Inca Trail Hike To Machu Picchu 4D/3N- Private Service

It's the Classic Inca Trail, a protected stretch of the Qhapaq Ñan, the Inca road network, hiked only with your own party. Over four days you'll follow original stone paths over mountain passes and through cloud forest, visit Inca sites only reachable on foot, and reach Machu Picchu through Inti Punku, the Sun Gate, with a guide, cooks and porters working just for your group.

The route, permits and campsite rules are the same. On the 4-day group Inca Trail you hike with travelers from other bookings; on this private Inca Trail tour, your party has its own guide and support team, so the pace and the stops follow you. Prices are per person and drop as your party grows (see the Prices tab).

Yes. The Inca Trail can only be hiked with an authorized operator and a licensed guide; independent hiking isn't allowed. In this private service, your bilingual guide is dedicated to your party for the whole trek.

Warmi Wañusqa, or Dead Woman's Pass (13,829 ft / 4,215 m), which you'll cross on Day 2. The altitude can make the steep climb hard even for experienced hikers, so give yourself time to acclimatize before the trek.

It's a challenging high-altitude trek, not a technical climb, with steep stone steps and long ascents and descents, especially on Days 2 and 3. In the weeks before, train with uphill walks, stairs and regular hikes, including descents with your daypack on, and use the boots you'll bring. Your private guide can adapt rest stops to your group within the trail's schedule and campsite rules.

About 27.3 mi (44 km) over four days. Approximate hiking times, not counting breaks:

Your pace, the weather, official checkpoints and campsite allocation can change these times.

Spend two or three days in the Cusco region before the trek and take it easy at first. Headache, nausea, dizziness or unusual tiredness are warning signs: tell your guide and don't keep climbing while symptoms get worse. Confusion or breathlessness at rest needs urgent medical care.

• Drink fluids regularly, without forcing large amounts.
• Avoid alcohol during your first days at altitude.
• Skip strenuous exercise right after arriving in Cusco.
• Eat light, rest well and give your body time to adjust.
• If you're at higher risk, ask a doctor about prevention; coca tea is not a substitute for medical care.

We'll drive you from Cusco to Piscacucho (Km 82), where the hike begins after the passport and permit check. On Day 4 you'll reach Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate, then return by bus to Aguas Calientes, by 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.

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

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 tour with your private guide 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.

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.

Your return from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo is on the Expedition (PeruRail) or Voyager (Inca Rail), followed by our transfer to Cusco. You can upgrade to the PeruRail Vistadome for US$50 per person, subject to availability. Other changes to the time, station or service may cost extra, so ask for a quote before booking.

Your price includes a personal porter allowance of 15.4 lb (7 kg) per traveler, and your sleeping bag (around 4.4 lb / 2 kg) counts toward it. You'll get the duffel at your briefing, and the porters will have it waiting at each campsite. Need more space? An extra 11 lb (5 kg) of porter capacity costs US$80.

Your daypack (about 20–25 L) holds water, snacks, rain gear, a warm layer, medication, your passport and camera. Luggage you won't need can stay at your Cusco hotel, or ask us about storage if your hotel can't keep it.

Bring your own or rent them from us: a sleeping bag costs US$25 and trekking poles US$15 (see Extra Services). Remember that the sleeping bag counts toward your 15.4 lb (7 kg) porter allowance. Poles help a lot on the steep stone descents; use rubber tips where required to protect the original trail.

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. Breakfasts may include eggs, fruit and quinoa; lunches and dinners can feature soups, vegetables, pasta, chifa and Andean dishes. The two meals not included fall outside the trek: breakfast on Day 1, which you'll buy in Ollantaytambo, and lunch and dinner on Day 4, after Machu Picchu.

From lunch on Day 1, your cooks provide boiled drinking water, so you only need to bring enough for the first morning. Tell us about allergies and vegetarian, vegan or other dietary needs before departure.

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, hand sanitizer and a small towel.

Phone signal comes and goes along most of the route, so download important documents before you leave and let family know you'll be back in touch when the trek ends. Your guide carries the team's means of contact for any emergency.

For June to August, book six to eight months ahead if you can, and allow several months for other dates too: permits are limited, issued for a fixed date and can sell out early.

To book, send us your preferred date and party size. We'll confirm availability, inclusions and your per-person rate; then you'll give us your details exactly as they appear on your passport and follow the payment instructions. A payment request alone doesn't guarantee a permit: your place is secured when we send written confirmation of your permits.

The published private rates start at two travelers. If you're traveling alone, ask us for an individual quote, and we'll confirm the price and permit availability for your date. You can also join the group Inca Trail, which welcomes solo hikers.

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, changes may not be possible. If something comes up, contact us right away and we'll look at your options.

Your deposit secures the permits and arrangements for your date, which is why it's non-refundable and non-transferable once they're purchased. We'll go over the full cancellation policy and payment conditions before you book.

We can check other dates or suggest 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. If your dates are fixed, the 5-day Salkantay Trek follows a different trail to Machu Picchu, and the 2-day private Short Inca Trail is a shorter hike on original Inca paths with its own permits.

It can be, with good preparation, because a private group lets you set a comfortable pace. The route still demands stamina at altitude, so tell us about any medical or mobility concerns before booking.

• Children under 12 travel under their parents' or guardian's responsibility, after a suitability assessment.
• Travelers under 17 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
• Hikers aged 60 or older may want to ask us about extra porter support.
• Follow your doctor's advice for high-altitude travel and allow time to acclimatize.

The four-day trek has three camping nights and reaches Machu Picchu on Day 4. The 5-day private Inca Trail adds a hotel night in Aguas Calientes before the guided tour on Day 5. Compare both itineraries, tickets and inclusions before choosing.

May to September is usually the driest season, and April and October make good shoulder-season alternatives. Rain and cold nights are possible in any month, the wetter months bring the cloud forest's orchids into bloom, and June to August is the busiest time for permits.

The Classic Inca Trail closes every February for maintenance and reopens in March.