Hiking Machu Picchu: 4 Days on the Inca Trail

If you ever get the chance to hike to Machu Picchu, take it. It was truly one of the best experiences of my life.

That said, I had a few months to mentally prepare myself beforehand. Between endless research, buying out half of L.L.Bean, and actually using my monthly gym membership, I felt relatively confident going in. Still, nothing could have fully prepared me for how incredible the experience of hiking to Machu Picchu would be.

Before we even started the trek, we spent a few days in Cusco acclimating, resting, and picking up a few last-minute essentials. I cannot recommend this step enough. Once you recover from the initial travel and give your body time to adjust to the altitude, you’re finally ready to begin the four-day hike to Machu Picchu.

Day 1

Our alarm went off at an unreasonably early 4 a.m. We stumbled out of bed, gathered the last items we hadn’t packed the night before, and got dressed for the day ahead. I wore warm leggings, hiking socks, a gray workout t-shirt, an L.L.Bean fleece, and a raincoat.

Once packed, we lugged our suitcases down the hostel stairs and waited in the lobby for our tour guide to pick us up. The rest of the morning was spent driving to the base of the trail, with a couple of stops along the way for food and supplies. We decided to pick up walking sticks and cocoa leaves — something the locals swear by, and now so do I. I chewed on them almost constantly, and aside from a small headache, I barely felt the effects of altitude sickness.

By the time we finally reached the base of the hike, I was very ready to get off the bus — and even more ready to start our four-day adventure.

After sorting out our backpacks with the porters, filling our water bottles, and strapping on extra rain gear, we were off. It didn’t take long for the first serious uphill to remind me exactly what I had signed up for. We hiked for about five hours that first day, with a few breaks along the way.

Lunch was our first major stop, and we walked into the tent to find a massive three-course meal waiting for us. The food quickly became one of the highlights of the hike — every meal was just as impressive as this one. After another short break, we continued on until we reached camp, where our tents were already set up with our belongings waiting for us.

Following yet another huge dinner, we settled in for our first night on the trail.

Day 2

Once again, our alarms went off painfully early. We were up, packed, fed, and back on the trail before 7 a.m. Day two was known as the hardest day of the hike, which meant an extra-early start.

We climbed nearly 4,000 feet after already being over 9,000 feet above sea level, reaching a total elevation of 13,780 feet. This was by far the most challenging day of the trek. We took several breaks along the way, and it somehow became harder to stand back up after every stop.

When we finally reached the peak, it felt like we had been climbing all day — though in reality, it only took a few hours. Fog had been rolling in all morning and settled just as we arrived at the top. There wasn’t much to see, but we still took a moment to soak in the fact that the hardest part was behind us.

From there, it was another two to three hours of downhill hiking to reach camp. This was where the walking sticks truly earned their place. The trail turned into steep, rain-covered rocks, and every step required focus to avoid slipping.

By around 4 or 5 in the afternoon, we finally arrived at camp. I was incredibly sore. Even though my hiking boots were broken in, I had developed major blisters on my toes. Thankfully, I had packed a small first-aid kit. After tending to my feet, I joined everyone else in camp for a much-needed nap before dinner.

That evening, we learned that one of the other travelers in our group had come down with altitude sickness. Our guide mentioned that if it were going to happen, day two was usually when it hit hardest because of the drastic elevation changes. I didn’t feel amazing, but I was grateful that a sore hip was my biggest concern.

It was also the coldest night on the trail. I layered up with extra socks, a warm hat, and winter gloves — all of which I was very thankful I had packed.

Day 3

We woke up a little more easily on day three, knowing the hardest part of the hike was behind us. While the day was still challenging, much of the terrain was what our guide called “Inca flat,” which made it feel more manageable.

This was also the day when the scenery really began to shine. We started seeing ruins along the trail, and the views were absolutely breathtaking. Day three ended up being one of my favorite days of the hike — it was much easier to ignore sore muscles when there was something incredible to look at around every corner. I even got to pose for a photo with a llama.

The only downside was the long stretches of downhill hiking, which took a toll on my joints. Once I realized we were only about 30 minutes from camp, I practically sprinted the rest of the way. I couldn’t wait to ice my hip and lie down.

That night felt a little different, knowing it was our final evening on the trail. After dinner, we thanked our chefs and porters for making the entire experience possible. Our tour guide shared one final story before sending us off to our tents for the night.

Day 4

The final day came with the earliest wake-up call yet. The last section of the trail opened at 5 a.m., and nearly every tour group was lined up, hoping to reach the Sun Gate for sunrise. Our guide decided to hold us back slightly, betting that the fog would lift by the time we arrived.

It was a short hour of hiking to the entrance of the Sun Gate. Unfortunately, the fog was still thick, completely hiding the view. But as we continued descending toward Machu Picchu, the clouds slowly began to break. For a while, we caught only brief glimpses of the ruins through the fog.

Then, just as we reached the entrance to Machu Picchu, the fog finally lifted and the sun came out in full force. Looking down at Machu Picchu for the first time was one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen in my lifetime.

We spent the rest of the day wandering through the breathtaking ruins, following our guide as he shared the history behind everything we saw. After countless photos and a full tour of the site, it was time to catch our bus down to Aguas Calientes.

We had officially survived the hike.

If you’re planning your own trek, check out my post, Inca Trail Packing List: 4 day Hike to Machu Picchu for everything I recommend bringing along.