Hiking Tours in Machu Picchu: 15 That Fill a Day Properly

1.Salkantay Trek Challenge – 3 Days / 2 Nights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 101 reviews · 3 days (approx.) · from $680Our pick

Take the fast, tough route from Cusco to Machu Picchu over the Salkantay Pass. You will hike from 3,900 meters to 4,630 meters, descend into coffee country, sleep at Mountain Sky View and in Aguas Calientes, then visit Machu Picchu with a guide. Expect early starts, strong support, and little spare sleep.

“Salkantay Trekking does a great job in ensuring all the conditions are set for this hard challenge to be doable for everyone.”

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2.Choquequirao Trek 4 days and 3 nights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 81 reviews · 4 days (approx.) · from $698

Trek from Capuliyoc through the Apurimac Canyon to Choquequirao, an Inca citadel reached by foot rather than crowds. TreXperience provides transport, an English-speaking guide, chef, porter support, four breakfasts, four lunches, and three dinners. Expect steep climbs, remote camps, and a group of up to 16 people.

“Trip of a lifetime! We did the 4-day, 3-night TreXperience Trek with Gary (lead guide) and Sergio (support guide) and “Chef Ratatouille” Balbino starting Sept 8th, 2025. Length of trip was just about right - long enough to get good hikes bu”

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3.Machu Picchu: 5-Day Salkantay Trek with Panoramic Train

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 79 reviews · 5 days · from $655

Spend five days crossing Peru’s Salkantay route with a small group of up to 16 people. Hike to Humantay Lake and Salkantay Pass, eat Pachamanca barbecue, visit a coffee farm, camp at Llactapata with Machu Picchu in view, then return by Vistadome or 360° train. Guides such as César, Roger, and José provide steady support.

“The trip was really good organised they know what they doing. Frank and John our guides were incredible and looked after us really good. Big thanks to our chefs the food was soo delicious. And the campsites expecially the one on the 3 night are in such beutiful spots.”

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4.Ancascocha Trek To Machu Picchu 4 Days And 3 Nights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 77 reviews · from $730

Follow the demanding Ancascocha Trail from Cusco to Machu Picchu over four days and three nights. You’ll hike to Perolniyoc waterfall, climb to the 14,599-foot Kuychiccasa Pass, camp in the high Andes, and spend one night in Aguas Calientes. A guide, meals, camping gear, park fees, and hotel transfers are included.

“The views were amazing since day one, there were so many different landscapes (jungle, alpines, green fields and more). The people working in the company were amazing. It was really nice to do the trek with someone that is from the area (ERead more”

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5.4 Day Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu Multi day tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 70 reviews · from $930

Trek 42 kilometers from Km 82 to Machu Picchu over four days, crossing Dead Woman’s Pass, cloud forest, and ancient ruins. Expect a maximum group of 16, three nights of camping, a guide such as Nico, Cesar, or Plinio, porters, a trekking chef, meals, permits, and the return train to Ollantaytambo.

“Amazing from start to finish. The organisation was perfect, the porters were brilliant, the chef was amazing - (how he produced such delicious food in the middle of the Andes is a mystery - and baked a cake!). Our guide, Nico, was just the Read more”

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6.Salkantay Trek 4 Days to Machu Picchu by Glamping Sky Lodge Dome

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 68 reviews · 4 days (approx.) · from $761

You’ll cross the 4,650-meter Salkantay Pass, sleep in Sky Lodge domes, walk from cold highlands into cloud forest, and reach Machu Picchu at sunrise. Quechuas Expeditions includes guides, cooks, horses or porters, meals, entrance fees, the train back, and a night in Aguas Calientes. Guides such as Fernando and Nildo have earned especially strong praise.

“I had such a great time on the Salkantay trek, and a big part of that was thanks to our guide, Fernando. He was so nice and incredibly helpful throughout the whole journey, always making sure we were comfortable and enjoying ourselves. He also had a great sense of humour it was fun to have a joke and a laugh with him along the way. One of the highlights was when he even played football with us during the trek, which made the experience feel extra special. Overall, it was unforgettable, and I’m really glad Fernando was our guide.”

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7.2 Day Hiking Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 66 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $761

Start at 5:00 am, ride the train to km 104, and hike through waterfalls and Wiñay Wayna to Machu Picchu’s Sun Gate. Spend the night in Aguas Calientes, then return to Machu Picchu with a guide and free time. Guides may include José or Carlos, and groups are capped at 16.

“We did the 2 day trek to Machu Picchu and had a great time!”

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8.Classic Choquequirao Trek – 5 Days / 4 Nights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 52 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $735

This five-day trek from Cusco crosses the Apurímac Canyon to Choquequirao, an Inca citadel larger than Machu Picchu but visited by far fewer people. You will camp near Marampata, carry only a small personal bag, and travel with a bilingual guide, cook, mule team, emergency gear, and a group of up to 12. Guides such as Guido, George, Carlos, and Franz have led recent departures.

“WOW! Guido was/is a fantastic, knowledgeable, friendly, and humorous guide that cannot be outdone. His passion and knowledge for the culture is obvious throughout our trip. He connected with each one of our “Team Dave” and was there to help, each of us, when we needed it.”

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9.Short Inca Trail 2 Day Hike to Machu Picchu with Permits & Train

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 51 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $795

This two-day hike starts with an early train to Km 104, then follows the Short Inca Trail past Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna to the Sun Gate. You’ll spend the night in Aguas Calientes, return to Machu Picchu for a guided morning tour, and travel back to Cusco by train and bus. Small groups, permits, meals, lodging, and transport are included.

“I was keen on hiking the real Inca Trail of 4 days but eventually ended up hiking this as the permit for the other was sold out. Overall this was a nice experience. There were a few Inca ruins along the way. The guide knew them well and spoke fair English too.”

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10.Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu in 4 days

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 50 reviews · from $590

You’ll hike from Challacancha to Machu Picchu through Humantay Lagoon, the 4,630-meter Salkantay Pass, cloud forest, coffee country, and the Urubamba Valley. English-speaking guides such as Gilber, Herbert, and Rene have led trips, while cooks, horses, transport, lodging, trains, and Machu Picchu entry are included.

“We got very sick and the company did not provide the guide w a first aid kit or oxygen balloon as advertised in the itinerary! It didn’t end there. I had to pay 200$ out of pocket to get us by taxi to lower elevation. We drove on dangerous rRead more”

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11.Salkantay Trek Standard 5D/4N

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 48 reviews · 5 days (approx.)

You’ll trek from Soraypampa past Humantay Lake and Salkantay Pass to cloud forest, coffee country, Aguas Calientes, and Machu Picchu. A bilingual guide, cook, assistants, three camping nights, one hostel night, meals, entry fees, return train, and transport are included. The group is limited to 15 people.

“Senhores nao tempo p trabalhar p os senhores. Pais em situacao atipica. Greves de transportes com alguns eventos violencia. Como eu poderia ficar preso em Machu Pichu, fiz minha desistencia. A quadrilha empresarial negou-se a me reembolsar. Opiniao: o contrato é invalidado quando o pais nao oferece as condicoes de seguranca...... Fui roubado em 3.200 R.”

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12.4-Day Lares Trek to Machu Picchu from Cusco

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 47 reviews · 4 days (approx.) · from $847

You’ll hike from Lares through Wakawasi and over the 4,400-meter Ipsayccocha Pass, camping beside local communities before reaching Machu Picchu. A bilingual guide such as Percy leads the trek and the two-hour site tour. Expect small groups, hearty Peruvian meals, horses for gear, and one hotel night in Aguas Calientes.

“My husband and I went on this tour in May 16. Percy was our tour guide. He's very experienced, funny, helpful and considerate when we went on the hike. His English was also very good. In addition to this, food was awesome and thanks to our chef! It was my first time to go on a hike and the view was absolutely amazing and I really enjoyed this tour.”

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13.Ultimate Lares Trek & Inca Trail 5 days

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 47 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $980

Spend three days hiking the quiet Lares Valley, camping beside a high Andean lake, and crossing Condor Pass at 4,700 meters. Then take the Short Inca Trail through Chachabamba and Wiñay Huayna to Machu Picchu. Guides such as Manolo, Anthony, Gilbert, and Sara are known for strong local knowledge and patient support. Hotels, meals, transport, horses, and camping gear are included.

“My sister and I had the most wonderful time with TreXperience. Our experience was top notch all around. We first did the Lares trek with our guide Elias, chef Tiburcio, and horseman Toribio. It was my sisters birthday on the second day and the chef made her a full-on cake despite being camping in the woods without an oven. The food was delicious for every meal (we were stuffed) and the crew made us feel very welcome. It was a super authentic experience. Im glad I stuck to my gut going with this company instead of a more commercial company like alpaca exp.”

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14.Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu 5 Days And 4 Nights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 44 reviews · from $690

This five-day Salkantay Trek takes you from Cusco to Humantay Lake, the 15,252-foot Salkantay Pass, a local coffee farm, Llactapata, and Machu Picchu. Bilingual guides, cooks, horses, camping gear, meals, and one hotel night are included. Expect demanding altitude hiking, small-group support, and a train ride back to Cusco.

“What an amazing trip- I would thoroughly recommend it.”

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15.5-Day: Salkantay Trek to Machupicchu and Humantay Lake

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 42 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $360Best value

Trek from Cusco to Machu Picchu through Humantay Lake, the 4,600-meter Salkantay Pass, cloud forest, Santa Teresa, and Aguas Calientes. You get four nights of lodging, meals, a bilingual guide, horses for up to 5 kilograms of gear, and a two-hour Machu Picchu tour. Guide Roger is specifically praised, when available.

“The Salkantay 5 day trek to Machu Picchu was a wonderful experience. Being in a small group made it more exceptional and personal. Our guide, Roger, was super, very helpful, and friendly! I would do it again”

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