Full Itinerary of the Andean Circuit Trek 13 Days

Thirteen days around southern Peru, 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. We meet you at Lima airport in the morning and drive you to Casa Andina Standard in Miraflores, or similar. Settle in, have lunch on your own and rest; the afternoon belongs to the city.

Your guide picks you up around 2:00 p.m. First the Miraflores clifftops and Parque del Amor, then a look at Huaca Pucllana, the adobe pyramid in the middle of the city, and on to the historic center: Plaza San Martín, Plaza Mayor and the San Francisco convent, where you go down into the catacombs. The tour ends with a pisco tasting, and you are back at the 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: Arrive in Lima in the morning to join the tour. 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 and the flight to Cusco, about 1 hour 20 minutes (not included). We meet you on arrival and take you to San Agustín Internacional, or similar, close to the historic center. At 3,400 m / 11,155 ft the first hours matter: rest, drink water, eat light. You have two days to acclimatize before the trek.

From about 1:00 p.m., the city tour. On foot: the Plaza de Armas, the Twelve-Angled Stone and the Temple of the Sun, Qoricancha. Then by vehicle: 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: No alcohol today, slow steps 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

Pickup at 7:00 a.m. The day starts at an alpaca and llama farm, continues to the Taray viewpoint over the valley and reaches Pisac, where you walk the terraces and temples above the town and browse the market below.

Lunch in Urubamba, then the circular terraces of Moray and the salt pans of Maras, still harvested by local families. You sleep in Ollantaytambo, a living Inca town close to Km 82, which means a later start and a better rest before the trek.

• 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; 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

After breakfast, pickup around 6:30 a.m. for the short drive to Km 82. Passport and permit check, a photo at the sign, and the trail begins along the Urubamba River, with the snow peak of Verónica above.

Day 1 is a warm-up. A ridge gives you the first view of Patallacta, a large Inca settlement below the trail; then a gradual climb to Hatunchaca, where our chefs have lunch ready. In the afternoon you follow the Cusichaca stream up to Ayapata, arriving around 5:00 p.m. to tents already pitched and tea on the table.

• 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: The original passport used for your permit, sunscreen and an easy pace. Full trek details on our Classic Inca Trail page.

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

Dead Woman’s Pass day. An early breakfast, then about four hours of climbing, first through cloud forest and then across open puna, to Warmiwañusca at 4,215 m / 13,829 ft, the highest point of the trail. Short steps, regular breaks and your guide’s pace get everyone up. At the top, the wind and the whole valley behind you.

A long descent to lunch at Pacaymayo, a second climb past the round watchtower of Runkurakay to the 4,000 m / 13,123 ft pass, and down to Chaquicocha camp. Dinner, 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: Layers you can take off as you climb, a windproof jacket for the pass, 2 liters of water, snacks, sunscreen and poles with rubber tips.

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

The greenest day. A short climb to Phuyupatamarca, the town above the clouds, with its stone baths and, on a clear morning, a view toward the back of Machu Picchu mountain; then a long way down on original Inca stairs through cloud forest, orchids and hummingbirds, with the terraces of Intipata spread over the valley.

Lunch at the last camp around 1:00 p.m. and a free afternoon at Wiñay Wayna, a sweep of terraces, temples and fountains five minutes from your tent. The farewell dinner follows, 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: Poles for the stairs and a headlamp for camp. Pack the duffel tonight; tomorrow you carry only the daypack, passport and camera.

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

Up before dawn, breakfast, and the walk to the checkpoint, open from 5:30 a.m. An hour along the mountainside, a last steep flight of steps, and the Sun Gate: Machu Picchu below you in the first light, and no one hurrying you.

An hour down to the classic viewpoint, then the guided tour of the citadel on the circuit assigned to Inca Trail hikers. Bus to Aguas Calientes, lunch on your own, the Vistadome train to Ollantaytambo and a private transfer to Cusco, arriving around 7:30 p.m.

• 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. Early night: the alarm rings at 4:00 a.m.

Day 8: Rainbow Mountain and the Red Valley - Cusco

Pickup at 4:30 a.m. and a three-hour drive toward the Ausangate range, with breakfast at a local restaurant on the way. From the trailhead, 1.5 to 2 hours of steady walking bring you to the Vinicunca viewpoint, about 5,200 m / 17,060 ft. Four days on the Inca Trail have done your lungs a favor: you arrive here better acclimatized than most. Your guide goes slowly, and horses are for rent at the trailhead if your legs ask for them.

The color bands are natural mineral layers. When weather and the group allow, continue about 30 minutes to the Red Valley, quieter and emptier. Lunch at a local restaurant on the way back and arrival in Cusco 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, water and snacks; the weather changes fast up there. Prefer to rest after the trek? Tell us before the trip and we make this a free day in Cusco. More in our Rainbow Mountain guide.

Day 9: Cusco to Puno - Route of the Sun

After breakfast, the tourist bus heads south on the Route of the Sun with a guide on board, about 10 hours with stops. First the church of Andahuaylillas, the Sistine Chapel of the Andes, with its painted ceilings and gilded altars; then Raqchi and the tall adobe walls of the Temple of Wiracocha, one of the largest buildings the Incas raised.

Buffet lunch at a restaurant on the route, then the La Raya pass at 4,335 m / 14,222 ft, where the Cusco region ends and Puno begins, and the Pukara museum with its stone sculptures. Late-afternoon arrival in Puno and transfer to Casa Andina Standard, or similar. Stops may vary with the bus schedule.

• Meals: breakfast and buffet 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: A warm jacket, water and your camera within reach; the stops are short. Puno sits at 3,827 m / 12,556 ft, so keep taking it easy tonight. See our Puno guide.

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

After breakfast, transfer to the port and a boat onto Lake Titicaca, 3,812 m / 12,507 ft above the sea. First the Uros floating islands, layers of totora reeds that families build, walk on and rebuild; they show you how the islands and their reed boats are made.

Then about two hours across open water to Taquile, where the men knit and the textile art is on UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage list. A walk up the stone path to the village, lunch of local ingredients with the lake below, and time to explore before the boat back to Puno, around 5:00 p.m.

• 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, a warm jacket for the boat, comfortable shoes and small bills for textiles from the knitters. More in our Lake Titicaca guide.

Day 11: Puno - Patapampa Pass - Colca Valley

Pickup between 6:00 and 6:15 a.m. for the road west across the high plains. At Lagunillas, alpacas, llamas and wild vicuñas graze by the lakes, and Andean flamingos and caracaras feed in the shallows. A short stop at Patahuasi for the restrooms and a coca tea.

The road peaks at Patapampa, the Volcanoes Viewpoint, 4,910 m / 16,109 ft, the highest point of the trip and reached by vehicle: Ampato, Sabancaya and Misti stand in a line on the horizon. Then down to Chivay around 1:00 p.m., lunch on your own and your lodge. The afternoon is free, with optional thermal baths nearby; in the evening, dinner in Chivay, where some restaurants add a folk music show.

• Meals: breakfast at the hotel; lunch not included; dinner [TO CONFIRM]
• Highest point: Patapampa, 4,910 m / 16,109 ft, by vehicle
• Hotel: Colca Lodge, Colca Valley, or similar
• Difficulty: easy, with a long drive at altitude

Tips: Warm clothes, sunscreen and sunglasses; Patapampa is cold even in full sun. Move slowly at the viewpoint and bring a swimsuit for the hot springs; after the trail, your legs will thank you.

Day 12: Cruz del Cóndor - Colca Canyon - Arequipa

Departure between 6:15 and 6:30 a.m. First the village of Yanque, where you may catch the Wititi dance in the square, then Cruz del Cóndor, the viewpoint over one of the deepest canyons on Earth, more than 3,000 m / 9,800 ft from rim to river in places. Condors ride the morning thermals along the walls; most days they come, but no one can promise it.

On the way back, the village of Maca and its colonial church, and more viewpoints over the terraces that climb the valley walls. Lunch in Chivay around 1:00 p.m., then the road down to Arequipa, arriving around 4:30 p.m. at Casa Andina Standard, or similar. The evening is yours in the White City.

• Meals: breakfast at the lodge; lunch in Chivay [TO CONFIRM]
• Day: about 10 hours, including the drive to Arequipa
• Hotel: Casa Andina Standard, Arequipa, or similar 3-star hotel
• Difficulty: easy to moderate, because of the altitude and the long day

Tips: Warm layers for the early start, binoculars for the condors, comfortable shoes and your camera. Arequipa sits at 2,335 m / 7,661 ft, so breathing gets easier tonight; try rocoto relleno for dinner.

Day 13: Arequipa - Departure

Breakfast and, if your flight allows, a last walk: the Plaza de Armas, the cathedral and the white volcanic stone of the old streets, with the Santa Catalina Monastery a block away. At the agreed time, a private transfer to Arequipa airport, where the TreXperience service ends. Thirteen days ago you landed on the coast; you leave having walked the Inca Trail into Machu Picchu, stood on Rainbow Mountain, crossed Lake Titicaca and watched condors from the edge of the Colca.

• Meals: breakfast at the hotel
• Transfer: hotel to Arequipa airport, according to your flight
• Not included: flight from Arequipa

Want more of Peru? Add Nazca and Paracas before Cusco, the Amazon after Arequipa, or an extra night in the White City. Write to us and we suggest the best order for your dates.

Andean Circuit Trek 13 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, Lake Titicaca and Colca Canyon tours, the Route of the Sun bus, 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, Rainbow Mountain and Colca 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 Route of the Sun bus 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, Puno, the Colca and Arequipa.
• Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain on Day 7, US$75 per person.
• Extra nights and extensions to Nazca and Paracas before Cusco, or the Amazon after Arequipa.

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

Packing List for the Andean Circuit Trek 13 Days

Three climates in thirteen 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, Lake Titicaca and the Colca pass, 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 buses and your flights), medication, documents, insurance details and cash in soles for meals on your own, tips and small purchases.

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 for Dead Woman’s Pass, Rainbow Mountain, the lake and the Colca pass, where it can drop below freezing before sunrise.

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. A swimsuit stays in the suitcase for the Colca hot springs. 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 Route of the Sun bus, the lake boat and the Colca transport.

Optional Gear and Extra Items

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

Travel Information for the Andean Circuit Trek 13 Days

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

Frequently Asked Questions About the Andean Circuit Trek 13 Days

Quick answers about the route, the trek, porters and meals, permits, flights, Rainbow Mountain, the condors and customization.