Inca Trail Machu Picchu – Price & Cost, Permits and Alternatives

The Inca trail is one of the oldest pilgrimages in the world and one of the 10 most beautiful walks in the world. To date, scientists do not agree on the role of Machu Picchu, some say it was a fortress in defense of the Inca Empire where other scientists assume that it was a retreat for the kings. What we do know for sure is that the Inca Trail leads to the city of Machu Picchu which was built around 1440.

Today, the Inca Trail offers one of the most popular treks in the world, at least the most popular trekking in Peru. Every year Machu Picchu attracts about 400,000 visitors, each day a maximum of 2500 Machu Picchu can enter, of which a total of 500 are allowed to walk on the classic Inca trail. These 500 are divided into 200 tourists who hike the Inca Trail and are supported by 300 porters.

The permits for Inca Trail tours become available in October. However, trekking companies are already taking bookings before October. If you want to do the Inca Trail, you can book a date of your preference and you can inform your trekking company about your second choice. Trekking companies will always try to obtain permits for your preferred date, but as there are only so many permits available, it is good to have a second choice in mind. There are 500 permits available per day for the four-day Inca Trail. Because this is divided among tourists and staff (guides, porters and cooks) there are eventually 200 permits available for tourists, the other 300 are made available for staff. You can imagine the Inca Trail permits official site runs out of permits quickly.

There is a shortage especially in the months May to September. As summer is approaching in the Northern Hemisphere, thousands are getting ready to finally to their Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Are you one of them, or are you more into the Short Inca Trail? For the short Inca Trail (two days) there are 250 permits available per day. In general, these are available a lot longer, but they also sell out quickly. Here, too, we advise you to book as soon as possible. If both are no longer available? Don't be sad because there are alternatives such as the Salkantay and for example Inca Jungle trek. As you can read in this blog post, the alternatives are often even better than the Classic Inca Trail.

By now you already now that the Inca Trail is in Peru. The exact location is close to the city of Cusco. The Inca Trail route starts at Chilca and ends in Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas.

The Classic Inca Trail Peru is the path that connects Machu Picchu with the rest of the Inca Empire. The route has a length of 45 kilometers and takes three to five days. The path winds through the dense forest over high mountain ranges so you end up with the ruins of Machu Picchu. Where Machu Picchu is located at an altitude of 2340 meters, the highest point during the classic Inca Trail is at 4200 meters, this is also called the 'Dead Woman's Pass'. While walking the Inca Trail you will pass the ruins of the villages Phuyupatamarca and Huinay Huayna.

Is the Inca Trail difficult? That is not an easy question. Everyone is different and the Inca Trail difficulty depends on a lot of factors. There are more difficult treks in the world like Mount Kilimanjaro

If you want to make your Inca Trail less difficult, you should prepare well for your Peru Inca Trail tour in advance by doing some proper training. Going out for a long day of hiking in a hilly area can help you give an idea of what it is like to spend a few days hiking. The Inca Trail difficulty also depends on the weather. In the rainy season, it can be more difficult than on other days. But in general, everyone with moderate fitness should be able to do the Inca Trail without too much difficulty.

The Inca Trail begins with a gradual ascent to the famous Dead Woman's Pass. This is where the Inca Trail has the highest altitude. From here it goes downhill until you ascend again to the Runkurukay Pass. Then it is a gentle hike down to Machu Picchu. Below you will find a handy Inca Trail elevation profile with a map. This Inca Trail map was provided by Alpaca Expeditions, whose 4-day Inca Trail offer can be found here.

On the Inca Trail, you will be camping. Don't worry, it's not the kind of camping where you have to bring everything yourself. Porters will be carrying most of the gear and you can rest assured that they will also help you set up and pack up the campsite. All you really need to bring is a sleeping bag and an inflatable mattress. Even that can be rented from your trekking company, regardless of which one you are trekking with. The campgrounds are basic but your trekking company id doing anything to make camping along the Inca Trail more comfortable. There is a dining tent in which the most delicious local meals get served. For that purpose, there is even a kitchen tent. IEvery campsite is equipped with toilets, mostly latrine style. There are also showers to be found on certain campgrounds.

For the classic route, the Inca Trail price varies from a small 400 EUR to just over 700 EUR. The difference is mainly caused by the number of days you do the trekking, whether you go for four or five days. In addition, the price of the Inca Trail obviously differs from one provider to another.The alternatives to the Inca Trail are often slightly more economical than the classic Inca Trail. This has everything to do with the popularity of the Classic Inca Trail and the small number of permits that are available.

The Inca Trail can be done all year round, except in February because the route is then in maintenance. From May to October is the best time for the Inca Trail in this period there is the least precipitation and the sun is most often present. The temperature is about the same throughout the year. During the most favorable months, the temperature at night is sometimes below zero Celsius. The number of hours of sunshine is the highest with an average of nine hours of sunshine per day.

Could you not get a permit for the Inca Trail? Try again next year!No, there is always a different version of the Inca Trail you can do. They call them the Alternative Inca Trail and although it may sound as these treks are not as exciting as the Classic Inca Trail, this is not true. People who are really set on the Inca Trail should stick to the Classic Inca Trail and for them, it will also be worth the wait in case it doesn't work out with permits this year.

However, for everyone who just wants to get to Machu Picchu and wants a great trekking experience, there are different options worth considering. The most famous alternative Inca Trail is the Salkantay Trek, but the others are just as great if not better. The Lares Trek, the Choquequirao Trek, the Inca Jungle Trek and the Inca Quarry Trek are all good alternatives for when you couldn't get permits for the Classic Inca Tra. Believe us, it is a bit of a blessing in disguise.

The Salkantay Trek is an alternative trek to the classic route. The Salkantay trek is considered by most to be the best alternative route. This route to Machu Picchu is offered in a four and five-day version and starts and ends in Cusco. The four-day Salkantay Trek is slightly heavier than the Inca Trail because of the altitude to be conquered. On day one we already hike to an altitude of 4200 meters, this night is also the coldest night of the entire trekking.

On day two you hike after an early breakfast in about three hours to the Salkantay Pass which is located at an altitude of 4650 meters. After lunch you descend to an altitude of 2900 meters where you will also spend the night. On day three we trek from Chaullay via La Playa to Aguas Calientes in about six hours. The last day you hike early in the morning to Machu Picchu where there is a two-hour tour after which you can walk around freely until it's time to take the train. At the end of the train ride in Ollantaytambo you will be taken back to Cusco.

The Lares Trek is the least demanding trek compared to the Salkantay Trek and the Inca Trail. In addition, the Lares Trek is also the quietest. The Lares Trek is best known for its contact with Peruvian locals. During the trekking you will pass the Sacred Valley where you will encounter the first locals with alpacas and llamas. On the first day you will reach a high altitude and cross the Amparaes pass at an altitude of 4470 meters. Then you trek onwards to Lares where you can enjoy the warm thermal baths and then descend to Cuncani to spend the night.

On the second day you hike along rocky paths through high lagoons and see in the distance glaciers that provide the locals with fresh drinking water. After reaching the top you descend to camp in a quiet area surrounded by trees. After breakfast the last day starts. You descend to finally end up in Ollantaytambo where you take the train to Aguas Calientes. On the last day you will be driven by bus to Machu Picchu, and at an altitude of 2400 meters where there is a guided tour of about two hours after which you can walk around freely in the city itself.

Altitude sickness can occur while hiking the Inca Trail. From your home country you land in Peru at an altitude of 2,500 metres. Your body hasn't had time to acclimatize and you are planning to go to an even higher altitude. Altitude sickness is determined by a lack of oxygen in the body. A series of symptoms that you may experience due to altitude sickness in Peru are: headaches, lack of appetite, dizziness, insomnia, vomiting and you are more likely to get tired. Altitude sickness is mainly caused by a rapid increase in altitude.

For example, if you climb more than 750 metres during the day and you stay at that altitude, your body may have difficulty adapting. As a rule, the faster you ascend, the greater the risk of altitude sickness. It takes 6 to 12 hours before you get can get complaints about altitude sickness. This means that, for example, you can climb more than 1000 metres in one day, but if you also descend at the same time on the same day, the chance that you will get altitude sickness is small. The many ascending and descending causes the body to acclimatize. The next day it is relatively easier to stay at a higher altitude. Crossing the Dead Woman's Pass during the Inca Trail and the Salkantay will provide a better acclimatization during your trekking.

On the Inca Trail, you will be crossing the Dead Woman's Pass which has an altitude of 4,215 meters. The Inca Trail offers you a trekking experience with an altitude of over 4,000 meters. This is why Inca Trail travel insurance is a must. You do not need a specific Inca Trail travel insurance, but you must just make sure that your travel insurance covers hiking at high altitude. Before you travel to Peru you must make sure that you check with your travel insurance that you are covered for your Inca Trail.

If you are looking for Inca Trail reviews, there are loads of possibilities online. Here you can find all our offers for the Inca Trail and every trekking company is reviewed through users of TripAdvisor. We take pride in selecting only companies with a review ratio. We also believe in negative reviews because, after all, no one is perfect. Definitely not a trekking company, which ventures out into the mountains every day, a place where anything can happen. We also believe in spoken word and that is why, if you want your most worthy Inca Trail reviews, you should speak to our trekking experts

There are several websites where you can book Inca Trail packages or holidays to Peru. Important to consider is that the cheap providers are probably not very good for their staff. The income is relatively low in Peru and some organizations like to make use of it.

However, they are obliged to indicate their lowest price on the internet. Here you will find our offers for the Classic Inca Trail. Now that you know all about the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu, you might wonder how to get to Cusco. Check out this blog post and take a look at our Peru guide for more useful information. Have you thought about upgrading your Inca Trail by visiting Rainbow Mountain? Always do.