INCA JUNGLE TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU 4 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS

We begin our adventure early in the morning in Cusco; we pick you up from your hotel around 6:00 a.m. We will drive through the stunning Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Passing through the native town of Chinchero with impressive views of the Vilcabamba and Vilcanota mountain ranges and enjoying the panoramic views of the small towns of the Sacred Valley, after 2 hours of driving we stop in the Inca town of Ollantaytambo to stretch our legs and use the restroom.

Then we continue driving to the Abra Málaga Pass at 4,350 m / 14,271 ft. From this point we will begin biking down to the town of Santa María at 1,430 m / 4,691 ft.

At Abra Málaga you will receive all the biking equipment and also a biking briefing to ensure a successful arrival to the town of Santa María.

The biking route (40 km) begins high in the Andes, with the majestic view of the Verónica snow-capped mountain. The downhill ride goes from Abra Málaga to the village of Huamanmarca.

Afterward, we return to the vehicle to reach Santa María for lunch. After lunch, we will go white-water rafting in the afternoon. You will have the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful landscape along the way. Once in Santa María, you will head to your accommodation to shower and relax. In the evening, you will have dinner at a restaurant in the town.

Our hiking day begins with an energetic breakfast at the restaurant around 6:00 a.m. Today is one of the most memorable days of the entire adventure.

We start hiking along the road for about 45 minutes. Then we enter the original Inca Trail that once connected Machu Picchu with Vilcabamba, considered the last Inca capital.

Along the way, we will see many plantations such as banana, coca, cassava, and coffee. After about 3 hours of hiking along the original Inca path, we will enjoy magnificent views of the Vilcanota Valley and panoramic landscapes of hills covered with different jungle crops.

We stop in the village of Quellomayo for lunch, a pleasant place to enjoy a meal at one of the local restaurants. After lunch, you can relax or take a short walk around the area.

Afterward, we continue hiking along the Vilcanota River for about 3 hours until we reach the Colcamayo hot springs. These natural outdoor hot springs are perfect for relaxing after the hike. You will have time to enjoy the thermal waters for a couple of hours before continuing by transport to Santa Teresa.

After a 15-minute drive from the Cocalmayo hot springs, we arrive in Santa Teresa. We will spend the night in a hostel in Santa Teresa and have dinner at a local restaurant.

You wake up around 6:30 am, then enjoy breakfast. After breakfast, around 8:00 am, the zipline company will pick you up and take you to the zipline base where you will receive all the information and instructions to do the activity.

The zipline experience lasts approximately 2 hours, going through four different cables and a hanging bridge. After finishing, you will take a one-hour vehicle ride to Hydroelectric where you will have lunch.

After lunch, you will walk for about 3 hours to the town of Aguas Calientes following the railway tracks. Once there, we will take you to your hotel. Around 7:00 pm, you will have dinner at a restaurant and then go to sleep. The next day you will wake up early to visit Machu Picchu.

On the final day of the tour, you will visit Machu Picchu. You will need to wake up around 4:00 am to get ready for the hike to the main entrance of Machu Picchu.

After picking up your breakfast, you will begin walking for about 30 minutes to the Puente Ruinas checkpoint (which opens at 5:00 am). There you will need to present your passport and your Machu Picchu entrance tickets.

After passing the first checkpoint, you will climb the stairs for about one hour until you reach the main gate of Machu Picchu, arriving at approximately 6:00 am.

Once the group is gathered at the entrance, you will enter Machu Picchu for a 2-hour guided tour, where you will learn about the history and mysteries of the Lost City of the Incas.

After the guided tour, you will have free time to explore the Inca city of Machu Picchu on your own. The amount of time you spend there will depend on how you plan to return to Cusco and whether you want to hike Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu, which must be reserved in advance.

After visiting Machu Picchu, your return to Cusco will depend on the return option you booked.

Return by Bus

You must be at Hydroelectric at 2:00 pm (approximately a 2-hour walk from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes) to take the bus back to Cusco, arriving around 10:00 pm.

Return by Train

You will take the train back to Ollantaytambo (approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes). From there, you will take a bus to Cusco, arriving in about 2 hours.

If your reservation includes the Machu Picchu ticket, you can choose between the two available schedules.

If your reservation does not include the Machu Picchu ticket, you can choose the train option for $90. You can purchase it when buying your Machu Picchu ticket in Machu Picchu Pueblo. Train schedules depend on price and availability.