Inca Trail (Classic 4-day)
Also known as: Camino Inca
Km82 start, Dead Woman's Pass, Runkurakay, Sayacmarca, Winay Wayna, the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) and Machu Picchu
The route
The line through Cusco region, Peru - waypoints, elevation and the day-by-day shape of the walk.
Waypoints
- 1Km82 (Piscacucho) trailheadTrailhead
SERNANP registration; permit + passport checked
- 2Wayllabamba (camp)Junction
Last village; crew sets camp
required · dry season - 3Dead Woman's Pass (Warmiwanusca)Summit
Highest point; the crux climb
- 4Chaquicocha (camp)Junction
Ruins of Runkurakay/Sayacmarca en route
required · dry season - 5Winay Wayna (camp)Junction
Last camp; famous ruins
required · dry season - 6Sun Gate (Inti Punku)Viewpoint
First Machu Picchu view
- 7Machu PicchuSummit
Finish; separate timed entry ticket
Season & conditions
Dry season May-Sep (Jun-Aug peak and first to sell out); wet Oct-Apr; closed all February
Rain and mud in the wet season; cold nights at altitude; no hiking permitted 18:00-05:00
Inti Raymi festival in Cusco (late June); orchids in shoulder months; clearest skies in the dry season
Open year-round except February (annual maintenance closure; reopens ~March 1). Confirm reopening if travelling late Jan / early Mar.
On the trail
Inca stone paths and steps, cloud forest, high pass, ruins
Non-technical but steep Inca stone stairways, big descents and altitude; no scrambling or exposure
Guided only (mandatory) on a well-defined route; independent hiking not permitted
Min age 12; medical fitness certificate + high-altitude/evac insurance required; porters carry gear; not wheelchair; fit walkers of most ages
Spectacled bear (rare), Andean fox, hummingbirds, orchids (probability)
Cloud-forest orchids, polylepis, bromeliads
Capped at 500/day (200 trekkers) so the trail is managed but iconic and busy in peak
2-day Short Inca Trail (Km104) and 1-day Km104 Challenge are shorter permitted alternatives; if permits are gone, Salkantay or Lares are the usual fallbacks
Getting there & staying
Cusco to Ollantaytambo then Km82 (Piscacucho) trailhead; classic finish at Machu Picchu; return by train from Aguas Calientes
Operator transfer Cusco/Ollantaytambo to Km82; train back from Aguas Calientes
Designated campsites only (tents set by crew); no huts; trekkers must be at camp 18:00-05:00. Book via operator.
Porters carry the main load, you carry a daypack; water boiled/provided; little cell coverage; bring cash for tips
Crew provides meals, toilets and tents; basic; Aguas Calientes has full services at the end
Licensed guide mandatory; porters and cooks standard; you cannot hike independently
Permits & safety
Government permit mandatory and bought only through a licensed operator; cap 500/day (200 trekkers + 300 staff); ~US$90 adult / $45 student (packages US$600-1,500); non-refundable, passport-linked; sells out 4-6 months ahead in peak; separate Machu Picchu timed ticket. Confirm before booking.
Permits and operators change - confirm before booking.
Altitude (AMS) - acclimatize in Cusco (3,400 m) 2-3 days first; steep wet Inca steps; cold nights
Guided groups + SERNANP checkpoints; evacuation via porters/rescue; mandatory high-altitude + evac insurance
This profile is desk research, compiled from public sources - not a first-hand trail report. Coordinates are approximate.