The 4-Day Inca Trail Itinerary
The 4-day Inca Trail day by day: Km 82, Dead Woman's Pass, Wiñay Wayna and the Sun Gate, with the Inca Trail map and a packing list.
The 4-day Inca Trail starts at Km 82, at Piscacucho, and takes 4 days and 3 nights to Machu Picchu, by SERNANP’s description of the route. Day 2 is the hard one, over Dead Woman’s Pass at 4,200 m; day 4 starts before dawn for the Sun Gate. Below is the itinerary of TreXperience’s 4-day Inca Trail hike & panoramic train, the trek on this page’s calendar, day by day, with the map and what to pack.
Inca Trail map
SERNANP’s tourist map of the Machu Picchu sanctuary gives the figures this page uses: Route 1, Piscacucho to Machu Picchu, 33.7 km; Abra Warmiwañusca, Dead Woman’s Pass, at 4,200 m above sea level; Abra Runkurakay at 3,970 m. The road from Cusco to Piscacucho takes about 2.3 hours, and the train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu Pueblo covers 60 km in about 2 hours 10 minutes.
Day 1: Km 82 to Ayapata
An early hotel pickup in Cusco or the Sacred Valley, then breakfast in Ollantaytambo. At Km 82 the hike begins: through villages and past the Inca site of Patallacta (with stops at Llactapata and Huillca Raccay too) to the Ayapata campsite. The porters carry the camping gear.
Day 2: Dead Woman’s Pass
“The most challenging part of the trail”: the climb to Dead Woman’s Pass, then the Runkuraqay pass, through mountain scenery and cloud forest, with visits to the ruins of Runkuraqay and Sayacmarca, to the Chaquicocha campsite. SERNANP’s map puts the first pass at 4,200 m and the second at 3,970 m.
Day 3: Phuyupatamarca to Wiñay Wayna
The descent through changing forest, with three Inca sites on the way: Phuyupatamarca, Intipata and Wiñaywayna, the terraced site near the last camp. SERNANP’s map notes that Wiñay Wayna can also be reached from Km 104, at Chachabamba, which is the start of the 2-day short Inca Trail. The last evening is a farewell dinner at camp.
Day 4: the Sun Gate and Machu Picchu
Up before dawn to reach the Sun Gate, Intipunku, for the first view of Machu Picchu, then along Circuit 1’s upper path and down to the main entrance. A guided Circuit 3 tour follows. Then the bus to Aguas Calientes, the Vistadome train to Ollantaytambo and the drive to Cusco, with drop-off at your hotel in the evening. Lunch on the last day is not included.
How hard is it?
TreXperience’s trek is for travellers with “at least a moderate level of physical fitness”, and it is not suitable for pregnant women or people with back problems, mobility impairments or heart problems. In TreXperience’s 350 most recent GetYourGuide reviews, October 2024 to November 2026, at least two hikers call day 2 the hard one, on 13 April 2026 (“Second day was tough but after reaching the campsite I felt I can do anything”) and on 21 May 2026 (“The 2nd day is very hard!”).
The height is part of it: the climb to 4,200 m comes on the second day. For altitude sickness itself, what it feels like and how people prepare in Cusco, redvalleytourcusco.com’s altitude guide covers the high day hikes near the city.
Inca Trail packing list
What the trek gives you, what you rent and what you bring, on TreXperience’s trek:
| On TreXperience’s 4-day trek | |
|---|---|
| Included | Eureka 4-person tent shared by 2, sleeping pad, pillow, a 7 kg duffle bag, rain poncho, T-shirt, hand towels; a porter for camping gear and up to 7 kg (15 lb) of your things; 4 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 3 dinners, snacks and purified drinking water; dining and toilet tents |
| Rent or pay for | Sleeping bag, air mattress and trekking poles (available to rent); lunch on the last day; the Huayna Picchu ticket (advance booking); travel insurance |
| Bring | Original passport, hiking shoes, hiking pants, rain gear, weather-appropriate clothing, sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, a flashlight, toiletries, hand sanitizer or tissues, a camera and cash |
The porter carries up to 7 kg (15 lb) of your personal items, so pack light. Cash is for snacks on the trail and tips for the crew at the end: at least four of TreXperience’s 350 most recent reviews raise the tips, one on 24 July 2026 saying the “recommended tipping levels felt excessive and should be mentioned while making a purchase”. Alpaca Expeditions’ 4-day trek on GetYourGuide does not include headlamps or day packs, and you carry your own backpack of 25 L at most.
Other itineraries on the same trail
The 4-day treks follow the same route with different camps. Alpaca Expeditions’ 4-day trek on GetYourGuide camps at Ayapata, Chaquicocha and near Wiñaywayna, with its own figures: Dead Woman’s Pass at 4,215 m and a total distance of 45 km, Alpaca Expeditions’ numbers rather than SERNANP’s. Inkayni Peru Tours’ small-group trek on GetYourGuide camps at Wayllabamba, Pacaymayo and Wiñay Wayna, with a 4:00 AM pickup on day 1.
The Inca Trail price compares what these treks cost, and classic vs short Inca Trail the 2-day alternative from Km 104.
Before or after the trek
Days Out from Cusco
Other bookable tours from Cusco, on GetYourGuide.
Walk These Four Days With TreXperience
The 4-day Inca Trail hike & panoramic train: Km 82 to the Sun Gate with guides, porters and chefs, three nights camping, a guided Machu Picchu visit and the Vistadome train back. This activity is non-refundable.
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