Inca Jungle Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain 7D/6N

It's a 7-day adventure package from Cusco that combines the Inca Jungle route to Machu Picchu with a hike to Rainbow Mountain. You bike down from Abra Málaga, raft the Vilcanota River, hike an Inca path, zip-line near Santa Teresa and tour Machu Picchu with your guide, then hike to Vinicunca on Day 6. Airport transfers, six nights of lodging, the activities and both entrance tickets are included.

Days 2 to 5 follow our 4-day Inca Jungle Trek. This package adds your arrival and departure days with hotels in Cusco and a full day at Rainbow Mountain. If you'd rather visit the Sacred Valley than Rainbow Mountain, see our 7-day Inca Jungle Adventure.

No. The Inca Jungle reaches Machu Picchu through the jungle valleys of Santa María, Santa Teresa and Hidroeléctrica, and it doesn't need an Inca Trail permit. On Day 3, you do walk a stretch of original Inca path above Huancarccasa Canyon. The Classic Inca Trail is a camping trek that enters Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate; with less time, the Short Inca Trail does it in two days.

It's a moderate trip with one challenging day. The jungle days combine a downhill bike ride on a paved road, rafting, about 7 hours of walking on Day 3 and 3 hours on flat ground on Day 4. Rainbow Mountain is short, about 7 km round trip, but the altitude makes it the hardest day. Regular walks or hikes in the weeks before will help you enjoy every day.

The hike to Rainbow Mountain (16,470 ft / 5,020 m) takes 3 to 4 hours round trip from the trailhead at 15,177 ft (4,626 m). The path is clear and not technical; the challenge is the thin air, so walk slowly, take short breaks and drink often. Local families offer horses for part of the way, paid on site, and your guide sets a pace that suits the group.

Rest well on Day 1 in Cusco (11,155 ft / 3,400 m), drink plenty of water and try coca tea. Rainbow Mountain comes on Day 6, after nights in Cusco, which helps your body adjust before the highest point of the trip. If you can, arrive in Cusco a day or two earlier; ask us about an additional hotel night in Extra Services.

No experience is needed for rafting or the zip line: the specialized guides and instructors give you a safety briefing and all the gear first. For the bike ride, you should feel comfortable riding and braking on a downhill road. If you'd rather skip any activity, you can travel in the support van or wait for the group and join again right after. Being able to swim is recommended for rafting.

The best time is the dry season, from April to October, especially June to August, when skies are clearer, the colors of Rainbow Mountain stand out and the jungle roads are drier. We run this tour all year: from November to March, rain makes the jungle greener and the rivers fuller, and Rainbow Mountain can have snow. Your guide checks the weather, the road and the river each day.

Rafting depends on the weather and the level of the Vilcanota River. It usually runs from about April to November, when the river is at a good level for rafting. In the rainiest months, especially from December to March, heavy rain can raise the river so much that the river guides suspend the activity for safety. They check the river every day and confirm rafting on the spot; when it isn't possible, you'll have the afternoon to relax in Santa María before dinner.

Light rain usually doesn't stop the activities: you'll ride and raft with a rain jacket and the right gear. If heavy rain, high water or the state of the road make an activity unsafe, your guide will adjust the plan, for example by moving the group in the van or changing the time. Your safety always comes first.

Yes. The tour starts and ends in Cusco: a member of our team meets you at Cusco airport or the bus terminal on Day 1, and on Day 7 we take you to the airport for your flight. Flights aren't included. Send us your arrival and departure details when you book so we can plan your transfers.

You stay three nights at Ayni Cusco Hotel or similar, a 3-star hotel in Cusco. On the Inca Jungle, you sleep at a simple, family-run homestay in Santa María and at a functional, clean hotel in Santa Teresa, and you spend the night before Machu Picchu at a 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes, such as Golden Sunrise Machu Picchu or similar. For a room to yourself, see the single supplement in Extra Services.

You get six breakfasts, four lunches and three dinners. Breakfast is included every morning from Day 2 to Day 7, lunch on Days 2, 3, 4 and 6, and dinner on the three jungle days. Lunch on Day 5 is on your own in Aguas Calientes, and the free evenings in Cusco are a chance to try the city's restaurants. Vegetarian, vegan and other special menus are available at no extra cost; tell us about any allergies when you book.

Yes. Your Machu Picchu entrance ticket and guided tour are included on Day 5. We try to book Circuit 2 whenever it's available for your date, and we'll confirm your circuit before the trip. To see how the circuits work, read our guide to Machu Picchu tickets and circuits.

Yes, you can add the Huayna Picchu ticket or the Machu Picchu Mountain ticket for US$85 each, subject to availability and an entry time that fits your tour. Both climbs are steep, so plan an extra two to three hours. Tickets sell out early in the dry season, so let us know when you book.

We include the bus up to Machu Picchu, the return train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo (PeruRail or Inca Rail) and the private van to your hotel in Cusco. After your tour, you can walk down to Aguas Calientes in about an hour and a half or take the bus down at your own cost. If you'd rather not walk from Hidroeléctrica on Day 4, you can take the short train at your own cost, and you can upgrade your train back to Vistadome for US$50 per person, subject to availability.

Bring a light backpack of 25–30 liters for Days 2 to 5, with only what you need for the jungle and Machu Picchu. From Santa María onward, you walk with your own backpack, so keep it light and comfortable. You return to your hotel in Cusco on Day 5, so you can leave the rest of your luggage there, or at our office.

Pack light, quick-dry clothes, strong insect repellent and a swimsuit for the jungle, plus a warm jacket, hat and gloves for Abra Málaga and Rainbow Mountain. Add a rain jacket, sunscreen, good hiking shoes and your original passport. See the Packing List tab for the full list, and our Inca Jungle Trek guide for more tips.

We recommend it for travelers aged 10 and over, as the trip includes biking, rafting, long walks and a high-altitude hike. Younger children can join with a parent or guardian, who supervises them, and they can ride in the support van or skip any activity that doesn't suit them. Tell us your children's ages when you book so we can plan the trip with you.

Our groups have 2 to 10 travelers, with an experienced bilingual guide and an assistant guide when the group has more than eight. Departures are guaranteed any day of the year with a minimum of two travelers. If severe weather or a road closure affects an activity, we'll adjust the plan with you; see our terms and conditions.

Your guide carries a first-aid kit and is trained to give first aid. If you need medical care, the team will take you to the nearest health center and stay in touch with our Cusco office. We recommend travel insurance that covers medical care, emergency evacuation and adventure activities such as mountain biking, rafting, zip-lining and high-altitude hiking.

Yes, you can charge your devices at your hotels each night, and a power bank is handy for the long days. Phone signal is usually good in Cusco, Santa María, Santa Teresa and Aguas Calientes, and it comes and goes on the trails and around Rainbow Mountain.

See the Prices tab for the current rates and discounts, and choose your date in the booking system. You reserve your place with a 40% deposit and pay the balance in Cusco. Machu Picchu tickets are issued with each traveler's passport details, so please check your names and numbers carefully.

You can read real reviews from travelers who have done the Inca Jungle, Rainbow Mountain and our other tours on Waman Adventures on TripAdvisor.