This trek to Machu Picchu is the most booked in Peru, praised worldwide. Here we share a Classic Inca Trail terrain description so you can plan this excursion to the last detail! It’s a great hike, combining adventure, meeting local people and much more!
Just for a general foundation, let’s remember that the Classic 4-Day Inca Trail covers the old roads they built for connecting and controlling the empire, the Cusco City-Machu Picchu section is just an area of a quite large network. Any terrain description will show the efficient way they envisioned road and citadel building.
First Day
- The Classic 4-Day Inca Trail begins on unpaved roads, currently used also by some local population, they can get wet, muddy on rain season (November until March). Later on, you’ll find some rough stone staircases, with not much grade, good for getting a notion of what’s to come.
- Once the trek gets into Andean wilderness, you’ll find the flat, fine masonry Inca roads for a good while. Campsite for night 1 is set on an even highland clear.
Second Day
- This day you will hike on stone staircases most of the time. It’s mainly upwards, their inclination is not too high for a while but it will begin to increase as we approach the Warmiwanuska pass (13,800 feet or 4.215 meters above sea level), until the gradient becomes challenging for balance closer to the pass. It is advisable hikers are on a good fitness level (required stamina, you can check our article about physical preparation for the Inca Trail) and relaxed, upbeat mindset. Indeed, this trail is a wonderful occasion for relaxing and exercising
- After Warmiwanuska, the trail turns downwards. The stone paths may be slippery on rain season (one of the reasons for having a good hiking pole). Campsite for night 2 is also on an flat wilderness clear.
Third Day
- You will keep hiking up and down along the ancient stone staircases and roads Inca royals journeying on the way to Machu Picchu, among enchanting natural views and the healthiest environment.
- This day will have high, demanding stairway gradients both upwards and downwards. On the former, manage your stamina properly and on the latter, make sure you don’t walk down too fast, particularly after the amazing Phuyupatamarca site. Again, a walking pole is of enormous help and so is having good gripping trekking boots. Terrain description for night 3 campsite is again plane wilderness ground.
Fourth Day
- Continuing with the Classic Inca Trail terrain description, this is the last day of the wonderful hike. From the amazing Winaywayna site there’s a 2-hour hike until the Inti Punku (Sun Gate), the original entrance to Machu Picchu, with a formidable view of the citadel. Terrain description for this day is a mix of stone stairways and paths, somewhat demanding.
- Already in Machu Picchu, you will find many staircases and also flat ground. There is a 2-hour, professionally-guided tour of the site. Finally, after going down to Aguas Calientes (village next to Machu Picchu) there is the chance to treat yourself enjoying the famous thermal baths.
It’s not superfluous to remind the importance of good hiking boots and a walking pole for greatly increasing command over the Classic 4-Day Inca Trail terrain.
So here’s the Classic Inca Trail terrain description for this world-renowned hike. Just remember to start booking contacts with enough time in advance because it sells out quite fast! And if you want to have more wonderful emotions in Cusco, check the possibility of booking a Cusco City Tour or the spectacular Sacred Valley of the Incas – 1 day.
