Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

The classic 4-day Inca Trail is a 43 km pilgrimage from kilometre 82 of the Cusco–Machu Picchu railway to the Sun Gate above Machu Picchu, traversing three high passes through cloud forest, alpine puna, and stone-paved Inca paths older than the Spanish conquest. It's the most regulated trek in South America — 500 daily permits including porters, mandatory licensed guides, no independent hikers — and one of the most spectacular.

Day 1 starts gently along the Urubamba river to Wayllabamba, the last village before the climb. Day 2 is the hardest by a wide margin: a roughly 1,200 m ascent to the windswept Warmiwañusca pass at 4,215 m, the trail's highest point, followed by a knee-punishing descent into Pacaymayo. Day 3 crosses two more passes — Runkurakay and Phuyupatamarca — and visits the hilltop ruined fortresses of Runkurakay and Sayacmarca before dropping into cloud forest at Wiñaywayna, the trail's largest archaeological site. Day 4 begins around 3:30 AM to reach Inti Punku, the Sun Gate, in time to watch dawn light hit Machu Picchu — for most trekkers, the first view of the city is from above, on foot, at sunrise.

Permits are released annually each October and the high-season slots (May–September) routinely sell out within days. The trail closes every February for cleaning and slope stabilisation. Independent trekking is not permitted: every group must travel with a licensed Peruvian operator, a guide, and porters. Altitude is the main concern — Cusco itself sits at around 3,400 m, and trekkers should arrive 2–3 days early to acclimatise before starting. Dry season is May–September (cold nights, sunny days, dust); wet season is November–April (rain most days, but greener and quieter).