From Cusco to the Clouds: Your Ultimate Inca Trail Journey to Machu Picchu

Welcome to Cusco! Your adventure starts in this vibrant city so that you can acclimate to the high altitude. Once you grab some coco tea (a local remedy to help with altitude sickness), it is time to explore. Enjoy some free time walking around the city and visiting the beautiful Plaza de Armas. Explore both grand churches in the square before stopping by the Choco museum, which offers free tastings. Enjoy your first dinner at Morena, one of the best restaurants in town, serving local dishes with an upscale twist.

Begin the day at Florencia y Fortunata, a beautiful little coffee shop working to close the gender gap in the coffee industry. Then, enjoy a free morning of shopping and wandering. The streets of Cusco are so vibrant and colorful, which makes for exciting exploration.

In the early evening, embark on an incredible food tour around Cusco. The evening begins at a small private bar, where you will learn to make two cocktails with the local liquor, Pisco. Then, the night is filled with trying delicious local foods around the city with an expert Peruvian chef. Highlights include ceviche, guinea pig, picarones, street food, and tacos!

Begin your day with a scenic horseback ride through the breathtaking landscapes surrounding Cusco, visiting ancient Incan ruins and mystical sites along the way. Take in the sweeping views of the city and the Andes—a perfect and adventurous way to start your morning.

Next, venture about 30 minutes outside of Cusco to the Cochahuasi Animal Sanctuary, a remarkable organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing injured native wildlife. Join a guided tour to meet the animals, hear their stories, and learn about the sanctuary’s vital work. You’ll have the chance to feed monkeys, pet friendly llamas, and witness majestic condors in flight.

In the evening, return to Cusco to have your pre-trip briefing for your hike. Enjoy a quick but delicious dinner with some live music before getting some sleep. Tomorrow is an early day!

Today, you embark on the first day of the exciting Inca Trail, hiking around eight miles. Rise and shine, adventurers! Depending on where you are staying and what company you are with, you will likely be picked up around 4:30 am.

After driving for about 90 minutes, there is a stop in Ollantaytambo where you will fuel up on breakfast before reaching Kilometer 82—the official starting point of the Inca Trail. Once bags are packed and you check in and cross the Urubamba River, the trail officially kicks off! The first half of the day features flat terrain with a few "Peruvian hills" and a slightly more desert-like landscape, as well as visiting Inca ruins like Willkarakay and Llactapata. On this first day, you will notice local vendors and small villages along the way.

Lunch every day is incredible. After being greeted by the porters with fresh juice and hot soup, you are in for a treat with this large, local lunch spread. After a siesta, the rest of the day will be spent hiking up and down until you arrive at the campsite, where, amazingly, the porters already have everything set up for you. You can wash off with hot water, change, and enjoy a tea time with games and popcorn before a three-course meal complete with impressive desserts. Bedtime is early since tomorrow is a long day!

Day two brings an early-morning 5 am wake-up call, complete with hot coco tea brought to your tent. A yummy breakfast is served once again in the dining tent. This is the most strenuous hiking day—it's known as Dead Woman's Pass and has big elevation changes and steep mountains to climb. As you are passing through different microclimates, the stunning views and delicious meals make up for all of it! Your guides along the way are an incredible resource and I encourage you to ask them everything. Today is a long day of hiking, so enjoy another gourmet dinner made in the woods before falling asleep in your luxury tent.

After your early morning wake-up call and breakfast, you will get to meet all the porters. For our group of 11 hikers, we had 21 people on the trail with us to make this trip happen. Most of these were strong porters carrying 50 pounds of camp necessities on their backs. They are superheroes!

Today is not necessarily as difficult, just a very long day of hiking. You will get to see hidden Incan ruins like Intipata and Wiñaywayna, but the best part is when you reach Sun Gate. This is when you will have your first glimpses of the stunning Machu Picchu. Hike through to the passport picture spot and then down to your final campsite in Aguas Calientes. The chef made us a stunning three-tiered cake to celebrate.

Today is the day! Your guide will take you into Machu Picchu and you will get to explore and learn all about this seventh wonder of the world. The feeling of hiking for four days, disconnected from reality, following in the footsteps on the Incas, and then reaching this magical place is a feeling that is hard to describe. A day you will never forget!

In the afternoon, you will take a four-hour train trip and then a van back to Cusco. Time to shower, sleep, and reflect on an incredible adventure.