Machu Picchu – Inca Trail

We’ll be received at Cusco Airport and transferred to our hotel in the historical center of town. For those of us arriving early, we’ll have the opportunity to wonder around the beautiful town and explore its many restaurants, cafes, shops and bars. Our first event is a traditional dinner where we’ll all get to know each other and receive our first briefing for the week. We’ll also be conducting gear checks throughout the day to make sure you have everything you need for the week ahead.

The Sacred Valley of the Incas, also called the Urubamba Valley lies to the north of Cusco and has been inhabited since 800 BC. We’ll head out from the hotel after an early breakfast in the direction of the valley floor. The road is winding and quite beautiful with views on both the high Andes and low deep valleys. Our first full day together is packed with vibrant Peruvian culture. We’ll visit the small town of Pisac, meet the Chincheros and roam around in the historic town of Ollantaytambo. We’ll also have the chance to stop by local markets and get a feel of the daily life in this part of Peru. The high altitude environment means that our bodies are also acclimatizing and getting ready for the Inca Trail the next day!

We start the Inca Trail with an early departure to the check-in terminal at the trailhead. The check-in process includes bag weight check (not more than 7kg) and permits checks, followed by a quick tour of a small museum about the trail and the discovery of the ancient “lost city”. Our trail then begins at an elevation of 2,720 meters as we ascend uphill along with a gentle gradient passing fields and terraces. We’ll be surrounded by the Urubamba Mountain range, and should be able to spot Mt. Veronica, the highest snow capped peak in the range. We’ll have a picnic lunch on the riverside during the day. Dinner will be at Ayapata camp next to the small village of Wayllabamba upon arrival.

Day 2 on the Inca trail is widely considered the most challenging day of the trek with the largest elevation gain. We’ll be crossing two of the three mountain passes on this trail. The day starts with an early departure from the camp onto a steep uphill trajectory that gradually winds its way through the cloud forest. We’ll be hiking at a comfortable pace until we reach our high point of the trail, Warmiwanusga, or “Dead Woman’s Pass” at 4,200 meters. We will then descend to the forest and have lunch on the way. After lunch, we’ll be ascending again to our second pass of the day, Runkurakay pass, at 4,000 meters, and then arrive at our campsite sometime in the late afternoon.

Our last full day of trekking on the Inca trail is incredibly beautiful both in nature and archeological sites. We’ll have a view of Salkantay Peak to our left as we start off our trek for the day. We’ll then make a short gradual ascent to cross the third mountain pass on the trail, followed by a steady descent till we reach Wiñay Wayna ‘Forever Young’ camp for dinner and rest. Our hike will include a pit stop at the magical “town above the clouds” and we’ll be visiting massive ancient terraces looking down at the Urabamba river, this section of the trail is truly unforgettable.

Our day starts at 3 am with breakfast. From our campsite, we’ll make our way down the trail to the official entrance of the Machu Picchu area. There may be some waiting time at the gate before we get through. The aim is to reach the “Inti Punku” or sun gate before sunrise and catch Machu Picchu with the dawn of the new day as is customary. Once we arrive, we’ll have plenty of opportunities to take pictures as we take a 2 hour tour of the mystical city of Machu Picchu before making our way down to lunch. We’ll then take a short bus ride to the charming town of Aguas Calientes where we’ll be staying the night. Depending on the time we arrive to town, there may be some shopping opportunities in the local markets and free time to just enjoy ourselves before having dinner together.

On our last full day together we’ll be heading back to Cusco by train. After arriving, we’ll check into our hotel, have lunch and then go out on a guided city tour. You really can’t leave this region without a proper tour of town at the heart of it all. Our last evening together will include a farewell dinner.

It’s the last few hours in magical Peru! After check out, airport transfers will be arranged according to departure time. If you’re planning to extend your stay, get in touch with LHO Base Camp or your Team Leader to help you plan those extra days!