The Inca Trail

Jayna H
Sep 16
15 min read

The famous Inca Trail is a multi-day trek through the Andes mountain range that ends at the historic site of Machu Picchu, one of the most important cities in Inca civilisation. It is correctly pronounced 'Ma-chu Pik-chu' meaning 'Old Mountain' in the Peruvian indigenous language of Quechua, and not to be confused with the incorrect pronunciation 'Ma-chu Pee-chu' meaning old penis.

The Classic Inca Trail is around 26 miles/42km long with a total elevation of around 1000m, the lowest point being roughly 2600m above sea level and the highest point being 4125m. (Fun fact: The Inca Trail marathon record is 3 hours and 23 minutes!). I did my trek with Trexperience which is a Peruvian owned company and I would highly recommend them! Every part of the process from booking, to the end of the trek was flawless, and they were very responsive when I needed to get in touch. For The Classic Inca Trail you can choose between a 4-day or 5-day option, the main difference being the 5-day goes at a slower pace breaking up the walking distances and you visit some lesser known Inca sites along the way. If the full trail isn't for you, you can opt for 1-3 day treks which start further along the trail. Here's what happened on my 4-day trek:

Pre Trek Prep

If you are planning on doing The Inca Trail it's best to book a few months in advance as places get taken up quickly due to the government limiting the number of hikers who can be on the trail per day. I booked about two months in advance and small groups go out almost every day, except in February when the trail is closed. My group had 15 people minus the guides and porters, with the max group size being 16. The Inca Trail requires a permit and when you book, you will be asked for your passport details which are then used by the tour provider to apply for your permit. During the booking stage you can also let the tour provider know your dietary requirements, and whether you need to rent a sleeping bag, air mattress or hiking poles. Along with your booking details, you will receive an email regarding a pre-trek meeting in Cusco which takes place the day before you start the trail. At this meeting you will need to take your passport to be scanned, and you have the opportunity to confirm your dietary requirements and rental gear costs. I rented a sleeping bag and air mattress and it wasn't that expensive from what I remember, but don't expect one of those thick air mattresses, however it is better than sleeping on the floor.

At the end of the meeting you'll be given a duffel bag to pack some of your things in which is labelled with your name. This bag stays with the porters so you will only see it once you arrive at the camp sites, therefore you still need to take your own backpack with the items you'll need throughout the day. Don't put anything you might need in the duffel bag because the porters meticulously pack it with all the food, tents and camp essentials, so you don't want to be 'that guy' making them take everything out so you can get a pair of dry socks out in the middle of the day! That being said, please don't overpack your bag or ask for an extra one, take the bare essentials as the porters are the people who will be carrying it for you along the exact same trail you will be hiking. A packing list is available on Trexperience's website so you know what to bring beforehand.

Day 1

The shuttle picked us (my brother and I) up early from our accommodation around 4am and we began the 2.5 hour drive to Ollantaytambo where we had breakfast before heading to the beginning of the trail. Here we showed our passports at the main entrance before meeting the porters and chefs who we handed our duffel bags to. The first part was relatively easy, walking along a wide gravel road with a few small inclines and I was feeling pretty optimistic at this point. We walked for a few hours until we reached the first Inca site on our trail where our guide Amadeo told us more about it. Our guides were extremely knowledgable and at every new site they told us more and more about the Incas and the sites we were seeing, building on our knowledge as we went along, but conveying it an interesting way to keep us engaged. We had two guides, one keeping the pace for faster hikers in the front and the other near the back, however we would often stop to allow the group to stay together. We would always regroup for lunch, but towards the end of the day, in the event that some hikers needed more time, the faster group were able to go ahead, following the guides instructions as it is a relatively easy path to follow. There were a few times I went ahead and wasn't sure on the direction, but at that point I just waited for someone to catch up and the guide was never too far behind.

My brother and I at the start of the Inca Trail

After roughly four hours we made it to our lunch spot. The porters the chefs were the real MVPs and I cannot sing their praises enough. I didn't know what to expect at mealtimes but usually during a long day hike, a sandwich at the halfway point is good enough for me, but the Inca Trail meals were on another level! The porters had set up a tent where all the food was cooked fresh, and there was a small building where they had set up a long table and little stools where the group sat down together. I had my dietary requirements down as vegan and based on my travels prior to the trek, the bar was low regarding catering a vegan diet. My brother and I were the only ones with dietary requirements so we were always handed each course first (yes I said course), to ensure we got the right meals. We were first served a little snack of fresh guacamole and tortilla chips followed by some soup which was so good. I was feeling very satisfied after the soup and bread but I was not expecting the second course that came out which was rice, potatoes, pasta salad and fried chicken. This was then followed by fruit for dessert and we were all completely stuffed! After our incredible meal, we had some time to chill and use the bathroom before heading off again on the two hour hike to our first camp site Ayapata. In total we walked roughly 14km on day one.

We reached the camp around 5pm and the porters had already set up our tents and the kitchen and dining area tents, all that was left for us to do was to grab our duffels and pick a tent. There are two people to a tent and if you're travelling alone then they will ask if you don't mind sharing with someone. I did the trek in April so it got quite hot whilst we were walking during the day but the nights were cold and it began to get dark around 6pm, so when we got to the camp it was time to layer up for the night. You do get quite sweaty, and your clothes will be gross and there isn't an opportunity to shower until day three so keep that in mind when packing. I had underwear for each day, two sports bras I would alternate, a sun shirt which was sweat wicking and leggings, as well as a warm jumper and rain jacket if it got cold. I also had a spare set of clean clothes for camp that I could sleep in.

When I got to camp I put my sweaty clothes on top of the tent to air out and dry but I wouldn't recommend leaving them there overnight as when you put them back on, they will be freezing cold and the morning is chilly already. The porters came around with bowls of warm water for us to wash our hands and feet in (and anything else you want to use it for), and there were big water jugs set up for us to refill our water bottles. Around 6:30pm we were called to the dining tent, assuming it was for dinner but it was actually tea time where we were offered tea, coffee or hot chocolate and given popcorn, cakes and biscuits to snack on. Very shortly after tea time when we had stuffed ourselves with snacks, it was time for our three course dinner, and just as lunch was, dinner was even more extravagant. I can't even remember what was served because for every meal there were multiple dishes and we would get different things each day with a few overlaps, but none of it disappointed, and all the Peruvian dishes served to my brother and I were veganised which was amazing. After a very hearty meal, Amadeo briefed us on day two and then pretty much everyone headed to bed because we were all knackered.

Day 2

The toughest day of the trek. The longest day of walking which was roughly 11 hours, covering 17km and taking on the biggest incline from 3,300m to 4,215m. We were woken up early around 5:30ish, got ready and packed up our duffel bags and left them outside our tents so that the porters could take the tents down whilst we ate breakfast. Again, breakfast was an event, with pancakes, fruits, yoghurts, porridge, eggs, biscuits and hot drinks, you name it, and yes, the chefs and porters were up well before us preparing it all! Once we had finished eating, our guides came around with snacks for us which were Peruvian brand biscuits and chocolates which I wish I remembered the name of because I wanted to buy more after the trek. Once everything was packed up, we were ready to set off to 'Dead Woman's Pass' which was at the top of a steep rocky incline which took roughly 4 hours to get through. This hands down was the hardest segment of the entire trek because of the incline, the sun coming up and making it hotter, and the rapid increase in altitude. Luckily I was one of the first from my group to the top so I had the longest time to recover from this portion of the trek. The photo ops were incredible as we were above the clouds and the weather was good so we had a clear view of the mountains. After everyone from our group had made it to the top and had some time to rest, we continued downhill for about 2 hours to our lunch spot, Pacaymayo Alto Valley.

After lunch we headed uphill again for another 2 hours which was still tough, but not as tough as the morning's incline. During this segment, it got a lot colder and the clouds obstructed the view which made it difficult to see how long the trail was going on for up ahead, however we did see some nice clear lakes with big rocks around so we could sit and catch our breath. After this peak, we headed downhill for another 2 hours. As today had taken longer than anticipated and it was getting cloudier, it got darker during the last part of the trek towards camp. There was still one more Inca site to see called Sayacmarca, however due to the time, our guide offered us the option to go straight to camp or explore the site with him. I was cold, tired and as it was getting dark so I chose to head to camp which we were told was a straight road to follow, however it was quiet and we didn't see anyone along the way which knocked our confidence, so we were unsure until we eventually saw some tents from another tour group, so I'd recommend if you do decide to go off, don't go alone! My brother decided to wait for more members of the group to catch up and explore the Inca site with the guide, which added another half an hour to the trek time as you had to go up steep steps which got thinner as you went up. By the time this group had reached camp it was completely dark out. After they had a few minutes to clean up and get comfortable, it was time for tea time, followed by dinner, then a brief for the next day by the guides.

Day 3

We had the same morning routine or clearing our tents and having breakfast, but an easier day of trekking ahead of us. Today we were told we only had 5 hours of walking before we reached our camp around 1pm to have lunch and chill for the rest of the day. Day 3 was A LOT of downhill so if you have knee problems, this day will be tough for you as you continuously descend along Inca steps which were built quite steeply in my opinion considering the Incan people were known to be short. On this day our guide pretty much let us go ahead to the campsite without having to wait for the group to catch up as it was an easy trail to follow. Along the way we stopped at the Inca site of Intipata 'Terraces of the Sun' which was my favourite site by far. The terraces were huge, and green and the steps to get between each terrace were steep and thin as we climbed to the upper terrace for a better view. Had we waited for our guide and the rest of the group we would have been given more information about the site, however the few of us who were ahead decided to power on to the end because we didn't know how far the group was and wanted to reach camp asap. Once at the camp, each tour group had a designated area. At this campsite was the only opportunity on the trek to take a shower, however the ones closest to our group's area were extremely questionable so we decided to walk up the hill for another 5/10 minutes to the 'better' showers, and I use that term loosely. The water was cold which was welcomed as we'd been walking in the heat and were sweaty af. There were a few creepy crawlies in the bathroom and shower, including a huge spider that I thought was dead until I tried to step over it and it started to move, however having a shower was so worth it and just made me feel a whole lot better.

Once the entire group had gotten to camp, it was time for our last extravagant lunch. After lunch we had some downtime so people could shower and chill. Most of us were chilling in our tents, resting our legs and at that point for the first time on our trek the rain started. It was heavy at first then started to lighten up and as we had nothing else to do all day, our guide offered to take us to an extra Inca site close by called Wiñaywayna which was another set of terraces with some ruins of buildings thought to be houses along the top. Our guide gave us more information about the site and we took some photos before heading back to the campsite. This campsite is the closet campsite to Intipunku which is the sun gate, the entrance to Machu Picchu, where we would be heading the next morning.

On our last night we had tea time and dinner as usual but dessert was a 'Welcome to Machu Picchu' cake as we celebrated our journey and prepared for our final day where we would finally reach the city. On this night it's really important to have some cash with you as the guides will ask if you'd like to leave a tip for the guides, chefs and porters. Envelopes come around the table so you are able to put cash in discreetly. If you don't have cash, you have the option of being taken to an ATM the next day and handing over the money at that point, however it's best to sort your tips out on day 3 as it's easier for the money to be distributed amongst the porters who were specifically on your trip as you will not see them again after you set off on day 4.

Day 4

We woke up before 5am on the last day because we had to get ready and head to the checkpoint, which we were not allowed to cross until 5:30am, so the tour groups queued outside in a long line in the dark and waited for the sun to begin rising before we were allowed through. Before we left the camp we were given a packed breakfast so whilst we sat and waited, we could eat. It was cold and dark and everyone was tired but eventually we were allowed to cross. We walked about an hour to the sun gate which is the entrance to Machu Picchu that the Incans used, and the views of the mountains along the way were my personal highlight. The sun has risen by the time we reached the sun gate and we could see Machu Picchu in the distance. After having some time to take photos we continued downhill for another hour to a platform in front of Machu Picchu where everyone takes those infamous pictures with the city in the back. There are two platforms here and if you decide to do a multi-day trail you have the privilege of taking your photo on the bottom platform which is slightly closer, however if you only do a day trip to Machu Picchu, you are only allowed on the upper platform and it'll be harder to get a clear shot without people on the lower platform in your picture. After everyone has taken their pictures, we head to the main entrance of the city where you can use the toilets or grab a coffee whilst your guide collects the tickets for Machu Picchu. We spent the next few hours walking around the city, learning more from our guide and hanging out with some llamas. When booking your trek you have the option of paying extra to hike Huayna Picchu Mountain which is another 2 hours of walking along a steep incline (no one from my group had booked this and we were so tired by this point, we were glad we hadn't paid to do it).

Once we had finished our tour we headed to the nearby town of Aguas Calientes where we had lunch at a restaurant (you pay for meal) where our duffel bags were waiting or us. Once we had finished eating we had an hour to walk around and buy souvenirs before getting on the train back towards Cusco. The train was an event in itself and when I had spoken to people who had done the Inca Trail, no one mentioned the train journey back. The vistadome train allowed us to have panoramic views of our surroundings, and the landscapes we passed were incredible! Our entire group was in the same carriage and there was an announcement calling us to the open deck carriage in the back. We were all confused and cautious but when we went over, they had a live band and dancers, a bar we could order drinks from (at a cost), comfy sofas and the back of the train was open so we could stand outside and take in the views. The party lasted less than an hour and then we were sent back to our carriage, but the entertainment didn't end there. A lady came down the isle handing out snack boxes with treats inside, mostly quinoa based because that's big in Peru, I don't like quinoa but there was biscuits and even chocolates with quinoa in them. Not long after, music started playing and the fashion show started. Two members of staff began strutting down the isle in different alpaca wool garments, wearing them in different styles and colours, modelling the clothes for us. After the show was over, they came down the isle with a cart if anyone wanted to buy any alpaca wool clothing. Literally the best train journey I've been on. Not all tour groups book you a seat on this train but Trexperience did. When we finally got off the train, a minibus was waiting for us which took us back to the Trexperience office to collect our big bags which we had stored there prior to the trip, and then we were put in different cars or buses and taken to our hotels. I finally got to my hotel around 9pm and after a warm shower and hot meal, I conked out.

Things To Consider!!!

Altitude sickness - Give yourself a few days to acclimatise to the altitude in Cusco, the guides do offer you coca leaves and teas but even after 3 days in Cusco before we started the trek, my brother was struggling on day 1 and threw up at camp. Chances are if you live closer to sea level and have spent most of your time there, you will struggle so consider bringing your own over-the-counter altitude sickness remedies, and if that doesn't work for you, there are prescribed medications that help with worser cases of altitude sickness. If you're planning on visiting Rainbow Mountain, do that AFTER the Inca Trail.
Toilets - During the day whilst you're walking, you may have to use nature's toilet, however there were some checkpoints that had a bathroom, but you have to bring your own toilet roll and I'd recommend taking wet wipes and hand sanitiser too. At the last two campsites there were bathrooms but they were all squatting toilets which was sometimes difficult, and generally they were kind of dirty. At our first campsite the porters set up a toilet tent which was like a potty on the floor but it was only for peeing, but if I'm being completely transparent, it did 'leak' whilst I was using it...
Hiking poles - Completely up to you. I'm an active person and at no point did I feel like I needed hiking poles, however older members of the group or those with certain injuries or knee problems benefitted from having them.
Head torch - Take one. If you're getting to camp late and on the last day when you're waiting by the gate it will be dark and a torch really comes in handy. Also in the middle of the night if you need to leave your tent and go to pee, you're going to need a light.
Power bank - There's nowhere to charge your phone so take your own power bank and cable especially if you're using your phone to take pictures. My power bank lasted the entire trek charging both mine and my brother's phone every night.
Hiking shoes - I was quite lucky that it didn't rain whilst we were walking so my running trainers were good enough for the entire trek, however if you aren't so lucky with the weather you're going to want waterproof hiking shoes.
Tips - People get really weird about this and how much to give, there's no right answer. The guide will give you an estimate based on the average tips they usually get, then after my group openly discussed how much they planned on giving so we had an amount to work with.

Overall the Inca Trail was an unforgettable experience, but I don't think I want to walk all of that again!

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