Wonders of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Your dream trip to Peru has come! We know you want to get to your hotel to rest after a long flight and enjoy your dreams. Well, Machu Travel Peru makes it simple for you! Once you arrive at the International Lima airport, our host will wait for you at the international arrival zone with a sign indicating your name. He'll welcome you and transfer you to the Lima hotel of your preference in the beautiful Peruvian capital. Of course, he'll also give recommendations of the best restaurants close to your hotel to enjoy the best Peruvian cuisine on your own.

Our local guide will pick you up from your hotel at a specific time to start our unforgettable city tour of Lima's colonial and modern zones.

Our tour will begin by visiting a fascinating boulevard called Jiron de la Unión that leads to Plaza de Armas, the main square of French influence. Afterward, your guide will lead you through beautiful San Martin Square where you'll appreciate enchanting French styled buildings surrounding the square. Following this, we will visit the Monastery of San Francisco, where you can see beautiful religious painting collections, sculptures, and the enigmatic catacombs! A World Heritage-listed site. This monastery is renowned for its Spanish baroque architecture. The first cemetery of Lima, the catacombs, is hidden underneath this monastery’s floors.

At the end of the day, we’ll drop you off at your hotel for a well-deserved rest.

In the evening, we recommend you enjoy a delicious dinner by yourself at one of the world-renowned restaurants in Lima, also known as “The Capital of the Peruvian Gastronomy,” like Astrid & Gaston, Central, Maido, or La Mar. The decision is always yours!

Tomorrow will be a big day!

Today, our adventure will continue in Andean lands! After a satisfying breakfast provided by your hotel, our host will pick you up from your hotel to take you to Lima's airport. There, he’ll send you on a comfortable flight to Cusco, the ancient Inca Imperial City.

Through the window of your plane, you will be able to watch the Pacific Ocean merge with the bluish sky to give way to gigantic dunes. These, in turn, collapse on the slopes of gigantic Andean mountains. Which were conquered many centuries ago by the impressive Inca civilization. A short 75 minute flight and you will arrive at the imperial city in the highest zone of Peru, 11,200ft above sea level, and continue daydreaming.

On your arrival to Cusco, our local host will be waiting for you at the zone of arrival national flights at Cusco airport with a sign with your name. “It is not altitude sickness… it is the feeling of being close to heaven” is a phrase he’ll often say about the altitude. Thus, to avoid altitude sickness, we’ll move directly from Cusco airport to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, located 600 meters below Cusco. But please don't worry, you will get to enjoy all the wonderful sights of Cusco at the end of our journey once your body is perfectly acclimatized to the altitude.

Upon entering the Sacred Valley of the Incas, we will visit an exceptional project called Awanacancha, where you’ll be able to appreciate the 4 types of South American camelids bred in captivity: the llama, the alpaca, the guanaco, and the vicuña. Also, you can feed them and learn to distinguish them. As if this were not enough, the Sacred Valley locals who work there will show you how they use their Inca ancestors’ techniques to transform the delicate fur of these animals, especially the alpaca and vicuña, into beautiful and colored clothes through traditional weaving, like multi-colored belts and exquisitely embroidered blankets, among others.

Then, we’ll continue descending through the valley slope until we reach a spectacular Inca archaeological site over a hill called Pisac, with magnificent terraced fields on its hill slopes, among Inca enclosures, squares, temples, and even an Inca cemetery! Our first contact with a rich Andean past! Descending into the modern town, we will lose ourselves among the colored stands of the famous Pisac traditional market, where we will be fascinated by its beautiful handicrafts made by local people, like fabric crafts, sculptures, jewelry, and paintings with Andean thematic.

Next, we will go to a charming restaurant in the middle of the beautiful landscapes of the Sacred Valley to enjoy a delicious lunch made from local ingredients, fully included in our program. You can choose the restaurant, in advance, with the advice of our travel consultants.

Finally, we’ll go to our hotel in the middle of the spectacular scenery of the Sacred Valley and you can enjoy a delicious dinner here, on your own. A well-deserved sleep is guaranteed tonight!

The Sacred Valley still has treasures to discover, and you will not miss a thing! This day assures an unforgettable trip in a perfect climate. The Sacred Valley is known for its charming climate 365 days a year. First, you'll enjoy a delicious breakfast at your luxury hotel. Then, with our guide, we will begin our adventure through the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Discover Ollantaytambo, a fortress that was the last Inca refuge in Andean lands during the Spanish invasion. Wander among its narrow alleys, temples, enclosures and squares of well-carved, perfectly fitted, stone architecture. This incredible experience will be accompanied by stories and myths that your guide will tell you about the place. One notable mention, the fantastic ancient love story legend about an Inca military General and a beautiful Princess, the daughter of the Inca emperor Pachacutec.

Next, you will go to a fantastic restaurant surrounded by beautiful mountains and landscapes, to enjoy a delicious and exclusive lunch made from local ingredients. Moreover, you can enjoy another variety of dishes, flavors, and drinks from International and National cuisines, on your own.

Then, our next stop will be the white slopes of Maras. There, you will enjoy the brightness of 2,000 small Inca salt wells that are still used by local people today to provide themselves with salt. By the way, the Maras salt is recognized worldwide as being perfect for grills and barbecues.

Moving on, our guide will transfer up to Moray, where you'll be fascinated by a series of circular terraces, in the form of rings, that go into the earth's deeps. These circle terraces were used as an Incan laboratory to acclimatize crops. They sowed a specific type of seed in each circular terrace, from the smallest and deepest ring to the largest, to see the quality of the harvest they obtained.

Finally, we’ll return to the hotel to for a deserved rest, you can take a relaxing shower or, maybe, enjoy a fantastic dinner on our own.

Walking the same route that the Incas once used to reach Machu Picchu is priceless, and you can do it today! Very early in the morning, we will start the mighty Inca Trail. Once you enjoy a delicious breakfast in your Sacred Valley hotel, your tour guide will pick you up and head to Ollantaytambo, where we’ll make a stop at the main square to stock up on some supplies and continue towards the town's train station. There, we’ll take a tourist train heading to the KM82 rail trail called Piscacucho, 20 minutes from Ollantaytambo.

Following, we’ll get off at the KM82 stop. We’ll meet our expert chef and support staff there, who will accompany us throughout the Inca Trail Trek. In other words, you will always be assisted by your staff!

Following, we'll begin our adventure hiking for around 4 hours through a lightly paced climb between shrubs and small trees of the Andean Forest with a relaxed and pleasant climate until we reach Tarayoc (8777 feet); a beautiful area where our chef and porters will have lunch ready for us.

After lunch, we will have around 2 hours (depending on the pace) of steady uphill climbing. Along the way, we will have stunning views of the first Incan ruin of the Inca Trail named Llactapata, a site primarily used for agricultural production. Here, you will have an excellent opportunity to stop and take photos and learn about the area's history.

At the end of the day, we will arrive at the village of Wayllabamba to camp. There, a hot shower will be waiting for us followed by a delicious gourmet dinner specially prepared by our chef. After, optional wellness treatments will be available at your disposal. Finally, you will have time to relax and wait until night falls.

• Maximum Altitude: 3,328 m/10,918 ft.
• Distance Travelled: 9 km (5.6 miles) approx.
• Approximate Walking Time: 6-7 hours
• Difficulty: Very challenging and long

Continuing our Inca adventure today, very early in the morning, among typical bird songs of the beautiful geographical area, you will wake to a tasty breakfast in the dining camp. After the meal, prepare yourself for the most challenging day of the Inca Trail.

We will begin the day hiking for about 1.5 hours, passing beautiful hills of Andean vegetation to reach the Ayapata ravine (10,919 feet). There, we'll enjoy awesome views. Following, we'll walk over a slight climb path for 3 hours more, with breaks up to the Llulluchapampa zone (12,336 feet). Our exclusive chef will prepare a comfortable lunch for us there.

Completely recomposed, we'll climb up for over two and a half hours on a steep path, by passing by beautiful hills of Andean vegetation and some cliffs to reach the “Dead Woman’s Pass” or Warmiwañusca in the Quechua language. It is at 13,800 ft. This is the highest point of the Inca trail and is where we will have stunning panoramic views of the Andean Mountains and their surroundings.

After completing the most challenging part of the Inca Trail, we will descend gentle hills for two hours before reaching the Pacaymayo ravine (11,483 feet). There will be our second camp zone.

We'll have the rest of the afternoon and night at leisure. We can relax with a hot shower or a massage session (optional) and witness the preparation of a Pachamanca, a traditional Andean banquet. Of course, our dinner will consist of Pachamanca. And finally, sweet dreams!

• Maximum Altitude: 4,215 m/13,829 ft.
• Distance Travelled: 10 km (6.2 miles) approx.
• Approximate Walking Time: 7-8 hours.
• Difficulty: Very challenging and long

This third day will prepare you for the next day's goal, the fantastic Machu Picchu! First, we will have a delicious breakfast prepared by our exclusive chef before we continue hiking the Inca Trail.

Following, we'll begin the adventure by ascending beautiful Inca stairs to reach The Runkuracay Pass (3,900m or 12,800ft), where you can enter a beautiful, circular, walled ruin with amazing views of Vilcanota Valley and Salkantay and Veronica snowy peaks. This place has been a stable resting place for the Chasquis, Inca messengers who ran extensive distances carrying spoken messages from one city to another.

After reaching this pass, the rest of the day is mostly a downhill hike along the fantastic and original Inca path. During the descent, we will pass through beautiful subtropical jungle forests, many hills, and many of the original Inca tunnels. Finally, we'll get to Sayaqmarca (3600m or 11,812ft), once considered an inaccessible, old Inca village that sits on top of a steep cliff.

After Sayaqmarca, we'll descend a few more minutes until we reach Chaquicocha (3525m or 11,565ft), where a hearty lunch awaits us in our exclusive diner tent.

After that, we´ll climb a slight slope by 2.5 hours to the beautiful ruin of Phuyupatamarka (3640m or 11,943ft), believed to have been an important religious site containing sacred baths for ceremonial purposes. It is here we will rest in beautiful surroundings and camp.

To crown your last night on this Inca Trail experience, you will participate in a special ceremony to honor Mother Earth. You will then enjoy a delicious farewell dinner. Finally, you will have a pleasant rest.

• Maximum Altitude: 3,955 m/ 12,976 ft.
• Distance Travelled: 9 Km (5.6 miles) approx.
• Approximate Walking Time: 7-8 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate

Today, we are going to conquer Machu Picchu! After this well-deserved breakfast, we will walk downhill for an hour and a half through a zig-zag staircase, crossing thick vegetation, to the Inca ruins of Wiñaywayna (2650m / 8,695ft). Before reaching the famous Sun Gate, “Intipunku”, the ancient Inca entrance to Machu Picchu, toast to your wonderful 4 day experience. Finally, congratulations! You will have officially completed the Inca Trail and will be rewarded with a majestic view of Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate. Continuing this dream, we will have a short downhill walk to the same entrance as the Machu Picchu citadel. There, you will enjoy a fantastic lunch at the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge restaurant. This is the only hotel located on the same mountaintop as Machu Picchu. Following that, we'll begin the long-awaited tour of Machu Picchu. There, you will learn the city's history while you can wander between its temples, squares, rooms, and beautiful plazas. We’ll also admire the aqueducts and houses while learning some interesting facts about the sacred Incan terraces.

After our 2:00hrs guided tour of Machu Picchu, you will have plenty of time to explore this magnificent site independently. You could even visit the Incan Bridge, a secret entrance used only by the Incan Army to enter and exit the citadel. If you have energy left, you can hike beautiful surrounding mountains like Huayna Picchu, Huchuy Picchu, or a mountain called Machu Picchu, yes, the same name as the citadel. Of course, you will need special entrance tickets to hike them, and Machu Travel Peru can assist you with everything. Please note that you must tell us about your desire to hike one of these mountains in advance because their entrance tickets usually sell out four months in advance! Whatever option you choose, once your independent hiking is finished, you will take a bus from the entrance gate of Machu Picchu heading to Aguas Calientes.

At Aguas Calientes, you will go directly to the local train station to take your tourist train heading to Ollantaytambo or Poroy train stations. Whatever station you arrive at, a member of staff will be waiting for you to transfer to the Cusco Hotel, where you can enjoy a delicious dinner on your own before taking a relaxing shower and resting.

• Maximum Altitude: 2,750 m / 9023 ft.
• Distance Travelled: 8 Km (4.9 miles) approx. plus exploration of Machu Picchu
• Approximate Walking Time: 6-7
• Difficulty: Moderate

OPTIONAL: If you want to continue enjoying Machu Picchu, this package, like all the others, can be fully customized by adding a night in Aguas Calientes. So, on the following day, you'll be able to enjoy a second visit to the enigmatic Inca citadel or hike to nearby mountains like Huayna Picchu and get fabulous photos of Huayna Picchu. Just tell us your requirements, and that's it!

Are you ready to visit the beautiful, old, Capital of the Inca empire, the “Rome of America” . Of course, we refer to Cusco!  After your hotel provides a comforting and delicious breakfast, your guide will be ready to transport you into the past.

First, you’ll explore the Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman, with its giant rocks perfectly fitted into its structure. The tour will continue by visiting the Qenqo Inca ceremonial center with its ancient sacrifice vestiges. Then, the Inca, military barrack, Puca Pucara will fascinate you with its beautiful views of Cusco. Following, our guide will show you the retreat place of the Inca sovereign called Tambomachay, with its beautiful water fonts, where the sovereign spent long periods resting and hunting.

Then, we will return to Cusco Center to lose ourselves in its charming stone alleys by appreciating the renaissance architecture of the Cathedral of Cusco and its famous painting collection of unique art style called "Escuela Cusqueña".

Later, your guide will lead you to Qoricancha temple, located a short distance from the Cathedral, where you will be fascinated with the mix of Inca and Spanish architectural styles, besides some original remains of the Inca temples inside it.

Finally, our tour will end in the main square. You might enjoy a nice lunch or dinner on your own in one of the nearby restaurants, or we can arrange transport to drop you off at your hotel. Whatever your decision, tell your guide what you would like to do!

Saying goodbye to a beautiful place doesn't have to be sad. That is why, at Machu Travel Peru, we want to save you the penalty. You will only have to enjoy a comforting breakfast fully included in your hotel.

Then, we will accompany you to the Cusco airport to assist you with the boarding process and dispatch you on your flight heading to Lima.

Like the sound of our "Wonders Of The Incas" tour? Do you have extra requests or questions? Please don’t hesitate to write to us. We will always be attentive to personalize your dreams in Peru, at your request!

NOTE: This program will allow you to visit Lima, the Sacred Valley, Pisac, Moray, Salineras, Ollantaytambo, the Inca Trail, and Machu Picchu. Additionally, you can add more exciting day tours in Cusco or another destination in Peru. Please take a look at our package list for more options.