While the 4-day Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu is a very popular option while visiting Peru, not everyone wants to spend 4 days hiking and 3 nights camping on their trip. For those looking for a taste of the Inca Trail without such a time commitment, the 1 day Inca Trail day hike is a great choice!
First off, you start your travels by taking the train from Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley to the Km 104 marker. This is where you disembark in the morning and begin your hike towards Machu Picchu with a guide. Every Inca Trail hike requires a guide and permit, so you’ll have to arrange it through a tour operator. They allow up to 8 in a group per guide. Since there is a daily limit on permits, if you’re visiting during high season, I recommend booking in advance. Unlike the 4-day version, you do not have porters for the day Inca Trail tour, so you’ll have to carry all your own gear.
What the Inca Trail is Like
The 1-day hike is a full-day trek over 12 km (or 7.7 miles), with just over 3600 feet of elevation gain. You can find more details about the trail itself over at my favorite hiking resource, All Trails. For a lot of the hike you’re at around 8000 feet of elevation, so you want to make sure you’ve adjusted to the altitude before you start this hike (for reference, if you’re in Cusco before, that’s higher up at 12000 feet elevation). Those who are not used to hiking at altitude might struggle with this hike. The locals recommend drinking coca tea and trying other coca leaves products, like coca leaves candy, to help with altitude sickness. You can also ask your doctor for altitude medicine before you leave for Peru, which is what I did!
If you hike often, especially in destinations like Colorado up in the mountains, you probably won’t find this hike too challenging. For those of us not used to hiking on the regular, I’d rate it as hard. I’m a plus-size woman, so for me, it was one of the most challenging hikes I’ve done as an adult!
The first few miles of the hike are all uphill, with lots and lots of stairs. I was really regretting my life choices, particularly not choosing to spend the day in Aguas Calientes at the hot springs versus suffering on the trail. What makes the trail even more challenging is the unpredictable nature of the weather. When we started the hike, it was blazing hot out (note: I did the hike in mid-September). I brought 3 liters of water with me and ended up drinking nearly all of it due to the heat. Considering the number of stairs we were climbing, the heat did not help things. But, this whole area is in a cloud forest, so you also have to be prepared for rain. For the second half of the day, the clouds rolled in and we had to deal with traversing the slippery stones of the Inca Trail.
As you make your way up, you’ll catch sight of the ruins of Wiñay Wayna up ahead. That marks the highest point you’ll go on the 1-day trek, and one of the highlights of the day. Soon before you reach Wiñay Wayna, you cross a bridge over a waterfall. This was one of my favorite photo moments along the trail (though the whole trail itself features stunning views of the Andes mountains you’re hiking through). Then, you make it to the base of Wiñay Wayna and start your ascent up the worst staircase of the day, dubbed by my guide as the “Gringo Killer”. Seriously, this was my least favorite part of the whole hike. I was exhausted after miles up uphill hiking already! The good news is, once you reach the top, you’re treated to beautiful views of Wiñay Wayna and the Andes Mountains and the knowledge that you’re at the highest point of the hike! This is also where we stopped for lunch, and the one place along the trail where you can find primitive bathrooms to use (since this is a campsite for the 4-day backpackers).
The next section of the trail is much more relaxed. Luckily, it had cooled down by then, but there’s also more shade along this portion that’s more in the jungle. This section is more of a gentle incline and decline until you reach a steep set of stairs that you’ll most likely want to monkey climb up. After those though, you’ve only got a few more minutes until you make it to the main event – the Sun Gate! Here’s where you’ll get your first magical sighting of Machu Picchu in the distance.
You can spot the village as well as Machu Picchu mountain over beside it – it’s truly a unique angle that you can only experience at the Sun Gate. This view is your reward for the 10km you’ve hiked so far. And, the good news is, the last 2 km is all downhill from here, all the way to the Machu Picchu bus stop that takes you back to Aguas Calientes. The last section of the trail is big cobblestones that were quite slippery when wet from the rain, so I found hiking poles very helpful to prevent myself from slipping.
What To Pack for the 1-Day Inca Trail Hike
I would definitely ask your tour operator for a packing list as well so you don’t miss anything important, but this is what I would recommend.
- LAYERS! The weather is unpredictable. As I said above, our hike started hot and ended raining. You’ll want a waterproof jacket or rain poncho (I bought a disposable rain poncho in town before the hike). You’ll also want light layers underneath everything in case it’s hot, so you can strip down and not overheat.
- At least 2L of water (make sure to pack out any trash with you)
- Bug spray. Lots of it! I got eaten alive on the trail because I didn’t re-apply enough. You can also easily buy this in town. Don’t rely on those anti-mosquito bracelets – they didn’t work for anyone in my group.
- Sunscreen
- Hat (especially if it’s hot out)
- Sunglasses
- Cash to tip your local guide
- Trail snacks
- Passport – you need this at the checkpoints and to board the train
- Hiking boots (would not recommend doing this hike in sneakers)
- Hiking poles (your guide might be able to help you rent these if you ask in advance)
- Hiking daypack to put everything in
- Your camera/phone
- Toilet paper/wet wipes (again, plan to pack all trash out if you use these)
- Potential medications, like altitude pills or ibuprofen
- DURING C0VID: 2 face masks and a face shield – double masking and a shield is required for the bus and train (you can buy a face shield in town)
When To Visit Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail
File this under things I wish I knew before I went! As I’m sure you already know, Peru is in South America, which means their seasons are switched versus what North Americans are used to. What you might not realize though is that since Machu Picchu is in a cloud forest, they have a wet season and a dry season instead of the normal four seasons. If you want to avoid the rain, you’ll want to visit during the high season aka the dry season. The dry season typically is from May to October, with the driest climate being in June, July, and August. I chose to visit during September, which is early spring there since it’s less crowded then while still considered the dry season. Note that it can get quite cold at night during peak dry season though, as it’s also their winter! Just another reason to pack lots of layers.
Have any more questions about doing the 1 day Inka Trail day hike? Let me know in the comments!
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