The Classic Inca Trail 4 Days To Machu Picchu

Important:

The Peruvian Ministry of Culture and SERNANP are in charge of all regulations of the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu tour, including permits and campsites. To access the Classic Inca Trail trek, you have to have a permit that matches your FULL NAME, PASSPORT NUMBER, NATIONALITY, and AGE issued by the Ministry of Culture.

A maximum of 500 people per day are allowed to access the Classic Inca Trail 4 days. This number includes all support staff such as authorized porters, cooks, and tour guides – and is tightly controlled. When the Inca Trail reaches its capacity of 500 visitors, the trail is closed-off for the day and we won’t be able to make any further reservations. Booking are not held on the trail and all permits must be bought a year in advance, if possible.

Only licensed Inca Trail Travel companies like American Trekking can secure Inca Trail permits, and those permits are not transferable in date or name at any time. If you are not able to start your Inca Trail hike on your start date, it is not possible to transfer the permit to someone else. Whether you need to change your start date, you have to make sure permits are still available for the new date and buy a new permit. These are all rules of the government of Peru that all Travel Agencies need to follow. If permits for Inca Trail Machu Picchu hike are sold out for your desired start date, you can find many other treks that lead to Machu Picchu such as the Salkantay Trek, Inca Quarry Trek and Lares Trek. We can help find the perfect trek for you.

Important Considerations About Our Trek To Machu Picchu

• At the time of booking your Inca Trail 4-day hike, please ensure that you provide your full name exactly as it appears on the passport you will use to travel to Peru. Once the Inca Trail permits have been issued, it is no longer possible to make changes to your first or last name. The only detail that can be updated is your passport number.
• For peak season, which is May, June, July and August, you should book your permits 8 months in advance.
• This 4-day trek to Machu Picchu is not recommended for travelers with back problems,
• Daily departures with a group of 2 or more.
• No departures in February due to trail maintenance.
• Physical condition: The Inca Trail 4 days is moderate-to-difficult challenge , with a total distance of about 40 km (24.855 miles) and high altitudes, so a good level of fitness is required.
• For your Inca Trail trek, it is mandatory to bring your original passport to the checkpoint at kilometer 82. At this point, officials will verify that your original passport matches the identification details on your Inca Trail permit. Without presenting the original passport, you will not be permitted to enter or continue along the Inca Trail.

Pro Tips

• Make sure your trekking shoes are broken-in before your Machu Picchu hiking tours 4 days.
• Spend at least 2 days in Cusco before your Inca Trail 4-day hike to get used to the altitude.
• You must remember to trim your toenails super short before your Inca Trail Peru Tours! Toenails that are too long may rub against your hiking boots on the descent section and could be painful – or even result in your nails falling off!
• Place your clothing within your sleeping bag while sleeping. This way, if the morning is chilly, you can put on warm clothes. This practice significantly simplifies your morning routine by ensuring your clothes remain at a comfortable temperature.
• Make sure you are consistently prepared for rain even though you are trekking in the dry season. It can result in an unpleasant journey when your belongings become thoroughly wet without any means of drying them.
• Bring sandals or leisure shoes, which you can put on after a long day of hiking up and down in your trekking boots.
• If you are going to Rainbow Mountain with other companies before your Inca Trail trek, we highly recommend you to avoid eating the salad. This is because we have previously had people who got sick and had to cancel their Inca Trail experience.
• If you prefer not to wake up too early on the first day of your 4-day Inca Trail, we recommend staying in Ollantaytambo. Your pick-up time there is about 1 hour and 40 minutes later than in Cusco. However, make sure you book a hotel located in Ollantaytambo itself. Many hotels advertise being in Ollantaytambo(Sacred Valley) but are actually 20 to 30 minutes away, which means you would need to hire a taxi to reach the main square—our designated pick-up point.

Student Price For Our Inca Trail Trek To Machu Picchu

• Students who are 18 to 25 years old with a valid student card: $760 USD.
• Minors who are from 3 to 17 years old: $760 USD.

The Peruvian government offers discounted Inca Trail permits for eligible students, and this reduction is reflected in the prices of four-day Inca Trail treks. To qualify, you must be under 25 years old at the time of the hike. If you are under 17, you only need to present your passport. However, if you are 18 or older, you must present a valid physical student ID card.

The student ID card must be made of plastic, with all information printed directly on it, including the university name, your personal details, a photo, and a valid expiration date (no more than one year). Cards with stickers, paper certificates, or university letters are not accepted, and ISIC cards are not valid for student discounts in Peru.

You are required to send us a photocopy of your valid student ID card to our email address at the time of booking your 4-day Inca Trail permit. Below, you will find a sample showing the acceptable format of a student ID card.

Important Note:

The Peruvian government has strict rules for students. You need to have the right card to get student discounts for Inca Trail permit. At the Inca Trail checkpoint (which is Km 82), they’ll ask for your physical student card. If you don’t have the right one, you will not be allowed to access into the Inca Trail. So make sure your student ID follows Peru’s rules before you plan your trip to Inca Trail as a student.

Updating Passport Numbers

If you are renewing your passport, email us a copy of your old passport to book your permits. If you no longer have your old passport, you can send us any government-issued ID – as long as the name is the same. Once you receive your new passport please email us a copy of your new passport ASAP to change the information on your permit.

Duffle Bag

We will give you duffel bags one day before your Machu Picchu 4 day tour at our office at the end of your briefing. Your porters will carry them and you will have access to them only at the campsites. Put your clothes and other personal items that you won’t need hiking here. Things like water, snacks, a first aid kit, and rain gear, you should punt in your day pack.

The duffel should weigh 7kg. Remember only 4kg will be for your personal belongings. The remaining 3kg is going to be for your pad and sleeping bag.

At the end of your Inca Trail Holidays, you need to return duffle bags, you can leave them in your hotel reception so we will pick them up.

Strikes

Strikes and roadblocks are frequent in Peru and can disrupt our Inca Trail to Machu Picchu hike and rail service to and from Machu Picchu. We will do our best to ensure that your hike to Machu Picchu continues as planned with minimal changes.

• If the strike happens on the first day of your Machu Picchu 4 day tour, we will take you to the trailhead the night before your start date.
• If the strike happens the day that you finish your Inca Trail 4 day hike, we will send our vans to hidrolectrica track. This means you will only need to hike an extra 2 hours from Aguas Calientes to the track. Then we will drive in a van to Cusco, dropping you off at your hotel.

Returning From Machu Picchu To Cusco

Returning from  Machu Picchu to Cusco needs a lot of logistics. But it is already organized by us.

Bus from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes – You will take a bus down to Aguas Calientes for about 30 minutes, which run every 15 minutes. Then you will take the train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo or Poroy train station. Our guide will give you your train tickets. Make sure to get to the train station 30 minutes earlier.

•  The estimated time on the train is 1 hour and a half from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo.
• The estimated time on the train is 3 hours and a half from Aguas Calientes to Poroy.

Once at the train station, our transfer will wait for you with the American Trekking logo. He/She will then transfer you back to Cusco and then to your hotel.

• The estimated time from Ollantaytambo to Cusco is 1 hour and a half.
• The estimated time from Poroy to Cusco is 40 minutes.

Travel Insurance For Inca Trail

We recommend you get travel insurance as if you cancel your 4 day Inca Trail tours at the last minute, it can reimburse you for your pre-paid, non-refundable Inca Trail permit. Also if you get sick or hurt while you are far away from home, it can reimburse you for care following a covered medical emergency while traveling.

Physical Requirements

This hike is difficult, and we highly recommend to be in good physical condition. The Inca Trail elevation changes make the hike tough as there are three passes during your 4 day trek Machu Picchu.

Inca Trail Solo Traveller

During our Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 4 day trek, solo travelers are generally paired to share a tent with another traveler of the same sex in order to ensure comfort and privacy. In situations where there is only one female solo traveler and the other solo traveler is male, you will be provided with a separate tent. Couples will always be assigned a private tent.

Pre-Departure Briefing

There is a pre-departure briefing at our Cusco Office at 6:00 p.m, one day before your 4 day Machu Picchu hike begins. If you are not able to make this time, you should coordinate another time with the American Trekking team by email. Briefings last 30 -45 minutes roughly, where you will meet your guide and he/she will give you detailed information about your 4 day Inca Trail hike. This includes a list of what to bring, rental equipment, or answering any other questions you may have. Our office is located at Marquez Street 250, Second Floor, Office 03 in the Historic Centre of Cusco.

Tipping In Our Guided Inca Trail Tour

Tipping is common on Inca Trail tours. On the third day in the afternoon, we will say goodbye to our amazing porters and professional chefs. This is when you’ll all be able to give them a tip. Anything extra is always really appreciated. Please know that tipping is not mandatory and that you should never feel forced to do so.

Usually, our customers pool their tipping money together for the chef and porters. For your tour guide, you tip after your guided tour at Machu Picchu. You decide the amount of money based on your experience with them. Soles is better for our Porters and Chefs. Guides can receive U.S. dollars or Soles without any problem.

• Tips for our porters: 50 – 90 soles per porter.
• Tip for our Cooks: 120 – 150 soles per cook.
• Tipping for the tour guide would be more than the cook.

Group Service

Our Inca Trail 4 days 3 nights group is made up of all different types of people, with various trekking skills and ages. Once you book a group service, you will acknowledge that some people may be slower or faster than you. Each of you will go at your own pace for the trek, and our tour guide will work with the group to make sure everyone is happy.

Inca Trail Backpack Size

There is no size limit on the backpack you can carry during the Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu – you may bring either a small or large backpack. However, once you arrive at Machu Picchu, only smaller backpacks are permitted. We recommend carrying a 25-liter backpack, which is both practical and convenient.

If you do not have a small backpack, you can bring a larger one and store it in a locker outside Machu Picchu for 5 soles. These lockers are secure, and you can collect your backpack once you finish your visit.

Please note that if you leave your backpack in the locker, you should carry a small bag with water and snacks for the two-hour guided tour, or alternatively, bring a water bottle in your hand. If you have been using a CamelBak during the trek, keep in mind that it must remain in the locker with your backpack, so you will need to bring a separate bottle to use inside Machu Picchu during the tour.

Inca Trail Shoes

Walking on the Inca Trail 4 days is not the same as walking in a flat square. You will be hiking in the mountains, which means you will have to climb rocky steps, go down stairs, and walk on dusty paths. In some places, you will cross muddy trails that can be slippery. When it rains, the rocks can become very slippery, so we strongly suggest wearing trekking shoes with good grip to help you on the rough terrain. You can choose between trekking boots or hiking shoes, depending on what you find comfortable. However, we mostly recommend trekking boots with ankle support, especially for those who do not hike often.

Inca Trail to Machu picchu 4 day Bugs

Throughout the year, you will encounter insects hiking 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, though their numbers vary by season. Specifically, during August, September, October, and November, there is a noticeable increase in bugs, particularly mosquitoes. This seasonal surge is often due to the first rains of the year, which encourage the insects to emerge in greater numbers. Preparing accordingly with insect repellent or protective clothing is recommended to ensure a more comfortable experience.

Inca Trail 4 day Cell Service

On your 4-day hike along the Inca Trail, you’ll have some spots with cellphone service if you’re using Claro or Movistar. On the first day, you’ll have signal until about 10 am. There won’t be any service on the second day. On the third day, you can get signal in the afternoon. On the fourth day, you’ll find service after 7 am at the Sun Gate and will have it continuously until you reach Aguas Calientes.

Typical  Meals On Our 4 Day Inca Trail To Machu 

We train our cooks every year during the low season to provide you with the best-tasting meals, with specialty menus and the freshest local ingredients available. Here is an idea of what you will be eating during your trek.

*Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and more Options are Available Upon Request (please let us know at the time of booking).

Breakfast:

• Hot porridge, quinoa or oats, fried eggs, omelette or pancakes with fresh bread, fried bananas, Thick oatmeal with large fresh chunks of sweet apples and boiled water for hot teas, coca tea, coffee, chocolate, and milk.

Lunch & Dinner: 

• First Course: Quinoa, corn, noodle, asparagus, mushroom or vegetable soup, stuffed avocado, or potatoes.
• Second Course: Chicken breast, beef stew, quinoa, fried rice, hamburgers, fried chicken, spaghetti bolognese, typical dishes: aji de gallina (chili pepper chicken), escabeche de pollo (marinated chicken), or ajiaco de ulluco (spicy ulluco stew).

Dessert: 

• Fried plantains, chocolate pudding, chocolate or vanilla cake, peach.

Snacks:

• Candies, cookies, juice, crackers, and a variety of Peruvian fruits such as banana, chirimoya, granadilla, apples, oranges and mandarins.