Pre-trek briefing (required): We provide a full pre-trek briefing at our office or at your hotel in Cusco. This gives you the chance to ask questions about the trek itinerary. Briefings are scheduled for the day before your trek starts. Please take this into consideration when booking your travel plans to Cusco, to ensure you arrive in time for the briefing.

Day 1: Cusco – Soqma – Rayan – Chancachuco Valley

In order to make the most of the daylight hours ahead of us, we will pick you up early around 4:30am from your hotel to make the 2-hours drive to the trailhead at Soqma.

Your trekking crew will have got up earlier though, and they will be there ahead of us with the horses, all ready to start.

It is not long (around 2 hours) before we reach our first major photo opportunity at the Perolniyoc waterfall. Cascading hundreds of feet into a pool below us, you will hear the waterfall long before you see it.

For those feeling brave, there is an opportunity to take a short walk down to the base of the falls to cool off, or you may just want to enjoy the view from the lookout point. Either way, as with all of the major view points on the trek, we will have plenty of time to enjoy the views and take photos.

The sights keeps coming, and around 30 mins after leaving the waterfall we arrive at the ancient Inca site of the same name. Like something out of a glossy history book, the ruins sit perched on top of a cliff with incredible views of the surrounding valley.

Your guide will share some history of the site, and maybe discuss what you may have read about these engineering geniuses who lived 500 years ago.

Just before lunch, we need to make a steep ascent for around an hour to Rayan at 3,700m

(9,350ft). This will be your first opportunity to sample the incredible meals that our kitchen team are able to create on the mountainside.

To reach the Kuychicassa pass (4,450 m /14,596 ft) it is a challenging 3 hours hike up! But as we walk through remote Fincas where generations of farmers have tended their livestock, as we pass wild Llamas roaming on the mountain, and as the climb reveals spectacular views across snow-capped peaks, perhaps your mind will be distracted from your aching muscles! Certainly, as we rest at the summit surrounded by the Chancachuco and Sacred Valleys, your effort will feel well rewarded.

We arrive at our campsite via an easy 45-minute downhill trail. Our team will have arrived ahead of us to prepare the site, and so you can immediately rest in your tent, or change into warmer clothing and lie back to watch the sky gradually fill with the most incredible display of constellations and shooting stars (clouds permitting!)

The evening finishes with a sumptuous group dinner, where we can relax and share stories of the day before retiring for the night to rest weary limbs.

• Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
• Lodging: Camping
• Lowest Elevation: 3,205 m/10,512 ft.
• Highest Elevation: 4,450 m /14,596 ft.
• Distance to walk: 18 km/10 miles
• Approximate walking time: 9-10 hours
• Level of Difficulty: Moderate
• Area: Dry Mountain

Day 2: Chancachuco Valley – Ancascocha – Huaynay Pass – Quesqa valley

Every day on our trek begins with our team gently waking you with a cup of fresh coffee or tea in the morning, and a bowl of hot water to wash with. We then take breakfast together, making sure everyone is suitably fueled for the efforts of the day ahead.

Hiking with views of Mt. Veronica in the distance, we start with an undulating path for around one hour along the banks of a quiet stream, before descending for around 3 hours to the remote community of Ancascocha. You may well marvel at the perfectly simple way of life of these communities.

Then, continuing uphill for about an hour, incredible views emerge of the nearby glacier and well-preserved Inca remains. Finally, we reach the beautiful crystal blue Ancascocha Lake where we stop for lunch.

Taking a deep breath, we make our climb to the highest point of the trek at the Huayanay Pass (4,650 m/15,250 ft). This is a challenging 2-hours ascent along a steep switchback trail, but we will take our time taking in the views of the lake and valley behind us as we climb to the summit.

We will ends our hike with a 3-4 hours descent. You will notice the change from barren mountaintop to the lush green vegetation of the lower valley. On a clear day we will have distant views of the classic Inca trail to Machu Picchu as well as the communities of the Quesqa valley. We will also pass the small Inca site of Incaracay.

Finally, reaching our campsite nestled in the Quesqa valley (3,850 m/12,628 ft) dinner awaits!

• Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
• Lodging: Camping
• Highest Elevation: 4,650 m/15,250 ft
• Campsite elevation: 3,850 m/12,628 ft
• Distance to walk: 18 km/ 10 miles
• Approximate walking time: 10 hours
• Level of Difficulty: Challenging
• Area: Dry Mountain

Day 3: Quesqa Valley – Paucarcancha – Kilometer 82 – Ollantaytambo

This day the hiking is almost all downhill!

After breakfast, we take a 2-hour path to the Inca site of Paucarcancha where your guide will provide a comprehensive commentary about the site. We then join a section of the Classic Inca Trail for around 5 hours until we reach Km 82 (the official start of the Classic Trail).

Along the way we will be able to see the Inca site of Llactapata, and this is likely to be the first time that you will have seen other hikers on the trail (although they will all be going the other way!)

At Km82 we will have lunch, and say goodbye to our trekking team. Your guide will then take you by private local van to Ollantaytambo.

After checking into the comfortable hotel that we have booked, there should be time to walk around this charming town, sampling some local cuisine, or perhaps buying some locally made souvenirs from the Artesian street sellers.

We will dinner together in the evening at one of the local restaurants in town (drinks not included) before retiring for a good night’s sleep, since Day 4 starts early!

• Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
• Lodging: Hotel
• Highest Elevation: 3,850 m/12,628 ft.
• Lowest Elevation: 2,792 m/9,158 ft.
• Distance to walk: 13 km/ 7.5 miles
• Estimated walking time: 7 hours
• Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Day 4: Ollantaytambo – KM 104 – Wiñay Wayna –  Machu Picchu

We will start the your trip by picking you up from your hotel and then you will take the train from  Ollantaytambo train station.

From here, we will take the train for 1 hour approximately to Km 104 where we will start our amazing trek on the Inca Trail!

Our adventure begins with an uphill hike for about 4 hours until we arrive to the archeological site of Wiña Wayna (Always Young).

We will enjoy our  box lunch  here in the middle of the mountains and will have free time to rest and enjoy the beautiful view.
Next, we will continue our hike, moving toward a site called Inti Punku (the Sun Gate).

From this place, we will be able to look down and admire the great beauty of the Inca citadel Machu Picchu! Here, the Inca Trail officially ends.
We will finish our first day’s adventure following the lateral trail in direction to the exit of Machu Picchu where you will decide to keep walking down to Aguas Calientes town or we will take a bus down to Aguas Calientes, We will have dinner there and then rest comfortably hotel.

• Walking Distance – 12km / 7.45 miles
• Starting Elevation – 2,100 meters ASL / 6889 feet ASL
• Aguas Calientes Elevation – 2,000 meters ASL / 6561 feet ASL
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Meals: Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Hotel 2 or 3 stars
• Adventure: Absolutely, completely satisfactory

DAY 2: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO

Today you will get to enjoy exploring Machu Picchu and experience her magical presence by taking the first bus at 5:30AM to the Machu Picchu archeological site.  If you hurry you will get to see the sunrise over Machu Picchu. Take your time, making sure you tour every nook and cranny of this New 7 Wonder of the World and UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. It is an unforgettable experience.

Your guide will expertly direct you through the energetic ruins and its diverse main streets. Then on your own, wander around the town squares of the world’s spiritual center of esoteric wisdom as well as climb the intricately carved stairways made of stone. Or stay still and drink in the pure majesty of her presence, and enjoy the pure delight of the moment.
Here are a few of alternative activities that you might wish to indulge in on your own:

• Climb up Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain and appreciate the beauty and magnificence of Machu Picchu (not included in your tour price and must be booked in advance.)
• Other optional activities in Aguas Calientes include a visit to the new local museum or to the hot springs (entrance fees required)

You will descend to Aguas Calientes and later on, board the  train around 15:20 or 16:20  depending of the availability of the train tickets for the return trip to Cusco stopping at the Ollantaytambo Station and be driven back to Cusco by Bus and finally back to  your hotel.

• Difficulty: Easy.

• Pre-Departure Briefing at our office or at your hotel in Cusco
• Pick up from your hotel and transportation to Soqma (start of trek)
• Bilingual English speaking tour guide (additional tour guide for groups of nine people or more)
• High quality, 4-person tent for every 2 people
• Mattress 
• Kitchen tent
• Dining tent with tables and chairs
• Eco-Friendly portable toilet and toilet tent
• Professional Chef and assistant chef
• Wranglers and horses to carry all equipment
• Horse to transport up to 6 kg of your personal gear
• Duffle bag for your personal gear
• 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 4 dinners
• Daily morning boiled and cold water to fill the water bottles.
• Emergency oxygen bottle and medical kit.
• Expedition train ticket from Ollantaytambo to KM 104
• Return Expedition train ticket from Aguas Calientes to either Ollantaytambo or to Poroy
• Private van transportation from Ollantaytambo or Poroy to your Cusco hotel
• 1-night hotel accommodation in Ollantaytambo (double occupancy)
• 1-night hotel accommodation in Aguas Calientes (double occupancy)
• Round trip bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
• Entrance to Machu Picchu

NOT included

• Sleeping bag (can be rented from us)
• Trekking poles (can be rented from us
• Ticket for Huayna Picchu mountain (can be purchased for an extra US $70 per person)
• Day 5 Lunch in Aguas Calientes
• Tips for the trek crew 
• Travel Insurance

• Original passport (nb. if you have acquired a new one after you made your booking you MUST bring both)
• Down or synthetic feather sleeping bag (can be rented from us)
• Clothes (trekking boots, warm fleece jacket, tops, a few t-shirts, socks, sun hat, thermal underwear, light long pants, gloves, poncho, rain jacket)
• Toiletries (toilet paper, wet wipes, personal towel)
• Sun block (factor 35+ recommended)
• Head lamp + batteries*
• Sunglasses and sun hat
• Camera + batteries*
• Binoculars
• Trekking poles (can be rented from us) 
• Insect repellent 
• Snacks (while your crew will prepare the most amazing meals, everyone’s energy needs are different, particularly at altitude, and so you should pack some suitable snacks to make sure you are always fully energised)
• NOTE: Batteries run down faster at high altitudes