Somewhere between heaven and earth rests Machu Picchu, the sacred Incan citadel perched among the clouds. On this all-women, 7-day journey, trek deep into the world’s longest mountain range, and to the remains of what was once the largest empire of the Americas. After mingling with Quechua people and learning about their traditions, take on the Inca Trail’s stairway to heaven, following the same steep mountain paths used by the Inca in the 15th century. This 26-mile path will challenge, and reward, you with ancient ruins, lush cloud forest and finally, the Lost City of the Incas. They say only the sky’s the limit, but this all-women hiking tour to one of the New Seven Wonders of the World will make you question that.
Walk among the clouds on this pilgrimage to the Sacred Valley
Learn about Indigenous traditions by the Quechua people
Soar in the sky while exploring Machu Picchu
Discover the lost empire of Inca civilization with your all-women group on this epic journey to ancient Peru! Following a stroll through Cusco, the imperial city of Incas, visit an indigenous village up in the mountains and let the Quechua people themselves tell you about their way of life. Having acclimated to the altitude, start your guided hiking tour to Machu Picchu via the worldly-renowned Inca Trail. Expect a challenging hike, at times strenuous, but keep in mind what’s waiting for you at the top! Along with your fellow women hikers, porters, cooks and guides, reach the iconic Inca citadel of Machu Picchu 8,000 feet up in the air.
Start your all-women’s journey of a lifetime in Cusco, the historic capital of Peru which the Incas once considered to be the navel of Earth. After settling in your hotel in the heart of the city, take a warm-up hike through the San Cristobal neighborhood. Get a great view of the imperial city of Incas founded 11 000 feet (3,400 m) up in the Andes. Wander through the colonial center of the city, Plaza de Armas, and visit 500-year-old cathedrals. Meet your expert guide and your fellow hikers.
On your second day, you’ll do a lot more than hiking and sightseeing. Drive up the Sacred Valley to a small indigenous village outside of Chinchero, also known as the birthplace of the rainbow. As part of a community outreach project, you’ll have an opportunity to learn from Quechua people, indigenous people who’ll tell you about their sustainable way of life, spirituality and connection to Mother Earth. You’ll also learn how they support themselves by farming and weaving, both of them being important parts of Peruvian culture. Hear their native tongues, see how they traditionally dance and let them flaunt you their traditional Andean clothing!
The time has come for your four-day, three-night, 26-miles-long (42 km) Inca Trail. Together with your group you’ll arrive at Ollantaytambo where you’ll meet your team of local porters, cooks, and expert guides—you can expect three gourmet meals cooked for you along the trail, and they’ll even set up your tent every night! The kilometer 82 marker indicates the beginning of the most famous hiking route of South America, the Inca Trail. Enter the microcosm for the 4 days ahead of you, climb up steep Andrean mountain paths surrounded by an array of Incan ruins and Andean environments, and end your pilgrimage at one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu.
Hiking: 6 hours, 6 miles/ 10 km
Meals: Lunch and dinner
Continue your hiking tour with views of the Veronica Mountain towering over the Sacred Valley. There’s a challenge awaiting you on your second day of hiking the Inca Trail, and it’s the Dead Woman’s Pass, the highest point of the trail at 13,879 feet (4,215 m). After successfully conquering this peak, nothing can stop you—only lower altitudes and less physically exerting hiking lie ahead. After a delicious Peruvian meal, fall into the comfort of your already set-up tent.
Hiking: 10 hours, 10 miles/ 16 km
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
On your third day of hiking the Inca Trail, you’ll pass snow-white glaciers of the Vilcabamba mountain range and see the ruins of an ancient city among clouds, Phuyuptamarca. Descend to a forever young Inca site, which is the literal translation of Wiñay Wayna overlooking the Urubamba River where you’ll find your final campsite of the trip.
Hiking: 8 hours, 10 miles/ 16 km
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Depart the campsite before daybreak to be one of the first hikers through Inti Punku, the so-called Sun Gate which was once a fortress to the sacred city. You’ve made it—you’re now floating among the clouds in the iconic Inca citadel of Machu Picchu! Wind through the paths of the archeological site while hearing from your expert guide about the citadel’s history and cultural significance. After you’ve taken in the views, take the train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo. Spend your last night of the trip back in Cusco.
Hiking: 3 hours, 4 miles/ 7 km
Meals: Breakfast
After a challenging and tiring couple of days, enjoy your final breakfast and say goodbye to your fellow female hiking friends. You’ll be taken to the airport during the day.
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
While previous hiking experience is unnecessary for all-women’s hiking to Machu Picchu, you’ll need to be in considerably good shape. Keep in mind that you’ll mostly be ascending or descending steep trails, and that you’ll be hiking for periods of several hours per day. Prior to your trip, you can prepare by exercising on steep inclines or even stairs. Don’t forget about a big change in the altitude—you can take some personal medication if needed.
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
Group sizes and prices:
Hiking in Machu Picchu can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
For regular dates, a $250 deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. The rest of the amount must be payed 3 months (90 days) prior to the start of the tour. Once you pay the deposit, the following cancellation policy applies:
To get to Cusco, which is the beginning point of your trip, most people fly into Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport. From there, you can rent a car or take a shuttle service to Cusco, which is 10 minutes away.
Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, usually at your hotel in Cusco.
Generally, Peru is safe to visit. Like all countries, it has some bad neighborhoods, crime and political instability. However, there is no need to be concerned about political unrest.
We had a chance to catch up with our local guide Roland Llave, co-founder of CrossoverPeru Tours, who shared a few thoughts on the current political climate in Peru: “At the core, these protests are a way for the people in South America to express themselves and fight for what they believe in. We recognize this might be unnerving for travelers, but this is part of our culture.”
Roland let us know that the protests have stopped for now. Roads, airports, and lives are back to normal. As always, there is potential for more unrest because, as he mentioned, protesting is part of their culture and how they honor their beliefs and rights. If you have any concerns about traveling to Peru or South America, please reach out and we will help you navigate the best option for your travels.
This all-women’s adventure was designed to empower women through the strength of other women, which means that your guides make every effort to outfit the trip with women guides and porters.
In most cases, guides for these all-women’s trips are women, while porters will often be a mix of men and women. Why? It is exceptionally hard for women in many developing countries to break away from traditional roles; therefore, fewer women guides and porters are available to outfit these trips. Collectively, we have more work to do to continue to elevate the presence of women in the outdoor industry.
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Peru please refer to Peru’s COVID-19 recommendations.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
