Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu
4 Days / 3 Nights
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Peak Elevation :
4,200 m / 13,780 ft
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Low Altitude:
2,040 m / 6,690 ft
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Length of Trail:
~ 49 km / 30 mi
Overall Difficulty:
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Itinerary
Please note that all distances and elevations are approximate. Trek times and distances covered on each day are estimated; various factors -- such as weather conditions, camp sites assigned by the Ministerio de Cultura, individual fitness levels, and how each trekker manages at altitude -- may affect the time it takes to reach each point.
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PRE-DEPARTURE BRIEFING
The evening before your trek, you will meet with your tour guide at your place of lodging (hotel, hostel, etc.). Your guide will give you an overview of your trek to help you prepare and pace yourself for the physical and mental challenges that lie ahead. They will answer any questions and address any concerns you may have regarding the trek, and can offer suggestions on where you may purchase last-minute supplies. You will receive a duffel bag to hold up to 7 kg / 15 lbs of your personal belongings; this will be carried by a porter. You will have access to this duffel at the campsites. You will carry the items you will need throughout the day while you trek. Your guide will confirm your pick-up time.
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DAY ONE
Cusco | Ollantaytambo | Km 82 | Patallacta | Wayllabamba (or Ayapata*)
(* The campsite will be assigned by the Ministerio de Cultura. If Ayapata is chosen, elevation and trekking distance will increase slightly.)
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You will be picked-up at your place of lodging sometime between 5 and 6 am, depending on your location. You will travel by private van to Ollantaytambo (2 hours from Cusco) where you will stop for breakfast. Here, you may purchase last-minute supplies (toiletries, rain gear, meds, snacks, bottled water, etc.). You will continue travelling for about an hour to Pisacucho -- famously known as Km 82 -- the beginning of the Inca Trail, where you will be introduced to the team. You will gear up and make your way to the first checkpoint where you will present your passport, Inca Trail permit (to be carried by your guide), and student ID if applicable. You will then begin your trek to Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail! After you cross the Urubamba River by footbridge, you will trek for 4 hours until you reach the village of Tarayoc where you will be served lunch. Along the way, you'll enjoy magnificent views of snow-capped Mount Veronica who stands at 5,895 m / 19,335 ft, and pass the first archaeological sites along the trail -- Qanabamba and Patallacta. After lunch, you'll continue for another 2.5 hours, arriving at Wayllabamba, your campsite. You may then get settled in your tent, freshen up, and relax. Afternoon tea will be served at 5 pm. Dinner will follow at 7 pm. Be sure to get a good night's rest; you'll need it!
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DAY ONE OVERVIEW
Hours of Trekking
6.5
Elevations for the Day
Cusco - 3,400 m / 11,150 ft highest
Ollantaytambo - 2,790 m / 9,150 ft
Km 82 - 2,650 m / 8,700 ft lowest
Patallacta - 2,750 m / 9,020 ft
Wayllabamba - 3,000 m / 9,840 ft
(Ayapata - 3,300 m / 10, 830 ft)
Meals Served
Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner / Snack + Tea
Accommodations
Camping
Notes
- Have your passport on hand. You will need it at the first checkpoint.
- This is a relatively easy day. The ascent will be gradual -- a gentle warm up for the following day's challenging climb to Dead Woman's Pass.
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DAY 2 OVERVIEW
Hours of Trekking
6
Elevations for the Day
Wayllabamba - 3,000 m / 9,840 ft lowest
(Ayapata - 3,300 m / 10, 830 ft)
Llulluchapampa - 3,800 m / 12,470 ft
Warmiwañusca - 4,200 m / 13,780 ft highest
Pacaymayo - 3,600 m / 11,810 ft
Meals Served
Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner / Snack + Tea
Accommodations
Camping
Notes
- Today is the most challenging of your 4-Day trek.
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- The descent will be steep, so watch where you step!
- Sip your water. In this altitude, we recommend moving slowly and steadily versus moving quickly and stopping to take many breaks.
- The temperatures throughout the day will vary significantly, be sure to wear layers!
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DAY TWO
Wayllabamba (or Ayapata) | Llulluchapampa | Warmiwañusca / "Dead Woman's Pass" | Pacaymayo
Wake-up at 6. Breakfast will be served at 6:30. At 7 you will begin your 4-hour uphill trek to Warmiwañusca, appropriately named Dead Woman's Pass because, when viewed from a distance, its crests resemble the silhouette of a woman lying on her back. Along this path, you will pass a native Queuña forest and be accompanied by the soothing sounds of a glacier stream and the various wildlife inhabiting the Andes. After about 2 hours, you will reach the 1/2 way point of Llulluchapampa. The steep ascent will be grueling at times, but the gorgeous surroundings will make the effort worth your while. Once you reach Warmiwañusca, the highest point of the trek, take a few moments to celebrate your achievement while you enjoy the spectacular views! You will then begin a steep, 2-hour descent to your campsite, Pacaymayo, where the Banderitas team will greet you with a hearty lunch. That's it for trekking for the day. You may freshen up and have yourself a very well-deserved rest. We'll let you know when tea's ready at 6 pm. Dinner will be served at 7 pm. Afterwards, as Silverio likes to say, "may you sleep like a baby alpaca."
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DAY THREE
Pacaymayo | Runcuracay | Sayacmarca | Phuyupatamarca | Wiñay Wayna
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You will begin with a 5 am wake up. Breakfast will be ready at 5:30. You'll head out toward Runcuracay Pass at 6 on a steep, 2-hour uphill trail. Along the way, you'll make a quick stop at the Runcuracay Incan Complex. Once at the pass -- the highest point of the day -- it's a steep 1.5-hour descent to Sayacmarca Incan Complex. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of two valleys -- Aobamba and Urubamba -- as you continue on for the next 3 hours on a gentle up-and-down path until you reach your lunch site, Phuyupatamarca.
After lunch, the trail continues steeply downhill for the next 3 hours; it will be steep for the first 2 and then gradual from the IntiPata Incan Compex to Wiñay Wayna, your campsite. You'll have the option to take a quick ten-minute stroll to the Wiñay Wayna Incan Complex to explore or simply relax and enjoy the spectacular view from camp. Tea will be served at 5:30 and dinner at 7. This will be your final dinner with the porters. They'll wish you a farewell this evening as they'll be heading home the following day. Before sleeping under the stars, you'll pre-pack your gear for a super early start.
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DAY 3 OVERVIEW
Hours of Trekking
9.5
Elevations for the Day
Pacaymayo - 3,600 m / 11,810 ft
Runcuracay - 3,950 m / 12,960 ft
Sayacmarca - 3,600 m / 11,810 ft
Phuyupatamarca - 3,700 m / 12,140 ft highest
Wiñay Wayna - 2,620 m / 8,595 ft lowest
Meals Served
Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner / Snack + Tea
Accommodations
Camping
Notes
- This is the longest day of your 4-day trek; with some steep up- and downhills, it will be moderately challenging.
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- Farewell dinner. Goodbye, porters! Thank you! You'll be parting ways with them tomorrow morning.
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DAY 4 OVERVIEW
Hours of Trekking
3 plus 2-3 hour guided walking tour at Machu Picchu Citadel
Elevations for the Day
Wiñay Wayna - 2,620 m / 8,595 ft highest
Inti Punku (Sungate) - 2,720 m / 8,925 ft
Machu Picchu Citadel - 2,400 m / 7,875 ft
[optional: Huayna Picchu Mountain - 2,720 m / 8,925 ft]
[optional: Machu Picchu Mountain - 3,082 m / 10,110 ft]
Aguas Calientes - 2,040 m / 6,690 ft lowest
Ollantaytambo - 2,790 m / 9,150 ft
Cusco - 3,400 m / 11,150 ft
Meals Served
Breakfast and Snack
Accommodations
Final Day - No Overnight Accommodations
Notes
- Today's the day -- Machu Picchu! You'll head out well before the crack of dawn so you could be at the Sungate at the crack of dawn.
- You'll take with you only the gear needed for the day. You'll have packed the rest of your belongings in your Banderitas duffel bag which the porters will leave in Aquas Calientes before they head home.
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-Daypacks larger than 20 liters will not be allowed inside the citadel. You may rent a locker for S/5 (US $1.50).
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- Trekking poles are allowed inside the citadel only under special circumstances.
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DAY FOUR
Wiñay Wayna | Inti Punku | Machu Picchu Citadel | Aguas Calientes
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You'll be waking before the roosters this morning! 3:45 am wake up. Breakfast will be served at 4, and you'll depart from your campsite at 4:30. (The porters will take your Banderitas duffel bag to Aquas Calientes where you will retrieve it after your tour.) It's just a five-minute walk to the final checkpoint which opens at 5:30 am (a line will form, so the earlier you arrive, the better). Here, your guide will present your Inca Trail permit. You'll then trek for about 2 hours along a path with a gentle incline. There will be some steep steps which will lead you to Inti Punku (the Sungate). From here, you'll have your first view of Machu Picchu in the distance! Then, it's one more hour of downhill until you reach the Machu Picchu Citadel. You'll first head toward the entrance, exit the complex, and have some time to use the restroom, grab a snack and have your passport checked (and stamped!) at the control point before you re-enter the complex and begin your guided tour of the citadel. Afterwards, you will take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes where you will meet your guide at a designated spot and pick up your duffel bag. You'll grab lunch on your own before you take your train back to Ollantaytambo. Private transport will await you there to take you back to your hotel in Cusco. Please leave your empty Banderitas duffel bag at the front desk of your hotel.
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Price
2023 prices per person in USD
Solo traveler: $2,120
Group of 2: $1,125
Group of 3: $1,010
Group of 4: $945
Group of 5: $900
Group of 6: $855
Group of 7: $810
Group of 8+: $765
- $25 USD discount for minors (17 and under) and University students with valid ID aged 25 and under
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Our prices include these upgrades
- a ride on PeruRail's Vistadome train with a panoramic view and live entertainment *
- free use of a Therm-A-Rest ProLite Plus sleeping pad and a pillow
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*most tour operators include tourist-class train service and offer Vistadome as a $50-$75 add-on
What is Included
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TEAM SUPPORT
- Experienced, Professional Tour Guide
- Responsive, U.S.-Style Customer Support
SUPPORT STAFF
- Experienced Cook
- Reliable Porters
- Safe, Responsible Drivers
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TICKETS / ENTRY FEES
- Inca Trail Permit
- Machu Picchu Ticket
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TRANSPORTATION
- Private transport from your hotel in Cusco or the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo
- Consettur bus ticket
- From Machu Picchu down to Aguas Calientes
- PeruRail ticket for Vistadome train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
- This is a comfortable, upscale service with a panoramic view (side and ceiling windows)
- Private transport from Ollantaytambo back to your hotel in Cusco or the Sacred Valley
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MEALS and BEVERAGES
From Breakfast on Day 1 to Breakfast on Day 4:
- 10 Fresh, wholesome meals prepared by Banderitas' Cook: 4 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners
- We respect dietary restrictions and preferences and will accommodate special requests (i.e., vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, etc.)
- Snacks -- unprocessed and healthful (e.g., fruit, nuts or cereal bars)
- Variety of teas including whole leaf coca
- In the morning, freshly ground, organic coffee from Quillabamba
- Drinking water (boiled and cooled, from lunch on Day 1)
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EQUIPMENT / ACCOMMODATIONS
- First Aid Kit
- Oxygen Tank
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Days 1, 2, 3
- Eureka Timberline Tent
- Inflatable Therm-A-Rest ProLite Plus Sleeping Pad
- plus an additional foam pad for extra comfort
- Pillow
- Hot water bottle
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DUFFEL BAG
- At the Pre-Departure Briefing on the evening before your trek, you will be provided with a Banderitas Duffel Bag which you may fill with up to 7 kilos / 15 pounds of your belongings. This will be carried by a porter. While we recommend that you carry all you will need for the day in your daypack, you will have access to your duffel bag at all lunch stops and campsites. The duffel may be left at the front desk of your hotel following your trek.
These extras and upgrades come as standard services when you book with
Banderitas Adventures in Cusco
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WHAT IS NOT Included
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HUAYNA PICCHU / MACHU PICCHU MOUNTAINS
- Ticket to climb either Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machu Picchu Mountain on Day 4. It may be purchased through us for $75 USD. Please let us know as soon as you book if you wish to purchase a ticket as they are subject to availability.
> click for more information <
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EQUIPMENT for RENT
- Sleeping Bag $25 USD
- Trekking Poles (rubber-tipped, per pair) $15 USD
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SINGLE-OCCUPANCY ACCOMMODATIONS
(Not applicable to solo travelers)
- For your own tent $35 USD
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MEAL
- Lunch on Day 4
(you will have many restaurants and cafés to choose from in Aguas Calientes)
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GRATUITIES
Inca Trail Permit
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In an effort to preserve the Inca Trail (Qhapaq Ñan) -- designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1983 -- the Peruvian Ministry of Culture limits the number of trekkers entering the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu to 500 per day. This number includes visitors as well as support staff (guides, cooks, and porters). A non-transferable / non-refundable permit with the trekkers name and passport information is required to enter the Trail and must be purchased in advance -- sometimes as far as six months. Please note: the Inca Trail is closed the entire month of February for maintenance.
Huayna Picchu & Machu Picchu Mountains
During your visit to Machu Picchu Citadel, you'll have the option to climb either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain. We prefer that you decide upon booking your trek as entrance tickets are limited -- 300 for Huayna Picchu Mountain and 100 for Machu Picchu Mountain. Tickets for each mountain cost $75 USD. Both are moderately challenging hikes with stunning views from the top. Climbing and descending Huayna Picchu, on average, takes 2 to 2.5 hours; Machu Picchu can take 3 to 3.5 hours. Tickets to Huayna Picchu tend to sell out quickly, but don’t be discouraged if they’re sold out during your visit; Machu Picchu mountain may not be as popular to climb, but it is less crowded, and the views are just as beautiful, if not more.