Ancient Inca Trail:
Visitors that walk the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu will be hiking on the actual ancient Inca Trail footpath, carved out of the mountains centuries ago by the Inca people. These treks are multi-day hikes with camping or a mix of other lodging for the overnight stays.
The most popular way to walk the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is the 4 Day Classic Inca Trail group or private tour. The second most popular way is the Short Inca Trail 2 day Tour. There are also longer options for hikers who want to take more time on the Inca Trail, with the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 5 day tour, and those who want to combine the 2 most popular treks in Peru – the Salkantay and the Inca Trail Tour to Machu Picchu in 7 days. Another incredibly popular option is to add the famous one day hike to Rainbow Mountain and the Red Valley, to any Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
Want to know more? See this handy Guide to Hiking to Machu Picchu.
The Inca Trail: A Journey Through History
The Inca Trail is one of the most important hiking routes in Peru, South America, and the world. Built by the Incas hundreds of years ago, this legendary trail connected the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco, with the citadel of Machu Picchu. Much of the route still preserves its original stone pavement and impressive stairways, crossing mountains, valleys, cloud forests, and spectacular Andean landscapes.
Throughout the hike, you will visit numerous archaeological sites accompanied by a professional guide. These places were inhabited during the Inca period and served different religious, agricultural, administrative, and astronomical purposes. Along the route, you will find agricultural terraces, ceremonial temples, astronomical observatories, ritual water fountains, and other important remains of this fascinating civilization.
In addition to enjoying unique landscapes, the Inca Trail will allow you to discover the flora and fauna of the Andes and learn more about the history, culture, and traditions of the Incas. Arriving at Machu Picchu will be the perfect reward after several days of hiking and nights camping under the stars.
Inca Trail Regulations and Permits
The Inca Trail is strictly regulated and protected by the Peruvian Government in order to preserve this historical and natural heritage for future generations. Along the route, there are permanent checkpoints managed by park rangers, who verify passports and entry permits.
Visitors may enjoy the trail and take photographs, but they must respect conservation rules. It is forbidden to damage the flora and fauna, disturb archaeological sites, or climb on Inca structures.
There are also specific regulations for authorized staff operating on the route, including guides, porters, and cooks.
Due to these conservation measures, the number of daily permits is limited. For the Classic Inca Trail 4 days and 3 nights, approximately 500 people are allowed per day, including tourists, guides, porters, and support staff. For the Short Inca Trail 2 days and 1 night, the limit is approximately 250 people per day.
How Far in Advance Should I Book?
Booking well in advance is essential, as permits usually sell out quickly. Depending on the season, spaces may sell out between 3 and 6 months before the departure date. If you have the opportunity to book one year in advance, even better, as this will help you secure your spot without complications.
Early booking is important for all travelers who wish to complete this hike, whether they are traveling solo, as a couple, with family, or in large groups. Each person needs an individual permit, including tourists, guides, and porters.
Of the 500 daily permits available for the Classic Inca Trail, approximately 200 are allocated to tourists and around 300 to porters and support staff. This is because porters are responsible for carrying food, camping equipment, and other supplies needed for the expedition.
The Short Inca Trail 2 days and 1 night also requires advance booking. Most travelers secure their spaces between 3 and 6 months before their travel date. However, the earlier you book, the better your chances of finding availability for your preferred date, especially during the high season.
At Alpaca Expeditions, as a leading adventure travel company, we work to ensure that you enjoy a safe, organized, and memorable experience, creating memories that will last a lifetime.
Which Machu Picchu Circuit Is Included with the Inca Trail?
The Peruvian Government assigns the visitor circuits for all travelers who hike the Inca Trail, whether on the 2-day, 4-day, 5-day, or longer versions.
Hikers who arrive at Machu Picchu through the Inca Trail have access to Circuits 1 and 3, allowing them to enjoy a very complete experience inside the citadel.
Circuit 1: Machu Picchu Viewpoint
This circuit includes the famous Machu Picchu viewpoint, also known as the Guardhouse or Watch Tower. From this point, travelers can take the most iconic panoramic photos of the citadel, the same images that appear on most postcards and publications about Machu Picchu.
Travelers who complete the Inca Trail arrive precisely in this area, as the trail ends in the upper part of the citadel, offering one of the most spectacular and emotional entrances to Machu Picchu.
Circuit 3: Guided Tour of the Citadel
After enjoying the viewpoint, you will continue with a guided tour along Circuit 3 with your professional guide. This visit lasts approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes and allows you to explore many of the most important sectors of the Inca citadel.
The combination of Circuits 1 and 3 provides a very complete experience and allows you to discover most of Machu Picchu’s main highlights.
Huayna Picchu Mountain Optional
If you wish to climb Huayna Picchu Mountain, located behind Machu Picchu, you will need to purchase an additional ticket. This activity is optional and requires a separate reservation due to limited availability.
The hike takes approximately 2 hours and is usually done after the guided tour of Machu Picchu. Due to high demand and the limited number of visitors allowed per day, we recommend booking this ticket several months in advance.
Best time ever!
Our guide was Ismael and we had the best time, he showed us all of the local plants, taught us all about the Incan ruins and I came back home with much more knowledge. Octavio was our chef and the best meals and I got to experience the local food here, also a few people in our group had some allergies to certain foods and Octavio delivered with theist own dishes. Thank you to alpaca expeditions for making this trip unforgettable.
Trip of a lifetime
For sometime, I had wanted to hike to Machu Picchu; however, those plans were first thwarted by the Pandemic in 2020 and then delayed by other commitments. In July, I finally managed to participate and I was not left disappointed.
All of the arrangements on this stretch of my trip — the trek, accommodation along the trek, two guides, three porters, three excellent meals prepared fresh each day by two chefs, all transportation, and my entry tickets to the site were efficiently organized by Alpaca Expeditions - Peru Tour Operator. I chose this company because they are 100% Peruvian owned and managed, and hire many Andean women among their staff. They were also great at communicating via WhatsApp in advance of my trip, have great reviews, and work with small groups. Besides the beauty of the trek and sites along the way, our guides — Americo and David — were stars. They took us to a coffee plantation with a hands-on workshop, fruit farms, improvised World Cup watch parties, and gave lectures on Incan history, Quechua, Andean food, flora and fauna.
I would highly recommend Alpaca Expeditions as they have exceeded their reputations.
Amazing tour!!!
Absolutely incredible tour!!! Nilton and Kenyo were such awesome guides. They were so passionate about Peru’s history and knew so much! Really good English too. Everything was planned perfectly for the tour and ran smoothly. We would recommend them to anyone!
Amazing 5-Day Choquequirao Trek with Alpaca Expeditions!
Our family of five had an incredible experience on the 5-day, 4-night Choquequirao trek with Alpaca Expeditions. From the moment the trek began, everything was organized perfectly, and the entire team went above and beyond to make it a memorable adventure.
Our guide, Celio, was outstanding. He was knowledgeable, professional, patient, and so much fun to spend five days with. He shared fascinating stories about the local culture, and the surrounding nature, while always making sure everyone in our family was safe, comfortable, and enjoying the journey. His encouragement and positive attitude made even the toughest climbs enjoyable.
The food was great! Every meal exceeded our expectations, and we were amazed by the quality and variety of dishes the chefs prepared in such remote locations. It felt like we were eating at a restaurant in the middle of the mountains.
Choquequirao itself is an unforgettable destination, and experiencing it with Alpaca Expeditions made it even more special. We can’t thank Celio, the chefs, and the muleteers enough for their hard work and kindness throughout the trek.
If you’re considering hiking to Choquequirao, we wholeheartedly recommend Alpaca Expeditions. They exceeded our expectations in every way, and our family will cherish this experience for a lifetime.
2-Day Guided Tour
My wife and my two-day Sacred Valley / Machu Picchu tour with Alpaca Expeditions was excellent. Our group included 8 people and stopped at an alpaca / llama sanctuary, Pisaq site, lunch at Urubamba, Ollantaytambo site, then train to Aguas Calientes (where we stayed), and Machu Picchu. The hotel that Alpaca Expeditions uses for all trekkers / groups was clean and spacious.
David, our guide, was very friendly and knowledgeable and provided great cultural, historical, and geographic information at each of our stops. He also efficiently managed the logistics of our trip such as the transport, meals, and accommodations. We appreciated his unique perspective as a local of this region.