Season: All year (February closed)
Dificulty: moderate

Very early in the morning we will pick you up from your hotel to transfer you by bus to the km 82 of the railroad to Machu Picchu. We will meet there the members of the staff who will join us for the trek (porters, cooks, etc.). Then the trekking begins. This first day is pretty easy the first kilometers. We will have a beautiful view of the Veronica glacier and we will walk near Vilcanota River until we get to the archaeological complex of Patallacta. We will have lunch and rest before continuing to Huayllabamba where we will set the first camp. From the camp we have a beautiful view of the valley and the surrounding mountains.

After breakfast the toughest part of the trail begins. Hiking towards the highest point of the Inca Trail, you will be able to enjoy an unbelievable panoramic view of the whole area and to observe different types of microclimates. We also might see some llamas grassing right beside the path. After a 3 hours walk we will reach the first pass, named Warmiwañusca or Dead Woman's Pass, at approximately 13800ft. Here you will have a tremendous feeling of achievement mixed with relief of reaching the top. After lunch we continue our trek down to the forested Pacaymayu valley where we camp and have dinner.

After breakfast we start the ascent towards the second most important pass of the trail with a height of 12600ft. We can visit the archaeological complex of Runkurakay on our way up. As we reach the second pass, the landscape opens onto spectacular new views to the snowcapped mountains of the Pumasillo mountain range. We descend to the Inca citadel of Sayacmarca and continue our trekking along the steep upper fringes of the cloud forest through a colorful riot of orchids, bromeliads, mosses and ferns. At the third pass pinnacles topped with Inca viewing platforms overlook the archaeological complex of Puya Patamarka (Cloud-level town). We pause to have lunch and to explore the Inca stone towers, fountains and stairways. After the short break we begin a long descent through ever-changing layers of cloud forest. An Inca stairway partly cut from living granite leads us finally to our camp by the ruins of Wiñay Wayna (Forever Young), the largest and most exquisite of the Inca Trail sites.

After breakfast we have a very early start to arrive in time for the sunrise at Machu Picchu. After a one hour walk through the humid cloud-forest of giant ferns we arrive at the Inti Punku or the Gate of the Sun. We encounter an unforgettable sweep of natural beauty and human artistry and will have the most impressive panoramic view of the citadel. Upon arrival at Machu Picchu we have a 2-3 hour guided tour around the complex, visiting the main sites and monuments. After the tour you will have free time to wander around and explore the "lost city of the Incas" on your own. Then you will meet with the rest of the group to drive by bus down to Aguas Calientes an in the afternoon we take the train back to Cusco arriving in the evening (according to availability direct train or train to Ollantaytambo and bus to Cusco). Here we will take you to your hotel.

- Accommodation in Double-occupancy tents
- Shared Services with local English/Spanish speaking guide
- All transfers from/to hotels
- Full board (3x breakfast, 4x lunch, 3x dinner)
- Camping equipment
- Cook and porters for the camping equipment
- Sleeping pads
- Entrance fees to Inca Trail and Machu Picchu
- Train ticket back to Cusco in Backpacker class (according to availability direct train or train to Ollantaytambo and bus to Cusco)
- First aid kit and oxygen