Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu
This trek features four days of hiking on the famous Inca Trail and one night in a hostel in Aguas Calientes. This option will allow you to view Machu...
5 Days / 4 Nights
US$950
This is the fastest version of the classic 4-day Inca Trail, on this tour you will visit Machu Picchu and return to Cusco in the evening of the third day.
This tour consists of 3 days of hiking to reach Machu Pichu and 2 nights of camping. During the days of walking we make stops to rest and have lunch, before arriving at each of our camps, finally we will conclude the tour with the arrival at Machu Picchu through the Puerta del Sol then we will start our guided tour in the citadel and we will return to Cusco.
Important: We require a minimum of 4 people of the same group to open a new departure for this amazing hike to Machu Picchu
Starting at
$ 700.00USD
per person
Express Classic Inca Trail 3 days – The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu tour starts from the pick up at your hotel or hostel (from 5:30 am approx.) We will travel for an hour and a half to Ollantaytambo where we will stop for breakfast (not included in the price of the tour) . After our stop we will continue with our car trip towards km 82, where the respective entrance controls to the Inca Trail are carried out. In this same place you will have to present your tickets together with your passports or the identity document with which you made your reservation.
The Inca Trail begins at a height of 2,720 meters above sea level. Once the respective controls have been passed at the checkpoint, we will cross a suspension bridge across the Vilcanota River. The first day is relatively easy and is considered the warm-up day as the terrain is relatively flat. This day we will have wonderful views of the Inca fortress Huillca Raccay, the incredible archaeological site of Llactapata (officially called “Patallacta”), the Urubamba mountain range that divides the jungle with the Andes, and the beautiful snow-capped peak of W’akay Willca 5,860m. also known as the Veronica. Our first camp will be in Ayapata, which is a 60-minute walk from the small town of Wayllabamba, at an altitude of 3,300m.
This will be the most difficult and at the same time the most rewarding day of the Inca Trail, we will find spectacular Andean landscapes and vegetation of the place. We will start the day at 5:00 a.m. and after a good breakfast, we will begin the 4-hour climb to the highest point of the road, the Abra de Huarmihuañusca or “Paso de la Mujer Muerta” with a height of 4,200m. During this tour we will be able to appreciate that the vegetation is varied with native plants and trees such as the Polilepys or Q’ueuña, which grow in the cloud forest at a height of 3,650m. After traveling the 4 hours of ascent we will celebrate together having reached the highest point.
After a break we will begin the descent for an hour and a half to the second point where we will have lunch (Pacamayo at 3,550m). After lunch we will start with the last part of the climb for 2 hours towards the Runkuraqay pass at a height of 4,000m. Once in the pass and after a break we will continue the descent for 1 hour and a half until we reach our Cachicocha camp (3600m).
Today will be the most extraordinary day of the trek. We will visit many of the archaeological sites on the way: Phuyupatamarka, Intipata, Wiñay Wayna, which means: “Forever Young”. After lunch we will leave Wiñay Wayna at 12:00 pm in order to reach Inti Punku or the Sun Gate, which has a height of 273 meters. In the Puerta del Sol, you will be able to see the first views of Machu Picchu. Also from the Inti Punku you will be able to see the sunset.
Finally we will continue walking through the last section of the Inca trail until we reach the place where you can take the classic photo (postcard photo) with the ancient city. In Machu Picchu you will have your 2-hour guided tour. After your guided tour we will go to the main entrance, where we can board the bus to Aguas Calientes where we will deliver your train tickets for your return trip to Cusco.
Price: $ 700.00 USD per person
STUDENT DISCOUNT:
The student discount is available to students worldwide who meet the requirements of the Peruvian government. It can be applied when purchasing tickets for Machu Picchu directly from the Peruvian government.
To qualify for the student price, make sure you meet the following requirements:
Your student ID must be an original document issued by your university, made of PVC material.
Additional Upgrades for Your Express Classic Inca Trail 3 days:
The schedule for the return train at the end of the Tour/Trek is the Expedition Train, departing at 6:20 p.m. or 7:00 p.m., depending on availability.
If you prefer an earlier train for the return journey, we can arrange it for an additional cost of $35 per person. The available times are 2:55 p.m. or 4:35 p.m. We also offer the option to book the Vistadome train at 3:40 p.m. for an additional cost of $65 per person. Please let us know in advance which train schedule you prefer. Please note that none of the reserved trains go directly to Cusco; they only go to the Ollantaytambo or Poroy stations. In any case, we will ensure that transportation will be arranged to pick you up and bring you back to Cusco.
Can I change my return train ticket to an earlier one at the Aguas Calientes station?
Yes, you can make this change in person at the Aguas Calientes train station. However, they will ask you to pay an additional fee for changing the ticket, and the change will be subject to availability of space and train schedules.
How long does the return trip to Cusco take?
The return journey to Cusco takes approximately 3 hours. First, you will board a train in Aguas Calientes, which will take you to the Ollantaytambo train station for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Then, a transfer from our office will be waiting for you at the train station exit with a sign bearing your name to drive you back to Cusco in a car or van for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Finally, they will drop you off at your hotel or hostel. You will receive your train tickets once your Machu Picchu tour has concluded.
rent camping equipment
Yes, in case you do not have the appropriate equipment to carry out the Walk, then we can offer you for rent:
Sleeping bags: 20 dollars per person
Poles: $15 for a pair
Matras (air mattresses) 15 dollars per person
Additional tents: 25 dollars per person
We recommend that you take only what is necessary to enjoy your tour and leave the rest of your things at the hotel.
Inka Trail Backpacker has been a Licensed Inca Trail Tour Operator since 2014. All companies managing the Inca Trail must be certified and have an Inca Trail operators license. This license is issued annually each December and Inka Trail Backpacker is licensed through the year of 2020.
Our license as an Official Travel Agency is under the name Inka Trail Backpacker E.I.R.L Our License as an Inca Trail Operator is under the name of INKA TRAIL BACKPACKER E.I.R.L We also work with partner company licenses such as INTI SUN TREK E.I.R.L and GRUPO CAMINOS DEL PERU E.I.R.L. Getting the permit for the Inca Trail from the government is a complicated and stringent process for the protection of tourists so in order to guarantee an Inca Trail Permit for all the tourists that have decided to book their adventure with us, we are registered to book using any of the above-mentioned company licenses. We are all registered on the official Government website: www.machupicchu.gob.pe.
At Inka Trail Backpacker, we deeply value and respect the work of our porters, who are essential to the success of our expeditions. We take pride in strictly adhering to the Porter Worker Law No. 31624, implemented in 2022, which establishes clear and fair guidelines to protect the rights and well-being of all porters working along the Inca Trail network.
This law was created to ensure that porters receive dignified treatment, fair wages, and safe working conditions. At Inka Trail Backpacker, we are committed to the care of our porters, meeting and exceeding the standards set by the law. We make sure they work under fair and humane conditions, with the appropriate equipment, and within the weight and work hour limits established by the regulations.
We recognize that the effort and dedication of our porters are vital to providing the best experience for our clients. That’s why, beyond what the law requires, Inka Trail Backpacker takes additional steps to ensure their well-being, offering continuous support and fostering a respectful and supportive work environment.
At Inka Trail Backpacker, we are firmly committed to sustainability and ecological responsibility in all of our tours. We strive to minimize our environmental impact by adopting eco-friendly practices and promoting sustainable tourism. Our goal is to preserve the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the regions we visit, ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy these incredible landscapes.
We take concrete actions to reduce waste, use biodegradable products, and follow responsible waste management practices. Additionally, we educate our clients about the importance of environmental conservation and encourage them to contribute to the protection of the ecosystems we explore.
Travel with Like-Minded Adventurers:
Our Work with Local Communities:
At Inka Trail Backpacker, we like to think we do trekking a little differently than our competitors. We stand by our customers and guarantee that we meet 100% of our departure dates on our treks even if you are a solo traveler.
Our office is located at 392 Calle Triunfo (the street is also called Sunturwasi), inside the Centro Artesenal Arte Inka Building, which is on the corner across the street from the Museo Arzobispal and the Twelve-Angled Stone, by a small fountain. We are on the second floor, in Suite 209.
In general, if you are Latin American, North American or European, you will not need it. If you are a citizen of Mercosur, all members can enter Peru just by carrying your DNI or with a valid passport. If you are from a non-Mercosur country then you will need a valid passport and in some exceptional cases depending on your country of origin, a visa. Here the complete relationship.
If you are a minor you will need to pass in the company of your parents. If you are a father and you are traveling with children, you will need a marriage certificate, birth certificate of the child.
No vaccine is mandatory, but the Peruvian Ministry of Health “recommends” getting vaccinated against Yellow Fever to go to certain regions of the jungle. Normally nobody does, so it’s up to you if it’s worth the risk or not. In several countries this vaccine is free and when it costs, it is not expensive.
If you are Argentine, Ecuadorian, Chilean, Colombian or you come from a place where it is hot in summer as much as possible, in Cusco it is the opposite. Do not think that your summer is replicated in this region. The periods of intense and cold rain are between December and April while in the capital it is very hot. Be it summer or winter, in Cusco at some point of the day it is cold. Always wear a coat. It is typical that in sunny places you feel hot and in shady places cold. The sun is radiant, and with the climate of the place it can damage your skin. Bring sunscreen and/or buy cocoa paste pills at pharmacies, which are very cheap and useful.
Machu Picchu, unlike the city of Cusco, is located on the edge of the jungle, that is, at a hybrid point where the mountains meet the jungle and the vegetation changes, showing characteristics of both regions at times. The best season to visit is usually between July and October (high season) when there is not much rain and always blue skies, however this place is visited all year round and it never disappoints.
Perhaps you have never experienced a lack of oxygen. This is commonly felt in Cusco due to the height and makes everything cost triple the effort so you do not have your usual physical resistance which will be diminished. Your digestion will be a little slower and your sleep dense and deep. The ideal is to stay calm the first day to acclimatise. It is very normal that all pharmacies sell pills for altitude sickness. Coca tea also helps as well as candies.
The city of Cusco is safe in the places where you see yourself surrounded by tourists, the center, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu. Avoid walking alone in the night markets or too far from the center with things of value and tourist appearance. Be aware of your pockets at fairs or areas where you are very close to people. In one of the most touristic cities in the world, petty theft and scams are predictable. To avoid this, simply do not leave your valuables alone or trust free things. Do not trust the excesses of unjustified kindness of strangers who will usually always want something from you.
Hygiene is very important to maintain health. Try whenever possible to see how the food served to you is treated. It is common for tourists to get sick to their stomachs from trying everything. To avoid this, be careful, and avoid things that are sold on buses and street vendors, especially fried foods and artisanal cheeses that can be carriers of dangerous bacteria. Boiled, freshly cooked or well washed food will almost always be fine. Long walks on rocky terrain can make you easy prey to dislocations or similar injuries. Wear good shoes. Cusco has good health care places that cater specifically to tourists. To access them do not forget to have travel insurance. Compare them all here so you can choose the cheapest travel insurance.
Peru is one of the cheapest countries in South America so you can get rooms at ridiculously low prices. However, what you get is directly related to what you pay. You can review lodgings, see the photos and compare all the lodgings at http://hospedaje.mochileros.org so you will have a clearer idea.
The Inca Trail is a stone route built by the Incas more than 500 years ago to unite their towns scattered throughout the empire of Tawantisuyo (Empire of the Incas) This section is a set of protected archaeological sites that goes from km 82 up to Machu Picchu.
The Inca Trail is located in the middle of the Andes and is not accessible by car or by any means of transportation. There is no electricity or drinking water infrastructure, nor is there a cell phone network. The water used for food handling is from natural streams/springs that were perfectly conditioned to be water sources. All food is prepared with filtered boiled water to protect the health of tourists.
The Inca Trail is certainly not easy, but you do not have to be an athlete or expert hiker to walk it. Your physical condition is of course very important, the Inca Trail is the type of trek that anyone with a positive attitude and determination can do.
However, the fitter you are, you will be able to admire and enjoy the landscape and the Inca archaeological sites along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
Yes, but the restrooms along the trail and/or in the camps are not in good condition. We recommend that you bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer gel for after using the bathrooms.
Yes, it is mandatory, if you do not exercise regularly, we recommend that you start walking 5 hours a day or do some type of aerobic, cardio vascular, etc. activity during the months prior to your trip.
Are there people who do not complete the Inca Trail? Yes, there are many factors that prevent people from completing the Inca Trail.
Due to altitude sickness (lack of oxygen)
Stomach problems such as diarrhea that many tourists get days before the start of the trek
Lack of physical preparation
Perhaps you have never experienced oxygen deprivation. This is commonly felt in Cusco due to the height and makes everything cost triple the effort so you do not have your usual physical resistance which will be diminished. Your digestion will be a little slower and your sleep dense and deep. The ideal is to stay calm the first day to acclimatise. It is very normal that all pharmacies sell pills for altitude sickness. Coca tea also helps as well as candies.
If you come from a country that is less than 500 meters above sea level. We recommend that you spend at least 2 days in Cusco to acclimatize to the altitude before starting the Inca Trail, since the highest point of the trek is 4,200 meters above sea level.
How old do I have to be to do the Inca Trail? People of all ages (from children, teenagers to retirees) are suitable to complete this trek as age is not a barrier if you have a positive mindset and an active lifestyle.
However, for all people over 60 to 70 years of age, we recommend that you visit your doctor before doing the Inca Trail. They must also bring us the signed authorization from your doctor indicating that you are in suitable conditions to travel the Inca Trail
You must reserve your Inca Trail permits at least 3 months in advance. Since there are only 500 spaces available per day: 200 are assigned to tourists and 300 to porters, cooks, tour guides. If the number of spaces is exhausted, you will have to choose another alternative date. For this reason,
No. Access to the Inca Trail is only allowed to hikers accompanied by guides authorized by the Ministry of Culture of Cusco. Only 150 agencies of the 35,000 travel agencies in Peru, including ours, have authorization for access to the Inca Trail.
Reservations are made directly through our own website. Please click on the icon that says Reserve Now and then follow the reservation instructions. Once you have finished filling out the reservation form on our website, you must send us a picture of your passport or identity document on which I use to make the reservation. This information is important for the purchase of your entrance ticket for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu. The corresponding authorities will verify that your passport number or Identity document matches the number of your entrance to the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu. That is why it is very important that the document you used at the time of booking is valid and not expired. If you change your passport number, you must notify us immediately.
Yes, no reservation with Inka Trail backpacker will be guaranteed unless you have made a payment of a deposit of 200 per person through our 2 forms of payment mentioned in our form. Book Now.Important: None of the requested deposits include transaction fees.
The deposit that you will send us is used to buy your entrance to the Inca Trail, tickets to Machu Picchu, your return train tickets and to reserve a space within the group.
It is not refundable or transferable. After the purchase of your tickets, we cannot change: neither the date of departure of the tour or excursion, nor the name or passport number on your Inca Trail permit or the entrance to Machu Picchu or train ticket. However, if we do not manage or fail to make your reservation for the Inca Trail, the payment of your deposit will be 100% refunded.
The Inca Trail is part of the National Heritage of Peru and its access and the conditions of the excursions are managed and regulated by the Ministry of Culture of Cusco. Only they can give the authorizations for their access, they also manage the camps. They are in charge of maintaining the road, the camps and the toilet facilities that are in the middle of nowhere.
Is there a waiting list or can I wait for someone to cancel their quota so that I can do the Inca Trail? If the permits run out on a particular date, no travel agency will be able to offer a space. Permits can only be purchased with the name and passport number of the visitor. One thing to consider is the following: once the reservation is confirmed, there is no option to change the date or name.
The Inca Trail tour to Machu Picchu begins in the department of Cusco-Peru through the province of Urubamba and the district of Pisacucho, also called KM 82.
What departure dates do you offer? We offer departures every day depending on the availability of the entrance spaces. In the red calendar of availability that we have on our page we indicate the spaces available for each day. That calendar also allows you to choose the date of departure to the Inca Trail.
The classic Inca Trail lasts 4 days or, for the more in a hurry or the less athletic, there is another 2-day trek. It is worth mentioning that the Inca Trail can only be done in one direction: from Cusco to Machu Picchu; the return is always done by motorized way (by train and by bus).
The maximum size of the group allowed per group is 16 tourists. The rest is the support staff (porters, cooks) If our groups reach the maximum size we will employ two guides for better group management
For confidentiality reasons we will not be able to inform you who will be part of your online group, it is impossible for us to answer precisely. Generally, it is a group of hikers of different nationalities and ages. You will meet the members of your group the day we carry out the orientation or briefing one night before the departure of the tour
Peru is a very large country with many different climates, for that reason it would be very difficult to define a good time to visit different places. However, we consider that the best season is from June to September. For the Inca Trail, the hottest season is from November to March but it is also the rainy season. That is why we think that it is more pleasant to do a sunny but cold excursion than a warm but rainy excursion. For this reason, we recommend doing it preferably between May and October. It should be noted that the Inca Trail is open every day of the year except in February, the maintenance month. For more details, we advise you to visit the weather page.
It is open 7 days a week, every day of the month, including Sundays and holidays; but it is closed in February because the Ministry takes advantage of this month to do the maintenance of the Inca Trail.
It is always fresh and with organic ingredients, they contain the adequate amount of protein and carbohydrates, including vegetables, meat, chicken, fish and other options. At the time of serving food, all our tourists sit down to eat together at the table, thus guaranteeing a family atmosphere. Our chefs are trained to prepare food according to the tourist’s requirements: gluten-free, sugar-free, anti-allergic diets, vegetarian and vegan options.
Yes, they are for porters, cooks and guides, they are always welcome and are organized by the group on different days. They will also be very grateful for small gifts that can be for themselves or for their children. The suggested amount for tips is 40 to 50 soles for each porter and 80 to 90 soles for the cook and guide. We clarify that this amount is a suggestion and is not an obligation. Tips are collected from all members of the group and is not an individual contribution.
All our participants must inform us if they have or have had any illness that may affect their personal or group progress during the walk. They will also need to bring their own medications. We recommend that you visit your doctor before making your reservation if you have any health problems.
Indeed, there is a train called “local” for the Cuzco-Aguas Calientes route, but by government decree it is reserved for Peruvians and residents, upon presentation of an identification document. No tourist can take it.
You can leave or store the things that you will not take to the Inca Trail in the hotel or hostel where you are staying. Most of these establishments have warehouses where they will store your things. If you do not trust the place where you are staying, we will gladly store your belongings in our office.
Photos from our travellers
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