Your Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with Camping Begins!

We pick you up from your hotel in the wee hours of the morning, to start the most epic journey of your life. Ask your hotel to pack you a picnic breakfast, ready for your 4am pickup. Most hotels in Cusco include this complimentary service. If not, then you can always pack your own breakfast.

We then set off for an hour and a half drive to Ollantaytambo. Since it’s still dark at this time, you can use this opportunity to catch up on extra sleep.

On arrival at the train station, you have a few minutes to grab a cup of tea or coffee before boarding the train, which is scheduled to depart at 6:10am. You will have just over an hour on the train to enjoy the scenery and have breakfast if you haven’t already (not included).

You get off the train at the famous KM104 (2,000m/6,560ft) where your trek begins! After crossing the Urubamba River on a picturesque foot bridge, you will show your passport at the checkpoint and visit your first Inca site, just a few steps away from the beginning of the hike.

The first hour and a half is a gentle uphill climb. Along the way, we will stop at several viewpoints where you have an expansive view of the Urubamba River and plenty of opportunities for pictures.

You will also pass through several microclimates, including cloud forest, so be ready for damp weather or even rain at any time of the year. The next hour and a half is a slightly steeper uphill with a beautiful waterfall as your reward at the end of the section!

Once you cross over the small footbridge at the base of the waterfall, you will find yourself gazing up at the spectacular Wiñay Wayna (2,600m/8,500ft). These amazing Inca ruins have a fascinating history with some parts still hidden by the dense jungle.

This close to Machu Picchu, you are hiking through lush sub-tropical jungle. Your guide will tell you all about the ruins, and the incredible flora and fauna of the area, as well as answering any questions you might have.

We head from the ruins to our lunch spot, just 5 minutes walk away. Lunch is at a covered shelter at the Wiñay Wayna campground, which is the last campground for those hiking the Classic Inca Trail. Nearby are outdoor sinks to wash your hands, as well as restrooms.

Take your time enjoying your hearty, gourmet lunch and admiring the tropical flowers around the campground. Be sure to notify us of any food allergies or dietary restrictions you have at the time of booking!

After lunch, you have a mostly flat walk that culminates in a set of steep Inca stairs also nicknamed the “gringo killer steps”. These steps were carved directly into the rock by the Incas. Once you have conquered these steps you will arrive at the iconic Sun Gate, which has the most enchanting and awe inspiring views of Machu Picchu.

Savor this experience and snap some photos to capture the moment. After all, you’ve earned it. The last hour of the hike, from the Sun Gate into the citadel offers plenty of opportunities to take more photos of Machu Picchu, each with a unique vantage point.

There are a couple more important Inca sites on the path between the Sun Gate and Machu Picchu. Take your time and make the most of hiking the same path that the Incas carved into Machu Picchu.

Once you reach Machu Picchu you will have time to take a few more photos from the viewing platforms above the site (level with the Guard’s House). This is the spot where the famous photos are taken from. Postcards at the ready!

You will arrive in the citadel in the afternoon, as the archeological area starts to empty of tourists. This gives you the opportunity to take beautiful photos in the afternoon light with fewer people in your shots.

Once you have had your fill of the viewing platform for the day, we take a shuttle bus down to the town of Aguas Calientes. Before we reach the town, we get off for a short walk to our campsite in Puente Ruinas. On arrival, our porters will have camp set up and ready, and dinner will be waiting for us, prepared by our talented chef.

• Meals: Box Lunch and Dinner
• Distance: 12 kms/7.5 miles
• Time: 6hrs approximately
• Accommodation: Camping
• Difficulty: moderate

You can leave an overnight bag at the Ollantaytambo train station to be sent by train directly to Aguas Calientes.