-
Every Day
-
Cusco
-
8
-
60
-
2 - 8
OVERVIEW
The Inca Jungle Trail to Machu Picchu is an exclusive 4-day tour that combines a beautiful trekking experience with adventurous activities, such as mountain biking, rafting, and ziplining. This alternative Inca Trail with integrated activities lets you appreciate the natural landscape a lot more!
Join us on our next Inca Jungle Adventure and visit the sacred Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.
ITINERARY
We will pick you up from your hotel at approximately 7:30 am, driving through the Sacred Valley of the Incas. After a 4.5 hour drive, we will reach the highest point of the Malaga Pass (4,316m/ 14,160ft), where we start our bicycle adventure. Our team provides you with the needed equipment (gloves, elbow pads, knee pads and helmets) and our experienced guide will do a little briefing with us. Then the fun begins, descending by bike for 2-3 hours, enjoying spectacular views and picturesque villages. We continue until we arrive in the village of Huamán Marca for a well-deserved lunch break. After a delicious lunch and some time to rest, we are ready to continue the adventure doing rafting level tree, not too dangerous but not too boring. (Please remember that rafting is only available during dry season.) Later, we will take our private transportation to Santa Maria. Along the way, we will observe notice the different vegation of the cloud forest. Today, we will stay overnight at a hotel in Santa Maria.
After a large breakfast, we will begin our today’s 9-hour trek, passing by several coffee, coca and avocado plantations, tropical fauna, and beautiful local communties. After lunch break, we will reach the original Inca Trail, which winds around precipitous slopes and sheer drops. We will then go to the hot springs of Cocalmayo where we will enjoy a relaxing hot soak in the thermal baths. In the evening, we will enjoy a delicious dinner and stay at our hotel in Santa Teresa.
On this day, we will have breakfast at 6:30 am and then fly through the treetops on a 2-hour morning excursion on South America’s highest and Peru’s first canopy zip-line. Traverse over 2,500 meters of cables with the longest ride covering 400 meters and the highest at 150 meters. We then continue our hike for three hours towards Hidroeléctrica where we rest and have lunch at a local restaurant. After a 2-hour walk we arrive at Aguas Calientes, the little village at the bottom of Machu Picchu. We will enjoy dinner with the group and stay overnight at a hotel in Aguas Calientes.
The grand finale! We will wake up very early this morning for our visit to famous Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas. This complex is considered a jewel of the Inca architecture. It is a complete town with different quarters, squares, alleys, buildings, astronomical observatories and terraces. The city was rediscovered on July 24, 1911 by the US researcher Hiram Bingham. We will have a guided tour to see and learn about the Machu Picchu site, a Wonder of the World. After the guided tour, you will have free time to take photos and discover this magical place by yourself.
For those who have previously selected to climb Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machu Picchu Mountain, you will do so at your designated time (1st group: 6am to 8am, 2nd group: 9am to 11am).
In the afternoon, we will return to Aguas Calientes and take the train to Ollantaytambo, leaving at 14:55 pm. On the way back, we can enjoy the incredible landscape of the Sacred Valley. Upon arrival at the train station, we will take our final return bus back to Cusco.
📋 Included
🏕️ Accommodation
- First and second night at the campsite. Instead of sleeping in small tents, we set up our spectacular and comfortable campsites just for you.
- Last night accommodation in Aguas Calientes in a Standard Hotel. This will be a nice, clean, and safe hotel with Wi-Fi, take-away breakfast, and a private bathroom with hot water included. You can also upgrade to a higher quality hotel.
🍽️ Meals
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary (3x Breakfast, 3x Lunch, 3x Dinner).
- Professional cook and cooking equipment. Dining tent and kitchen tent for the cook to freshly prepare your meals.
- Our meals can be accommodated for any dietary requirements such as vegetarian or vegan. Please let us know in advance if you have certain preferences so we can plan ahead.
- A hot cup of Coca Tea every morning.
- Boiled water provided for drinking water at the campsites (which you can carry in your own reusable water bottle).
🚗 Transportation
- Private transportation from your hotel in Cusco to the starting point (Abra Malaga).
- Transportation to the Hot Springs of Santa Teresa.
- Transportation from Santa Teresa to Hidroeléctrica.
- Train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo.
- Transportation from Ollantaytambo back to your hotel in Cusco.
🧭 Local Guides & Team
- English/Spanish speaking professional guide, plus an assistant guide for groups over 12.
- Horse and horsemen, who carry camping equipment, food, and kitchen utensils.
- All our trekking guides have a minimum of 3 years of guiding experience and are certified. They carry a first aid kit with them, as well as an extra oxygen bottle in case of emergencies.
- We provide duffel bags at your briefing for your personal items (up to 5kg per person).
- Sleeping bag included.
🎫 Tickets & Briefing
- Briefing: You will have a meeting with your guide in our office to go over all the details regarding your tour. The orientation will be between 17:00, 18:00 or 19:00 at our office in Cusco the day before departure.
- Entrance to Hot Springs in Santa Teresa included.
- Zip lining activity included.
- Rafting activity included.
❌ What Is Not Included?
🍽️ Meals
- Dinner on the last day.
🔧 Other
- Trekking poles (additional $20.00 per person). Tips for your guide, cook, and porters. National or international flights. Travel Insurance. Other activities not mentioned in this itinerary.
FAQ
If you are a student, you may be eligible for a $20 USD discount on your Machu Picchu ticket. However, you must meet the Peruvian government requirements, as the discount is applied to the cost of your Machu Picchu ticket and is not something that we are able to negotiate.
To receive the discount, please send us a photo of both sides of your student card and another photo of your passport after your booking. We can help you check if all the requirements are fulfilled. The student ID must meet the following criteria:
- It must be an original student ID, issued by your university.
- It should be made of PVC material.
- Include university information (name, logo, etc.).
- Contain your personal student information (name, ID number).
- Have a student picture.
- Show an expiration date valid for only one year, which must coincide with the year you visit Machu Picchu.
On the day you visit Machu Picchu, you also need to bring your original student card with you. It will be verified at the Machu Picchu checkpoint.
Please check if your student card includes all of the above requirements:
To ensure a comfortable and enjoyable trekking experience, please bring the following items:
- Personal Daypack: A 30 to 50 L backpack is sufficient.
- Duffle Bag: Before your trek, we will provide one extra duffle bag from our office to carry your extra clothes and personal items (max. 5kg).
- Reusable Water Bottle: Stay hydrated!
- Small Coins: Carry some coins in Peruvian Soles (Bathrooms are free at the campsites but cost 1 Sol along the route). Keep small change on hand for water bottles, snacks, and toilet paper.
- Rain Jacket or Rain Poncho: Essential for unpredictable weather.
- Strong Footwear: Waterproof trekking boots are recommended.
- Sleeping Bag: Available for rent if you don’t have your own.
- Flashlight/Headlamp: Don’t forget extra batteries!
- Clothing: Bring enough clothes for the entire trek:
- Two long-sleeve trekking shirts
- Two short-sleeve shirts
- Leggings or trekking pants
- Shorts
- Four pairs of underwear
- Sweatpants for the night
- Three pairs of hiking socks
- A rain poncho
- An insulated jacket
- Gloves and a beanie
- A hat with a brim
- Hiking boots
- Bathing suit and small towel (if you plan to visit the hot springs)
- Sandals to rest your feet at the campsites
- Sunscreen: Protect your skin from the sun.
- Insect Repellent: Keep bugs at bay.
- Additional Snacks: Remember that we supply plenty of food already.
- Original Passport: Mandatory for entrance to Machu Picchu.
The best way to prepare yourself for this trekking experience is easy: spend at least 2 to 3 days at a high-altitude place like Cusco, so your body gets used to the high altitude. If you have already been to a high altitude destination before arriving to Cusco, we still recommend you spend at least one full day in Cusco to rest, recuperate from your trip, and enjoy the beautiful views of the city before your trek.
Additionally, taking good care of your body helps deal with the extra pressures that altitude creates. We recommend you to eat healthy food, drink lots of water, and stay away from alcohol. Chewing coca leaves and drinking coca tea helps to alleviate any discomfort associated with the altitude.
The entrance ticket to Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machu Picchu Mountain are additional add-ons that you can choose to purchase besides the Machu Picchu visit that is already included in this trek. You can visit one of these mountains after your Machu Picchu visit to see the Inca Citadel from the top.
Please send us an email asking about availability. Then, if available, you can select which mountain you would like to climb when you make your reservation online. Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain are an additional 60 USD.
What is Huayna Picchu Mountain?
Huayna Picchu Mountain is home to the Temple of the Moon and is the famous mountain peak seen behind the ruins in all the classic photos of Machu Picchu. Huayna Picchu is an approximately 45 minute climb with more ruins at the top and offers an incredible view of the Machu Picchu ruins. The visit to Huayna Picchu takes approximately 2 hours. Huayna Picchu Mountain is an additional 60 USD.
What is Machu Picchu Mountain?
Machu Picchu Mountain is an additional hike within Machu Picchu that offers a much higher view of the ruins and overlooks the entire valley. Machu Picchu Mountain is an additional 60 USD.
The Inca Trail is more crowded than the Salkantay Trek because it is an original trail of the Incas and one of the most famous hikes in the world, attracting thousands of trekkers every year. It is the only trek that leads directly to Machu Picchu, but is therefore a lot more expensive than the Salkantay Trek.
On the Salkantay Trek you will spend the last night in a hotel in Aguas Calientes before visiting Machu Picchu the next day. During the Inca Trail you will discover ancient Inca ruins, whereas the Salkantay offers more wildlife and high mountain sceneries. Many trekkers consider the Salkantay Trek to be a bit more strenuous than the Inca Trail because the general altitude is higher.
In this 7 Days Trek we are combining the best of both the Salkantay Trek and Inca Trail. Feel free to contact us for more questions!
Congratulations, adventure awaits you! We sent you a confirmation e-mail with more details about your trekking adventure. The day before your departure at 17:00, 18:00 or 19:00, please stop by our office located in Portal Espinar Nro 163 to receive the informative briefing. Our professional guide will tell you everything about your trek and clarify any last questions you may have.
In general, Salkantay is known for its unpredictable weather, so please come prepared for both warm and cold temperatures, and rainy and dry conditions. We have two main seasons in the Andes Mountains: the rainy season (November-March) and the dry season (April-October).
During the rainy, warmer season, temperatures average around 15°C / 60°F during the day and 5°C / 40°F at night. However, with a high chance of rain and wind at the Salkantay Pass, these temperatures may feel a lot colder to you.
During the dry season, the weather is sunny and clear, and on average 20°C / 70°F during the day but much colder at night, around -3°C / 26°F.
Also, after the second day, as we descend into the Peruvian Amazon basin, the weather changes to a more humid and warmer climate – these humid temperatures are consistent throughout the year.
We serve a variety of local superfoods and traditional Peruvian dishes with rice, chicken, beef, salad, potatoes, vegetables, delicious soups, and fruits. Everything will be freshly prepared by our local chef.
We have a lot of vegetarian travelers, and our cooks have some great options for them to enjoy their meals. We can cater for all other types of dietary requests with adequate preparation and clear communication.
Prior hiking experience is recommended but not required. Our guides are trained to assist hikers of all fitness levels and all trekking experience levels so you will never be left behind. Most important of all is to acclimate yourself to the altitude before your trek.
Yes, you can leave extra luggage in our office free of charge.
The minimum group size is 4 people and the maximum group size is 15 people. There will be an assistant guide for groups over 12 people.
🧳 Personal Gear
👕 Clothing
☀️ Additional Items
