Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 4 Days – 2024

The Inca Trails constitute an ancient road network that the Incas built for merchandise, messaging purposes, and transportation of their armies during the Tawantinsuyu or the Incan Empire. The network covered all of the Incan Empire’s territory which at its largest reached from what is nowadays the southern borders of Colombia, to western Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, and large portions of Chile. These ancient pathways connected all the important Inca sites and thus are nowadays some of the most outstanding trekking trails in the world.

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu of 4 days is one of the most well-preserved trekking trails that run along steep cliffs, and ancient archeological ruins leading you through the famous “Intipunku” or Sungate to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary. This means you get some of the most exquisite and astonishing views, walk in the footsteps of the ancient Inca nobility and enter Machu Picchu from high above, which makes this trail so appealing.

In Cusco we have two seasons:

The best time to do the classic Inca Trail of 4 days is during the dry season, from April to October as there is a lower chance of rain and generally more sunlight.

Dry Season

In April the season is still changing from rainy season to dry season which means the rain progressively reduces and the days are getting warmer and sunnier.

The months from May to September are undoubtedly the best time to hike the Inca Trail, as the days are sunny with clear skies. Even though the nights are much colder, you will have a higher chance of taking amazing photos of the landscapes during the day. However, during the peak months of June, July, and August, the trail is extremely popular and permits sell out quickly. Thus beware to book your Inca Trail Tour well in advance during these months!

In October the dry season is slowly changing to the rainy season which can increase the risk of rainy days progressively.

Rainy Season

From November to March there is a higher chance of rain and the rain can be very strong.

In November and December, the rainy season is starting, which means that the rain progressively gets stronger. Yet, there are sunny and bright days, but it can rain at any time and cloudy days get more common.

The rainy season is the strongest from January to March which means that the rain is rather persistent and days are often cloudy, but with some luck, you can still find some sunny days.

However, during its peak month in February, there can be extreme rainfalls triggering landslides and avalanches, causing roads to be blocked and trekking can become very dangerous, which is why the Inca Trail is closed during February.

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu of 4 Days covers approximately a total distance of 42 km or 26 miles. As the Peruvian Ministry of Culture and the Sernap control the campsites and assign permission to a campsite, it is difficult to estimate the hiking distance that one will do in a day.

Generally, you will hike for about 6 to 7 hours per day for the first 3 days. On the fourth day, you will visit the Machu Picchu Citadel, and depending on the ticket that you reserved, the hiking distance may vary. Circuit 3 is the shortest hiking distance, while the additional visits to the Inca Bridge, Machu Picchu mountain or Huayna Picchu increase the hiking distance.

The Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu in 4 days is considered to be a moderate to challenging trek. Depending on the day the hiking distance may vary but generally speaking, is the second day the hardest as you will climb an elevation of 4200m or 11,378 ft.

In any case, it is advisable to acclimatize to the altitudes the days before the hike. We recommend acclimatizing for two or more days in the city of Cusco. For this purpose, we can offer you various city tours in Cusco out of which we especially recommend the easier ones such as the Cusco City Tour, Maras and Moray Tour, and the Sacred Valley Tour.

Furthermore, we recommend eating healthy, avoiding fatty foods, and drinking a lot of water or Coca-tea. Please avoid drinking alcohol or smoking, especially on the days before the hike.

Nonetheless, altitude sickness can happen even to the fittest, thus here are the most common symptoms so that you can recognize it: headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, shortened breath, and difficulty with coordination. As long as the symptoms are relatively mild, we recommend using Coca leaves as a way to treat the symptoms. You can chew them or drink them as tea.

In any case, acclimatize your body and take it easy!

The maximum weight of luggage allowed on the Inca Trail is 5 kilos per person.

These items are recommended:

No, since June 2002 the Peruvian Ministry of Culture prohibited trekking independently on the Inca Trail in order to protect this ancient pathway by controlling its access. Since then each trekker must be accompanied by a professional, qualified, and licensed guide that was authorized by the Ministry of Culture. There is a list of basic criteria that a travel agency must meet in order to be able to guide the Inca Trail.

This is why we prioritize high-quality service and work each year diligently to renew our authorization by complying with all the necessary official criteria.

The Inca Trail can be sold out months in advance depending on the month. This is because the Peruvian Ministry of Culture only grants 500 permits a day, which includes permits for support staff such as guides, porters, and cooks. Thus, there are in reality only about 200 to 300 permits for touristic hikers each day.

This means that during the touristic peak months of June, July, and August the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu can be booked out for 8 months in advance. However, during the low season, you might have luck and can book the Inca Trail 2 or 3 months in advance.

Generally, we recommend booking your Inca Trail to Machu Picchu for 4 days as soon as you know the dates you will be able to do the hike and procure to fix your travel dates as quickly as possible.

No. The Inca Trail closed in February. This is due to the heavy rains and maintenance work carried out in that month.

Each group of tourists on the Inca Trail does not exceed 16 people. Tour guides are responsible for each group.

Yes. Tourists traveling together can book the Inca Trail in a private group. The cost is higher than the normal ticket. However, the price decreases according to the number of tourists in the group.

The visit to Machu Picchu on Day 4 is during the morning shift from 6 AM to 12 PM. Unlike other visitors, you will enter the mystical place of Machu Picchu through the Sungate or Intipunku, the ancient entrance that was used by the Incas themselves.

If you weren’t able to book the Inca Trail on time for your desired date, you can still visit Machu Picchu by hiking. We recommend you the following tours: