Inicio / Trekking - Machu Picchu / Inca trail 5 days
The 5 day Classic Inca Trail Tour to Machu Picchu includes a 4 day trek along the trail and an extra day to explore Machu Picchu with Huayna Picchu (additional cost). On the four-day trek to Machu Picchu, we learn about traditional Andean culture. The Inca Trail (Qapaq Ñan in the native Quechua language), a 50 km stretch of authentic Inca stone pathways that once extended from Cusco to Machu Picchu, is one of the world's most iconic outdoor excursions! Nothing beats the feeling of walking the Inca Trail that leads to the Lost City of the Incas just as the sun casts its first golden rays over the ancient stone buildings.
Walking the Inca Trail for 5 days with us means having a fully supported hike with porters and modern equipment accompanied by an experienced bilingual tour guide. Additionally, you are granted an extra day to discover Machu Picchu and the Huayna Picchu mountains (optional); all of this allows you to fully enjoy one of South America's most popular hikes.
Join one of the best Machu Picchu hiking tours.
Early in the morning, we will pick you up from your hotel and take you in our private transport to the starting point of this trek on the Inca Trail. We will begin at Piscacucho, also known as Km 82 (2,350 m.a.s.l). There, your guide will give you an informative talk about the visit to Machu Picchu before crossing the checkpoint of the Inca Trail.
Then, you will walk along the Urubamba River, visiting the Inca archaeological sites of Willca Racca and the huge Llactapata. After that, you will continue towards the canyon of the Cusichaca River, offering magnificent views of the Eastern Cordillera; in particular, the mountain of Veronica (5,850 m.a.s.l). You will have lunch in Chamana and then continue walking on the Inca Trail along the Cusichaca River, observing several stepped Inca agricultural terraces and irrigation canals until you reach the picturesque town of Wayllabamba. After this, you will begin to ascend while appreciating various ecosystems on the way. Later in the afternoon, you will arrive at the town of Llullucha Pampa, a place that will be your first campsite (3,850 m.a.s.l). This is where the first camping will be set up.
After an early breakfast, you'll continue the trek to Machu Picchu, ascending to the highest point of the trail: Abra Warmiwañusqa (Dead Woman's Pass) at 4,200 meters above sea level. You'll pass through the cloud forests of Yunkachimpa and Corral Punku, which offer excellent views of the surrounding snow-capped peaks. From Warmiwañusqa, you'll descend into the Pacaymayo Valley (3,300 m), where you'll have a lunch break. Then, you'll walk along the Inca Trail through the valley to reach the Inca ruins of Runkuracay, where a guided tour follows. After that, you'll ascend and pass the second pass - Abra Runkurakay (3,860m) walking on this "Royal Inca Trail" to the next Inca site - Sayacmarca. Along the way, you'll pass by Yanacocha Lake. Finally, you'll arrive at our second campsite - Chaquicocha (3,670 m).
Today, you'll hike through beautiful subtropical vegetation and many important archaeological sites. Before reaching the first site, you'll climb up the Phuyupatamarca Pass (3670 m) and just behind it, you'll see the well-preserved and complete Inka complex of Phuyupatamarca (3600 m.a.s.l.), which is located on top of a mountain and corresponds to its Quechua name that means "Town Above the Clouds". After a guided tour, you'll have lunch there. Then, you'll start a steep descent through a cloud forest that offers the opportunity to see beautiful orchids and different bird species on the way to our last campsite in Wiñay Wayna (2700 m). There, we'll have a guided tour of the impressive archaeological complex of the same name, which consists of a religious sector, an urban sector, and an agricultural center with many stepped terraces. After that, dinner will be served and you'll go to sleep to prepare for hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu!
We start our walk early in the morning after breakfast. First, we climb ancient steps up to Inti Punku (the Sun Gate) to see the sunrise over the long-awaited Machu Picchu citadel. Then, we spend the rest of the morning exploring the Inka citadel on our own. For those interested, we meet in the town of Aguas Calientes for lunch together. To get to Aguas Calientes, you can either take a slow descent (recommended for taking some lovely panoramic photos; takes about an hour) or a shuttle bus (approximately 20 minutes; costs $12 which is not included in the Camino Inca package). You spend the night in a comfortable hostel where you can enjoy a hot shower.
No hiking is expected on this day, just a ride as we take a shuttle bus after an early breakfast. The bus drops us off in front of the gates of the mysterious city of Machu Picchu where we enter for the best early morning photo opportunities! Then, just enjoy a 2.5-hour guided tour of the so-called "Lost City of the Incas". Afterward, you have the opportunity to climb either Huayna Picchu peak (45 minutes up and the same time down, optional) or Machu Picchu mountain (1 hour, 30 minutes up and down, optional) on your own for some panoramic shots of Machu Pichu. This Machu Picchu tour ends in the afternoon by descending to the town of Aguas Calientes where we take a train back to Cusco. Arrival in the afternoon.
End of service! I hope you have enjoyed this longer trek of the Inca Trail!
Map not included
Map not included
Working conditions of the porters. Every year, thousands of people hike the Inca Trail. They usually complete the 43 km trail in 4 days. For most of them, the journey is the experience of a lifetime and the realization of their personal ambitions. The satisfaction of having completed the hike and visiting the spectacular Inca city of Machu Picchu is hard to beat. However, this feeling is even better if you know that all the porters who help you along the way have been treated well and with the respect they deserve.
At Pacha Mama Spirit, we don't allow this kind of exploitation. We guarantee that our porters carry the amount allowed by Peruvian law.
During the Inca Trail hike, we spend three nights camping with full service, which means that our camp staff will set up and take down the tents, cook, and perform all the camp chores for you - you only need to carry your backpack. There will also be dining and bathroom tents, and warm water bowls will be provided both in the morning and evening for washing up. On the last night, you will stay at a small hotel in Machu Picchu. All the hotels we use in Aguas Calientes are located within walking distance of the train stations.
The simplicity of the design meets expedition standards. The best features of Eureka's camping and expedition tents are combined to create an extremely durable tent that sets up quickly. Designed with a focus on weatherproofing and durable coatings ideal for frequent use in cool and humid environments during the mid-to-late fall and early spring seasons.
Our tents are from the MOUNTAIN PASS 3XTE or DOITE EXPEDITION brand designated for 4 seasons. We have tents with a capacity for 3 people, however, we provide the tents for only 2 people. This way, we provide you with more space and comfort. In the case of a single traveler, we provide a tent with a capacity for 2 people. After each hike, we carefully check our tents and repair them if necessary!
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