You can trust Adventure Life's Peru experts to help you design the perfect tour to Machu Picchu, just as thousands of elated Adventure Lifers that have traveled before you. We understand that for most people, visiting Machu Picchu is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and we'll make sure every detail is perfect. Choose an itinerary starting from our base in Cusco, from where you'll explore the Sacred Valley of the Inca and take the train to Machu Picchu Village at the base of Machu Picchu mountain. For the adventurous & fit, hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is one of the world's most spectacular, must-do treks. Four hundred years after the conquest, Hiram Bingham "rediscovered" Machu Picchu, and now, you too can discover Machu Picchu for yourself with Adventure Life. Contact us to start planning your trip to Machu Picchu today.
One of the world's premier treks, the high-altitude Inca Trail to Machu Picchu reaches nearly 14,000 feet hiking over four days before culminating at the glorious ruins of Machu Picchu. All travelers must acclimatize before starting the trek, and all our trekking packages except the 5-Day Inca Trail express and the Short Inca Trail include acclimatization days in Cusco and the Sacred Valley.
New for 2019, the 7-Day Short Inca Trail hikes 1-day on the Inca Trail (no permit required) and arrives at the same Gate of the Sun at Machu Picchu.
For full-length Inca Trail hikes, reservations must be made well in advance, preferrably in October or Novermber they year BEFORE you travel. Top Inca Trail treks include:
In the past couple of months, Peru has experienced civil protests that have caused shutdowns in transportation.
There may be current travel restrictions and requirements. See Peru's official travel site for updates. You may also visit the US, UK, India, Canada, and Australia governments' websites for current travel advisories to Peru from residents of those countries.
From Aguas Calientes it's a short shuttle ride along the Urubamba River and then up the zig-zag switchbacks to your destination high on the mountain top: the legendary Ruins of Machu Picchu.
If you have time, it's highly recommended to spend a night in Aguas Calientes so that you can visit the ruins at Machu Picchu early in the morning before the crowds arrive on the mid-morning trains from Cusco.
The Sacred Valley of the Inca - the Road & Rail to Machu Picchu
Upon arriving in the Inca capital at Cusco, many prefer to head straight away to the lower-altitude Sacred Valley and get their first introduction to the world of the Inca here.
Ollantaytambo is an Inca fortress and historical town built primarily with Inca stone where you can climb to the top of the ruins overlooking the town and the Sacred Valley.
Hike the Inca Trail from outside of Ollantaytambo (at KM 88), and you will experience the route to Machu Picchu on foot, just like the Inca did centuries ago.
Aguas Calientes - This is the bustling town at the foot of Machu Picchu mountain where you'll disembark from the train and find boutique hotels, quaint cafes, myriad restaurants, and souvenir shops.
Pisac is a small market village (main market day is Sunday) at the base of a towering Inca fortress surrounded by terraces overlooking the Sacred Valley far below.
