Peru’s dry season runs from April to October, making this an ideal time to trek the Inca Trail. June to August is particularly cold at night, especially at altitude, and lots of layers are essential for taking you from day to night. March, April, October and November are warmer months but there may be some rain. Many people say that late April - June and October are the best months to travel to Machu Picchu as its a quieter period with fewer tourists. Each year the trail closes in February.
Only about 200 trekkers per day are given permits to walk on the trail, so popular dates such as the peak month of May sell out months in advance. The permits go on sale at the beginning of October each year. We recommend that people book the year preceding their preferred trip. When you book an Inca Trail tour with Explore we will sort your Inca Trail permit for you.
On our Inca Trail tours you'll camp for three nights. After each day's walking you will reach your campsite where our porters will have set up your tents. Two-man tents are provided with plenty of room for two people and your bags. It may be possible (depending on availability) to have your own tent as a solo traveler for an extra cost, check the trip page for the price.
The tents are well cared for and after a day of fresh mountain air and walking they make for a comfy place to lay your head. The views when you pop your head out in the morning are hard to beat. As for toilets, there are now permanent toilets intermittently along the trail so you shouldn’t find yourself left short. At the campsites we provide portable bathrooms (toilet tents) with biodegradable bags, which are available for only our one small group to use.
No, or break the tent down either. The porters do an incredible job – often behind the scenes – to help your Inca Trail run seamlessly and to take the strain. Pack animals are not permitted on the Classic Inca trail which is why porters are needed to carry all equipment.
The porters will also cook your meals and you will dine as a group in a large communal tent. You can expect nourishing meals, usually with warming soup as a starter then a meal featuring local ingredients like quinoa and fish and often a pudding or cake for dessert. For drinks, they'll provide boiled water and tea and coffee. Before you start your walk each day you'll be provided with snacks to pack in your bag like fruit and chocolate.
Walking the Inca Trail requires a good level of fitness but with a little pre-tour training it should be well within the capabilities of anyone who leads an active and moderately healthy lifestyle. It isn’t a race, you have the whole day to cover the distance and take in all the marvelous views and Inca ruins. The longest day is 15km on uneven terrain, summiting two different passes over 4000m altitude. If you are reasonably fit and active in general life and have the mental and physical stamina to walk 6-8 hours per day for 4 days, then you'll comfortably be able to do this hike.
Before your trip we recommend doing some endurance training - walking up hills and climbing stairs are both great ways to get your lower body in shape. As you will need to carry a daysack each day on the trail, we'd also recommend that you add weight to your hikes to get used to it. To get used to walking day after day, doing a multi-day walk is also a good idea. And don't forget to wear in your boots before your trip! Learn more in our how to prepare for a walking holiday blog.
Altitude sickness is something a lot of people worry about, however by walking steadily, keeping well hydrated and drinking coca tea, most people encounter no problems. Your Explore Leader will be instrumental in getting you to the Sun Gate, so make sure you listen to what they are saying, and be open about any symptoms that you are feeling.
Whatever the season, the weather in the Andes can be unpredictable, and you will need waterproofs, sun cream and sturdy walking boots with you everyday. We also recommend walking poles (they must have rubber tips) to help you keep steady on the uneven terrain and for the ascents and descents through the steep Inca ruins. The Inca people may have been short but they built their steps very big! We provide tents, thermosets and a trek kit bag, so no need to worry about this. Sleeping bags are not provided and can be rented locally or you can bring your own.
There are some steep steps and exposed areas along the trail but our porters and guides are very experienced in group management. It is always possible to walk two abreast with one person at the side of the wall. Most parts of the trail are enclosed and well-maintained.
We do the Inca Trail at a slightly different pace to many other companies, staying at quieter campsites that are earlier on the trail than the biggest and most-used ones. We don't cover quite as much distance on days one and two, meaning we do the 'Dead Woman's Pass' on day three when trekkers are more acclimatized and warmed up. We also don't leave really early on the last day to get to the Sun Gate for sunrise - it's often very cloudy anyway and because many of the other companies do this, it's often very busy. Instead, we prefer to leave later in the day and get to Machu Picchu in the afternoon. The difference with our trips is that we don't explore Machu Picchu on the day we arrive, instead we spend the night first in Aguas Caliente and then return back to Machu Picchu the following morning for a guided tour, giving us more time.
All of the porters and cooks for our tours are local people, often farmers, employed from the Sacred Valley area. We ensure that they are all paid fairly - being a porter on the Inca Trail pays much better than a farming job and one trip can often mean that they can support their family for weeks.
In 2018 non-reusable plastic was banned and the porters are asked to weigh their rubbish before and after the hike, to meet regulations. We only use designated campsites on the trail and all water is boiled. The food served is sourced from the local area - you'll likely have fish from the rivers and vegetables from the surrounding farms.