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Cusco

Cusco Region

Peru

The Inca Trail, a popular route to UNESCO-listed Machu Picchu, runs through the Peruvian Andes. While organizing individual accommodation, entry fees, meals, and transportation can be very time-consuming, this adventurous tour takes care of everything for you. The tour begins and ends at Cusco airport, and includes everything you need to experience the best of the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu. Along the way, you'll admire Incan landmarks like Llactapata and Phuyupatamarca, and arrive at Machu Picchu in time for sunrise.

Day 1

Arrival to Cusco with a transfer to your hotel; a welcome meeting will be organized by your guide for a quick briefing of the tour. The rest of the day can be spent exploring Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, set in the Andes Mountains. Discover Spanish churches and mansions that sit alongside Inca remains and enjoy the vibrant nightlife or sampling Peruvian restaurants.

Day 2

After breakfast, enjoy a free day to explore Cusco at your ease. The capital city of the Inca Empire is now the undisputed archaeological capital of the Americas, as well as the continent’s oldest continuously inhabited city.

Day 3

The meeting point will be at Hotel 04h30 we will continue until we get to ‘Piscacucho’ and get our check-in. We will need to show our passport, tickets, etc. at the control point. Remember there is limited access to the Inca Trail. This is the moment to use restrooms, applying sunscreen, insect repellent, etc. We have ahead a marvelous Inca Valley, used by the great Inca master himself and its royal courtship, to get to Machu Picchu. Now, you are so lucky in tracing the Inca steps all the way of what it was for them a meaningful sacred journey. The Trail begins at 2,720m / 8,923 ft and we will be heading across the Vilcanota River on the right side. But the path soon begins to get abruptly lean through the cloud forest. In time will spot the great views of an Inca Fortress called 'Huillca Raccay', as well as the vast and incredible Inca site of 'Patallacta'. 

Huillca Raccay

Also, we will see the Urubamba mountain range that divides the jungle, the Andes and the beautiful snow-capped peak of 'W'akay Willca' at 5, 860m /19,225 ft, known as Veronica. There was so much beauty to admire on this first day out of the Inca Trail 4-day hike, an incredible encounter with the Andean nature. Now we will set up our first campsite near the small village of Wayllabamba 3, 000m / 9, 842ft in the temperate valley of the same name. Temperatures at night are around 5ºC (depending on the month).

Wayllabamba Camp

Day 4

After you have finished your breakfast made by our cooks we will get ready for the day ahead of us. It is 5:30 am but we will need most of the daylight and strength for what it comes next on our trek. We will climb a steep ascent which it will take us some hours to achieve. For the Inca, this was part of pilgrimage route, a sacred one, to become one with the Apus (mountains) or the gods protecting the Andes. After some hours we have reached the highest pass at Abra de Warrmihuañusca or 'Dead Woman's Pass' at 4,200 m / 13,779 ft. This was not an easy task, and you should be proud of yourself because is not easy to get to this point. 

Dead Woman

After a rest, we begin the descent to our lunch stop which is located at Pacaymayu at 3, 550m /11,646 ft. As we are passing, we will be able to see lots of hummingbirds as well as other birds species. Also, we will appreciate an incredible variety of native plants, trees such as the ´Polylepis´ which only grow in the cloud forest located at 3,650m /11,972ft.
After lunch, we will take another 2 hours steep climb to Runkurakay pass at almost 4,000m and set up our campsite by 5 pm. Temperatures at this campsite are around 4ºC during the night.


Runkuracay

Day 5

It’s great camping surrounded by incredible landscapes and seeing a unique Andean flora and fauna. 
Total distance to be covered on day 3: 10km (5 hours more or less). Once you have uploaded all the energy you need by finishing your breakfast, we will get ready to follow our trail. A gentle climb will lead us to our first stop at the archaeological site of 'Phuyupatamarca' meaning 'Town in the Clouds' and reach the third highest point on the trail 3, 680 m. The views of the mountains, canyons, and surrounding areas are spectacular! As we are walking to third pass the Inca site of 'Phuyupatamarca'.

Puyupatamarca

Then we continue walking 3,000 steps through the cloud forest at the impressive agricultural Inca site of 'Intipata'. Later on, during our trail, we will arrive at our third campsite Wiñay Wayna at 2,680m/8, 792 ft. We have walked so far between 4 to 5 hours and will arrive at camp by lunchtime. A short distance from our campsite is located the Inca site of the same name 'Wiñay Wayna' or 'Forever Young' which is a must to visit and now we are close to complete the Inca Trail hike.

Winay Wayna

Day 6

The Inca was the son of 'Inti' (The Sun) and only him was allowed to do this trail as it was its path to the glory among the Apus and enjoyment of his royal house, Machu Picchu. You are now become part of the Royalty too or feel like it as you have mixed with the Apus on this spiritual journey. Thus, after completing the Inca Trail things are not going to be the same any longer. Total distance to be covered on day 4: 5 km (around 2 hours). It is time to wake up, have an early breakfast and get on the road again. On this early start, we have to get to 'Intipunku' ('Sun gate') (2,730 m / 8,792 ft) before sunrise. You will get your first great view of Machu Picchu (2,400m / 7,873 ft) with the sun rising over it. We will spend some time there taking the impressive tour of the ancient city, including the royal house of the Inca. 

Intipuncu

After some time there, we will walk down the last part of the trail to a spot where you can take the classic postcard picture of the city, and then you´ll have the guided tour to know everything about the archeological site. Our guide will let you enjoy 2 more hours’ tour on your own to discover the citadel or to make the hike to any of the mountains: Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu Mountain. Once you’ve finished we will meet our guide in Aguas Calientes, you can get there whether by bus or by foot. We will have lunch in Aguas Calientes and our guide will give you the tickets back to Cusco. The first train to Poroy and then bus to Cusco.

Machu Picchu

Day 7

After breakfast enjoy your last day at leisure before transferring to the airport for your return flight home via Lima.

7-Day: Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu Group Tour

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Cusco Full-day Tours Itinerary (2026 Guide) – What You'll See & Do

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