Inca Trail classic (4 days/3nights)

Our guide will pick you up from your hotel  for the transfer to Km 82, the start of the Classic Inca Trail. Upon arrival to the trail head, your guide will introduce you to the Q’Inti Inca Trail team: our robust porters, friendly camp assistants, and the critically-important chef.

11 am, the trek begins with an easy walk along the Vilcanota River, complete with beautiful views of the snowcapped peak Veronica. Upon arrival at Patallacta archaeological site, you will enjoy lunch in or just outside our dining room tent. In the afternoon, we start an ascent to our first campsite, which is at a location named Huayllabamba.

After another substantial breakfast, we start our second largest ascent, which reaches 3,900 m (12,900 ft.) above sea level. Just beyond that high point, you will enjoy a guided visit to the Runkurakay archaeological site and to the Inca citadel of Sayacmarca (3,600 m, or 11,900 feet of elevation). You will stop for lunch at Chaqquicocha. Afternoon walk towards Phuya Patamarka (“Town in the Clouds”), another important archaeological monument. After a brief rest, we will keep descending through the cloud forest, enjoying orchids and bromeliads until we reach Wiñay Huayna (“Always Young”). Your guide will take you on a tour of this spectacularly-scenic site. Dinner and overnight in our campsite at Wiñay Huayna.  All meals and snacks included.

After a hearty breakfast, we begin the most challenging part of the trail, with a steep ascent of approximately three hours to cross the Warmiwañusca Mountain Pass at 4,200 m (13,900 ft.) of elevation.  

This pass represents the highest elevation on the entire Inca Trail. After enjoying the panoramic view and perhaps changing into a dry shirt, we descend to our lunch spot in Vizcachayoc. The descent continues during the afternoon until we reach our second camp site, which is in a location called Pacaymayo at 3,500 m (11,500 ft.) above sea level). Includes all meals and snacks.

After an early, filling breakfast, we start hiking through the cloud forest towards Inti Punku (the Sun Gate), known as the Gateway to Machu Picchu. Upon arrival at Inti Punku, we will marvel at our first view of the Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu, a panoramic vista never to be forgotten. Machu Picchu lies significantly below us, so we walk down into the archaeological site itself and enjoy a full, guided tour of the archeological complex and monuments, such as the Main Square, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Solar Clock, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows, and the cemeteries. Free time to explore the Citadel, and then meet up to ride a bus 20 min down the 2,000-foot vertical drop to Aguas Calientes.  In the afternoon return to Cusco by train. Upon arrival in Cusco, transfer to your selected hotel. Meals include breakfast and mid-morning snack; the lunch will be up top at the restaurant of the Sanctuary Lodge by Orient Express before arriving to Machu Picchu.