Private Inca Trail 4-Day Hike to Machu Picchu
Ollantaytambo, Inca Trail , Wiñayhuayna , Inti Punku (sun gate) , Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes
- Duration: 4 days
- Difficulty: Challenging
- Type Service: Private
Private Tour: Inca Trail Hike – Overview
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is the most impressive trek in the Americas.
Along its 44 km of Inca trail, you will come across different archaeological sites, impressive views of imposing glacial mountains, inter-Andean valleys and semi-tropical forests.
Microclimates ranging from cold mountain passes to high temperate jungle await you with all their flora and fauna. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with the vestiges of an ancient society, much of which still survives intact in archaeological sites, trails, bridges, and the rural population of Peru.
Discovering its mystic and ancestral culture along this trail is a great achievement.
Enjoy this wonderful experience, with food harvested in our lands. You can arrive a day before and we will take you to the real place where we extract our products.
Day 1: Cusco – Piskacucho KM 82 – Llactapata – Ayapata
5:00 am – 8:00 pm
This wonderful Inca Trail Private Tour 4D/3N experience begins with your pick-up directly at the hotel in Cusco, Urubamba or Ollantaytambo. In the case of Cusco, we pick you up at approximately 4:30 AM, from Urubamba at 5:30 AM, and if you stay in Ollantaytambo, you can rest a little longer, since we will pick you up at 6:30 AM .
Once we were ready,
has gathered in our private mobility, we head towards Km 82, we will pass through the first control point of the Inca Trail to begin our walk. Please make sure you have your original passport as you will need it in order to enter the Inca Trail.
The first 2 hours of the walk are relatively easy, since we will go to our first Inca archaeological complex, Patallacta. This is an old Inca checkpoint for the approach to Machu Picchu. From there, we start another 2-hour hike to our lunch point. After our delicious lunch, we will walk for another 2 hours until we reach the camp for the first night, in the magical town of Ayapata (3300 meters).
In this last section, we pass through 2 small communities. In these places you can buy any energy drinks, snacks or anything essential for you, that you have forgotten, as well as batteries.
We will arrive at our camp at 5:00 PM. about. After you settle in, you can relax and have a hot drink and snack with the team of porters, chef, and guide.
At 7:30 PM dinner will be ready, after that you will have a well-deserved rest, to recover energy for our next adventure.
Distance: 12km
- Walking hours: 4 – 6 hours
- Mínima Altitud: 2600 masl / 8228 feet
- Maximum Altitude: 3000 masl / 9842 feet
- Camp altitude: 3000 masl/ 9843 feet
Day 2: Wayllabamba – Warmiwañuska – Pacaymayu
We will wake up with the birdsongs and the calm sound of the river, taking our time to enjoy the refreshing country air.
Next, we will proceed to have our breakfast which will be served in our tents by our chefs and porters.
Then we will start our trek to the highest point of the trip, the Warmiwañusca Pass (4,215m – 13828 Feet).
This section will be a personal challenge for each adventurer, once you have passed this challenge, when you reach the top you will have your reward; Getting to this point means you can achieve anything!
The ascent is gradual, and the first section is covered with vegetation up to the middle of the mountain (Llulluchapampa, 3,800m). In this place we will have our well-deserved lunch. You will have time, to rest a little and be able to fill your water bottles
We will rest for a while here, enjoying the fresh and cold air of the Andes. After here, the views are all of the Andean puna, where the mountain is rocky and without much vegetation due to the height, however, we will come across the grass known as PAJA O ICHU, still used by many high mountain communities as material for ceilings.
The views constantly improve as we climb, revealing different mountain ranges, and after a tough hike we will reach the highest pass of our journey, with rewarding views of mountains and valleys.
If we are lucky, we will see condors circling over this pass. Condors, are the ancient birds of the peruvian andes, that watch over us as we walk.
Getting to Warmiwañuska is an achievement you will never forget. We descend smoothly from here, Even with the emotion of having achieved this feat. The trail takes us to our camp in the Quebrada Pacaymayu, where our team will be waiting for us with a hot drink, to recover energy.
At dinner we will share stories with our group, our porters and our chefs, feeling the contentment and peace that the night sky and surrounding mountain peaks bring.
Distance: 16 km
- Walking hours: 7 – 8 hours
- Minimum Altitude: 3000 masl / 9842 Feet
- Maximum Altitude: 4215 masl/ 13828 Feet (First Warmiwañusca Pass)
- Camp altitude: 3000 masl/ 9843 feet
Day 3: Pacaymayu – Wiñaywayna
6:00 am – 6:00 pm
This is our longest day, but the landscapes are the most beautiful. We will pass through archaeological centers, an intact Inca trail, tunnels, a wide diversity of microclimates, inter-Andean valleys and a cloud forest full of birds and hundreds of types of orchids.
After breakfast, we will gradually climb to Runkuracay, an archaeological site halfway up the mountain with a strategic view of the valley. After our visit here, we will finish the last climb to the second highest pass on the trail, Runkuracay Pass (3800m – 12467ft), where we will see how the cloud forest spreads like a green blanket between the valleys.
From the Runkuracay pass, we will descend into the valley until we reach the next archeological site of Sayacmarca (3,600m – 11,811ft), known as “El Pueblo Dominante” due to its dominant position over the surrounding valleys.
We continue descending to our lunch spot in Chakicocha, where our team will be waiting for us. Once lunch is over, we will rest a bit to continue our journey. We will walk through unimaginable landscapes, with countless species of orchids, tunnels and foundations up to 10 meters deep.
This splendid trail takes us through the third pass of the route and descends to the archaeological site of Phuyupatamarca (3,665m – 12,024 feet), from where you will see the Machu Picchu mountain and the Vilcanota river, the valley and the glacial mountain range. If the weather cooperates, we will also see Salkantay (6,274m -20,583ft), the most sacred mountain in the region.
The path zigzags up many stairs from Phuyupatamarca through thick vegetation to Intipata and Wiñaywayna (2,650m – 8694ft), two Inca sites close to Machu Picchu but with their own impressive architecture.
We will spend our last night of camping in the pleasant and humid climate of Wiñaywayna where our team will be waiting for us at the camps. This is also our last night with the cooks and porters.
During dinner, we will say goodbye to them.
Distance: 16 km
- Walking hours: 8 – 10 hours
- Minimum Altitude: 2650 masl / 8694 Feet
- Maximum Altitude: 3800 masl/ 12467 Feet (Second Runkurakay pass)
- Camp altitude: 2650 masl/ 8694 feet
Day 4: Wiñaywayna – Machu Picchu – Cusco
5:00 am – 8:00 pm
This is the last day of the Inca Trail Group tour 4D/3N Our last breakfast will be at 4:00 AM.
We say goodbye to our team of porters and chef to start our most dreamed day, we will wait at the checkpoint to be one of the first to start our trek once they open the door.
From here we have spectacular views of the mountains and Machu Picchu in all its splendor.
We will arrive at the Puerta del Sol (Inti Punku) at 6:30 am, and then it is only an hour of walking to reach the Lost City of the Incas. As we walk and get closer to Machu Picchu, the views of the city improve.
At approximately 7:30 AM we will arrive at the final checkpoint and enter Machu Picchu to begin our 2-hour private guided tour. After the tour, you will be given the bus tickets that will take you to Aguas Calientes, where you will have plenty of free time to explore the city on your own or climb one of the neighboring mountains – Huaynapicchu (must be added in advance).
Your guide will offer to meet you in the town of Aguas Calientes to enjoy your last lunch at a local restaurant. This is optional and is not included.
At lunch, the guide will hand out the train tickets, so if you decide to skip, please coordinate this with the guide to obtain these tickets before leaving you at Machu Picchu. Unless you have coordinated an upgraded train, we will reserve an Expedition class, this is a tourist train, leaving Aguas Calientes at 2:55 or 3:20 pm.
Please make sure you are on the platform at least 30 minutes ahead of time. The trip takes approximately 2 hours to Ollantaytambo or Poroy (depending on the train schedule), where our transfer drivers and drivers will meet you and take you back to the city in our private transportation.
Our private car will arrive as close as possible to your hotel.
Distance: 6 km
- Walking hours: 3 – 4 hours
- Minimum Altitude: 20400 masl / 6693 Feet
- Maximum Altitude: 2650 masl/ 8694 Feet (Second Runkurakay pass)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Included
- Satellite phone.
- Pick up and drop off at your hotel or Airbnb. .
- Private tourist van from Cusco to Kilometer 82 (the starting point of the hike).
- English speaking tour guide with Satellite phone. .
- Foam mattresses.
- Profesional cook.
- Kitchen equipment.
- Dining and kitchen tents with chairs and tables.
- Portable toilet (The Pett).
- 4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners, 3 snacks with option for vegetarians, vegan, gluten free, Pescatarian, lactose Intolerance and any food allergy.
- 4 season Tents for two people (tent with capacity for 4 people used as doubles – Eureka).
- Porters. As detailed in the table authorized by the Ministry of Culture. (To carry our camping equipment and food) we never overload our porters.
- Inca trail Permit and Machu Picchu ticket.
- Bus ticket from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes town.
- Vistadome train ticket(14:55 Hrs.) from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo.
- Private van from Ollantaytambo train station to Cusco.
- Emergency tank of oxigen and first aid kit.
- Pre-departure Inca Trail orientation, presented by our guides at 6:00 pm at the office one day before departure.
- Wake-up tea. Hot herbal tea or Coca tea brought to your tent, each morning.
- A duffle bag, where you put your 10 kg / 22 pounds of personal items per person (personal cares, personal items, sleeping bag are within this 7 kg / 14 pounds).
- We provide hot water bins each day to help our clients clean and feel good at night.
- Rain Poncho to protect from the rain.
- Two hours of guided tour in Machu Picchu
- Boiled water to fill in your water bottles or Camelback (our cook will give you clean water after every meal)
- Day pack cover to protect your personal backpack.
- Sleeping bag
Not Included
- Rentals: Every trekker needs a sleeping bag when camping. Inflatable air mattresses and walking sticks (with rubber tips) are optional but encouraged. If you don’t want to bring any of the above, they are all available for rent:
- Sleeping Bag: $25
Inflatable Air Mattress: FREE ON PRIVATE TREK
Walking Sticks (Pair): $20 - Huayna Picchu
Huayna Picchu is the mountain that stands next to Machu Picchu. It is a 45-minute hike to the top. Going back down is quite steep if you are scared of heights. You would do this after your tour of Machu Picchu. The cost is $75. Arrangements need to be made at least one month in advance, due to popularity. Please understand that the weather is out of our control.
Prices
We keep our group sizes small at Cross Travel Perú, allowing us to give you highly personalized service. This lets you enjoy your hike more and better get to know all the other participants, making your experience unique and unforgettable. We also practice a high level of environmental and social responsibility on each one of our expeditions.
Price for small groups (8 people maximum, 2 people minimum)
- from $995 USD for adults
- from $980 USD for students**Discounts:**
- Children between 8-17 years old pay student price, but they must show a copy of their passport. Children will receive the underage student price if they, at the time of their trip, are at most 17 years old and have had their birthday recently.
- University students must have a student card with the following information to receive the discount:
Packing List
Essentials
- Passport (Must be valid)
- Student Card (If you booked as a student)
- Immigration Card (Given on the plane upon entering Peru)
- Daypack (The smaller, the better for comfort)
- Water Storage – A hydration reservoir like CamelBak is recommended, but ensure you carry at least 2-3 liters of water.
- Hiking Boots – lightweight, comfortable, and equipped with a durable, waterproof mountaineering sole.
Duffel Bag (Carried by Porters – Max 7kg)
Porters will carry up to 7 kg of your personal items. This must include your sleeping bag and air matt (if you bring/rent one). From us these two items weigh 3.5 kg.
- 2-3 wicking t-shirts
- 2-3 hiking pants
- 4 sets of undergarments.
- 4 sets of hiking socks
- 1 Fleece
- 1 Warm, down jacket: gets very cold at night
- 1 Rain jacket and pants
- 1 sun hat
- 1 wool hat
- Headlamp: essential
- Waterproof gloves (even if they are ski gloves, take them)
- Comfortable shoes for camp
- Walking boots
- Waterproof jacket/rain poncho
- Quickdry towel. We provide small ones, you might enjoy something a little larger.
- Small bottle of soap: we provide warm water each day to clean – might make you feel fresh if you had a little soap.
- Battery Charger: There is no place to plug in while trekking!
- Large plastic bags: to help organize and keep clean from dirty.
- Sleeping bag: Recommend down bags for -10C at least
Toiletries
- Sunscreen
- Face moisturizer
- Bug spray
- Handsanitizer
- Wet wipes
- Toothbrush and paste
- Toiletpaper
- Personal medication
- First aid kit: band aids, moleskin, etc.
Inside Your daypacks
Daypacks can be any size for hiking, but we always say the smaller, the better. Inside Machu Picchu, bags larger than 25L will not be allowed in. If it is larger, you will need to store it outside citadel gates. But don´t worry, they have a secure storage facility.
- Water: we supply clean water at each meal. You are responsible for your first morning of water only as we won’t have time to filter water until your first lunch.
- Sunhat
- Rain gear
- Fleece
- Camera
- Music (IPhone)
- Handsanitizer
- Toilet paper and small plastic bag for waste
- Extra Money for Souvenirs, Drinks & Tips
- Earplugs