2026 Machu Picchu Itinerary

Meet at the group hotel for the start of your travel program. Get settled in and join your group for a trip briefing and welcome dinner this evening. 

Overnight: Antigua Casona San Blas

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

After an early breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel in Cusco. The first stop is a visit to the Quillarumiyoc archaeological site en route to the mountain village of Mollepata. Enjoy lunch at El Pedregal, a beautiful farmhouse in the village, where you will also have the opportunity to learn about local agriculture and livestock. After lunch comes a scenic ride on the winding mountain road to Challacancha. Here you will begin your hike to our flagship Salkantay Lodge at Soraypampa along a picturesque path called the “Camino Real” (Royal Path). 

• Trekking Time: Approximately 3 hours
• Hiking Level: Easy to Moderate

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner 

After breakfast, you begin an ascent up the slopes that border the plateau behind Salkantay Lodge. An hour and a half later, your hard work will be rewarded with a first glimpse of the lake’s glistening turquoise waters and the Humantay glacier looming overhead. Upon arrival, you will have a chance to relax, enjoy a snack, meditate in the tranquility of this magical spot, and participate in a traditional ceremony to honor “la Pachamama” (Mother Earth). After your descent back to the lodge, the Salkantay staff will be waiting with a hot lunch. Afternoon at leisure to relax, enjoy a massage, or soak in

the outdoor hot tub for a spectacular view of the Salkantay Peak at sunset.

• Trekking Time: Approximately 4 hours
• Hiking Level: Moderate

Overnight: Salkantay Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner 

After an early start, the ascent toward the Salkantay Pass begins. You will circle Humantay Peak, gradually making your way along expansive plateaus connected by enormous boulders, remnants of the Rio Blanco Valley that was once bisected by a fast-flowing river. The last and most challenging part of the ascent is conquering the mountain switchbacks that leadyou to the pass, the highest point on the trek (15,213’ / 4,636m). The journey continues with a dramatic descent through fields of large boulders and natural stone formations often shrouded in fog. After lunch, you will have some time to rest

before the final hike through the area’s bucolic countryside; its rolling hills will eventually lead you through marsh-like plateaus to the Wayra Lodge at Wayraccmachay.

• Trekking Time: Approximately 6 hours
• Hiking Level: Challenging

Overnight: Wayra Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner 

After a leisurely breakfast at Wayra Lodge, you will continue the descent toward the cloud forest along the banks of the Salkantay River through increasingly verdant scenery. The warm air will begin to rise from the edge of the jungle, accompanied by colorful butterflies and striking orchids. Today you will see more local Andean people as the trail takes you past their simple homes and makeshift fences. At approximately midday, you will arrive at Colpa Lodge, located on a high promontory at the confluence of three rivers. 

The Colpa staff will greet you with a Pachamanca lunch, a traditional Peruvian meal cooked below ground with hot stones that create a natural oven. After lunch, spend the afternoon lounging in the sun or relaxing in the outdoor hot tub while you take in the panoramic views of the lush green mountains that surround you. 

• Trekking Time: Approximately 3 — 4 hours
• Hiking Level: Easy to moderate

Overnight: Colpa Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner 

Today you will hike through the Santa Teresa River Valley along a rolling trail that crosses fertile fruit orchards and bisects streams originating from glacier-fed waterfalls. Rest alongside the river for a trail mix, then continue hiking for one more hour before you are met by an MLP transport vehicle for the short drive to the bottom of the Llactapata Inca Trail steps that lead to Lucma Lodge. Enjoy a great lunch at the lodge and afterwards, visit an organic coffee plantation, one of many in the area that produce some of the best organic coffees in the world. You will also begin to notice another shift in the climate; in Lucmabamba, the hot air and increased humidity signal that you are even closer to the edge of the Amazon Jungle.

• Trekking Time: Approximately 5.5 hours
• Hiking Level: Moderate to Challenging

Overnight: Lucma Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

After breakfast, depart from Lucma Lodge and embark on a 2-3 hour climb through the cloud forest up a path mostly comprised of original Inca steps. A lush tree line creates green canopies overhead and the constant sound of rushing water suggests that the river is nearby. Your first milestone today will be the top of the peak, the last one before you descend to the Aobamba River Valley that connects you to Machu Picchu. Upon arrival at the Llactapata Pass (8,974’ / 2,736m), you will delight in a southeast view of Machu Picchu, a sight few travelers get the chance to admire. After exploring Llactapata, the Inca tambo (fort) that marks the pass, enjoy a picnic lunch at a mountain lookout point with panoramic views. The final descent along a trail that zigzags down to the roaring Aobamba River will take you through lush bamboo forests, varied fruit orchards, and more coffee plantations. Celebrate as you cross the bridge over the river and take your final steps of the trek en route to the Hidroelectrica train station for a scenic one-hour train ride to the town of Aguas Calientes, on the banks of the Urubamba River at the base of Machu Picchu.

• Trekking Time: Approximately 4-6 hours
• Hiking Level: Moderate to Challenging

Overnight: Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner 

After breakfast at the hotel, your journey to Machu Picchu begins with a rollicking uphill bus ride. 

After a two-hour guided tour of the citadel, you will have free time to explore on your own or hike up Huayna Picchu Mountain for dramatic views that stretch from the Urubamba River Valley to the edge of the Amazon Jungle. 

After the visit you will have lunch in Aguas Calientes before the return train ride to Ollantaytambo (approximately 1.5 hours) and a scenic sunset drive to your hotel in Cusco (approximately 1.5 hours). 

Overnight: Antigua Casona San Blas

Meals: Breakfast

Transfer to Cusco airport for your flights home, or continue traveling with an optional post-tour extension:

• Galapagos Islands
• Lake Titicaca
• Uyuni Salt Flat in Bolivia
• Etc.