On arrival at Cusco Airport you are met and transferred to our hotel, close to the centre of the town. Please check the noticeboard at the hotel reception for details of the time and place of your pre-trek briefing. This meeting is generally followed by an optional group dinner at a nearby restaurant. If you arrive early in Cusco, there is plenty to see and do in this former Inca capital. Most of the major attractions are easily accesible on foot and it is easy to while away the time.

We trek the ‘Classic’ and the ‘Lares’ routes, both of which include a visit to incredible Machu Picchu at the end of the trek. Although we normally trek the 'Classic' route, it is restricted by the number of trekkers permitted on the trail each day and unless you have booked early, it maybe difficult or impossible for us to secure the necessary group permits (especially during the peak season). It is also closed during the month of February for cleaning and rejuvenation. If we are unable to confirm your permit for the 'Classic' route we will use the ‘Lares’ trail. This is an exceptional alternative. Venturing further off the beaten path, this trek winds its way through remote rural villages and provides stunning views across the Andes. Along the way you can mingle with local families, llama herders and weavers, renowned for their brightly coloured hats and ponchos. The trek is of similar altitude and level of difficulty as the 'Classic' route and also includes a visit to the town of Aguas Calientes and the magnificent Machu Picchu, recently voted one of the ‘New Seven Wonders of the World’.

The following description refers to the 'Classic' route. Please refer below to the 'Itinerary Variation' section of this trip note for details of the 'Lares' route.

This morning we set off for the Inca Trail by travelling from Cusco into the Sacred Valley before heading to Kilometre 82, where our trek begins. Today we hike past the ancient hilltop fort of Huillca Raccay and the beautiful archaeological site of Llactapata. It is a fairly leisurely hike and along the way there are stunning views of snow-capped Veronica Peak (5860m). Following the river we pass a tiny village and continue on to our camp at Wayllabamba, located at 3000 metres. Porters are provided on this trek, so during the day you need only to carry a daypack with your personal items. This needs to be big enough to carry such items as water, camera and a warm jacket.

Today is the most difficult part of the trek as we climb to Warminwanusca, or Dead Woman’s Pass (4200m). Along the way we trek through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery to be seen anywhere in the Andes. This is the first and highest of three Andean passes on the Inca Trail, with breathtaking views over the snow-capped Vilcanota and Vilcabama mountain ranges. Ahead of us we can see the ruins of Runkuracay and in the valley below, Rio Pacamayo (Sunrise River). Here the trail changes from dirt to steps and stone pathways, our route takes us through a landscape dotted with rural hamlets, grazing llamas and well-preserved remnants of the Incan culture. Although it's not too arduous, we still need to make a steep descent to the valley below, and our camp beneath the cliff tops at Pacamayo (3600m), overlooking the cloud forest.

We climb up to the oval shaped ruin of Runkurakay, which is believed to have once been an Inca tambo or post house. Pushing on up the Inca staircase and beside two tiny and fast diminishing mountain lakes, we are rewarded at the summit of our second pass (3900m) with spectacular views of Pumasillo (6245m) and the entire snow-capped Vilcabamba range. From here it is a steep descent and then ascent to our third pass and the ruins of Phullupatamarca, where we embark on a long descent into a beautiful orchid-filled cloud forest. The scenery will blow you away! Butterflies flutter across the trail and the air is pure and clean as we head to breathtaking Winaywayna (2650m).

On our final morning we make an early start to reach the Sun Gate for sunrise. Here we enjoy our first views of the complex of Machu Picchu, often referred to as the Lost City of the Incas. On a clear morning the view from the Sun Gate can be quite stunning and creates a lasting impression that will stay with you long after you return home. Built around 1450 the city was deserted less than a century later following the Spanish invasion and ‘lost’ for hundreds of years before it was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. The architecture of Machu Picchu is quite extraordinary, with the mortar-free design particularly earthquake resistant and the stones so precisely cut that to this day not even a knife fits between them. We tour the site with our guide and then have some free time to explore by ourselves, before taking the bus down to the small town of Aguas Calientes. There are some small shops and restaurants in the town where we can while the time away. Alternatively you may choose to wash away the dust and grime of the trail in the hot thermal baths located on the edge of town. In the late afternoon we take the train back to Cusco.

Our short journey in the Peruvian Andes ends after breakfast this morning.