Trekking Adventures In Peru

The best time to visit and do one of the treks is during the dry season which runs April - October. Within this period, May, June, and July are the busiest and if you are planning on doing the Inca Trail, permits for the Inca Trail are needed for guides, porters and travellers like yourself, so they are best to get booked as far in advance as possible. Other routes may not require a permit but spaces on tours will still be limited.  

Year-round the nights can get quite cold to thermals and layers are really important for camping.

The rainy season runs from November to March, and this period is much less busy but of course, conditions are far wetter. Please bar in mind that the Inca Trail is closed in February each year for maintenance. 

This is the most famous route to Machu Picchu and is a favourite for many travellers. This four-day trek is hugely popular and in order to preserve the route the government allow just 500 permits to be issued each day. The permits are also for porters, guides and trekkers, so they do get booked up months in advance for the most popular times of year, so it is worth planning ahead and making sure they are available. All of our trips can be confirmed with just a small deposit. With all our tours for The Inca Trail, permits are included in the cost. 

Starting in Cusco, you follow in the footsteps of explorers and wander through the Sacred Valley to the ruins of Ollantaytambo, before reaching the Sun Gate overlooking Machu Picchu.  The classic route is 4 days of hiking covering a total of 25 miles.  This might not sound like much, but the altitude makes it more of a challenge than it would be at home!

Your first day is relatively easy, around 5-7 hours of walking on fairly gentle inclines.  The second day is the most challenging as you ascend 1200 metres up to the highest point - Dead woman's pass (4200 metres above sea level).  This is normally 7 hours of walking.  The last two 2 days vary a little depending on your trip, but across the two days there would be about 10-14 hours walking with a couple of longer descents of around 400 metres, then around 1000 metres.

You will camp each night along the route and while standards of camping vary between tours overall it is very basic.

All trips end the Inca Trail with your stunning first view of Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate at sunrise, it really is an incredible moment.

The Adventure People’s favourite trips:

Classic Inca Trail - 4 days (Ages 12+)

Trekking the Inca Trail - 4 days (Ages 12+)

Inca Trail Express from Lima - 8 days (Ages 15+)

Peru Panorama with Inca Trail Trek - 11 days (Ages 18-35)

Inca Trail & The Amazon Rainforest - 15 days (Ages 16+)

This is the most popular alternative trek to the Inca Trail, it is about the same level of difficulty and is renowned as a local guide's favourite. The distance is similar to the classic route too, as long as you choose a 4-day option.

It's an ancient, remote path connecting ancient cities via an incredible variety of scenery.  If you like your trekking without the crowds, then this is the choice for you. In most people’s opinion it is a better and more picturesque trek than that of the Inca, and the fact it’s not as well known makes it a great experience. This trek is great for getting into the heart of the Andes and witnessing dramatic high mountain landscapes. You will hike on dirt trails rather than stone trails like the Inca Trail.

This trek can be anywhere from 4 to 6 days of trekking with breathtaking scenery along the way.  Highlights include the idyllic turquoise Humanity Lagoon, the biggest challenge - Abra Salkantay Pass (4630 metres), Llactapata Inca ruins, Cocalmayo Hot Springs and of course seeing Machu Picchu at the end of a tough but rewarding trek.

We have tons more information on this trip if you check out our Salkantay Trek page HERE.

Our favourite trips:

Salkantay Trek & Machu Picchu - 4 days (Ages 12+)

Salkantay Trek & Machu Picchu - 5 days (Ages 12+)

Sacred Valley and Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu - 8 days (Ages 12+)

The Lares Trek is arguably the easiest of the treks for Machu Picchu, this route offers a really good mix of culture, history and scenery. One of the highlights of this trail is the hot springs you can dip into at the start. Another incredible thing that this trek does over the others is by camping nearby villages, you’ll get a much more authentic experience and a real insight into local life in the Sacred Valley.

This trek includes 2 nights camping and the final night in a hotel in Aguas Calientes before getting to Machu Picchu by bus early in the morning to enjoy your tour of the incredible site. Although this is generally an easier route, it does actually reach a higher altitude than the Inca Trail so it’s best to acclimatise in Cusco before joining the trek.

Please bear in mind if you’d like to do this trek as part of a longer trip in Peru, then often we can just choose the Lares Trek over the other options, so please do get in touch about that!

Some of our favourite trips:

Lares Trek to Machu Picchu - 4 days (Ages 12+)

The Lares Trek - 7 days (Ages 12+)

The Lares Trek with 1 day Inca Trail - 8 days (Ages 12+)

A great alternative to the Inca Trail is the Quarry Trail. It is one of the lesser-known treks and takes you off the beaten path, making it far quieter. The scenery is equally as stunning as you walk through local villages, smaller archaeological sites and beautiful waterfalls. This route does not require a permit so it makes it easier to plan and join without having to book as far in advance.

This, like some of the other treks, doesn’t finish at Machu Picchu, although of course a visit is still included on the trip. You will end the trek nearby and on the morning of your visit, you will go by bus to explore the ancient site. 

Like the Lares trek you’ll spend 2 nights camping and 1 night in a hotel.Overall the hike is 26km long in total and the highest level you will reach is 4450m above sea level, which is even higher than the Inca Trail at Dead Woman’s Pass.

Quarry Trail to Machu Picchu extension - 6 days (Ages 15+)

While the treks to Machu Picchu are an integral part of the experience for many wanting to see Machu Picchu, you may not fancy the walk up there, which is completely understandable - it’s not the easiest experience. Many of our operators have great alternatives to the treks where you can take the train.

This incredible journey takes you through the heartland of the mountains and allows you to have a degree of comfort, rather than camping along the way! Make sure you have your camera ready to record some the most spectacular views along the way. 

Some operators offer upgrades to the panoramic Vistadome train - ask at the time of booking if this would be possible as tickets do sell out quickly.

If you like the sound of this, check out some of our Train trips here:

Machu Picchu by Train (short break)- 3 days (Ages 5+)

Machu Picchu by Train (independent adventure) - 3 days (Ages 12+)

Peru Panorama with Train to Machu Picchu - 11 days (Ages 18-35)

We recommend spending a few days in Cusco before starting the trek to Machu Picchu in order to acclimatise to the high altitudes. 

There's no way of knowing whether you will be affected by altitude sickness, or how severe it will be. Most people will feel moderate symptoms at some point but it is usually manageable. Altitude sickness has nothing to do with your experience, fitness levels or age and can affect everyone differently. Some of the routes are longer than others and will give you more time to acclimatize. 

A small number of people experience the more serious Acute Mountain Sickness. The tour leaders are all very experienced and will be trained in how to deal with this. They will be carrying the necessary first aid and medicines at all times.

Of course, a good level of fitness makes the trek much easier and more enjoyable but the routes are not technical.  If you haven't done any longer walks before then we'd strongly recommend doing some at home before your trip in the same boots that you will be taking with you, so you can make sure they are worn in.

The main thing you can expect from a trip to Machu Picchu is an absolute once in a lifetime experience. It may be the start of your love for trekking, leading you onto other incredible hiking trips all around the world, or it may just inspire you to travel more in general and learn about cultures in so many other destinations.

On any treks that include camping, it is fairly basic, this is just a standard in the region. However, the guides and porters are there to make your trip the most enjoyable experience. The porters will carry the camping equipment and a lot of your own luggage too, they will rush ahead before you and have the camp made up before you arrive to rest for the evening. Not only that but they will cook and clean for you throughout, and do it all with a smile! The food they make is surprisingly amazing too, especially considering you are trekking in rural areas.

Whilst your main luggage (up to a certain number of kg) will be carried by the porters, you will have your day pack with all your essentials in. The rest of your belongings will be kept safely at the local offices in Cusco for you then to collect it at the end of the trip. Once you have booked your trip you will receive all the information about how much luggage you can bring as well as a full packing list. 

If you would like a specific type of accommodation then speak to our experts and they will be able to advise on the best route for you. 

Why book with The Adventure People?

You may be thinking ‘why should I book with The Adventure People?’. Here are just some of the reasons we stand out:

The Best Value

Not only are our prices usually the best in the market but our leading service coupled with the financial protections we offer mean you won’t find better value anywhere else.

Your Dedicated Travel Expert

Our travel team is the best in the business and we’re not just saying that. The moment you make an enquiry we’ll pair you with your own dedicated expert who is on hand to answer your questions, look after your booking and make sure you have a fantastic time.

No Waiting Times

We only have one phone number with no automated services. When you contact us you’re straight through to a member of our team and a human! 

Financial Protection

We are ATOL certified, members of ABTA and run a Trust account for our packages ensuring you’re fully financially protected. 

Flexible Payments

We offer low deposits and monthly payment plans at no extra cost. 

Flights

We can add flights to any trip you book with us and we’re happy to help with Round The World tickets!

Accommodation

We work with wonderful accommodation providers and our team can quote almost any hotel in the world at the best prices.

Transfers & Extras

We can easily add airport transfers or extras to any booking. Our team will always quote the best possible price and be able to update your booking.