Classic Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu – 4 Days

Classic Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu – 4 Days

4 days / 3 nights

Follow the complete Classic Inca Trail from the high Andes to Machu Picchu on a four-day supported trek through changing ecosystems and remarkable Inca sites. We begin at Km 82, cross demanding mountain passes, camp along the historic route and continue through Runkurakay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca and Wiñay Wayna. On the final morning, we approach Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate before exploring the citadel with a professional guide. This experience is designed for active travelers who want the full trail, with our assistance coordinating the limited permit, trekking logistics, camping service and return journey.

Quick Facts

Tour Location: Classic Inca Trail and Machu Picchu, Cusco Region

Tour Type: Four-day supported camping trek

Good For: Active travelers seeking the complete historic Inca Trail

Duration: 4 days / 3 nights

Difficulty: Challenging; sustained climbs, high passes and stone stairways

Maximum Altitude: 4,215 m / 13,828 ft — Dead Woman’s Pass

Good to Know: Government-issued permits are limited and passport details must match the reservation

Best Season: April–October; the trail operates March–January and closes in February

Complete the full historic Inca Trail from Km 82 to Machu Picchu
Cross Dead Woman’s Pass, the highest point of the classic route
Explore Runkurakay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca and Wiñay Wayna
Camp along the trail with a professional trekking team
Enter Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate before a guided citadel visit

Day 1: Cusco to Wayllabamba

We collect you from your Cusco hotel very early and drive roughly two hours to Km 82, the official starting point of the Inca Trail. After a permit and passport check at the control post, we cross the Urubamba River and begin walking along a gentler stretch of trail, passing the archaeological sites of Llactapata and Patallacta before reaching our first campsite near Wayllabamba. Our cook and porter team sets up camp and prepares dinner while you settle in and rest ahead of the trail's more demanding second day.

Day 2: Dead Woman's Pass

This is the most physically demanding day of the trek. We climb steadily through changing vegetation zones from Wayllabamba to Dead Woman's Pass at 4,215 m, the highest point of the classic route. The ascent is slow and sustained, and we set the pace to the group so everyone arrives well. From the pass, we descend to our second campsite at Pacaymayo, where a warm meal and an early night help you recover for what follows.

Day 3: Runkurakay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca and Wiñay Wayna

Often our favorite day on the trail, day three crosses two more passes at a gentler grade while passing four remarkable Inca sites: the round structure at Runkurakay, the cliffside terraces of Sayacmarca, the agricultural and ceremonial complex at Phuyupatamarca, and finally Wiñay Wayna, one of the best-preserved sites on the entire route. We camp nearby, close enough to reach the Sun Gate before sunrise the next morning.

Day 4: Sun Gate and Machu Picchu

We wake before dawn and hike the final stretch to Inti Punku, the Sun Gate, for your first view of Machu Picchu opening below as the morning light reaches the citadel. We descend into the sanctuary and continue with a guided tour of the main sectors before you have time to explore independently. In the afternoon we take the train from Aguas Calientes back to Ollantaytambo, where our transport returns you to Cusco. We return you directly to your hotel in Cusco (or the Sacred Valley, if that is where you are staying) — hotel drop-off is included with our operator's service.

What's included

Pre-trek briefing and hotel pickup in Cusco
Private transport Cusco ↔ KM82 and Ollantaytambo ↔ Cusco
Inca Trail permit and Machu Picchu entrance (Circuits 1 & 3)
Professional bilingual trekking guide
3 nights camping equipment (tents, dining tent, toilet tent)
All meals as per itinerary (vegetarian options on request)
Porter support for camping equipment and a 7 kg personal duffel allowance
Return Expedition Train, Ollantaytambo ↔ Cusco
First-aid kit with emergency oxygen

Not included

Sleeping bag (available as an add-on)
Trekking poles (available as an add-on)
Huayna Picchu / Machu Picchu Mountain ticket (available as an add-on, subject to permit availability)
Vistadome train upgrade (available as an add-on)
Lunch in Aguas Calientes on day 4
Tips for guide, cook and porters

Do I need previous trekking experience?

No previous experience is required, but we do ask that you arrive in reasonable physical condition and spend at least two to three days in Cusco beforehand to acclimatize.

Can I change my departure date after booking?

Inca Trail permits are issued by the Peruvian government against a specific date and passport number. Once purchased they cannot be changed or transferred, so we ask you to confirm your travel date carefully before we buy your permit.

Does the price include the Huayna Picchu hike?

Not by default. Huayna Picchu or the Machu Picchu Mountain hike can be added as a separate permit-based upgrade, subject to availability on your travel date.

Prices — Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu 4 Days

Every price below is per person, in US dollars, with no hidden fees at checkout.

Total trip price

Total trip price: US$ 759.00 per person

Choose how to pay

Option 1 — Deposit + balance: pay US$ 250.00 today to confirm your booking (non-refundable, credited toward your total trip price). The remaining balance of US$ 509.00 is due 5 days before departure.
Option 2 — Pay in full: pay the full US$ 759.00 today at booking — no balance, nothing further due.

Balance payment methods (if you choose Option 1)

Cash in Peru: no additional fee.
Card via PayPal or Izipay: a 5% processing fee applies.

Exclusive discounts

Students 18–25: US$ 30.00 off. We need a copy of a valid student card showing your name, photo, university and expiry date. Required at booking for government approval.
Children 12–17: US$ 30.00 off. Please send a copy of the passport when you book.
Children 3–11: US$ 45.00 off. Please send a copy of the passport when you book.

Optional add-ons

Sleeping Bag Rental (EX012): US$ 20.00 per person.
Hiking Poles Rental (EX003): US$ 15.00 per person.
Huayna Picchu Mountain Ticket (EX006): US$ 70.00 per person.
Machu Picchu Mountain Ticket (EX007): US$ 70.00 per person.
Vistadome Train Upgrade (EX004): US$ 69.00 per person.
Air Mattress Rental (EX013): US$ 20.00 per person.
Personal Tent (EX014): US$ 30.00 per person.

Meeting point

Your hotel lobby in central Cusco is the primary meeting point. If your accommodation is on a restricted or narrow street, we confirm a nearby alternative meeting point in advance.

Pick-up information

We pick you up from eligible hotels in Cusco's Historic Center and nearby areas. Exact pickup time is confirmed the evening before departure, once your permit and reservation are validated.

Return / drop-off

We return you directly to your hotel in Cusco (or the Sacred Valley, if that is where you are staying) — hotel drop-off is included with our operator's service.

What to bring the day of your trek

Original passport (must match the one used at booking)
Daypack (max. 30-50L)
Rain layer and warm layer
Refillable water bottle
Personal medication

Booking recommendation

We recommend booking as early as possible — permits are limited and issued against a specific date and passport number.

How to pay

Choose to pay a US$ 250.00 deposit today and the remaining balance 5 days before departure (cash in Peru with no fee, or by card via PayPal or Izipay with a 5% processing fee) — or pay your total trip price in full today.

If a reservation is made after the applicable balance deadline, it may require immediate full payment; this rule applies only where explicitly confirmed for your travel date.

Cancellation Policy — Limited Capacity

Machu Picchu, the Inca Trail and the Salkantay routes depend on permits, entrance tickets and train seats that we purchase on your behalf well in advance and that are non-transferable once bought. Because of this limited capacity, our refund schedule is tied to how far ahead of your departure date you cancel.

8 or more weeks before departure: full refund of your balance paid, minus your US$ 250.00 deposit (which is never refundable).
Between 4 and 8 weeks before departure: 40% refund of your balance paid.
Between 5 and 27 days before departure: 20% refund of your balance paid.
Between 48 hours and 5 days before departure: 10% refund of your balance paid.
Less than 48 hours before departure, or a no-show: no refund.

Changes: a 10% administrative fee per person applies to each confirmed change request, subject to availability.

Entrance tickets, train tickets and government-regulated permits are 100% non-refundable and non-transferable once purchased, regardless of when you cancel.

Read the full changes, cancellation and refunds policy

BEST SELLER

US$779 / person

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Passengers

Maximum 15 passengers per booking.

Total US$779.00

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Challenging; sustained climbs, high passes and stone stairways

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