Classic Inca Trail 4 Days to Machu Picchu

Itinerary

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1. 1Day 1:

   Cusco to Km 82 and the first camp

   An early drive to the trailhead at Km 82, then a gentle first day along the Urubamba Valley past the Inca site of Llactapata.12 km / 7.5 mi6–7 hoursMax altitude 3,300 m / 10,827 ft

   Most departures leave Cusco before dawn for the drive through the Sacred Valley to Km 82 (Piskacucho), where the trail begins at about 2,700 m (8,860 ft). After the permit and passport check, you cross the Urubamba River and start walking.

   The first day is a warm-up: mostly gentle, with a few short climbs, on a dusty trail that follows the river through dry valley scenery. The highlight is Llactapata, also called Patallacta, a large Inca settlement of terraces and buildings above the river that your guide explains from a viewpoint on the trail. The afternoon continues up the Kusichaca valley toward Wayllabamba, where local families still farm along the route.

   Camp is set near Wayllabamba or a little higher at Ayapata, depending on the campsites assigned for your permit date.

   Starts

   Km 82 (Piskacucho)

   Ends

   Wayllabamba or Ayapata

   Meals

   Lunch, dinner

   Accommodation

   Campsite

2. 2Day 2:

   Over Dead Woman’s Pass

   The toughest day: a long, steady climb to Warmiwañusca at 4,215 m (13,829 ft), then a steep descent on stone steps to camp.11 km / 6.8 mi7–9 hoursMax altitude 4,215 m / 13,829 ft

   Start early. The trail climbs through Polylepis woodland and then open grassland toward Warmiwañusca, or Dead Woman’s Pass, named for the shape of the ridgeline. The climb is long rather than technical, steady uphill on uneven stone for several hours, and the thinner air makes every step count. Your guide sets a pace that works for the group, with regular stops to breathe, drink and look back at how far you’ve come.

   At the top, at 4,215 m (13,829 ft), you’re on the highest point of the whole trek, with views over both valleys. From there a long stone staircase drops into the Pacaymayo valley. Many hikers find the descent harder on the knees than the climb was on the lungs, so this is where trekking poles earn their place.

   Depending on your permit, camp is either in the Pacaymayo valley or further on, after the second pass near Runkurakay. Expect a cold night: temperatures at the higher camps can drop close to freezing, especially from June to August.

   Starts

   Wayllabamba or Ayapata

   Ends

   Pacaymayo or Chaquicocha

   Meals

   Breakfast, lunch, dinner

   Accommodation

   Campsite

   The pass is exposed and the weather can change quickly. Keep a warm layer and a rain jacket in your daypack.

3. 3Day 3:

   Cloud forest and Inca sites

   The most varied day of the trek, past Runkurakay, Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca, ending near the terraces of Wiñay Wayna.5–8 hours, depending on the campsiteMax altitude 3,950 m / 12,959 ft

   Day three is when many hikers fall for the trail. If you camped in Pacaymayo, the morning starts with the climb to the second pass, at about 3,950 m (12,960 ft), stopping at Runkurakay, a round Inca structure overlooking the valley. From there the path is some of the best preserved on the route: original paving, stone stairways and even a short tunnel cut through the rock.

   Sayacmarca, perched on a spur of rock, and Phuyupatamarca, the “town above the clouds,” are the major sites of the day, and on a clear afternoon you can see the snowcapped peaks of the Vilcabamba range. After Phuyupatamarca the trail drops through thick cloud forest, with moss, ferns, bromeliads and orchids in season, down a long flight of steps toward Wiñay Wayna.

   Camp tonight is close to Wiñay Wayna, and if time allows, your guide will take you to see its curved terraces in the late light. It’s an early night: the last morning starts before dawn.

   Starts

   Pacaymayo or Chaquicocha

   Ends

   Wiñay Wayna

   Meals

   Breakfast, lunch, dinner

   Accommodation

   Campsite

4. 4Day 4:

   Sun Gate and Machu Picchu

   A pre-dawn start to the Sun Gate for your first view of Machu Picchu, a guided visit of the citadel and the journey back to Cusco.6 km / 3.7 mi2–3 hours, plus the guided visitMax altitude 2,720 m / 8,924 ft

   The final checkpoint near Wiñay Wayna opens early, so the day begins in the dark with a quick breakfast. From the checkpoint it’s about an hour and a half along a narrow, mostly level path, with one short and very steep set of steps near the end, to Inti Punku, the Sun Gate. On a clear morning this is where Machu Picchu appears below you for the first time, with Huayna Picchu rising behind it.

   From the Sun Gate you walk down into Machu Picchu for your guided visit. Entry routes inside the site are set by Peru’s Ministry of Culture, and your guide leads the visit along the circuit assigned to Inca Trail hikers for your date. Afterward, you take the bus down to Aguas Calientes for lunch and free time before the train back through the Urubamba Valley and the road transfer to your hotel in Cusco, usually arriving in the evening.

   Starts

   Wiñay Wayna

   Ends

   Cusco

   Meals

   Breakfast

   Large backpacks, trekking poles and food aren’t allowed inside Machu Picchu. Your guide will explain how to handle your bags before you enter.