Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu

You will meet your Bucket List Leaders at the airport and fly out as a group for Bucket Lister + Trips. If you have booked a Bucket Lister Trip we will see you in Peru soon!

Once we arrive in Lima, you will transfer to our hotel. If you have transfers with us we will take you to the hotel; for those making their own way, we will see you in Lima. Once you arrive at the hotel you will have the rest of the day to relax and explore the area.

The first stop on our Lima city tour is Huaca Pucllana, a huge archaeological site in Miraflores, one of Lima’s most popular districts. Huaca Pucllana was an important ceremonial and administrative center of the Lima culture, which developed along this part of the Peruvian coast between 200 AD and 700 AD.

After exploring Huaca Pucllana, we’ll drive to the historic centre of Lima, all of which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. We’ll go to the beautiful Plaza de Armas (Lima’s main square) which is surrounded by impressive colonial and Republican-era buildings, many of which have ornate wooden balconies. Some of Peru’s most important buildings surround the square, including the Government Palace, the Cathedral of Lima, the Archbishop’s Palace of Lima, the Municipal Palace, and the Palace of the Union.

We’ll walk one block to the Convent of Santo Domingo. Founded in the 1530s and completed in 1766, it is one of the most important religious buildings in Peru, and its large bell tower is a landmark in the historic centre of Lima. As we walk around the interior of the convent, we’ll see the beautiful Sevillian azulejos (ceramic tiles) that decorate the walls, dating from 1604 and 1606. There is also a series of paintings that present passages in the life of Saint Dominic, the founder of the Dominican order. At the end of the tour, we will return to the hotel.

After breakfast, you will be picked up from the hotel and taken to the airport where you will board your flight to Cusco. Once you arrive in Cusco, a member of our local team will be waiting at the airport to pick you up in our private transport and take you to your hotel.

Our Cusco city tour begins in the afternoon when we’ll first head to the beautiful Koricancha, next door to Santo Domingo Church.

After visiting the Koricancha, we’ll head to Cusco Cathedral, located on the Plaza de Armas.

Our next stop is the imposing Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman, which sits on a hill above Cusco. Here you will see some of the finest examples of Inca stonework and construction, including massive rocks that were carefully cut and perfectly fitted together to form the walls. From here you’ll also have beautiful panoramic views of Cusco.

After exploring Sacsayhuaman we’ll head up the hill to the Tambomachay Archeological Complex.

Tambomachay is the last attraction on our city tour, after which we’ll head back down to Cusco and the hotel.

Meals Included: Lunch & Dinner

Our Inca Trail adventure begins today! We’ll be picked up from the hotel, and drive to Piscacucho, also known as Km 82, where the Inca Trail begins.

Now it’s time to set off! The Inca Trail begins at 2,720m (8,923ft) above sea level, and we’ll begin by crossing the Vilcanota River. Soon the trail enters the cloud forest, and as we ascend we’ll start to have beautiful views of the surrounding landscape, as well as Inca ruins.

Altogether, Day 1 is a wonderful chance to hike through some of the most stunning scenery in this part of Peru. 

Having trekked for about six or seven hours we’ll be quite tired. We’ll set up camp near the small village of Wayllabamba, set in a pretty mountain valley at around 3,000m (9,842ft). We’ll have a tasty dinner and set up the tents. Temperatures here can drop to around 5°C at night, depending on the season, but your sleeping bags will keep you nice and warm, so you can have a good night’s sleep before we continue the trek tomorrow.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Total distance: 11km
Estimated walking time: 5-6 hours
Maximum altitude: 3,000m (9,840ft)
Campsite altitude: 3,000m (9,840ft)

It’s another early start on Day 2 as we wake around 5:30 a.m. Our cooks will prepare a hearty breakfast to get your energy levels up, and you’re going to need it. Day 2 on the classic Inca Trail is generally regarded as the toughest day, and we have a steep ascent ahead of us. We’ll be following the Inca Trail along a route that was sacred to the Incas, as it rises up into the Apus, where the mountain spirits dwell. 

After a few hours, we will reach the highest pass on the trail, known as Abra de Warrmihuañusca, or Dead Woman’s Pass, at an elevation of 4,200m (13,779ft).

Once we make it to the pass, we’ll have a well-deserved rest and enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery. You can be justifiably proud to have made it to Dead Woman’s Pass.

After lunch at Pacaymayu, we’ll set off on another steep ascent for about two hours. Our destination is the Runkurakay pass (4,000m), where we will camp for the night. 

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Total distance: 12 km (7.5 miles)
Estimated walking time: 6-7 hours
Maximum altitude: 4,200m (13,770ft)
Campsite altitude: 3,500m (11,480ft)

After another energy-filled breakfast, we’ll set off on a relatively gentle uphill trek to our first stop of the day; the archaeological site of Phuyupatamarca, “The City Above the Clouds,” located at around 3,680m.

Heading on, we walk up and down a series of Inca steps – more than 1,000 in total!

Then we’ll pass through the cloud forest to the impressive agricultural Inca site of Intipata, which is one of the lesser-known ruins along the Inca Trail. Its agricultural terraces are very impressive, and we’ll have great views of them from parts of the trail. 

We will continue, heading to the third campsite at Wiñay Wayna, at 2,680m (8,792ft). We’ll have lunch and a rest, and then go on a short walk to explore the nearby Wiñay Wayna (“Forever Young”) archaeological site. 

We are now close to our final destination and the end of our trek. We’ll have dinner at the campsite and rest in advance of the next day – and our arrival at Machu Picchu.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Total distance: 16 km (9 miles)
Estimated walking time: 8 hours
Maximum altitude point: 3,950m (12,980ft)
Campsite altitude: 2,650m (8,700ft)

Today we want to get moving as soon as possible, so we’ll wake at 4:30 a.m., have breakfast and then set off along the last section of the trail. We’ll walk for about 1.5 hours until we reach Intipunku (the “Sun Gate”), arriving before the first rays of the sun reach Machu Picchu. From the Sun Gate, at around 7 a.m., we can watch as the sun spills across the landscape, slowly revealing Machu Picchu and our first sighting of our final destination. 

We will then walk the short distance to Machu Picchu itself, where you’ll begin your guided walking tour with your experienced and highly knowledgeable guide.

After the guided tour you’ll have about two hours to explore Machu Picchu on your own, perhaps walking to some less visited parts such as the Inca Bridge, or hiking up Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu Mountain. 

When you’ve spent enough time at Machu Picchu, we’ll head down to Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu. We’ll all gather in Aguas Calinetes, where we’ll have lunch. Your guide will then give you your tickets for the train back to Poroy, from where you can jump on the bus back to Cusco.  

And that marks the end of our unforgettable classic Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu!

Total distance: 5 km (3 miles)
Estimated walking time: 2 hours
Maximum altitude point: 2,700m (8,860ft)

Free day in Cusco to relax, explore, and have a chance for last-minute shopping! Whether you wander around the plazas, visit a salsa bar, get a massage, or just drink some fantastic coffee, today is a chance to recharge before returning to the UK.

Those who have booked the Rainbow Mountain excursion will head out early.

After breakfast enjoy your last day at leisure before transferring to the airport for your return flight home via Lima. 

Please note – if you are booking your international flights yourself you must book a late evening flight from Lima, to allow for the internal flight from Cusco.