Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

After your flight lands at Lima Jorge Chavez airport, follow the signs for immigration, then walk to the baggage claim area, and then get to customs. After clearing customs, you will be in the international arrivals area, where our staff, who will be holding a sign with your name, will welcome you and drive you to your hotel located in Miraflores, the nicest and safest area of Lima, facing the Pacific Ocean!

Private transfer from Lima airport to your hotel
Estimated driving time from Airport to Hotel: forty-five minutes.

Upon arrival at your hotel, our staff will assist you with your hotel check-in and all you may need.

Overnight in Lima at Casa Andina Premium Miraflores Hotel – Superior Room
*Lima city is located at an altitude of 80 meters (262 feet) above sea level.

Early in the morning, you will be picked up from your hotel and driven to Lima airport to board your flight to Cusco city. You will be assisted with your flight check-in, baggage drop-off, and then escorted to the entrance to the security check area.

Notice that gates and departure times may change, please check the airport monitors.

Upon arrival at Cusco airport, follow the signs for the baggage claim area, after collecting your luggage you will be in the arrivals area, where our staff (who will have a sign with your name) will welcome you and drive you to your hotel located in the center of Cusco.

Private transfer from Cusco airport to your hotel
Estimated driving time from Airport to hotel: twenty-five minutes

Upon arrival at your hotel, our staff will assist you with your hotel check-in and all you may need. You and your guide will schedule your pre-Inca trail trek meeting.

Free afternoon to rest to adjust to the altitude of the Andes.

Inca Trail Briefing

This afternoon, you will have a meeting with your Inca trail guide to be ready for your Inca Trail adventure.

Overnight in Cusco at Casa Andina Standard Hotel – Traditional Room
Meals included: Breakfast
*Cusco city is located at an altitude of 3,400 meters (11,155 feet) above sea level.

Free morning to explore Cusco at your leisure.

Cusco and nearby Inca Ruins tour
Hotel pickup time: 13:20 p.m.

This afternoon you are picked up from your hotel and join your tour group to visit the beautiful city of Cusco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

You tour starts with a smooth walk to the main attractions of this Inca city, its main square known as Plaza de Armas, then the Cusco Cathedral which construction started in 1559 and has an impressive unique collection of more than 400 paintings from Cusco school made during the 16th and 17th century. Next, you walk through the narrow Inca streets close the Plaza and appreciate the massive Inca walls which are the foundations of Cusco city.

Your tour includes a visit to the most impressive Inca temples, Koricancha, which is known as the temple of the sun. During the Inca time, the walls of this temple were lined in sheets of solid gold and its courtyard was decorated with statues and ornaments of gold! You tour includes a visit to Santo Domingo Church built by the Spanish colonists.

After visiting the city of Cusco, we will head to Sacsayhuaman, an amazing Inca fortress which main walls perfectly fitted, were built with massive stones. You will learn more about the Incas’ secrets, we continue to Qenko, site of carved living rock then to Puca Pucara, an Inca lodging Site and finally Tambo Machay, known as the Baths of the Inca. At the end, you will have an amazing view of the Inca city and surrounding areas.

Overnight in Cusco at Casa Andina Standard Hotel – Traditional Room
Meals included: Breakfast.

Estimated hiking distance: 7.5 miles/12 kilometers
Estimated hiking time: six hours.

Today starts your lifetime adventure on the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, this morning you are picked up by your guide from your hotel, and embark on a smooth ride through the spectacular sacred valley of the Incas, after a thirty-minute journey we arrive at the trailhead at Km 82, we meet our Inca trail crew of Quechua porters and Cook, these gentlemen of the Andes will do their best for you to have a safe and memorable experience.
Today, we will have a six-hour hike on a well-marked path, enjoying the eucalyptus groves, outstanding views of Urubamba River, the Vilcanota Mountain Range, the snow-capped peak of Veronica (19,102 ft./5,822m.) and the agricultural terraces in the Inca complex of Llaqtapata.

Overnight in Huayllabamba campsite – three-season tents
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Estimated hiking distance: 7 miles/11 kilometers
Estimated hiking time: eight hours.

Today may be the most challenging day of your Inca trail adventure, we will climb steeply almost 4,000 feet (1,220 meters), but no worries your guide and Inca trail crew will ensure you have a safe and unique experience.

Before setting off on our second day on the Inca trail, we will have a nutritious breakfast that will give us sufficient fuel and energy to reach the top of the Dead Woman’s Pass (13,780 feet/4,200 meters). If you need to push yourself, keep an eye on the prize, there are no words to describe the overwhelming sense of accomplishment that you will feel when reaching the top of the Dead Woman’s Pass. You will have breathtaking views of the thick forest, snowcapped peaks, and the Inca trail.

After crossing the Dead Woman’s Pass, we start descending along a rock-stepped trail to Pacaymayo valley (11,810 feet/3,600 meters), our campsite for tonight.

Overnight in Huayllabamba campsite – three-season tents
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Estimated hiking distance: 10 miles/16 kilometers
Estimated hiking time: eight hours

Today is going to be a great day, we will have to reach only two mountain passes, easier than the Dead Woman’s pass, cross the cloud forest and visit amazing Inca sites.

We will have a hearty breakfast while enjoying the beautiful views of the clouds over the mountains, then we set off on our third day on the Inca trail.

We start with a one-hour climb to the circular ruins of Runkurakay, it is believed it was a resting place for Incan couriers during Inca times. After visiting this Inca site, we continue climbing for almost one hour toward Runkurakay Pass (12,960 feet/3,950 meters) here we will have breathtaking views of the snowcapped mountains of Vilcabamba range.

We continue our hike down to the “inaccessible town” of Sayacmarca, a well-preserved mysterious Inca complex (11,772 feet/3,588 meters), no-one knows what this Inca site was built for, but you will enjoy it much.

Now the trail climbs down to the valley floor, beautiful orchids start appearing while we walk on the Inca Road. The trail starts to climb again, we will pass through the Inca tunnel that traverses solid rock; it is so impressive how the Incas built these roads along the mountains and rainforest. After passing the tunnel, the trail leads up to the third pass, we reach Phuyupatamarka (12,140 feet/3,700 meters), now it is a great opportunity to enjoy stunning views of Salkantay and Veronica Snowcapped Mountains.

After crossing our third mountain Pass, we reach the “Cloud-Level Town” of Phuyupatamarka , one of the most impressive archaeological Inca centers.

Finally, we camp near Wiñaywayna (8,829 feet/2,691 meters), the most spectacular archaeological complex of the entire Inca Trail.

Overnight in Wiñaywayna campsite – three-season tents
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Estimated hiking distance: 2.5 miles/4 kilometers
Estimated hiking time: four hours

Today is the most exciting day of your life-changing Adventure on the Inca trail! We will wake up very early, have another hearty breakfast, and head to the “Sun Gate” where you will enjoy your first sight of the “lost city” of Machu Picchu. You may want to spend some time sitting and overlooking Machu Picchu, what a wonderful view!
Then, we hike down for just one hour and arrive at Machu Picchu, one of the most extraordinary archaeological sites on earth!

Private Machu Picchu tour
Estimated guided touring time: two hours and half

This morning, you will explore this impressive Inca city and learn about the history of this site, who lived here, how it was discovered in modern times and why the Spaniards never found it. You will have some insight into the various features of this sacred city and have free time to really enjoy yourself alone in this spectacularly located site, an unforgettable experience that will stay with you forever!

After visiting Machu Picchu, you will board the bus to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo) where you can have lunch and then board your train to Cusco.

Vista dome train journey Machu Picchu Pueblo - Cusco
Estimated train journey time: one hour and thirty-five minutes.

This afternoon you will board the train back to the sacred valley.

Upon arrival at Cusco train station, you will be met by our staff, and driven to your hotel in Cusco.

Upon arrival at your hotel, our staff will assist you with your hotel check-in and all you may need.

Overnight in Cusco at Casa Andina Standard Hotel – Traditional Room
Meals included: Breakfast.

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel and driven to Cusco airport to board your flight to Lima city. You will be assisted with your flight check-in, baggage drop-off, and then escorted to the entrance to the security check area. Notice that gates and departure times may change, please check the airport monitors.

Meals included: Breakfast.
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