Pre-trek briefing (required):

We provide a full pre-trek briefing at our office or at your hotel in Cusco. This gives you the chance to ask questions about the trek itinerary. Briefings are scheduled for the day before your trek starts.

Please take this into consideration when booking your travel plans to Cusco, to ensure you arrive in time for the briefing.

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1° Day: Cusco - Mollepata – Soraypampa – Salkantay Pampa – Pampa Japonesa
Early in the morning we will pick you up from your Cusco hotel at 5:00 a.m. and will drive 4 hours to the start of the hike. We will stop to stretch our legs in Mollepata and then will continue to the starting point of the trail, called Soraypampa at 3,883 meters or 12,740 feet. 
After a short rest we will have the opportunity to walk to the Humantay lake that lasts approximately 2 hours. In total we will walk around 10 km (6.2 miles) to our camp. Once we arrive at the turquoise lagoon, we will be able to enjoy its beautiful waters.  Then we will continue hiking for about 1 hour to our lunch spot called Salkantay Pampa. After enjoying a hearty lunch and we will continue our uphill hike to the first campsite which takes 2 hours. Our campsite is called Pampa Japonesa and is located at 4,400 meters or 14,435 feet. The view at this campsite is one of the most spectacular views of the trail, overlooking the snow-capped Salkantay Mountain. Here, it is essential to have warm clothing, thermals, and a sleeping bag good for at least -20°C (-4°F) since the temperature can reach below freezing and during the winter it might snow.
 

Overnight in Pampa Japonesa

• Camp site 

• Meals: Lunch and Dinner

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2° Day: Pampa Japonesa – Inca Chiriasca – Canal Inca
Early in the morning after breakfast, we will climb up to the pass called Inca Chiriasca for about 2 hours and reach the highest point of our hike, at 5,000 meters, or 16,400 feet. We will walk slowly up to this pass, as it is steep and challenging because of the high altitude. At the pass, we will take a break and celebrate reaching such a high point, and will get to take in the beautiful view of Salkantay Mountain and also Umantay Mountain from a different angle. Afterwards, we will descend for 1 and a half hours passing by thousands of giant boulders and will stop for lunch which we will have in the grassy highlands. After lunch, we will continue downhill through the valley to our campsite at 4,000 meters, or 13,200 feet which is called Canal Inca. At this location, there are ruins from an Inca canal which was the main channel that the Incas used from the Salkantay Mountain to irrigate the valleys farther down. Also at this campsite, we will still see the Salkantay Mountain range, but from the back, providing another picturesque view. We will also see some traditional stone houses where locals live as well as their farms and herds of alpacas and llamas.
 

Overnight in Canal Inca

• Camp site 

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

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3° Day: Canal Inca – Paucar Cancha - Wayllabamba
This day arly in the morning after breakfast we will descend for 4 hours to our lunch site. Here, we will enter a different ecological zone, starting in the treeless highlands and making our way into a green wooded valley. We will follow the stream from the Inca canal to Paucar Cancha where we will rest and have lunch. This is the beginning of the Machu Picchu National Park, and at this location we will see Inca farming terraces and ancient buildings that provided a resting point for travelers hundreds of years ago. Paucar Cancha also has an impressive irrigation system in the terraces which still works today. After touring the ruins here, we will continue down through the valley for about 1 hour to our campsite called Wayllabamba located at 3,000 meters or 9,842 feet. This is the first campsite of the traditional Inca Trail, so here we will say goodbye to our horseman but will welcome our Quechuas who will carry the camping equipment for the rest of the hike.
 

Overnight in Canal Inca

• Camp site 

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

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4° Day: Huayllamba – Warmiwañusca – Pacaymayo
After breakfast, we will hike for 8 km ( 5 miles) and will need to get up early. From Lucmabamba to our lunch site we will hike for about 5-6 hours. We will start ascending through the lush rainforest for about 2 and a half to 3 hours to the Llaqtapata Pass which is at 2,700 masl or 8,910 feet. Then we will then descend for 15 minutes and arrive at the archaeological site of Llaqtapata where we will stop and have some snacks. This site provides our first view of Machu Picchu from the other side of the valley, and we will learn about how Llaqtapata was an important astronomical center. After resting, we will begin our descent for 2 and a half to 3 hours down the mountain and will stop to eat our box lunches along the way. We will hike down until we reach the hydroelectric Town, Upon arrival we will, enjoy a delicious lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch we will say

goodbye to our chef and you will have time to relax before continuing towards the town of Aguas Calientes. Final Hike to Aguas Calientes. The last part of the day involves a 3-hour walk along the railway from the Hydroelectric station to Aguas Calientes, the base town for Machu Picchu. Throughout this walk, you can also see parts of Machu Picchu from the valley. Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes, the guide will take you to the hotel for the night, where you can rest, shower, and prepare for the last dinner in the town. Dinner in Aguas Calientes: Dinner is planned around 7:00 PM at a local restaurant in Aguas Calientes. After dinner, make the final preparations for the next day’s adventure in Machu Picchu.

 

Overnight in Pacaymayo

• Camp site 

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

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5° Day: Pacaymayu – Phuyupatamarka - Wiñayhuayna
After breakfast, we will walk 16 km (9.9 miles), it is the longest day of the Inca Trail, but also the most beautiful and interesting because we will see more archaeological centers and different ecosystems. After getting up and having breakfast, we will begin to ascend to the next step that will take us 2 hours. On the way up we will visit an archaeological center called Runkuracay, which is a very interesting archaeological center due to its circular shape and its location. It is said that this place was a refuge for walkers and a control on the way. After having a tour in this archaeological center, we will continue climbing up to the second pass called Runkuracay which is at 3,941 meters or 12,800 feet. Then we will descend for 2 hours to the place of lunch, and on the way down we will visit an archaeological site called Sayaqmarka, which means "Site in a Steep Place." Here we can see an important temple dedicated to the Salkantay Mountain, which is the highest in this area. Then we will arrive at Chaquiccocha for lunch and then we will continue walking for 4 more hours until we reach our next camp. The first part of this road will be relatively flat with ups and downs until we reach our next archaeological site called Phuyupatamarka which means "City above the Clouds." Here we will see water sources where the Incas took special baths to purify themselves before visiting the Inca city of Machu Picchu. Here we also have the Phuyupatamarka camp, which is the second option for camping on the third day. After the tour, we will go down until we reach the agricultural terraces of Intipata. Then we will continue descending to our Wiñaywayna camp, which means "Forever Young" and is at 2,650 meters or 8,694 feet. This is our last night in the camp, and after our dinner, we will thank our support staff (porters) for their work.

 

Overnight in Wiñaywayna

• Camp site

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

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6° Day: Wiñayhuayna – Machu Picchu – Cusco
On the last day, we will wake up very early (around 03:30 a.m.) and after breakfast we will walk to Control where we will wait until 05:30 a.m. Once we pass the Control, we will walk 6 km (3.7 miles) to Machu Picchu for a time of 2 hours and 30 minutes. The first part will be relatively flat until you reach Intipunku, which is the famous Puerta del Sol and the first place where you will see Machu Picchu. After Intipunku, we will begin to descend to Machu Picchu, which is located at 2,400 meters or 7,874 feet, where we will pass Control and we will be able to store our large backpacks in the warehouse. Then we will begin our tour that takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes where we will visit important sites such as temples, squares, terraces, and canals. Please note that there are specific hours for some temples. After the tour, they will take the bus to Aguas Calientes.  here we board our return train to Cusco. The suggested time to descend from Machu Picchu to the town of Aguas Calientes is 13:00 p.m depending on the departure time of the train to be always 30 minutes before the departure of train.
Train Expedition Aguas Calientes - Ollantaytambo or Poroy (Cusco)
Upon arrival at the train station you will be waiting for a staff of the company to transfer to their respective hotels in Cusco.

Overnight in Cusco

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• ​​Meals: Breakfast

 

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