Inca Trail

You will be picked up from your hotel in Cusco, Urubamba, and Ollantaytambo (inform yourself about this while you make your reservation so that you can organize your pick-up). If you're in Cusco, we will pick you up at 5:00am. You will travel for 2 hours by bus to Ollantaytambo, where you will have breakfast (not included). Later you will continue your trip onto the 82nd kilometer called Piscachuco where your porters will be waiting for you, as well as where you will pass through the first security control of the Inca Trail (don't forget your original passport!) On this day we will hike along an easy trail which will allow you to train for the following days. You will visit the archaelogical site of Llactapata which was the Inca control center to enter Machu Picchu. After, we will hike for 4 hours until an Andean style lunch. During the hike, you will have the opportunity to see the grand veronica mountain, native plants, and various bird species. You will continue your hike for two and a half hours more until our campsite called Ayapata (3300msnm). We will camp a bit away from other groups so that you can rest well in a more tranquil place, as we will hike to the highest mountain pass of the Inca Trail the following day. You will arrive at the campsite at 5:00pm. Before dinner, we will have a hot snack and then at 7:00 we will have an Andean style dinner. Finally, the time will arrive to have a well-deserved rest.

Distance of the first day: 14 km (5-6 horas)
Altitude of the campsite: Ayapata (3300 metros sobre el nivel del mar)
Difficulty: Easy / Moderate
Climate: Warm and windy

The Manu Tours Peru team will help you wake up early will a mug of coca tea. This day is considered the most difficult day of the Inca Trail for its tall passes such as the "Paso de la Mujer Muerta" (Dead Woman's Pass) which is the highest (4,200 meters above sea level) and the second pass which is 3,900 above sea level. You will walk around 4 hours towards the tallest mountain pass of the entire trek. Upon arrival, you will have a brief rest to enjoy the views before we begin going downhill towards the second valley (Pacaymayu Valley). You will go downhill for an hour, with the valley at your side towards the place where we will have lunch and the opportunity to fill up our bottles of water. After lunch, we will begin ascending again towards the second mountain pass, which is about 2 hours away. We will stop for a short break at a small archaeological site called "Runku Raccay" to see two enormous waterfalls that fall on the opposite side of the valley. After the second mountain pass, which is another hour of trekking downhill to arrive to the magnificent archaeological site called "Sayacmarca". There is a brief break here where we can have a quick walk around the site. During the trek, you will see a great amount of native plants, life in the Quehunas Forest which covers this area and is possible to see some deer at the highest point. We will descend for 30 minutes more until we arrive at the campsite called "Chaquicocha" (3,600 meters above sea level). This campsite is also very relaxing, offering you fantastic views of the mountains which bring about a contemplation of the Incas' sky as well as the fascinating Inca constellations. At night, we will have dinner and a well-deserved rest.

Distance of the second day: 16 km (8-9 hours)
Altitude of the campsite: Chaquicocha (3,600 meters above sea level)
Difficulty: Moderate / Difficult (This day you will put your spirit to the test, but not to worry because Manu Tours Peru will be there for you during this entire ascent.
Climate: Cold and rainy

After the difficulty of the previous day of climbing two mountain passes, today will be a relaxing day along the most beautiful stretch of the Inca Trail for 2 hours, known as the "Inca flats". To continue, you will enter the cloud forest. Through the course of this trek, you will have the opportunity to see the majesty of the Apu Salkantay and the Pumasillo that belongs to the Vilcabama range, including its incredible views. After hiking an average of 2 hours towards the third mountain pass, Phuyupatamarka, where we will have a short break before we start our descent for 3 hours toward our lunch in Winaywayna, where our campsite will be for the night. After lunch, we will have the afternoon free to visit the Winaywayna ruins and enjoy our last dinner in the mountains and be able to rest more for the following day where we will begin our trek very early. At night, the entire group will come together to say goodbye and thank our porters that were a great pillar in our completion of the Inca Trail. A tip would be greatly appreciated (optional) or you may give them something that no longer has any use for you, as it would be of use for them.

Distance of the third day: 10 km (5-6 hours)
Altitude of the campsite: Wiñaywayna (2,600 meters above sea level)
Difficulty: Medium
Climate: temperate-tropical

We will get up very early in the morning and have a light breakfast and begin to form a line to begin the trek at 5:30. The walk is about an hour towards the Puerta del Sol (Sun gate) which lies at an altitude of approximately 2,600 meters above sea level on a wavy path going up and down until we arrive at the Sun gate. We will be able to appreciate the abundance of the majestic city of Machu Picchu to take a lot of pictures and enjoy the panoramic view to then later descend 45 minutes until the place where the popular post card picture of Machu Picchu is taken, with Huayna Picchu in the background. After taking pictures, we will visit the ancient city of Machu Picchu for an approximate 2-3 hour guided tour of the most important spots of the Inca Sanctuary. After, you will have free time to explore and take pictures as you wish. After this, the bus will take us to Machu Picchu (Aguas Calientes) where we will be able to find restaurants to enjoy a delicious lunch. Finally, we will board a train from Aguas Calientes to the town of Ollantaytambo (train leaves at 18:20). Our transfer will be waiting to take us to the city of Cusco.

Distance of the fourth day: 5 km (2-2:30 horas)
Altitude of the campsite: Wiñaywayna (2,600 meters above sea level)
Difficulty: moderate/easy
Climate: warm

Note: Campsites can change as told we are told by the government regulation of the Ministry of Culture.

Porters are the most important people on the Inca Trail and perhaps the most misunderstood by tourists, as well as the tour operators of the Inca Trail. We say that they are the most important because they are the ones that carry all of the implements that we need to have the most pleasant journey possible. Sadly, many tour operators don't treat them with the importance that they deserve, such as not giving them appropriate clothing for their jobs, overloading them, and not providing them with special equipment to carry the stuff, paying them low salaries, and especially giving them proper nutrition. Due to this, you will see thirty, hungry porters with low moral along the Inca Trail. Our government has created the "Law of the Porter" number 27607 that obligates tour agencies to provide them with appropriate conditions, although sadly these regulations are not always followed Please, be sure that the agency that you sign up honors and follows the Law of the Porters and ask for proof of this. If not, you will become part of this bad behavior.

Weight limit:The maximum weight that a porter can carry is 25kg. This includes your personal items.

INCLUDED
  1.- Pick up at your Hotel
  2.- Private transport from Cusco to km 82
  3.- Professional Guides Trekking Experts
  4.- Professional Cook
  5.- Camping Equipment
        Cooking and dining supplies (chairs, tables, utensils etc)
        A large 2 person tent (3-person tent shared by 2 people)
        A self-inflatable mattress per person
        A blanket per person
  6.- Our Porters will take 6 kilos of personal items per person, your sleeping bags and mattress
  7.- Meals
       3 Breakfasts / Novo Andino style with natural juice
       3 Lunches / Novo Andino style
       3 Dinners / Novo Andino style
        An afternoon snack of coffee, tea, chocolate and cookies, etc.
        Coca tea in the morning when you wake up
        Boiled water to fill your water bottles from the second day until arrival at Aguas Calientes
  08.- Entrance Ticket to the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu
  09.- Bus ticket from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes
  10.- A two hour professional guided tour of Machu Picchu
  11.- Train from Aguas calientes to Ollantaytambo
  12.- Transportation from Ollantaytambo Station to your Cusco Hotel / hostel

NOT INCLUDED:
  1.- Entrance to Wayna Picchu (+70 US$)
  2.- A sleeping bag per person (+20 US$)
  3.- Drinking water (partially)
  4.- Food in Aguas Calientes
  5.- Alcoholic expenses