Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Travel Guide

Hiking the Inca Trail into Machu Picchu had long sat at the top of my travel wish list – and that’s exactly where it stayed for many years. I always thought it was too intimidating or it required too many days off work to make it happen.

Until one day (and probably one existential crisis) came along and I decided it was time to pull the trigger. I texted Joe one December morning “Let’s go to Machu Picchu next May” and practically before he had time to respond, the trip was booked.

While the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu can feel intimidating, it’s a very manageable trip once you start to lay it out. Peru is closer and easier to get to than Europe, and incredibly affordable once you’re there.

Trekking into Machu Picchu via the Inca Trail is admittedly a challenging hike, but most active people are capable of doing it. We saw all different ages on the trail – the majority seemed to fall in the 30-50 age bracket, but nearly every group had people older and younger than that. The Inca trail starts just shy of 9,000 ft elevation, the highest point is Dead Woman’s pass at 13,829 feet, and Machu Picchu sits at 7,972 feet above sea level.

We opted for a tour with G Adventures, who were organized and efficient so we could focus on hiking.  To say this trek is worth the effort is an understatement – it’s one of the most incredible things I’ve ever done.

Below I’ve included our itinerary, dos and don’ts, and a packing list. Have any questions? Reach out and I’m happy to chat more about it!

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Day 1: Depart the US and either arrive at Lima airport late at night (highly recommend an overnight at the airport hotel if so) or take the redeye to get into Lima early in the morning.

Day 2: Fly from Lima to Cusco. Check into your hotel in Cusco and if you feel up to it, take a leisurely stroll around Cusco. We loved exploring the area of San Blas where our hotel was located, and the Mercado Central de San Pedro is definitely worth a visit. But keep in mind, Cusco is one of the highest cities in the world at over 11,000 feet above sea level and altitude is no joke.

Day 3: Acclimate in Cusco. Don’t make any crazy plans on this day – you won’t know how your body will feel until you get there. I felt horrible the first 24 hours I was there, but after lots of coca tea and a spin in a hyperbaric chamber, I finally started to feel normal again. The welcome meeting with your tour group will likely fall on this evening. Nerves and excitement are high!

Day 4: Start your journey to the Inca Trail! This is a fun day meeting your group and guides, and getting your hiking legs under you. Take it all in – the amazing views that get better as the day goes on, the little Inca Trail convenience shops tucked into the mountains, and of course, the flushing toilets.

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Day 5: This is the toughest day on the Inca Trail, and also my favorite. Ascending Dead Woman’s Pass is a memory I’ll never forget. It’s a full day of hiking, really getting to know your fellow groupmates, and a great feeling of accomplishment when you make it to camp.

Day 6: Another wonderful day on the Inca Trail, as you head into the high jungle and can feel Machu Picchu inching closer. Your group really starts to gel, the Incan ruins get more impressive, and the reality of seeing Machu Picchu the next day starts to sink in.

Day 7: I could write a small book on this day alone, but we’ll leave it at this: making my last turn off the Inca Trail, after four days of hiking, to see the sun shining on a brilliant Machu Picchu was one of the most awe-inspiring moments of my life. I can’t recommend this experience enough.

Later in the day, you’ll visit Aguas Calientes before taking the train and bus back to Cusco. I may have cried a little bit after parting ways with our G Adventures group back in Cusco - I never wanted the tour to end!

Day 8: Sleep in and have breakfast in bed if you can! Fly from Cusco back to Lima, head to the Lima City Center and check into your hotel. Start to explore Lima, or simply enjoy having a proper bed again.

Day 9: Enjoy a free day in Lima. This might just be the best food city I’ve ever been to, and it’s also full of museums, shopping, surfing, and so much more. We hit the jackpot shopping at Artesanos Don Bosco in the Barranco neighborhood, and had an incredible dinner at Meríto.

Day 10: For most itineraries, you’ll have another day in Lima and fly back to the US that night. You’ll take a redeye to the US, and be home snuggling with your cat by mid-day the next day.‍

Do‍

• Give yourself at least two nights in Cusco to adjust to the elevation before you get on the Inca Trail. Drink lots of water and avoid alcohol!
• Rent walking poles. I was worried about looking like a dork, but after we encountered our first incline on the trail, I fell completely in love with my walking poles
• Slow down and enjoy it. It’s tempting to power up every incline and want to hang with the fastest person in your group, but the Inca Trail is best taken in at your pace. It’s incredible to stop, look around, and realize that you’re taking in views of the Andes Mountains that most people will never lay eyes on.

Don’t

• Bring an extra bag of Swedish fish in your tour-provided duffel bag – unless you want the shame of being the only person to go over the 13kg weight limit.
• Expect nice toilets – especially on day three. Think tailgate toilets, with things getting progressively less ideal as you go along.
• Overpack. About 1/3 of the clothes in my bag went untouched. Once you’re in it, no one cares if you smell (and to be honest, you won’t even notice you smell until you’re reacquainted with civilization back at Machu Picchu).

Packing List

G Adventures (any many other tour operators) will provide a duffel bag to be carried by a porter, a tent, an optional sleeping mat, sleeping bag, and hiking poles. Below is the rest of what we packed.

• ‍Passport! It’s important to carry this with you the entire trip, as they won’t let you on the Inca Trail or into Machu Picchu without physically showing it.‍
• Small Day Pack to carry layers, first aid items, water and snacks‍
• Waterproof rain jacket
• Lightweight jacket for layering. The Patagonia Nano Puff was an MVP
• 2-3 athletic t-shirts. My Lululemon and Patagonia Ts were perfect
• 2 pairs of hiking pants or 1 hiking pant and 1 pair of leggings. I did one of each but ended up wearing my hiking pants everyday
• A pair of hiking shorts to change into if it gets warm during the day
• A sun hat that completely covers your face. The sun is intense in the mountains
• A beanie or winter cap, neck gator and gloves. It gets cold at night!
• A set of thermal layers for sleeping (night two often dips below freezing) or in case you hike during a particularly cold stretch
• A t-shirt for hanging around camp and sleeping. You’ll definitely want something dry and comfortable to change into at the end of each day.‍
• Sandals for camp. I almost skipped this one and am so glad I didn’t! It was such relief to change out of my hiking boots and into sandals at camp every evening.‍
• Sunglasses‍
• A headlamp (for nighttime bathroom breaks, and the last day which starts before sunrise)
• Several pairs of wool blend hiking socks, underwear, and 2-3 sports bras for ladies‍
• Inflatable camping pillow. This is another one we almost skipped, but it took up almost no space in our bags and was so worth it.‍
• Toilet paper. It’s usually available in the bathrooms, but you want to be prepared in the few times that it’s not. Joe and I carried about a roll each
• Essential first aid toiletry items like sunscreen, deodorant, hand sanitizer, bug spray, wet wipes, band-aids, blister plasters, ibuprofen, and imodium
• Ziploc bags! Things get dirty and disorganized on the trail – it’s nice to be able to keep all of the little things dry and know where to find them
• The one item we didn’t pack and should have – a small towel to have the option of a cold shower at the end of day 2.

Are you ready to start planning your trip to Machu Picchu? Reach out to our team to get started!