The Inca Trail in Comfort

• Four nights in premium hotels and three nights’ full-service camping
• Four days walking with full porterage
• Altitude maximum: 13,829ft (4,215m); average: 10,007ft (3,050m)
• Increased personal weight limit of 22lb (10kg) on trek
• Travel by private bus and train

The diverse geography of Peru results in a very varied climate between different regions.

Cuzco and the Andes

December to March is the rainy season, while April to November is the dry season; characterised by clear skies and strong sunshine in the mornings, sometimes clouding over as the day progresses.

Daytime temperatures are usually pleasant (approximately 20C/68F on average) but nights are only 5C-10C (41F-50F), except for May to August when days are cooler and nights are around freezing point. In the Andes, anything is possible at any time of year, including cloud, rain or even snow, plus rapid and unexpected changes.

Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu

In the cloud forest, they experience large amounts of precipitation all year, as clouds move up from the Amazon Basin. Rain can be heavy, but seldom prolonged. Cold fronts sometimes occur from July to August.

Additionally, Peru is affected by the El Niño weather phenomenon, whereby the warming of Pacific Ocean surface water off South America drives a shift in the atmospheric circulation resulting in abnormally high levels of rainfall over parts of South America. These events occur at irregular intervals of two to seven years, and last nine months to two years. A strong El Niño event occurred in 2018-19.

This trip is rated Activity Level 3 (Moderate) – please refer to our activity level guidelines –with four walking days with full porterage.

This trek is manageable for anyone in good health and fitness. However, it does have tougher stretches (in particular the ascent and descent of Dead Woman’s Pass) and we would not recommend it to anyone with no trekking experience. If you are not a regular walker, you should put in some physical preparation beforehand. The trek is also not suitable for those with bad knees, due to the number of steep and uneven steps, particularly on the third and fourth days of the trek. You may find our Fitness Training Guide a useful reference.

Please note, it is essential you read the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu regulations in the Important Information section of the Trip Notes before you book this trip.

As this trip spends considerable time at altitude, we ask you to refer to the altitude warning within the Trip Notes. We spend one day in Cuzco (11,155ft/3,400m) and one in Ollantaytambo (9,186ft/2,800m) acclimatising before starting the trek.

Protest action/strikes are not uncommon in Peru, while these are generally peaceful, they can involve roadblocks and cause disruption to travel. Occasionally, your leader may have to adapt your itinerary in response to this.

Walking hours stated within the itinerary are given as approximates only. Timings stated include lunch and photo stops and will vary depending on the pace of your group.