Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

What it's really like

The classic Inca Trail is a four-day, three-night trek of 43 km (27 miles) through the Andes, past Inca sites, to Intipunku, the Sun Gate, where Machu Picchu comes into view. PromPerú, Peru's tourist board, calls it the most requested route. It climbs above 4,000 metres (13,100 feet); a hospice group from Wrexham who walked it reached 4,200 metres (13,800 feet) at Dead Woman's Pass, the highest point.

Peru allows 500 people a day on the trail, and 300 of those places go to workers such as tour guides, so trekker places are scarce. PromPerú advises booking through a formal agency listed in the government's National Directory of Qualified Tourism Service Providers. Forty-three kilometres over four days is a modest distance; the altitude is what makes it hard.

The three routes

All three are PromPerú's figures. The classic route is the most requested, and PromPerú advises booking it months ahead.

Bookings, dates and the February closure

For 2026, Peru's state news agency Andina reported that bookings for 2026 Inca Trail treks opened in stages from 17 to 25 November 2025. If you are planning for 2027, ask an agency now whether bookings have opened. Machu Picchu itself has separate entry tickets, sold on the Ministry of Culture's tuboleto.cultura.pe, and you need a passport or other valid ID to enter.

The trail closes in February for maintenance. In 2026 routes 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 closed until 28 February and reopened on 1 March; in 2025 the closure ran into late March after heavy rain. PromPerú's best months are April to October, the dry season. The UK Foreign Office says the rainy season runs from November to May, when rockslides and mudslides can disrupt walking routes, roads and railways in the mountains.

Altitude: the real challenge

Cusco, where most trekkers stay before the trail, is at about 3,400 metres (11,150 feet), according to the US CDC. The NHS says altitude sickness can start above about 2,500 metres, usually 6 to 10 hours after arriving, with headache, nausea, tiredness, dizziness and poor sleep. PromPerú advises arriving in Cusco one or two days before the trek and resting, eating lightly and drinking plenty of water. The CDC adds that fitness does not protect you, and advises no alcohol for the first 48 hours at altitude.

If symptoms come on, stop climbing and rest; if they get worse or have not improved after a day, go down. Confusion, poor balance, breathlessness at rest, or a cough with frothy or bloody spit are emergencies: get help and descend at once. See your GP or a travel clinic before you book, especially if you have had altitude sickness before or have a heart or lung condition.

What to pack

• Light clothes for walking and warm layers for the nights
• A sleeping bag
• Insect repellent, sun cream, a hat and sunglasses
• Proper walking footwear
• Water and a small first aid kit
• A torch with spare batteries
• Your passport or ID documents and some cash

This is PromPerú's list; your agency will say what it provides.