4 Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu – Best Inca Trail Tours

Your epic 4 Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu experience begins with an early morning (0400 AM) pick up from your hotel in Cusco. We will be driving you through the Sacred Valley of the Incas to Ollantaytambo.

We will be meeting our support team (porters and chefs) here. While you relish our traditional Organic Andean breakfast, we will organise your sleeping bags, duffel bags and other things. Please note that you won’t have access to your duffel bags during the trek so make sure to carry your essentials in a day pack with you. 

After breakfast, we will be driving you further to the trail head in Km.82 (Piskacucho). The trail head is named after its distance to Machu Picchu from Cusco City. 

Once in Km 82, local authorities will be verifying your Inca Trail Permit against your Original Passport. 

Before begining our Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu, our local travel expert will be briefing you on safety aspects of hiking in the Andes. 

4 Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

We will begin the hike through a flat surface for two hours to a notable Inca site, Patallacta. During the Inca civilization, Patallacta served as a check point to those visiting their sacred site, Machu Picchu. 

After an immersive tour of the remains and introduction to Incas history, we will be hiking for some three hours. We will be stopping by many notable Inca sites along the way. The prominent one being Llactapata. 

Llactapata in Quechua means “High City”. It is named after its altitude, 2840 metres above sea level (9317 ft.)

Our local expert will be giving you an insight of the complex and its prominence to Incas. Once you have had your fill of the history, we will continue hiking to our lunch camp. Our crew will extend a warm welcome with a cup of freshly brewed coca tea (help with altitude sickness). 

You will then relish our exclusive organic food for lunch. Happy Gringo Tours is the only local operator to serve organic meal. 

After lunch, we will be continuing the hike through two local communities to our campsite in Ayapata. If you have forgotten to buy some essentials for the trail, you can buy them from the two communities we will be crossing. 

Ayapata nestles at 3300m/10827 ft. We will be reaching the campsite around 0500 PM. Our crew will be serving some snacks and coca tea or Peruvian coffee. Dinner will be served at 0730 PM. 

Our crew will be waking you up in the morning to a cup of freshly brewed coca tea or Peruvian coffee. Coca Leaves are consumed since Inca civilization. It is the best and the most natural way to fight altitude sickness and get an energy boost.

After relishing a native organic breakfast, we will gradually begin our hike up the hill to the highest point of the 4 Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Dead Woman’s Pass (4215m/13829ft). It normally takes four hours to get there. 

The route is dotted with different flora and dauna, most distinct to the region. Our guide will explain its significance.

Dead Woman’s Pass:

Once at the Dead Woman’s Pass, you will be able to contemplate the panoramic view of the valley tucked amidst the snow capped Andean peaks. You will feel the energy of the Incas who hiked the trail thousands of years ago. 

Our local expert will be sharing some information and Andean beliefs. You will understand the importance of the mountain peaks (Apus) in the Andean mythology. 

After soaking in the view, we will gradually begin our descent for an hour and a half to our lunch camp. Our crew will be serving you a delicious and traditional organic meal. Everytime, during breakfast, lunch and dinner you will have the option to refill your water bottle. 

After relishing a delicious native meal, we will be hiking for 45 minutes, up the hill to Runkurakay archaeological site. It is an Inca complex, our local expert will be giving you a detailed tour here. We will be visiting two beautiful waterfalls here that flows on the mountain slopes. 

We will then continue hiking further up for another 45 minutes to Runkurakay Pass 3760m/12335ft. After a challenging hike, we will be stopping here to relish the pristine views. The Incas used to perform ceremonies here to express their gratitude to the sacred peaks. Our local expert will be explaining this to you in detail. 

Sayacmarca:

We will begin with a gradual hike, down the hill for about an hour to the archaeological site of Sayacmarca. This is one of those sites that can be visited only by those hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Our local expert will give you a tour of the complex. 

We will continue hiking down the hill for another 25 minutes to our campsite in Chaquicocha (3600m/11811ft). Our crew will be serving snacks and beverages followed by dinner. 

You can enjoy the views of the Andean constellations in the clear sky and wind up the longest yet the beautiful day of the 4 Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

We will begin the day with a cup of freshly brewed coca tea or Peruvian coffee, followed by a hearty Andean breakfast. The third day of the four day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is quite relaxing as we will be hiking through low altitudes and cloud forests.

Phuyupatamarca

After a short hike, we will be hiking up the hill to Phuyupatamarca archaeological site. It nestles at 3650m/11975 ft above sea level. In Quechua, the name signifies “mystical place above the clouds”.

We will be giving you a detailed tour of the complex. After the tour, we will descend for to and a half hours to Intipata. This was a prominent agricultural site to the Incas. You will get stunning views of the Urubamba river snaking through the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Our local expert will be explaining the importance of farming during the Inca era and how the current generation have adopted the traditions of their ancestors.

Wiñay Wayna

We will begin our hike down the hill for thirty minutes to our campsite in Wiñay Wayna. We will be reaching there by 0100 PM.

After a well deserved lunch, we will be hiking to the archaeological site. Wiñay Wayna in Quechua means forever young. This is possibly the most beautiful complex you will be visiting on your Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

You will discover the prominence of each site as our local expert will walk you through the complex. We will stop to witness the sunset here. 

Back in the campsite, we will be having a celebratory meal with our Happy Gringo Team as you would have conquered the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu by now. It will be time to bid goodbye to our support crew.

After dinner, you will be sleeping under the clear Andean sky with the view of galaxy and milkyway.

We will be waking up at 0330 in the morning. Our tour guide will be handing you over a bottle of water and snack box. We will be leaving the campsite by 0400 AM to reach the Sungate and witness the sunrise over the Inca citadel.

It takes about an hour to reach Sungate from Wiñay Wayna campsite. As we reach, you will get first view of the emblematic Inca citadel, Machu Picchu at a distance. 

We will have ample of time in Sungate to capture the best moments of the trail in your camera. After witnessing the sunrise, we will be descending for 45 minutes to the lost city of the Incas. 

Machu Picchu:

Once in Machu Picchu, out local expert will be giving you a two hours tour of the complex. We will be visiting the main plaza, remains of the royal quarters, farming terraces, ceremonial sites, to name a few.

After the tour of the complex, you will have some free time to soak into the views and vibes of Machu Picchu. If you have booked to hike Huayna Picchu mountain or Machu Picchu mountain our tour guide will be directing you to the respective trailhead.

Please note, just as Inca Trail, you will also need permits to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountains. 

Once you have had your fill of the emblematic Inca city, we will take a 25 minutes bus ride down to Aguas Calientes town. The town is home to natural hot springs which will be the best way to reward your feet after a four day trail.

After having lunch at a local restaurant, we will be heading to the train station. You will be boarding the 0400 PM train to Ollantaytambo. Our representative will be meeting you on arrival and will be transferring you back to your hotel in Cusco city. We will be reaching Cusco by 09:00 PM.