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On our 4-day Classic Inca Trail, you camp at Ayapata (about 3,300 m) on Night 1, Chaquicocha (about 3,600 m) on Night 2 and Wiñay Wayna (about 2,650 m) on Night 3. Camps are set up by the crew before you arrive, and camping is only allowed in assigned areas. Campsite names and altitudes vary…

To train for the Inca Trail, start 8 to 10 weeks out and build up to long hikes with a loaded daypack. A workable routine is two or three walks a week of 45 to 60 minutes, two short strength sessions focused on legs and core, and one long weekend hike that grows from about…

The Short Inca Trail (2 days, starting at Km 104) requires its own government permit. It runs on a separate quota of 250 people per day, including trekking staff, compared with about 500 per day for the 4-day Classic Inca Trail. Permits are tied to your passport, cannot be transferred, and must be booked through…

The 2-day Short Inca Trail can be done in two ways: with a night in a hotel in Aguas Calientes, or with a night in a tent at a campsite near Machu Picchu. The hike on Day 1 is the same either way. The difference is where you sleep, how you spend the evening and…

The Cusco Tourist Ticket (Boleto Turístico, or BTC) is a combined entrance pass for 16 archaeological sites and museums in and around Cusco. The full ticket costs S/130 for foreign adults and is valid for 10 days. It does not cover Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, the Cusco Cathedral or the Maras salt mines. What Is…

You can fit Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain and Humantay Lake into 6 days in Cusco, but the order matters more than the sights. Spend the first two days at low effort, visit Machu Picchu on day 4, then do Humantay (about 4,200 m / 13,780 ft) on day 5 and Rainbow Mountain (about 5,036 m…