Before sunrise, you’ll be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the Sacred Valley and Ollantaytambo, where we’ll stop to collect porters and equipment. After visiting the town of Ollantaytambo, we’ll drive to the trailhead KM 82. From there, we’ll be able to see a great view of the Andes along the way. Let’s kick off our 4-day adventure by hiking for 2.5 hours! It will be pretty flat until we arrive at the Inca site of Llactapata at 2,550 m (8,365 ft) above sea level. We’ll have the first taste of Incan culture and learn about the history of Peru. After another hour and a half, we will eat lunch, rest, and continue for another 2.5 until we reach the first camp at Wayllabamba. We’ll spend the night in a tent, sleeping under the starry skies that the Incas spent so much time observing.

Walking distance: 6.2 miles / 10 km (5-6 hours)
Campsite altitude: 9,845 ft / 3,000 m above sea level
Meals: Lunch and dinner

After an early breakfast, we will embark on the most challenging day of our hike through the Valley of Huayllabamba. We will hike towards the highest point of the Inca Trail—the Dead Woman’s Pass (4,215 meters / 13,830 ft). It will be a four-hour climb through different microclimates, with amazing views of the mountains. Once we reach the summit, we will head downhill for another hour and a half and then arrive at our lunch spot. Our hike will continue for another four hours with plenty of breaks until we reach our campsite at Pacaymayo, where we’ll end the day with dinner at the campsite.

Walking distance: 9.94 miles / 16 km (9-10 hours)
Campsite altitude: 11,811 ft / 3,600 m above sea level (chilly weather)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

We will start the day with an early rise and then be on our way through cloud forest, scaling the last peak of our adventure, the Runkurakay at 3,860 m (12,665 ft). We will visit Sayacmarca and the complex of Phuyupatamarca where the Incas charted their star maps. With Machu Picchu just out of reach, we’ll explore Wiñayhuayna, an orchid paradise, and admire the many terraces of Intipata. We’ll spend the night in tents.

Walking distance: 9.94 miles / 16 km (7-8 hours)
Campsite altitude: 8,530 ft / 2,600 m above sea level (chilly weather)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Today’s the day that we finally reach the Lost City of the Incas! Seeing the first sun rays from the Sun Gate (Intipunku) is a life-changing experience, so we’ll wake up hours before sunrise. We’ll get the chance to explore the ruins and either start our Huayna Picchu hike, or wander around on your own. At the end of our journey, we will return to the Poroy station, and take a train back to our hotel in Cusco. We should be back around 7 or 8 p.m.

Walking distance: 4.3 miles / 7 km (2-3 hours)
Meals: Breakfast