Inca Jungle Trek 4 Days

Hotel pickup between 5:30 and 6:00 am and van ride through the Sacred Valley, past Ollantaytambo, up to the Málaga Pass (4,316 m), the highest point of the entire tour. Here you receive your gear: front-suspension mountain bike with hydraulic disc brakes, helmet, gloves and safety vest. We begin the ~55 km descent (around 3 hours) on paved road, dropping more than 3,000 meters from icy highlands into the Alfamayo cloud forest, with the support vehicle following the group the whole way. Arrival in Santa María (1,200 m) for lunch. In the afternoon, optional rafting on the Vilcanota River with class III–IV rapids (available April to December, wetsuit and full equipment provided). Dinner and night at a family-run guesthouse in Santa María, already in warm jungle climate.

Distance: 55 km by bike · Max altitude: 4,316 m → 1,200 m · Meals: B, L, D

The most demanding day of the tour. Early breakfast and start of the ~12 km hike (6–7 hours with breaks) climbing through Santa Rosa among coca, coffee, cacao, banana and avocado plantations. At a local farm we join a coffee demonstration: picking, wood-fire roasting and tasting. We then follow a stretch of original Inca trail that once linked Machu Picchu with the Vilcabamba refuge, skirting steep slopes with views over the river canyon and, on clear days, the snow-capped Salkantay. Lunch in the village of Quellomayo, on the banks of the Urubamba, with hammock time after eating. In the late afternoon we reach the Cocalmayo hot springs (natural pools at 38–44 °C surrounded by vegetation; entrance ~S/10 not included). Dinner and night at a guesthouse in Santa Teresa.

Distance: 12 km hiking · Max altitude: 1,200 m → 1,640 m → 1,550 m · Meals: B, L, D

In the morning, optional zipline (~2 hours): a circuit of 4 cables over the river canyon plus a suspension bridge, one of the longest ziplines in Peru. Those who skip it transfer directly to Hidroeléctrica (1,811 m), the power station at the foot of the Machu Picchu massif, where we have lunch with the first distant views of the citadel. In the afternoon, a flat ~11 km walk (2.5–3 hours) along the railway line to Aguas Calientes (2,040 m), a stretch surrounded by cloud forest, orchids and butterflies, with unique angles of the back face of Machu Picchu (optional: 40-minute train at traveler's expense). Hostel check-in, dinner with the guide and a detailed briefing for the next day's visit.

Distance: 11 km hiking · Max altitude: 1,550 m → 1,811 m → 2,040 m · Meals: B, L, D

Wake up ~4:30 am to catch one of the first buses (or climb the stairs on foot, ~1 hour) and enter Machu Picchu (2,430 m) with the first morning light. Guided visit of ~2 hours along the classic circuit: Main Plaza, Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Three Windows, the Intihuatana sundial and the agricultural terraces, followed by free time for photos and exploring. Optional add-ons with advance-booked extra tickets: Huayna Picchu (~1 hour steep climb) or Machu Picchu Mountain (3,082 m). Bus down to Aguas Calientes and free lunch in town. In the afternoon, return train to Ollantaytambo (~1.5 hours) and bus to Cusco, arriving at your hotel around 8:30 pm.

Max altitude: 2,040 m → 2,430 m → 3,400 m · Meals: B