Classic Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu is a four days trail from Cusco. The 4 day inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu tops the bucket list of many travellers in South America. To most, it is an experience of a lifetime to retrace the footsteps of Incas. The path they built over five hundred years ago.
The trail has got all the deserving attention. National Geography magazine considers the legendary twenty six miles 4 day inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu as one of the top twenty five treks in the world. In order to protect the environment, the authorities have imposed regulations.
They allow just 500 people in a day. This includes chefs, guides and porters, leaving just 200 spots for trekkers. As a result, the permits tend to sell way in advance. Quite often it gets booked six to seven months in advance.
The 4 day inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu trail head is in Piscacucho, also known as kilometre 82. As the name suggests, the trail head is 82 kilometres away from Cusco. It lies halfway between Ollantaytambo train station and Aguas Calientes train station. Inca trail to Machu Picchu is a combination of natural beauty, history and mysterious Inca culture.
You will be trekking through the snowcapped peaks of Andean mountain and will descend to the cloud forest. It also takes you through many Inca ruins, the popular ones are Wiñay Wayna and Intipunku (Sun gate).
Only those on Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu get the exclusive view of sunrise from the Inca site of Sun gate.
As for trekkers, even operators need permits and license to operate Inca Trail tours. Treks in Cusco is one of the licensed tour operators for Inca Trail. As this is one of our signature treks, we have dedicated team of guides, chefs and porters for this. Our guides are tourism professionals from Cusco. They have a wealth of knowledge and are fluent in English.
Unable to find availability on your desired date? Check out our One Day Inca Trail and Two Days Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
Please Note
Check out our detailed post on Inca Trail Packing List.
Do check our reviews on Trip Advisor.
Cusco Hotel Transfer
0600 AM
We will be picking you up from the hotel in Cusco at 0600 AM. On our way to Ollantaytambo we will stop in Urubamba where you can buy last minute things if needed. We will be boarding the train from Ollantaytambo and will be getting down at Piskacuchu (Km 82). the trail head of Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
Here we will be presenting the permit for hiking the Inca Trail to the authorities. We will then begin hiking along the course of Urubamba river. For lunch, we will stop in Miskay and relax a bit before hiking to our first campsite. Along the way, we will visit the Llactapata archeological site.
We’ll start the day early in the morning with a hearty breakfast, and then hike up to the highest point of the Inca Trail. Here, we can see the various ecological zones and microclimates, which make up the area, literally mapped out in front of us.
We will cross the Warmi Wañusca pass (Dead Woman’s Pass) at 4,200 meters/13,780 feet above sea level. After lunch we will continue on to the Pacaymayo campsite, where we will enjoy dinner and a well-deserved rest.
Our day begins with a nutritious breakfast. We will then do a 45-minute hike up to the second highest pass on the Trail (3,850 meters/12,631 feet above sea level). Along the way we will visit the Runcuracay archeological site. During the day’s hike, we will also visit the Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca archeological complexes. After lunch we will head to the Wiñay wayna ruins, where we will spend our last night on the Trail.
After an early breakfast, we begin the final leg of the trek to the lost city of Machu Picchu. First, we will hike to Inti Punku (“Sun Gate”), where we will take in an inspiring and a great view of the Machu Picchu citadel.
After a short hike down to Machu Picchu, we will register and then enjoy a 3 hours guided tour of the sanctuary city. After the tour of Machu Picchu, we will take the bus down to Aguas Calientes, where we will enjoy before returning to Cusco by train.
The best guide service and excellent attention.
