incan sites of Runcuracay’ and ‘Sayacmarca’ and gaze at the magnificient scenery as you pass through the lovely cloud forest. Our campsite will be located right outside the Inca site of ‘Phuyupatamarca’ (meaning ‘Town in the Clouds’).
Difficulty level
Hard. This is our longest and hardest day. On this day we will reach the three highest points of the 5-day Inca Trail tour hike, the Huarmihuañusca/’Dead Woman’s Pass’ 4200m/13779ft, the Runkurakay pass followed by the Phuyupatamarca pass 3220 m / 11000ft.
Meals
Breakfast at our campsite, lunch on the trek and dinner at our evening campsite.
Accommodation
Camping in tents at a campsite at Phuyupatamarca 3220m/11000ft.
Other information
A short distance from this campsite is the Inca site of the same name ‘Phuyupatamarka’.
Day Four
Start time
7:00 AM
Highlights of the day
Early in the morning before breakfast we will go on a short climb toward the Incan religious center called “Ushnu” to observe the sunrise. It is here we will be served hot chocolate and sandwiches for breakfast. After we pack our things we will head downhill toward Machu Picchu and the Sun Gate. The trail in this part is quite steep and full of steps, the altitude loss will be quite dramatic as we will be dropping almost 1000m/3000ft in altitude. Along the way we will visit the Incan sites of Phuyupatmarca, Intipata and Winaywayna. This last place is perhaps one of the most beautiful sites of the whole Incan trail. After lunch we will head toward Intipunku and Machupicchu. Our goal is to reach Machu Picchu right before sunset and the closing time for Machu Picchu. Once Machu Picchu is closed we will take a 30 minute bus ride toward Aguas Calientes where we will spend the night.
Difficulty level
Moderate: Steady down hill hike toward Winaywayna and the Sun Gate or Intipunku.
Meals
Breakfast at the campsite and lunch in Aguas Calientes.
Accommodation
Hotel at Aguas Calientes.
Other Information
We will arrive at Machu Picchu in the afternoon however we will not be allowed to enter the archaeological site yet. We will enjoy the best views of Machu Picchu from the areas adjacent to the Inca Trail. The guardians house provides an amazing photo opportunity, don’t miss going there!
Day Five
Start time
4:00 AM
Highlights of the day
We will wake up early in the morning to catch one of the first buses to Machu Picchu. Once in Machu Picchu we will go on a 3 hour tour of this beautiful Incan site. Our guides will explain the history of this site part by part. After the tour has concluded, people will go on their alternative adventures toward the Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu mountains respectively. In the afternoon, we will catch our train back to Cusco.
Difficulty level
Easy. On this day we will take a bus back to Machu Picchu for the final 2 hour walking tour of the Incan city.
Other information
We will meet back in Aguas Calientes in the afternoon for lunch. From Aguas Calientes we will take our train back to Cusco.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
- Original passport
- Travel Insurance is essential
- Sleeping bag (can be hired from us)
- Walking boots
- Waterproof jacket/rain poncho
- Warm jacket
- Hat and gloves
- T-shirts
- Comfortable trousers
- Sun hat
- Sun protection cream (factor 35 recommended)
- Insect repellent
- Water (only until lunch time on day 1)
- Toiletries and hand sanitizer.
- Personal medication
- Camera
- Torch with spare batteries (headlamps are useful)
Optional items to take:
- Shorts.
- Walking stick (with rubber tip – can be hired from us).
- Plasters and bandages.
- Sandals.
- Extra money.
- Bathing suit (for hot springs in Aguas Calientes).
Optional Services for Rent:
- Sleeping Bag (Kelty Synthetic, Comfort Level 20°F / -7°C) – $60
- Walking Sticks (Kelty) – $25 per pair
- Inflatable Trekking Sleeping Pad (Therm-a-Rest Pro Lite Plus) – $50
- Camping Pillow (Therm-a-Rest) – $25
Trekking Comfort Package:
Rent our Trekking Comfort Package (all of the above items) for only $120 USD.
Porter Services:
- Full Porter (up to 14kg or 30 pounds, can be shared between 2 people) – $220
- Half Porter (up to 7kg or 15 pounds) – $120
If you require an extra porter or a half porter, please let us know when filling out the booking form.
Additional Options:
- Single Tent Supplement – $65
- Climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (subject to availability)
Please Note: Our porters carry cooking and camping equipment only. We recommend hiring an extra porter if you prefer not to carry your belongings on the trail. If you rent sleeping bags and pads, the total weight is approximately 3kg. If you rent camping gear from us that does not mean we will transport it for you.
At the end of your journey, we will drop you off at your hotel. Book your Inca Trail and Machu Picchu tour with us today for an unforgettable adventure.
IMPORTANT: Some of the reasons that our price may be higher than that of other agencies are the following:
We ALWAYS book the maximum number of porters possible (according to Inca Trail regulations) so that our porters are not overloaded.
We are the only tour operators hiring women to work as porters on the Inca Trail. We believe that THERE IS NO such thing as SUSTAINABILITY without women Inclusion .
Also, We are the only travel operator in Peru that supplies porters with proper tents, sleeping pads and adequate food for this type of activity.
Beware of this when booking they might be cheaper because of this!
- 2 people (minimum group size) should have a maximum of 5 porters and 16 people (max group size) should have 22 porters.
- ** Tips for porters, cooks or guides are optional and are NOT included in our price. However our advice is that you tip our staff based on their performance, service and knowledge. Our guidelines for tipping our staff is the following:
- Each porter gets 100 Soles, each assistant cook 150 Soles, the Main Chef gets 300 Soles.
- Assistant Tour guides can be tipped collectively by the members of the group, we suggest a 5% of the total cost of the tour.
- Main guides are tipped on a one on one basis and based on their performance. Tour guides are professional people who spend a lot of time training in different other fields such archaelogy, history and WFA. We suggest people to consider tipping our guide a 10% to 15% of the value of your tour.
Train included in all tours is the Expedition train (to Ollanta). Train times will only be confirmed once full amount of tour is paid. The earliest train you could take is the 2:55 PM and the 9:20 PM being the last train (high season June to September). We will organize the transport back to Cusco (by taxi or by bus).
