10 Days Peru's Classic Inca Trail To Machu Picchu

Inca Trail To Machu Picchu Itinerary

• Day 1 - 10-DAY PERU WITH INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU / Arrive Lima, overnight Lima airport hotel

  Arrive Lima, welcome and assistance for check in to your Lima hotel.

  If you have an early arrival, you may transfer into the city; optional tours are available to visit modern and colonial Lima. There are also many museums and private collections. Or, you may continue to your next destination, e.g., Cusco, the same day.

  Overnight in Lima.

• Day 2 - Walk to terminal; fly to Cusco; fly to Cusco; transfer; free afternoon; overnight Cusco

  Walk to the terminal to board your flight to Cusco, center of the Inca world. Welcome and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to acclimatize to the altitude (3,400 meters/11,400 ft.). Overnight Cusco.

• Day 3 - Free morning; afternoon Cusco city tour and nearby ruins (in a group); evening briefing with your trek guide; overnight Cusco

  Free morning in Cusco. An afternoon tour (in a group) of the city and nearby ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Qenko and Puca Pucara will educate you on the history of this astonishing center of the Inca Empire. In the evening, you will have a briefing with the guide for your trek. Overnight Cusco.

• Day 4 - Full day Sacred Valley tour to Pisac and Ollantaytambo (in a group); overnight in Ollantaytambo

  Departing from Cusco, we will drive through the Sacred Valley where we will spend the morning visiting Pisac market and ruins. In the afternoon, we will tour Ollantaytambo ruins and have time to wander in the village. This full day tour (in a group) includes lunch at an Andean buffet. Overnight Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley.

• Day 5 - INCA TRAIL / Car to km 82; hike to Llaqtapata; camp overnight (BLD)

  With your guide, you will take a private car to Km 82 and begin your trek to Machu Picchu. From km 82, you hike along the Urubamba River stopping at Q'oriwayrakina for lunch. At Km 88, cross the small bridge at Q'ente and hike to the Llaqtapata campsite. If there is time you may take a side trip to visit the archaeological remains of Qente and Machu Qente and the Llaqtapata ruins, the camp is located amidst sublime Inca terracing. Camp overnight (Hiking time: 5-6 hours; Distance: 11 kms).

• Day 6 - Hike to Llulluchapampa; camp overnight (BLD)

  The Inca Trail winds slowly up the Cusicacha Valley passing houses of settlers to finally reach the Andean community of Huayllabamba. From here the Trail ascends steeply to a large pampa (meadow) below the first pass. At this campsite there is a breathtaking view of Mt. Huayanay. Along the Trail up this narrow hanging valley is a rare Andean cloud forest that harbors the Que'ua tree. Camp overnight. (Hiking time: 6 hours; Distance: 9 kms).

• Day 7 - Hike to Phuyupatamarca; camp overnight (BLD)

  The Trail ascends at 30 degrees as it leaves Llulluchapampa campsite and beyond the treeline arrives at Warmiwanusca Pass (4,200m/13,280ft). The Inca Trail descends to the Pacaymayo River and then climbs slowly past Runkuraqay ruins. Over a low pass to Sayacmarca ("the waiting village") the Inca Trail crosses a causeway on a now-dry lake past a cave and continues along a ridge to Phuyupatamarca ("village on the edge of the clouds"). Camp overnight. (Hiking time: 7-8 hrs; Distance: 14 kms)

• Day 8 - Hike to Machu Picchu via Inti Punku; shuttle to Aguas Calienstes; overnight hotel in Aguas Calientes (BL)

  After continuing along a buttress and passing the Phuyupatamarca ruins, the flagstone trail winds sharply down into the cloud forest to the ruins of Winay Wayna. The recently restored Inca ruins are located below the ridge on the same water course as the previous site. After a two hour walk through a cloud forest, the Inca Trail arrives at Machu Picchu and Intipunku ("door of the sun"). Descend to the ruins, walk by them and catch the shuttle bus to Aguas Calientes; walk a short distance to your hotel. Overnight Aguas Calientes.

• Day 9 - Guided tour of Machu Picchu; lunch and afternoon train return to Cusco; transfer to hotel; overnight Cusco (BL)

  Early shuttle and entrance to Machu Picchu. The day is dedicated to exploring Machu Picchu's extraordinary Inca remains with your guide, including an optional climb up Huayna Picchu, the hill overlooking the site (ticket not included).

  (Tickets for this climb must be purchased at least 90 days prior to your travel to Peru. The time for the climb is 10 a.m. your tour is before the climb).

  Lunch included. At mid-afternoon return to Cusco by Expedition train, arriving in the evening. Transfer to your hotel. Overnight Cusco.

• Day 10 - Transfer to airport for flight to Lima, depart (B)

  Depending on your departure time, you may have the morning free; then, in time for your flight to Lima or elsewhere, we provide you with a transfer to the airport.