Sacred Valley + Classic Inca Trail 5 Days / 4 Nights

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Cusco – Sacred Valley Tour – Overnight in Ollantaytambo

Your adventure begins in the heart of the Andes. We will pick you up from your hotel between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. and start the journey to the Sacred Valley.

Highlights of the day:

• Traditional Pisac Market

• Pisac Archaeological Site with terraces, temples, and spectacular viewpoints

• Urubamba, where you will enjoy a delicious buffet lunch

• The stunning Maras Salt Mines, famous for their 3,000+ natural salt pools

• The impressive Ollantaytambo Fortress, featuring the Temple of the Sun and massive Inca stonework

You will spend the night in Ollantaytambo.

Day 2: Ollantaytambo – Km 82 – Ayapata (Start of the Inca Trail)

After breakfast, we will pick you up between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. and drive to Km 82, the official checkpoint of the Classic Inca Trail.
You must present your original passport or the document used to book your permit.

Today’s hike is relatively easy and perfect to warm up. Along the route you will enjoy incredible views of:

• Huillca Raccay

• Llactapata (Patallacta)

• The Urubamba Mountain Range

• The snow-capped W'akay Willka / Veronica Mountain (5,860 m)

We will camp in Ayapata (3,300 m).

Distance: 14 km
Duration: 6 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Weather: Mild, windy in the afternoon

Day 3: Ayapata – Warmiwañusca – Chaquicocha (The Challenge Day)

This is the toughest but most rewarding day of the Inca Trail.
We start early at 5:00 a.m. and ascend for about 4 hours toward the highest point of the entire trail:

• Warmiwañusca Pass (4,200 m) – also known as Dead Woman’s Pass.

We then descend 1.5 hours to Pacaymayo for lunch.
Next, we climb again for 2 hours to reach the second mountain pass:

• Runkuraqay Pass (4,000 m)

Finally, we descend to our campsite at Chaquicocha (3,600 m).

Distance: 16 km
Duration: 9 hours
Difficulty: Difficult
Weather: Cold, windy

Day 4: Chaquicocha – Phuyupatamarca – Wiñayhuayna

After breakfast, the trail continues toward Phuyupatamarca (3,680 m), known as “The City Above the Clouds”, one of the best-preserved archaeological sites on the Inca Trail.

We then descend into the lush cloud forest to visit:

• Intipata agricultural terraces

• Our final campsite at Wiñayhuayna (2,680 m)

• The archaeological complex of Wiñay Wayna, meaning “Forever Young”

You will have the afternoon free to rest and prepare for the final day.

Duration: 4–5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Weather: Mild

Day 5: Wiñayhuayna – Sun Gate – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes – Cusco

Today is the highlight of the entire journey.
We wake up at 3:30 a.m. and head to the final checkpoint. After a short one-hour walk, we arrive at:

• Inti Punku (Sun Gate) – your first breathtaking view of Machu Picchu at sunrise.

We then walk down to the main entrance, store backpacks, and re-enter through Circuit 3 (as required for Inca Trail hikers).

Enjoy a 2-hour guided tour of Machu Picchu, exploring its temples, plazas, terraces, and ceremonial areas.

Afterwards, take the bus down to Aguas Calientes, where you’ll have free time for lunch (not included).
Later, you will board the Expedition train to Ollantaytambo, where our private transport will pick you up and return you to Cusco.