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Alpaca Expeditions Travel Peru
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Machu Picchu Journey:
If you’ve ever typed “Machu Picchu” into your search bar, you know the internet is full of glossy photos, succinct itineraries, and generic top‑ten lists. Those pieces are great if you only want a quick snapshot. But Machu Picchu Journey is much more than that.
But for travelers who crave more who want stories, context, historical footnotes, and the type of insider advice you normally get over coffee with a well‑travelled friend, articles can feel a bit thin. Alpaca Expeditions asked us to change that.
As a 100 % locally owned company run by Quechua‑speaking Peruvians, they believe every visitor should experience the Sacred Valley not as a box‑tick, but as a journey. What follows is their ultimate, long‑form companion to Machu Picchu: an article deep dive designed to answer your questions, ignite your curiosity, and help you prepare for an adventure you will remember forever.
Lost City of the Incas:
Machu Picchu has been called the “Lost City of the Incas,” a label that hints at mystery and discovery. Built on a high mountain ridge in the mid‑1400s, it towers 2,430 metres (7,970 ft) above sea level. The citadel itself covers about 80,000 acres and is surrounded by steep forested slopes and the tumultuous Urubamba River.
At any given time during the Inca period, there were probably no more than 750 people living here. Its longevity lies in the combination of cunning Inca engineering, clever hiding, and sheer luck: the Spanish conquistadors never found Machu Picchu, so the complex escaped the destruction that befell many other Andean sites.
Instead, the world rediscovered it in 1911 when explorer Hiram Bingham, guided by local farmers, reached its terraces and let the rest of humanity in on the secret. Today, the site is a UNESCO World Heritage property and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Throughout this guide, we will refer to facts and figures drawn from reliable sources such as the Two Wandering Soles Inca Trail guide, Worldly Adventurer’s trekking articles, and the detailed travel guides on Wikivoyage and Kiddle.
Citations accompany statements to show exactly where information comes from, so you can verify details if you wish. In places where the literature is unclear or contested, we flag differing opinions and explain why certain interpretations are popular. Most importantly, we approach the subject as friends: we don’t just tell you what to do, we tell you why it matters. Let’s begin.
WHY TRAVEL WITH ALPACA EXPEDITIONS?
At Alpaca Expeditions, we take pride in being a local company based in Cusco , the tourism capital of Peru. Here, tourism is more than an industry—it’s the lifeblood of the community. Every journey we organize not only connects travelers to the rich history and culture of the Andes but also directly supports local families and fosters sustainable development.
+4
4 ISO Certifications + Green Footprint ISO
The only company with 4 ISO + Green FootPrint ISO, International Organization for Standarization
9001, 45001, 14001, 21101
+31K
31,000+ Excellent Tripadvisor Reviews
The only company with more than 31,000 excellent reviews on Tripadvisor
Join a small group of like-minded travelers
+Impact
Empowering Women
We empower women with real opportunities in tourism through training, employment, and leadership.
See our women's initiatives
+Care
Inca Trail Porter Welfare
We support our porters with fair treatment, safe working conditions, and real care on every trek.
Learn about porter welfare
+Support
Community Commitment
We support education, local social projects, and create a positive impact beyond tourism.
Explore our community work
+Pro
Top Hiking Logistics
We provide professional equipment and logistics for safe, comfortable, and well-organized treks in the Andes.
Discover our trek logistics
ISO (Organización Internacional de Normalización)
In the pursuit to stand out from the rest, Alpaca Expeditions has obtained four ISOs plus our carbon footprint certificate to date. These achievements result from our efforts to implement the internationally-recognized integrated management system. They also represent our commitment to all of our clients and staff of operating sustainability and responsibility in every way possible.
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
In Tripadvisor
March 18, 2026
We had a wonderful time with Juan visiting the Inca sites in Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Juan is very knowledgeable about the history and prehistory of the Inca civilization. He also knew all the best spots for pictures! We really appreciated his expertise.
March 17, 2026
In general: What an experience! Great guides, chefs, and porters. Alpaca Expeditions is a green company that pays close attention to their carbon footprint, sources their food locally, and has various programs that give back to their community. Bonus: they have a portable toilet that is well maintained and stocked with TP at all times. My personal experience: This is long, but hopefully helpful if you have any reservations about whether you can accomplish this trek! I arrived in Cuzco to acclimate 3 days early…however, I unfortunately succumbed to the altitude on day one of the actual hike and got worse on day 2 and 3. It is not lost on me that I was ONLY able to complete the trek because of the Alpaca team. The chef team, led by Cecilio, were very accommodating to my needs and prepared different teas to try to help me. Our groups guides, Alvin and Yojhan, were beyond encouraging and made sure I was safe the whole time. One of them was always with me even though I took twice as long as the rest of the group. >_< I can’t stress enough how important it is to have the right team supporting you in any situation. Their company’s back bone is stellar, but their actions during the hike showed me their heart is unbeatable.
March 17, 2026
I recently completed the 4-day Inca Trail with Alpaca Expeditions alongside my teenage daughters, and it exceeded every expectation. The weather was perfect all four days, which made the stunning views even better. Our guides, Yojhan and Alvin, were true experts, sharing deep insights into Incan history, the wildlife, and the flora and fauna of the area. They were incredibly patient and answered every question we had about Peru and more. From the start, they encouraged us to keep smiles on our faces and told us we’d become a "super family" by the end—and that is exactly what happened. The "super porters" worked tirelessly, and our chef Cecilio and his assistant cooked incredible meals for us along the way. Everything went perfectly to plan, and we finished the expedition with celebratory toasts and a shared album for photos with our new friends. I cannot recommend this team highly enough!
March 17, 2026
Muy buena experiencia con Alvin y Yojhan haciendo el camino Inka clásico. La comida que nos hizo Cecilio y Angelito estaba impresionante. Repetiría seguro!
March 17, 2026
The 4 day Inca trip was the best trip i have had in my lifetime. Beyond the scenic scenery everything has been well planned through. Alvin and Yohan were there for any possible inquries and shared a lot of nice insights along the inca trail. The food was better than any regular meal you can grab in town and was served three times a day by the amazing chef Cecilo and his crew. If you don’t do this trip you miss out.
Superb . Amazing . Memorable 🫶
Words cannot express the way I feel about The Salkantay Trek 7days 6 nights with our awesome Guide - Group Leader Ismael, was one of the most memorable experiences that I will treasure in memory forever. Ismael’s knowledge and passion in sharing the history of his culture, and the surrounding landscape, the historical sites, coupled with the flora and fauna was outstanding. He conveyed it with such enthusiasm, zealous paired with great humour made it all the more memorable and interesting.
The food that nourished us day today was superb, Marcelino was and outstanding chef.
The rest of the Alpaca crew was amazing, from setting up our camp site, we couldn’t have done this without our Alpaca Familia.
Kudos to you all, and many thanks 🙏🏽 🙏🏽🙏🏽 for making this one of the most unforgettable experience of a lifetime. 🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶
Viva Peru 🇵🇪 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Best trip ever with Raul and Edwin! We highly recommend this tour and these guides.
We had an amazing experience with our guides Raul Angel and Edwin. They took excellent care of our group the entire time!
Bucket list must if you love the outdoors
The hike was absolutely incredible. Our guides Raul Angel and Edwin were amazing! They were helpful, supportive and full of knowledge to share. I can’t rave about them enough. The food was sooo good. We ate like kings every night! If I could give 10 plus stars to our guides and the porters and chefs I would! This is a bucket list trip that is a must if you like adventure and beautiful scenery!
Great experience
Had an amazing experience with Rolando and Meliton as guides on the 4 day Inca expedition. They did a great job explaining the history of each Inca site we visited, and they kept hike very entertaining. We had lots of great food as well
Inca Trail 4 Day Hike
We did the four day/three night Inca trail with Ronaldo and Meliton and it was an amazing experience! They did a wonderful job as guides and if I come back for any future trips I will be requesting them! Thanks for a wonderful time in Peru!