Inca Trail 4 Days

Today, you’re off on the trek of a lifetime, and you’ll need to be up early so your guide and driver can pick you up from your accommodation in Cusco between 4 and 4:30 am.
If you’re in Urubamba, you’ll be collected between 5:30, and 6 am, and if you’re in Ollantaytambo, it’ll be between 6:30, and 7 am.
From Cusco, you’ll head for 1 and a half hours in a bus to Ollantaytambo to enjoy a scrumptious breakfast, made by our
talented chef, and meet the whole trekking team, consisting of cooks and porters.
They’ll accompany you for the entire exciting adventure, along with your guide, to ensure you have the most fantastic time and take home some unforgettable memories from the sacred mountains.
Next, you’ll be hopping on our private transportation to take you to the first control point of the route at Piscacucho – KM
82. You’ll need your original passport here to enter the trail, so don’t forget it!
The first couple of hours of walking are relatively easy to help ease you into the tougher parts to come. We’ll stop off in
front of a small Inca site called Canabamba.
Here, you’ll learn all about the water canals and be able to appreciate a spectacular view of the glacier La Veronica. Then, we’ll head to Wilkarakay and see the magical archaeological site of Llactapata whose stone walls peak out amid the lush vegetation on the other side of the Urubamba River.
We’ll continue for another 20 minutes to get to our lunch spot in Tarayoc. You’ll be amazed at the delicacies we’ve prepared for you in the middle of the mountains!
This afternoon, you’ll keep walking for another 3 and a half hours to get to our first campsite at WAYLLABAMBA (3,300
masl/10,827 fasl).
Don’t worry if you forgot to pack some batteries for your camera or didn’t stock up on snacks and drinks; in this last section, we’ll pass through 2 small communities where you can buy any last-minute necessities.
We’ll get to our campsite around 5 pm, and you’ll be able to restyour tired legs. It’s time to relax, sip on a hot drink, and
nibble on some snacks while you reflect on your first day’s hike and wait for your dinner.
You’ll eat around 7:30 pm and then head to bed for a good night’s rest before trekking again tomorrow.

You’re in for another early start when we wake you up in your tents with a hot cup of coca tea. Coca has been consumed
since the age of the Incas and is an excellent way to start the day as it gives you a boost of energy and will get rid of any
altitude tiredness you might be feeling. There’s a challenging day ahead, and it’s the most exhausting on the route. Make
sure you enjoy all that’s on offer at breakfast to recharge your batteries and fill yourself with fuel.
We’ll start the day by hiking uphill for 4 hours to the highest point on the trek, the Dead Woman’s Pass (4,215 masl/13,829
fasl). From here, you’ll get the most amazing views of the immense mountains, so open up all your senses and soak it all
in. You’ll feel the spirit of the ancient Incas who walked these paths hundreds of years ago and who were at one with
nature.
We’ll then descend for 1 and a half hours to the other side of the valley, where we’ll find our lunch spot. Remember, at
every mealtime, you have the opportunity to fill up your water bottles. After a delicious lunch, we’ll ascend for around 45
minutes to the Inca site of Runkurakay. We’ll take our time and explore this little complex where you can observe two
impressive waterfalls on the mountain slopes. Then, we’ll continue uphill for another 45 minutes to the summit at
Runkurakay Pass. You’ll get the chance to rest here and enjoy the last beautiful views of the Andes section of the trek. This
is an excellent spot to perform a small ceremony for Mother Earth and the mountains by leaving an offering.
Once we start walking again, we’ll be going downhill for about an hour until we reach the next archaeological site of
Sayamarca. It’s almost inaccessible but is well worth the visit. You’ll learn all about the secrets of the site from your
knowledgeable guide as the sun descends and lights up the Vilcabamba mountain range with a red hue.
From there, you only have 25 more minutes to walk until we reach our campsite for the night in PACAYMAYO (3,600
masl/11,811 fasl). After another fantastic meal, take the opportunity to observe the clear Andean sky and stars and learn
about the constellations of the Incas. The sky at night in the mountains is truly an amazing sight to behold.

The most challenging day is over, and you’re in for a beautiful reward today! After a good night’s rest, you’ll be waking up
at 6:30 am today giving you a bit of a lie-in. You’ll fill up on a hearty breakfast and then walk for an hour and a half.
Embrace the greenery, and fantastic landscape as the jungle begins to thicken. You’ll get to enjoy a stunning juxtapose of
the Salkantay glacier (second most important in Cusco} on one side and the jungle on the other. Allow yourself to be
amazed at the panoramic view of the Vilcabamba mountain range.
You’ll then begin ascending toward the final summit of the route in Phuyupatamarca (3,650 mast/11,975 fasl), a mystical
place above the clouds. Then, you ‘I descend again for 2 and a half hours until we reach Intipata. This is a significant
agricultural place from where you can take in the impressive panoramic landscape and look out over the Sacred Valley of
the Incas with the sacred Urubamba River running through the middle as if it were a serpent.
There are only another 30 minutes more of walking until we reach our campsite for the night close to the wiñay Wayna
archaeological site. You’re now very close to the city of the Incas!! You’ll get here at around 1 pm to enjoy a well-deserved
lunch before heading to the archaeological site around 4 pm. The name of the complex, wiñay Wayna, means forever
young and is considered one of the most impressive stops on the whole route.
You’ll explore the site for about an hour as your guide conjures up images that’ll bring it all to life. This makes it easy for
you to imagine what life was like hundreds of years ago and what the site would have looked like full of life.
Once back at camp, you’ll be spoiled with a small celebration together with all your trekking team of guides, porters, and
cooks. Take some time to think about all they’ve done for you along the router. These guys work extremely hard to ensure
you feel comfortable and relaxed every day. Use this as an opportunity to thank them for all that they’ve done. This is also
the perfect time to tip them as a sign of your appreciation. You’ll also say goodbye to your porters here.
After your celebration, it’s time to get to bed early to rest well as you’ll be up at dawn the next day. Relax and contemplate
on all the amazing effort you’ve made until now. Tomorrow you’ll be visiting one of the New Seven Wonders of the World
We always like to arrive as early as possible so you can see the sunlight up the site as it rises, a magical spectacle that’s
sure to captivate your heart.

All your effort over the last few days will be rewarded with the most amazing prize today. You’ll need to wake up early
today at 3:30 am to make sure you get to the Sun Gate early to watch the sunrise. At 4 am, we’ll provide you with water and
a breakfast box, and you’ll be on your way. We’ll be one of the first groups to enter the control point and walk an hour or
so to the Sun Gate. Prepare yourself because once we’re there, you’ll get your first views across the incredible marvel of
Inca architecture and engineering.
Congratulations! You made it! You’re finally inside Machu Picchu. Bow down to the holy site that’s patiently waited for
your arrival, and that’ll change something hidden deep within you. We have just one more hour of walking until we enter
the Machu Picchu site, the Lost City of the Incas. We’ll get to the last control point at around 8 am to start our 2-hour
guided tour.
As you wander around this fascinating creation, you’ll feel the intimate connection between humans and nature. You’ll
see immense stones that all connect harmoniously together to form temples, alleys, houses, and aqueducts that still work
over 5 centuries later. Machu Picchu was built in an inaccessible location to resist any attack.
After the tour, you’ll have a few more hours to explore for yourself. Alternatively, you can hike up Huayna Picchu or Machu
Picchu Mountain if you have pre-booked tickets. Then, you’ll catch the bus back down to AguasCalientes for lunch in a
restaurant of your choice and then board the train to Ollantaytambo or Poroy. Tickets are usually booked for 3:20 pm or
4:22 pm, depending on availability, and you need to be at the station at least 30 minutes before departure. Once you’re at
your final train stop, one of our representatives will be waiting for you with private transport to take you back to your
accommodation in Cusco.