Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley
9 days from Cusco: three nights to acclimatise in the Sacred Valley, the classic 4-day Inca Trail to the Sun Gate at sunrise, a night in Aguas Calientes and a second Machu Picchu visit at 6 am.
9 days · Round trip from Cusco · up to 12 guests
Machu Picchu just before sunrise Photo: McKay Savage, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Peru_-_Machu_Picchu_005_-_pre-sunrise_shot_(7367093638).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days, 8 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Cusco
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Active
Four trekking days of 5 to 8 hours at 2,400 to 4,215 metres, on uneven stone steps with long climbs and steep descents. The valley and city days are easy.
- Meals included
- 8 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 350
- Season
- April to November; best late April to early June and September to October. No departures in February, when the Inca Trail is closed.
Highlights
Why this trip
- Three nights in the Sacred Valley to acclimatise before the trek, in one hotel
- Pisac and Ollantaytambo at opening, Moray and the Maras salt pans in late light
- The classic 4-day Inca Trail over Dead Woman's Pass, with porters, cooks and a sleeping bag included
- Inti Punku, the Sun Gate, at first light on the last morning
- A night in Aguas Calientes and a second Machu Picchu visit at 6 am
- The panoramic-window train back along the Urubamba river
What makes this trip different
One price, nothing to pay on the van
Everything on the itinerary is in the price, and nothing is collected on the trip.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 350.
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Cusco, sleep lower in the Sacred Valley
Cusco airport to the Sacred Valley via Chinchero
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Sacred Valley
- Drive about 1.5 h
Evening
Your guide meets you at Cusco's airport, at about 3,300 metres, and we drive straight out of the city instead of staying the first night there. The road climbs over the Chinchero plateau, where the snow peaks of the Cordillera Urubamba come into view on a clear day, then drops into the Sacred Valley to our hotel near Urubamba, at about 2,870 metres. Sleeping some 500 metres lower than Cusco is the kindest start for your body. If you like, we stop for about an hour at a weaving cooperative in Chinchero to watch natural dyeing and backstrap weaving; or we go directly to the hotel. The afternoon is for rest, water and coca tea, with a welcome briefing over an early dinner.
Included
- Pick-up at Cusco airport (CUZ)
- Drive to the Sacred Valley via Chinchero
- Welcome briefing and dinner
Your choice: Weaving cooperative in Chinchero / Straight to the hotel Included in the price.
Optional experiences
- Weaving cooperative in Chinchero
Free time: Afternoon free to rest
Activity: Take the first day slowly: drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol tonight.
Pisac at opening, a hosted lunch, Moray at golden hour
Pisac, a village lunch, Moray and the Maras salt pans
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Sacred Valley
We leave early to be at the Pisac archaeological park when it opens, around 7 am, before the tour buses come up from Cusco. Walk the curving agricultural terraces and the Intihuatana sector, where fine Inca stonework sits on a ridge above the valley, and look across to the cliff that holds hundreds of looted Inca tombs.
Afternoon
Lunch is hosted by a family in a valley village: a home-cooked meal of local potatoes, corn and quinoa, and a chance to talk about farming at this altitude. After a rest at the hotel we drive up to the plateau for Moray, the circular terraces the Incas may have used to test crops, and the Maras salt pans, thousands of small pools fed by a salty spring, which glow in late afternoon light.
Included
- Pisac archaeological park at opening
- Hosted lunch with a family in the Sacred Valley
- Moray circular terraces
- Maras salt pans
Free time: Midday rest at the hotel
Activity: Moray and Maras sit at about 3,400 metres. A short visit up high, then a night back down in the valley, helps you adjust before the trek.
Ollantaytambo early, then a calm briefing in daylight
Ollantaytambo and trek preparation at the hotel
- Breakfast
- Stay in Sacred Valley
Ollantaytambo is a living Inca town, still laid out on its original street grid, with water running in stone channels beside the lanes. We climb the terraces of Temple Hill at opening, around 7 am, when the stone is in soft light and the visitors from Cusco are still on the road. Your guide shows you the unfinished Temple of the Sun, six huge blocks of pink stone that were hauled across the river from the Cachiccata quarry.
Afternoon
We are back at the hotel for lunch. This afternoon, with no long drive ahead, your trail guide holds the trek briefing: we check boots and rain gear, fit your sleeping bag, and weigh your porter duffel.
Evening
Dinner is early, and you sleep a short drive from the trailhead.
Included
- Ollantaytambo fortress and Temple Hill at opening
- Trek briefing and gear check with your trail guide
- Sleeping bag and mat fitted, porter duffel weighed
Free time: Afternoon free after the briefing
Inca Trail day 1: Km 82 to the first camp
Km 82 (Piscacucho) to Wayllabamba
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Inca Trail
Morning
After an early breakfast it is about an hour and a half by road past Ollantaytambo to Km 82, at about 2,700 metres, where the classic Inca Trail begins. Rangers check your permit and passport, and the porters weigh their loads at the control point. The first day is the gentlest: we cross the Urubamba river, follow its bank through dry scrub and cactus, and look down on Llactapata, a large Inca settlement with terraces at the mouth of the Cusichaca valley. From there the trail climbs gradually beside the Cusichaca river to the first camp, around 3,000 metres. Expect roughly 12 kilometres and 5 to 6 hours on foot.
Evening
The tents are up when you arrive, and the cooks serve a hot dinner.
Included
- Transfer to Km 82
- Classic Inca Trail permit, day 1
- Licensed trail guide and assistant guide
- Porters, cooks, tents, sleeping bag and mat
Your choice: Classic Inca Trail, 4 days / Quarry Trail Included in the price.
Activity: About 12 km and 5 to 6 hours on foot. Camp sites are allocated with the permit and may differ from the ones named here.
Inca Trail day 2: over Dead Woman's Pass
Wayllabamba over Warmiwañusca to Pacaymayu
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Inca Trail
This is the hard day, and the reason the first three days were spent at altitude. We start early and climb steadily through Andean cloud forest to the open grassland below Warmiwañusca, Dead Woman's Pass, at about 4,215 metres, the highest point of the trek. Go at your own pace; the assistant guide walks with the last person, and nobody is rushed.
Afternoon
From the top, turn back for the view down the valley you have just climbed, best before the cloud builds around midday. Then comes a long, steep descent on stone steps to the camp at Pacaymayu, at about 3,600 metres, usually reached in time for a late lunch and a quiet afternoon in camp. Roughly 9 kilometres and 6 to 7 hours today.
Included
- Classic Inca Trail, day 2, over Dead Woman's Pass
- All meals cooked by the trek crew
Free time: Afternoon in camp
Activity: About 9 km and 6 to 7 hours, with a climb of more than 1,000 metres and a steep descent. Walking poles help.
Inca Trail day 3: the ruins day, ending at Wiñay Wayna
Pacaymayu via Runkurakay, Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca to Wiñay Wayna
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Inca Trail
The most beautiful day on the trail, and the longest. We climb to the round ruin of Runkurakay and the second pass at about 3,950 metres, then descend to Sayacmarca, a compact settlement on a rocky spur, and walk through an Inca tunnel cut into the rock. At Phuyupatamarca, the town above the clouds, stone baths still run with water, and on a clear day you can see the snow peak of Salkantay. From there it is a long descent of stone steps through the cloud forest to the last camp near Wiñay Wayna.
Afternoon
We time our arrival for late afternoon so you can see its curved terraces in soft light, after most groups have moved on. Roughly 16 kilometres and 7 to 8 hours today.
Included
- Classic Inca Trail, day 3: Runkurakay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca and Wiñay Wayna
- All meals cooked by the trek crew
Activity: About 16 km and 7 to 8 hours, mostly downhill on stone steps, which is hard on knees.
Inca Trail day 4: the Sun Gate at first light, a hot shower in Aguas Calientes
Wiñay Wayna to Inti Punku, Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Aguas Calientes
We wake before 4 am to be among the first groups at the control point when it opens, around 5:30 am. From there it is about an hour on a narrow path along the mountainside, with a short, very steep flight of steps near the end, to Inti Punku, the Sun Gate. This is the first view of Machu Picchu, spread on its ridge below Huayna Picchu, and in the dry months the first sun reaches the ruins around 6 to 7 am. We walk down into the site for a guided visit on the route set for trail arrivals, then take the bus down to Aguas Calientes.
Evening
Your hotel has a hot shower and a real bed waiting, and dinner tonight is a celebration with your group.
Included
- Sunrise walk to Inti Punku, the Sun Gate
- Guided visit to Machu Picchu on the trail arrival route
- Bus down to Aguas Calientes
- Celebration dinner in Aguas Calientes
Free time: Afternoon free in Aguas Calientes
Activity: About 6 km and 2 hours to the Sun Gate and down to the site. The hot springs in town are an option for tired legs.
Machu Picchu again, at 6 am, then the train to Cusco
Machu Picchu, the train to Ollantaytambo and the road to Cusco
- Breakfast
- Stay in Cusco
- By train
Because we slept in Aguas Calientes, you get a second, unhurried visit. We take one of the first buses up and enter at 6 am on a timed Circuit 2 ticket, the classic route through the upper terraces and the lower city. In early light, with fewer people, your guide takes you to the Guardian House viewpoint for the postcard view, then down past the Temple of the Sun and across the main plaza.
Morning
If you have booked Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, this is your morning for it.
Afternoon
After lunch in town we ride the panoramic-window train along the Urubamba river to Ollantaytambo, about an hour and three quarters, then drive to Cusco, arriving late afternoon. Your guide walks you up to San Blas at blue hour.
Included
- Second Machu Picchu entry at 6 am on a Circuit 2 ticket, with your guide
- Bus up to the site
- Panoramic-window train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
- Drive to your hotel in Cusco
Optional experiences
- Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain. Separate ticket, limited numbers each day.
Free time: Evening free in Cusco
Cusco, then home
Sacsayhuamán, Qorikancha and the airport
- Breakfast
Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire, and after the trek its altitude of about 3,400 metres barely registers. We start at Sacsayhuamán above the city at opening, around 7 am, to walk along its three tiers of zigzag walls, built from enormous stones fitted together without mortar. Back in the centre we visit Qorikancha, the Inca Temple of the Sun, where a Spanish convent was built on top of the finest curved Inca masonry in the city.
Afternoon
There is time for a last coffee on the Plaza de Armas, between the cathedral and the Jesuit church of La Compañía, before we drive you to the airport, about fifteen minutes away, for your afternoon flight.
Included
- Sacsayhuamán at opening
- Qorikancha, the Temple of the Sun
- Drop-off at Cusco airport (CUZ)
Free time: Late morning free in the centre
- Cuscostart
- Sacred Valley3 nights
- Inca Trail3 nights
- Aguas Calientes1 night
- Cusco1 night
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Mountain weather changes fast: a clear Sun Gate sunrise is likely in the dry months but never certain, which is one reason we include a second Machu Picchu visit.
Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- A real multi-day trek with the hard parts carried by a crew
- Travellers who want time to adjust to altitude
- Early starts for empty sites and sunrise light
Not for you if you want
- Anyone who cannot walk 5 to 8 hours a day on stone steps
- Travellers who need a hotel bed every night
- Trips in February, when the trail is closed
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
8 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Sacred Valley3 nights
- Inca Trail3 nights
- Aguas Calientes1 night
- Cusco1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 8 nights: 3 in one Sacred Valley hotel, 3 camping on the Inca Trail, 1 in Aguas Calientes, 1 in Cusco
- Tents for two on the trail, sleeping bag and mat included
Transport
- Pick-up and drop-off at Cusco airport (CUZ)
- Your own vehicle and driver for the road days
- Transfer to the Km 82 trailhead
- Bus between Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes
- Panoramic-window train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
Activities
- Classic Inca Trail permit (4 days, 3 nights), with Machu Picchu entry on arrival
- Second Machu Picchu entry at 6 am on a Circuit 2 ticket
- Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Moray, the Maras salt pans, Sacsayhuamán and Qorikancha
- Trek briefing and gear check
Meals
- Breakfast daily from day 2
- All meals on the Inca Trail
- Welcome dinner, a hosted lunch in the Sacred Valley and a celebration dinner in Aguas Calientes
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide for the whole trip
- A licensed Inca Trail guide and assistant guide, porters and cooks on the trek
other
- A tipping pool for porters, cooks, trail guides and drivers
- No shopping stops
Not included
- International flights and flights to and from Cusco
- Travel insurance with trekking cover to 4,300 metres
- Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain tickets
- Lunches and dinners not listed
- Drinks
- Walking poles
- A tip for your See Sight Tours guide (optional)
Local fees: none. Nothing is collected on the trip.
Tips for your guide are included.
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 350
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We confirm your departure within 24 hours.
Want your own dates? We can book the same hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your confirmation.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Eight nights: three in a Sacred Valley hotel, three nights camping on the Inca Trail, one in Aguas Calientes and one in Cusco. Your Inca Trail permit with Machu Picchu entry, a second Machu Picchu entry at 6 am on a Circuit 2 ticket, the panoramic-window train, all road transfers with your own vehicle and driver, porters, cooks, tents, a sleeping bag and mat, entry to every site in the day plan, a hosted lunch, a celebration dinner, meals as listed, a tipping pool for the trek crew and your See Sight Tours guide throughout.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. Most mainstream Inca Trail trips take up to 16, so the trail, the camp and the dinner table feel very different.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, subject to Inca Trail permits. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section: we can book the same hotels, permits, trains and guides for you.
What if Inca Trail permits are sold out?
Permits are limited each day and sell out months ahead for May to September. We check permits before you pay a deposit. If they are gone for your dates, we tell you at booking and offer the Quarry Trail, a quieter trek near Ollantaytambo. We confirm its route and your Machu Picchu timing with you before you pay anything.
Can I hike the Inca Trail in February?
No. The Inca Trail closes every February for maintenance, so this trip does not run that month. November to March is also the wet season, when the stone steps are slippery.
How do you help with the altitude?
You sleep your first three nights in the Sacred Valley, about 500 metres lower than Cusco, with a short visit up to Moray and Maras at about 3,400 metres. By the time you climb Dead Woman's Pass at 4,215 metres you have had three days to adjust. Talk to your doctor about altitude medicine before you travel.
How fit do I need to be?
Active. Four trekking days of 5 to 8 hours, at 2,400 to 4,215 metres, on uneven stone steps with long climbs and steep descents. If you walk for several hours on hills at home, you will be fine; training on stairs helps most.
Is Huayna Picchu included?
No. Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain are separate tickets with limited numbers each day and their own time slots. Tell us when you book and we will try to secure one for the morning of day 8. Your Machu Picchu entries on days 7 and 8 are included.
What do the porters carry?
The porters carry the tents, kitchen and food, plus a duffel for you of up to 7 kg, which includes the sleeping bag and mat we provide. You carry a daypack with water, snacks, layers and rain gear.
How are the porters treated?
Porter loads are weighed at the trail control point and must stay within the legal limit. Our trek crew is paid at least the legal rate, and tips for porters, cooks and trail guides come from a pool already in your price, so nobody depends on an envelope at the end.
When is the best time to go?
May to September is the dry season and the busiest, with Machu Picchu's daily limit raised on peak dates. We like late April to early June and September to October, when the weather is mostly good and the trail is quieter.
How much does it cost?
Prices are per person sharing a room or tent, with taxes, and differ by style: small group or private. The small group starts from CAD 2,395 per person, and a room of your own is from CAD 350 more. Pick your start date when you request to book, and we confirm your trip within 24 hours. Nothing is charged until then.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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