Peru package
Inca Trail Expedition
9 days, from $2,390 per traveler
Operated by Highland Adventures · how we work
- Best for
- The full four-day trek
- Getting in
- Classic Inca Trail (4 days)
- Pace
- Challenging
- Duration
- 9 days
- From
- $2,390 per traveler
- Trip type
- Complete planned trip
The full four-day Classic Inca Trail on licensed permits, with real acclimatisation before it and a complete trip around it. You walk the original stone route over Dead Woman's Pass, camp with a full crew, and arrive at Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate on foot, the way it was meant to be reached.
Right for / not right for
Right for
- Active travellers who want to hike the original trail
- Anyone set on arriving at Machu Picchu on foot through the Sun Gate
- Groups who plan well ahead for their dates
Not right for
- Travellers who would rather not camp or hike multiple days
- Anyone planning too late to arrange permits
- Trips needing a fully flexible, change-as-you-go schedule
Sample itinerary
A starting shape, not a fixed plan. We tailor the days, pace, and hotels with you during planning.
- 1
Arrive in Lima
Welcome at the airport and private transfer to your hotel in Miraflores. No agenda tonight; settle in at sea level before the highlands.
- 2
Fly to Cusco, then the city and its ruins
Morning flight up to Cusco, then an easy-paced afternoon tour of the city with the ruins above it, Sacsayhuaman and Puka Pukara. The pace is deliberately gentle on your first day at altitude.
- 3
Sacred Valley acclimatisation
Pisac and Ollantaytambo at valley altitude, the standard acclimatisation day we run before every trek departure.
- 4
Trek day 1: onto the trail
Early transfer to the KM 82 trailhead and a manageable first stretch along the Urubamba, with the first camp among Inca sites.
- 5
Trek day 2: Dead Woman's Pass
The big climb over Warmiwanusca, the trail's highest pass, the toughest and most rewarding day of the trek.
- 6
Trek day 3: cloud forest and ruins
The most beautiful stretch: cloud-forest ridges and a chain of ruins ending near Winay Wayna for the final camp.
- 7
Trek day 4: the Sun Gate
A pre-dawn start to reach Inti Punku for first light over the citadel, then the walk down into Machu Picchu and a hotel night in Aguas Calientes, a bed well earned.
- 8
Machu Picchu guided, then back to Cusco
A full guided visit on the confirmed circuit while the trek is fresh, then the train and transfer back to Cusco.
- 9
Departure
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Lima and your onward connection.
Machu Picchu access
Sun Gate arrival (Inti Punku)
This trek runs on a Classic Inca Trail permit we arrange for you. We confirm availability for your dates during planning and never promise a sold-out date; the current permit rules are linked below.
We design and run your whole Peru trip around the right Machu Picchu access, with every entry confirmed as part of it.
Where you stay
Casa Andina Standard hotels, or similar, in Lima, Cusco, and Aguas Calientes before and after the trail, and quality trek camping with tents, mats, and a full crew during the four days on it.
What's included
Included
- Classic Inca Trail permit and licensed trekking crew
- Camping equipment, cook, and porters for the group gear
- All meals on the trail, breakfast to dinner
- Machu Picchu entry, arranged as part of your trip
- Trains, transfers, and hotels with breakfast off the trek
Not included
- International and domestic flights
- Personal trekking gear and sleeping bag (rentable)
- Travel insurance (required for the trek)
- Tips for the crew and personal expenses
What changes the price
- Permit availability and travel dates (trek departures run on fixed days)
- Group size and private versus small-group trekking
- Hotel level before and after
- Personal porter and gear-rental add-ons
Straight talk
This is a real multi-day high-altitude trek, and day two is genuinely hard. Permits are arranged well ahead and popular dates fill up, so timing is the whole game; the current rules and release timing are on our Rules Center and Permit Tracker. If the trek or the timing is not right, the Short Inca Trail or a train arrival is the honest alternative.
Not sure this is the right trip for your group? The trip planner reads your dates, party, and pace, the route recommender picks the right circuit, and the AI specialist answers anything else. Or read how we work.
Common questions
- How fit do I need to be?
- Fit enough for consecutive days of hiking at altitude, including one long climb. It is achievable for regular walkers who train a little; we will be straight with you about your group.
- How early must we book for permits?
- As early as you can for peak months, because timing is the whole game with this trek. The Permit Tracker explains how releases work and lets you set an alert, and the current rules are on our Rules Center.
- What happens if permits are gone?
- We offer the Short Inca Trail or a train arrival. We never claim we can get a sold-out permit.
- Who carries what on the trail?
- The crew carries the camp and group gear; you carry a daypack. A personal porter for your things is a popular add-on.
Request a quote
Tell us your dates, party, and budget and a trip specialist replies personally with a plan and exact pricing.
- 1.A specialist checks your dates against the current access rules.
- 2.We confirm the best circuit, route, and train plan for your group.
- 3.You receive a written proposal with exact pricing and payment timing.
- 4.A deposit reserves the trip; entry is confirmed during planning.
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