Inca Trail Elevation Gain Day by Day and the Total

The elevation gains on your Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu will depend on what trail you want to take. There are a few variations of the Inca Trail that you can follow to get to Machu Picchu depending on the route you follow and the time you have. You can hike The Classic Inca Trail 4 days or the short Inca trail 2 days or Inca Trail 7 Days.

Inca Trail News: Inca Trail 4 day Permits are running out quickly for October. Below you will find the dates that is still available.

October 2022: 31st.
November 2022: Available all month.
December 2022: Available all month.

This information was updated on October 30th, 2022. Book Now with a local Inca Trail Operator hike Machupicchu

Tabla de contenidos

INCA TRAIL 4 DAYS ITINERARY WITH ELEVATION GAIN DAY BY DAY

Day 1: Cusco – Piskacucho – Km 82 – Wayllabamba

We will leave Cusco at 06:00 am to start the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. we drive for about an hour and a half to Ollantaytambo where we will stop briefly to buy last-minute gear, and personal needing and eat breakfast which is not included, then we keep driving to Piskacuchu (Km 82) Inca Trail check Point .once passing the checkpoint we start our trek of classic Inca Trail to Wayllabamba(first camping site). along the way, we are going to have lunch at Miskay which is a Quechuan village, and have a siesta before walking to our first Archaeological site of Patallacta or Llactapata (the biggest Inca Site) after an explanation of your guide about Llactapata, you will keep walking for 2 more hours to get Wayllabamba (first Inca Trail Camping spot 3,010 m/9,8750 ft.).

Distance: 12 km/6.835 miles.
Time: 5 hours on average
Elevation gain: 430 m/1,410 ft.
Start: Km 82(trailhead of Inca trail)2,680 m/9612ft.
End: Wayllabamba Campsite 3,010 m/9,8750 ft.

Day 2: Wayllabamba – Warmiwañusca – Pacaymayo

We’ll start our Inca Trail day, early in the morning, to take advantage of the shade of the mountains. It is much better to hike up to the first Inca Trail passes (Warmihuañusca which means dead woman pass 4200 m.a.s.l) the highest point of the Inca Trail. Here, we can literally see the various Inca Trail ecological zones and microclimates, which make up the area, mapped out in front of us. We will cross the Warmiwañusca pass and once we are on the top. we are going to see many snow-capped Mountains around. Later on, we take our group picture, we keep going down to Pacaymayo (second Inca Trail Camping spot 3600 m.a.s.l) where we have our lunch and then we will have a free afternoon to explore by ourselves.

Distance: 11 km/6.83 miles.
Time: 7 hours on average.
Elevation gain: 1,180 m/3,871 ft.
Start: Wayllabamba Campsite 3,010 m/9,8750 ft.
End: Pacasmayo Campsite 3,600 m/11,700 ft.

Day 3: Pacaymayo – Chaquicocha – Wiñaywayna

Inca Trail begins with a nutritious breakfast and then a 45-minute hike up to Runcurakay Pass (second highest pass on the Trail 3,850 m.a.s.l). Along the way, we will visit the Runcuracay archeological site. During the day’s hike, we will also visit the Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca Quechuan archeological sites of the Inca Trail. After lunch, we will head to the Wiñaywayna site, where we will spend our last night on the Inca Trail, and then we will have a celebratory dinner to then say goodbye to our Inca Trail porters.

Distance: 16 km/9.94 miles.
Time: 9 hours on average
Elevation gain: 453 m/1,486 ft.
Start: Pacasmayo Campsite 3,600 m/11,700 ft.
End: Wiñaywayna campsite 2,650 m/8,530 ft.

Day 4: Wiñaywayna – Machupicchu – Cusco

After an early breakfast, we begin the final leg of the Inca Trail to the lost city of Machu Picchu. First, we will hike to Inti Punku (“Sun Gate”), Gate of the Inca Trail where we will take in an inspiring and panoramic view of the Machu Picchu citadel. After a short hike down to Machu Picchu, we will register and then enjoy a 2-hour guided tour of the sanctuary city. After the tour of Machupicchu, we will take the bus down or walk part of the Short Inca Trail to Aguas Calientes where we will enjoy lunch and free time to enjoy the town before returning to Ollantaytambo by train and then bus back to Cusco.