Adventure · 12D | 11N
The Inca Trail & Ausangate
The classic four-day Inca Trail over Dead Woman's Pass to the Sun Gate, then the Ausangate circuit past the rainbow mountain at 5,000 m.
- Best time
- May to September
- Route
- Cusco · Inca Trail · Machu Picchu · Ausangate
Day by day
12 days, planned in full
The classic four-day Inca Trail over Dead Woman's Pass to the Sun Gate, then the Ausangate circuit past the rainbow mountain at 5,000 m.
Day 1
Arrive in Cusco
In from Lima and straight to a guesthouse in San Blas, with the afternoon deliberately empty and coca tea on the table.
- Night
- Cusco
- Meals
- —
Day 2
Acclimatising above the city
A walk up to Sacsayhuamán, Q'enqo and Tambomachay — 400 m of gain at 3,600 m, which is exactly what the next week needs.
- Night
- Cusco
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch
Day 3
Down to the valley
Kit checked and weighed, duffels handed to the porters, then down to Ollantaytambo to sleep lower before the trail starts.
- Night
- Ollantaytambo
- Meals
- Breakfast, dinner
Day 4
Trail day one
Km 82 across the Urubamba and eleven kilometres up the valley past Llactapata, camping at Wayllabamba at 3,000 m.
- Night
- Trail camp
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5
Dead Woman's Pass
1,200 m up to Warmiwañusca at 4,215 m, the hardest day by a distance, then down the far side to Pacaymayo.
- Night
- Trail camp
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 6
Two more passes
Runkurakay, the Sayacmarca ruins, an original Inca tunnel, and cloud forest down to Phuyupatamarca — the finest camp on the route.
- Night
- Trail camp
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 7
The Sun Gate
Away at four for Intipunku at sunrise and the descent into the citadel, guided for two hours, then the train and road to Cusco.
- Night
- Cusco
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch
Day 8
A day off, then south
A slow morning and a massage, then the drive south-east to Tinki at the foot of Ausangate, at 3,800 m.
- Night
- Tinki
- Meals
- Breakfast, dinner
Day 9
Into the Ausangate circuit
Up past the Upis hot springs to a hut below the glacier, with alpaca herds and the 6,384 m summit above you all day.
- Night
- Mountain hut
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 10
Over the high pass
The Arapa pass at 4,850 m, turquoise glacial lakes on the far side, and a second hut on the mountain's south flank.
- Night
- Mountain hut
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 11
Vinicunca
The striped mineral ridge at 5,036 m, reached from the quiet side rather than the day-trip road, then down to Tinki and back to Cusco.
- Night
- Cusco
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch
Day 12
Fly home
The morning flight to Lima and the connection through Madrid or Amsterdam.
- Meals
- Breakfast
What's included
- 11 nights in guesthouses, trail camps and Ausangate mountain huts
- Return economy airfare and both Lima–Cusco flights
- Inca Trail permit, which must be booked four to six months ahead
- Licensed trail guide, cook, porters and all camping equipment
- Machu Picchu entry, the guided circuit and the train back
- Ausangate circuit with guide, horseman and hut nights
- All meals on both treks, and the named meals in Cusco
Not included
- Peruvian visa where required
- Adventure travel insurance covering trekking above 5,000 m, which is compulsory
- Personal trekking gear, boots and a four-season sleeping bag
- Porter tips, pooled at the end of the trail
Other ways to go
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*Per person on twin sharing. Prices move with season and availability — we confirm yours in writing before anything is booked.
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