Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu avoiding the crowds
Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu avoiding the crowds
We hiked the Classic Inca Trail privately without crowds. An incredible journey through valleys, mountain passes and bridges until the lost city of Machu Picchu.
Walking 500-years old stone steps surrounded by Inca ruins, cloud forest and glaciers is an experience that it’s difficult to describe. It’s even better as a private tour with very little crowds. This hike is part of our Peru and Bolivia itinerary.
Highlights: Disconnecting from the outside world; The feeling of walking through history; The nature; The view of Machu Picchu surrounded by the morning mist.
Accessibility: Very steep ascents and descents, slippery steps, narrow paths up to 4,200 masl altitude. Requires moderate to very good fitness conditions.
My Inca Trail to Machu Picchu experience
Choosing between the Inca Trail and the Salkantay Trek
When planning our trip to Peru, we were really undecided between the Salkantay Trek and the Inca Trail. I’ll save you hours of research and write below the main differences between the two:
Duration: The Classic Inca Trail takes 4 days, the typical Salkantay Trek 5 days
Altitude: The maximum altitude of the Inca Trail is 4,200 mt (13,800 ft), the Salkantay is 4,650 mt (15,255 ft) above sea level.
Price: The Salkantay trek is generally cheaper than the Inca Trail
Arrival in Machu Picchu: The Inca Trail ends in Machu Picchu (which is a big WOW factor), while the Salkantay trek does not. In fact, you will go to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes on the morning of the last day.
Landscapes: You’ll see more Inca sites on the Inca Trail and more nature on the Salkantay (though the landscapes on the former are absolutely amazing)
Difficulty: According to our Inca Trail tour guide, the difficulty level of the Inca Trail and Salkantay hike is similar (on many blogs we’ve read the Salkantay is more difficult).
Booking the Inca Trail and preparation
There are many variants of the Inca Trail. After an extensive research, we finally chose to book the Inca Trail 4 days / 3 Nights.
People often ask: What is the best time to book the Inca Trail? General recommendation is to book the Inca Trail hike 6 months in advance.
We spent two days in Cuzco before departing for the Inca Trail hike to get used to high altitudes. This turned out to be a good idea and helped us avoid altitude sickness.
How we got a private tour and skipped the crowds on the Inca Trail
You’ll read on many blogs that the Inca Trail is very crowded.
How did we manage to hike the Inca Trail privately, with very little crowds and without paying any extra?
First, we hiked at the very beginning of the shoulder season, between April and May. It’s always a good idea to find the sweet spot between low season and shoulder season (Perfect Travel itinerary principle #3).
Second, due to the protests in the country, less people were travelling to Peru and Machu Picchu.
Finally, due to last minute cancellations, we ended up being the only two people travelling with our tour operator on that day.
What that meant for us: Our group was composed only by a tour guide, one cook and 3 porters just for us. As a smaller group, we were much more flexible with the timings and could leave our campsites earlier and beat the crowds!
Price
We paid 637 USD per person. Comparing between dozens of Inca Trail tour operators can be overwhelming, but our package really included everything we could expect: Hotel pick-up and drop-off, transfers, all meals, camping tents, mattresses, porters, cook and of course the Machu Picchu tickets.
Optional items can be paid separately (e.g. walking poles, sleeping bags, etc.)
What to pack on the Inca Trail
Pack light, but be sure you’ve got all the must-haves with my packing list.
Difficulty level
Hiking the Inca Trail 4 days felt moderately challenging to hikers in a good shape and with some previous experience hiking in the mountains. Inca trail elevation is 2,700 - 4,200 mt (8850 - 13,800 ft), while Machu Picchu elevation is at 2,430 mt (8,000 ft) above sea level.
Day 1 is moderately easy and a great opportunity to adjust to altitude. Days 2 and 3 are really challenging, walking an average of 12-16KM per day and reaching the highest point of the Inca Trail.
The most difficult parts were the steep descents and ascents, as well as the steep stone steps that can get slippery when it rains. It’s highly recommended to rent walking poles.
What we saw on the Inca Trail
From the first to the last day there is always something new to see. Mountains and glaciers, jungles, exotic flowers, bridges, lagoons, Inca ruins, tunnels and stunning views before reaching the Sun Gate and the lost city of Machu Picchu.
I chose not to describe the hike in too much detail, because part of the experience it’s actually seeing it by yourself 🙈
Here's just a short recap of what we saw. Or click here to skip to the next section.
Day 1
Views on the Veronica glacier
Mountains and valleys
The Patallacta Inca site
Day 2
Steep ascent to Dead Woman's pass (4,200 mt)
Valleys and cloud forest
Small lagoons
Day 3
Various Inca sites and fortresses
Cloud forest
Natural tunnels
The breathtaking view from Intipata on the Urubamba valley and river
Day 4
The legendary Sun Gate
Machu Picchu
Aguas Calientes
The panoramic train back to Ollantaytambo
Curious for more? I’ve packed the best moments of my Inca Trail experience in my successful reel on Instagram.
Facilities
Before departing we’ve read a lot of negative reviews about campsites and facilities along the Inca Trail. However, we found overall good campsites and resting stations, well organised and with decent bathroom facilities considering the remote location.
In most campsites there are showers (but no hot water and no light at night).
Note: There are different campsites along the Inca Trail, and these are officially assigned to tour operators at the beginning of each hike. Where you'll stay will depend on various factors (for example if it’s 3 or 4 days Inca Trail, the group size etc.).
Our camping tent was new and perfect for two people. Mattresses were also included and comfortable.
Food
The food prepared by our cook was absolutely amazing. Every day we had a different menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The quality, abundance and freshness of the food was well above our expectations.
The food was served in one of the tents set up by our staff and which were ready by the time we reached the campsite.
Some food highlights: Fresh pancakes and fruit salad for breakfast, stuffed trout fish with rice for lunch and even a cake baked for us on the evening of the last day!
Weather on the Inca Trail
When is the best time to hike the Inca trail? We hiked in the beginning of May and the weather was just perfect with mostly sunny weather, just one foggy day and a few drops of rain.
The temperature varies greatly throughout the day and depending on the altitude, but it never gets too cold. The temperature drops at night, therefore it’s recommended to wear warm clothes.
The “classic picture” at Machu Picchu
That’s why we did all this, right? Once arrived at Machu Picchu, the guide took us to the “classic corner” where it’s possible to take the “classic picture”. Luckily, morning fog and clouds dispersed just as we arrived.
Train back to Ollantaytambo: Expedition or Vistadome?
From Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo it’s a 3 hours train ride. We were wondering whether it’s best to book the Expedition or Vistadome train when travelling back to Ollantaytambo. While we didn’t try the Vistadome, the Expedition train was absolutely fine, clean and offered amazing views around us.
Tip: Ask your tour operator to book the seats by the window and on the right in the direction of travel to get the best views during your return journey!
Tour operator
We booked the Inca Trail with machupicchureservations.org and were extremely happy with the quality of the service and the seamless experience from pick-up to drop-off. The price was in the mid-low range of all offers we compared, and really nothing was missing. Totally recommended!
Summary
The Inca Trail was an unforgettable experience where we saw incredible places, disconnected from the outside world and learned a lot about the history of the Incas. Walking through the Sun Gate and arriving at Machu Picchu early morning after walking 4 days on the same roads used by the Incas is something that it’s difficult to describe.
It’s easy to understand why this is considered one of the most spectacular hikes in the world!
About me:
As a passionate traveler and airline & hospitality expert I've been lucky to experience travel from behind the scenes -From crossing the Andes by bus, to flying Business class to the Maldives.
Some fun facts about my trips:
I’ve visited 5 of the 7 New World Wonders
Lowest point I’ve reached: Death Valley, California at -86 mt (-282 ft) altitude
Highest point I’ve reached: The Andes, 5,050 mt (16,568 ft) altitude
I've stayed at 100+ accommodations, from a tent in the Savannah to a houseboat on a French river
I’ve travelled 350,000+ km across 45+ countries and 5 continents by bus, car, boat, bike, hiking and so much more…
In my blog Beating Jetlag I share my travel experiences, insider tips and behind-the-scenes content for smart adventurers, as well as travel marketing recommendations for Creators. You can read more about me here.