Day by day itinerary

 

Day 1: Depart UK

Leave London Heathrow bound for New York where we transfer onto our flight to Lima.

Day 2: Lima – Cusco

We take an early morning flight from Lima to Cusco and transfer to a downtown hotel.  After a trip briefing, we adjust to the altitude by exploring the sights of the ancient city of Cusco.

Day 3: Tambo Machay – Cusco

Today we acclimatise by walking from Tambo Machay, an ancient ruin high in the Cusco valley back into the town.  We will pass some of the amazing Inca sites in the countryside around the city, walking downhill to Sacsayhuaman, the huge and impressive Inca ruin on the outskirts of Cusco before returning to the town and our hotel.

Walk time approx 5 hours

Day 4: KM 82 – Wayllabamba

After a second night at altitude we have a three hour drive via Ollantaytambo to the Trail’s starting point at Km 82. We set off from here on a fairly easy and undulating path which follows the Urubamba River for much of the way. After lunch a gentle climb takes us to our camp at Wayllabamba. There are a couple of steep drops and climbs into gullies along the way, with great views of Mt Veronica standing at 5000m. At the end of the day there is a short sharp climb to our camp Wayllabamba.

Walk time approx 6 hours

Day 5: Wayllabamba-Pacamayo

Today we have the big climb from 2700m to Dead Woman’s Pass at 4200m. This is a relentless and steep climb on narrow trails, first through grassland and then cloud forest where the path is steeper and can be muddy.  Eventually it opens out onto pasture where we will have lunch with snow-capped mountains behind us and a distant view up to the top of the pass, still several hours ahead. The final stretch to the top of the pass is well maintained with steps but the pace is slow because of the altitude.  Once we’ve recovered at the top, we descend 500m on steps to our evening's campsite at Pacamayo below the ruins of Runkurakay.
Walk time approx 8 - 12 hours

Day 6: Pacamayo- Winay Wayna

Now on the Inca Trail proper the path is mostly steps which are steep in places and there are ruins every mile or so along the way. We have our second high pass at 4000m again with steps leading up to the top and down the other side. The descent takes around an hour to Sayacmarca ruin, which is perched above more steps. From here the trail is very pretty, wide and easy going with interesting fragments of cloud forest on route. The third pass is reached easily after passing through an Inca tunnel in the rock and a gentle climb. We continue on to the ruins of Puyupatamarca and then descend steep steps to our camp-site at Winay Wayna.

Walk time approx 8 - 10 hours

Day 7: Winay Wayna-Machu Picchu

We start early with a three hour walk through Inti Punku the Sun Gate. The route is along a beautiful stretch of trail, scattered with ruins and some steep flights of steps, with a few large drops down the side to Urubamba river. We arrive at Machu Picchu at around 10 am before the crowds arrive from Cusco.  Once we have explored the ruins thoroughly we will take a bus down to the train station at Aguas Calientes for the 3-hour train journey back to Cusco.

Walk time approx 3 hours

Day 8: Free day

Free day in Cusco to relax, recover and explore Cusco.

Day 9: Cusco – Lima

Morning flight back to Lima, linking up with the evening flight back to London.

Day 10:

Arrive UK.