Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu – 5 Days

We pick you up early in the morning at your hotel (6:30am), then we drive in our private transport to Ollantaytambo passing the pictures of villages of Chinchero and Urubamba. Until km 82 the starting point of the Inca Trail. The first 2 hours of the trek are relatively easy as we make our way to our first Inca site, Patallacta which was an Inca checkpoint for the approach to Machu Picchu. After our arrival close to Patallacta we make our way down in to the canyon to a great lunch spot and can enjoy the views of Patallacta. From Patallacta we carry on along the trail, taking things easy and enjoying the scenery and the stories your guide tells you. It’s about a 2 hour walk to get to our camping site at the village Hatunchaka (3300 meters).
• Total distance: 12 km (7.800 miles)
• Estimated walking time: 4 hours
• Maximum altitude point: 2,600 m (8,692 ft)
• Campsite altitude: 3000 m (9,842 ft)

We wake up early to begin our ascent to Dead Woman’s Pass, the views as we make our way up are fantastic with beautiful views of snow-capped mountains and the cloud forest all around us. This first stretch is the most difficult part of the trek, it consists of an abrupt and steep ascent that stretches for 9 km and brings us to the first mountain pass in this Inca Trail 5 day hike, Abra Warmihuanusca (Dead Woman’s pass). Luckily we only climb half way up the pass as we have plenty of time to get to our destination. We will have lunch at Llulluchapampa with very nice view and relax and to buy any last essentials that you need and if we’re lucky we may see deer and falcons in this area. From Llulluchapampa the landscape changes from cloud forest to puna (a dry and high area with little vegetation) and we have the chance to spot domesticated llamas and alpacas grazing on ichu (one of the few plants that grow at that altitude). It’s about a 2 hour walk up to the pass where we can enjoy the beautiful panorama and enjoy your snack . After we’ve made it to the pass it’s now all downhill for the rest of the day, our camp is Pacaymayo valley.
• Total distance: 10 km (7.376 miles)
• Estimated walking time: 6 hours
• Maximum altitude point: 4,215 m (13,821 ft)
• Campsite altitude: 3,600 m (11,811 ft)

Today sees some of the best views and scenery of the whole Machu Picchu 5 day hike and includes visits to two Inca sites (Runcuraccay and Sayacmarca); with fantastic views of the high snow-capped peaks for most of the day and the cloud forest all around us today is by far the most visually stunning. A long the way we will visit one of the most beautiful ruins on the Inca Trail where we’ll have a guided tour for about half hour( sayacmarca) From Sayacmarca we continue on down to our lunch spot at Chaquicocha (dry lake) where you can see some of the fantastic flora and fauna the 5 day Inca Trail Trek has to offer. From Chaquicocha onwards we walk along Inca flat (gradual inclines) as we make our way towards our final campsite Phuyupatamarca (3680 meters 12073ft) from where we’ll get our first views of Machu Picchu mountain far in the distance (the site itself is hidden from view). The views of the sunset from here are fantastic and once again the campsite is quiet with the majority of trekkers camping closer to Machu Picchu.
• Total distance: 13 km (8.136 miles)
• Estimated walking time: 9 hours
• Maximum altitude point: 4,000 (13,123 ft )
• Campsite altitude: 3,680 m (12,033 ft)

Today is all about the Incas; we visit 3 major sites (Phuyupatamarca, Intipata and Winay Wayna) before we finally arrive to Machu Picchu itself late in the day. Today, we might have the chance to enjoy one of the most spectacular sunrises on the Inca Trail, provided we have clear skies the sunrise at Phuyupatamarca is beautiful. and we then start our way down the long descending stone steps which will lead us to Winaywayna (2650m/8692ft) this beautiful site has beautiful views of the Sacred Valley and was an important agricultural site for Machu Picchu. We all spend some time at Intipata to have a look around and then continue on to Winaywayna. WIÃ’AY WAYNA is the biggest archaeological site in the Inca Trail besides Machupicchu and consists of an impressive complex made up of an agricultural center with numerous terraces, a religious sector and an urban sector, offering spectacular views over the already narrower Urubamba River valley. winaywayna is our lunch place, after lunch with our porters and we will say good bye to them. It is a tradition on the 5 day inca trail tour to have a thanking ceremony for all the hard work the porters and cooks have put in and if you want you can leave a tip for them in this moment. After we’ve said goodbye to our team we carry on to the Sun Gate (Intipunku) from where we’ll get our first views of Machu Picchu city . It takes about an hour of hiking along a trail of flat stones on the edges of cliffs in highland jungle to reach the Sun Gate and it is about another hour down to the site itself. On arrival we’ll have a chance to enjoy the sunset and to see Machu Picchu without any crowds before taking the bus to your hotel in Aguas Calientes.** Private groups can arrange to camp this evening instead of staying at a hotel.
• Hotel: Inti Punku (or similar)
• Total distance: 11 km (6,14 miles)
• Estimated walking time: 5 hours
• Maximum altitude point: 3,680 m (12,033 ft)
Day 5: (The Lost City Of The Incas Machupicchu ) – Cusco

Waking up early we’ll take the first bus back up to Machu Picchu to enter the site as it opens AT 6:OO am. We’ll have a 2 hour guided tour of the site during which you’ll learn about the Incas and visit all the most important areas of the city. After your tour you’ll have free time to explore the site by yourself and if you have permits to climb either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain. In the afternoon you will take the train back to Ollantaytambo from where you will carry on by bus back to Cusco.
• Meals: Breakfast
• Difficulty: Enjoyable
• Altitude point: 2400 m (machupicchu)