Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 4 Days

Inca trail to machu Picchu 4 day 3 nights to the lost city of the Inca’s and Machu Picchu is a magical adventure. Making this historical journey high into the Andes will hold special memories that stay with you the rest of your life. Check out our 2020 dates and enjoyable Inca Trail to Machu picchu 4 days 3 nights.

Day 1: Cusco – Trailhead at Km 82 – Ayapata.

We will pick you up at your hotel in Cusco at 5:30 AM! The ride to the trailhead at Kilometer 82 is beautiful! Along the way we will stop at the Raqchi look out to take photos. This gorgeous location overlooks the valley of Urubamba with the Chicon glacier in the background. From this position you can also see Mount Veronica (5,682 m/ 18,637 ft) and the Urubamba River.

After driving an additional 45 minutes we will reach the town of Ollantaytambo. This town is an excellent spot to get breakfast and buy any last minute supplies prior to arriving at the trailhead. You will also have the opportunity to see the Ollantaytambo Inca site while you are here.

We will then get back in the van to travel the final 45 minutes to reach the trail head at Kilometer 82. At this point we will go through the Inca trail checkpoint and begin our Inca Trail hike.

The hike begins with 2 ½ hours of relatively flat terrain until we reach the Wilkaraqay Inca site. From this location we will have gorgeous views of the Llactapata (2,750 m/ 9,020 ft) archeological site, which was a check point on the Inca trail approach to Machu Picchu. At this point we will go over the history of this site as well as have an overview of the history of the Inca trail.

Back on the trail we will hike for 2 hours until we reach Hatunchaca (2,598 m/8,525 ft) where we will have lunch. This will be your first meal from our incredible chef and will give you an idea of the fantastic food you can look forward to the remainder of the trek!

After lunch we will hike for 2 ½ hours until we reach our camp at Ayapata (3,300 m / 10,829 ft). This camp is a little further along the Inca trail than the traditional night one camp site of Wayllabamba. This is nice because it is quieter. We will take advantage of this feature of the camp in order to enjoy the stars and beauty of the evening on the Inca trail in serenity.

Day 2: Ayapata – Dead Woman’s Pass – Pacaymayu – Chaquicocha.

After a delicious breakfast we will begin our hike to the famous Dead Woman’s Pass! For the first two hours we will be in the cloud forest. We will pass through various biozones including the low sierra and the high puna. There are many opportunities to see a variety of plant and birdlife and if we are lucky we may also spot White Tailed Deer.

After this two hour hike we reach Llulluchapampa (3,800 m / 12,460 ft). This is a small camp and it is the absolute last location on the trail to buy supplies. After a 15 minute break we will continue on the trail.

The portion of the trail leading to Dead Woman’s Pass at Warmiwañusca (4,215 m/ 13,825 ft) lasts two hours and takes you through beautiful mountains and the grasslands of the high Andes. We will pause at the top of this pass to admire the majesty of the highest point of the Inca trail.

We will then descend to the Pacaymayu camp for lunch. After lunch we will ascend 45 minutes to the Inca site of Runcuraccay. We will tour this ruin and then continue uphill for an additional hour to the Runcuraccay pass (3,950 m/ 12,959 ft).

After a descent of 90 minutes we will arrive at the Inca site of Sayacmarca (3,657 m /12,000 ft). At this location we will have the chance to see one of the most amazing sunsets of the Aobamba valley!

From here it is 25 minutes to our campsite for the night at Chaquicocha (3,600 m/11,800 ft). We have chosen this camp for the night instead of the traditional night 2 campsites at Pacaymayu for reasons similar to why we choose Ayapata on night 1. It is less crowded and will allow us a more peaceful encounter with nature!

Day 3: Chaquicocha – Phuyupatamarca – Wiñaywayna.

After another fantastic breakfast we will hike for two hours until we reach Phuyupatamarca (3,680 m/ 12,073 ft). From this location we will have astonishing views of Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu Mountain, and Huayna Picchu mountain. We will also have a guided tour of the Phuyupatamarca Inca site.

Now it is time to head into the rain forest! We will walk downhill for 2 ½ hours until we reach our camp. During this stretch of the trail we will visit Inti Pata. Many people feel that the most beautiful pictures of the entire Inca trail can be taken from this location! After Inti Pata it is a further 30 minutes to our campsite at Wiñay Wayna (2,680 m /8,792 ft). When we arrive at the camp we will have lunch. After relaxing for a short time we will visit the archeological site that bears the same name as the camp.

Wiñay Wayna is the largest and most beautiful archeological site on the Inca trail and means forever young in Quechua. We are one of the few companies that provide a guided tour of Wiñay Wayna.

Day 4: Wiñay Wayna – Sun Gate – Machu Picchu – Cusco

We will rise very early to complete the final stretch of the Inca Trail, which brings us to Inti Punku or the Sun Gate, the principal entrance of the crystal city of Machu Picchu. The trail here is fairly easy going and after about an hour we will arrive to Inti Punku (2,400 m/ 7,875 ft), an awesome location to observe the citadel of Machu Picchu and sunrise in the Andes.

From Inti Punku it is a further 40 minute downhill hike to the citadel of Machu Picchu. We will go to the classic “photo” spot and take pictures once we arrive. Then there will be a short break prior to starting our tour of Machu Picchu. The tour will last two hours. If you have elected to climb Huayna Picchu Mountain you should select the 10 AM time spot.

When you are finished exploring the extraordinary city of Machu Picchu you will travel to Aguas Calientes by bus. You will then take the train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo where our private van will be waiting to transport you back to your hotel in Cusco. Arrival time in Cusco depends on the time of your train ticket.

Includes:

• Trek briefing with your guide.
• Professional trek guide.
• Second tour guide for groups of 9+.
• Private transport and professional driver (to the starting point of hike – km 82)
• All entrance tickets and permits for Inca Trail and Machu Picchu.
• Indigenous porters to carry camping equipment: client tents, dining and cooking tents, table, stools, cooking gear, stove, gas container, cutlery, plates, food and fresh vegetables.
• Bus ticket from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes Village.
• Machu Picchu guided tour (2 hrs) and free time for you.
• 1 train ticket from Machu Picchu Pueblo to Ollantaytambo village (Expedition Tourist Train)
• 3 nights camping.
• Spacious tents/Sleeping mat.
• Boiled water provided from 3nd day on (for drinking during hike)
• One chef and assistant cook
• Excellent Meals: 3 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners
• Food includes pancakes, omelets, soups, fresh fruit, avocado, pasta, chicken, fish, meat, and rice, all rich in carbohydrates and suitable for trekking. (Vegetarian, vegan or special diet meals upon request.)
• Tea time before dinner (tea, coffee, biscuits, popcorn)
• Wake up to coca tea in your tent.
• Buckets of hot water for washing in your tent every day
• Biodegradable soap and hand cleansing gel
• Oxygen Tank & First aid kit
• All local taxes

Does Not Include:

• Sleeping Bag (Can be hired from us)
• Personal Porter
• Breakfast on Day 1 and lunch and dinner on Day 4
• Entrance to Huayna Picchu Mountain $ 75.00
• Energy snacks. So it would be useful to bring some such as as chocolate bars and dried fruits.
• In an effort to reduce plastic waste on the trail we encourage our guests to use refillable water bottles
• **Tips for the crew (Porters, chef and guide)

What you need to take:

• A good day pack: such as Eagle Creek Afar Backpack (Appropriate pack to carry your personal belongings.)
• Original passport (International Student Identity Card “ISIC” if applicable)
• Travel insurance (strongly recommended but not required
• Lighter trekking boots (with good ankle support)
• 3 pairs of trekking pants (not jeans), 1 hiking, 1 cotton–which is just enough. Please spray both pairs with an insect repellent spray before the trip.
• Layers for variable temperatures especially at night
• 1 rain jacket: The first night the temperature can be as low as – 5 degrees Celsius/23 degrees Fahrenheit. A rain jacket can be helpful, because there are rainy days even in the dry season!
• 1 warm/winter jacket (Thermals: wool socks/gloves, scarf and woolen hat for cold nights).
4 pairs of underwear, 6 pairs of socks (Bamboo or cotton/nylon-blend socks dry faster than 100 percent cotton, which lose their softness when air-dried.) It is nice to have a couple of extra pairs of socks to change into at night when you’re not hiking. Also, we recommend bringing both really heavy hiking socks and lighter socks as well as the weather is variable, so you want to make sure you’re not too cold or too hot.
• 4 shirts, 2 long sleeve shirts
• 1 good sleeping bag liner which is super lightweight and easy to pack. This definitely does its job!
• Travel-size tissues and wet wipes–The air is cold and damp, so your nose is going to run a lot. Everyone seems to run out of tissues by the end of the trek. Also, most bathrooms do not have toilet paper (if you even get a bathroom), so wet wipes are key.
• Iron tablets and pills for altitude sickness. Several people on the hike have varying degrees of altitude sickness and both of these remedies (in addition to the coca tea) are very helpful in alleviating the symptoms.
• Sun protection cream (SPF 45 or higher recommended).
• Bug spray with 30% DEET in it–which you need, but it doesn’t work very well. The issue with Cusco outdoor is that most of the bugs are not mosquitoes. They are these small flies you can’t even see that leave weird bites that first look like you pricked your finger and then blow up into itchy red bumps. Unfortunately, these bugs seem to bite you no matter what kind of spray you put on, so bringing some anti-itch ointment could be helpful.
• Re-usable plastic or metal water container or a hydration pack such as Camel-back
Water (Only for first day of the hike, as we will provide you with water throughout the rest of the hike).
• Camera and film
• A headlamp to navigate camp in the evenings and pre-dawn mornings with spare batteries
• Bandages or moleskin
• Flip flops to change into at night. Your toes will thank you!
• Toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste/floss, shampoo/conditioner, brush/comb, Vaseline (great for potential blisters on the feet), feminine hygiene products, deodorant, nail clippers/file/tweezers, spare glasses and/or prescription, mini-eyeglass repair kit, contact lenses and supplies, hand sanitizer etc. Pack what you need, but pack light.
• Medication (Imodium AD or something for your stomach) because some people get an upset stomach on the trek. Also, Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen can be helpful to help with aches and pains after 8-10 hours of hiking each day.
• Plastic bags for dirty and wet clothes
• Something to read in the evenings
• Extra money for drinks