Inca Trail and Quarry

We leave Cusco early in the morning and drive 1 hour and 45 minutes to Soqma (3,205 m / 10,512 ft). This is the starting point of our Inca Quarry Trek and Short Inca Trail 5 Days 4 Nights and where we meet the horsemen that will join us during the hike.

We begin the hike with a 1 ¾ hour walk to the Perolniyoc cascade lookout. This is a perfect opportunity to stop for photos and a snack. The waterfall that you will see at this location is breathtaking! We will then hike a further 35 minutes until we visit the Inca site of the same name, where we will have a brief tour. This will be our lunch site.

After a refueling lunch, we will ascend 45 minutes until our camp at Rayan (3,700 meters/12,136 ft).

Meals: Lunch/Dinner

Accommodations: Camping

Minimum altitude: 3,205 m/ 10,512 ft

Maximum altitude: 3,700 m/ 12,136 ft

Distance to walk: 8 km/5 miles

Approximate walking time: 3 to 4 hours

Difficulty: Moderate

After an early breakfast, we ascend 3 hours to the first pass of the trek, known as Puccaqasa (4,370 m/ 14,333 ft). At the top of the pass, there are incredible views of the Sacred Valley. This is a perfect place to take pictures!

We then head downhill for 25 minutes to our lunch location. After lunch, we hike 2 hours with alternating ascents and descents. The final 20 minutes of this segment will take us uphill to the highest pass of the trek, Kuychicassa (4,457 m/ 14,619 ft)

From here we trek downhill for 2 ½ hours to a site the Incas called Inti Punku, (meaning Sun Gate), where there is a spectacular view of Mount Veronica (5,682 m/ 18,637 ft) and the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Our campsites is 30 minutes downhill from Inti Punku at Choquetacarpo (3,600m/ 11,808 ft).

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Accommodations: Camping

Minimum altitude: 3,600 m/ 11,808 ft

Maximum altitude: 4,457 m/ 14,619 ft

Distance to walk: 13 km/ 8 miles

Approximate walking time: 8 to 9 hours

Difficulty: moderate

We will have an early breakfast and then walk one hour downhill to the Cachiqata inca quarry (3,525 m/ 11,562 ft), where we observe the location where stones were cut for Ollantaytambo. We will have a tour and talk about how you can still see remains of stone work that was interrupted by the Spanish conquest.

From the quarry we descend for 3 hours until we reach Ollantaytambo (2,840 m / 9,315 ft). We will have lunch in Ollantaytambo. Where we stay this third night, after a deserved relaxation at hotel, we’ll go for an exploration of the authentic Incan streets in the same town. At night, We’ll have our dinner at the tourist restaurants.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Accommodations: Hotel3*

Minimum altitude: 2,840 m / 9,315 ft

Maximum altitude: 3,525 m/ 11,562 ft

Distance to walk: 11 km/ 7 miles

Approximate walking time: 4 hours

Difficulty: moderate

We will pick you up from your Ollantaytambo hotel early in the morning and then we walk to the train station at Ollantaytambo and take the tourist train to Kilometer (Km) 104, which takes about 1 hour and half to km 104 is an unscheduled train stop so you will probably feel a twinge of satisfaction that the train is stopping especially for you – and by knowing you are about to see things that no one else will get to! At Km 104 we will get off from train and cross the Inca Trail checkpoint where we will see our first archaeological center called Chachabamba (2,170 m / 7,170 ft).

These ruins were one of the last shelters that the Incas used before they reached Machu Picchu. This site was also used as a religious and administrative center, and features several buildings. Then, we will gradually ascend for about 2-3 hours climbing Inca stone steps while our guide points out different flora and fauna along the route.

We will then pass a tall waterfall before arriving at the archaeological site called Wiñay Wayna at (2,650 m / 8,700 ft), which is named after an orchid and means Forever Young in Quechua. We will climb to the top of the ruins and enjoy lunch with an incredible view of Wiñay Wayna and the Urubamba river valley. This large site sits on a mountainside and features experimental terraces that the Incas used to grow different crops. We will visit an important temple with 7 windows that was dedicated to the rainbow as well as observe the amazing engineering of water channels that still function today.

Once we finish our tour here, we will continue our hike for about 1 ½ hours on a part of the Inca Trail which is relatively flat, with small ascents and descents along the way. At about 2:00 pm we will reach the Sun Gate (2,720 m / 8,920 ft) which is called Intipunku in Quechua. This is where we will have our first view of Machu Picchu and from there we will head down to the photo point then take the bus down to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival to Aguas Calientes you will check in to your hotel- dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch / Dinner

Accommodations: Hotel

Maximum altitude: 2,720 m / 8,920 ft

Minimum Altitude: 2,040 m / 6,691 ft

Distance to walk: 9.0 miles/13 km

Approximate walking time: 5-6 hours

After breakfast, we will board the first bus which will take us one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu. As part of our itinerary the same professional tour guide from your Inca Quarry Trek & Short Inca Trail 5 Days 4 Nights will explain you about all the history of this mysterious and beautiful place. We will visit the Sun Temple, Royal Palace, Principal Temple, Temple of the Three Windows and the Intihuatana Sun Dial. It will be an unforgettable and inspiring experience. After the guided tour, you will have free time to explore Machu Picchu on your own.

If you have booked the Huayna Picchu hike, you’ll need to coordinate with our guide regarding your scheduled time to take this additional hike. For people not hiking Wayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (Book in advance), there are other optional activities you can do on your own:

Visit the Sun Gate: You will have an opportunity to walk (approx. 2 hours up and down) up to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) to see Machu Picchu from a different angle.

Hike to the Inca Bridge: The Inca Bridge offers a dose of adventure for your next Machu Picchu visit. However in this case, the adventure is a little less strenuous, but a lot more death defying, not for people with vertigo.

When you are finished with your personal time exploring the extraordinary city of Machu Picchu you will return to Aguas Calientes by bus and board the train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo where our private van will be waiting to transport you back to your hotel in Cusco. Arrival time in Cusco depends on the time of your train ticket.

Meals: Breakfast

Lowest Elevation: 2,040 m/ 6,691 ft

Highest Elevation: 2,440 m/ 8,052 ft