This trek was the highlight of our travels around Columbia and Peru , From a bucket list to reality . An absolutely brilliant 4 day Inca trek to Machu Picchu. A massive sense of achievement when we at last arrived at the Sun Gate and were able to enjoy that iconic view of Machu Picchu in the early morning on the fourth day. We did the trek with SAS Travel who we would highly recommend. They provided a great service from collection from Cusco airport to drop off at the end of the trip and everything in between including hotel accommodation. We booked in November 2023 to ensure a place on the national park . https://www.sastravelperu.com/home.php

As there was only 3 of us on the trek ( a minimum of 4 is required for group discount ) we did have to pay a supplement 2 weeks before the trek started which came as a bit of a surprise as we had booked so far in advance .

Fitness wise we are both 60 and relatively fit , It was tough but the guide responded to our individual needs , he adapted the pace accordingly (we were however the first group into camp every night!).

We were accompanied on the way by a team of 6 porters , a chef and a guide. They were a brilliant team and made our trek even more memorable.

The food is incredible 2 course meals at lunch and dinner every day . All done on a couple of gas burners.

The 4 days covers 46KM , and the highest point is 4,200M . The second day is by far the most challenging in terms of the ascent however Julie found the third day mostly down hill more challenging on the knees !!!!! . Walking poles really helped .

Altitude sickness is a big challenge and certainly we experienced headaches and shortness of breath in our first 2 days in Cusco. We would recommend giving yourself 2/3 days to acclimatise to the altitude in Cusco ( 3600 M ) and chill a bit especially on the first day.

Kit list Good walking boots, A waterproof poncho ( it does rain ) toilet paper !!! , a hat , head torch , wet wipes if you want to miss out on a freezing cold shower !!!! and a warm jacket as it gets cold at night . There is no electricity or wifi so if you want to take photos of the breathtaking views take a good power bank .
Tips are expected on the evening of the third day a minimum (divided between guests) of $15 US dollars for each porter, $50 for the chef and guide so make sure you have this with you on the trek. We didn't quite understand the requirements and led to some anxiety as we wanted to ensure we were rewarding great service but not breaking the bank.

If you get the chance to do this . Just do it .

If you have just started following us see our adventures in Columbia, the Caribbean and at home in the UK

0:00 Hello from Julie and Andy
1:50 Cusco acclimatising to the altitude
4:00 Intro to the 4 day Inca trek
4:54 Day 1
9:34 Day 2
14:13 Day 3
!7:20 Day 4 and Machu Picchu
21:42 Getting back to Cusco