Do not think too much, spaces are selling out!
The Classic 4 day Inca Trail is Peru's number one trek and one of the most well-known and popular treks in the world. Offering 4 days of trekking along original paved Inca pathways, a variety of fascinating Inca sites and the beautiful scenery of the Machu Picchu national park the Inca Trail is one of those things that everyone should do once in their life. Be you young or old, in good shape or bad, the Inca Trail is for everyone and is a must do if you plan to visit Machu Picchu.
Walk through typical andean valleys, grasslands, cloud forests, visit ancient Inca ruins along the way to arrive in Machu Picchu by sunrise!
We have very prossional and knowledgeable Guides and there will never be a moment you'll feel you don't know what to expect each step of the way. The porters not only carry equipment but there will even have the time to be cheering you along the whole way. In Llama path we really treat the porters with respect. The food is amazing and you cannot think of a meal you do not like. Our chefs will make sure you do not go hungry and will constantly feed you AMAZING food.
If you are looking for a company to go for this trip Llama Path is the one to go with. We will help you along the entire process!
''I had an excellent experience on my trek with Llama Path. The food and service were outstanding. Other tour groups have you camp in between Dead Women's Pass and Runkarakay Pass on the second night, but Llama Path has you complete both passes on day 2 and camp further along the trail. While this makes day 2 pretty strenuous, the further campsite is more quiet and makes for an easier day 3. I highly recommend trekking with this company''
Prices 2024 (from 1st March 2024 to 31 January 2025).
US$790.00 Adults
US$750.00 Students with a valid Student card.
We offer daily departures on the Inca Trail (excluding February when the trail is closed) - Check Availability with us by e-mail.
It is strongly recommended to book your Inca Trail at least 4 to 6 months in advance as permits can quickly sell out especially for months April to August.
We leave with a minimum of 2 people. Our average group size range from 8 to 16 people.
About Inca Trail Campsites:
Campsites may change depending on booking time and availability, weather conditions or on restrictions undertaken for safety reasons by the Peruvian Goverment.
The Inca Trail as seen from a Former Client:
Preparation:
We began our trek (4 days, 3 nights) at the end of August, but we reserved our spots online with Llama Path in February/March.
I would recommend 1) upgrade to the $50 train ride from Aguas Calientes to Cusco when you are finished at Machu Picchu, and 2) booking a ticket for Huayna Picchu climbing.
We (two 24 year olds, healthy-but-not-crazy-fit) chose to carry our own bags and not pay for the personal porter. We had a little bit of backpacking experience, but we mostly opted to carry our own personal belongings (clothes, sleeping bags, toiletries, etc) to keep our trip costs down. Everyone else on our trek (except 1 other person) utilized a personal porter and were very happy they did. Carrying our own stuff wasn’t bad and we felt great at the end! To each their own :)
Altitude sickess:
Llama Path recommends that you arrive in Cusco (or another high-elevation city) ~3 days before your departure to acclimate to the altitude. Many people in our hostel and on our trip became altitude sick (headaches, digestive issues, vomiting, basically feeling hungover), but we didn’t. We did have some digestive issues (all controllable, but I will spare you the details) so for that, I would recommend bringing your medicine of choice: Midol, Pepto Bismol, Tums, etc. I didn’t see many people taking the altitude medicine, possibly because it makes you super dehydrated.
Departure + Trek:
As soon as you arrive in Cusco, you should go to the Llama Path office to check in and pay any remaining (LOcal Payment) dues if you have them. Then, you’ll have a group meet-up the night before you leave to meet your guide and fellow trekkers. They have a presentation and they’ll go through who’s renting what, etc. YOU SHOULD TOTALLY RENT TREKKING POLES. We shared 3 between the 2 of us and it was really helpful. This is also the time to rent a last-minute porter if you are feeling overwhelmed. (If you do end up backpacking, you should bring a little string-bag and leave your spare clothes at your hotel/hostel. it lightened our load quite a bit, and it’s free). This meeting is also when you should remind them if you abide by a different diet than most!
You will meet your group around 4 am at the Regocijo Square on your departure day and take a bus to the starting point (stopping for breakfast beforehand). If you’re veg, you will be eating a lot of fruit, dry cereal, and bread at this restaurant. They had eggs too. This is check point number one to make sure to bring cash. Breakfast was 40 soles per person.
The first day was tough because it was hot. Make sure you have water filled, sunscreen on, a bandana/hat, and sunglasses. Most people hiked in pants and a short sleeve t-shirt (end of winter there).
There are indigenous folks who sell snacks and water/gatorade at various pit stops on days 1 and 2. There are also toilets along the way and you’ll want to bring soles (coin money especially) for these (worth it!) they also sell toilet paper if you need more.
Dining:
Lunch and dinner were always 3-4 course meals, it was unbelievable that the porters carried that much food. Often times, there was too much food and we would be completely stuffed.
If you’re veg: the chef will make you your own meals. We had amazing rice, veggies, soups, pasta, I don’t even know what else but it was really really tasty and filling and spiced to perfection. The chef even made a chocolate cake on the last night (how????????????!!!).
There’s also a dining tent with tables and chairs that they set up for every meal. It’s quite luxurious, almost too luxurious when you think about all the unnecessary weight these porters are carrying. But this is not just a Llama Path thing, and they definitely treat their porters the best out of all the companies operating on the Inca Trail.
Camping:
Llama Path trek provides you with a foam sleeping pad but we also had our own sleeping pads the two together was extremely comfy. We also shared a 4-person tent between the two of us and the extra space was delightful. Every night when you arrive to camp (and every morning when they wake you up) they have fresh juice/tea, and individual hot water basins for everyone to wash up in. There were also bathrooms (glorified pit toilets) with running water and sinks at every camp site. The porters will boil water for you every day and night as well.
Your guide:
We cannot express enough gratitude for our guides our lead guide, is probably one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. He expertly infused our trip with history, Incan and Peruvian culture, geology, sustainability, and eco-tourism. Our Guide made a difference in each of our group members' lives, and I can only hope that you are lucky enough to have him as your guide and experience his amazing speeches at the Inca sites and dinner each night!
Our assistant guide, was truly amazing and helpful. On the first day, there were two people who had to turn back due to altitude sickness, and he accompanied them. We didn’t see him for most of the trip, but on Day 3 we were approaching the last Incan Site before Machu Picchu and ran into him (he had entered the trail backwards and came to meet us) and I cannot express how happy we were to see him!
The trek:
You will see so many amazing sites along the way while you’re hiking, and they get progressively cooler as you go further along. I won’t give away any spoilers.
When you arrive at Machu Picchu, you will need to pay 5 soles to stow your bag (unless you have a tiny backpack, that will probably be fine to keep on you). You’ll go through Machu Picchu with your guide and after an hour or two, the group will part ways and most (if not all) will go to hike Huayna Picchu, which is an hour-long, very, very steep but really fun hike/climb (if you’re into that sorta thing) that gives you the “overlook” view of Machu Picchu that you see in all the photos. Highly recommend, and you should book that months in advance with Llama Path.
When you’re done, you’ll take the free bus shuttle down to Aguas Calientes and grab food, souvenirs, have a drink, etc before you board your train back to Cusco.
LGBTQ+ experience:
Everyone on our trek was very inclusive and we had zero problems while we were on the trail. I’ll add that throughout the rest of our Peruvian adventures, we laid-low, but still shared a single-bed hotel room in multiple cities and never had an issue.
Things we highly recommend packing for the trek:
-Lot’s of cash — you should probably bring about 500-600 soles per person on the trek just in case because your tips will depend on how big your group is and there’s no ATM until after you leave Machu Picchu (the porters leave before you get to MP, so there is no other opportunity to tip them, and they deserve it). Keep in mind that you "should" tip the chef, the porters, your guide, and your assistant guide.
-Toilet paper (1 roll per person on the trek)
-Mid-sized quick-dry towel (don’t skimp and bring the small one, we screwed that up)
-Hand sanitizer
-First aid + digestive meds, ibuprofen
-Bug spray
-Head lamp
-Quick-dry clothing (no cotton)
-Sunglasses and a hat/neck cover
-Shower shoes to let your feet air out after hiking and after the one shower available on day 3 (very cold water!)
''The Inca Trail is for your mind, Not for your feet... '' (Llama Path Guides' Saying)
Pick up time : 4:30 am
Our adventure through this magical adventure will start very early, we will start the tour at 4:30 am from Regocijo square (historical center of Cusco) unfortunately the streets here in Cusco are very narrow and we have a bus with comfortable seats and for us it is impossible to pick you up from the hotels because of the narrow streets however our meeting point is very strategic located in the historical center of Cusco.
We will travel by bus for approximately 3:30 minutes, traveling through beautiful landscapes in the Sacred Valley, approximately 6:30 am we will make a stop to buy breakfast (not included),We will stop at this point for about 30 minutes where you can buy breakfast and use the restrooms and then we will return to board our bus to continue our journey to the beginning of the hike (Kilometer 82).
The first day of the Inca Trail is easy going to help you settle in to the trek. Covering 14km of the trail climbing gently up the Cusichaca Valley you pass by the Inca site of Llactapata, enjoy great views of the snow-capped peak Veronica (5900m / 19000ft) and get to see a variety of native plant life and birds throughout the day.
Our campsite for the night is at Ayapata (3300m / 10829ft) which is a little further along the trail than most groups go; as we're camping further up the trail the next day's trek up to the pass is a little easier for us and with fewer tourists at the campsite we can enjoy the peace and tranquility of this beautiful place.
Today is considered by many to be the hardest day of the trek; with 2 high passes (Dead Woman's Pass is the highest at 4200m / 13779ft) to cross and nearly 16km to walk today really tests your spirit. There's no need to worry though as thanks to our enthusiastic guides and team of porters helping you along you'll have all the morale and physical support you need to make it.
Today we get fantastic views of the high mountain ranges as we cross the 2 passes and will have the chance to visit 2 Inca sites (Runcuraccay and Sayacmarca). We will also see a variety of plant and life in the Polylepsis forests that cover this area and hopefully spot White Tailed Deer as we near Dead Woman's Pass. Our campsite tonight is at Chaquicocha (3600m / 11800ft) which like Ayapata is one of the quieter campsites and affords beautiful views of the sunsetting over the mountains in the distance.
Having made it over the 2 passes yesterday we're now treated to a relaxing day through some of the most beautiful scenery the Inca Trail has to offer. With a relatively short distance to cover along what is known as Inca Flat (gentle ascents and descents) we get to enjoy the lush and verdant cloud forest around us and the spectacular views of the Andes in the distance.
With visits to 2 Inca sites (Phuyupatamarca and Winay Wayna) this is by far one of the most impressive days of the trek. Our campsite for tonight is at Winay Wayna (2680m / 8792ft) which we will arrive to be early afternoon and get to have an extended guided tour of once we have settled in.
Today is the highlight of the trek. Waking up early you head straight to the checkpoint to enter Machu Picchu and once the site opens can carry on to the Sun Gate where you'll get your first fantastic views of Machu Picchu.
On arrival to Machu Picchu you'll have a 2 hour guided tour , You can only visit Machu Picchu once through circuit number 3 CIRCUITO-3-07-07-2022_compressed.pdf (machupicchu.gob.pe) during which you'll learn about the Incas and visit all the most important areas of the citadel. After your tour you'll have free time to explore the site by yourslef and if you have permits to climb either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain. In the afternoon you will take the train back to Ollantaytambo from where you will carry on by bus back to Cusco.
About Inca Trail Campsites:
Campsites may change depending on booking time and availability, weather conditions or on restrictions undertaken for safety reasons by the Peruvian Goverment.
Video Brieffing of the 4 Day Inca Trail, Group Service.
IMPORTANT NOTICE :
ZERO PLASTIC BOTTLES ON THE INCA TRAIL AND MACHU PICCHU FROM DECEMBER 1ST:
Due to New goverment regulations for the Inca Trail it will be 100% PROHIBITED to TAKE PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES. We believe that in the first days the new enforced regulations may NOT be 100% controlled however as the days go it will be more and more strict therefore WE KINDLY suggest you getting your aluminum plastic bottles to avoid any dissapointment at the check points along the Inca Trail and in the Machu Picchu citadel.
ALUMINUM 0.700ml BOTTLES:
As a way to avoid any inconvenience with our clientes Llama Path offers 0.700ml aluminum water bottles FOR SALE at the office for as liitle as 10 Soles (USD8.00).
Aluminum water bottles can also be bought in many different shops around the main square.
Also, if you are still at home and ready to fly to Peru for your trek we recommend you bringing aluminum water bottles or camel bags.
We look forward to meeting you
PLEASE NOTE: Times provided may vary depending on your acclimatization and level of fitness..
PLEASE NOTE if you haven't been rent a personal porter your personal things will be carry by your own
Optional: Sandals, bathing suit etc.
Prices 2024 (from 1st March 2024 to 31 January 2025).
US$790.00 Adults
US$ 750.00 Students with a valid Studend card.
PRICES FOR 2024 (For groups leaving from 1st March 2024 to 31 January 2025):
US$ 790.00 Adults
US$ 750 Student and Under 18's Discount: US$40.
Discounts:
Under 18's Discount: US$40
Please note that according to the Government the requirements to apply for the student discount are as follows:
Additional/Extras NOT Included (Need to book in Advance):
Optional Extras:
If you are looking for accommodation in Cusco or Lima, we have a special offer, a private apartment (AirBnB) in Cusco and Lima, please email us to info@llamapath.com if you are interested in our AirBnB.
How to book:
You can either book by emailing us or by using the Booking form on this site.
By e-mail:
Send us your main Departure date and back up date: By providing us with a main date and a back up date for your trek (classic Inca Trail, Lares, Salkantay, etc) you automatically authorize Llama Path to use either of these dates for your reservation. Llama Path within the next 48 hours (after you have sent us your booking form and confirm deposit was made) will send you an electronic receipt confirming your trek has been officially booked and also to confirm the exact departure date of your trek.
Sending your Personal Details for Booking: Your passport number and other information must be valid. Please advise if you change your passport number after booking the tour (especially for booking the classic Inca Trail as if we do not make a change in your official details, you may not be permitted to do the trek). Please Note changing passports' numbers requires an extra fee (we are able to change passports numbers easily on our receipt but its also extremely important that we make the changes with the Inca Trail authorities) and please is important that the information that you send need to be exactly as appear in your passport.
Student rate: In order to obtain this discount you must have a valid University Student card (and be NO older than 25 YO). It is important you scan and e-mail this to us at the time of booking and that it is valid on the date you are booked on the Inca Trail/alternative trek (you will need to show the real University card upon your arrival here in Cusco and in Machu Picchu).
Payment of deposit:
1. For the classic Inca Trails: 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 5 or 7 days (Group or Private Service)
We request a non-refundable deposit per person along with personal details of each member participating in the trek:
Payment of deposit amount is (no fees applied):
Please note, if you get the permits for the 7am start you will probably have to miss the Machu Picchu guided tour.
Payment of the deposit can be made through any of the 2 following options:
Go to www.paypal.com and if you have an account, enter your account information (username and password).
Choose the option ´send money´ to: deposits@llamapath.com (IMPORTANT: please ensure you choose the option ‘purchase’ and ‘services’. Do not choose the option ‘personal’).
Click here to Pay by VISA
At the end of the transaction, you will have a screen with an order number. Please send an email confirming deposit and the order number you
have been given.
About the Briefing: The night before your trek there will be a pre-trek talk (briefing) in our office at either 4:00pm or 5:00pm (exact time will be confirmed on your arrival or by email). Your duffle bag will be provided at this time if you have paid for an extra porter for your Inca Trail or if you are doing an alternative trek.
The Local Payment (Payment of final Balance): We require you to pay your final balance in cash (Soles or USA dollars) in our office at least 48 hours prior to tour/trek departure (please advise if you have any delays on arrival).
The Local Payment (Payment of final Balance) can be paid in cash and in US dollars or Peruvian soles (if paying in Soles it will be applied the exchange rate of the day).
Cancellations:
Llama Path Terms and Conditions
DEFINITIONS: The definitions below will apply throughout these terms and conditions:
10. CANCELLATION:
a) If a Trip is cancelled or a Client wishes to leave a Trip, for any reason, the Deposit and any balance paid will not be refundable, . If the Trip has been paid in full, there may be components that the Client can still use, such as the Machu Picchu entrance, train ticket and bus ticket.
b) Deposit is non refundable , , non transfarable to another tour ,date or person Because the permits are purchased through the Peruvian government and due to their rules the permits are not transferable and no refundable.
c) Refunds will be provided for Day Tours (City Tour , Sacred Valley , Southern Valley , Maras Moray , River Rafting , Rainbow Mountain , Humantay Lake) as follows:
11.FORCE MAJEURE: Llama Path is not responsible or liable where any force majeure event or circumstance occurs which is beyond the control of Llama Path, including but not limited to acts of God, civil or military disturbances, extreme weather, disease, technological interruptions, labour strikes, or acts of war or terrorism . The Client recognizes that Llama Path may need to alter, or even cancel, a Trip in response to a force majeure event or circumstance, and will not be liable for any such alteration or cancellation.
12. PROTEST OR STRIKE EARLY DEPARTURE: In the event of a protest or a strike, which may affect the itinerary of a Trip, Llama Path, at its discretion, may decide to leave early for the Trip in order to provide the best service possible. In such cases, Llama Path will charge an increment to cover the extra costs incurred, such amount as to be determined by Llama Path, depending on the circumstances
13. HOLIDAY OR ELECTION EXTRA CHARGE: Where a Trip takes place on one or more of any of the following days, due to reasons of public holiday, or elections in Peru, an extra charge per person, per Trip will be applied: December 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31, January 1, and any day that an election may fall on. The extra charge will be determined by Llama Path (35 usd), and covers staff’s fines for missing elections, or is a bonus for staff missing a public holiday.
© Llamapath 2003 - 2024 All rights reserved
Address: Cuychipunku street 257, Cusco
Email: info@llamapath.com or reservations@llamapath.com
Tourist enquires: Mon- Sat (9am - 1pm and 3pm - 8pm / - 5GMT):
Cellphone: +51 959 507 001 
Out of office cellphone: +51 956 122 696
(Reservations) +51 956 122 696 
