Make your dream a reality: Hike the legendary Inca Trail through the Sacred Valley ending in the magnificent Machu Picchu citadel. Here’s how to book it!
There are many routes that take you to Machu Picchu, but there is none like the Inca Trail: the most famous trekking route in the Americas. Here’s the itinerary you need to consider!
The Details:
- Perfect for adventure seekers
- Starting at $1,379.00 per person
- Contact us here to start planning, or at yourfriends@livinginperu.com
- Flexible cancellation and rebooking policies
- See our traveler reviews here!
On this fantastic journey you will tour the best of Lima and the Sacred Valley before embarking on a four day trek along the Inca Trail. Walk along ancient paths that take you through forests and dense fogs, ancient stone steps and discover the remains of ancient fortifications and Inca cities, while enjoying breathtaking views. Following a 46km walk at the top of the Andes, you will be handsomely rewarded with the first exciting views of Machu Picchu from IntiPunku. This guided tour is a unique experience that will remain engraved in your heart forever.
Day 1
Your adventure in Peru starts in Lima. Take the day off after your international arrival and leisurely walk the streets of this modern metropolis and stay at a comfy hotel of your choosing.
Day 2: Lima
After breakfast, you will begin your guided tour of Lima’s historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is packed with fascinating historic buildings. See the colonial Main Square, where you can appreciate the grandiose Spanish architecture; admire Lima’s Cathedral, built during the 16th century, and then visit the Casa Aliaga, a colonial mansion granted by chief conquistador Francisco Pizarro to one of his captains, Jeronimo de Aliaga. This is the only house from that time that still belongs to the same family.
Next, you’ll head to the traditional Pueblo Libre district and visit the Larco Museum, located in a beautifully restored viceregal mansion built on a pre-Columbian pyramid from the seventh century. The museum boasts a fascinating and complete pre-Hispanic collection of gold and silver objects, as well as pieces of erotic art. The museum cafe is a must for a picturesque coffee break.
Day 3: Cusco
After breakfast you’ll take a quick flight to Cusco. From the former Inca capital, you’ll be transferred to the majestic Sacred Valley. On your way, you will visit the Inkary Museum, which exhibits the history and culture of different civilizations of ancient Peru. Select a hotel of your choosing, like the one-of-a-kind Tambo del Inka resort.
Day 4: Sacred Valley
Today you will visit the town of Chinchero, a traditional Cusco urban center located at an elevated point with a beautiful view of the valley. The inhabitants of this area preserve the artisan traditions and the inherited knowledge of the Incas and display them in their clothes and customs. In Chinchero there are also archeological remains and a beautiful seventeenth-century church, one of the first Catholic buildings in Peru.
Then, visit the Living Museum of Yucay, a center Andean traditions interpretations, where demonstrations of the elaboration of textile work, adobe, pottery and silverware are carried out in the same way in which they used to in antiquity; an original recreation of Inca traditions. Also, residents of the museum include llamas, sheep and alpacas, and they can be fed!
Finally, you will visit Ollantaytambo, a town inhabited uninterruptedly since Inca times, and climb the iconic fortress built next to a mountain. Have lunch in Ollantaytambo and live a superior Andean gastronomy experience in a restaurant where the true spirit of the Sacred Valley is transmitted in a cozy atmosphere.
Day 5: Inca Trail
Your adventure on the Inca Trail starts today! You will be picked up very early in the morning from your hotel in the Sacred Valley to travel to Piscacucho (Km. 82), where the hike to the Inca trail begins. On the way, the group will have a stop in the town of Ollantaytambo for 15 to 20 minutes. Once we arrive in Piscacucho, we will start with the trek until we reach our camp in Wayllabamba, with lunch will be served en route.
This day you will walk between 5 – 6 hours (7.7 miles). Once at the camp, dinner will be served and you will have a good night’s rest!
Day 6: Second day on the Inca Trail
After breakfast, we will start with the most difficult part of the walk on the Inca Trail, which consists of ascending towards the highest point of the road, the Abra de Warmi Wañusca (4,200mts / 13,776ft). Then we will begin to descend towards our second camp in Pacaymayo, where lunch and dinner will be served, and we will spend the night. This day we will walk between 6 – 7 hours (7.2 miles).
Day 7
This day is the longest, but the most impressive and interesting due to the amount of archeological complexes and cloud forest that we will find while we walk. From Pacaymayo, we will ascend to the Runkurakay pass, and then descend to Chaquicocha, to enjoy a delicious and refreshing lunch. At the end, we will continue ascending until we reach the Phuyupatamarca pass (3,700mts / 12,073ft), we will walk in the cloud forest until we reach our last Wiñayhuayna camp (2,679mts / 8,792ft). This day we walk between 8 – 9 hours (10 miles). In the camp, dinner will be served and we will spend the night.
Day 8: Reach Machu Picchu
Very early we will restart the walk after having breakfast, until we reach the Intipunku (Puerta del Sol), entrance door to Machu Picchu. With the first rays of the sun, we will appreciate in all its magnitude the historic sanctuary and then descend until we reach the citadel. For two hours, youe guide will explain this Inca wonder, and then have free time to explore and enjoy Machu Picchu.
At the end of the tour you will return by bus to Aguas Calientes and have lunch at Café Inkaterra Machu Picchu Town. In the afternoon, we will board the train that will transport us to Ollantaytambo and then be transferred to your chosen hotel in the city of Cusco.
Day 9: Departure
Enjoy a delightful breakfast at your hotel before your representative takes you to the Cusco airport for your departure back home!
The Details:
- Perfect adventure seekers
- Starting at $1,379.00 per person
- Contact us here to start planning, or at yourfriends@livinginperu.com
- 100% customizable package, private services, transportation
- Flexible cancellation and rebooking policies
- See our traveler reviews here!
