Full Itinerary of the Andean Highlights Trek 11 Days

Eleven days from the Pacific coast to the roof of the Andes, with four of them on foot. Here is each day with times, meals, camps and hotels.

Day 1: Arrival in Lima - Afternoon City Tour

Welcome to Peru. Our driver meets you at Lima airport in the morning and takes you to Casa Andina Standard in Miraflores, or similar. Drop your bags, find lunch on your own and, if you have the energy, walk a stretch of the clifftop Malecón above the Pacific.

At about 2:00 p.m. your guide collects you for the afternoon: Parque del Amor on the cliffs, the pre-Inca pyramid of Huaca Pucllana seen from outside, then downtown Lima with Plaza San Martín, Plaza Mayor and the San Francisco convent and its catacombs. A pisco tasting rounds off the tour. Back at your hotel around 6:00 p.m.

• Meals: not included
• Tour: half day, about 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.
• Hotel: Casa Andina Standard, Lima, or similar 3-star hotel
• Difficulty: easy

Tips: This day needs a morning arrival in Lima. Early check-in is not included; ask us if you want to guarantee it. More in our Lima travel guide.

Day 2: Flight to Cusco - Afternoon City Tour

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight to Cusco, about 1 hour 20 minutes (not included). Our team meets you in Cusco and takes you to San Agustín Internacional, or similar, a few blocks from the main square. You are now at 3,400 m / 11,155 ft, and the next two days are your acclimatization before the trek: take it slow, drink more water than usual and keep lunch light.

At about 1:00 p.m. your guide picks you up for the city. On foot: the Plaza de Armas, the Twelve-Angled Stone in the Inca walls of Hatun Rumiyoc street and Qoricancha, the Temple of the Sun. Then by vehicle to the sites above town: Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay, with a stop at the Cristo Blanco viewpoint when time allows.

• Meals: breakfast at the hotel
• Tour: half day
• Hotel: San Agustín Internacional, Cusco, or similar 3-star hotel
• Maximum altitude: about 3,700 m / 12,139 ft
• Difficulty: easy, with walking and stairs at altitude

Tips: Skip alcohol today, walk slowly on the stairs and tell your guide if you feel unwell. See our guide to altitude in Cusco.

Day 3: Sacred Valley - Pisac, Moray and Maras - Night in Ollantaytambo

At 7:00 a.m. we leave Cusco for the Sacred Valley. First stops: an alpaca and llama farm, the Taray viewpoint above the Urubamba River and Pisac, with its terraces and temples on the hillside and the craft market in the village below.

Lunch in Urubamba, then Moray, with its circular terraces, and the Maras Salt Mines, hundreds of pools still worked by local families. We end in Ollantaytambo, an Inca town people still live in, a short drive from Km 82, so the trek starts without an early transfer from Cusco.

• Meals: breakfast and lunch
• Tour: full day
• Hotel: Cocatambo, Ollantaytambo, or similar
• Difficulty: easy

Tips: Pack your 7 kg / 15 lb trek duffel and a daypack before leaving Cusco; your suitcase stays at your Cusco hotel or in our free storage until Day 7. Your trekking guide gives the briefing and hands out the duffel bags the evening before the trek [TO CONFIRM: Cusco on Day 2 or Ollantaytambo on Day 3]. More in our Sacred Valley guide.

Day 4: Inca Trail Day 1 - Km 82 - Patallacta - Ayapata

Breakfast at the hotel and pickup around 6:30 a.m. for the short drive to Km 82. At the checkpoint the rangers match your passport to your permit; then a photo at the sign and you are on the trail, following the Urubamba River with the glacier of Verónica in view.

A gentle first day. You climb to a ridge above Patallacta, the first large Inca settlement on the route, and continue to Hatunchaca, where our chefs serve a hot lunch. The afternoon is a steady walk up the Cusichaca valley to Ayapata camp, where the tents are already up and tea is waiting, around 5:00 p.m.

• Meals: breakfast at the hotel, lunch, tea time and dinner at camp
• Hike: 14 km / 8.7 mi, about 6 hours
• Camp: Ayapata, 3,300 m / 10,826 ft
• Difficulty: moderate

Tips: Bring the original passport used for your permit. Keep today easy and save your legs; the full trek is described on our Classic Inca Trail page.

Day 5: Inca Trail Day 2 - Dead Woman’s Pass - Chaquicocha

The day everyone talks about. Breakfast before sunrise, then about four hours of climbing: cloud forest first, open puna later, until you stand on Dead Woman’s Pass, Warmiwañusca, at 4,215 m / 13,829 ft, the highest point on the trail. Your guide keeps the pace slow and the breaks regular. At the top: wind, a long view back down the valley, and a moment to take it in.

Descend to lunch at Pacaymayo, then climb again past the round ruins of Runkurakay to the second pass at 4,000 m / 13,123 ft, and down to the camp at Chaquicocha. Dinner, a sky full of stars and an early night.

• Meals: breakfast, lunch, tea time and dinner at camp
• Hike: 16 km / 10 mi, about 10 hours
• Highest point: Dead Woman’s Pass, 4,215 m / 13,829 ft
• Camp: Chaquicocha, 3,600 m / 11,811 ft
• Difficulty: challenging

Tips: Start in layers and peel them off as you climb; the pass is cold and windy. Two liters of water, snacks, sunscreen, poles with rubber tips, and coca leaves or tea if you like them.

Day 6: Inca Trail Day 3 - Phuyupatamarca - Wiñay Wayna

Many hikers call this the best day. A short climb to Phuyupatamarca, the town above the clouds, with its ceremonial baths and, on a clear morning, a view toward the back of Machu Picchu mountain. Then a long descent on original Inca stairs through cloud forest, with orchids, hummingbirds and the terraces of Intipata hanging over the valley.

Lunch at the last camp around 1:00 p.m., and a free afternoon to explore Wiñay Wayna, Forever Young, a sweep of terraces, temples and fountains five minutes from your tent. In the evening the chefs serve the farewell dinner and you meet the whole team by name; tipping is optional and always your choice.

• Meals: breakfast, lunch, tea time and dinner at camp
• Hike: 10 km / 6.2 mi, about 5 to 6 hours
• Camp: Wiñay Wayna, 2,600 m / 8,530 ft
• Difficulty: moderate, with long descents on stone steps

Tips: Use your poles on the stairs. Repack your duffel tonight so only the daypack, passport and camera come with you in the morning.

Day 7: Inca Trail Day 4 - Sun Gate - Machu Picchu - Cusco

Up before dawn, a quick breakfast and the walk to the checkpoint, open from 5:30 a.m. One hour along the mountainside, a last climb of steep steps, and you are standing at the Sun Gate with Machu Picchu below you in the first light. Nobody rushes you.

Another hour down to the classic viewpoint, then the guided tour of the citadel on the circuit assigned to Inca Trail hikers: terraces, temples, plazas and sacred spaces. Bus down to Aguas Calientes, lunch on your own, the Vistadome train to Ollantaytambo and a private transfer to your Cusco hotel, arriving around 7:30 p.m. Tonight: hot shower, real bed, early alarm.

• Meals: breakfast at camp
• Hike: 6 km / 3.7 mi, about 2 to 3 hours, plus the guided tour
• Altitude: Machu Picchu, 2,430 m / 7,972 ft
• Return: bus, Vistadome train and private transfer to Cusco
• Hotel: San Agustín Internacional, Cusco, or similar 3-star hotel
• Difficulty: moderate

Tips: Passport and a small daypack; no large bags, drones, tripods or food inside. See our Machu Picchu rules guide. Lay out warm clothes for the morning before you sleep.

Day 8: Rainbow Mountain and the Red Valley - Cusco

Pickup at 4:30 a.m. for the three-hour drive into the Ausangate range, with breakfast at a local restaurant on the way. From the trailhead it is a steady 1.5 to 2 hours on foot to the viewpoint of Vinicunca, Rainbow Mountain, at about 5,200 m / 17,060 ft. After four days on the Inca Trail your lungs are better prepared than most visitors here, even if your legs disagree; your guide keeps the pace slow, and horses can be rented at the trailhead.

The stripes are natural minerals, brightest under a clear sky. When the weather and the group allow, continue about 30 minutes to the Red Valley, a quieter landscape of red hills with far fewer people. Then back down, lunch at a local restaurant and the drive to Cusco, arriving around 6:00 p.m.

• Meals: breakfast and lunch at local restaurants
• Hike: about 10 km / 6.2 mi round trip, including the Red Valley
• Highest point: about 5,200 m / 17,060 ft
• Hotel: San Agustín Internacional, Cusco, or similar 3-star hotel
• Difficulty: moderate to challenging, because of the altitude

Tips: Warm layers, gloves and a hat for the cold start, sunscreen and sunglasses for the sun, water and snacks. Rather rest after the trek? Tell us before the trip and we turn this into a free day in Cusco. More in our Rainbow Mountain guide.

Day 9: Cusco to Puno - Tourist Bus with Guided Stops

A travel day with rewards along the way. After breakfast, the tourist bus heads south across the altiplano, about 10 hours in all, with a guide and stops at the church of Andahuaylillas, known for its painted ceilings; Raqchi, where the walls of the Temple of Wiracocha still stand tall; and the La Raya pass, 4,335 m / 14,222 ft, the high point of the road, with snow peaks on both sides.

Lunch at a restaurant on the way, then the Pukara museum, with stone sculptures from one of the earliest cultures of the lake. You reach Puno in the evening and we take you to Casa Andina Standard, or similar. Stops may vary with the bus schedule.

• Meals: breakfast and lunch
• Bus: about 10 hours, including stops
• Highest point: La Raya pass, 4,335 m / 14,222 ft
• Hotel: Casa Andina Standard, Puno, or similar 3-star hotel
• Difficulty: easy

Tips: Keep a warm layer, water and snacks with you; the stops are short. Puno sits at 3,827 m / 12,556 ft, a little higher than Cusco, so go easy tonight. See our Puno guide.

Day 10: Lake Titicaca - Uros Floating Islands and Taquile Island

After breakfast, a boat onto Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world at 3,812 m / 12,507 ft. The first stop is the Uros floating islands, built from layers of totora reed by the families who live on them; they show you how an island is made and what daily life on the water looks like.

Then about two hours across open water to Taquile, where the men knit and the island’s textile tradition is on UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage list. Walk up the stone path to the village, lunch at a local restaurant with the lake below, and time to look around before the boat back to Puno, around 5:00 p.m. Last night in Puno.

• Meals: breakfast and lunch
• Tour: full day by boat
• Altitude: 3,812 m / 12,507 ft
• Hotel: Casa Andina Standard, Puno, or similar 3-star hotel
• Difficulty: easy to moderate, with stone steps at altitude on Taquile

Tips: Sunscreen and a hat; the sun on the lake is strong. A warm layer for the boat and small bills if you want to buy textiles from the knitters. More in our Lake Titicaca guide.

Day 11: Puno - Transfer to Juliaca Airport

After breakfast, we pick you up at your hotel and drive about an hour to Juliaca airport for your flight to Lima (not included). The TreXperience service ends here. Eleven days ago you landed on the coast; you leave having walked the Inca Trail into Machu Picchu, stood on Rainbow Mountain and crossed Lake Titicaca.

• Meals: breakfast at the hotel
• Transfer: about 1 hour from Puno to Juliaca airport
• Not included: flight from Juliaca to Lima

Want more of Peru? Add the Colca Canyon and Arequipa after Puno, or the Amazon before you fly home. Write to us and we suggest the best order for your dates.

Andean Highlights Trek 11 Days Price and Booking

Prices are per person in US dollars. They include all hotels, the Classic Inca Trail permit, guide, chefs, porters and camp equipment, the Machu Picchu entrance and guided tour, the Vistadome train, the Rainbow Mountain and Lake Titicaca tours, the tourist bus to Puno, all listed tickets, local guides and ground transport. Flights are not included.

Small-Group Tour Price

Private Tour Price

Your own guide, chef and porters on the Inca Trail, and your own guide and vehicle for the city, valley and Rainbow Mountain days. Prices depend on group size and availability.

Note: Private service covers the Inca Trail and selected parts of the itinerary; we confirm which when you book. Trains, the Machu Picchu buses, the tourist bus to Puno and the lake boat are shared.

Booking and Payment

• Deposit: US$800 per person to secure your Inca Trail permit, Machu Picchu ticket, train seats and hotels. Balance online or at our Cusco office by card, PayPal or wire transfer.
• Send each traveler’s full name, passport number, date of birth, passport expiry and nationality. Inca Trail permits are issued in your name and can’t be changed, refunded or transferred.
• Classic Inca Trail permits sell out months ahead: for May to September, book at least four months in advance, six if you can. See our Terms and Conditions.
• Tell us about dietary needs, pregnancy or any heart, lung, knee or mobility concern, and why you’re traveling. It helps us prepare.

Student and Child Discount

Children under 17 and students under 25 with a valid university ID (name, photo, university and expiry date) may qualify for lower official Machu Picchu and Inca Trail rates. ISIC cards are not accepted. Send the ID or date of birth when booking and we confirm the discount 30$.

Customization and Upgrades

• Private service on the Inca Trail and selected parts of the itinerary.
• A rest day in Cusco between the trek and Rainbow Mountain.
• Hotel upgrades to 4-star or 5-star in Lima, Cusco and Puno.
• Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain on Day 7, US$75 per person.
• Extra nights and extensions to the Colca Canyon, Arequipa or the Amazon.

Changes depend on availability and may change the price. Contact us for a quote.

Packing List for the Andean Highlights Trek 11 Days

Three climates in eleven days: Lima’s mild coast, four days on the trail with nights near freezing and warm, wet afternoons, and the cold, bright altiplano of Rainbow Mountain and Lake Titicaca, where mornings freeze and the midday sun burns. Pack in three parts: a 7 kg / 15 lb duffel for the porters, a daypack for the hiking days, and your suitcase for the rest. More in our Peru Packing List.

Essentials

Original passport (checked at Km 82, Machu Picchu, the train, the bus and your flights), medication, documents, insurance details and cash in soles for meals on your own, tips and small purchases on the islands.

What to Wear?

Broken-in hiking boots, hiking socks, quick-dry shirts and trousers, a fleece, a warm jacket, a waterproof shell, and a hat and gloves you will use three times: at Dead Woman’s Pass, at Rainbow Mountain and on the lake.

What to Put in the Daypack?

2 liters of water, snacks, sunscreen, sunglasses, lip balm, a rain poncho, a warm layer, your camera and the passport. The high-altitude sun is strong even when the air is cold.

What Goes in the 7 kg Duffel?

Sleeping bag (bring or rent), a change of clothes for camp, warm sleepwear, toiletries, a small towel, a headlamp and a power bank. Our porters carry the duffel and it waits for you at each camp. See our Machu Picchu packing list.

What We Provide

Tents for two, sleeping pad and pillow, kitchen tent and private toilets, all meals and drinking water on the trail from Day 5, rain poncho and hand towels, first-aid kit, oxygen and satellite phone, the permit, the train, the tourist bus and the lake boat.

Optional Gear and Extra Items

Trekking poles with rubber tips (also for rent), an inflatable air mattress, blister plasters, wet wipes, motion-sickness remedies for the bus and boat, and anything your doctor recommends for altitude.

Travel Information for the Andean Highlights Trek 11 Days

What to know before you book: permits, flights, altitude, how hard the hikes are, camp life, Machu Picchu tickets, hotels and transport, and weather.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Andean Highlights Trek 11 Days

Quick answers about the trek, porters, permits, flights, Rainbow Mountain, Machu Picchu, meals and customization.