Our family enjoys the outdoors and hiking and for years we have dreamed of venturing out on the Inca Trail to see Machu Picchu. With a milestone birthday on the horizon, we decided this year would be the year to make the trek a reality. The Inca Trail is one of the most popular hikes in South America, and for good reason. The narrow trail includes sweeping views of the sacred valley and dramatic walks through cloud forests. The three night, four day adventure along the iconic route covers 25.5 miles and culminates at Machu Picchu. The hike is an experience that’s both breathtaking and will leave you out of breath.
Preparing for the Inca Trail
For our trek, we chose Top Peru Trips. Hiking the Inca Trail must be done with a guide service and Top Peru was superb. Our experience with Top Peru was top notch. The information provided before the hike left us feeling prepared and ready. Additionally, we felt very well cared for by our guide, Raul, and the ten porters who accompanied our group.
The best prepartion for the Inca Trail is to start planning early. We made our reservation five months in advance. Choosing to hike the trail in the dry season (August) means you’ll need to plan ahead as permits sell out. See my packing list below for tips on what to bring on the trail. In addition to having the right gear, you’ll also need to prepare your body for the physical demands of the hike.
The Inca Trail is challenging. You’ll hike between 5-9 miles most days at altitudes you’re likely not accustomed to, often over 11,000 feet. Combine the length and altitide with the fact that most of the hike is an uphill climb and you can see why a bit of advance preparation is needed. We started walking five miles per day three months before our trip to ensure we built a bit of stamina. We did so in the hiking shoes we purchased for the trail to ensure they were well broken in before we set foot in Peru.
Day 1-Acclimation
The first day on the trail starts early. By 5:30am our guide, Raul, met us at our apartment in Cusco and we loaded in to a van bound for kilometer 82, the start of the Inca Trail. Before we hit the trail, we stopped for a quick breakfast of chocolate banana pancakes and scrambled eggs at a cafe. Day one covers 7.5 miles and had us crossing the Urubamba River and stopping at the Llactapata ruins before we settled into camp for our first night at Wayllabamba. Along the first few miles of the trail, we walked through a couple small villages, saw several donkeys and mules and stopped to buy ice cream and play yard games at a designated rest area.
Day 2-The Climb
The second day on the trail was by far the toughest.The majority of the hike was uphill to over 16,700 feet as we crossed Dead Woman’s Pass. There were moments we were being scortched by the hot Andean sun and then frozen by blistering winds as we crossed Dead Woman’s Pass plus one other pass. Our group consisted of our family of four and a couple from the Netherlands. We weren’t the fastest group but we did persevere and maintained a posititve mental attitude (most of the time). Day two totaled about 5.5 miles and concluded at the Pacaymayu campsite.
Our Hiking Group
All trekkers on the Inca Trail must be accompanied by a guide service. We used Top Peru trips and had an amazing experience. Our group consisted of six hikers plus our guide. We were supported by nine porters and one chef. The porters carried all our camping equipment including tents, sleeping pads, and bags plus a small duffel bag of each hiker’s personal items. Not only was most of our gear transported for us, but tents and sleeping pads were put up and taken down for us each evening and morning.
We were amazed at the porters ability to tear down camp each morning, hurry along the trail carrying about 80 pounds each, beat the hikers to the lunch spot or campsite and set it all up before we arrived. Amazing. Meals while on the trail were phenomenal. I think we ate better on the trail than we do at home. Each meal was several courses usually consisting of a soup, main course, and a sweet treat that we topped off with a tin cup of warm tea.
Day 3-the Longest Day
By the third day on the trail, we were starting to feel fatigued. Despite that, we were excited to have the tougher part of the trail, with higher elevations, behind us. Given that, we were optomistic going into the third day on the Inca Trail. That changed a bit when it started to rain mid-morning and continued to drizzle and remain misty most of the day. The wet rocks slowed our pace a bit as we needed to navigate thousands of stone steps (now slippery) to cover the 8.7 miles needed to reach the final campsite before Machu Picchu, Winay Wayna.
Day 4-Arrival at Machu Picchu
On the final day of the hike, adrenaline is pumping. We were so close to the end and reaching Machu Picchu. We woke at 3:00am and made the short walk to the control station where we waited alongside a few dozen other hikers to pass through when the station opened at 5:30am. From there, it was just over 3 miles to reach Sun Gate and set our eyes on Machu Picchu.
We used our head lamps to guide as for the first hour of the hike from the control station, as it is mostly in the dark. Thankfully, the hike was quite easy and mostly flat. However, the last several yards of the hike to Sun Gate are more challenging. This section is referred to as the “monkey steps” as you need to hand-over-hand claw your way up the stone steps to reach the top. The reward is a first look at Machu Picchu as the first light of the day arrives.
From Sun Gate we proceeded down into Machu Picchu, dropped our packs at the bag check station, and then enjoyed the tour provided by our guide, Raul. Our tour consisted of time in both circuits one and two. We learned alot about why Machu Pichhu was important to the Quechua and theories on why they abandoned the site in the early 1500s as well as got the opportunity to see temples and residential sites inside Machu Picchu. The highlight of the tour was up close and personal interactions with a couple of the resident llamas.
Trek Back to Cusco
Just before lunch, we had concluded in time on the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu. We took the bus to Aquas Calientes, had lunch and enjoyed the adorable city square, and then rode the train to Ollantaytambo. Our driver met us at the train station and then drove us to our apartment in Cusco. What an adventure we had on the Inca Trail!
Inca Trail Packing List
The weather and conditions on the Inca Trail vary widely. Daytime temperatures can be quite hot while overnight it can be very chill. Below is a list of items we packed for the trail.
- 3 pairs of hiking pants
- I brought these Kuhl pants and these from Prana plus a pair from Eddie Bauer
- 3 tshirts/short sleeve shirts
- 2-3 fleece pullovers
- 3 pairs of underwear
- 5-6 pairs of socks (in case some get wet)
- sun hat/baseball hat
- beanie/stocking hat/warm hat
- I opted for a navy, military style cap and a teal striped beanie both from Pistil
- insulated jacket
- this nano puff Patagonia jacket was the perfect weight and very packable
- sturdy and waterproof hiking shoes
- I absolutely LOVE these hikers by Salomon
- hiking pack
- I carried the 32L Hikelite by Osprey. It was probably a bit too big as it was never full but it served double duty my carry-on bag for the trip
- rain poncho-we bought ours in Cusco
- toiletries-toothbrush and paste, comb, hand sanitizer, wet wipes
- toilet paper-campsite toilets do not have toilet paper
Hiking the Inca Trail was one of the most incredible experiences of our lives. We won’t soon forget how hard we worked for such an amazing experience. For more on our adventures in Peru, see posts on Cusco and the Peruvian rainforest.
Happy Adventuring, Rochelle
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