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9-Day Inca Trail Trek from Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu

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Fully explore the best highlights Cusco has to offer. Our package has adventure, history, intrigue and stunning landscapes. Follow in one of the world´s oldest pilgrimage, the Classic Inca Trail tour. To acclimatize to the altitude, spend time in Cusco before a full day of exploring the heart and home of the Incas, in the Sacred Valley. Peruse the bustling street markets. Immerse yourself in the ancient traditions that the descents of the Incas are still keeping alive. Finally, trek through the South Valley of Cusco to discover the world famous and dazzling Rainbow Mountain.

Combine the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Package with an extension to the Amazon rainforest to create the perfect two week Peru adventure trip.

****Note: The Classic Inca Trail is a very popular hike and books out months in advance. For this package, you need to book at least 3-4 months in advance. If the Classic Inca Trail is sold out, you can choose from the number of Alternative Treks we have on offer.

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9 Days / 8 Nights
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Cusco
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Trip Details

Full Itinerary

Welcome to Peru! After picking up your luggage and clearing customs, head across the street (you will not even need to leave the car park!) to the comfortable and conveniently located Wyndham Costa del Sol Hotel. Settle into your room and rest up for the Peru tour that waits for you. Your exciting trip will be filled with ancient ruins, local markets and hiking through the beautiful Andes Mountains.

Please let us know if you would like to extend your trip to spend a little more time in Lima.

Upon your arrival in Cusco, you will be welcomed by our representative and transferred to your hotel. There, you will receive a short briefing about the trip to come.

Today will be free to relax and explore on your own. With this in mind, use the day to visit the churches and surrounding ruins, the local markets, or chill in your hotel if the altitude is affecting you.

Drop in on the enormous Sacsayhuaman ruins that overlook Cusco (these ruins showcase building blocks the size of pickup trucks). Wander through the bustling Plaza de Armas in the heart of Cusco. Shop for love potions in the San Pedro market. Finally, end your day people watching from the cafes and restaurants that line these lovely streets from their cute balconies.

The evening is yours to take in some of Cusco’s varied and exciting nightlife with live folk music and excellent food aplenty!

After a gentle start yesterday, we will waste no time today. A private pickup will be waiting for you at your hotel, for your drive through the beautiful Peruvian countryside. Keep your eyes peeled as the city melts away- you won’t regret it.

It will be just 45 minutes to our first stop, Pisac. These town is famous for its huge and bustling market and the ruins that sit high above the town. We will visit both before heading to Urubamba for lunch.

After lunch we will head to Maras salt mines. Here, locals have been collecting salt from these mines for generations, and you may even see some in the harvesting process while visiting.

We will head from the salt mines to Moray, a pre-Inca archeological site used for crop experimentation right up until the site became a protected area. Our last stop of the day is going to be Ollantaytambo, one of the few remaining functioning Inca towns.

Finally, we will have a quick tour of Ollantaytambo before checking into our hotel for the night.

Our 4-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu journey will begin at 7am, to after go to the hiking checkpoint of Piskacucho (KM 82).

At the checkpoint the ranger will check your passports, permits and all relevant discount cards. Then you will first meet with our dedicated support staff, including our porters and cooks and after getting suited and booted, the adventure begins!

Our hike will begin on flat terrain alongside the Vilcanota river, enjoying the stunning views of the ragged Andes mountains that tower above you. We will spend the first day of this trek admiring the breath taking landscape and feeling humbled by your surroundings.

We will make a pitstop en route to feast on our first 5-course lunch made by our talented chef, an unexpected fine dining experience in the wilderness. As we make our way through the Inca Fortress Huillca Raccay, enjoy a small break while the guide gives you a brief history on the Incas.

From the Fortress there are spectacular views of the vast Inca site of Llactapata and the snowcapped peak of W´akay Willca. Continuing towards Wayllabamba (3,000m/9,842ft) we will trek uphill for another 2 hours before reaching our first campsite of Ayapata.

On arrival to the campsite, our porters will have camp already set up and refreshments of afternoon tea and a delicious snack will be served. Later, your chef will serve an abundant and nourishing dinner, prepared using both local and international ingredients. Finally, settle into your spacious tent and reenergize ready for day two- when the real challenge begins.

  • Meals: Lunch. Afternoon tea. Snack. Dinner
  • Accommodations: Camping facilities
  • Distance: 12KM / 7.5MILES (at approx. 6-7 hours’ hike)
  • Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

You will be woken by your guide at 5:00am as he brings you a steaming mug of tea to fight the cold. Also, we will provide you with a basin of warm water to freshen up before our chef and his team serve a hot and hearty breakfast.

You can look forward to a variety of breakfasts over the course of the week, including pancakes, omelets, fruits, porridge, toast with butter and jam and hot drinks like hot chocolate, various hot teas and coffee.

Our sizable breakfast is exactly the right kind of fuel needed to tackle the most challenging day on the entire trail. This day promises to be the most challenging, and at the same time the most satisfying. Be sure to fill in your water bottles with our complimentary boiled water, you will need it.

We will begin our day with a steep incline going through cloud forest towards Llulluchapampa (3800m/12 460ft), gaining almost 800m/ 2 625ft in elevation. Along the way you will come across llamas and alpacas grazing and drinking from the fresh water streams available throughout the mountain side.

After catching your breath, we will continue on the steep incline toward the prized peak of the day, Dead Women’s Peak (4200m/ 13779ft), the highest and most challenging peak of the trail. Once you reach the top, the sense of achievement you will feel is indescribable. The spectacular views from the hill top are absolutely breathtaking.  

After a well-deserved rest, we will start our hike down to our lunch spot in Pacaymayu (3 580m/ 11 700ft). Our walk passes by calming waters cascading from the tops of the mountain peaks and crosses over well-structured Inca bridges.

Upon arrival at our lunch sport, our hard-working porters will have everything already set up and welcome us with a hot drink, before another 5-course gourmet lunch is served in our dining tent.

Later, we will start our second steep climb towards our second peak of the day Runkuraqay (4000m/ 13123ft). This basket shaped hill top is usually covered in fog and gives the illusion of being within the clouds.

Next, we will go over a descent to the Archeological site of Sayacmarka (3 650m/ 11 975ft), which translates to ‘inaccessible town‘ in English.

Finally, we will make our way down to camp in Chaquicocha (3 600m/ 11 800ft). Once at th camp we will enjoy our afternoon tea, which is later followed by a scrumptious dinner. Enjoy the great views of glaziers as you wind down from the physically challenging day.

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, snack, dinner
  • Accommodations: Camping facilities
  • Distance: 16KM / 10MILES (at approx. 9 hours’ hike)
  • Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging

Your third morning on the Inca Trail will be unreal, a mythical day that represents a kind of living that only existed over 600 years ago. 

To start your guide will wake you up with a hot cup of tea in your tent before you head out for a scrumptious hot breakfast at 06:00AM.

After breakfast we will trek on an undulating trail towards Phuyupatamarca (3 670m/ 12 040ft) which means “Town in the Clouds“. This area borders the jungle and has a low-lying mist that creates a unique and surreal scenery that has everything covered in cloud.

This archeological site has 15 constructions, with 6 of them being ritual water baths. From the top you will get an expansive view of the valley, the canyons below and the spectacular landscape that surrounds you.

Later, we will continue trekking through cloud forest to the newly discovered agricultural site of Intipata (2 897m/ 9 505ft). The trail will take you through tunnels that the Incas created through the mountain side and tree trunks, with its staircases carved into the rock.

The rest of the trail for this day is going to be a steep downhill, watch for the rocks, they can get slippery. At this point, boots with good grip and walking poles really come in handy. Intipata was only discovered in 1992 and comprises of a vast terraced farming area.

It was an important agricultural source for the royalty living at Machu Picchu. Here you can still find fully functioning water fountains that were used for irrigation purposes. 

Continuing with our descent, the weather warms up significantly, due to the significant drop in elevation, as well as the fact that we are approaching the Amazon Jungle.

Getting closer to Wiñay Wayna (2 680m/ 8 793ft), the flora becomes more vibrant in color and the mountains are a beautiful lush green. Thereupon reaching Wiñay Wayna campsite, we will stop for a well-deserved lunch in our last campsite of the trek. We will rest assured knowing Machu Picchu is only a day away.

After lunch we will take a very short hike to the second most popular Inca site on the trail after Machu Picchu. This stunning archeological site stands as the most well-preserved archeological site in the world. The site gets its name from an orange orchid that grows abundantly along the trail throughout the year. Your guide will share the fascinating history of this site. Also, enjoy the breathtaking views of snow-capped mountain peaks, the waterfall below and the Urubamba River snaking its way through the valley.

We will head back to camp for afternoon tea, followed by our last gourmet Andean dinner, made by our talented chef. The night in this campsite will be much warmer. On a clear night, the night sky is an incredible sight to behold, with more stars than you could possibly count.

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, snack, dinner
  • Accommodations: Camping facilities
  • Distance: 10KM / 6.2MILES (at approx. 5 hours’ hike)
  • Difficulty: Moderate

Finally, the day you have been waiting for is here!! This will be our earliest start thus far. Breakfast will be served at 4:00am, and we will say good bye to our superhuman porters and the chef and his team, as they rush to catch the only staff train available.

The best thing about our last camp is that you can indulge in a shower before getting dolled up for pictures at the great Citadel of Machu Picchu. Be warned, showers are usually cold.

We will start a gradual hike to the famous Sun Gate, passing the notorious steep and narrow gringo steps. The Sun Gate (2720m/ 8924ft) also known as Inti Punku, will give you the first jaw dropping view of the Machu Picchu Citadel (2,400m/7,872 ft).

You will watch the sun rise behind the llacta, spreading over it like melted gold. Finally, we will walk downhill the Royal Inca Trail to enter the Citadel of Machu Picchu from the top through the “House of the Guardians” where all of the famous postcard pictures of Machu Picchu are taken.

From there, we will proceed towards the control point, where we will register and leave any large backpacks or walking poles. The rangers do not allow anyone to take large hiking bags into Machu Picchu. Walking poles are also not allowed because they can damage the stones.

Your guide will give you a guided tour and educate you about the history of the ruins for about two hours. You will see many of the important parts of Machu Picchu.

After your tour, those who have an advanced booking for the extra hike up Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain will have time to enjoy those views on their own.

When you have had your fill of the exceptional views of Machu Picchu, you will take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included). Depending on our train departure time, you may also have time for some shopping, sightseeing, or resting your aching muscles in the natural hot springs that gave the town its name.

The Expedition Train at 2:55 or 3:20pm will take you back to Ollantaytambo, following the spectacular Urubamba River. You can also see Wiñay Wayna from the train if you look up high on the steep canyon wall!

Back at Ollantaytambo, your driver will meet you at the exit from the train station. Then he will take you back to your hotel in Cusco in our private vehicle. You can expect to arrive at your hotel by 7:00pm.

  • Meals included: Breakfast ONLY
  • Distance: 6kms/3.7mls
  • Difficulty: Easy

***IMPORTANT:

  • On the 4 day Inca Trail, we will be doing the Circuit #3 and there is no way to do another circuit unless you buy an additional entrance to Machu Picchu (US$57).
  • You can upgrade to the Vistadome Train for the same times, 2:55 or 3:20, 4:22, or 4:43pm. The cost is $67 USD.
  • Early trains can be organized by request and it has to be done at booking.
  • The Huayna Picchu Mountain Hike depends on availability and let us know about it at booking.

The day will begin early, your guide will be ready and waiting in your hotel lobby at 4am, ready for the 3 hour drive to the trailhead that stretches out ahead of us. Along the way, there are amazing views of farming Inca terraces, traditional villages, valleys and high Andean peaks.

As you start your hike, you will have views of the Ausangate Mountain and other glaciers surrounding you. You will have the chance to chat with locals, who keep traditional Quechua culture alive. Also, learn about: their traditional clothes and the significance of the different hats worn by the men. Finally, ask your guide to teach you a few phrases in Quechua!

After 1.5 hours of hiking, we will finally reach the Rainbow Mountain. After taking a moment to admire the view, you will have a bit of time to explore the area. You can take pictures or just soak up the view.

Once you have had your fill of the Rainbow Mountain, there is an optional hike to the top of the Red Valley. This loop takes about 45 minutes, and it is completely worth the effort.

At this point, we hike back down the way we came. The hike takes 1 hour, then we enjoy our lunch which is prepared by our talented cook.

We will begin the 3-hour drive back to Cusco, dropping you off at your Cusco hotel, arriving at around 6:30pm.

At a time convenient for you, we will transfer you to airport for you flight back home or next destination. Please coordinate your departure time with the office.

End of our service.

Included for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Package?

  • 9 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 3 Dinners
  • 8 Nights Accommodations (its applies if you are booking with hotels included)
  • English Speaking guide
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Entrance tickets into Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo and Pisac archeological site, Moray and the Salt Mines
  • Meals as listed
  • Permits for the Inca Trail
  • Gear Rental: All Camping Gear
  • 3 nights of camping at standard campsite locations are included on this trekking itinerary.
  • Oxygen balloon, First aid kit and Sleeping bag
  • 1 porter to carry personal belongings up to 7 Kg
  • Park Entrance Fee

NOT Included for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Package?

  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Internal Flights: Lima – Cusco – Lima
  • Optional Excursions
9-Day Inca Trail Trek from Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu
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Why travel with Orange Nation Peru?

We have become the leaders in small group adventure travel over the past three decades by consistently listening to our travelers and delivering what they desire: adaptable itineraries, the freedom to explore, smaller group sizes, safety and peace of mind, and knowledgeable local guides who provide unique insights into the destination that would be missed through any other means of travel.

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Discover why thousands of people around the world trust us to explore the best of Peru.

Tripadvisor
Travelers' Choice
2025

5.0

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Jaffet hasan c

The guys were very efficient throughout the trip and attentive when we arrived at the campsite. The kitchen service was super delicious , the food quality and healthy, dishes suitable for people (vegans) and a buffet that has nothing to envy others.
Their kindness and efficiency are greatly appreciated for this journey to the Inca Way.

Written June 22, 2025

Friends

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Glen

We had a great experience doing the 4d3n Inca Trail. Our porters were so hard working and made sure our tents and equipment were always ready for us. The chef Mario was outstanding and prepared restaurant quality vegetarian food everyday. Our guide Carlos made the trip exceptional, always making sure we were informed and making sure we were all enjoying the trail. He went above and beyond to encourage me when I was unwell. He made the trip the best ever. A beautiful and wonderful trek.

Written July 14, 2025

Family

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Kendall C

Hiking the Short Inca Trail was hands-down one of the highlights of my entire trip to Peru. This trek is the perfect option if you want a taste of the iconic Inca Trail without committing to the full 4-day hike.

From the moment we started the hike at KM 104 Carlos our guide was amazing and patient. we were surrounded by breathtaking mountain views, lush cloud forests, and fascinating Inca ruins. The trail itself is moderately challenging—expect a steady incline, stone steps, and a bit of cardio—but it’s absolutely doable for anyone with a decent fitness level. The sense of accomplishment when you reach the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) and get your first glimpse of Machu Picchu is

Written July 8, 2025

Couples

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