Inca Trail Trek & Amazon Experience

Welcome to Peru! A representative will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel in Lima. Your adventure officially begins with a welcome meeting at 2 pm at your hotel, where you’ll meet your group and find out what’s in store over the next 12 days. After, head downtown for a guided walking tour of the city's markets, mansions and centuries-old buildings in the historic center. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore at your leisure – how about getting to know your fellow travelers over a Pisco sour or two? For dinner tonight, consider eating your way around the street food stalls in the bohemian Barranco district.

It's an early start today for your journey to the Peruvian Amazon. A private transfer will pick you up from the hotel and take you to the airport for your flight to Puerto Maldonado. Here, you’ll pack a small duffle bag with your essentials for the next two days and board a motorized canoe into the jungle. The journey to your eco-lodge in the Madre de Dios region will take a couple of hours, so you’ll stop for lunch along the way. Settle into your thatched-roof lodge before a short orientation walk of your home for the next two nights, then spend the evening taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the jungle.

Get ready for a day of exploring the jungle! Set out on a half-day hike guided by local experts on the Amazon's flora and wildlife. Learn from your guides about the medicinal and practical uses for some of the plants that grow here which Indigenous people have been using for thousands of years. As you walk through the thickets, look out for rainbow macaws and butterflies, and listen for the barking call of the peccaries. This part of the Amazon is also known to house capybaras, giant otters and jabirus, so keep your eyes peeled for these creatures. Enjoy a packed lunch before heading back to the lodge for some free time to unwind. After sundown, venture out on a night walk in search of the jungle's nocturnal inhabitants – with a bit of luck, you might spot a caiman, jaguar or anaconda.

Say goodbye to the Amazon and return to Puerto Maldonado to fly to Cusco. You’ll arrive in Cusco in the afternoon and check into your hotel. With a maze of cobbled alleys, old plazas and markets, this historic city is a regular favorite for travelers in Peru. Once you’ve taken some time to acclimatize to the altitude of 11,150 ft, you might like to explore the many Baroque churches and ancient temples that dot the city. As you wander the streets, you’ll see the Inca stonework that provided the foundations for many of Cusco’s buildings. The city itself is the continent's oldest continuously inhabited city and was the home of the Inca Empire for two centuries before the Spanish built their first capital here. For dinner, your leader will be happy to share their favorite local restaurants.

After breakfast, get acquainted with Cusco and its intriguing blend of cultures on a walking tour with your leader. Check out some of the city's main attractions, as well as its lesser-known sights, such as the Qoricancha temple, San Pedro market, Plaza de Armas, the 12 Angled Stone, Regocijo Square and San Blas Square. The afternoon is free to continue exploring the city on your own – or just use this downtime to relax before an active few days ahead. Maybe find a spot at a restaurant and people watch with some Andean dishes.

Hit the road through the Sacred Valley today. With maize crops covering the terraced hillsides and irrigation from the Urubamba River, the Sacred Valley – known as Wilcamayo to the Incas – has been a source of livelihood for the locals for centuries. Stop for lunch in a local community, where you'll learn about their traditional lifestyle and enjoy a pachamanca meal. Dating back to the Incas, this cooking method uses an earth oven heated with stones to slow-cook meats and vegetables. If it’s market day, you'll also have time to browse stalls selling beads, textiles and other handicrafts. After, stop by AMA Restaurant in Urubamba – a cafe that provides employment and training opportunities to local women who are single mothers – and learn about how they’re supporting the community over coffee and snacks. Then continue your journey to Ollantaytambo to relax. You could also visit the town’s fascinating archaeological site – ancient remnants of an Inca city with views over the present-day settlement.

Depending on the travel arrangements you made before the trip, during the next four days you’ll be either hiking the Inca Trail (Route 1), hiking the Quarry Trail (Route 2) or staying in Cusco for two days before taking the train to Aguas Calientes (Route 3). All routes visit Machu Picchu.

While away from Cusco, the bulk of your luggage will be stored at your hotel. If you’re hiking the Inca Trail or the Quarry Trail, the evening before you leave you'll receive a small duffle bag to carry your clothes in for the next four days (11 lbs maximum). Your team of porters will carry these bags for you, together with the food and equipment for the trail. You won't have access to these items until the end of each day, as the porters will always be ahead of the group. If you’re travelling to Aguas Calientes by train, you'll be able to leave most of your luggage at the hotel in Cusco and travel with only a small bag for the overnight stay in Aguas Calientes.

Route 1 Inca Trail

Today, travel by minivan to the 51-mi marker (8,819 ft) and meet your crew of local porters, your cook and your guide. Your first day will include uphill trekking to the campsite, which sits at 10,170 ft above sea level. On the way, you’ll see the Inca sites of Ollantaytambo, Huillca Raccay and Llactapata, as well as incredible views of snow-capped Veronica Peak. In the evening, unwind at the campsite with a nourishing meal prepared by your cook.

Route 2 Quarry Trail

Make an early start today and drive to Choquequilla, a small ceremonial place where Incas worshipped the moon. From here, you’ll head to the small community near Qory Song’o (Golden Heart) hill, where you’ll climb to the top for the incredible views of the Soqma Perolniyoc, Pachar and Huarocondo valleys. There are also several sacred tombs in the area, protected by the locals, which you can explore with your leader and even see some of the original structures crafted from wood and leather. These remains have never been seen by travellers before, so you can be a part of this exclusive experience. Carry on to the Perolniyoc Cascade lookout, where you can stop for some snacks and photos. Arrive at the campsite, 12,140 ft above sea level, around lunchtime. After, set off to explore the Q'orimarca archaeological site, which once served as a checkpoint to the Incas.

Route 3 Cusco

After spending the night in Ollantaytambo, take a short drive to the town of Pisac. Pisac is well known for its market. Here you’ll have the opportunity to shop for souvenirs and perhaps try some local empanadas. Arrive back at Cusco in the afternoon, where your leader can take you to San Pedro Market, where you have the option to buy some local favourites for a picnic tomorrow or enjoy having some free time. Perhaps head out for dinner– your leader will have plenty of local recommendations.

Route 1 Inca Trail - Get ready for the most challenging day of the trek. You’ll ascend for five hours up a steep path to reach the highest point of the trail – Warmiwanusca, or colloquially known as 'Dead Woman's Pass' – which sits at a height of 13,780 ft above sea level. It can be a tough and sweaty climb, but you’ll be rewarded with amazing views of the valley below. You’ll then descend to your next campsite in Pacaymayo Valley (11,975 ft), where you can put your feet up, dig into a hearty dinner and enjoy another peaceful night in the Andes.

Route 2 Quarry Trail

This is the most challenging and rewarding day of the hike. A 3-hour walk takes you to the top of the first pass of Puccaqasa, about 14,340 ft high. After enjoying the picturesque views of the valley, it’s a short walk before stopping for lunch. After, make the 2-hour hike to Kuychicassa, the highest pass of the trek at 14,600 ft. From here, descend to the sacred site that the Incas called Intipunku. This is a sun gate, where the sun will stream through at particular times of the year and there are views of the Nevado Veronica mountain year-round. Head to the campsite, only a stone’s throw away and at 11,810 ft.

Route 3 Cusco

Today, take a taxi to Tambomachay, an archaeological site just outside of Cusco. From here you’ll take a 3 to 4 hours walk back to Cusco. On the way, stop to admire some of the archaeological sites, including Puka Pukara, Quenqo and Saksaywaman. Arrive back in Cusco in the early afternoon and enjoy some free time. Maybe visit the Merida, Mendivil and Olave art galleries and workshops before finding a great spot to sit down and enjoy some dinner.

Route 1 Inca Trail - Start the day with a climb through the Pacaymayo Valley to Runkuracay Pass (13,058 ft). Stop for a breather and enjoy views of Cordillera de Vilcabamba range before descending for around 2 to 3 hours to the ruins of Sayacmarca. Believed to have been used by the Incas for ceremonial purposes, this maze-like stone structure sits on a mountain crest and is only accessible on foot. Continue over the trail’s third pass to the ruins of Phuyupatamarca at 12,631 ft, also known as the 'Town Above the Clouds'. It’s then a 2-hour downhill trail along ancient Inca steps to the final campsite near the Winay Wayna archaeological site. Get an early night as you’ll wake before dawn tomorrow.

Route 2 Quarry Trail - Today’s hike will all be downhill. The first stop is the incomplete Kachiqata quarry, where the Incas were intercepted by the Spanish. Explore the cobbled streets of Ollantaytambo when you finish your trek. This is where you’ll meet with the travellers in your group who didn't hike, before taking the short train journey to Aguas Calientes. Spend the night in a hotel before tomorrow’s visit to Machu Picchu.

Route 3 Train to Aguas Calientes - After a 1.5-hour drive to Ollantaytambo. This is where you’ll meet up with the travellers in your group who hiked the Quarry Trail. You’ll catch a 1.5-hour train through the winding Urubamba Valley to Aguas Calientes. The city is nestled in the cloud forest at the foot of Machu Picchu. Spend the night in a hotel before tomorrow’s visit to Machu Picchu.

Route 1 Inca Trail

Today’s the day you’ll walk through the Sun Gate to Machu Picchu. This is the final and most rewarding leg of the trek. The day starts with breakfast at 4 am. Say farewell to the porters as they descend to the train station, then begin hiking. Once the final checkpoint opens at 5 am, you’ll push on for the last 2.5-hour trek to Intipunku (the Sun Gate). This grand entrance to Machu Picchu sits at an altitude of 9000 ft, and weather permitting, you’ll enjoy unforgettable views over Machu Picchu – you made it! Sitting high in the Andes and surrounded by cloud forest, this 15th century Inca citadel is one of those genuinely magical places, and your first glimpse is something to remember. 

Route 2 and 3 Machu Picchu to Cusco

Take an early bus up to Machu Picchu at 6.00 am. The city was built around 1440 AD as a country retreat for the Incan nobility, but there’s evidence that the land had been a sacred Incan site for much longer. Take a guided tour around the ruins of temples, palaces and living quarters. This is a day to remember!

For all travellers, after taking advantage of the seemingly endless photo opportunities, it's time to catch the bus to Aguas Calientes, where you’ll stop for lunch together. From here, take a scenic train ride to Ollantaytambo, then drive back to Cusco, arriving in the evening. Relax for a while after a celebratory shower, then relive all the special moments you’ve shared at a farewell dinner at Nuna Raymi – a sustainable restaurant that supports local organic producers.

Board a flight to Lima today. Depending on what time you arrive, you’ll have free time to explore Lima's sights and maybe do some last-minute souvenir shopping. Regroup in the evening for one last dinner with your fellow travelers and raise a glass to the lifelong memories you’ve made.

Your trip comes to an end after breakfast. If you’re not quite ready to leave, just let your booking agent know ahead of time to organize extra accommodation.