9-Day Classic Inca Trail & Lake Titicaca Trip from Cusco

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Arrival in Cusco and Hotel Transfer
1 stop
Cusco Region (Pass by)
Welcome to Cusco. Our team meets you at the airport and takes you to your hotel. Cusco sits at 3,400 m (11,150 ft), so take the rest of the day easy: walk slowly, drink plenty of water and enjoy a light dinner. When you feel ready, stroll to the Plaza de Armas, where Inca walls stand beside colonial churches.
Day 2
Free Day in Cusco to Acclimatize
1 stop
Cusco (Pass by)
After breakfast, a free day in Cusco to acclimatize before the trek. Explore the San Blas artisan quarter, the San Pedro market or the museums around the Plaza de Armas at your own pace. Use the day to rest, hydrate and prepare your daypack for the Inca Trail.
Day 3
Inca Trail Day 1: Km 82 to Ayapata Camp
3 stops
1
Inca Trail
Pickup from your hotel around 4:00 to 4:30 am (exact time confirmed at your briefing) and drive to Km 82 (Piscacucho), with a short stop in Ollantaytambo for breakfast (not included). At the first checkpoint you show your permit and passport, plus your student card if you booked a student rate. The trail starts at 2,720 m (8,923 ft): we cross the Vilcanota River and follow the valley.
15 minutes • Admission ticket included
Huillca Raccay (Pass by)
The first day is gentle, a warm-up along what guides call 'Inca flat', with views of the Inca fort of Huillca Raccay, the large Inca complex of Patallacta (Llactapata) and the snowcapped Wakay Willka, also known as Veronica (5,860 m / 19,225 ft).
2
Wayllabamba Camp
Our first camp is at Ayapata, about an hour and a half above the village of Wayllabamba (3,000 m / 9,842 ft). Night temperatures are around 5°C (41°F), depending on the season.
8 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 4
Inca Trail Day 2: Dead Woman's Pass (4,215 m)
3 stops
Cusco (Pass by)
The most demanding day of the trek. After breakfast, we climb the narrow Llulluchayoc gorge through Polylepis cloud forest, rich in birdlife, to the open meadows of Llulluchapampa.
Dead Woman (Pass by)
From Llulluchapampa, a steady climb of about 2 hours brings us to Warmiwañusca, Dead Woman's Pass, at 4,215 m (13,828 ft), the highest point of the trail, with wide views of the peaks around you. Then a steep stone staircase descends toward the Pacaymayo valley.
3
Chaquicocha
Camp for the night is assigned by the Ministry of Culture: usually Pacaymayo (3,550 m / 11,646 ft) or Chaquicocha, after crossing the Runkurakay pass. Your crew has tents, hot drinks and dinner ready when you arrive. Night temperatures are around 4°C (39°F).
8 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 5
Inca Trail Day 3: Runkurakay, Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca
3 stops
Runkuracay (Pass by)
On the way to the second pass (around 3,950 m / 12,960 ft), we pass the round Inca watchtower of Runkurakay, with views of the snowcapped Pumasillo range on a clear day.
Sayacmarca (Pass by)
The original Inca road descends to Sayacmarca (3,600 m / 11,811 ft), an Inca site built on a rocky spur with remarkable views, and the smaller ruins of Conchamarca. The trail then runs along the ridge through dense cloud forest.
4
After passing through an Inca tunnel, we reach Phuyupatamarca, 'the town above the clouds' (3,680 m / 12,073 ft), our last camp, with ceremonial baths and views of the Urubamba and Aobamba valleys and, on clear days, Mount Salkantay (6,271 m / 20,574 ft).
7 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 6
Inca Trail Day 4: Sun Gate, Machu Picchu and Return to Cusco
1 stop
5
Machu Picchu
A very early start takes us down thousands of Inca steps, past Wiñay Wayna and the last checkpoint, to Inti Punku, the Sun Gate, where Machu Picchu appears below for the first time. Your guide leads a tour of about 2 hours through the citadel, following the circuit assigned for your visit. Afterwards, take the bus down to Aguas Calientes for lunch and board your train. Our transport meets you at the train station and takes you back to your hotel in Cusco.
3 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 7
Scenic Route from Cusco to Puno
4 stops
6
Pukara Archaeological Site
Pickup from your hotel for a full-day guided journey from Cusco to Puno (about 10 hours), with lunch on the way. The stops follow this order: Andahuaylillas, Raqchi, La Raya and finally Pukara, home of the ancient Pukara culture, one of the earliest ceremonial centers of the high plateau, with a small museum of stone sculptures.
30 minutes • Admission ticket included
La Raya Pass (Pass by)
La Raya pass (4,335 m / 14,222 ft) is the highest point of the route and the border between the Cusco and Puno regions. Llamas and alpacas graze on the high plains below snowcapped peaks.
7
Parque Arqueologico De Raqchi
Raqchi preserves the Temple of Wiracocha, one of the largest Inca buildings ever built, with a central wall of stone and adobe more than 12 m (40 ft) high, surrounded by Inca storehouses and houses.
45 minutes • Admission ticket included
8
Andahuaylillas
First stop of the day: the church of San Pedro in Andahuaylillas, known as the Sistine Chapel of the Americas for its richly painted interior and gold-leaf altars.
40 minutes • Admission ticket free
Day 8
Lake Titicaca: Uros Floating Islands and Taquile Island
2 stops
9
Uros Floating Islands
After breakfast, transfer from your hotel to the port of Puno and board a motorboat to the Uros Floating Islands, about 25 minutes away. The Uros people build their islands, homes and boats from totora reeds. You visit a family, learn how the islands are made and maintained, and see daily life on the lake.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
10
Taquile Island
Continue by boat to Taquile Island (about 2 hours), a Quechua-speaking community known for its terraces, pre-Inca ruins and a weaving tradition recognized by UNESCO. Walk up the island's paths for wide views of Lake Titicaca, then return to Puno in the late afternoon.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 9
Transfer to Juliaca Airport
1 stop
Juliaca (Pass by)
After breakfast, transfer from your hotel in Puno to Juliaca Airport (about 1 hour) for your onward flight. End of services.

Additional info

• Specialized infant seats are available
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
• May be operated by a multi-lingual guide

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