Here is some fantastic news about one of the most important attractions in all of Peru. The Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu is open! The trail was closed reopened on July 15, 2021 after being closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020; and it is open in 2023 after the yearly maintenance in February and the social unrest in January 2023.
The Inca Trail Peru is one of the 20 best treks in the entire world, as named by National Geographic (see: 7 tips to hike the Inca trail). Trekkers that want to travel to Peru always hold their breath to see if they can get an entrance slots for this challenging trek in Peru. For now, there are still tickets available so reserve your spots now by quickly following our Inca trail contact link, as the hiking slots do fill up months in advance. The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is open!
What is the Inca Trail
| About the Inca trail As said, the Inca Trail, or Qapaq Ñan in Quechua, was once an amazing system of highways used for communication, managing resources and to connect the entire Inca Empire. Although the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu of 4 days, also called the Classic Inca Trail, in Cusco, Peru only reaches about 39 kilometers, ancient Inca trails span like veins through six different countries in South America including Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. The Inca trials are considered living heritage as the Inca’s living descendants are still using them to this day. |
The most famous stretch of the Inca Trail will take you from the Sacred Valley to one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu. On the Inca Trail Machu to Picchu you will wind your way up and down the Andes Mountains while snaking over three different high passes. You will view snowy mountain peaks, distant rivers and mountain ranges, the cloud forest, up to 250 different species of orchids, up to 450 species of birds all while moving from pre-Hispanic ruin to ruin that can only be accessed by foot.
Some of the other archeological sites you will see while hiking the Inca Trail include Llactapata, Runkurakay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca, Intipata, Wiñay Wayna and Inti Punku or the Sun Gate. Entering Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate is a unique experience only for hikers on the Inca Trail. Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu allows you to follow in the exact same footsteps as the Inca did before the fall of their empire.
Inca trail: Quick Facts
Timeframe: 4 Days and 3 Nights
Max Altitude: 4,215 m / 13,829 ft at the Dead Woman’s Pass
Difficulty: Moderate to challenging
Meals: 4 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 3 dinners
For a more detailed itinerary of the Inca Trail trek in Peru, please see our page about the Inca trail hike to Machu Picchu.
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is Reopening
The 4-Day Inca Trail is open.
The capacity to enter the Inca Llaqta (citadel) of Machu Picchu is increased to 100%, which will allow the daily entry of 2244 visitors, distributed in 9 schedules with a maximum entrance of 250 visitors per time from 06:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Machu Picchu trains and shuttle buses are operating at 100% capacity.
The two day Inca trail is also open
