Inca Trail Facts

What to Expect When Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

This route was in use more than 500 years ago by the Incas and it is a definitely a privilege to hike this trail. If you have a good sense of nature and history, the Inca Trail with its ruins, beautiful landscapes, and Machu Picchu will show you why this is a must on everyone's bucket list.

In order to fully enjoy the Inca Trail, it is important to know that you need to be healthy, in good physical shape, acclimatized to high altitude, and prepared with the correct gear. You do not need to be a super athlete, but it is important to be an active person who exercises or hikes regularly. A flu or bad cough can easily end in a more serious illness or even death while hiking the Inca Trail. Usually two days are adequate enough for most bodies to acclimatize to the altitude in Cusco or another high altitude city, but some people need longer than that (read more at our altitude sickness post).  For a list of gear, check out our What to Bring post.   

The Difficultly Level of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Hike

The Classic 4 Day Inca Trail is considered a moderate to difficult hike (the second day being the most difficult day because most of the elevation is gained this day).  The Short Inca Trail is considered an easy to moderate hike but hikers should still be used to hiking and acclimatized to high elevations.  The 7 Day Salkantay & Inca Trail is considered a difficult hike and you should be in very good shape to hike this route as well as used to high elevations.  

Booking the Inca Trail through a Peruvian Tour Operator or a Foreign Travel Agency

Some Inca Trail informative websites are opposed to the fact that travelers book the Inca Trail through a travel agency because they believe they will charge more than a tour operator, however using the services of a travel agency can be a smart thing to do when a traveler is looking for a small group and good service. Using the services of well-known Peruvian tour operators may guarantee a good service and groups of about 8-16 people or more.  When travelers are looking for a small sized group with reputable companies that are not going to cancel their departure because  not enough hikers signed up, the task can be complicated. In these cases, a smart thing to do is to book with a reputable foreign travel agency (a travel agency that operates outside of Peru) which is going to offer you a good service.  The use of a reliable foreign travel agency usually implies a higher price but it will also help insure customer satisfaction.  It is most likely that a foreign travel agency is going to give you a refund when services are not as advertised.  Refunds are uncommon with most Peruvian tour operators.

Service Provided During the Inca Trail

Since there are several Inca Trail tour operators, the service from one to another can be different affecting the price that is charged. Some differences can be observed in the following areas:

• Guides: All guides are required to be graduates from local institutions, yet not all guides have a good knowledge of the history and nature of the Inca Trail.  Also not all guides are proficient in English or the language offered.  Good guides need to be carefully selected to provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience, however, they usually charge more.  Remember, you get what you pay for.
• Transportation from Cusco to Piscacucho and from Ollantaytambo to Cusco: Some companies offer transportation for only the travelers in their group while other companies share transportation.  Ask your Inca Trail tour operator how they transport their customers.
• Tents: You should ask if 4 season tents will be provided by your tour operator.  This is important because some tents used by tour operators are not good for all 4 seasons (rain and strong wind) or they are not replaced once the material is too old.
• Food: Some companies have trained their cooks to prepare organic meals offering variety, quality, and quantity.  Other companies provide easy and cheap meals so that their expenses can be reduced.  It is important that companies train their cooks so stomach infections are avoided.  It is important to ask your tour operator what type of food will be provided on the Inca Trail before booking with them.
• Train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo: The majority of companies offer the cheaper backpacker train available. Usually, these trains depart Aguas Calientes after 19:00 hours. If you depart Aguas Calientes at 19:00 hours, you will be in Cusco around 22:30 hours.
• Group Size: The bigger the group of Inca Trail hikers, the more profitable the expedition will be for the tour operator.  Some companies are focused on departures with 16 travelers or more while others are focused on smaller groups with no more than 8 to 12 travelers. These companies are more likely to charge more, however, a better service is expected.

The Inca Trail Porters and Cooks

These amazing workers are usually from local communities in or around Cusco. Some companies have a permanent staff of porters and cooks while others have only cooks as permanent staff and hire porters in Piscacucho for the 4 Day hike.  When porters are hired from Piscacucho, it is more likely that these men are underpaid and work under bad conditions (this is a way many companies charging less than USD 440.00 reduce their expenses and increase their profit).  Also, when a porter is hired in Piscacucho, it is possible for hikers to have issues with “lost” items.

Tipping Inca Trail Porters and Cooks

Travelers are not obligated to tip porters and cooks, but it is a cus

tom that at the end of Day 3, guides ask for a tip for the hard work of these workers from the entire group of travelers (most hikers bring money to tip).  Usually as a group, the hikers decide how much money to give to the guide, cook, and porters.  It is expected that the guide receives the largest percentage of money, then the cook, and finally each porter, however, it is up to the group of hikers to decide how much each person receives.  Most travelers who decide to contribute usually give around USD 10.00 to USD 20.00 for the entire crew however, local currency is preferred and the amount of money given is at each hiker’s discretion. 

Restrooms on the Inca Trail

The Inca Trail offers basic restrooms (with no toilet seats, only a basic hole in the floor) from day 1 to 3.  The restrooms have running water but is not potable (so you will need to use filters or purification pills.)  Toilet seats can be found at the end of day 3 in Wiñaywayna. There are no showers available until the end of day 3. Hot showers and towels are available for rent for about USD 1.50 (each one.)