Embark on an unforgettable 6-day adventure on the iconic Inca Trail! This thrilling journey begins in the vibrant city of Cusco, takes you through the breathtaking Sacred Valley, and leads you along the historic trail itself, surrounded by stunning landscapes and ancient ruins. Challenge yourself with high-altitude passes, immerse yourself in rich history, and experience the magic of the cloud forest. The highlight of your trek will be witnessing the sunrise over Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate, a truly once-in-a-lifetime moment. Join us for this exhilarating expedition and create memories that will last forever!
South America
The Inca Trail To Machu Picchu
6 Days, Departs Daily. From USD $2,113pp.
Details
Overview
Itinerary Highlights
- Trek the world famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
- With its ancient archaeological sites, fascinating museums and unique Andean atmosphere, Cusco’s sights and sounds never fail to inspire all those who travel there.
- Take a guided tour of Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas and one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.
Itinerary in Brief
- Day 1: Arrive in Cusco
- Day 2: First day of Inca Trail - Cusco to Sacred Valley – Huayllabamba
- Day 3: Second day of Inca Trail - Huayllabamba – Pacaymayo
- Day 4: Third day of Inca Trail - Pacaymayo - Wiñaywayna
- Day 5: Fourth day of Inca Trail - Wiñaywayna – Machu Picchu and tour of citadel - Cusco
- Day 6: Depart Cusco
Tailor-made suggestions for this itinerary
- Add more days in Cusco or Sacred Valley at the beginning to help you acclimatise.
- Add an extra day in Machu Picchu to have a 2nd visit of the citadel and explore further.
- Add in a 3 or 4 day trip to an Amazon lodge.
- Extend your stay in Peru and explore some of its other highlights including Arequipa, the Colca Canyon and Lake Titicaca.
Travelling with Eclipse
Peace of Mind
- Eclipse Travel is Australian owned and run, and an ATAS accredited travel agent.
- 24/7 emergency numbers and local contacts provided for support while you’re abroad.
- We provide all the information you need to organise your visas and vaccinations, making travel preparation stress-free.
- No currency surcharges. Once your deposit is paid, your price is guaranteed.
Specialists
- Our consultants are true destination experts, with firsthand experience and extensive travel in the regions we offer.
- Expect quick, professional responses and dedicated service from our knowledgeable team.
- We conduct regular checks on destinations, hotels, and services to ensure quality for every trip.
Authentic Travel
- Tailor-made itineraries designed around your unique requirements.
- Freedom to select your preferred style and standard of accommodation.
- Unique itineraries that take you beyond the major highlights, immersing you in each location.
- Committed to responsible travel: we reinvest in the environment and local communities across our destinations.
Day 1 - Cusco: Arrive in Cusco
Arrive in Cusco
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.
We suggest that you take it easy today to give yourself the best opportunity to acclimatise to Cusco's altitude. This city is bursting with Andean culture and is one of the great culinary destinations of South America. It also just happens to be the gateway to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, the best-known archaeological site on this vast continent.
Day 2 - 5 - Sacred Valley: 4 Day Inca Trail
4 Day Inca Trail
**Package inclusions: Transport from Sacred Valley to the start of the trail, Inca trail & Machu Picchu entrance fees, camping equipment, porters to carry your backpack (a duffel bag will be provided) max. 5kg, sleeping bag and mat, english-speaking guide, chefs, meals as specified, bus ticket to Aguas Calientes, hotel transfer.**
The Inca Trail is one of the most famous treks in the world. The trail follows an ancient path built over 500 years ago by the Incas themselves. Following the footsteps of Hiram Bingham, the discoverer of Machu Picchu, hikers will be witnesses to the striking beauty of the diverse changing ecological zones and impressive ancient archeological sites along the Inca Trail. After the four-day trek you will arrive at Machu Picchu, the legendary lost Inca city with its remarkable architecture and ancient stone constructions, perfectly melded into the steep hills of the ‘Old Mountain’. This breathtaking sight is the perfect finale of the Inca Trail - although the trek itself truly justifies the saying ‘The journey is the reward’.'
Day 1: Sacred Valley – Huayllabamba
Having enjoyed a suitably breathtaking journey through the Sacred Valley on the way to the trailhead, your first eager steps of the trail will begin at the famous ‘km. 82’ footbridge. The early stages are gentle, following the course of the Urubamba River while trekking through a pleasant combination of meandering forest tracks and riverbank pathways, with your first planned stop being at the Miskay community; an ideal place to meet locals and taste their local ‘Chica’ drink for an early energy boost. From here, the trail makes a gradual ascent into the valley, passing the impressive ancient Incan site of Patallacta which, archaeologically speaking, offers a tantalizing taste of what is to come over the next four days. From this magnificent viewpoint, you will follow the banks of the Cusichaca River, leading into a steady five-hour climb until reaching your camp for the evening, which comes courtesy of a clearing at Wayllabamba, the last inhabited village on the Inca Trail.
Total distance: 12 km / 7.5 miles
Estimated walking time: 5 to 6 Hours
Max. altitude: 3000m / 9,840ft
Campsite altitude: 3000m / 9,840ft
Lunch and Dinner included.
Day 2: Huayllabamba – Pacaymayo
An early start this morning enables you to enjoy your time along the most physically demanding day of the trail. Beginning with 9 km of steep steps and uneven ground, this initial exertion is more than rewarded with heavenly views of the Llullucha Valley, high Andean plains and mystical woodland trails throughout, not to mention the satisfaction of passing through the highest point on your intrepid journey later in the day. Traversing crystal-clear streams and lush valleys into an enchanting Polylepis woodland reserve, the trail continues for several kilometers of steep ravines and treeless grasslands until reaching Warmihuañusca, or ‘Dead Woman’s Pass’; the highest point on the four-day hike (4,200m/13,776ft). Here, unforgettable panoramic views back toward the snow-capped peaks, and then onward to the trailhead winding into the horizon, provide all the motivation needed for the downhill hike to Pacaymayo, the site of your second day’s camp. This clearing is equipped with welcomed amenities such as showers which come as a well-earned reward after a strenuous day of hiking.
Total distance: 11 km / 6.8 miles
Estimated walking time: 6 to 7 hour
Max. altitude: 4,200 m / 13,776 ft
Campsite altitude: 3,600 m / 11,808 ft
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.
Day 3: Pacaymayo - Wiñaywayna
This morning head out after breakfast towards the Inca ruins of Runkurakay. Thought to be an ancient, fortified guard tower, this simple though solid structure offers a fitting start to proceedings and a good taste of what is to come on the day ahead. From Runkurakay, the surrounding scenery evolves into misty, moss-covered cloud forest paths and the lofty peaks of the nearby Pumasillo Mountain Range, before making the gradual descent down to more impressive ruins at Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca. These ancient mountainside settlements showcase the best of Inca ingenuity, with its myriad of plazas, irrigation channels, courtyards and many scenic lookout points.
The trail continues along steep steps to yet another magnificent ancient complex; Wiñayhuayna, the largest and most remarkable of all the ruins on the road to Machu Picchu. Time can be spent here exploring the treasure trove of history and wonder that the site represents, blanketed in orchids and wildflowers at every turn, before finally setting your sights on your camp for the night, close by, in the shadow of Wiñayhuayna.
Total distance: 16 km / 9.9 miles
Estimated walking time: 8 to 9 hours
Max. altitude: 3,970 m / 13,022 ft
Campsite altitude: 2,650 m / 8,692 ft
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.
Day 4: Wiñaywayna – Machu Picchu
A very early start today for your short hike to Inti Punku, more commonly known as the ‘Sun Gate’, provides the perfect culmination to your tour. So-called due to its ideally elevated position overlooking the early-morning sun rising behind Machu Picchu, the Sun Gate is a long-time pilgrimage site for travelers and tourists alike. Here, as the sun begins to rise, clearing the early-morning mist from the pristine lawns of Machu Picchu; one of the true wonders of the world.
Descend to the site itself, passing on-looking llamas and ancient Incan stone masonry. Your guide will then lead you on a personal 2-hour walking tour of the residential areas, ritual sites, the Itihuatana stone at the Temple of The Sun.
At around noon, you will return to Aguas Calientes and take the train back to Ollantaytambo, where you will be transferred to your hotel.
Total distance: 6 km / 3.7 miles.
Estimated walking time: 2 to 3 hours.
Max. altitude: 2,430 m / 7,972 ft.
Breakfast included.
Day 6 - Cusco: Depart
Depart
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.
Breakfast included.
Departs Daily
| Season | Type | From | Special Offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 Jan 2025 - 31 Dec 2025 | USD$2113pp | ||
| Package price | USD$2113pp | Contact us |
Please note we can offer upgrades in other hotels in Cusco.
Package price
Cusco, Peru - Hotel Hacienda Cusco Plaza Regocijo
Whats included?
- Accommodation with private facilities
- Hotel Taxes
- Transfers
- Entrance Fees
- Shared tours with English speaking guides
- Meals as specified
- Train ticket Machu Picchu
INCA TRAIL SERVICES INCLUDED
- Sleeping bag
- Porters who will carry tents, food and cooking equipment. They will also carry your 5kg bags.
- Safety briefing before the trek
- Transportation to/from Cusco and the trailhead
- Assistant guide for every 9 passengers
- High mountain 2-person tent for double occupancy
- Inflatable sleeping mattress
- Dining tent with table and chairs
- Kitchen tent
- Vegetarian/special menus with prior arrangement
- Experienced English-speaking guide
- Assistant guide for every 9 passengers
- Boiled water three times a day for water bottle refills during the trek
- Comprehensive first-aid kit including oxygen bottles
- Bus ticket from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes town
Notes
- Average trekking duration: 6 to 8 hours per day with several long ascents and descents
- Altitude: the highest point on the trek is 4,200m (13,776ft) but camping will be below that level
- Season: from January to December (alternative route in February)
- Cusco’s climate is divided into two differentiated seasons: the rainy season, from November to April (the heaviest rainfalls occurring usually between January – March); and the dry season, from May to October.
- Please note, the Inca Trail is closed in February but an alternative route can be provided.
Important to consider:
The 4-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is physically challenging but within the ability of most reasonably fit. It is a 44-km (27 mile) hike, with 3 high passes to be crossed, one of which reaches an elevation of 4200m (13776 ft). The trail is often steep, and it may rain even during the dry season. The temperatures at night may fall below zero, so it is important to come prepared. The Inca Trail closes in February to allow cleaning and restoration works.
In order to preserve the Inca Trail Trek and its surrounds, the Peruvian authorities currently cap the number of Inca Trail trekking permits to 500 per day. As soon as you confirm your reservation with Vivid Expeditions, you are guaranteed to trek the Inca Trail as soon as your permit is confirmed. To help ensure you get a permit for when you want to do the trek, we encourage you to book as far in advance as possible.
What to bring:
- Comfortable and waterproof hiking boots
- Daypack
- Wind and waterproof jacket
- Fleece pullover
- Thermal underwear
- Beanie and gloves
- Sun hat & sunglasses
- Clothing should be comfortable, light and fast drying (jeans not recommended), Cotton hiking trousers, cotton long and short sleeve
- Shirts, shorts & plenty of socks
- Water bottle canteen
- Headlamp/torch and batteries
- Toiletries - including sun block and high factor sun cream, insect repellent & lip balm.
- Camera and spare battery
- Snacks (if you prefer something in particular)
- Passport*
* Please take note that the authorities in Cusco do not accept changes in names or passport numbers. In case you get a new passport number (different to the one you gave us for confirmation) you need to show your old passport to the authorities in the control station in the start of the trail. Should it not be possible to take your old passport with you, only a notarized copy will be accepted by the authorities controlling the access to Inca Trail.
Park authorities may occasionally designate different campsites than those indicated in this itinerary.
What’s not included?
- Huayna Picchu Mountain pass, though this can be arranged in advance if you are interested
- Air Transportation
- Airport entrance/departure taxes
- Passport, visa, and immigration fees
- Additional hotel nights
- Travel Insurance
- Gratuities
Price Assurance
At Eclipse Travel, our expert destination knowledge and decades of travel planning experience come at no extra cost to you. While many think booking through a tour operator is more expensive than planning a trip independently, that’s not the case. We’re paid by our travel partners—such as hotels, activity operators, and cruise providers—via commissions, not by our clients.
Our team negotiates the best rates for you and ensures you receive unbiased advice, with no preference for any particular supplier. In fact, where we secure higher commissions, we often pass the savings on to you, giving us a competitive price edge.
Additionally, we lock in exchange rates at the time of your deposit, ensuring no surprise costs when it’s time for final payment. You can rest easy knowing we’ll handle the details with our suppliers. The only exceptions are national park fee increases or fuel surcharges imposed after your booking, though these are rare.
Take advantage of our team’s expertise and let us help you plan the perfect holiday—hassle-free!
Destination: South America
The vivid sights and sounds of South America offer something for everyone. Stretching from the Caribbean to Patagonia, the variety of cultures, climates and landscapes has to be experienced firsthand to be believed. The memories you take home will leave you wanting more – we’re sure you’ll want to return again and again, just like us!
Downloadable travel guide
Planning your next adventure has never been easier with our free downloadable travel guides. Get in-depth insights into local attractions, dining options, and hidden gems, all curated by our team of travel specialists with decades of experience.
