Hiking The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 2024: My Personal Experience
Throughout Latin America we’ll find an incredible variety of multi-day hikes. These range from the rainforest hike through Colombia to the Lost City, to exploring the Copper Canyon in Mexico.
Whilst these were enjoyable, most recently I’ve taken on the Inca Trail in the Andean mountains of Peru. And to say that this experience blew me away is a real understatement.
Hiking The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
In this article I’ll share my experience hiking along the Inca Trail, and why I think it’s a must for anyone heading through Peru.
I’ll also cover important topics such as how to get there, preparing for the trek as well as how to choose the best operator for your own needs and style.
Is it Worth Hiking The Inca Trail?
Without a doubt yes – if you like nature, incredible mountain sceneries, seeing archaeological ruins and learning more about Andean culture – that is.
Whilst other hikes in Peru are simply about seeing beautiful panoramic vistas (which are of course amazing in their own right), the Inca Trail is a much more culturally-immersive experience. Here you’ll step-back in time and walk the same route that the ancient Inca once did, whilst learning about their history and visiting sites they once occupied.
You’ll also get to know many of the local porters and workers along the way too, who can share some of their insider tips for the hike (whilst most are from the surrounding region and speak Quechua, they also speak Spanish too).
As you’ll see reading on, along the Inca Trail you’ll also get to visit some breathtaking scenery too. This includes cloud forests, alpine lagoons, rugged mountains and more!
How to Book an Inca Trail Experience
The best way to get yourself booked onto the Inca Trail is pre-booking your spot online. These tours include everything you’ll need such as food and hiking equipment.
However it’s important to remember to book your spot at least 6 months in advance. This is because there’s limited capacity on the route, and also as it’s a major bucket list item (so it will be pretty popular year-round).
Getting to The Inca Trail
It’s firstly important to note that you must go with a professional guide to enter the Inca Trail. This actually works out well too, since you’ll have your transport provided to the starting point and back to Cusco once you’ve finished.
The vast majority of Inca Trail operators will begin their program in Cusco, where they pick you up and then transport you to KM 82 where the trailhead begins (or to a different point if heading on a shorter Inca Trail hike).
My Experience Hiking The Inca Trail
Having lived and traveled around Peru for a few years now, the Inca Trail was the last major frontier that I wanted to take on in this diverse nation. Whilst I’ve seen other incredible and unique destinations in Peru, this one was a true bucket list item.
I personally chose to go with ABExpeditions on a 4 Day Inca Trail Hike, given they are a 100% local company that supports the local workers well. Whilst there are plenty of other companies you can find (hundreds in Cusco), this one was great from a cultural point of view, where you’ll feel like a family with all the porters and group along the trail.
Below I’ll share my personal experience hiking the Inca Trail, including any highlights and surprises that I found along the way.
Day One of The Inca Trail
On the first day we were all picked up early from Cusco, and made our way towards the Sacred Valley. It was pretty cold so it’s ideal to have a thick coat with you, as well as gloves and a hat ready too.
After passing the control center (which took like an hour as they are currently changing the ticketing systems), we finally made it onto the Inca Trail.
The first day was actually quite warm, and was mostly passing through farmlands and small Andean communities along the way. We also saw a few ruins such as Salapunku and Llactapata, where you could walk through the latter as well as enjoy some awesome mountain vistas.
It’s one of the longest days you’ll be hiking for, and for me personally it was actually my least favorite of all (despite the initial hype I felt when getting onto the track).
There’s still lots of other groups around here, although you’ll also find plenty of small kiosks along the way to buy extra snacks and drinks.
Day One Stats:
- 👣 Average Footsteps Walked: 25,000
- ⏰ Hours Walked: 7
- ⭐️ Highlight: Rural Communities
Day Two of The Inca Trail
I heard a lot about the second day prior to this hike, and if you’ve researched it too then you’ll know it’s the most challenging and difficult day of all. Here you need to walk up and down two different mountains, which is easier said than done.
The first one takes you up and out of the high Amazon Jungle and into the remote Andean mountains. It’s essentially a long haul up until you reach Dead Woman’s Pass, which is the highest altitude point of the trek (4217m above sea-level).
Along the way you can spot Llamas, Alpacas and even these Wasps that hunt big spiders. The views on top of this first mountain pass were some of my all-time favorites, and felt well-earned too.
After some time resting and having lunch at a small site, we then ascended the second (and smaller mountain). Here we saw various ruins between here and the next campsite, including those of Rukunkuray and Sayacmarca.
It did start to rain somewhat (it was in January after all – the height of the wet season), however our group kept pushing on. We also saw some alpine lakes along the way too, as well as hiking through thick mists on the trail.
Day Two was by far my favorite day of all, which goes against the fact that it’s the hardest. This may be because it required more effort and felt better-earned, however I must also say that the scenery here was some of the most epic I’ve ever seen in South America.
Day Two Stats:
- 👣 Average Footsteps Walked: 15,000
- ⏰ Hours Walked: 8
- ⭐️ Highlight: Dead Woman’s Pass
Day Three of The Inca Trail
Waking up early on the third day, we began to make our way through cloud forests. It rained a lot during this day, which was kind of expected given it was the wet season after all (make sure to bring a good poncho with you).
This area is where you are most likely to see animals, however I wasn’t so lucky (although I did spot numerous birds that are native to the region). Something that was pretty special on this day was just how vivid and bright the green colors of the jungle were, given the extra rainfall in recent weeks.
We also saw plenty of ruins on this day, which were arguably the most spectacular of all the days. Firstly we had Phuyupatamarca which was shrouded in a deep mist, followed by the insane valley views from Intipata Ruins.
Once we reached camp we were then just a 5 minute walk from the archaeological site of Wiñaywayna, which was one of my personal favorites (I ended up visiting twice on this day ).
Day Three Stats:
- 👣 Average Footsteps Walked: 17,000
- ⏰ Hours Walked: 6
- ⭐️ Highlight: Archaeological Ruins
Day Four of The Inca Trail
After a night at what was probably the best campsite of all, we woke up early around 3:00am to make our way to the gate. After a couple of hours we began walking towards the Sun Gate, which marks the end of the Inca Trail.
Being honest it does seem like a free-for-all here, where other travelers were actually running just to be the first to make it there. However I instead suggest taking your time and enjoying these mountain landscapes at your own pace (you’ll only walk this route once). You’ll also need some extra energy in the tank once you arrive at the Gringo Killer Steps.
Once out of the Sun Gate we then entered Machu Picchu, for what was my second time in this incredible site. Whilst I had blue skies last time, this time there was an omnipresent layer of mist which made the site way more interesting.
We also walked around the whole site learning about the different temples and houses, before heading down to Aguascalientes to have lunch.
Finally we walked back along the hidroeléctrica track to reach our transport van, and then headed back to Cusco completely worn out and in need of a good rest.
Day Four Stats:
- 👣 Average Footsteps Walked: 35,000*
- ⏰ Hours Walked: 8
- ⭐️ Highlight: Machu Picchu
*Important to note that on the final day we walked much further than usual on the Inca Trail. This was because the train from Aguascalientes was closed due to strikes, so we instead walked along the tracks.
My Tips For Hiking The Inca Trail
Book Well in Advance
The Inca Trail is very different from other sites in South America, in that you’ll want to book a good 6 months in advance. This is because it is so popular, as well as the fact that there is a limit of 500 hikers on the route per day. If going in the wet season (November until March) then you may be able to get a last-minute spot as there are less crowds.
Invest in a High Quality Power Bank
This should already be obvious, however there’s going to be no electricity throughout the route (we are in the remote Andes after all!). And given you’ll be gone for 4 days, you’ll want a reliable power source (also as your phone will run out of battery quicker as temperatures are quite cold). We recommend bringing this 20,000 mAh power bank from OtterBox, which will keep your gadgets all charged up.
Walk at a Comfortable Pace
This is one of those hikes which really is a marathon, not a sprint. This means it’s important to walk at a slower pace that you can maintain for longer distances (remember we’ll be walking up and down mountains for a good 8 hours each day).
Don’t worry if your group or others pass you, the main goal is to actually make it through, not to set a new world record!
Hiking The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
And that’s all for this article on my experience hiking the Inca Trail.
This was by far one of my most memorable hikes I’ve completed in South America. Here we crossed various biomes, saw plenty of ruins and animals as well as got in touch with the local Quechua cultures.
I hope you found this guide useful, and especially so if you are considering heading on the Inca Trail.
Be sure to read more about the most unique places that you can visit in Peru, which includes both well-known destinations as well as some hidden gems too.
👉🏽 P.S. If you’ve found this guide helpful, buy us a coffee here to say thanks! Or, support us by downloading our South America Travel Bible to get our best content.
“Dear traveler! Some links in this post contain affiliate links. Meaning, if you click through and make a purchase, book a hostel or sign up for a tour, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Your support means a lot and helps us to carry on traveling and maintaining the quality of this site for you.”
