One day before the trek: Briefing
Today, you will walk in for briefing in Wayki Trek's office. Your briefing is usually scheduled one day before your program and usually in the morning. However, if your program starts on a Monday, your briefing will be scheduled on Saturday prior to your program and during the morning only. Therefore, please consider this when booking your flights to Cusco.
Itinerary
Day 1: Cusco - KM 82 - Mayllambamba
After breakfast, you will leave the hotel in Cusco, together with the tour guide on a private van towards the start point of the trekking on KM 82, Piscacucho. On arrival, you will go through the control point of the Inca Trail and then proceed with the trek.
You will start at 2,400 meters above the sea level and will ascend slowly toward the archeological ruins called Llactapata (2,650 meters above the sea level) where you will arrive after two hours of trekking time. There, you will explore the ruins and have lunch at its base afterward.
Later, you will continue on your route to the semitropical valley of Wayllabamba, and two hours after, you will arrive at the archeological site of Wayllabamba. You will explore this site as well and set your first campsite around the area. Dinner will be served and you will spend the night there.
- Distance: 12 kilometers
- Walking hours: 4 to 6 hours
- Low altitude: 2,600 meters / 8,228 feet
- High altitude: 3,000 meters / 9,842 feet
- Campsite altitude: 3,000 meters / 9,843 feet
Day 2: Wayllabamba - Warmiwanuska - Pacaymayu
You will start your day with a good breakfast. This is the most difficult day of the trail, but not impossible! You will traverse towards the highest point of the Inca Trail: The Warmiwañuska Pass. On the way there, you will witness different microclimates.
After approximately three hours of walking, the Warmiwañuska Pass, also known as “The Dead Woman Pass” (4215 meters above the sea level), will be at hands reach. Once there, you will have an amazing view of the Vilcanota and Vilcabamba Mountain Chain. If we are lucky, you might even see the condors flying up in the sky.
After a few moments there, you will descend through a winding valley till you reach the area where you will have lunch. After lunch, you will proceed to ascend again until the Pacaymayu Gorge, where you will set up your campsite, have dinner, and rest for the night.
- Distance: 16 kilometers
- Walking hours: 7 to 8 hours
- Low altitude: 3,000 meters / 9842 feet
- High altitude: 4,215 meters / 13,828 feet (first pass: Warmiwañuska)
- Campsite altitude: 3,000 meters / 9,843 feet
Day 3: Pacaymayu - Winaywayna
This day is one of the longest, but one of the most beautiful at the same time. The presence of small Incan ruins along the way makes it worth it. You will ascend through a steep trail and will reach the second Pass where the impressive archeological rests of Runkuracay (3800 m.a.s.l). Afterward, you will descend till you get to Sayaqmarca (3600 m.a.s.l) known as “The Dominant Town”. There, you will also see very interesting Incan ruins.
You will continue through the valley where you will make a stop for lunch. You will continue ascending going through Conchamarca, which is a small archeological site that was recently discovered. After this, you will reach the first tunnel along the way and later you will get to the last Pass on the Inca Trail, from where you will see the town of Phuyupatamarca, “Town above the clouds” (3665 m.a.s.l) without a doubt one of the most original towns on the whole Inca Trail.
Afterward, you will descend using around 2000 stone steps until you reach Wiñaywayna Citadel “Forever Young” (2,700 meters above the sea level) to end this day. You will continue to your last campsite to have dinner, relax and rest for the night.
- Distance: 16 kilometers
- Walking hours: 8 to 10 hours
- Low altitude: 2,650 meters / 8,694 feet
- High altitude: 3,900 meters / 12,467 feet (Second pass: Runkuracay)
- Campsite altitude: 2,650 meters / 8,694 feet
Day 4: Winaywayna - Machu Picchu - Cusco
You will get up very early and have breakfast. This day, you will walk around six kilometers in distance, or approximately three hours to the next stop. Along the route, you will be able to see a great variety of flora and fauna typical of the area. Afterward, you will arrive at Inti Punku “Sun Gate” (2490 m.a.s.l). It is an excellent opportunity to take panoramic pictures of the Machu Picchu Citadel (2430 m.a.s.l) as it is visible from this point. “The lost Inca City”, without a doubt, is one of the most important urban constructions of the Inca Empire Era.
Once in Machu Picchu Citadel, you will have a guided tour of approximately two hours with a bit of free time to explore. Afterward, you will catch the bus in direction of the town of Aguas Calientes (2040 m.a.s.l). In this town, you will be able to have some time to grab lunch and later that afternoon, you will take the train to return, Peru Rail – Expedition. The return from Aguas Calientes will be done together with your tour guide. Time of service is to be confirmed.
Upon arrival to Cusco, a transfer will be waiting at the train station to take you on a private van to your hotel. End of our adventure!
- Distance: 6 kilometers
- Walking hours: 3 to 4 hours
- Low altitude: 2,040 meters / 6693 feet
- High altitude: 2,650 meters / 8694 feet
Certification ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004
It is important for Wayki Trek to provide excellent service to their passengers, to fulfill your expectations, and to participate in the conservation of the environment. It is because of these three reasons and to guarantee the continuous application of this philosophy that they have obtained two of the most important certifications in the field. ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004. With them, Wayki Trek guarantees the service that passengers expect from them and the conservation of the environment in each step of the processes.
Train leaving from Machu Picchu train station
To return by train from Machu Picchu Station, you must take into account that you will return with your trek's group and the leader guide. Information on the departure time by train from Aguas Calientes will be communicated during the post-sale.
If you want to make an upgrade or change the departure time of your train service from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo, you must report this change at least 35 days before your trip. In this way, would avoid paying the penalty. You only have to pay the difference in the train ticket.
Please note that if you make an upgrade or change the departure time of your train service, you automatically lose the return with your leader guide and the return with the Wayki Trek's van from Ollantaytambo train station to the city of Cusco. For this reason, you must reschedule your return from Ollantaytambo through its executive sales as an additional service.
