The Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is known as one of the world’s ten best hikes, the Inca Trail is unparalleled for its ecological diversity and wealth of archaeological treasures. The Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary covers 32,952 acres and it is home to a network of Inca highways, scores of archaeological sites, 10 ecological zones (from glacial peaks to tropical forests), over 450 species of birds and 200 species of orchids, as well as the legendary city of Machu Picchu. See our classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Availability for 2019.
Today, you will be picked up from your hotel in our comfortable private van at 4:30am. From there, we drive to Piskacucho, which is also known as KM 82. This is where the Classic Inca Trail begins! Along the way, we stop for breakfast in Ollantaytambo at about 6:30-7am to load up on energy to start our trek. (Breakfast is not included within the package).
Upon arrival at KM 82, we will have some time to organize ourselves. You can use the restrooms, apply sunscreen, insect repellent, etc. Your porters will carry your belongings from this point. All you need to carry is what you will need during the hike! Be ready to show your passports, student card (if a student) and permits at the Inca Trail checkpoint.
At the start of the Inca Trail (elevation 2,720m/8,923ft), we cross a bridge above the Vilcanota River and follow this route towards the right. The first day is relatively easy, a warm-up along the “Inca flat” terrain. The trail goes gently upwards, gradually gaining elevation without any steep sections. You will have great views of the Inca Fortress (Huillca Raccay), the vast and incredible Inca site of Llactapata, (also called Patallacta), the Urubamba mountain range that divides the jungle, the Andes Mountains, and the beautiful snow-capped peak of W’akay Willca (5,860m/19,225ft), also known as Veronica Mountain. It is truly a scenic trail!
Along the way, your porters will set up a dining tent and your chef will make a gourment lunch for you to enjoy near the trail. Our first campsite is Ayapata, an hour and a half away from the small village of Wayllabamba (3,000m/9,842ft) located within the temperate green valley of the same name. Temperatures at night are around 5ºC/41°F b, depending on the time of year.
During the day, we will enjoy not only the spectacular views of the snow-capped mountains including Veronica, (5,860m/19,337ft), but also the lush green valley around us and a myriad of flora and fauna. Watch for the many endemic hummingbirds on this section of the trail!
Your guide will wake you with a hot cup of coffee or tea between 5 to 5:30am, after which you will enjoy a delicious breakfast with a wide variety of options. Next, we start a steep ascent towards the highest pass along the trail, Abra de Warrmihuañusca or Dead Woman’s Pass at (4,200m/13,779ft). On this day, you will feel a real sense of achievement upon reaching the top of this pass! After a well-deserved rest, we begin to descend towards our lunch spot, which is located in Pacaymayu (3,550m/11,646ft).
On our way towards the pass, we will be able to see a different array of hummingbirds and a combination of other species of birds. You pass through many microclimates along the Inca Trail, so both flora and fauna today will be different from yesterday. There will be plenty of time to appreciate the incredible variety of native plants including the Polylepis or Q’ueuña trees, which grow in the astonishing cloud forest located at (3,650m/11,972ft)!
After lunch, we begin our second two hour steep hike towards Runkuraqay pass (almost 4,000m/13,123ft). We arrive at our campsite by 5 pm, where your chef will greet you with hot drinks and appetizers before dinner. Temperatures at this campsite can be as low as 4ºC/39°F during the night.
This is the most archeologically impressive day of our trek! We wake up again with a hot drink to enjoy in our sleeping bags before getting up for breakfast. We start the day with a gentle climb towards the Inca archaeological site of Phuyupatamarca (meaning Town in the Clouds). Here, we reach the third highest point along the Inca Trail (3,680m/12,073ft). The views of the mountains, canyons and surrounding areas are spectacular!
The Inca site of Phuyupatamarca, is located a few minutes walk from the third pass. After visiting this site, we continue walking through the cloud forest to reach the remarkable agricultural Inca site of Intipata. After taking some time to explore this site, we continue until we arrive at our third campsite, Wiñay Wayna (2,680m/8,792ft). We arrive at our campsite by lunchtime! Enjoy an elaborate lunch, after which you will have plenty of time to rest or explore Wiñay Wayna. Temperatures during the night are about 12º C/53º F.
A short walk from our campsite is the famous Inca site of Wiñay Wayna (meaning Forever Young), which is considered the most impressive site along the Inca trail. Your guide will explain the historical significance and the fascinating tale of how it was recently rediscovered by archeologists.
On your final day, we wake up at 4:30am to have breakfast and start our hike towards Machu Picchu. This is the final part of our journey, arriving by 6:00am at Inti Punku, otherwise known as the Sun Gate. At that point, the majestic citadel of Machu Picchu will be right in front of us with its intense beauty – an incredible sight for all to see! Watch the sun rise, spreading light down over Machu Picchu like flowing gold. After admiring this wonderful view, we continue downhill towards the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu (2,400m/7,872 ft). After walking about 40 minutes, we enter the citadel from the top, through the House of the Guardians. From there, we proceed to the control checkpoint, where we register our group and leave any large backpacks. Your guide will direct you throughout the astounding ruins and its main streets, answering all of your questions about this New 7 Wonder of the World and UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can wander around the town square as well as climb the intricately carved stone stairways. Once the guided tour is over, you will have free time to take more photos of this extraordinary place.
You will descend towards Aguas Calientes by bus (included) and board the train which departs at 4:22pm to the Ollantaytambo Train Station. Here you will meet our private van and be transferred to your hotel in Cusco, with an arrival time around 8:30pm.
You will also have time to indulge in a few of the following activities on your own if you choose (not included in the price)
Meals included: Breakfast
Distance: 6kms/3.7mls
Difficulty: Easy
*** Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain hikes depend on availability, please let us know if you would like to do this hike to book.
*** We only take Glamping Peru Treks clients in our vans / cars – We do not use public transport.
The Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Trek is available on any date that is best suited to you as long as we have a minimum of 2 trekkers
If permits are sold out for the Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Trek on your preferred date, you will have many options that will still allow you to trek and enjoy the Andes along the way to MACHU PICCHU. Alternative treks are just as beautiful as the Inca Trail. They are less crowded because we take you OFF the beaten track in the Andes and make sure you don’t miss anything while on your trek to MACHU PICCHU.
***Glamping Peru Treks requires a minimum of 2 trekkers for departures! You can choose any day that is best for you as long as we have a minimum of 2 trekkers.
***If you are a solo traveller and are flexible with your start date, we will make sure you have a group to travel with so you won’t miss out on any of the fun.
ALTERNATIVE TREK OPTIONS:
FYI: We will buy your Inca Trail permit using the original names and passport numbers that you send us with your booking form (they must to completed and accurate). If the name or number on your passport does not match the name and number on the Inca Trail permit. The Peruvian government authorities will not allow you to enter the trail and you will not be entitled to a refund!
You have to bring your original passport, in order to gain entry onto the Inca Trail, Machu Picchu and other sites. It must be the original passport that you have used to book with us from the start.
In case, you are renewing your passport or changing your name, send us your old passport information to secure your permit and we can change it when you get your new passport number or updated your name for a fee of $25 USD per person. We must have a copy of your old and new passport to make the change.
If you do not wish to pay this fee, you will need to bring both your old and new passports to Peru with you. You can enter Peru with your new passport but you will need to show both passports, old and new to enter into Machu Picchu and other sites. If you do not have both, you will not be allowed to enter into these amazing sites.
Glamping Peru Treks is a family owned travel agency and direct local tour operator based in Cusco with personal experience over many years of trekking. Glamping Peru Treks is a 100% Cusqueñian Company without any shareholders.
Our dream as a locally based company is to create small personalized tours & treks strictly and only operated by local professional staff catering in PERSONALIZED and HIGH QUALITY SERVICE.
We take pride in our reputation as a RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE tour operator. Our staff are our extended family! We ensure they are supported financially by paying them a fair salary. We are proud of our team; without them we wouldn’t be able to offer the best service and lifetime experiences to our clients.
In an effort to provide a more personalized service, we at Glamping Peru Treks have a policy that our groups will not exceed 8 people. This fact alone, sets us apart from other companies that operate departures with bigger groups.
Trekking the Classic Inca Trail with Glamping Peru Treks is a life changing experience with a fully portered trek, where your comfort and enjoyment are our first priority. We make sure that you get the best experience for your holiday in Peru, while you interact with the locals, explore fantastic sites and re-discover remote ancient Inca towns. Our porters will carry your gear, prepare your meals, set up your tents while avoiding crowded campsites and taking care of you, while you sit back and relax.
We provide the following items to our porters for free: Jacket, sun hat, warm hat, t-shirt, pants, hiking boots, comfortable backpacks for carrying your duffel bags, canteen and girdle for protecting their spine, sleeping bags, mattresses and travel insurance. All of our porters are hired from isolated communities and are given the opportunity to work with our company, in regards, to better their economic circumstances as well as getting help for their children’s’ education! We, Glamping Peru Treks, ensure that all of our porters are treated like family!
We are very proud of our guides! Highly professional, fluent in English and very knowledgeable about Inca history and heritage. You will learn about recognized theories in Incan and Andean culture. Fun loving, great sportsmen and well-educated, our guides hold degrees in one of the following: Archaeology, Botany, History or Anthropology. They are great entertainers and some are considered the best Salsa dancers this side of Machu Picchu.
Glamping Peru Treks have always believed that we should give back to the local communities. Therefore, as part of our commitment to responsible tourism, we always do many community service projects and hire locally.
Glamping Peru Treks is proud to be able to support our local people, not only employing them but go back to our grassroots as we share with their families. It makes us happy to have this holistic approach with our employees and their families!
Please read carefully the following information as it will help answer all of your questions about our services and the trek to Machu Picchu
You will be welcomed at Cusco airport and taken to your hotel. Please ensure that you inform us of your flight details at least 14 days prior to your trek. Look for our representative holding a board stating: GLAMPING PERU TREKS at the arrival terminal. You must exit the terminal to find our representative (they cannot enter inside).
This will take place the night before the trek at 6pm at our office, which is located on Calle Santa Teresa Nº383 ; 303 (second floor), we are next to SUBWAY sandwich shop.
Of course! During the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu trek, your main luggage can be store at our office or at your hotel, whichever is more convenient for you.
FIRST, to book your Inca Trail trek, we need you to fill out our booking form by clicking on BOOK NOW on our homepage or click this link BOOK NOW.
Please be ready with the following information (FROM EACH PARTICIPANT in your group). We cannot purchase an Inca Trail permit without the following information:
SECOND, we require a deposit of $211.00 USD per person, in order, to purchase a permit for the Inca Trail. You can make you deposit by clicking on the VISA or PAYPAL symbols on the top of our home page, or you can click on the VISA or PAYPAL symbols on our booking page.
To avoid the excessive credit card fees in Peru, you can pay in cash at our office (we accept US dollars or Peruvian soles) in Cusco. We have many ATMs within the historical center to withdraw money. You can also pay by VISA or PAYPAL online but there is a 5.5% service charge, charged by VISA and PAYPAL. To pay your balance through PAYPAL, you need to log into your PAYPAL account using our email address of glampingperutreks@gmail.com.
Unfortunately, the answer is No. Once the Inca Trail permit and other tickets have been bought, the Peruvian government does not allow any changes. We can’t change the departure date after the permit & tickets have been paid for. Tickets are also not transferrable or refundable. If you cancel your Inca Trail Trek, the deposit is not refundable at all!
Yes! You have to bring your original passport as it is necessary to gain entry onto the Inca Trail, Machu picchu and other sites. It must be the original passport that you have used to book with us from the start.
In case, you are renewing your passport or changing your name, go ahead and send us your old passport information to secure your permit and we can change it when you get your new passport number or updated your name for a fee of $25 USD per person. We must have a copy of your old and new passport to make the change.
If you do not wish to pay this fee, you will need to bring both your old and new passports to Peru with you. You can enter Peru with your new passport but you will need to show both passports, old and new to enter into Machu Picchu and other sites. If you do not have both, you will not be allowed to enter into these amazing sites.
The weather is very unpredictable and difficult to foresee. We recommend to always dress in layers as that makes it easier to add on or take off clothing, while passing through the various microclimates which our beautiful region has to offer.
In general, if you exercise regularly and spend a couple of days in Cusco or the Sacred Valley, you will be able to acclimate normally. It takes about 24 hours to 2 days for your body to adjust.
The recommended remedies for altitude sickness are: WATER, COCA TEA and OXYGEN, IF NEEDED. Our guides are trained to treat you for altitude sickness.
The maximum group size is 8 persons. Our groups are between 2-6 persons. Glamping Peru Treks specializes in SMALL, PRIVATE groups while providing personalized service.
You will have one chef per group. The number of porters depends of the size of the group. For a group of 2 trekkers, they will have 4 porters, 4 trekkers will have 6 porters, 6 trekkers will have 9 porters, 8 trekkers will have 12 porters.
The evening before you start your trek, you will be given a SMALL DUFFEL BAG to pack your clothes and items for the next four days. By law, your weight allowance is up to 7kg/14lbs. This includes 1kg for your sleeping mattress and 2kg for your sleeping bag, leaving 4kg for your personal items. Your team of porters will carry your duffel bag for you, together with the food and camping gear. It’s important to be aware that you will not have access to your items in the duffel bag until the end of each day, as the porters will always be ahead of the group. During the trek, you need a day backpack only big enough to carry your personal belongings such as a warm jacket, a rain jacket, your camera, sunscreen, snacks, water, etc. A 25 to 30L backpack is sufficient.
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Trek is a fairly difficult and you should be well prepared and healthy prior to starting it. You have to be moderately fit and excerise regularly. In preparation: try walking 15kms/9mi in a day or go to a fitness club throughout the months leading up to the trek. It is also important to be well acclimatized to the altitude. Try to spend at least 2 or 3 days in Cusco (3,350m/11,047ft) prior to starting the trek. Always check with your doctor before traveling to Peru.
Our clients who want a bit of privacy, especially our female trekkers, always appreciate the clean and sanitary toilet we provide for you! Glamping Peru Treks include a portable bathroom facility with an individual tent and a camping toilet with a seat. Check out the picture, which illustrates how we set up our camping toilet on the trek by using this link: picture of toilet tent. Our toilets are always set up a comfortable distance from our campsite. At night, if you need to use the toilet, it is readily accessible and clean, unlike the public facilities supplied by the Peruvian government, which are not always cleaned regularly.
In the unlikely scenario that you are unable to finish the trek due to a health issue, Glamping Peru Treks will assist you to the nearest town for help with transportation. We always carry oxygen on the trek for any respiratory problems. In extreme cases, a helicopter pick up can be arranged at your own expense. Travel insurance is required and recommended. There are no refunds in the unlikely situation that you are unable to finish the trek.
Generally, those who have to be assisted off the trail are taken to Ollantaytambo and if they recover quickly they can then continue the journey to Aguas Calientes (cost incurred by trekker) and visit Machu Picchu, according to original plan.
Absolutely!! Hotel pick ups and drop offs are included with all of our treks and packages! If you have booked your hotel in the Sacred Valley, we will drop you off there and vice versa.
It will depend on the train time availability (during high season it could be sold out) but the idea is to give you as much time as possible in Machu Picchu and enjoy the amazing views on the way back to Cusco while on the train. Therefore, we usually book the train at 4:22pm. With this train schedule, you will have more than 4 hours to enjoy Machu Picchu.
We include the Vistadome train, which has nicer seats, panoramic windows and ceiling! You will be offered snacks and a dance show will take place on board. The service includes the transfer from the Poroy train station to your hotel in Cusco. The total travel time is about 4 hours roundtrip. The Vistadome train back to Poroy (Cusco) lasts 3.5 hours, then 25 minutes by taxi to your hotel. Our clients are back at the hotel by 8pm.
If you’re happy with the services provided, a tip – though not compulsory – is appreciated. While it may not be customary in your country, it’s of great significance for the people who will take care of you during the trek. It inspires them to give excellent service and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many Glamping Peru Treks destinations. Of course, you are free to tip more or less as you feel, depending on your perception of the quality and the length of your trip. Remember, a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
Yes! We are a local, sustainable & responsible tourism operator that incorporates universal principles of tourism: protect the environment and benefit the local communities by respecting their culture and religion. With this in mind, we have trained all our local staff to know and understand, respect these places and the local people.
As a Direct Local Tour operator, we provide you with a duffel bag during your briefing and INCLUDE an extra porter, who will carry up to 7 kgs/14 lbs including 3kg for your mattress and sleeping bag.
We highly recommend a small day backpack between 20 to 30L for hiking during the day. A backpack bigger than 30L to 40L will not be allowed into Machu Picchu. The remainder of your belongings will be in your duffel bag at the campsite.
All of our guides are experts in trekking and hold degrees related to tourism. They are passionate about their career and love to show others about their culture!
We specialize in providing our treks and tours with small groups. It helps create a more unique and personalized experience!
We have more than 6 years experience, in providing high quality service. We are considered one of the few operators that most clients trust.
All of our chefs prepare gourmet meals catering to different dietary needs. This sets us apart from other companies.
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As one of the few tour operators that dedicated itself to social responsibility. We are always looking for innovative ways of caring for our natural surroundings.
Our camping equipment is top of the line being replaced when needed. Our camping equipment is available for rent as well.