CAMINO INKA 4D/3N

The best time to hike the Inca Trail for four days is generally considered to be from May to August, as these months fall within the dry season. However, each month offers a unique experience, which is why we have created a detailed blog post for each month, outlining the pros and cons of hiking the Inca Trail during that time. Each blog post also includes a video showcasing the landscape of the trail for that specific month. Click on the month links—January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December—to explore more

Yes, there is a waiting list for Inca Trail tours to Machu Picchu. However, new tickets usually become available 2 to 5 days before the trek starts. This is because some people get sick when they arrive in Cusco and have to cancel their Inca Trail trip.

Yes, we offer secure luggage storage for all travelers joining the 4-day Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu. Any extra luggage or personal belongings that you do not need during the trek can be safely stored at our office in Cusco.

You may bring your additional belongings to our office one day before your departure, or you can hand them to our driver when our guide picks you up from your hotel in Cusco. If you choose to give your luggage to the driver, it will be transported back to Cusco after you are dropped off at the Inca Trail trailhead.

Once back in Cusco, your belongings will be securely stored by our team until you complete your Inca Trail hike. All stored items will be returned to you upon your return to Cusco after finishing the trek to Machu Picchu.

The Inca Trail 4-day permit automatically includes access to Circuit 1 – Route 1C (Sungate) and Circuit 3 – Route 3B (Designed Royalty Route).

Upon arriving at the Sungate, you will continue hiking directly to Machu Picchu for approximately 45 minutes, following Route 1C. Once you reach Machu Picchu, you will proceed to the Upper Terrace, an area that offers the iconic panoramic view of the citadel. Here, your professional guide will provide a comprehensive introduction to the site, including its historical context and cultural importance.

After completing the visit to the Upper Terrace, you will exit the citadel and then re-enter to continue along Route 3B. This circuit leads through some of the most important temples and architectural structures of the ancient Inca city, allowing you to explore areas closely associated with Inca royalty and ceremonial life.

The outstanding balance, you should pay 2 days before your departure at our office . Our office hours are in the morning from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm and in the afternoon from 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm. You can also pay us with a Credit Card (a 5% service fee applies).  Please let us know what you prefer. If you want to pay with Cash, you should pay us 2 days prior to your departure.  

Yes, it is possible. However we have to buy another Inca Trail permit for your new desired date, and we will also have to pay a penalty to change train tickets. So the extra cost to change the departure date is $100 per person. 

Note: If you want to change your departure date, you have to first see our availability for your new departure date. If there is no availability for your new departure date, then it will not be possible.

On day 4, all the porters will leave the campsite at 4:00 am to catch the train at 5:30 am back to Ollantaytambo. However, some of our porters will hike to Aguas Calientes bringing the duffle bags where they will leave them in our secure storage point. After visiting Machu Picchu you will head down to Aguas Calientes and pick up your duffle bags, before going to the train station to take the train to Ollantaytambo.

e usually book return train tickets at 2:55 pm or 3:20 pm for our Inca Trail tours, so you arrive in Cusco at 7:30 pm. This means you will have enough time to sleep and do any tour the next day, such as to Rainbow Mountain.

In case our country closes its borders, we refund you all the deposit. But if you don’t make it to our country for whatever other reason (such as getting sick, missing your flight,  there is a strike or natural disaster etc). You will lose USD $200 automatically. Once we buy the Inca Trail permit, it unfortunately becomes non-refundable and non-transferable – even for ourselves. The entity in charge of issuing the Inca Trail permits is the Ministry of Culture of Peru. They don’t provide any refunds.

We understand that nothing is guaranteed and things may change, therefore we will do our best to be reasonable and charge you only for things that we have already spent and cannot reclaim ourselves.

To avoid altitude sickness, we highly recommend you arrive in Cusco at least 2 days in advance. On the first day, you can walk around the city visiting some museums and local markets, or you can take a tour around Cusco. On the second day, you can hike to Cristo Blanco. It is 3 km from Cusco and is all uphill which is a good test. You can also take the Sacred Valley tour to visit some Inca sites outside of Cusco.

Also during the first day, try to eat soft foods. If you eat heavy foods, the oxygen will go to your stomach instead of your brain which can cause nausea.

Yes, it is possible. In case you cancel your trip one day before your departure or you return from the trail on day 1, we will help you organize your Machu Picchu Tour. You can do a 1-day trip or a 2-day tour to Machu Picchu. If you are doing a day trip, you will need to buy a train ticket from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes ($70 per person), transportation from Cusco to Ollantaytambo ($30 in total), as well as a ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu ($12 per person). In case you want to stay overnight, you will need to add a hotel in Aguas Calientes which costs roughly anywhere from $30-90 (we recommend the Tara Machu Picchu which is a 3-star hotel).

You will still use things that were already included in your Inca Trail 4-day package, such as your Machu Picchu ticket, bus ticket from Mapi to Aguas Calientes, train ticket from Aguas Calientes as well as your transportation from Cusco to Ollantaytambo.

However, public toilets are available along the entire Inca Trail, typically spaced about every two hours of hiking. On the first day, local residents offer access to their private toilets for a fee, so it is advisable to carry coins; each use costs 1 sol, and these toilets are generally clean. From the second day onward, only public toilets are available. If you are among the first hikers to use them, 

Of course, we will arrange your Inca Trail vacation for your family or group of friends. Since there are more than 10 people in your group, we will organize a private Inca Trail tour just for you, without including other groups.

We usually work with Peru Rail because they offer more frequent departures. Additionally, in the event of strikes or delays, Peru Rail is often the first to resume service. For these reasons, we prefer to collaborate with them.