Classic Inca Trail To Machu Picchu 4D/3N - Group Service

The Classic Inca Trail is a protected four-day hike along part of the Qhapaq Ñan, the Inca road network. You'll walk original stone paths over high passes and through cloud forest, visit Inca sites such as Runkurakay, Sayacmarca and Wiñay Wayna, and reach Machu Picchu on foot through Inti Punku, the Sun Gate.

About 27.3 mi (44 km) over four days, including the final approach to Machu Picchu. Approximate hiking times, not counting breaks:

Weather, campsite allocation and your group's pace can change these times.

Warmi Wañusqa, or Dead Woman's Pass (13,829 ft / 4,215 m), which you'll cross on Day 2. The second-highest point is Runkurakay Pass (13,123 ft / 4,000 m) on Day 3.

It's a challenging high-altitude hike, not a technical climb. Day 2 climbs steeply to Dead Woman's Pass, and Day 3 is a long day on uneven stone steps. To prepare, hike, climb stairs and walk uphill and downhill with your daypack in the weeks before, and break in your boots.

Plan two or three days in Cusco (11,155 ft / 3,400 m) before the trek, since the trail climbs higher. Take it easy at first, go light on alcohol and drink water normally. If you get a headache, nausea or dizziness, tell your guide and don't go higher; confusion or breathlessness at rest needs urgent medical care. If you have health concerns about altitude, talk to your doctor first.

We'll drive you from Cusco to Piscacucho (Km 82), beside the Vilcanota River, where you'll show your original passport at the checkpoint. On Day 4 you'll enter Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate. After your guided tour, you'll return by bus to Aguas Calientes, by Vistadome train to Ollantaytambo and by road to your hotel in Cusco.

Yes. If you're staying in the Sacred Valley, we'll pick you up from your hotel in Urubamba or Ollantaytambo at 6:00 a.m. instead of Cusco. These pickups are arranged about 24 hours ahead, and we'll confirm the details at your briefing.

Your Inca Trail permit includes two entries on Day 4. First, the classic viewpoint by the Guardian's House (Circuit 1), for the postcard photo of Machu Picchu. Then, after leaving your backpack at the entrance, your guided tour through the lower city (Circuit 3). If you'd also like Circuit 2, the classic route through the main sectors, it's a separate ticket: ask us and we'll check availability and the extra cost.

Yes. The PeruRail Vistadome panoramic train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo is included, followed by our transfer back to Cusco. We'll confirm the departure time with your travel details.

Your price includes a personal porter allowance of 15.4 lb (7 kg), and that includes your sleeping bag and the sleeping pad we provide. You'll get the duffel at your briefing, and our porters will have it waiting at each campsite, though you won't see it during the day. Need more weight carried? Ask us about an extra porter in advance.

Your daypack (about 20–30 L) holds water, snacks, layers, rain gear, medication, valuables and your passport. Anything you won't need on the trek can stay at your Cusco hotel, or with us if your hotel can't store it.

Keep it light: a small daypack with water, a rain layer, sun protection and your passport is all you need. Large backpacks go in the storage area at the entrance, food isn't eaten inside the citadel, and trekking poles are allowed only when you really need them, with rubber tips. Each ticket allows one entry, so use the restrooms at the entrance before you go in.

Our porters are the heart of the trek, and every load respects the official weight limit, which is checked at the trail checkpoint. That's also why your personal duffel has a set allowance: it keeps the work fair and safe for the team that carries your camp.

You'll have three breakfasts, three lunches and three dinners, plus three afternoon "happy hours" at camp with hot drinks and snacks, and hot coca tea at your tent to start each morning. Our cooks prepare soups, vegetables, grains and meat dishes on the trail. The two meals not included fall outside the trek itself: breakfast on Day 1, which you'll buy in Ollantaytambo, and lunch and dinner on Day 4, after you've finished at Machu Picchu.

From lunch on Day 1, our cooks provide boiled drinking water to refill your bottle, so you only need to bring enough for the first morning. Vegetarian, vegan and other diets are available; just tell us about your needs and any allergies when you book.

Breakfast on Day 1 (bought in Ollantaytambo), lunch and dinner on Day 4 after the trek, travel insurance, tips and personal expenses aren't included, nor are the optional Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain or Huchuy Picchu tickets. Sleeping bags and trekking poles are available to rent, and a private single tent costs US$30 extra. The Vistadome train and your 7 kg porter allowance are already included.

There are simple toilets along the trail, and we set up a portable toilet at every camp. Campsites don't have hot showers, so bring wet wipes, toilet paper, hand sanitizer and a small towel.

Phone signal comes and goes along most of the route, so download your documents before you leave and let family know you'll be back in touch on Day 4.

We camp at Wayllabamba, Pacaymayu and, as planned, Wiñay Wayna. Campsites are assigned when permits are issued; if we're given Phuyupatamarca for the third night instead, walking times on Days 3 and 4 will change. We'll confirm your campsites before departure.

For June to August, book six to eight months ahead; for quieter months, at least three. Permits are limited and issued in the traveler's name for a fixed date. Send us your preferred date, and once permits are available, share your details exactly as on your passport and follow the payment instructions. Your place is secured when we send written confirmation of your permit.

We can check nearby dates or another route. The 2-day Short Inca Trail has its own daily quota, so it often has space when the 4-day trek is full. An Inca Trail permit is separate from regular Machu Picchu entry, so if your dates are fixed, these treks are great alternatives:

• Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu – 5 Days
• Lares Trek to Machu Picchu – 4 Days
• Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu – 2 Days
• Inca Jungle Trek – 4 Days

Each one has its own availability and conditions.

Inca Trail permits are issued in the traveler's name for a fixed date, so it pays to confirm your plans before booking: once issued, the date usually can't be changed. If something comes up, contact us right away and we'll look at your options, depending on permit availability and any applicable charges.

Your deposit secures the permit and advance arrangements for your date, which is why it's non-refundable and non-transferable. We'll go over the full cancellation terms and the amount due before you pay.

Yes. The Inca Trail can only be hiked with an authorized operator and a licensed guide; independent hiking isn't allowed. This group trek has up to 10 travelers sharing a guide and camp crew, and solo travelers are welcome: you'll share a tent with one other hiker or can request a single tent for US$30, subject to availability. A private tour is arranged just for your party, with its own price, pace and inclusions.

The four-day trek has three nights camping and a demanding second day over Dead Woman's Pass. Our five-day Inca Trail spreads the route over more days and is a separate product, with its own itinerary, campsites and inclusions. Ask us if you'd like to compare the two.

May to September is usually the driest season, and April and October often bring a good balance of weather and crowds. Rain, fog and cold nights are possible all year, and the wetter months bring the cloud forest's orchids into bloom. June to August needs the earliest booking.

The Inca Trail closes every February for maintenance and conservation, reopening in March. Machu Picchu itself stays open and can be reached by train.

There's no fixed age limit: the real challenge is long days of steep walking at altitude. Younger travelers must be accompanied by a responsible adult. If you're traveling with children, are an older hiker or have medical concerns, talk to us before booking so we can check whether the trek suits you and whether an extra porter would help.

It's a well-managed route that you always hike with a licensed guide. The things to prepare for are the altitude, the stone steps and changing weather. Tell your guide right away if you're injured, exhausted or have altitude symptoms. The team carries a first-aid kit and emergency oxygen, although these don't replace medical care. Any evacuation or change of route depends on the situation and on access along the trail, so make sure your travel insurance covers trekking at altitude.