Inca Trail Express to Machu Picchu

Itinerary:

 Inca Trail Express to Machu Picchu Hello Peru Tours team will pick you up at your hotel at 4 am in Cusco, to take you in our private transport to the Ollantaytambo train station

Before boarding the train in Ollantaytambo, your guide will provide you with your box lunch, which you will carry in your backpack. After an hour and a half train ride, we will all get off at the famous Km104, where your trek will begin (2,000m.a.s.l. / 6,560ft above sea level). After crossing the Urubamba River, you will show your passport at the checkpoint. The first hour and a half is a gentle ascent, with several shelters along the way to take a break, a bit out of the sun or rain, depending on the season. Along the way, you will stop at several viewpoints where you will have a wide view of the Urubamba River. You will also pass through several microclimates, including cloud forest.

Take some time to take photos and then you will find yourself looking out over the spectacular Wiñay Wayna. (2,600m.a.s.l. / 8,500 feet above sea level) these incredible Inca site has a fascinating history and some parts are still hidden by dense vegetation. Your guide will give you the information about the archaeological sites, as well as the incredible flora and fauna and the different microclimates.

You will enjoy your box lunch in a covered shelter at the Wiñay Wayna camp. It is the last camp for those who walk the four-day Inca Trail. Take your time to admire the tropical flowers around the campsite.

After lunch, you will have a smooth walk and a gentle ascent to the Sun Gate, to reach to this place we will climb some stairs that were carved in the stone. From this place you will have your first view of Machu Picchu. It’s a stunning view, so take some time to savor the moment and take photos. The last 45 minutes from the Sun Gate provides plenty of opportunities to take more photos of Machu Picchu; you will have a unique view of Machu Picchu. There are also a couple of very important Inca sites between the Sun Gate and Machu Picchu.

Once you arrive at Machu Picchu, you will have time to take more photos from the viewing platforms above the site. You will arrive in the afternoon, as the archaeological area will be a bit empty of tourists, giving you the opportunity to take beautiful photos in the afternoon light with fewer people in your shots. Your guide will explain you along the full tour, which takes about two hours. You will see all the most important sites of Machu Picchu, including the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the Condor, the Temple of the Three Windows, the quarry and the House of the Inca.

Take your time to enjoy this magical experience before taking the bus to Aguas Calientes. At night you will take the train back to Ollantaytambo, where our bus will be waiting to take you to Cusco and your hotel

• Meals: Box Lunch – Dinner.
• Elevation: 2,750 m/ 9,020 ft.
• Distance: 12 km
• Walking time: Approximately 8-9 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate