Meals: lunch and dinner

Distance 12 km (7.47 miles), 5-6 hours walking time, max altitude 3000m (9840 ft) – campsite altitude 2980 m (9776 ft)

Pickup at 6.30 to 7.00 am and we start our drive to Chinchero and Ollantaytambo where we will find the starting point of the Inca Trail KM 82.

We need to pass through the control points for the Inca Trail and we will then meet up with our team of porters and cooks.

The first section leaves from by the banks of the Urubamba River and after sometime we will arrive at Llactapata where there is a group of archaeological ruins.

After visiting the ruins this will be our stop for lunch. After resting we set off again and continue until we reach the first days campsite in Wayllambamba.

That evening we will eat a delicious meal and have out first night of Inca Trail camping.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Distance 11km (6.84 miles), 6-7 hours walking time, max altitude 4200m (13,776 ft) – campsite altitude 3660m (11480 ft)

After a good breakfast we start our second day which is one of the hardest days trekking. The first ascent is a slow climb to a pass which offers great scenic views along the way.

This pass is called Warmihuañusca and has an altitude of 4200 meters / 13,800 feet. From the top of the pass we have a contrasting view of snow covered peaks in one direction and a semitropical valley in the other.

Here we will have lunch prepared by our cook. After resting to take in the views and recover our energies we descend to Pacaymayu where we will find our second night’s campsite.

The descent passes over wooden bridges, tunnels and down rocky steps and our final stop at the campsite is the river.

Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Distance 16km (9.94 miles), 8 hours walking time, max altitude 3900m (12,792 ft) – campsite altitude 2650m (8692 ft)

On the third morning, after breakfast, we will set off along the trail until the archeological zone of Runquracay. Here our guide will explain about the evidence of Incan culture found at this site.

We will continue our trek until Sayacmarca and we will stop to explore a little. Later today we will reach the ruins of Phuyupatamarca where our cooks will have lunch ready.

After lunch we will be continuing onto Wiñaywayna and our third night campsite. We will have dinner and spend the evening with our guide and porters.

Meals: breakfast only – bring some extra snacks with you for inbetween. Food can be purchased in Machu Picchu or you can wait until you are in Aguas Calientes mid afternoon.

Distance 4km (2.49 miles), 2 hours walking time, Max Altitude 2700m (8829 ft) – Machu Picchu altitude 2400m (7872 ft)

Today we have an early breakfast so we are ready to leave around 5am and start on our trek to Intipunku (Gate of the Sun). Here we will watch the sun rise and cast light over our panoramic view of Machu Picchu.

This is a magical moment and will re-energise us for the final descent that leads us into the ruins. At the ruins your guide will taken you on a tour of the site. We will visit enclosures, plazas, sacred fountains, temples, towers and he will explain the different functions of each area such as the agricultural and urban sections. The tour lasts for approx 2 hours and you will then have free time to explore the site yourself.

After spending some hours at Machu Picchu we unfortunately have to leave and the group will make its way down to the town of Aguas Calientes (you can walk or there is also a bus service for an additional cost) before taking the train back to Cusco.

You must be at the train station at least 30 minutes before your train departure time and the train journey takes about 1 hour 45 mins to get to Ollantaytambo, where we will transfer to a private bus to take you back to Cusco (you will be dropped off at the main square in Cusco).