The Inca Trail is arguably the most iconic trail in all of South America. This trek, typically hiked over the course of four days, follows along the ancient steps of the Inca people in the Sacred Valley of Peru all the way to the Sun Gate of Machu Picchu, one of the best preserved ruin sites on the planet and one of the Seven Wonders of the World! Along the way, you’ll pass dozens of Inca ruins sites—most of which only a handful of tourists get to see each day—and some of the most spectacular views of the Andes Mountains.

To hike this iconic trek, though, you need to do a bit of leg work—both before and once you hit the trail! Here’s everything you need to know about hiking the Inca Trail. 

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About the Inca Trail

There’s several different versions of the Inca Trail, depending on how many days you have and how much mileage you want to cover. 

Here’s some quick stats about the “classic” Inca Trail, which, as mentioned above, is generally hiked over the course of four days (sometimes three days for folks with limited time!):

Length

22.4 miles (36 km)

Elevation gain

9,468 feet (2,886 meters)

Difficulty

Moderate to challenging. 

Before we hiked the Inca Trail, I had listened to a podcast with a person who attempted to do this trek, but, after struggling so much the first day, was gently told by her guides that she should probably head back to the trailhead (which she did). Needless to say, I was SO nervous going into this hike that it was going to absolutely destroy us.

To be honest, though, after spending seven months hiking all over South America, from the Cocora Valley in Colombia to the W Trek in Chile, most of the Inca Trail felt pretty moderate (at least, as people who hike a decent amount). With the exception of Day 2, the trail has a lot of flat and downhill sections. 

I certainly wouldn’t recommend having the Inca Trail be the first hike that you ever do, but if you’re in moderately good shape and have a few challenging hikes under your belt, you should be able to tackle it without issue. 

Trail map

Alternatively, there is a shorter two-day option, which is typically around 8 miles long. If you’re interested in this option, we have more information in the Alternatives to the Inca Trail section below. 

Where is the Inca Trail located?

The Inca Trail stretches for over twenty miles, starting from here, right outside the teeny town of Chillca in the Sacred Valley of Peru and running all the way to Machu Picchu. 

While the closest town to the trailhead is Chillca, the vast majority of travelers use the nearby city of Cusco (which was once the capital of the Inca empire!) as their springboard for this trek. Your tour operator should provide roundtrip transportation from Cusco to the trail.

Getting to Cusco is thankfully pretty straightforward. Because of the popularity of Machu Picchu (welcoming a whopping 1.5 MILLION visitors a year), there’s several cities that offer direct flights to Cusco, including Lima and Arequipa, Peru; Bogota, Colombia; La Paz, Bolivia; and Santiago, Chile. The most common route is through Lima, which typically costs less than $50 USD per person one-way. 

Alternatively, many travelers, including us, arrive in Cusco via bus during a broader trip around Peru. For example, here are a few cities with direct bus routes to Cusco:

• Tickets from Arequipa, Peru to Cusco (11 hours away)
• Tickets from Puno, Peru to Cusco (7 hours away)
• Tickets from Lima, Peru to Cusco (a harrowing 24 hours away on a direct bus)

We traveled alllll over Peru via bus and our favorite operator by far is Cruz del Sur—super comfy chairs, onboard bathrooms, and sometimes, even bottled water and snack included in your journey! 

Do you need to go with a guide on the Inca Trail?

Yes, since 2001, you are required to hike the Inca Trail with a certified guide. 

Accordingly, you have to book a tour, which will generally not only include a guide, but also your permits to the Inca Trail, tickets to Machu Picchu, food, water, and snacks while you’re on the hike, pretty much all of your gear, and a whole team of porters and a cook to carry your tents, food, and other gear (unlike many of the other multi-day treks around Cusco, horses or mules are not allowed to carry hikers’ gear along the Inca Trail, as their hooves would damage the fragile stonework here). 

How much does the Inca Trail cost?

We wrote an entire article about how much the Inca Trail cost us, but, in short, the Inca Trail ain’t cheap. You should expect to spend around $800 per person on a guided tour, with some extra expenses, like renting sleeping bags or trekking poles and gratuities, as well.

After doing a TON of research, we booked this tour with Salkantay Trekking and generally REALLY enjoyed our experience. 

Our guide was knowledgeable and passionate about Inca history; the food was great; and the company seemed to treat its workers better than most other operators we encountered on the trail. In fact, it’s one of only two companies, as far as our guide was aware of, that was 100% owned by locals (if you’re interested, the other locally owned option is TreXperience). 

Best of all, when we hiked the trail with Salkantay Trekking, we lucked out with a totally private group—my husband, Justin; his cousin and his wife, and me. All of the other operators had MASSIVE groups of at least 20 hikers. While we love meeting other folks on the trail, we were happy that we got lucky enough to be the only ones in our group and were able to hike and explore the ruins along the trail at our own pace. 

While I’d highly recommend Salkantay Trekking, I’ve also had a handful of friends hike the Inca Trail with Alpaca Expeditions and REALLY enjoy it. The main owner of the company is a former porter along the trail and I’m told the food they serve is absolutely exceptional. 

So, tour operators and delicious trail meals aside… why is it so expensive? 

The Inca Trail is incredibly popular—SO popular that it and all of the ancient stone steps and paved walkways along the trail were getting ruined by the high volume of hikers. Accordingly, since 2002, the number of people on the trail has been restricted to just 500 people a day. Only 200 of those are hikers—the rest are porters, cooks, and guides. Accordingly, due to the exceedingly limited supply, tour companies can kind of charge whatever they want. 

Additionally, hiring all of the extra porters and whatnot isn’t cheap. For the four hikers in our group, there were ten porters to carry and set up our gear, one cook, and a guide.

For Justin and me, this was kind of a WEIRD experience. We enjoy backcountry camping and have always carried our own water, shelter, and food, so, to have a whole team carry a bunch of gear and prepare three course meals for us, was a bit out of our comfort zone. Still, I imagine a decent amount of people that hike the Inca Trail may not have backpacked before, so having the extra support is probably nice. 

And, honestly, you don’t really have a choice in the matter. Any reputable Inca Trail tour company only offers tours that include porters, multi-course meals, a dining tent to enjoy your meals, etc. 

If you see a company that’s offering tours that’s significantly cheaper than that, I would strongly recommend that you spend a TON of time doing research about them and to be extremely wary. More likely than not, this company is likely cutting corners by treating porters unfairly—either by hiring fewer ones that are forced to carry heavier (and potentially dangerous) backpacks or severely underpaying them. 

What to expect along the Inca Trail

As mentioned above, there’s several different ways that you can hike the Inca Trail, ranging from distance to how many days it takes to cover the mileage. We’re going to be covering the “classic” route here, starting from the trailhead on Day 1 and reaching the Sun Gate at sunrise on the fourth and final day on the trail. 

Additionally, distances and elevation gains along itineraries may vary, given that there’s a limited number of people that are allowed to stay at each campground per night. Accordingly, the various tour groups may wind up hiking several miles more (or less!) each day, as compared to other groups, depending on which campground your operator snagged. 

I’m just going to be putting the approximate elevation gain and mileage for the itinerary we did, but be aware that yours may vary slightly!   

Day 1: Cusco to Wayllamba 

• Distance: 6.7 miles (10.7 km)
• Elevation gain: 1,476 feet (450 meters)
• Difficulty: Easy to moderate. The Inca Trail is not technically challenging and this portion of the trail starts off flat, with a gradual incline towards the end of the day. However, it’s important to remember that you’ll be hiking at higher elevations than you otherwise might be used to (the trailhead starts at almost 9,000 feet of elevation), so things may feel more physically challenging and draining than they otherwise would.

From Cusco to the trailhead

Most Inca Trail tours start bright and early, picking you up from your accommodations in Cusco in a shuttle around 4 AM. When we were picked up, our shuttle driver made some quick stops on the way out of town to pick up provisions and then started to drive out to the Sacred Valley. I’d suggest bringing along a pillow (we brought our beloved inflatable camping pillows and they came in clutch, both during the car rides and in our tents) to catch some shuteye during the two hour drive to breakfast. 

You will then likely stop at a restaurant in the town of Ollytantambo to partake in the breakfast buffet. Definitely go to the bathroom here—it will be one of our last reasonably clean toilets for the next few days! 

We arrived at the trailhead location, frequently called “KM 82”, due to its distance from Cusco along the trainline, around 8 AM to start our hike. 

There will be vendors here, selling any last minute gear you might need, like snacks, ponchos, or the little rubber tips that go on the end of your trekking poles (which are required along the trail to protect the stonework). So bring extra Peruvian soles just in case you need to buy anything! 

Trailhead to Patallacta

Your guide should have your permit to the Inca Trail, which you’ll need to show alongside your permit to a security guard at the trailhead. 

There’s a small museum, right past the entry station, where our guide pointed out some of the flora and fauna that you can possibly spot along the Inca Trail, like bromeliads, Andean condors, and spectacled bears. After walking along a short gravel pathway, you’ll pass through one more checkpoint (and your porters’ packs will get weighed to confirm they’re no heavier than 20 kilograms, the legal maximum weight that they’re allowed to carry). And, then, you’ll *officially* be on the trail! 

The first five kilometers of the trail is pretty easy, along a flat pathway lined with trees with hanging moss and enormous agave plants, snaking alongside the Rio Urubamba. 

During the entire first day along the trail, you’ll be hiking through teeny Quechua villages, with locals selling drinks, snacks, and access to their bathrooms. 

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, “Quechua” is both a group of Indigenous people who are considered to be the descendants of ancient Incas, as well as a pre-Incan language that was spoken by the Incans and the Quechua people today. Many of the people that live around Cusco are Quechua—in fact, the vast majority of our porters spoke Quechua as their primary language! 

Getting a peek into small Quechua communities is definitely neat—if you’ve got a hardy stomach, be sure to try a glass of chicha (a type of fermented corn beer) here! 

That being said, don’t expect to be surrounded by pristine nature on the first day on the trail. You’ll be dodging locals with horses and mules (which are allowed in the villages that you’ll pass the first day on the trail) and passing modest homes, storefronts, bathrooms and snack stands. 

If you thought you’d have nothing but stellar views of Inca ruins and the Andes mountains, not to worry—after Day 1, you won’t see any kind of civilization until you reach Machu Picchu! 

After about two hours of hiking, you’ll reach your first of many Inca ruins, called Patallacta, which dates all the way back to 1420 AD. The site is beautiful, in and of itself, with a stone structure built on a high cliffside and, hundreds of feet below, dozens of other structures and terraces built into the riverside. But, given it’s the first significant Inca ruin site you pass on the trail, it feels even cooler! 

Patallacta to Wayllabamba

After Patallacta, the trail will start gaining elevation and, after about half an hour more of hiking, you’ll stop in a small village for lunch. 

I can only speak to our tour group and what I observed other operators offering along the Inca Trail, but this is like no camping meal I’ve ever had before. The porters run ahead of you on the trail to set up a cooking and dining tent for you to sit in and cook up a veritable FEAST of at least three courses. Just don’t eat TOO much—you’ve still got a decent amount of hiking to do this afternoon!

We hiked for about 5 more kilometers after lunch, with the trail continuing to gradually climb uphill. As you walk further on the trail, the Quechua villages become more sporadic and even tinier than they were near the trailhead. 

We reached our campground for the night, the last town along the trail, Wayllamba, around 3 PM. Although we stayed in someone’s backyard (complete with random chickens and dogs running around), the surrounding views of the Andes Mountains and farmland was absolutely spectacular. 

Our porters had already set up our tents and dropped off the duffel bags they carried for us (with up to 7.5 kg of our personal items) by the time we got there. I think we stayed at one of the first campsites along the trail, so don’t be surprised if your group hikes up to 5 kilometers more than we did! 

We had a TON of time at our campsite this night and spent most of our night enjoying our first tea time (yes, our tour came with its very own tea time, with plenty of hot drinks, cookies, and a variety of other snacks to choose from), playing a fun ultra-lite card game called Love Letter, and gorging ourselves on our first multi-course dinner along the Inca Trail. 

Drink lots of water and rest up—tomorrow is FOR SURE the hardest day on the Inca Trail!

Day 2: Wayllamba to Chaquicocha camp

• Length: 6.9 miles (11.1 km)
• Elevation gain: 5,321 feet (1,621 m)
• Difficulty: Challenging. You’re gaining a vertical mile in elevation after all! 

Wayllamba to Dead Woman’s Pass

The porters woke us up with coca tea at 5 AM every morning. After a quick breakfast, we started on the toughest part of the Inca Trail—the climb up to Dead Woman’s Pass. 

For the next 3.3 miles, you’ll climb over a whopping 4,000 feet of elevation. Not only is this section incredibly steep, but, with every step, you’re also hiking up to higher and higher altitudes. By the time you reach the top of Dead Woman’s Pass, you’ll have climbed close to 14,000 feet above sea level—the highest you’ll be along the Inca Trail. 

Because of this section’s steepness and high elevation, it takes most groups about four and a half hours to ascend to the top of Dead Woman’s Pass. 

On the bright side, this portion of the trail is beautiful, traversing a dense jungle with waterfalls and, eventually, passing the treeline to leave nothing but jaw-dropping views of the surrounding Andes Mountains. 

Be sure to take a breather at the top of Dead Woman’s Pass and enjoy the vistas of the massive Salkantay and Veronica Mountains around you—you EARNED it! 

Dead Woman’s Pass to Pacamayu

Once you’ve completed Dead Woman’s Pass, you’ll start descending down the other side of the mountain slopes down a series of the first stone steps you’ll encounter along the Inca Trail. 

Our guide was rather vehement that this portion was the ACTUAL start of the Inca Trail, as this is the first portion that you’ll walk on that was paved with stone by the Incas, which continues all the way to Machu Picchu. 

These stairs feel like they go on forever and are STEEP. In fact, it’s believed that the reason the Spanish never made it to Machu Picchu when they were originally colonizing Peru in the 16th century was because these stairs were too steep for their horses to get down. Trekking poles are helpful for most of the Inca Trail, but I’d say they’re absolutely CRUCIAL here. Trust us; your knees will thank you.

This steep descent continues for about a mile and a half until you reach the bottom of a valley, called Pacamayu, where most groups stop to enjoy lunch. 

Pacamayu to Chaquicocha camp

We had kind of thought we were done with most of the elevation gains for the day, but I’ve got some not-so-good news for you—there’s another steep section after lunch!

There’s another climb from Pacamayu, lasting about 0.8 miles, that gains over 1,000 feet in elevation. I’m not sure if my legs were already tired from our climb earlier that day or it was my food baby from lunch, but this section honestly felt more challenging than hiking up to Dead Woman’s Pass! 

There were, however, some welcome distractions along the trail. About halfway through your ascent, you’ll stop at Runkuraqay, an Inca ruin site that features interesting circular structures and incredible views of the surrounding mountains. 

After we explored the ruins of Runkuraqay a bit, we continued to hike up to the pass, when we were treated to something truly incredible—we spotted a spectacled bear on the neighboring mountain ridge! 

This species, which is considered vulnerable from a conservation standpoint, is the only bear that’s native to South America AND the only bear that’s primarily vegetarian. Our guide has hiked the Inca Trail 722 times over 25 years, and this was his fifth time EVER seeing a bear. He actually didn’t believe us at first that we had spotted a bear—the last time he saw one was over eight years ago! So keep your eyes peeled during this portion of the trail.

Once you reach the top of the Runkuraqay Pass, you will again descend along a steep stone stairway, with views of a beautiful lagoon, shimmering in the afternoon sun, off to the righthand side. 

By late afternoon, you will reach Sayacmarca, a large and GORGEOUS Inca ruin site, built right into a cliffside. It’s believed that the Incas once used this site for religious ceremonies and to study astronomy. Between the surrounding mountains and the well-preserved structures here, this was easily both Justin’s and my favorite site that we explored along the trail. 

Most groups, including ours, set up camp at Chaquicocha camp, a site just a short walk from Sayacmarca. 

Pssst… it’s not uncommon for groups to actually just hike from Wayllamba to Pacamayu on Day 2, leaving the second ascent up to Runkuraqay Pass for the third day. As noted above, there’s really no one *set* itinerary for the classic Inca Trail, so don’t be surprised if your experience differs from ours on the trail.

Day 3: Chaquicocha camp to Wiñay Wayna

• Length: 5.2 miles
• Elevation gain: 147 feet
• Difficulty: Moderate

Chaquicocha camp to Phuyupatamarca

The third day is shorter and pretty much all downhill, so good news—you’ll be able to sleep a bit longer! You’ll typically wake up around 6 AM or so and, after a quick breakfast, hit the trail.  

There’s a few steep sections of the trail immediately after you leave the campground, but, generally, you’ll be walking along a flat pathway that winds along the side of a cliffside. To your lefthand side, you’ll have spectacular views of the snowy peak of Salkantay, one of the tallest mountains in Peru. 

Along this section, we also passed a tunnel that was carved by hand into the rock cliffside by the Incans. It’s just one of dozens of impressive structures along this trail that show the incredible construction and design skills that these ancient people once had.

After 2.5 miles, you’ll reach Phuyupatamarca, which means “City Above the Clouds.” This ruin site has some really neat features, including ritualistic fountains and baths that still work today during the wet season. But, more importantly, it also offers you your first glimpse of Machu Picchu Mountains, which the famous city is hiding behind! 

Phuyupatamarca to Wiñay Wayna

From Phuyupatamarca, you’ll start making your way down a series of stone steps and eventually, along a dirt pathway that descends into a cloud forest. When we visited, the next couple of miles of the trail were made entirely of dense mud that made it pretty hard to keep our balance. I’d DEFINITELY keep your white yoga pants and sneakers at home for Day 3—come prepared with trekking poles and a willingness to get a bit dirty! 

Eventually, the trail pulls away from the cliffside and descends down a slope, through a lush forest. If the area looks kind of jungle-y to you, you’re right—Machu Picchu is actually relatively close to the start of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest! 

After about three miles of hiking, you’ll reach Wiñay Wayna, which is your campsite for the evening. 

Once you enjoy lunch, your guide will take you to the Wiñay Wayna ruins, which are considered to be one of the best preserved sites along the Inca Trail. There’s several residential structures that still have their peak roofs, as well as a series of agricultural terraces that cascade down the mountainside. 

And the best part? There’s llamas here! 

Our guide said it was likely that the Incas raised llamas here from the 15th to the 16th century, for their meat and wool. However, after the Incas abandoned Wiñay Wayna, the llamas disappeared from this area until a few years ago, when they were reintroduced, mainly for tourists to enjoy. As a tourist, I can definitely confirm I was very into the llamas here! 

After exploring the ruins, you’ll have most of the afternoon to relax and get ready for an early wake up call the following morning. 

Your one big activity of the evening will be a “ceremony” to thank your porters and cook, including tipping them. 

During our trek, our porters and cook gathered outside the dining tent after dinner and our guide asked if there was anything we wanted to say to them. We had written a short speech about how grateful we were for their help and, thanks to Google Translate, were able to hobble through it in Spanish. Afterwards, we tipped the head porter to distribute amongst the other nine porters and the cook separately. 

Pssst… confused about how much to tip? So were we! You’ll find all sorts of conflicting guidance online, but I’d generally recommend tipping, at a bare minimum, 15% of the cost of your total trip. Our tour cost $825 USD, so we each tipped around $125 USD per person (breaking down to about $58 for the porters, $25 for the cook, and $42 for our guide). Be sure to bring enough soles!

Day 4: Wiñay Wayna to Machu Picchu

• Distance: 3.7 miles
• Elevation gain: 790 feet
• Difficulty: Moderate

Wiñay Wayna to the Sungate

This morning, you’ll wake up bright and early—as in, usually around 3 AM! 

You still have about a two mile hike to the Sungate, the entrance of Machu Picchu, to watch the sunrise. Accordingly, the trail continues to climb downhill to the ancient city, snaking through a lush forest. 

Be sure to have your headlamp good and charged for this portion of the hike. The trail is uneven and has LOTS of mud, so it would be easy to fall and hurt yourself in the dark! 

There’s a steep stone stairway right before you reach Sungate. These steps were constantly referenced in the first couple days of our hike, mostly due to the name “Gringo Killer.” 

So, if you wind up getting psyched out about these stairs as much as I was, rest assured—they’re really not that scary! They’re only about 50 feet tall, so if you’ve made it this far, you can DEFINITELY conquer “Gringo Killer”!  

And then you’ll FINALLY reach Sungate, the iconic entrance to Machu Picchu, with the terraces and buildings of the ancient city off in the distance. This gateway once served as a security checkpoint to the ancient city and had spiritual meaning—every year, the sun shines through the gateway on the summer solstice, which was important to the Incan calendar and used for agricultural planning. 

And then, you and your closest 199 new friends will watch the sunrise over Machu Picchu. Or, at least try to! More times than not, the city is shrouded with a layer of clouds—but, not to worry! The early morning cloud cover typically burns off as the day wears on.

Sungate to Machu Picchu

Generally, you’ll then hike for approximately half an hour downhill to the Instagram-famous, postcard-worthy viewpoint of Machu Picchu, along its upper terraces. There’s a good chance this spot may be absolute pandemonium when you visit, but, either way, you’ll get incredible views of the ancient city, which is considered one the best preserved Incan ruin sites on the planet AND one of the most sacred Incan cities to have ever existed. And, of course, you’ll be able to snap some epic pictures to remember your adventures! 

I’m sure you’ll get some awesome photos here, but be sure to take a moment, sans any screens, to drink in the rows and rows of ancient buildings and the dramatic surrounding mountains. In the days of social media and Photoshop, there are few places I’ve been that are way more stunning than I could have imagined, but Machu Picchu is definitely one of them.

After you’re done taking in the views over the ancient city, it’s time to actually exploring Machu Picchu itself!  

Before doing so, though, we briefly exited Machu Picchu to use the bathrooms, as there’s none inside the gates itself. 

Additionally, before you go on your tour of Machu Picchu, you’re required to store your trekking poles and any backpack that’s larger than 25L at the storage lockers, which are available near the entrance gates. These cost about $3-5 USD, depending on what you’re storing. For what it’s worth, the backpacks that Justin and I were wearing were 45L (although not full!) and we didn’t have any problem with taking them into the site.

Afterwards, you’ll enter Machu Picchu (make sure you have your passport handy to show along with your ticket!) and follow your guide around, as you learn more about the incredible ruins and the Inca people that once lived there over the next two and a half hours. 

It’s worth mentioning that, while you once could freely wander around Machu Picchu, you’re now limited to exploring a set route, which is called a circuit. 

To be honest, the circuits are rather confusing so, without going into too much detail, most tourists to Machu Picchu can pick from 10 different circuits. 

However, almost all visitors that have completed the Inca Trail will do Circuit 3, which exclusively focuses on the lower half of the ruins. Along this route, you’ll see several buildings that are associated with Incan royalty, including House of the Inca (i.e., which was once the palace of the Incan emperor) and several palaces, like Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Condor, and the Temple of the Three Window. 

This circuit also allows you to add on some extra hikes (for incremental fees), if you’ve still got some energy left after the Inca Trail. 

For example, you can climb Huayna Picchu, the iconic mountain that towers over the Machu Picchu ruins. You’ll need to purchase an additional ticket for this ($65 USD per person) and will need to tell your tour operator well in advance (like, 6+ months) that you want to do this, as only 400 people per day are permitted to hike it.

While you get to see a decent amount of Machu Picchu on Circuit 3 and have the unique ability to add on hikes here (which other circuits are not permitted to do), you will miss the structures that are in the upper part of the site, like the traditional gateway and Central Plaza.

Machu Picchu was AMAZING and I’d love to explore every inch of it, but, after four days of hiking and seeing more than a dozen Inca ruin sites along the trail, we didn’t feel like it was necessary to purchase tickets to see additional circuits here. However, if you want to see ALL of Machu Picchu, you can always consider telling your tour operator that you plan on leaving the group after your tour of Circuit 3 and then explore whatever other Circuits you want to see afterwards. 

Machu Picchu back to Cusco

Once you’re done exploring Machu Picchu, your Inca Trail adventure is sadly coming to a close! 

Most tour operators, including ours, provide transportation back to Cusco. So, from Machu Picchu, you’ll take a very windy bus down the side of the mountain and get dropped off in the town of Aguas Calientes. 

You’ll probably have some overpriced food (and a well deserved beer or two!) here to celebrate finishing the Inca Trail.

And then you’ll make your way back to Cusco.

Since you’re a badass and hiked your way to the ancient city, you didn’t have to worry about this, but it’s kind of hard to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco

Pssst… if you want to do something cool to celebrate completing the Inca Trail, I’d highly recommend staying at Vertical Sky Suites in Ollytantambo, an incredibly unique property with glass capsules dangling off the side of a cliff, over 2,000 feet above the floor of the Sacred Valley below. 

We wrote an entire review of Vertical Sky Suites (and actually made a YouTube video about it!), but, in a nutshell, it was THE most epic place we stayed in South America and definitely would be an incredible way to cap off a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. 

When to hike the Inca Trail

The best time to hike the Inca Trail is from the dry season of May through September, when you will likely have clear skies and good chance of actually getting to see Machu Picchu on your final day (it’s not unusual for the ancient city to be shrouded in clouds during the rainier season). 

That being said, this is peak tourism season, so you should book your Inca Trail tour well in advance—at least six months but ideally more. We made our booking for our tour over a year in advance and, because we were visiting in May, our operator was still only able to get permits for the trail a day after the date we had originally asked for. 

November through March is considered the rainy season. I’m usually not one to scare people away from visiting during off seasons, but I’d generally recommend against hiking the Inca Trail during this timeframe. Peru is QUITE rainy during its wet season, which can bring intense mud, lots of bugs, landslides, and even trail and road closures. It would be a real bummer to fly all the way to Cusco to experience the Inca Trail, only to have it be closed from heavy rainfall.

It’s also worth mentioning that the trail is closed all of February each year, due to the extremely rainy weather and for annual trail maintenance. 

Tips for the Inca Trail

Make reservations early

I mentioned this above, but, in case you missed it, you should book your tour EARLY—at least six months in advance, but ideally more. 

Only two hundred tourists are permitted to hike the Inca Trail each day—and, considering that over 1.5 million people visit Machu Picchu each year, that’s REALLY not a lot! Tour operators have to vie to get permits for a specific date and there’s no guarantee they’ll actually get them for whatever date you want to hike. By booking early, you’ll have more flexibility to change your plans if your operator is unable to secure permits on a specific date.

The bugs are intense

True story—we had been in Peru for two months and hiked all over the country, from the Colca Canyon trek to the Laguna 69 trail, before doing the Inca Trail and encountered absolutely NO bugs in seemingly all of Peru. So, we decided to leave our bugspray back at our Airbnb for the duration of the hike as, surely, there would also be no bugs along the Inca Trail. 

Big mistake, HUGE mistake! 

There were so many flying and biting bugs along the trail, many of which left nasty welts that lasted for weeks after our trek. Bring bug spray and LOTS of it. 

The Inca Trail starts at over 8,800 feet of elevation and climbs up almost 14,000 feet above sea level. If you’re coming from a lower elevation, this will not only make you feel like you’re working a lot harder than you normally would, but you can legitimately get altitude sickness from being at these elevations. 

So get to Cusco, which is at 11,152 feet above sea level, with at least a day (ideally two!) before your hike to get acclimated. Drink lots of water, coca tea (which is believed to help with acclimation), and lay off the alcohol. There’s plenty of things to see and do in Cusco to keep you busy! 

If you’ve been at high altitudes before and struggled with it, you might want to talk to your doctor about getting some kind of prescription medicine, like Diamox, that helps you deal with the elevation. We hiked with our friend, Sam, who struggled a bit with the altitude and was happy that she had brought some Diamox to help her with a few headaches along the trail. 

Additionally, once you’re on the trail, be sure to drink TONS of water, stay well-fed, and let your guides know if you’re experiencing any signs of altitude sickness, like nausea, tingling in your appendages, or headaches (and, seriously, lay off the alcohol until after you make your way through the Sungate!). 

Alternatives to the Inca Trail

There are a TON of multi-day treks around Cusco—some of which lead to Machu Picchu and some that do not. 

If you’re not sure that the classic Inca Trail is for you, you can also consider: 

Two-day Inca Trail 

If you’re short on time, this is a great option to get a taste of hiking the Inca Trail and be able to enter Machu Picchu through the Sungate. 

On this trek, you’ll start at Km 104 and join up with the Inca Trail, passing the Incan sites of Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna (and its llamas!) along the way. You’ll reach the Sungate by the afternoon and then have plenty of time for photos at the iconic viewpoint. 

In the evening, you’ll head to the nearby town of Aguas Calientes, where you’ll get to sleep in a proper bed in a hotel, before waking up bright and early to (hopefully!) catch sunrise at Machu Picchu and go on a tour of this incredible ancient city. 

Given this trail’s relatively short distance (at 12 kilometers) and moderate elevation gain, this is an awesome option for hikers that are a bit nervous about tackling the longer Inca Trail or for visitors who’d prefer not to camp. 

Here’s a tour option from the well-reviewed TreXperience guiding company and here’s a small group option.

Salkantay Trek

For something a bit different, the Salkantay Trek is quickly becoming the most popular multi-day hike around Cusco. This trek is actually quite a bit harder than the Inca Trail, traversing over 43 miles and a whopping 12,000 feet of elevation gain, typically over the course of five days, as you hike to Machu Picchu. 

The positives of the Salkantay Trek are pretty significant—the views of the Andes along this trek are even MORE incredible than along the Inca Trail and you get to stay in unique glamping accommodations, like geodesic domes to see the night sky, pretty much every night. 

On the negative side, you don’t get to see or learn about nearly as many Inca ruins along the way and you’ll usually just take the bus up to Machu Picchu after spending the night in Aguas Caliente—not quite as epic of a way to end your hike! 

Here’s an option for a four-day or five-day trek that’s offered by our tour company, Salkantay Trekking (true to their name, this trek is actually their bread and butter!). 

Lares Trek

A more off-the-beaten path option is the Lares Trek, where you’ll traverse the Andes Mountains and pass several remote Andean villages, which are only accessible on foot. This is a great way to immerse yourself in Quechua culture in a manner that extremely few tourists get to experience. 

The hike is slightly less challenging than the Inca Trail, typically covering about 19 miles over the course of four days. It’s also waaay less crowded and typically cheaper than the Inca Trail, due to the lower demand and lack of required permits. Plus, you usually get to stop at hot springs!  

Again, the downside is that there’s much fewer Inca ruins along the trail, so you won’t have much historical context about the civilization upon reaching Machu Picchu. Plus, you’ll arrive at the ancient city like pretty much every other tourist—via buses from Aguas Caliente. 

Here’s a highly reviewed tour option with just 8 travelers and here’s an option that’s offered by TreXperience.

Ausangate Trek

Finally, if you’re more in it for the epic scenery than learning about Incan history, consider, instead, doing the Ausangate Trek, which winds through the jawdroppingly beautiful Cordillera Vilcanota.

Along the way, you’ll see massive glaciers, rugged mountains, alpine lakes, and more llamas that you can know what to do with. Plus, you’ll get to camp near the Instagram-famous Rainbow Mountain hike and experience its candy-colored slopes at sunrise—without all of the crowds that swarm its slopes during the day.

The trek is difficult, covering over 40 miles over the course of multiple days, with much of the trail located at over 16,000 feet above sea level. But, between the stunningly gorgeous landscape and nonexistent crowds, this one HAS to go on your bucket list if you’re an outdoors lover. 

The only major drawback? There’s really not any Inca ruins along the way and it’s nowhere near Machu Picchu.

Accordingly, you’d have to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco and explore the ancient ruins on your own during some other point of your time in Peru—so, if you’re short on days in the Cusco area, this may not be the most efficient use of your time here. 

Here‘s a great tour option with a maximum of just 10 travelers.

What to pack for the Inca Trail

Packing for the Inca Trail is a bit unique. 

For one thing, unlike most backpacking trips, you don’t have to worry about carrying your tent, sleeping pads, food, and cookware.

And, for another, with most tour operators, you’ll get to carry your own small personal backpack, plus bring along a duffel bag, provided by the company, that you can pack with up to 7.5 kg of your personal items that will be carried by a porter. 

We plan on writing an entire Inca Trail packing list guide, but, for now, here’s what I’d recommend bringing in your small backpack and packing away in the company-provided duffel bag. 

Backpack 

A 25-35L bag, like this option for men and this option for women, should be sufficient. I’d recommend against getting anything that’s too massive, as you’re more likely to bring along heavy and unnecessary gear and you will be required to check it at Machu Picchu. 

Make sure you pack everything you need to readily access each day in your backpack and not in your duffel bag, as you likely won’t be able to do the latter until you get to camp each night. 

Clothing

• Puffer jacket: This is the one I use and here’s Justin’s. 
• Warm layers: I’d recommend tossing a sweatshirt or fleece pullover into your backpack in case you get cold in the early mornings or evenings or at higher elevations. 
• Rainjacket (mens | womens)
• Poncho: Most companies provide hikers with a poncho. However, the ones we were given were pretty short and didn’t completely cover our backpack, waists, and legs. So we’d recommend trying on the poncho you’re provided during your pre-trip briefing, and trying it on in case you need to buy an alternative.
• Rainpants (mens | womens)
• Beanie
• Baseball hat
• Hiking boots: Here’s the ones that Justin has used and loved for many years and here’s my pair. 
• Sunglasses

Gear

• Refillable water bottle
• Rainfly: Most companies provide a rainfly for your backpack, but I’d suggest confirming with them and bringing one along if they don’t. 
• Trekking poles
• Rechargeable headlamp

Toiletries

• Toilet paper: Your company will probably provide you with one roll, but I’d recommend bringing along at least one extra one, just in case. Trust us, we needed every square!
• Sunscreen
• Bugspray

Miscellaneous

• Peruvian soles: To use the bathroom and purchase snacks (and chicha!) along the trail 
• Passport
• Camera
• Tripod
• Cell phone
• Snacks: Most companies provide snacks each day, but, just in case, it doesn’t hurt to throw a few Clif bars into your backpack.

Duffel bag

This is typically provided by your tour operator—no need to purchase one on your own!

Clothes

• Base layer x2: Try to pick lightweight layers that provide warmth, like this option for men and this option for women. 
• T-shirt or tank top x3: I’d recommend packing along quick-dry fabrics. Justin has five of these t-shirts that he always wears on hikes, and I LOVE this super flattering, lightweight tee.
• Athletic shorts
• Hiking pants: Although there’s no scrambling or other technical aspects of the trail, I’d recommend making sure they’re durable and not something you’d mind getting a little dirty. Justin uses this pair and I use this pair.
• Pajamas
• Hiking socks x3
• Underwear x3
• Hiking sandals: To use when you’re walking around the campsite—trust me, there’s NOTHING better than taking off your hiking boots after a long day of hiking. We both have a cult-like love for our Tevas (his and hers). 

Gear

• Sleeping bag: Most companies provide all of your camping gear, but for your sleeping bag. If you can swing it, I’d recommend bringing your own from home, as the ones we found for rental in Cusco were not of particularly high quality. We’ve both had this sleeping bag for years and love it.
• Camping pillow

Toiletries

• Any medication you might need: Including Diamox for altitude sickness or over-the-counter meds
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss
• Deodorant

Miscellaneous

• Battery pack
• Charging cables 

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There you have it—everything you need to know about hiking the Inca Trail. Do you have any questions about planning this iconic hike? Let us know in the comments below!