DAY 1 – Cusco – Ollantayatambo – Km. 82 – Huayllabamba
Meals: lunch and dinner
Distance 12 km (7.47 miles), 5-6 hours walking time, max altitude 3000m (9840 ft) - campsite altitude 2980 m (9776 ft)
You will get picked up from your accommodation in Cusco from 5.00 to 6.00 am and once the group is ready we will set off on our bus towards Ollantaytambo. Here we will stop for about an hour to have breakfast and you can buy last minute snacks or any other things you think will be useful during the trek. Back on the bus, we will then reach the town of Picacucho where we will find the starting point of the Inca Trail, KM 82. We need to pass through the control points for the Inca Trail (you MUST have your passport that you used to book ready and with you) and we will then meet up with our team of porters and cooks. We will be hiking among the hills of Vilcanota River Valley and will have the chance to visit a few archaeological sites on the way. We will have lunch and then continue until we reach Huayllabamba campsite and we will spend the night there.
DAY 2 – Huayllabamba – Warmihuañusca – Pacaymayu
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
Distance 11 km (6.84 miles), 6-7 hours walking time, max altitude 4200m (13,776 ft) - campsite altitude 3660m (11480 ft)
After breakfast we start our second day which is perhaps the most challenging one. The first section is a slow uphill climb of about 5 hours to the Dead Woman's Pass. It is located at 4,215 m and is also known as Warmihuañusca. This pass offers stunning, scenic views along the way - it is quite tough though, since you will be ascending more than 1200 m in one morning. From the peak we have a contrasting view of snow-covered peaks on one side and a semi-tropical valley in the other direction. After some time spent resting, to take pictures and recover our energies, we descend to Pacaymayu (about 3 km hike, down till 3660 m) where we will find our camp site for the second night. The descent passes over wooden bridges, tunnels and down rocky steps and our final stop at the camp site is by the river. We will then have lunch and will be resting the second half of the day and will go to bed early in order to recover for the next day.
DAY 3 – Pacaymayu – Phuyupatamarca – Wiñaywayna
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
Distance 16km (9.94 miles), 8 hours walking time, max altitude 3900m (12,792 ft) - campsite altitude 2650m (8692 ft)
On the third day we wake up early and, after a good breakfast, we will continue our trip along the trail for a one-hour hike uphill to visit the oval-shaped Pacaymayu, historical site that used to be an Inca military fortress to control the surrounding region from this strategical position. We will then continue for about another hour to the archaeological zone called Runquracay pass (3,950m) - here you can hike up to the top of the mountain in order to enjoy an incredible view of the peaks surrounding you. The guide will explain about the evidence of Incan culture found at this site. We will continue our trek until the sites of Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca and will stop to explore a little while also having lunch on the way. After lunch we will be continuing onto Wiñaywayna High Jungle campsite where we will spend our third night, at an altitude of approximately 2650 meters in a high rainforest environment. We will have dinner and spend the evening with our guide and porters.
DAY 4 – Wiñaywayna – Machu Picchu – Cusco
Meals: breakfast only - bring some extra snacks with you for inbetween. Food can be purchased in Machu Picchu or you can wait until you are in Aguas Calientes mid afternoon.
Distance 7km (4.35 miles), 2 hours walking time, max altitude 2700m (8829 ft) - Machu Picchu altitude 2400m (7872 ft)
Today we wake up early (between 3.30 and 4.30 am), have breakfast and get ready to leave (earlier than most of the other groups) and start our final day in order to reach the real highlight of the whole trip: the site of Machu Picchu. First we start our trek to Intipunku (Gate of the Sun). Here we will watch the sun rise and cast its light over our panoramic view of Machu Picchu. This is a magical moment - a once-in-a-lifetime experience and it will re-energise us for the final descent that leads us into the ruins - it will take some 40 minutes to get there. Before starting the guided tour on the site, you will have time to grab some snacks from local shops, check we have got everything you need on you (sunglasses, suncream, a hat and a waterproof poncho are definitely recommended) and get ready for the final part of this unforgettable experience.
During our guided tour we will visit enclosures, plazas, sacred fountains, temples, towers and our guide will explain the different functions of each area such as the agricultural and urban sections. The tour lasts for about 2 hours and you will then have free time to explore the site yourself. During your free time, you can also climb the Huayna Picchu mountain as an additional option (see below). Great spots around the site in order to take the best pics are the Hut of the Caretaker of the Funerary Rock and the Sacred Plaza with amazing views over the Cordillera Vilcabamba on the background and Rio Urubamba below.
After spending some hours at Machu Picchu we unfortunately have to leave and the group will make its way down to the town of Aguas Calientes (you can walk or there is also a bus service which is included in the price) before taking the train back to Cusco. If time allows, you can also go to the local hot springs in the town (entrance fee not included for this) in order to chill out and relax a bit before ending your tour. You must be at the train station at least 30 minutes before your train departure time and the train journey takes about 1 hour 45 mins to get to Ollantaytambo, where we will transfer to a private bus to take you back to Cusco (you will be dropped off at San Francisco square in Cusco at around 22.30 - NOT at your hotel.)
