Inca Trail Mountain Adventure

Arrive in Cuzco, once the geographic, cultural and political centre of a vast Inca empire, where Spanish colonial buildings crown exquisite Inca stonework to create a striking blend of styles. Around 6pm we meet our tour leader and fellow travellers to hear about the journey ahead, then we continue the welcome with a group dinner and a first taste of Peru. If you would like extra time in Cuzco, you can arrange additional hotel nights before the tour through your sales representative.

Today is free for acclimatisation – take it gently and drink plenty of water to settle into the altitude (11,155ft/3,400m). If you wish to explore, you can linger in the Plaza de Armas, visit Qorikancha in the Santo Domingo Church and monastery, and sample local produce at Mercado San Pedro; you can also browse handicraft markets for alpaca jumpers and scarves. If you would like to venture further, you can visit the hilltop fortress of Sacsayhuaman or the Sacred Valley – your leader can help you arrange an excursion, including Pisac Market. For something more active, you can try paddleboarding on a lake, mountain biking or a via ferrata and zip lining in the Sacred Valley. In the evening we pack and weigh our kitbags for the Inca Trail tomorrow – keep your passport handy for the checkpoint.

An early start as we transfer for 1hr 30min from Cuzco into the Sacred Valley. At Ollantaytambo we continue for about an hour to the trailhead at Piscacucho, known as Km82. After greeting our trekking crew, we show passports at the checkpoint and begin the famed Inca Trail. We follow the Urubamba River beneath the snow capped Nevado Veronica, passing cactus gardens and small settlements to the terraced ruins of Llactapata, then continue up the Cusichaca Valley to camp near Huayllabamba (9,186ft/2,800m).

We wake to a hot drink delivered to the tent before tackling the most demanding and celebrated section of the trail. A steady climb leads through cloud forest to the meadows of Llulluchapampa, then we summit Dead Woman’s Pass (Warmihuañusca) – the highest point on the trek at 13,829ft (4,215m). After celebratory photos, we descend steep original Inca steps to our campsite in the scenic Pacaymayu Valley (11,811ft/3,600m), where a hot, freshly cooked meal and a peaceful Andean night await.

After a hearty breakfast, we climb past the ruins of Runquracay and over Runquracay Pass (12,894ft/3,930m). From here the trail becomes a beautifully paved, undulating path of great boulders, linking sites accessible only on foot. We visit atmospheric Sayacmarca, perched high above lush cloud forest, enjoy views of Salkantay, and continue to our spectacular ridge top camp above Phuyupatamarca (12,073ft/3,680m) to savour sunset – and sunrise tomorrow.

From Phuyupatamarca we descend the famous Inca Steps – a 1.2mi (2km) stone staircase dropping swiftly into a vast panorama, with the Vilcabamba peaks above and the Urubamba River far below. Reaching Wiñay Wayna, we explore the beautiful ruins and pause for lunch before following a relatively level traverse through cloud forest and wild orchids to Inti Punku, the Sun Gate. Here we enjoy our first full view of Machu Picchu, framed by Huayna Picchu behind, then take the bus for about 30 minutes down to Aguas Calientes for a hot shower and a comfortable bed.

Rested and refreshed, we return to Machu Picchu this morning for a guided tour. This architectural and engineering marvel is made even more dramatic by its mountain setting – lost to the world for centuries and brought to international attention in 1911 by the historian Hiram Bingham. Our tour explores its history, culture, architecture and lingering mysteries. This afternoon we catch the train for 1hr 30min back to Ollantaytambo, then continue by private bus for approximately three hours to Cuzco.

After breakfast we begin our journeys home. If you would like to keep the adventure going, you can add a Lake Titicaca extension to explore high altitude waters by boat, visit an indigenous community and see the pre Incan site of Sillustani, or join an Amazon Rainforest extension to discover lakes, rivers and jungle trails in search of tropical wildlife. You can also speak to your sales representative about extra time in Cuzco.