Complete Guide to Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Last Updated on December 29, 2023 by Tori Pines

A bucket list adventure, and something that I believe should be at the top of everyone’s list. Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is an experience of a lifetime that you will never forget. It’s my favorite experience and one that I cannot wait to do again some day.

I journaled along the entire trip to Peru. So if you’d like to hear my first-hand account day-by-day, then check those journals out as well! And read all of my other Peru content before your next adventure!

_{This post may contain affiliate links for activities, destinations and products that I love, and think you will too!}

Want more great travel articles? I have many more blog posts coming soon, so join my email list to ensure you never miss a post!

How long does it take to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu?

There are a few different options when booking your trip for hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. See the length choices below with details and recommendations on who they would be best suited for.

The Classic 4-Day Hike

This is the “classic” and most popular option when hiking the Inca Trail. You start at kilometer 82 and hike for 4 days, camping 3 nights with the last day ending at Machu Picchu. Kilometer 82 is very close to Ollantaytambo, the town everyone must pass through to get to Machu Picchu.

The 4-day hike allows you to see so many different landscapes and terrain. You’ll hike up dry mountainsides and through the lush Amazon Cloud Forest. There will be plenty of chances to see wild Llamas and if you’re lucky you’ll spot a condor flying above.

This option is perfect for the person who wants the full experience. You likely planned your entire trip to Peru just to have this quintessential experience. Hiking the original trail past ancient ruins to the final destination of Machu Picchu.

Anyone who is fairly active can handle the 4-day hike. But I am no athlete. I work out about 5 days a week but I don’t do anything crazy, no crossfit or intense workouts like that. Usually, I just run or do the elliptical and some weight machines. In addition, I actually have pretty severe asthma and completed the hike just fine. It’s hard though, don’t get me wrong!

I did the hike with my sister and neither of us had ever done a multi-day hike before either. Others in our group were shocked that this was our first multi-day hike. That made us a little nervous that we were in over our heads, but really, we were fine!

I’ll get into the details of the classic 4-day hike in much more detail below, but some basic facts you should know when considering which hike to choose. The 4-day hike is a total of about 26 miles, 7,000 feet of elevation gain. The highest point of elevation is at 13,800 feet above sea level.

The only other thing to consider with this hike is that you will have to camp for 3 nights along the trail. Your porters (more on them later!) will carry your tent and food and everything. And they will have the tent setup and ready for you each evening. If you are hiking with a friend or family member you can tent with them. Or a random person in your group, or pay a little extra to have your own private tent.

2-Day Hike

The name is deceiving because there is only one day where you will actually be hiking. Start day one being picked up in Cusco and driven to Ollantaytambo. From there you’ll hop on the train to the start of the hike.

The one full day of hiking will take about 8 hours and will be about 8 miles long. You’ll be fed breakfast before you start. Then they’ll cook you lunch halfway and then dinner will be served at the campsite that night. (or you can choose to stay in a hotel instead)

The day of hiking will be long, but the hardest parts of the trail are not included in the one day hike. The trail is mostly undulating with lush terrain. It’s cool throughout this area and you might get to see some wild llamas here too!

You’ll pass at least two major ancient ruins along the way where your guide will stop and teach you the history of each place. At the end of the day you’ll finally make it to the Sun Gate, and then walk the final hour down to Machu Picchu. You can take some photos here, but you’ll leave and return back in the morning.

The second day includes no hiking, you’ll get on the bus and head back up to Machu Picchu where you’ll have a two-hour tour.

This option is great for someone who is older, or not very active. There is still a full eight hours of hiking included, so you must be physically capable of doing that much. It could also be a great option for families, as younger kids could likely handle this hike. And for the people who just hate camping, you will want to choose the 2-day hike but with a hotel option instead. This will be your only option for hiking the trail and still sleeping in a bed each night.

The 5-Day Hike

The five day hike is very similar to the 4-day classic hike. You walk along the same section of the trail, the same distance and the same amount of elevation gain. However, in the five day hike, you take your time. You can go slower, and spend more time at ruins and at camp resting along the way.

This is honestly a really great option for anyone to consider, but especially older or less athletic crowds, and people hiking with kids. You won’t be hiking as long each day, and you won’t feel any pressure to go at a faster pace than you want!

There are a few downsides to consider. You won’t have nearly as many tour companies to choose from for this option as they do not all offer a slow, 5-day trek. Also, it’s an additional night camping, an additional day at altitude, an additional day with less than ideal toilet facilities, and an additional day without a shower…yeah 5 days without a shower might really be pushing it if you ask me. But, this might still be the perfect solution for some hikers!

Salkantay Trek + Inca Trail 7-Day Hike

This is the longest hiking option for hiking the Inca Trail, and honestly, just seems silly to me. You’ll spend 3 days hiking the nearby Salkantay Trek which is still beautiful and a great hike, but not nearly as famous or filled with Incan ruins. Then after 3 and a half days of hiking, you’ll reach the start of the classic 4-day trail and you’ll hike that for the next 4 days.

The week will be very long, and you will be hiking for 5-9 hours each day. You won’t get a break in between or a shower along the way (unless you are lucky enough to camp at a location with a freezing cold shower facility). There are also less tour companies to choose from as not all offer this option.

If you’re extremely active, and an avid hiker, then you might want to do this option. But honestly, I don’t think it’s necessary! Spend the extra few days exploring Cusco, Ollantaytambo, the Sacred Valley, or other incredible areas around Peru.

If You Book Too Late…

If you book your tour to Peru too late and hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is not an option, don’t worry! You can likely hike the Salkantay Trek instead. In our group tour, a few travelers booked a month or so in advance, and they hiked this trail. It’s 3 days and 2 nights and still incredibly beautiful and special. However, the hike is a little harder and reaches a higher elevation than the classic trail.

Which Tour Company to Book for Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

There are several tour companies that offer the option for hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. I booked with G Adventures because I knew they were a reputable tour company. They travel all around the world but especially in South and Central America. I wanted to be with a tour group for longer than the 4 days I would be hiking, so booking with G Adventures gave me that option!

You can book G Adventures for just the 4-day hike, but you can also include the hike in a wide range of tour lengths. We decided on the 8-day Inca Discovery tour which started in Lima. The tour visited Cusco, Ollantaytambo, the Sacred Valley, hiked the trail for 4 days and then ended in Cusco.

We added a few days in Lima on our own to the beginning of the trip, and 10 days in Peru was perfect. If the trip was shorter we would have been sat to leave, but by the tenth day we were ready to be back in the comforts of our home.

G Adventures was an absolutely incredible tour company to travel with. Leading up to the tour, the customer service was wonderful. They were friendly and answered all of our questions. They were willing to talk through everything with us and made us feel comfortable for our trip.

During the tour, every single thing was organized and punctual. We felt safe and were paired up with the most incredible travelers that we had an absolute blast sharing our vacation with. Honestly, we LOVED them!!!! Shoutout to Traci, Aaron, Finn, Allison, Annette, Lucy and Ike! We miss you guys!!

But honestly, the best part were our incredible guides! Gerry was our lead tour guide and he was the best. He was friendly and kind and kept us safe and on time. He was from the region so he knew everything there was to know about the history and the people. We could not have had a better experience with G Adventures, and we are looking forward to taking another tour with them soon!

There were two other tour companies that we saw along the trail and seemed to be great. Alpaca Expeditions, and Killa Expeditions. Both seemed good, the guides were friendly and they seemed to have a similar setup as us. Alpaca Expeditions has all of the hiking options that I mentioned above. So if you are looking for one of the other length hikes, you will probably want to choose them!

How to train for hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

As I mentioned above, the hike is difficult. It is four long days hiking along uneven stone and dirt pathways along the side of the Andes Mountains. You will experience a ton of elevation gain, as much as 3,800 in one day!

This guide is extremely thorough in helping you train for the trail, but I honestly didn’t follow it. They task you with a TON of grueling exercise and I honestly just didn’t want to push that hard. I did much less than they recommended and still finished the hike in one piece!

I personally recommend you hit the gym 4-5 days per week for 4-6 months leading up to the hike. In addition, I would go on a day hike each weekend, or as many as you can.

While at the gym, focus on the Stairmaster and the incline treadmill. While there are plenty of uphill sections, the stairs are definitely the hardest and longest along the trail. So you’ll need every minute you can get on the Stairmaster. Put a show on your phone and hit the Stairmaster for 30-45 minutes each time. This will get your endurance up and get you (kind of) used to what it will be like on the trail. In addition, spend time on the weight machines. Focus on legs, hips and core the most.

On your weekend hikes, if you live in an area with hills or mountains, make sure you choose hikes with plenty of elevation gain. You’ll want to start small, a few miles long, and work your way up to 8-10 miles and a thousand or two feet of elevation gain. Use the AllTrails app to help find the perfect trails in your area!

Most importantly, buy your hiking boots far in advance, if you don’t have them already, and wear them on every single hike. Break them in as much as you can and make sure they are comfortable long before you jump on the plane to Peru.

But overall, don’t stress too hard. Get as active as you can and push yourself as much as you can now. You’ll thank yourself when you’re on the trail.

And also, I recommend preparing in a less physical way. Before the trip learn as much as you can about the history of the trail, Machu Picchu, and the Incan Empire. I recommend reading Turn Right at Machu Picchu by Mark Adams. It’s a fairly new book, and is a story but includes facts and history within it. But it’s also funny and very easy to read.

Packing for Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Packing lists for vacations are important, but your packing list for hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu MUST include the most necessary things and not include the things you don’t need! You will have a duffle bag which the porters will carry for you. They can be at most 6kg in weight, and will need to hold your sleeping bag, sleeping pad and all of your clothes. The sleeping bag and pad will weigh about 3kg, so you’ll have the remaining 3 for the weight of the bag and the clothes.

Plan to pack about 2kg of your own personal items, that’s a little over 4 pounds. It ends up being not much at all. The night before you leave everyone in the group will be weighing their bags in the hotel. They’ll quickly start taking many things out, because you realize how little you can actually bring!

It’s frustrating, because you can’t bring much, but the rules are in place for a very good reason. The porters will be carrying up to 60 pounds on their backs along the trail! You wouldn’t want to make them carry even one more pound, it’s such hard work!

In addition to the duffle bags, you will want to have a backpack to carry the rest of your things, toiletries, a poncho, etc. All of which are listed in detail below!

Obviously if you are spending additional days in Peru then you will need more than this, because this list is just what you need for the trail. Your additional items you can leave in a secure storage space in the hotel in Cusco if you are traveling with G Adventures!

The list of things that are absolutely necessary for hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu:

Hiking Boots – I recommend boots specifically instead of shoes for ankle support. These are the ones I have and LOVE. They took no time to break in and held up great along the trail. I love these boots, and they’re some of the least expensive out there! They also have a men’s version of the same boot.

Hiking Socks – Yes, you should buy specific hiking socks if your budget allows. Most hiking socks are advertised to be made of wool but then you look at the actual percentage and it’s very small. Invest about $20 per pair and buy real wool socks. Your feet will be warmer, protected from blisters, and they breathe well so they don’t get hot or stinky. We love the Darn Tough brand, but Smartwool is great too. TIP: Look at TJ Maxx or Marshalls during the winter and you might be able to find those two brands discounted!

Hiking Clothes – If you don’t mind re-wearing dirty, stinky outfits then bring 2 or 3 tops and pants. But if you’re like me you’ll want a clean outfit each day so bring 4 sets.
For women I recommend leggings or nylon hiking pants. For tops, either tanks or t-shirts will work, but you might want very thin and lightweight long sleeves to help protect you from the sun. The first 2 days are brutal!

Pajamas, 1 pair – You can probably get away with sleeping in the outfit you’ll wear the next day. I personally would not be comfortable sleeping in my leggings. I brought fleece lined pj pants and a thermal long sleeve top to sleep in and I was so glad I did.

Warm Coat – This might look different for everyone, as we all have different preferences. I chose to bring a fleece quarter-zip jacket with a super cute tribal print on it. I had to look cute in pictures! But really, it did keep me warm with the addition of the alpaca sweater I bought in the Sacred Valley the day before the hike…more on that later!

Warm Hat and Gloves – Yes, it gets that cold! You’ll be in the mountains at very high elevation so it can get as low as the 20’s at night. You absolutely need a hat and gloves to stay warm.

Sun Hat – I must be honest, I read the recommendations to bring a sun hat and I didn’t listen. I figured I could just use plenty of sunscreen and be fine. I was so wrong. Our guide was very adamant about us having one. He suggested we buy one in Ollantaytambo the night before we left, and we still didn’t listen. Then 2 hours into the hike we SO regretted not getting one. But they actually sold things along the hike during the first day, and had hats for us to buy, so we did! The sun is extremely strong at the high elevation and most of the first two days are unshaded, so you’ll burn on your neck and shoulders. Bring a hat; I promise, you need it!

Rain Poncho – You can pack a super small and cheap poncho, but trust me you need to have it. If you get lucky like us you won’t see a single raindrop. But most hikers get at least some rain and the last thing you want is to be soaking and miserable. A poncho is also better than a rain coat because it can cover your backpack as well. Pack the poncho!!!

Portable Power Bank – You won’t have service most of the hike, so your phone won’t be needed for texting or making calls. But you WILL need it for taking photos! The landscape is insanely gorgeous around you for 4 days and your phone will likely not last that long on one charge. I think it is absolutely necessary that you bring a power bank with you and a charging cord. Keep your battery full and be ready for the next photo opp. I LOVE this battery as it charges my iPhone about 5 times before dying and it charges incredibly fast! But I also brought this solar powered charger as backup and didn’t even need it. It’s another good option though!

Water Bottle – This one’s obvious, you’ll need a water bottle to drink along the hike. Bring whatever type you prefer, but I recommend something light and large to fit a lot of water. Yeti’s might be nice, but the water you’ll get won’t be cold to start with. And those heavy bottles will add even more weight to your backpack. I personally recommend a water bladder, as it allows easy access for you to drink often along the hike. Or consider a water filter bottle for extra protection against the foreign water.

Backpack – You’ll carry your own backpack with a few things you need throughout the day. It is incredibly important to bring a bag that has clips around the front. Having clips across your chest and/or waist help distribute the weight. After wearing your bag for hours on end for 4 days, I promise this will change everything. And this bag also includes the water bladder, so it’s a 2-in-1!

Headlamp – Yes, this is a must, a flashlight will not cut it. Each night at camp it will be pitch black unless you are in the meal tent. You’ll wear your headlamp around every evening to see in your tent, to get to the bathroom and to dinner. And if that’s not enough reason, you’ll be hiking in the dark early morning on the fourth day, so you will need to see the trail and have your hands free.

Sleep Mat and Sleeping Bag – Sleeping mat isn’t 100% necessary, but it will help you be more comfortable. It makes you feel like you’re not sleeping directly on the ground, and really does make it more comfortable. You’ll need a good night’s sleep for a long day of hiking ahead. For the sleeping bag, you’ll need something warm as it gets in the 20’s at night up in the mountains. Both of these items you can rent through G Adventures when you have your orientation meeting in Cusco.

Walking Poles – Walking poles are incredibly helpful for all of the downhill and downstair sections of the trail, so basically half the time. It helps you keep your balance and prevent falls while taking some stress off of your knees. You can also rent these through G Adventures at the meeting in Cusco, or buy them in advance.

Passport – So you’ll already have this just to get into Peru. But it’s important it is with you at all times as they require you to show it at checkpoints along the trail.

Soles (Cash) – You’ll need soles for the hike to be able to tip your incredible porters. They work so hard and deserve tips for their help. More on the porters next! You’ll also need soles if you want to buy anything from the stands along the way. They’ll be there during day one and the first half of day two selling goods, drinks and snacks. Lastly, there are some bathrooms along the trail that require a fee of 1 sol, so you’ll need cash to use those.

Toilet Paper – I was shocked by how many bathrooms they had along the trail. The first two days have real bathroom facilities to use that are actually in pretty good shape. I expected to be going behind a bush a lot more often. That being said, most bathrooms (and all bushes) don’t have toilet paper. So, bring plenty of toilet paper to use along the entire trail. Either make a bag of it from your roll at home, or buy a special camping size roll like this one. Most places will have a trashcan to dispose of the toilet paper, but you should bring a grocery bag just in case.

Sunscreen – As I mentioned above, the sun is brutal in those mountains so you’ll need a travel size container of sunscreen.

Bug Spray – I was pleasantly surprised with the small amount of bugs along the trail. However, there are still some out there, so a small bottle of bug spray is recommended.

Medications – Bring any of your medications with you, including pain relievers and stomach meds like pepto bismol. The last thing you want is a terrible headache or to have stomach issues along the trail. I also highly recommend that you ask your doctor to prescribe you altitude sickness medication. This will help prevent any of those terrible altitude side effects.

Toiletries – You won’t need a ton of toiletries, but I definitely recommend deodorant, tooth brush, toothpaste and body wash or body wipes. The body wash or wipes will be so nice to use to “spot clean” after a long day of sweating along the dusty trails.

Hand Sanitizer – There’s no soap at most of the bathrooms, so bring hand sanitizer to use after using the toilet (or bush).

Recommended:

These next items aren’t completely required, but I had all of them and was very glad that I did. Consider packing them for your trip hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

Water Bladder – As I mentioned above, a water bladder makes it so convenient to drink water as you hike. You don’t have to stop to get out your bottle, you can drink as you walk. It will also help keep you better hydrated as you’ll drink more often.

Water Filter – The water they give you is always boiled first, which removes the risk of bacteria. We brought a water filter to use on the boiled water just for extra protection. The last thing we wanted was to get sick from the water and be miserable along the hike.

Sleeping Bag Liner – We had heard it was nice to have a sleeping bag liner to keep your body from touching the rented sleeping bag. We thought it sounded nice to help keep us warm. Our mom took an old flannel sheet set and sewed them into sleeping bag liners and I cannot explain how glad I was to have that. We were SO warm sleeping in a tent in the 20 degree weather. It was incredible. So either make some with old flannel sheets or buy some pre-made like this one.

Pillow – Some people recommend you bring a pillow case and just use clothes to fill it as a pillow to help save space. I really love having a good pillow, so we brought small 10” by 10” pillows and were so glad we did. They helped us sleep so well each night.

Washcloth – This is borderline a necessity. We used our washcloths every night to clean our faces and armpits with the warm water we were given and the body wash. We felt SO much better going to sleep each night feeling a little cleaner. Just be sure to have a ziploc to put it in as it won’t dry completely overnight.

Alpaca Sweater – I was worried I wouldn’t have enough layers to stay warm at night so I bought an alpaca sweater from the village we visited in the Sacred Valley, and then I brought it with us on the hike. I was SO glad because it provided an extra layer and kept me toasty warm each night. You can of course just bring another layer from home, but it’s also a great keepsake!

Dirty Clothes Bag – Not necessary, but it’s really nice to keep your stinky clothes separated from your clean ones. This can be as simple as a plastic grocery bag.

Ziplock Bag for Clothes – If you experience rain along the hike, the duffle bag with your clothes could get wet. If you pack your clothes in large Ziplocs, you won’t have to put on wet pajamas that night or damp clothes in the morning.

Playing Cards – We brought cards to play each evening at the campsite with our groupmates. We used them the first night, but then were exhausted the following nights and didn’t take them out again.

Luggage Locks – For your bags you leave back at the hotel in Cusco. They are stored in a secure room, but just for added security, it’s recommended you lock your bag as well.

What it’s actually like Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is hard. It is probably the most difficult thing that I have ever done. It’s not impossible, and the average person can totally complete the hike with no problems. But go in knowing that you will be pushing yourself up a mountain for hours on end for four days in a row. It’s tiring, and hard on your body and lungs, but so incredibly rewarding.

The second we finished the hike, I was already thinking about planning a trip back to Peru to do the hike again. Yeah, maybe I’m crazy, but the emotional experience that comes along with the physical struggle is unlike anything you can experience at home in your daily life. I was so incredibly proud of myself at the top of each mountain.

Not to mention, the fact that you are hiking one of the world’s most famous, historic trails in the world. The history that lies along those stones is remarkable. You get to walk in the footsteps of the Inca warriors and pass through their ancient ruins. That in and of itself makes the trek incredible and so worth the hard work.

But then there’s the views. They’re unlike any other. You’ll want to stop and take it in or take a photo every three steps. There’s always new beautiful scenery at literally every turn, and trust me when I say there were thousands of turns.

Hiking the trail is hard but you have an incredible team helping you along the way. First you will have your guides. One will stay at the front of the pack and the other will stay at the back, making sure the whole group is safe along the trail. They will stop and teach you about the ancient ruins, the foliage, the animals and more.

Then you have your two chefs. They will cook you four meals per day along the trail. And you will be blown away by the quality of the food. Peruvian food in general is incredible; read all about the cuisine here, and the best dishes in the country here. Breakfast is a two-course meal, lunch is a four-course meal, “Tea Time” includes snacks and beverages and dinner is another three courses. It’s wild the amount of food they serve and every single dish was absolutely delicious.

There’s chicken and beef, fresh vegetables, potatoes, pasta, rice, pizzas, kabobs, soups, ceviche, guacamole, desserts and more. The third day they even bake you a cake! Plus each meal is served with hot tea, hot chocolate, coffee, water and juice. They will spoil you and keep you very well-nourished.

And finally, the porters. The incredible men who carry everything for you along the trail. You will carry your backpack with things you’ll need for the day. This will likely include snacks, water, hats/gloves, phone, power bank, toiletries, etc. But the rest of your personal items will be carried by porters. This includes your sleeping bag and sleeping mat, your clothes, sleeping bag liner, pillow, etc.

But on top of that, they carry everything else you’ll need at camp. Tents, dinner table, chairs, cooking supplies like pots and pans, food, dishes, first aid kits, etc. For our group of nine, there were 18 porters. That’s a lot of people and a lot of things to carry!

The porters don’t speak English. Some speak Spanish while others only speak Quechua, the local language of the area. But despite the fact that they don’t speak the same language, they are so kind. They smile and help you, and one even remembered our names and greeted us every time he saw us. We adored our team and were beyond grateful for their hard work and kindness.

The Trail, Day-by-Day

The following guide is based on my experience with G Adventures. The hike itself will remain the same with another tour group, but the details of what they provide might be slightly different. For my day-by-day journals of the hike, read them here!

Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu – Day 1

Time: 6-7 hours
Distance: 11 Kilometers or 6.8 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1,410 ft

On the first day of hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, you’ll wake up in Ollantaytambo, grab breakfast at the hotel and leave any remaining belongings at the hotel that you won’t need for the hike. Jump in the van with your group and ride for about 30 minutes to Kilometer 82, the start of the classic Inca Trail.

Here, there will be a bathroom that costs 1 sol to use. The tour guides will hand out any of your rental equipment like sleeping bags, sleeping pads and hiking poles, along with a bag of snacks for each hiker containing fruits, cookies and granola bars.

Take a few minutes to apply your sunscreen (generously, the sun is bad the first few days) and get ready to go! After a few minutes here, your group will head to the booth to check in and start the hike. Have your passport ready and then you’ll be on your way.

You’ll start by taking some photos in front of the famous “Inka” Trail sign, so get as many as you’d like because you won’t see it again. Then, you’ll get to pass over the equally as famous bridge that marks the starting point of the trail. From here you’ll immediately start hiking up, but it won’t be steep for long. For about an hour the trail will be a gradual uphill, but keep your eyes peeled; we saw lots of cool wildlife along this section including pigs, turkey, horses, sheep, ducks, and chickens. Oh, and many puppies as well! After an hour there will be another bathroom for 1 sol if you’d like to use it.

This is when the trail starts getting steeper. You’ll hike up for almost two hours through a combination of dry mountainside and tropical foliage. There will be stands along the way to buy snacks, drinks and sun hats if you still hadn’t bought one like us, so we did.

The hiking is definitely tough today, but not crazy hard. You’ll be out of breath and take breaks, but you won’t be sore yet, and you’ll have all of your first day energy and excitement. Today’s trail is gorgeous, so spend lots of time looking around and taking photos, and never forget to turn around because the view behind you is sometimes better than ahead!

At this point you’ll reach the first large Inca ruin where your group will stop to learn about the history of the place. Another 30 minutes up and you’ll reach the lunch spot. The porters are here with the tent up and lunch ready for us to eat. Enjoy your delicious four-course lunch and some time to sit down and rest before the last two hours of hiking for the day.

They will also have water for you to refill your bottles that has been boiled and is safe to drink. We were extra cautious and used the water filter as well, but the rest of our group did not and were completely safe.

The final two hours of hiking are uphill and through a mostly green, tropical environment. You’ll hike along the river at one point, and you’ll pass some small local villages.

Camp tonight is in a local village called Huayllabamba. We arrived at our campsite and the tents were set up and ready for us, the porters clapping and cheering because we successfully finished day one. A few minutes were spent resting in our tents, and the porters brought us bowls of hot water. We used our soap and washcloths to wash our faces and then used them as foot baths to relax. It was lovely.

Right away, we enjoyed our first “Tea Time”, my favorite meal where they served delicious crackers with butter and jam, popcorn, tea and hot chocolate. It was the best.

While we waited for dinner we played cards and enjoyed time with our group mates. After a little while, dinner was ready, we enjoyed two large courses, chatted about the plan for tomorrow with our guides and then quickly got ready for bed, as we were exhausted.

Although the temperature was in the twenties overnight, we were warm with several layers on, sleeping bags and our flannel liners. Despite sleeping on the ground, we slept great because we were exhausted from the day.

Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu – Day 2

Time: 8-9 hours
Distance: 12 Kilometers or 7.4 Miles
Elevation Gain: 3,871 ft

Day two hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is by far the most difficult day of the trek. You will pass over the highest pass, Dead Woman’s Pass, which also means the highest elevation. It is extremely difficult, but so incredibly worth every grueling step.

The porters will wake you up with “room service” bringing hot tea around to the tents at 5:30am. You’ll have thirty minutes to wake up and get dressed and packed up for the day before breakfast at 6am. As you eat, the porters pack up for you and start their hikes for the day. Around 6:45am you and the group will head off on the trail, immediately hiking straight up. The mornings are cold, so bundle up with a hat and gloves. The first few hours are also through the wet, tropical environment along the river, and the sun is still hidden behind the mountains.

There will be more bathrooms along the way that are actually real toilets and are clean. We were surprised with how many toilets we would have to use along the trail.

Eventually you get out of the tropical environment and are hiking up the side of the mountain overlooking a valley below. It goes on forever. The stone steps are steep and uneven and hard on your joints. But the lack of oxygen in your lungs is the hardest part. Take it slow, take breaks and enjoy the beautiful scenery as much as you can. Eventually, after about five hours hiking straight uphill, you’ll make it to the top of Dead Woman’s Pass. After doing that, you’ll feel like you can do anything in the world. It is extremely satisfying.

Spend almost two hours hiking down the other side of the pass to the campsite for the night which sits at the bottom. The views are incredible, but the stone steps are hard on your knees. This is where the hiking poles are necessary. They help prevent you from tripping and falling forward down a million stone stairs. Okay I’m being dramatic, but you get the point.

At the bottom sits the campsite where the chefs have lunch ready for you. Enjoy another four- course lunch and then take an amazing afternoon nap overlooking the Andes Mountains.

A few hours later they will have Tea Time and dinner made, then ask your guide to learn about the stars, and they’ll probably be able to teach you about some of the constellations. Remember, you’re in the Southern Hemisphere now, so you’ll see different stars than if you live in the Northern Hemisphere. This is the night at the highest elevation so you’ll be able to see the stars the best from this campsite.

Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu – Day 3

Time: 9-10 hours
Distance: 16 Kilometers or 9.9 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1,486 ft

Day three is known for being the best day hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. It’s the longest but is said to be the easiest and the most beautiful. There’s gorgeous views over the Andes Mountains, lots of incredible Incan Ruins, great wildlife to spot (hello llamas!) and you’ll hike through the Amazon Cloud Frest. SO it’s no wonder that day three is everyone’s favorite day.

And it definitely was my favorite day as well, but I felt like no one mentioned how difficult and incredibly miserable the first two hours of the hike are. It’s defeating.

After accomplishing Dead Woman’s Pass on day two, it’s supposed to be much easier the rest of the day. But starting off on day two, bright and early, you’ll be hiking straight up another pass from the second you leave camp.

You’re tired from two full days of hiking. You’re sore from the incredible elevation gain you completed yesterday, and chances are, the altitude sickness is catching up with you and you might be feeling lightheaded, headaches, or worse, nauseous. All of that together? Makes for (in my opinion) the hardest and most miserable two hours of the hike.

It will be hard, but it’s not that long. And once it’s over, it is smooth sailing from here. The rest of the hike will still include uphills, but nothing like what you’ve done already. It will be much easier and incredibly beautiful.

It’s a long day of hiking, but you will get to stop at several ruins to learn the history about each place. Take it all in, take a million photos. Laugh and spend time with your group along the way and enjoy the rest of the day. And if you’re lucky you’ll spot wild llamas just like we did!

Mid-day you’ll stop for lunch. And as you’re approaching the lunch spot, look down the mountain to your right, and you can see Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Town. And if you’re anything like us, you’ll be jumping for joy because you will finally have cell phone service and can call your mom to tell her you’re okay!

At lunch, the chefs will have an entire cake baked for you as your dessert! Yes, they baked a cake at altitude in the mountains without an oven. Miracle workers, these men are.

A few more hours will be spent hiking down to camp. There’s a spot where the path splits and you can take the longer way passing by another ruin, or a shorter path straight to camp. It might be getting late at this point, so if you have enough sunlight consider seeing the ruins!

You’ll probably get to camp just before sunset, eat dinner and head straight to bed. Tomorrow will be an early morning, and the big day you’ve been waiting for; Machu Picchu!

Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu – Day 4

Time: 3 hours
Distance: 6 Kilometers or 3.7 Miles
Elevation Gain: 295 ft

And finally, day four of hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. You’ll get woken up around 3:30am, to get packed, eat breakfast and walk a few minutes down to the guard gate. Here you’ll have to wait in line until the gate opens at 5am. It’s pretty annoying honestly, but eventually you’ll be on your way. You’ll hike for about two hours as you watch the sun rise over the mountains. It’s beautiful and so exciting, you’re almost there! There’s one part called the Monkey Steps that you have to actually use your hands to climb up because it’s that steep. But it is super short and over in a minute.

And then, just like that, you’ll arrive at the Sun Gate, where you’ll get your first look at Machu Picchu. It’s not the “picture-perfect” postcard view that you’re expecting; that will be later. This is the spot where explorer Hiram Bingham first spotted the hidden city, and will be your first glance too. It’s so emotionally overwhelming, you might even tear up like my sister did!

From here, it will be about another hour hiking down to Machu Picchu and once you arrive you’ll be standing right in the spot where you’ve always dreamed, looking out over the city with the mountain towering in the background. You’ll spend a few hours touring the site learning the history before you take the bus down to Aguas Calientes. From Aguas Calientes your group will likely take you on the train two hours back to Ollantaytambo.

Yep, four days there…two hours back. It becomes kind of humorous at this point how most people just ride the train to see Machu Picchu and instead you thought it would be fun to spend four incredibly difficult days and three nights in the middle of the woods to get there instead. Don’t worry, you made the right choice. Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is the most spiritual, authentic and incredible way to get to this little slice of heaven sitting atop the Andes Mountains.

Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is an experience of a lifetime, and something I think everyone should do at least once. It’s difficult but so beautiful and unbelievably rewarding. Worth every single difficult step. I cannot wait to do it again some day!