Itinerary

• Day 1:CUSCO – KM 82 – AYAPATA
• Day 2: AYAPATA – DEAD WOMAN´S PASS – RUNCURACCAY PASS – CHAQUICCOCHA.
• DAY 3: CHAQUICCOCHA – WIÑAY WAYNA.
• DAY 4: MACHU PICCHU-AGUAS CALIENTES -CUSCO.

Peru’s number one trek and one of the most well-known and popular treks in the world. Offering 4 days of trekking along original paved Inca pathways, a variety of fascinating Inca sites and the beautiful scenery of the Machu Picchu national park.

Day 1

CUSCO – KM 82 – AYAPATA

We will begin the Classic Ina Trail by picking you up from your hotel between 4:30-5:00 a.m. and travel to Km 82 where we will begin our trek to Machu Picchu. You will arrive to Km 82 at about 7:00 a.m. and you will stop for a breakfast prepared for you by your guide. After a delicious and energetic breakfast, we will go through the first Inca Trail checkpoint to begin our trek (please make sure you have your passport with you to enter the Inca Trail). The first 2 hours of the trek are relatively easy as we make our way to our first Inca site, Patallacta, which was an Inca checkpoint for the approach to Machu Picchu. From Patallacta, we will hike for another 2 hours to our lunch stop. After lunch, we will hike for another 2 1/2 hours until we reach the first night’s campsite, Ayapata, at an elevation of (3300m/10,830ft). On this last stretch, we will pass through 2 small communities. If you want to buy any energy drinks or snacks you can do so here. You can also buy any essential items such as batteries that you may have forgotten. We will arrive to our campsite by 5:00 p.m. and after settling in you can relax and have a drink and a snack with your porters, chef and guide. By 7:30 p.m. your dinner will be ready, afterwards you can get some well deserved rest.

Day 2

AYAPATA – DEAD WOMAN´S PASS – RUNCURACCAY PASS – CHAQUICCOCHA.

Your porters will wake you up early with a hot cup of coca tea to get you ready for the day. Today is our longest day and we will start with an early wake up to get a head start on the day. We will hike for roughly 4 hours to the highest pass of the trek, Dead Woman’s Pass, at an elevation of (4215m/13,830ft). At the top of the pass we will stop for a short break to enjoy the incredible views before setting off again to descend to the next valley, (Pacaymayu Valley – Hidden River). It’s another 1 1/2 hour trek down the side of the valley to our lunch spot where we will have a chance to refill our water bottles. After a hearty lunch, we will begin ascending again to the second pass of the trek. We will hike for 2 hours to the pass and along the way we will stop at a small Inca site named Runcu Raccay. At this place, we will see two huge waterfalls cascading down the opposite side of the valley. After we conquer the 2nd pass, we will travel for an hour downhill to reach the magnificent Inca site, Sayacmarca, meaning: “Unaccessible village”. We will stop here for a rest and have a quick tour of the site before watching the sunset over the Vilcabamba mountain range. It’s then just another 20 minutes until we stop for the night at our second campsite of the Classic Inca Trail, Chaquicocha ,”Dry Lake”, at an elevation of (3600m/11,812ft).

DAY 3

CHAQUICCOCHA – WIÑAY WAYNA.

We will begin this day of the Classic Inca Trail early again, waking up at 6:30 a.m., to begin what we believe to be the most beautiful day of the entire Classic Inca Trail. We will hike for 2 hours along what is known as Inca Flat (gradual inclines) before we begin to enter the peak of the jungle, a magnificent cloud forest. As we walk we will have the opportunity to see the beauty of the snow-capped Salkantay peak along with a fantastic panoramic view of the Vilcabamba mountain range. Towards the end of the Inca Flat, we will begin to make our way up to the last peak of Phuyupatamarka, at (3600m/11,810ft). From this vantage point, we will take in amazing views overlooking the Urubamba river. Down the valley, we can catch our first glimpse of Machu Picchu Mountain, but the site itself is still hidden from view. From Phuyupatamarka, it’s a 3 hour walk down a flight of steps to our last campsite, close to the Incan site Wiñay Wayna, meaning: “Forever Young”. Wiñay Wayna is the most spectacular Inca site on the Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. It is also the most popular campsite on the Classic Inca Trail because of it’s proximity to Machu Picchu. During the descent, we will visit 2 Inca ruins: Phuyupatamarka, “The Town in the Clouds” and Intipata, “Terraces of the sun”. We will arrive at our campsite around 1:00 p.m. to have lunch and relax for the entire afternoon while we explore the histroic sites of Peru. You will we rested and ready to explore Machu Picchu the following day. Your guide will give you a small talk at around 4:30 p.m. as you visit the Inca ruins of Wiñay Wayna, spending about an hour and a half there. We will explain the significance of the site and combine all the information given during the trek so you’re fully informed for your visit to Machu Picchu the following day. We like to spoil our guests when we enjoy our last feast on the Classic Inca Trail with the porters and chefs. It’s an Inca Trail tradition to organize a ceremony in the evening to introduce the team to the tourists once again and to thank them for the great job (if you wish to provide tips for hard working crew, then you can do so at this time). It is advisable to go to bed early since we will wake up in the early hours of the morning to arrive to Machu Picchu in time to witness the sunrise over this ancient city.

DAY 4

MACHU PICCHU-AGUAS CALIENTES -CUSCO.

On the final day of the Classic Inca Trail, wake up time is at 3:30 a.m. We’ll eat breakfast at 4:00 a.m. and wait at the checkpoint so that we will some of the first to start trekking up the stairs when the gates open at 5:30 a.m. We’ll wave goodbye to our porters and chef, then it’s full steam ahead to the Sun Gate “Inti Punku”. From here, we will take in spectactular views of the mountains and Machu Picchu in all it’s glory. We will reach the Sun Gate by 6:30 a.m. and then travel down a stairway to reach the lost city of the Incas. As we approach Machu Picchu, the views of the city just get better and better. At about 7:40 a.m. we will reach the final checkpoint and enter Machu Picchu to begin our 2 hour guided tour. After the tour, you will have several hours of free time for your own exploration of one of the world’s wonders. After taking in the mysterious beauty of Machu Picchu, you will be given your bus tickets to make your way down to Aguas Calientes.  At about 1:30 p.m. we’ll meet at a restaurant in Aguas Calientes to have our last lunch together before you’ll be given your train tickets for your return journey to Cusco. We will arrange to meet 30 minutes before your train departs before heading to to train station together. After this unforgettable journey down the Classic Inca Trail, you will have memories that will immortalize you travel in Peru.

Classic Inca Trail Includes:

• Pick up from your hotel by your tour guide.
• Transfer to the start of your trek, KM 82
• Professional English speaking tour guide
• Entrance fee to the Inca Trail National Park
• Entrance fee to Machu Picchu Archaeological Sanctuary
• Superb porters to carry all the equipment, tents, food, cooking gear, and dining tents.
• Porters that will carry your personal belongings (up to 7kg) – no extra fee!
• Permits and entrance fees for our porters and cooks
• 4 breakfasts, 4 snacks, 3 lunches, 3 happy hours, and 3 dinners. All of these meals are prepared by our cook and his assistant.
• Coca tea served each morning in your tent for a gentle start to the day
• Boiled water after breakfast, lunch and dinner to refill your water bottles.
• Happy hour, including hot drinks such as mate de coca and locally grown coffee which is prepared by our cook.
• Snacks every morning.
• Oxygen tank and first aid kit.
• Vegetarian food and specialized diets are available on request.
• 2 people assigned to each 4 person tent (This will leave plenty of room for your backpacks)
•  All the equipment including dining tents and personal tents.
• 2 hour guided tour of Machu Picchu.
• Bus from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes.
• Expedition train return to Ollantaytambo (Bus transfer to Cusco).
• Lunch in Aguas Calientes on the final day of the Classic Inca Trail

Not Included in the Classic Inca Trail:

• tips for guides, cook and portes, who work many tours to Machu Picchu, are greatly appreciated.

What you need to bring on the Classic Inca Trail:

• Original passport
• ISIC card(www.isic.org) if you are booking with the student discount. (This needs to be sent at the time of your booking)
• Day Pack
• Sleeping bag (you can rent from Pachacutec Expeditions)
• Hiking boots and sandals (very important)
• Trekking poles (you can rent from Pachacutec Expeditions)
• Warm clothes: layers for variable temperatures, especially at night. Thermals/Gloves/scarves: wool socks /wool hat for cold nights: About 4 T-shirts for the entire trek
• Head lamp (very important)
• Camera and extra batteries
• Sunscreen/hat and sunglasses
• Personal medical kit
• Insect repellent
• Rain Gear: a good rain jacket and rain pants and plastic rain poncho.
• Toilet paper
• Small towel
• Camel-pack – You can also take plastic bottles for water
• Extra money for drinks & tips, souvenirs, etc (soles or dollars) At least 200 extra soles for extra expenses along
• the Classic Inca Trail.
•  Bathing clothes for the hot springs (optional)

Price: US$ 630 per person. Group Size: 2-8 people

Note:

Classic Inca Trail services include pick-up and drop-off at your hotel in Cusco. This is an additional service that we provide, which sets us apart from other tour providers. For all group bookings of greater than 3 people, we offer you a free city tour or tour of the Sacred Valley. Pachacutec Expeditions, does not have any hidden fees. We includes a porter that will carry your personal belongings in all of our treks, at no additional cost. We will provide you with a duffel bag to put all of your belongings in. The duffel bags easily fit 8 Kilograms /17 pounds per person including your sleeping bags. However, you will still need to carry your day pack with all of your essentials like water, sunscreen, passport, etc We offer a discount of US $20 to students with a valid International Student Identity Card (ISIC) and to children under the age of 16 years old. Scanned copies of your ISIC card or child’s passport must be provided at the time of payment of the deposit for the trek in order to qualify for the international discount. Train for the end of the Classic Inca Trail: We suggest our tourists 6:45 p.m. train. This departure time will allow you to spend more time at Machu Picchu and do more activities like climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, which can be booked additionally. Also, you can walk to the sun gate , the inca bridge, and still have time to enjoy the hot springs or some cervezas after a long trek. The 6:45 p.m. train will arrive in Ollantaytambo train station at 8:20 p.m. and you will be picked up by your driver outside of the train station. The driver will be holding a sign with your name on it so that there will be no confusion. If you do not see the driver initially, just wait for them outside the train station. Once the driver has picked you up, then you will travel for 1 1/2 hours in a van before you arrive back at your hotel/hostel. Arrival time in Cusco is approximately 10:00 p.m. Also, we suggest the 2:55 p.m. train for travelers who are planning to leave Cusco city early in the morning the next day to continue with their travel plans. Important: We guarantee these early Expedition departures, as per the itinerary, if you book your tours in 2 months in advance. Otherwise we may be forced to offer the Expedition train that departs at 6:45 p.m. only. There is an option to upgrade your train to the Vistadome train, which is an extra US $35 per person. Please let us your preference at the time of booking.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

If you are thinking of climbing Huayna picchu mountain you must book in advance. Only 400 people can hike Huaynapicchu per day. You will climb it on your own after the tour in Machu Picchu, starting around 10:00 a.m. We recomend that you book your tickets in advance to let us know  of your interest in Huayna Picchu. Machu Picchu Mountain is an alternative climbing mountain, which also offers fantasic views of the site. We recomend it if huayna Picchu Mountain is overbooked. Rentals Hiking poles: US $1o.00 (pair) Sleeping bag US $2o.00 Air Matress US $15.00 For treks that includes accommodation at Aguas Calientes, we will stay in a hotel. In contrast to other companies, we will not be staying in basic shared rooms or sharing showers. Classic Inca Trail